Laptop and Monitor Compatibility - Help Please!

Lbeemer555 on 03/12/2022 - 10:27

Hi all

I bought my son a Lenovo Thinkpad E14 AMD for starting high school next year, and want to get a 27 inch monitor to go with it - no smaller as he'll need the screen real estate for split windows etc (I'm not looking for a dual monitor set up).

But, I've just realised I may have screwed up as I'm not sure how to make that laptop work with 60hz@ 3840x2160.

The laptop ports are:

1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort™ 1.2)
1 x HDMI 1.4b

HDMI isn't an option given 1.4 only supports 30hz (which would be horrible to look at). I know the USB-C could do it, but there's only one port and that needs to be used to power the laptop.

So, have I completely screwed up? Is there a dock option that somehow could power the laptop and do usb-c to the monitor at the same time? Or do I need to return the laptop (still in return window thankfully) and look for one with better ports?

Appreciate any advice for this frazzled mum!
 

Computing Computer Computer Peripheral Laptop LCD Monitor

Comments

  • Forskin on 03/12/2022 - 10:36
    +3

    Something like this should do the job

  • barge-in hunter on 03/12/2022 - 10:44

    I wouldn’t worry tbh - it’ll work when you plug it in, just maybe at a less pleasing resolution.

    Recommend you go for a 2k screen at the 27” size anyway (text will be too small at 4K native). I use this setup and comfortably split windows- and your laptop won’t have any trouble powering it

    Edit : fine on both hdmi and usbc

    • RotundPolarBear on 03/12/2022 - 20:00

      Can't you scale up a 4k 27" monitor so that text is larger? Still get the benefits of higher pixel density, I assume.

      • barge-in hunter on 03/12/2022 - 20:32
        +1

        Yes… but op is concerned the laptop won’t adequately power 4K res - hence the recommendation for a “2k”/1440p 27” screen.

        For productivity use/schooling, I would find it super hard to justify the price increase to a 4K screen when I’m just going to scale the text size up to (more or less) what a 1440p screen natively runs at

  • OpayuOnam on 03/12/2022 - 10:49
    +1

    32inch 4k is the perfect size for real estate if you can drive at native resolution 100% scaling!

    with that out of the way, you have nothing to worry about. There are plenty of docks with USB power delivery.
    What I recommend is going on market place to see if you can find a cheap second hand name brand (Dell/ThinkPad docks are great).
    I've got a few for sale as well if you're interested and live in East side of Melbourne just send me a PM.

    other option which is slightly more costly but maybe more convenient is getting a monitor that has USB C power delivery, there are a couple Dells and ThinkVisions that can do this but cost a lot ($800+), but this way he plug in the monitor to the computer and that both charges the laptop and send video to the monitor. There's even a few USB ports on the back of the monitor to act as a dock.

  • spade16 on 03/12/2022 - 11:00

    There are monitors that do power delivery alongside the data connection with one usb c cable

  • beemer555 on 03/12/2022 - 11:15

    What a relief - thanks all! And good to know I should be looking for 32 inch 4k (which I have for myself and love) or 27/28 2k. And more research to do on dock vs usb c monitor.

    @OpayuOnam - thanks, I'm in Canberra but I'll drop you a PM anyway if I go the dock route 🙂

    • OpayuOnam on 03/12/2022 - 11:39

      Hahaha all good mate, I just looked on Canberra FB marketplace and a couple of USB C docks can be found under $100 but sadly don't come with a power adaptor which you'll need (and they are costly)…

      If you bought your edge Laptop from Lenovo website you should receive some of the reward credits, that should bring the cost of one of their entry level docks down to around $100. Just make sure it does 4k@60hz.

      as for 27/28 with 2k, I personally think that's too large for 2k. I've got 2k 24inch at work (2x side by side) and I wouldn't go anything higher than 25inch for 2k.
      Remember screen real estate is defined by pixel (assuming run at 100% scaling) not the size. So an 80inch 4k TV will have the same real estate as your 32inch 4k monitor.

      On the same hand 4k on anything below 32inch might be pushing it (will be too small). so yeah it's a bit of compromise I guess…

      • Hybroid on 03/12/2022 - 11:53
        +1

        Appreciate this is a bit pedantic but 1440p is not 2K. They're completely different resolutions that some monitor manufacturers insist on incorrectly marketing.

        2K is a movie industry resolution for 2048x1080, which is closer 1080p rather than 2560x1440 (1440p).

        Agree with your other points though, especially that 32" is the monitor sweet spot. Although 32" 1440p is perfectly fine for productivity too and doesn't necessarily need 4K resolution.

        • OpayuOnam on 03/12/2022 - 12:36

          Not pedantic at all, I'm just following the general trend of the 2k/4k marketing gimmick.
          When I said 2k I meant QHD and when I said 4k I meant UHD.

          for my use case of coding I'd much prefer the extra height that UHD provides. If it was a choice of QHD vs 16:10 FHD I'd probably lean towards the 16:10 one. But both of those would be reserved for much smaller sizes (but again that's just my personal preference.

  • beemer555 on 03/12/2022 - 11:52

    Thanks! Knowing me I'll prob just go the whole hog and get him a 32 given that's what I have at 4k and looks good to me. I did get it from lenovo so have $129 rewards coming my way. Otherwise, would the little Dell Da310 be an option?

    • OpayuOnam on 03/12/2022 - 12:39

      I always prefer the business docks better as they are built better (this Dell looks very fragile).

      This one on sale would be around $200:
      https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/p/accessories-and-software/docking/docking_usb-docks-(universal-cable-docks)/40af0135au

      ignore the silly Lenovo RRP. Try the EDU store (your son should have an edu email from school which you can use).

      Dell has a few of this style Dock too.

  • beemer555 on 04/12/2022 - 10:10

    So, I've been looking at monitors and think in my price range the dock option will be best as the cheaper usb-c hub monitors seem to often have issues with the hub.

    Prism seem like good value given he's only 12 and doesn't need the likes of Dell like I have. I'm looking at either:

    https://prismplus.com.au/products/prism-c315-max
    or
    https://prismplus.com.au/collections/monitors/products/prism…

    So it comes down to 4k@60Hz or 1440p@165 Hz. I'm leaning towards the 4k given he's not really interested in PC gaming so maybe for school and general web stuff he'd prefer the 4k…….but if he does end up into gaming the 165Hz one would be better (the laptop can only do 60Hz so am only thinking of if he gets a PC at some point). And I have a Dell ultrawide 34 inch 1440p myself (realised it's not 4k like I thought) and have no issue with that resolution, looks great to me! But, guessing the 4k one is probably the best option for him for now?

    One other one I've found is https://www.centrecom.com.au/viewsonic-vx3418-2kpc-mhd-34-14… That's an ultrawide like mine, which I personally love for my work since I can split into 3 windows, but I'm thinking for school work and general Web stuff, the extra height of 16:9 would be better?

    • OpayuOnam on 05/12/2022 - 15:26
      +1

      32inch UHD is actually much much larger screen real estate than and ultrawide QHD monitor.
      Even though the Centrelink one is 34" you only really have horizontal space for 1 window.
      On a UHD monitor you will be able to fit 4x windows with same size as 4x FHD monitors!

      Also, if you wait around for sale u can get decent monitors for cheap.
      I got this for around $400:
      Dell S3221QS (UHD, 32", Curved)

      • reunig on 10/12/2022 - 02:58

        I second the Dell S3221QS (UHD, 32", Curved). I use this for work and it's great

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