Category: Live

LG UltraFine 4K 24″ (Mac) vs. LG 34WK95U-W 34″ Monitor

For a while now I’ve been using an LG UltraFine 4K monitor with my Apple MacBook. However I’ve wanted to have a little more desktop space and was able to get a 34WK95U-W at a discount, so I thought I would share the differences between these two high pixel density monitors.

Comparison:
– Higher pixel density on the UltraFine
– Clearing sounding speakers UltraFine, but 34WK95U-W might be louder and still better than the built in 14″ MacBook’s
– Ultrafine 4K is slightly brighter, and the semi-gloss screen is slightly more premium
– More USB ports on the UtraFine, but 34WK95U-W has more inputs
– UltraFine wakes from sleep faster
– Thunderbolt on the UlatrFine allows daisy-chaining to another 4K monitor
– Native Apple controls for volume an brightness on the LG UltraFine although you can use MonitorControl with the 34WK95U-W
– Some people are annoyed by the fan noise on the 34WK95U-W, but I couldn’t hear it
– About 1.5x more desktop space on the 34WK95U-W
– 34WK95U-W is almost twice the price

Overall, some people might be better off getting two UltraFine 4Ks instead of a single 34WK95U-W, since it’s almost twice the price, but I got my used and I already use the monitor on my MacBook as a second display as well as Touch ID and the webcam, so having 3 monitors was just too clumsy and took up too much space. I tend to work on just 2/3rds of the UltraFine, as I find two windows optimum as a programmer. But the extra third allows me to have space for email or a video without having to constantly cover my main work.

I had to do a few things to get my 34WK95U-W to work at high DPI resolutions.
– Update the monitor firmware using the LG OnScreen Control software downloadable here.

– Using the display menu on the monitor itself, change the Display Port version to 1.4. Again it wouldn’t show up as a 5120×2160 monitor without doing this.

More tips can be found on this MacRumors thread. I did not need to use SwitchResX or BetterDummy in order to run at 3840×1620 resolution.

Aldi Crofton Cast Iron Enamel Cookware

I’ve been looking for some non aluminium/non ptfe frying pans for a while. I’ve found stainless steel stick too much, and it’s too hard to keep them seasoned all the time. I also tried ceramic coated stainless steel, but these were expensive and still didn’t last that long.

Eventually realised it’s worth paying for cast iron enamel cookware, but this is normally really pricey. However this week Aldi have their 2015 range of cast iron enamel cookware on special. I ended up getting the 28cm frying pan, 24cm frying pan, 28cm wok and 30cm shallow casserole to add to my two Le Creuset casserole dishes. While the quality is never going to be on par with Le Creuset, they still feel very solid, have stainless steel riveted handles that stay cool, and a decent thickness of enamel.

Cooked with them today, and the surface doesn’t stick too much with some oil. They’re also a little lighter than other cast iron cookware, which is maybe why they’re cheaper. It does make them slightly easier to handle, although their still noticeably heavier than stainless steel or aluminium cookware.

Overall very pleased, and I think they’re worth the money. They should certainly last longer than the ceramic or other nonstick pans I’ve used in the past.

Mount MacBook Pro Underdesk

I’ve had my macbook mounted under my desk for a while. I original had it on some U-shaped aluminium extrusion brackets. If I was doing something taxing it would overheat a little, so I drilled some holes where the fan is, but that didn’t really make that much difference. I was looking for something else, and eventually decided on a cheap IKEA wooden shelf mounted with u-shaped brackets. I just made my own out of the same aluminium I used before, but I’m sure there are other brackets around like these robot servo brackets.

Here are some pics of the original mount, new shelf, and all the other things I have mounted under my desk:

There are a few other good ideas I’ve seen floating around. There’s the IKEA napkin holder which I tried for a while, as well as this basket idea.