# 4k monitor

## bagas

Hello.

I'm going to take a 4k monitor, how is support for 4k content in linux?

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## asturm

Linux doesn't mind 4K at all. Maybe you do have a specific desktop environment in mind?

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## NeddySeagoon

bagas,

I have 4k and use Mate-1.20.  Its gorgeous. :)

There are two schools of thought in 4k.

a) Standard size displays with smaller pixels

b) Standard size pixels but more of them to make a bigger display.

a) needs you to use bigger fonts

b) just works.

You need a graphics card that supports 4k. Older cards max out at 2560x1600, so you need to read the fine print.

I went with option b), since I even with corrected vision, I can't really resolve individual pixels any more.

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## ct85711

 *Quote:*   

> b) Standard size pixels but more of them to make a bigger display. 

 

I've also been considering on if I should just buy another 1080p monitor (used to use dual monitors until one died), or just going with a 4k.  Just curious, what size of 4k would you recommend for the bigger display?  I know, for 4k TV's, it looks like the smallest they go is 40 inch; where as 4k monitors goes down to the standard size displays.

I know for my case, I know my graphics card does support 4k (Nvidia 1070).

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## asturm

I've got a 4K@12" laptop and a 4K@24" display, both make for gorgeously looking fonts. It's an entirely different matter for TVs where you are sitting far away and more than 1080p does not really matter below 50".

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## bagas

Monitor 28 inches, more inches I do not need.

The computer is home.

Without a video card, only the i7 8700 processor, the video card after the add-on.

Working in the console, watching movies, reading instructions.

Graphics are planned to use either xfce4 or kde.

```

xfce4-about 4.13.4 (Xfce 4.12)

```

The gentoo system awakens.

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## Ant P.

At 28" you might want to familiarise yourself with /etc/conf.d/consolefont settings. The default console font is readable at that size, but pretty tiny.

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## NeddySeagoon

ct85711,

I've got a Dell P4317Q. I didn't buy it from Amazon as Ballicom had a sale on and I got a much better price.

It won't be difficult to spot my review there. :)

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## szatox

I have a curved 32". 34 would probably be more comfortable, going down from this size is a no-no.

One very good thing with a single, large display is that you don't have that annoying gap in the middle of your screen, so by all means take 4k over 2 small displays.

If you need to customize your workspace, fakexrandr does a pretty good job splitting your screen on arbitrary widths and heights. Bonus points if you can find a way to toggle settings without reloging.

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## Akkara

I love 4K.  28" monitor here.  A 3 or 4-stack of large xterms on the left, kdevelop in the middle, and a browser on the right, all fit very comfortably and make for a productive environment.  Crisp and easy to read.  I used to a similar arrangement on 1920x1080, but the fonts looked noticeably blocky there and couldn't get as much text up.  Moving to 4K allows for smaller fonts (relative to the display area) while remaining readable.  There's more than 120 lines of code all visible at once in the kdevelop window.  Coding heaven.

I use the same setup on the recent 4K laptop.  That's a 15" screen, same pixel-size fonts (smaller physically), nose closer to the screen, and it still works well.

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## 1clue

 *ct85711 wrote:*   

>  *Quote:*   b) Standard size pixels but more of them to make a bigger display.  
> 
> I've also been considering on if I should just buy another 1080p monitor (used to use dual monitors until one died), or just going with a 4k.  Just curious, what size of 4k would you recommend for the bigger display?  I know, for 4k TV's, it looks like the smallest they go is 40 inch; where as 4k monitors goes down to the standard size displays.
> 
> I know for my case, I know my graphics card does support 4k (Nvidia 1070).

 

You seem to be of my school of thought. I have 2 displays and would like more territory, like to double it.

My displays are 22" 1080p, and I certainly don't want to go to smaller dots, if anything I'd like to go to 24" or so.

That kinda means that I'm after a 50" uhd screen, or maybe 55". I haven't pulled the trigger on that yet, there are still issues I may want to figure out first:

I currently have windows that either go full-screen or take up half the screen.

I currently sometimes watch a video (netflix, youtube, whatever) on one screen while doing something else on another.

I'm very addicted to "snap to" dimensions.

I would need some sort of custom snap-to keys.

When I start to think about what that would be, I come up with these logical divisions:

Divide the 4k display into individual 1080p quadrants.

Move the quadrants a half quadrant over, so I have a center 1080p up and down, and then a half 1080p up and down on each side.

Divide each quadrant into half quadrants

Sometimes I wouldn't mind a quadrant to be divided into an upper and lower.

Instead of quadrants, divide into 3 sections across of equal width. With my font size, this would actually make pages flow more naturally.

That can go on for awhile. I tend to be obsessive about windows snapping to the same lines so that I get maximum effective coverage.Last edited by 1clue on Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:07 am; edited 1 time in total

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## ct85711

Thanks for the information, it gives me some things to think about.  I know for me, the part that would be the biggest concern would be the small font size.  Going in and changing the font size isn't something I like when I know from experience that ends up being hit or miss on it being applied uniformly to everything.  I'll have to decide on if going up to a 40 inch monitor would be acceptable, but I think I may see about hooking up my 40 inch tv (1080p) and see how it sits for eye level wise (I tend to sit up higher, so it may be better for me).

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## 1clue

Consider a nonstandard desk. Maybe put the TV on the wall and adjust the height. Smaller table for the keyboard and mouse, separate cup holder on your chair to keep the caffeinated beverages from damaging your electronics.

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## 1clue

One thing to consider with respect to screen size:

You can always scoot back to get a view of the entire screen. You can't always scoot forward to make things bigger.

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## bagas

Thanks for the consultation.

I assumed that there would be a problem with the fine print.

40 inch monitor is a bomb, room tanning is provided! )))

You need to sit 2-3 meters in front of such a monitor.

The optimal monitor for work is 28-30 inches, the rest is not practical.

I think I'll buy a normal fullhd 27 inch monitor.

4k content topic for another 5 years will be optimized.

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## Anon-E-moose

I use a 27 inch 1080p monitor and it's fine (I sit appx 28 inches back from it) far enough to see whole screen, close enough to read reasonable small print.

I do want to move up to 4k (I use an nvidia 720 and it says it will run at that resolution) but I'm waiting for the prices to drop a little more and the monitor I've got is only a couple of years old, so no hurry for me. 

Although I did see a nice 44 inch monitor that I thought about buying, 4k as one screen, ability to split into 4 screens (effectively 22 inch 1080p) with 4 hdmi inputs.

But I would have had to figure out a way to set it back further for full screen viewing and bring it in closer for split screen (probably a wall mount option)

Like Akkara, when I went from 24 to 27 inch I could see more on the screen as I kept the same font size, which allowed me more lines on the xterms.

Thanks for the discussion though, much food for thought.

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## NeddySeagoon

Anon-E-moose,

The only time I use all 4k 43" in the same window is for films. Yes, you do need to sit back a bit for that. :)

I normally use three or four windows, still overlapping, of which I only work in one at a time.

My main reason to upgrade to 4k was that my bairn wanted my 'old' 27 inch 2560x1440 because it was colour calibrated.

I did consider a curved screen but was put off by two things

1) they are manufactured flat, then bent. I shudder at what this might do for the reliability.

2) I usually sit slightly to the left of the centreline, I don't know why, that may make a curved screen suboptimal.

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## szatox

 *Quote:*   

> When I start to think about what that would be, I come up with these logical divisions:
> 
>     Divide the 4k display into individual 1080p quadrants.
> 
>     Move the quadrants a half quadrant over, so I have a center 1080p up and down, and then a half 1080p up and down on each side.
> ...

 

Yup. Fakexrandr. Click on the miniature to split the screen, save and relog to apply changes. Click multiple times to slice it to more pieces.

Perhaps with more people interested someone could improve the user experience and find a better way to reload.

For me rescanning displays makes Xorg detect the physical device and remove split-screen effect. I'm mostly happy with my 3 areas though, so I simply gave up after a few hours of trying to make the changes go live.

 *Quote:*   

> 1) they are manufactured flat, then bent. I shudder at what this might do for the reliability.
> 
> 2) I usually sit slightly to the left of the centreline, I don't know why, that may make a curved screen suboptimal.

 

Well, I not sure abut the first part, my display worked great for the past year.

Regarding the second part, I'll make a guess: you hold the mouse in your right hand and support your  body leaning on your left arm. A very bad habit, and it's hard to break.

You can just slightly rotate the display to compensate, but it won't solve the problems with your back some time in the future.

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## NeddySeagoon

szatox,

I am right handed but I don't lean on my arms.

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## 1clue

 *szatox wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Yup. Fakexrandr. Click on the miniature to split the screen, save and relog to apply changes. Click multiple times to slice it to more pieces.
> 
> 

 

YAY! Thanks!

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