[SUCCESS] Gigabyte Designare Z390 (Thunderbolt 3) + i7-9700K + AMD RX 580

[bluepr0]

@joevt my friend sent me just a part of the .txt that I’m pasting below, but already told him to please send it completely. I’m also waiting on confirmation of the MacBook Pro model just to make sure, but it’s supposedly from 2018

Looks like still using DP1.2

Port: 04 : [DP, 1.2, 4 x HBR2] set [4 x HBR2 : status: 7777]  Sink OUI:204-45-140 27MD5K [50-55-77-68-53-75] HW Version: 20 FW Version:3.6
Port: 05 : [DP, 1.2, 4 x HBR2] set [4 x HBR2 : status: 7777]  Sink OUI:204-45-140 27MD5K [50-55-77-68-53-75] HW Version: 20 FW Version:3.6

EDIT: I got the About this Mac screenshot and it’s 2017 model, so we are out of luck to do tests here

 

[JayShay]

When you compare the true 5K image with the previous 4K-based image, do you notice an improvement in sharpness and clarity? Does one image look noticeably better than the other?

Since I use "more space" (one notch) there is no noticeable difference in that mode, and actually it seem to be rendering better on the Hackintosh than the real MacBook Air 2018. But yes, in 5K mode it is a tiny bit clearer - like tiny. It seems like what we are seeing is that it's sorta a "super sampling" effect with the frame being rendering at 5K and the card rendering out to 4K pixels.

And yes, I tried the IGPU and DGPU with the 40Gbps cable on the Hackintosh

Results attached - no effect with 40Gbps cable, even on IGPU

 

[CaseySJ]

Since I use "more space" (one notch) there is no noticeable difference in that mode, and actually it seem to be rendering better on the Hackintosh than the real MacBook Air 2018. But yes, in 5K mode it is a tiny bit clearer - like tiny. It seems like what we are seeing is that it's sorta a "super sampling" effect with the frame being rendering at 5K and the card rendering out to 4K pixels.

And yes, I tried the IGPU and DGPU with the 40Gbps cable on the Hackintosh

Results attached - no effect with 40Gbps cable, even on IGPU

Thank you -- it is really very helpful.

By the way, were you also able to test 2 DisplayPort-Ins to the Alpine Ridge card, then driving the LG with only 1 of the two on-card ports?

 

[CaseySJ]

*** Some conclusions with the old (original) LG UltraFine 5K monitor ***

• Real Macs:
  • 20 Gbps Thunderbolt cable will not send a true 5K signal to the LG 5K. Instead, the Mac will send a 4096x2304 signal (DisplayPort 1.2 single stream).
  • 40 Gbps Thunderbolt cable will send two DisplayPort 1.2 streams to the LG 5K to render a true 5K image at 5120x2880.
• Hackintosh:
  • 20 Gbps cable and 40 Gbps cable produce the same result: only a single-stream DisplayPort signal at 4096x2304 will be sent to the LG 5K.
    • This happens whether we use the iGPU to drive the two Thunderbolt ports, or connect the DP-In port from a discrete GPU.
• Image Quality Difference:
  • The real-world perceived difference in image quality between a 4096x2304 HiDPI signal and a 5120x2880 HiDPI signal is very small. Hackintosh owners can be satisfied with the image quality from a 4096x2304 HiDPI output (DisplayPort 1.2 single stream).

Special thanks to @joevt for the invaluable technical feedback and @JayShay for carrying out all of the tests.

Hopefully we will test the new 2019 LG UltraFine 5K monitor soon.

 

[joevt]

@joevt my friend sent me just a part of the .txt that I’m pasting below, but already told him to please send it completely. I’m also waiting on confirmation of the MacBook Pro model just to make sure, but it’s supposedly from 2018

Looks like still using DP1.2

Port: 04 : [DP, 1.2, 4 x HBR2] set [4 x HBR2 : status: 7777]  Sink OUI:204-45-140 27MD5K [50-55-77-68-53-75] HW Version: 20 FW Version:3.6
Port: 05 : [DP, 1.2, 4 x HBR2] set [4 x HBR2 : status: 7777]  Sink OUI:204-45-140 27MD5K [50-55-77-68-53-75] HW Version: 20 FW Version:3.6

EDIT: I got the About this Mac screenshot and it’s 2017 model, so we are out of luck to do tests here

This is the first AGDCDiagnose output of the LG 5K I've seen with a proper dual link DisplayPort 1.2 connection. I would like to examine the EDIDs of the two links to see if they specify a left and right side tiling orientation.

And yes, I tried the IGPU and DGPU with the 40Gbps cable on the Hackintosh

Results attached - no effect with 40Gbps cable, even on IGPU

As expected, this means there's no fancy MUX that will connect the third unused DisplayPort output of the iGPU to the Thunderbolt controller when the DisplayPort input isn't used. What a waste. Well, who wants to use the iGPU anyway?

What I would like from a motherboard is three DisplayPort outputs. What we get is maybe, one or two, and a crappy HDMI 1.4 port, sometimes an HDMI 2.0 port using a DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 chip that might be inferior currently or in the future. DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 adapters are cheap. HDMI 2.0 to DisplayPort adapters are 10 times as expensive and don't allow max bandwidth/features of DisplayPort 1.2 or dual link 5K connections.

Built-in Thunderbolt ports = not sure I like them. They're usually compromised in someway:
1) One input from the iGPU = only one display supported, not powered by dGPU, doesn't allow dual link display.
2) Two inputs from the iGPU = not powered by the dGPU.
3) One input from the iGPU, one from the dGPU (as in the case of the Designare) = not both powered by the dGPU, doesn't allow dual link display.

Don't forget that the new Apple 6K display is also probably dual link. Dual link displays allow for higher color depths and resolutions than single link.

 

[bluepr0]

This is the first AGDCDiagnose output of the LG 5K I've seen with a proper dual link DisplayPort 1.2 connection. I would like to examine the EDIDs of the two links to see if they specify a left and right side tiling orientation.

Absolutely, I'm trying to get it from him and will send it out as soon as I do. Thanks for looking at it!

Don't forget that the new Apple 6K display is also probably dual link. Dual link displays allow for higher color depths and resolutions than single link.

That's one of the things I was thinking about. I'm not going to buy the Pro XDR 6k display, but in the future they might release a 6k UltraFine (or a successor of the Thunderbolt display) and it will for sure use dual streams... so having 2 DP-in feels more future proof.

I'm thinking on ordering the Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro Wifi + Titan Ridge and call it a day. I've seen a few builds from users (this one and this other one) that got the Titan Ridge working, so in theory should be fine. I would totally go with the Designare if I knew the Titan Ridge add-on card will work (including TB3 tunnelling for mic, cam and speakers) but looks like we're out of luck on that.

 

[CaseySJ]

Absolutely, I'm trying to get it from him and will send it out as soon as I do. Thanks for looking at it!

That's one of the things I was thinking about. I'm not going to buy the Pro XDR 6k display, but in the future they might release a 6k UltraFine (or a successor of the Thunderbolt display) and it will for sure use dual streams... so having 2 DP-in feels more future proof.

I'm thinking on ordering the Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro Wifi + Titan Ridge and call it a day. I've seen a few builds from users (this one and this other one) that got the Titan Ridge working, so in theory should be fine. I would totally go with the Designare if I knew the Titan Ridge add-on card will work (including TB3 tunnelling for mic, cam and speakers) but looks like we're out of luck on that.

There are a handful of DisplayPort 1.4 monitors already on the market (with DP 1.4 input instead of a TB3 input). The RX 580 can drive them directly without an intervening Thunderbolt controller. At this time the choices are limited. The 5K Planar IX2790 is one of them. It may not have the most accurate color, but for lots of people that doesn't really matter. (And for about $780, it is 40% cheaper than the LG.) For instance, of all the folks who buy the 5K iMac, how many of them require accurate color for professional applications? We should expect more DP 1.4 monitors (in both TB3 form and just DP form) to become available.

Additionally, we haven't tested the following scenario:

• Connect 2 DisplayPort outputs from a dGPU to 2 DP-In ports on an Alpine Ridge or Titan Ridge AIC.
• Then connect a single 5K LG UltraFine to determine whether the card sends 2 DP 1.2 streams.
• If this doesn't work, then a real Mac is, for now, the only solution.

 

[bluepr0]

There are a handful of DisplayPort 1.4 monitors already on the market (with DP 1.4 input instead of a TB3 input). The RX 580 can drive them directly without an intervening Thunderbolt controller. At this time the choices are limited. The 5K Planar IX2790 is one of them. It may not have the most accurate color, but for lots of people that doesn't really matter. For instance, of all the folks who buy the 5K iMac, how many of them require accurate color for professional applications? We should expect more DP 1.4 monitors (in both TB3 form and just DP form) to become available.

That's true and I agree it will work for most of people, but knowing myself it won't probably do it for me.

I'm a professional graphic designer, so I need color accuracy and full resolution. If I'm buying the new LG Ultrafine 5k boy I do I want it to use it to its full potential, haha!. Those DP1.4 monitors I'm guessing based on what @joevt said are not 10bit panel, so they're probably 6bit + FRC making it 8bit.

There's also a few other things that I'm looking for such as cam, mic and speakers integrated. Work flawlessly with Mac, that means be able to adjust brightness, volume and even the auto-brightness functionality. It's also compatible 100% with a real mac so my laptop can benefit from it as well.

I have already tried external monitors pair up with my laptop, in fact I have the LG 27UK850 and it doesn't work nearly as fine as the Ultrafine. There's tons of small details that breaks the real Mac experience for me. I know, I'm super nit-picky.

So in conclusion, as sad as it sounds my only real option is the LG Ultrafine 5k.

 

[bluepr0]

Additionally, we haven't tested the following scenario:

• Connect 2 DisplayPort outputs from a dGPU to 2 DP-In ports on an Alpine Ridge or Titan Ridge AIC.
• Then connect a single 5K LG UltraFine to determine whether the card sends 2 DP 1.2 streams.
• If this doesn't work, then a real Mac is, for now, the only solution.

I think we saw already someone connecting it to the Alpine Ridge and getting correct 933 clocks and full 5k resolution? Or am I getting confused?

 

[CaseySJ]

That's true and I agree it will work for most of people, but knowing myself it won't probably do it for me.

I'm a professional graphic designer, so I need color accuracy and full resolution. If I'm buying the new LG Ultrafine 5k boy I do I want it to use it to its full potential, haha!. Those DP1.4 monitors I'm guessing based on what @joevt said are not 10bit panel, so they're probably 6bit + FRC making it 8bit.

There's also a few other things that I'm looking for such as cam, mic and speakers integrated. Work flawlessly with Mac, that means be able to adjust brightness, volume and even the auto-brightness functionality. It's also compatible 100% with a real mac so my laptop can benefit from it as well.

I have already tried external monitors pair up with my laptop, in fact I have the LG 27UK850 and it doesn't work nearly as fine as the Ultrafine. There's tons of small details that breaks the real Mac experience for me. I know, I'm super nit-picky.

So in conclusion, as sad as it sounds my only real option is the LG Ultrafine 5k.

Certainly. Those who need accurate color already know they need it. Part of my responsibility is to discuss alternative solutions for a broad audience.