Eric Slivka
Returning to CES in January, Alogic introduced a new line of 32-inch 4K displays, following on from the 27-inch models released last year. I've now had some time to use the high-quality Clarity Max Touch model from the 32-inch family on a daily basis, and I've found that it offers several useful features for those looking for a larger canvas to work with.
Recall that there are three models with screens of 27 and 32 inches. Clarity display lines with different functions. The base model in each is a fairly standard 4K display up to 60Hz that can be connected via USB-C, HDMI, or DisplayPort, plus a few extra USB-A ports on the rear that serve as a mini hub. for accessories that don't require too much power or data speed.
The mid-range model of each size adds a pop-up 8-megapixel webcam at the top of the display, while the high-end model offers support for both web camera and touch screen that works on Windows and Mac. As for the 32-inch family, I only tested the high-end Clarity Max Touch, but my observations also apply to both the base Clarity Max and the mid-range Clarity Max Pro, excluding those features that are exclusive to that model. higher class models.
Installation is fairly simple: the stand comes in two pieces that quickly fit together using a thumbscrew and then snaps into place at the back of the display. The stand is primarily made of silver aluminum, which provides firm support for the display with minimal wobble. The stand offers tilt and height adjustment, a useful feature that costs extra on some displays like the Apple Studio Display.
Rear Ports
With USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort connectivity, you have plenty of options options depending on your configuration, and you can connect additional devices like an Apple TV or a games console thanks to the many inputs.
I connected the Clarity Max Touch to my 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip and I typically used it in a three-display configuration: an Alogic display as the primary monitor, a 27-inch LG 5K UltraFine display on the left as the secondary display, and a MacBook Pro with the built-in display offset on the right as the third screen. I tested HDMI and USB-C connections and settled on USB-C because it provides a smoother experience.
My typical desktop setup includes a pair of 5K UltraFine displays, so I'm a little spoiled by the high pixel density that delivers true Retina quality, as well as tight integration with macOS, like support for adjusting volume and brightness directly from my Magic Keyboard.
At lower 4K resolutions on a large 32-inch screen, running the Clarity Max Touch at the 1920×1080 Retina size is not possible because the content on the screen looks too large, meaning you'll want to run it at a higher resolution. I used the 3360×1890 option in macOS for a while, but ultimately settled on the maximum resolution of 3840×2160. The content is a little small, but the benefits of a huge 4K desktop are worth it.
Content isn't as sharp as it is on a Retina display, of course, but when I run it as a full 4K desktop, the content on screen is small enough that it's not a major hindrance in my opinion. I'm not a high-level photo or video editor, so I'm not too keen on display calibration, but after testing just a few color profiles, I was able to find one that suited me. Depending on the color profile, the display may take on a slightly pink tint when moving to harsher viewing angles, but as long as I was looking fairly straight as usual, I didn't notice any color issues.
It's worth noting that the Clarity Max line is one of the few display families I know of that offers 32-inch glossy screens, as opposed to the matte finish more commonly found on displays of this size. I found the Clarity Max Touch glossy screen to have good color reproduction, and while it can create some glare depending on the lighting angle, I already have a good desk layout that minimizes this issue so it doesn't affect my use of the display .
The display operates at a maximum frequency of just 60Hz, so if you're looking for a higher refresh rate, you won't find it here. But for my day-to-day use, which is focused on web browsing and other productivity tasks, it's just fine. If you like portrait displays, the Clarity Max models easily rotate to a portrait orientation, and macOS makes it easy to adjust your desktop rotation to accommodate that.
If you connect any of the Clarity Max displays to your laptop via USB-C, the display can provide up to 65W of pass-through power to keep your computer charged. This is sufficient for most Apple laptops, although 16-inch MacBook Pro and higher-end 14-inch models may exceed this limit. But unless you're doing really heavy work, the display's power output should be enough for most users, even if it won't charge a dead battery as quickly as a more powerful charger.
The 8-megapixel pop-up webcam remains hidden inside the display housing while not in use, and automatically pops up whenever an app like FaceTime, Skype or Zoom is opened and the display webcam is selected in the app's settings. The camera automatically retracts when the app is closed or a different camera is selected in the app settings.
Camera activated
My review unit came with a bug that prevented the webcam from retracting after closing the app that required it, but a simple firmware update solved the problem for me, and Alogic states that devices shipping now should come with this firmware pre-installed.
I found the camera quality to be good and even a step above most built-in cameras I've seen on other displays, although it won't match the quality when using the iPhone through the Continuity Camera or other higher-end standalone options. Although the built-in camera has some limitations in terms of field of view adjustment, there is a hand wheel on the back of the camera body that allows you to adjust the vertical angle of the camera inside the body to optimize it for your sitting position. .
It's worth noting that the motorized pop-up webcam is a feature that creates another potential glitch in the device, but for privacy-conscious people, it's a nice feature that ensures that the camera cannot be used remotely. activated without your knowledge.
Camera retracted
Power, volume, and on-screen display settings are controlled by a set of buttons in the lower right corner of the display. This makes for a clean design, although it does take a while to get used to their placement and which button does what. All five buttons are very touch-like, so you'll need to make sure you're pressing the right buttons when you reach under the display.
Touchscreen functionality is only available on top models. The Clarity Max Touch model is identical in functionality to the 27-inch model I described in my review. Controlling Mac features requires installing several drivers and apps, and while the apps don't offer native macOS capabilities, they do support an impressive array of customization options for touchscreen functionality.
Setting up a touch gesture
The UPDD Commander app allows you to customize various touch settings by default as well as on an app-by-app basis using features such as one-finger tap, tap, drag and edge-swipe, two-finger tap, drag, pinch, rotate, edge-swipe. Swipe, three-finger tap and swipe, and five-finger expand gestures are supported. Lots of gestures can create the feel of an iPad on a large display in front of you, but my hand quickly fatigues if I try to do anything more than short bursts of touch activity. Some users may also be reluctant to leave fingerprints and other smudges on their glossy display, although this wasn't an issue for me given that I rarely use the touchscreen and my lighting angles.
Touch Gesture Options
Besides the basic gesture configuration, you can also configure a number of other parameters, such as the time limit for the double-tap interval, the minimum time for a tap gesture compared to a tap gesture, the radius around the touch point that the system will look for. interactive UI element and more.
Additional touch settings
If you need precise control, for example for drawing applications, you can use a non-capacitive active stylus (Apple Pencil will not work), and for For those looking for an ergonomic display stand to better orient the Clarity Max Touch for drawing, Alogic offers the Clarity Folding Stand, which sells separately for $200.
The touchscreen functionality doesn't turn my Mac into a full touch interface, but sometimes I find it really convenient to just click on the screen for long scrolling. web pages, swipe with three fingers to access Mission Control, or use the five-finger pinch gesture to go to the desktop. Pinch and rotate gestures are also useful for some image manipulation tasks.
Bottom Line
The base model of the Clarity Max costs $999.99, and the Clarity Max Pro with the pop-up webcam is priced at $1,199.99 and the top-of-the-line Clarity Max Touch model with webcam and touchscreen capabilities is $1,399.99, but the Alogic sale is currently offering 20% off that price with a coupon code ALG20.
Overall, I think the 32-inch Clarity Max Touch is a solid display if your setup and workflows are compatible with a large 4K display. The high-end model costs more, but it does have some extras like a motorized pop-up webcam and touchscreen capabilities, and a current sale brings prices down significantly. And if you don't need one or both of those features, you can upgrade to one of the cheaper models.
Any of the three models gives you a large desktop on a glossy display, quality construction, clean design, good connectivity , as well as flexible tilt and height adjustments, including the ability to rotate the display to portrait orientation. I really miss the Retina clarity of my 27-inch LG UltraFine 5K display and the tight macOS integration it offers, but LG is one of the few options to offer these features and not in a 32-inch size.
Note. For the purposes of this review, Alogic provided MacRumors with a Clarity Max Touch display. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an Alogic affiliate partner. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment to help us keep the site running.
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