What's the difference in quality between a 27" iMac monitor and the Thunderbolt display? If the screens are the same quality, it seems that for a few dollars more, you get a complete computer with the iMac, or am I missing something ?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Thunderbolt display versus iMac
- Thread starter Rowbear
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Quality is the same. Slightly less glare on the iMac since the late 2012 thinner redesign. Lots of speculation the TD will be updated soon, possibly 4k, but more likely just a thinner design to match the current iMac line up IMO.
As Apple fanboy above noted, with its laminated screen, the display on the current 27" iMac has less reflectivity, and appears to be more vibrant than the current TB Display, but many of us are eagerly awaiting what an updated TB Display will bring. If (and that's a big if) it will be Ultra HD, more commonly referred to as 4K, and if it'll be IPS (likely), it will be a lot more expensive than the current TB display.
And that may very well be the reason why Apple hasn't made that jump yet; they may be biding their time for those panel prices to come down more. Perhaps also why, shortly after the nMP's introduction, they added the 32" Sharp PN-K321 4K Ultra HD LED Monitor to the AppleStore, to satisfy those who wanted a 4K monitor right away. There are also resolution differences, ie 3840x2160 vs 4096x2160, that need to be ironed out.
Meanwhile they could do a refresh with laminated screens, a Thunderbolt hub, or at least 2-3 TB ports (useful to users other than those having a nMP), and a bunch of USB3 ports, in the same price range as the current unit.
I think it's time for Apple to announce the 4K Thunderbolt Display:
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/asus-zenbook-nx500/
Asus announced a notebook equipped with a 15.4" 4K IPS display able to show 108 percent of Adobe RGB. On this Dutch site (http://tweakers.net/nieuws/96364/as...zenbook-nx500-notebook-met-4k-scherm-aan.html) they say it'll be sold for 1899 euros. Not to forget the nice specs of the notebook itself, (almost?) putting Apple's Retina Macbook Pro to shame...
And do not forget this baby exists at 600 dollars: http://www.samsung.com/levant/consumer/computers-peripherals/monitors/led-monitor/LU28D590DS/ZN)
I'm not saying Apple will announce a 4K Display tonight, but they should. At 1000 dollars like current Thunderbolt Display, the time should be now if Apple's does not want to lag behind. Do not forget Apple once announced retina displays when no-one thought it was already possible to build/sell.
SO... my advice is to wait a little while, keeping in mind 4K Displays from Apple should be coming, however a 4K iMac could be coming too (this fall?)
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/asus-zenbook-nx500/
Asus announced a notebook equipped with a 15.4" 4K IPS display able to show 108 percent of Adobe RGB. On this Dutch site (http://tweakers.net/nieuws/96364/as...zenbook-nx500-notebook-met-4k-scherm-aan.html) they say it'll be sold for 1899 euros. Not to forget the nice specs of the notebook itself, (almost?) putting Apple's Retina Macbook Pro to shame...
And do not forget this baby exists at 600 dollars: http://www.samsung.com/levant/consumer/computers-peripherals/monitors/led-monitor/LU28D590DS/ZN)
I'm not saying Apple will announce a 4K Display tonight, but they should. At 1000 dollars like current Thunderbolt Display, the time should be now if Apple's does not want to lag behind. Do not forget Apple once announced retina displays when no-one thought it was already possible to build/sell.
SO... my advice is to wait a little while, keeping in mind 4K Displays from Apple should be coming, however a 4K iMac could be coming too (this fall?)
Note that there are several displays with the same panel as a TB display, at much lower price, with several improvements:
Dell U2713H(M) is having height/tilt/swivel/pivot adjustments, better reliability (not the Apple dust issue), better warranty, 24p support on the HM, 30 bit colour and AdobeRGB on the H mode.
Dell U2713H(M) is having height/tilt/swivel/pivot adjustments, better reliability (not the Apple dust issue), better warranty, 24p support on the HM, 30 bit colour and AdobeRGB on the H mode.
The target demographic for the current Thunderbolt Display are those who need a desktop monitor/charger for their Thunderbolt notebook machine; I doubt if Apple sells many Thunderbolt Displays to anyone else.
For those who can live without an integrated camera and microphone, a third party consumer monitor/TV running at 1920x1080 via HDMI can be had at a small fraction of the US$1,000 cost of Apple's offering.
For those who can live without an integrated camera and microphone, a third party consumer monitor/TV running at 1920x1080 via HDMI can be had at a small fraction of the US$1,000 cost of Apple's offering.
They are just over half of the cost of ATD where i live, do they work good with a 15" MBPr though?
Samsung monitor is TN, Apple ditched that for IPS 5 years ago. They aren't going to go backwards just to shave a few bucks.
From what I've read, you really need the warranty on these Dell displays.
Apparently they start to show dead pixels after 1-2 years...
But with Dell, you can actually extend the warranty to five years, whereas with Apple, you're screwed after Apple Care has run out.
That in itself would make me wary of spending nearly 1k on a TBD.
I was putting the notebook's display and Samsung's display in contrast, I wasn't saying that if Samsung is building one for 600 dollars Apple could build the exact same display for 1000 dollars. I was saying that Apple would be able to sell a 4K IPS Display at 1000 dollars when you see what the competition is already doing (which is disturbing).
The main thing of course, being that the Thunderbolt Display is actually available for sale. That notebook is not, and the only 4k notebook on sale right now (the Toshiba P50t) sacrifices far too much just to be first to the game as a 4k laptop - the screen is far, far, far too dim, and the battery is woefully terrible.
Apple will not announce a 4k machine (either laptop or otherwise) until they are satisfied that the compromises have been ironed out.