Back at CES in January, Alogic introduced its new lineup of 32-inch 4K displays, following the 27-inch models launched last year. I’ve now had some time to put the high-end Clarity Max Touch model from the 32-inch family through my daily grind, and I’ve found that it offers some nice features for those looking for a larger canvas to work on.
To recap, there are three models each in the 27-inch and 32-inch Clarity Display lineup with different specifications. The base model of each is a fairly standard 4K display running at up to 60 Hz that can connect via USB-C, HDMI or DisplayPort, and includes a few extra USB-A ports on the back to serve as a mini-hub. For accessories that don’t demand much in terms of power or data speed.
The mid-level model in each size adds a retractable 8-megapixel webcam to the top of the display, while the higher-end models offer both webcam and touchscreen support that works on Windows and Mac. For the 32-inch family, I only tested the high-end Clarity Max Touch, but my observations should apply to both the base Clarity Max and the mid-range Clarity Max Pro, excluding those features that are exclusive to the higher end of the range models.
Setup is pretty simple, with a two-piece stand design that quickly goes together with thumb screws and then clicks into the back of the display. The stand is primarily made of silver aluminum, which provides solid support for the display with very little wobble. The stand offers both tilt and height adjustment, a welcome feature that some displays like the Apple Studio Display cost extra.
Rear portWith USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort connection options, you have an array of choices depending on your setup, and you can connect additional devices like an Apple TV or game console for multiple inputs.
I hook the Clarity Max Touch up to my 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip and typically use it in a triple-display setup with the Logic Display as my main monitor, a 27-inch LG 5K UltraFine display as a secondary display on the left, and The MacBook Pro’s built-in display is off to the right as a third screen. I tested with both HDMI and USB-C connections and settled on USB-C for the more seamless operation it offers.
My typical desk setup includes a pair of 5K Ultrafine displays, so I’m a bit spoiled by the high pixel density that supports true Retina quality and the tight integration with macOS, such as volume and brightness adjustments. Magic Keyboard.
On a large 32-inch screen with a lower 4K resolution, running the Clarity Max Touch at a Retina size of 1920×1080 isn’t a viable option, as the content on the screen looks too large, meaning you’ll want to run it at a higher scale resolution. I used the 3360×1890 option on macOS for a while but eventually settled on the maximum resolution of 3840×2160. The content is a bit small, but the benefits of having a massive 4K desktop make it worth it for me.
Content certainly isn’t as sharp as a Retina display, but when I run it as a full 4K desktop, the content is small enough on the screen that it’s not a big hindrance in my opinion. I’m not a high-level photo or video editor, so I’m not heavy on display calibration, but after just testing a few color profiles I found one I was happy with. Depending on the color profile, the display can take on a slightly pinkish tint as you move to more severe viewing angles, but I didn’t notice any color issues unless I was looking at it normally.
It’s worth noting that the Clarity Max lineup is one of the only display families I know of to offer a 32-inch glossy screen as opposed to the matte finish typically found on displays of this size. I find the glossy screen on the Clarity Max Touch allows for good color reproduction, and while it can produce some glare depending on the lighting angle, I already have a good desk setup that minimizes the issue so it doesn’t affect my usage. display
The display only runs at a maximum of 60 Hz, so if you’re looking for higher refresh rates, you won’t find them here. But for my day-to-day use which focuses on web browsing and other productivity tasks, it’s perfectly fine. If you prefer portrait display, the Clarity Max models easily rotate to vertical orientation, and macOS makes it easy to adjust desktop rotation.
If you connect one of the Clarity Max displays to your laptop via USB-C, the display can provide up to 65 watts of passthrough power to keep your computer charged. That’s enough for most of Apple’s laptops, though 16-inch MacBook Pro models and higher-end 14-inch models may be able to exceed that limit. But unless you’re doing really heavy work, the display’s power output should be enough for most users, even if it might not be able to recharge a depleted battery as quickly as a more powerful charger.
The 8-megapixel retractable webcam hides inside the body of the display when not in use and automatically raises whenever an app like FaceTime, Skype or Zoom is opened and 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’s settings.
Camera is activeMy test unit shipped with a bug that prevented the webcam from resuming after the app was closed, but a simple firmware update fixed the problem for me, and Alogic says the unit shipping should now have that firmware preinstalled.
I found camera quality to be solid, and even a step up from most integrated cameras I’ve seen on other displays, though it doesn’t match the quality when using the Continuity Camera or other high-end standalone iPhone options though to adjust the built-in camera’s field of view. There are some limitations, there is a manual wheel on the back of the camera housing that allows you to vertically adjust the angle of the camera within the housing to optimize for your sitting position. .
It’s worth noting that a motorized retractable webcam is a feature that introduces another area of potential failure in the device, but for privacy-minded people, it’s a nice feature that guarantees the camera can’t be activated remotely without your knowledge.
The camera has been withdrawnPower, volume, and on-screen display settings are controlled by a set of buttons on the lower right edge of the display This makes for a clean design, although it takes some time to get used to their position and which buttons do what. The five buttons all feel tactile, so you have to make sure you’re hitting the right button as you reach down the display.
Turning to the touchscreen functionality available only on the top-end Clarity Max Touch model, it’s essentially identical to the functionality described in my review of the 27-inch model. It requires installing several drivers and apps to control Mac functionality, and while the apps don’t offer a native macOS feel, they support an impressive array of customization options for touchscreen features.
Setup touch gesturesUPDD Commander app allows you to customize various touch options for default as well as per-app basis, one-finger tap, press, drag and edge swipe, two-finger tap, drag, pinch, rotate, swipe with features like edge, three-finger tap And swipe, and five-finger pinch stretch gestures are all supported. The array of gestures can make for an iPad-like experience with a large display in front of you, but my arms tire quickly if I try to do more than brief bursts of touch activity. Some users may also be reluctant to get fingerprints and other smudges on their glossy displays, though with my occasional touchscreen use and my lighting angles it wasn’t an issue for me.
Touch gesture optionsBeyond the basic gesture configuration, you can also change an array of other settings such as the timeout for a double tap interval, the minimum time for a press gesture versus a tap gesture, the radius around your touch point that the system will look for. A clickable UI element, and more.
Additional touch settingsIf you need precise control, such as for drawing apps, you can use a non-capacitive active stylus (an Apple Pencil won’t work), and for those looking for an ergonomic display stand to better adapt the Clarity Max Touch to drawing, the Alogic is a Clarity offers folding stands that are sold separately for $200.
Touchscreen functionality doesn’t make my Mac a full touch experience, but I sometimes find it convenient to flick the screen to scroll long web pages, use a three-finger swipe to access Mission Control, or use five-fingers. Expand Gestures to go to my desktop. Pinch and rotate gestures are also helpful with some image manipulation tasks.
wrap up
The base Clarity Max model costs $999.99, while the Clarity Max Pro with retractable webcam costs $1,199.99 and the top-of-the-line Clarity Max Touch with webcam and touchscreen capabilities costs $1,399.99, but Alogic’s sale is currently knocking $20 off those prices with coupon code ALG20 % discount
Overall, I found the 32-inch Clarity Max Touch to be a solid display if your setup and workflows are compatible with a large 4K display. The high-end model is on the pricier side of things, but it comes with a few extras, including a motorized retractable webcam and touchscreen capabilities, and brings the current selling price down a bit. And if you don’t need one or both of these features, you can drop down to one of the cheaper models
With any of the three models, you get a large desktop canvas on a glossy display, quality construction, a clean design, good connectivity options and the ability to rotate the display to a portrait orientation with the flexibility of tilt and height adjustments. I miss the Retina sharpness of my 27-inch 5K LG Ultrafine Display and the tight macOS integration it offers, but LG is one of only a few options to offer those features and not in the 32-inch form factor.
Note: Alogic provided MacRumors with the Clarity Max Touch Display for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an authorized partner with Alogic. When you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps keep our site running.
