218 is the magic number

Back in around 2021, just after Apple started migrating all their computers onto its own Apple Silicon "system on a chip" technology, they also for some inexplicable reason dropped the 27" iMac from their line-up.

This caused quite the furore and when the replacement was released - a 24" machine which although lovely was in no way a like-for-like swap - many people then, me included, were left in limbo.

I loved (still do) the form factor of the 27" machine with its perfect design, ergonomics and beautiful display, but also wanted the massive improvements in performance that the new silicon promised.  So, I had some choices:

- stay with the old tech in a chassis I loved (which I did for a while)

- get a new computer (either an Apple Studio or Mac Mini)

- switch to Windows.

I eventually went for a Mac Mini, which meant investing in a monitor for it as Apple (thanks) had disabled the ability to use the iMac in monitor-only mode.  They certainly know how to make money don't they.

So, after extensive research (no, really) I settled on a Viewsonic 27" 4K resolution display to plug into my Mini.  After I moved on to just having a laptop (a MacBook Pro) as my only computer I kept using the Viewsonic as my main display when at my desk, but lovely as it was, I was never really 100% happy with it.

The problem was in scaling.

You see, the MacBook's "retina" display works at a resolution of 218 pixels per inch.  And when you scale that tip to work on a 27" monitor, to just never looks perfect.  There is a visible "blooming" around text and when your mince pies are as old and useless as mine this leads to considerable strain on the old pupils.

To maintain that 218 PPI, at 27" you need a 5K resolution monitor.  However these are ridiculously expensive, with only the Apple Studio Display being available for anything like a sensible price.  But at over £1500 I wasn't prepared to buy one.

As time, and the degradation in my eyesight, went on though, I found I really did need and not just want to upgrade my display.  By now there were quite a few alternatives on the market at lower prices, but nothing really grabbed me.  Until recently when BenQ, a really very reputable maker of monitors, released one.

It really did seem too good to be true.  I mean a monitor that promised the perfect resolution and was built specifically to work with my MacBook.  So, I bought one and frankly it's been a revelation.  The best way I can describe it is that it looks like I've pulled some sort of veil away from the screen.  Everything, and text in particular, is just sharper.  And colours are way more accurate with the BenQ able to precisely mirror my MacBook's output.

Anyway, I felt so moved (OK slight exaggeration!) that I felt I just had to make a video all about my new purchase.  You can watch it just by clicking below.  Just there...