You’ve probably heard of 4K displays but how about Alogic’s Clarity 5K computer screen? Do you need that much resolution and why 5K? Why not 6K or maybe 8K? Well, if you are an Apple Mac user, you might already know that the native macOS resolution is 5K. That’s why Apple’s iMacs and Studio Display use 5K Retina display panels. Using any other resolution puts extra strain on the processor as it has to recalculate the graphics output and could slow down the speed of your Mac.
Until now, 5K computer displays have been something of a rarity. Apple sells its 5K Studio Display with a built-in 12-megapixel webcam, three microphones and a sophisticated six-speaker sound system, but the base price starts at $1599 and that’s with a stand that isn’t adjustable for height. Other brands like LG and ASUS offer 5K displays but none with a touchscreen function.
5K Resolution IPS Panel
Now there is an alternative in the form of Alogic’s new Clarity 5K Touch 27-inch display which has just started shipping. Billed as the world’s first 5K monitor with a touchscreen surface, it’s capable of working in macOS native 5K resolution and could be a suitable screen for anyone who has bought Apple’s amazing new Mac mini M4 computer, possibly Apple’s most affordable and best-value desktop Mac.
The shift to using a display with a resolution as high as 5,120 x 2,880 pixels provides a big increase in pixel resolution compared with Alogic’s Clarity Pro Touch 4K display. This gives the Clarity 5K display 218 pixels per inch, which is as finely detailed as one of Apple’s desktop Retina displays. The Clarity 5K has an IPS panel, the same technology that Apple uses in its Studio Display.
Since the new 27-inch Clarity 5K is physically the same size as the brand’s 4K display, there is a noticeable increase in the screen’s detail and fidelity, which means the Clarity 5K makes for an accurate touchscreen offering more precision and making it useful for detailed work that requires fine manipulation such as graphic design or photo retouching.
The Clarity’s IPS 5,120 x 2,880 resolution panel is a 33% bump over the 3,840 x 2,160 resolution of the Clarity 4K display, providing extra room for working space for artwork and extra room for running multiple windows for chat, emails or web browsing.
There is a slight issue when working with such a high-resolution screen. Text appears very small so may require a bit of tinkering with font sizes and display settings. Either that or a new pair of reading glasses. Also, the surface of the 5K Clarity is shiny so if you are working with your back to a window or a light source, you may need to rearrange your office layout as it’s not as easy to work with under direct light. Apple’s Studio Display also has a shiny surface although you can opt for a nano-texture finish but that will cost another $300. An adjustable stand also costs another $500 from Apple but comes as standard with the Clarity 5K.
With the higher pixel density of the Clarity 5K display, digital painting, sketching and annotating using the optional Clarity Active Stylus makes the screen feel more like a graphics tablet that has a built-in display. There is also a special optional stand available for the screen that sees the surface lying flat so the screen can be used as a giant graphics tablet. It feels a little like working on a proper canvas.
The increased density of the Clarity 5K display also brings about a boost to the vibrancy of colors and sharpens the edges of vector art, providing a clearer picture when displaying fine details with applications like Adobe Illustrator.
The new Clarity 5K display is compatible with Alogic’s Clarity Active Stylus, Clarity Fold Stand and Glide Monitor Arms, making the screen easier to integrate into a professional creative studio space. And with all that extra screen space, Clarity 5K can be used with Alogic’s macOS Touch Drivers’ which are customizable and provide access to new ways of navigating using simple multitouch gestures much in the same way as you can with an iPad.
Higher Pixel Density
The Clarity 5K Touch has colors that benefit from the higher pixel density, giving photos, videos and games a bit more punch and with richer transitions between colors than is possible with a 4K display. This is probably the reason why Apple chose 5K as its native resolution because Macs are so widely used for photography, graphics and video editing.
When it comes to color gamut, the Clarity 5K covers 100% of the sRGB and 99% of Adobe RGB and DCI-P3. This should make it a suitable choice for working on all kinds of graphics and photo applications ensuring a closer fidelity to a final printed image.
With a typical brightness of 400 nits, the Clarity 5K is not as bright as Apple’s Studio Display, which is 600 nits, but it’s also fair to say that photo editing and graphics isn’t the kind of work where you have the maximum brightness levels because the subtlety between shadows and highlights needs to be realistically represented.
There is a wide choice of inputs on the Alogic Clarity 5K Touch, including a USB-C option that can channel every signal through one cable. This includes 65W of laptop charging which is enough to fast charge a MacBook Air or keep a MacBook Pro going. The screen also has a 3.5mm jack for headphones or external speakers plus two USB-A ports for connecting to peripherals, storage, as well as wired mice and keyboards.
The inclusion of USB-A ports is handy as they are fast disappearing from laptops in favor of USB-C ports. The Clarity 5K’s USB-A ports can be a useful way of bridging the gap between the latest Mac laptops and older accessories like mice and keyboards. Unlike the Apple Studio Display, there is no Thunderbolt port on the Clarity 5K, so that’s worth bearing in mind if Thunderbolt is a dealbreaker.
Pricing and Availability:
The new Alogic Clarity 5K Touchscreen Display is shipping now and priced at $1,439.99 / CAN$ $1,619.99 / AUS$ $1,799.95 / £1,169.99 / €1.439,99.
Tech Specs:
- Output: USB-C (Connection for Video (DP Alt Mode required), 65W laptop charging and data).
- Inputs/outputs: USB-C (DP Alt Mode required), 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 2 x USB-A (5Gbps, 7.5W charging), 3.5mm audio, USB-B (connects computer to USB-A and audio ports).
- Touchscreen: 10-point multitouch, one glass solution (OGS), compatible with MPP 2.0 styluses.
- Power adapter: AC 100-240V~, 50/60Hz / DC 19V 7.89A, 150W (Max).
- Laptop charging: Up to 65W over USB-C.
- Panel type: IPS.
- Color coverage: DCI-P3 99%, Adobe RGB 99%, sRGB 100%.
- Average ΔE: less than 1.
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz.
- Brightness: 350 nits (min), 400 nits (typical).
- Resolution USB-C/DisplayPort 5,210 x 2,880 @ 60Hz.
- Resolution HDMI 2.0: 5,120 x 2,800 @ 30Hz.
- Aspect ratio: 16:9.
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 624 x 220 x 565mm.
- Weight: 7.6kg.
- VESA mount compatible: FDMI MIS-D 100mm.
- Screen size: 27-inch.
- Viewing angles: 178°(H) / 178°(V).
- Audio: 5W x 2 speakers.
- Audio out: Yes.
- Device compatibility: Apple, Chromebook, Microsoft.
- Warranty: 2 years.
- Package includes Clarity 5K Touch 27inch Monitor, DisplayPort cable, HDMI cable, USB-C cable, USB-B to USB-A cable, power adapter, color calibration report and VESA mounting screws.
