GTX 960M with 4K monitor - only 30 Hz supported, but still OK for video editing?

[Vlado7]

My laptop has a GTX 960M, which apparently doesn't support HDMI 2.0
The laptop doesn't have a DisplayPort output either.

I was going to buy an external 4K monitor so I can comfortably edit photos and 4K video, but I've read that 4K only makes sense with 60 Hz, which is only supported by HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2, that my laptop doesn't have. I understood that it will still work, but only at 30 Hz, which is not so good.
Is 4K at 30 Hz only bad when gaming?
Will I benefit from editing video / photo on an external 4K monitor, but at 30 Hz only? Or will it flicker or the mouse cursor lag etc.?

...I'm now even considering to return this laptop if I can't edit video on an 4K external monitor 🙁
But I guess I still need a powerful laptop to handle 4K source files, but I will have to edit it on a normal Full HD monitor.

 

[greens]

4k at 30hz is unusable.
It feels like your mouse is in mud, it is not usable as a desktop, period.

You can set your current monitor to 30hz right now if you want, just to see how awful it is.

Does your laptop have USB 3.1c Thunderbolt? That can support 4k@60hz...

 

[Vlado7]

Thanks for promtp help.
Hm, can't see from the specs if USB 3.1c Thunderbolt is supported. Is there a way/tool to find it out?

 

[domino66]

4k at 30hz is unusable.
It feels like your mouse is in mud, it is not usable as a desktop, period.

You can set your current monitor to 30hz right now if you want, just to see how awful it is.

Does your laptop have USB 3.1c Thunderbolt? That can support 4k@60hz...

Just piggy-backing on this thread since I got some helpful info in a thread I just started, and the forum recommended I check out this thread too...in fact, I have the same 960M card, and found that I also could only get 4K @ 30Hz because my Asus laptop's HDMI port was only v 1.4. I *am* able to get 60Hz, though, if I run the monitor to my USB-C port...though I'm dismayed that I won't be able to run a 4K monitor off my HDMI port as well...and it begs the question: why would Asus put a 960M graphics card into a laptop that only has an HDMI 1.4 port? Can I upgrade my port somehow to v 2.0?

 

[Vlado7]

4k at 30hz is unusable.
It feels like your mouse is in mud, it is not usable as a desktop, period.

You can set your current monitor to 30hz right now if you want, just to see how awful it is.

Does your laptop have USB 3.1c Thunderbolt? That can support 4k@60hz...

Just piggy-backing on this thread since I got some helpful info in a thread I just started, and the forum recommended I check out this thread too...in fact, I have the same 960M card, and found that I also could only get 4K @ 30Hz because my Asus laptop's HDMI port was only v 1.4. I *am* able to get 60Hz, though, if I run the monitor to my USB-C port...though I'm dismayed that I won't be able to run a 4K monitor off my HDMI port as well...and it begs the question: why would Asus put a 960M graphics card into a laptop that only has an HDMI 1.4 port? Can I upgrade my port somehow to v 2.0?

Don't think you can upgraded any ports in general. But maybe the technology has advanced since I last time learned about such things.

Are you connecting USB-C to DiplayPort I assume?
What monitor are you connecting? Does it look OK when you play for example?

 

[Multipack]

No there's no upgrading HDMI 1.4 to 2.0. Thunderbolt and USB Type-C are your only options. They are good options though and you should definitely go that route. 30Hz is no fun at any res.

 

[Vlado7]

I have some update from Dell and the question about HDMI 2.0 and GTX 960M... looks like they simply lied...
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-3319298/dell-misleads-customers-hdmi-geforce-gtx-960m-supported.html