Thinking about using the top panel + display as an external monitor for my gaming PC, what do I need to know?

Already answered that. More specifically I do not know exactly which cable I used as I had a few lying around and just picked one which had the length I wanted. I wrapped the edp cable in wiring loom tape. If it is sturdy enough for vehicle wiring I think it will endure.

The alternative (and typically what you have on external monitors) is to fit the control board inside the display case. But for me that would have meant making the case a lot thicker or hacking (literally) the FW top cover.

If you want to connect the display with a HDMI cable you need to find different controller than the one I used (edp → USB C only). There are recommendations in this forum.