Acer and Lenovo Debut First USB-C Monitors, Compatible With Retina MacBook

[MacRumors]

Acer has announced all-new H7 series monitors as the first to support USB Type-C, making them compatible with Apple's newer 12-inch MacBook. The monitors will be able to charge the MacBook, transfer data and display content over one USB-C cable, eliminating the need for multiple cables and adapters.

Acer's new 25-inch and 27-inch H7 series USB-C monitors​

The monitors will be available in 25-inch and 27-inch screen sizes with 2,560×1,440 pixels resolution, Acer TrueHarmony and DTS Sound, HDMI 2.0 ports and 100% sRGB coverage. The H7 series launches in the U.S. and other North American markets in February with prices starting at $499.99. Availability in other regions will follow.

Lenovo has also announced the ThinkVision X24 Pro and ThinkVision X1 as its first two USB Type-C monitors, per AnandTech. The bezel-free ThinkVision X24 Pro features a 1,920×1,080 resolution IPS display, USB-C and Mini DisplayPort, an Intel RealSense 3D camera, two 3W speakers and more. The monitor starts at $399 and ships in May.

Lenovo ThinkVision X24 Pro, left, and ThinkVision X1 USB-C monitors​

The 27-inch ThinkVision X1 has an ultra-thin 7.5mm design, 3,840×2,160 resolution, USB-C and DisplayPort 1.2 ports, HDMI 2.0, 99% sRGB coverage and more. Apple's 12-inch MacBook includes support for DisplayPort 1.2 through USB-C, so it will be able to power this Ultra HD monitor at 60 Hz. The ThinkVision X1 will cost $799.

Article Link: Acer and Lenovo Debut First USB-C Monitors, Compatible With Retina MacBook

 

[soupcan]

Now for some 5K Thunderbolt display and some Apple-built ultra wide 21:9 monitors. With a curved option, of course.

 

[jayisblessed]

USB-C is going to be popular this year!

 

[aplnub]

This almost makes me think about a second gen MacBook over a 13" MBA. I just want a 13" retina MBA.

 

[H2SO4]

Now for some 5K Thunderbolt display and some Apple-built ultra wide 21:9 monitors. With a curved option, of course.

BOOM. This!!!!
It won’t happen though and I’ll buy an LG instead, (see below……).

 

[needfx]

rMB not found =(

 

[sakabaro]

BOOM. This!!!!
It won’t happen though and I’ll buy an LG instead, (see below……).

I've the Dell U3415W, it's pretty good and cheaper than the LG - same panel.

It works well with rMB via the apple hdmi ubs-c hub. Full resolution @ 60hz.

 

[Elijen]

Meanwhile in the Apple HQ:
Compatible peripherals starting to come out? It's about time to change port type again!

 

[KPOM]

Hopefully this is the first in a wave of new true USB-C products.

 

[teslo]

every once in a while i step back and look at something like the top graphic (macbook, iPhone, iPad and monitors) and make sure to still be amazed at the digital age we live in. i daydreamed as a kid in the early 80s about gaming in the palm of your hand that would look as good as saturday morning cartoons - or 'books' that would open and show you any picture or movie you could imagine. and i really didn't think it was even possible.

look at that graphic!

Oh, and RE: the article... usb-c seems nice but the next adoption i hope to invest in is wireless. the 80s kid in me will probably explode. apple may see a bright future in usb-c but if the competition (and third party peripherals) keeps them on their toes, it'll hopefully be short-lived. i get the appeal, but to me it's just a band-aid over the problem of snaking wires everywhere. still need a hub. still need to plug them all in centimeters from your computer. no bueno.

 

[macduke]

It's a shame that the only 4K one mentioned here has some ugly webcam on top. What is this, 2004? Hopefully that and the soundbar are removable. It does look like a very business-focused machine, which is Lenovo's market, so it's interesting that it uses USB-C. Hopefully a sign of wide adoption. It's going to be fantastic a few years down the road when this MacBook is a real portable powerhouse that can be connected to all my desktop devices with a single cable.

 

[lincolntran]

every once in a while i step back and look at something like the top graphic (macbook, iPhone, iPad and monitors) and make sure to still be amazed at the digital age we live in. i daydreamed as a kid in the early 80s about gaming in the palm of your hand that would look as good as saturday morning cartoons - or 'books' that would open and show you any picture or movie you could imagine. and i really didn't think it was even possible.

look at that graphic!

Oh, and RE: the article... usb-c seems nice but the next adoption i hope to invest in is wireless. the 80s kid in me will probably explode. apple may see a bright future in usb-c but if the competition (and third party peripherals) keeps them on their toes, it'll hopefully be short-lived. i get the appeal, but to me it's just a band-aid over the problem of snaking wires everywhere. still need a hub. still need to plug them all in centimeters from your computer. no bueno.

When I first heard about "the internet"....I was thinking to myself: "I can communicate with someone on the other side of the globe? Wow!". I also used to wish "if only I can talk to anyone around the world and see their faces too". I didn't think Those two things were possible in my life time or at least able to afford it....It seems silly now...

 

[jamescharley22]

I'm really hopeful that we might not even see USB-C on any other Macs due to the availability of Thunderbolt 3 on other machines and native backwards compatibly with USB-C. I also hope they don't mix USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. I'm in favor of a thinner MacBook Pro that uses just Thunderbolt 3, but if future Macs are just as thick as current MacBook Pros and Airs, I'd be okay with USB 3 (Type-A) and Thunderbolt 3 ports.

 

[drumcat]

Here's to hoping the 2016 rmbp is, in fact, 4k.

 

[Jsameds]

I just wish they'd put two USB-C ports on the Macbook. Seriously, one is not enough.

 

[Mac 128]

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't released a new retina Thunderbolt Display yet. They're already making the panels for the 27" iMac.

And is it just me, or does anybody else want a 32" display monitor? I use my 32" LCD TV at work as an extended desktop display. If it were higher resolution, it would definitely be my primary monitor. It would also be a great investment for a second TV with an ATV box.

 

[cambookpro]

It's a shame that the only 4K one mentioned here has some ugly webcam on top. What is this, 2004? Hopefully that and the soundbar are removable. It does look like a very business-focused machine, which is Lenovo's market, so it's interesting that it uses USB-C. Hopefully a sign of wide adoption. It's going to be fantastic a few years down the road when this MacBook is a real portable powerhouse that can be connected to all my desktop devices with a single cable.

What we all thought in 2011 when the first Thunderbolt Macs were released...

Hopefully the adoption of USB-C will be much quicker and more widespread. If so, I think Thunderbolt might see a little revival with the USB-C-shaped TB3 connector. One can only hope.

 

[Jamie0003]

Wait, I thought the current rMB can only run a display at 4K 30hz?

 

[windywalks]

I'm really hopeful that we might not even see USB-C on any other Macs due to the availability of Thunderbolt 3 on other machines and native backwards compatibly with USB-C. I also hope they don't mix USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. I'm in favor of a thinner MacBook Pro that uses just Thunderbolt 3, but if future Macs are just as thick as current MacBook Pros and Airs, I'd be okay with USB 3 (Type-A) and Thunderbolt 3 ports.

But doesn't the specification for TB 3 state, that it will use a universal backwards compatible USB-C cable, that will carry both the TB 3 protocol as well as legacy USB signals?
AFAIK They are moving away from the DisplayPort connector in favor of the USB-C.

 

[jamescharley22]

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't released a new retina Thunderbolt Display yet. They're already making the panels for the 27" iMac.

I'm a bit surprised too, but here's how I see it:

• If I remember correctly, the iMac with Retina 5k Display uses a custom timing controller that I think they're not able to run over Thunderbolt. That's why you can't dual-cable connect from any 5k-capable Mac to an iMac with Retina 5k Display and use it via target display mode.
• Updating the display with current specs would mean installing a Retina 5k Display and four USB-C ports, and Thunderbolt 3 doesn't have enough bandwidth for all of that.
• This is more of a personal quibble but users would be unable to daisy-chain 5k displays using Thunderbolt 3 thus requiring there be two cables for what used to be one.

 

[sound]

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't released a new retina Thunderbolt Display yet. They're already making the panels for the 27" iMac.

its about time ... waiting forever for new Retina Cinema Display.

 

[joueboy]

If only the rMB was powerful enough. This computer is an analogy of physical beauty and dumb. Only damn rich people are willing to spend for such thing.

 

[jamescharley22]

But doesn't the specification for TB 3 state, that it will use a universal backwards compatible USB-C cable, that will carry both the TB 3 protocol as well as legacy USB signals?
AFAIK They are moving away from the DisplayPort connector in favor of the USB-C.

That sounds right, but what I was talking about, and it's not your fault you're not aware of this because this happened in another thread, is I expressed my desire for all Thunderbolt 3 ports in a super-thin MacBook Pro, and someone replied that they wanted TB 3 ports and USB-C ports. On this hypothetical super-thin MacBook Pro, I wanted all TB 3 ports because they were natively backwards compatible with USB-C, the other person didn't understand that and kept campaigning for TB 3 and USB-C.

Someone else commented that they would like a MacBook Pro with a tapered unibody like the Air. They wanted USB 3 (Type-A), TB 3, and USB-C. I again replied to them that they should use USB 3 (Type-A; they had an argument that they wouldn't be able to use existing USB peripherals, a plausible situation that I can see warranting the original connector but I also argued that holding on to potential legacy technologies will slow emerging spec markets) and TB 3, but they also didn't grasp that TB 3 can do USB-C without any adapters and campaigned for all three.

I'm in favor of using the USB-C connector as foundation for TB 3 because it still promotes the USB-C accessory market, it'll make things look tidier on future machines by having one less type of port, and the backwards compatibility will be really convenient.

 

[SSDGUY]

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't released a new retina Thunderbolt Display yet. They're already making the panels for the 27" iMac.

And is it just me, or does anybody else want a 32" display monitor? I use my 32" LCD TV at work as an extended desktop display. If it were higher resolution, it would definitely be my primary monitor. It would also be a great investment for a second TV with an ATV box.

Yup. Been wanting to see a refreshed 30"+ Apple display for a while now. Just bought a 27" 5K iMac since my 30" ACD was going dim and my MBP that drove it fried its 3rd logic board. The iMac is a thing of beauty but I sure miss the bigger display.

 

[KPOM]

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't released a new retina Thunderbolt Display yet. They're already making the panels for the 27" iMac.

I wonder if Apple will produce a Thunderbolt Display using Thunderbolt 3, or a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 display (obviously they'll come up with a better name, or resurrect the Cinema Display name). If they do the latter, it will work with the existing MacBook, as well as any future Mac they produce with either USB-C or Thunderbolt 3, while still improving throughput over USB 3.1 Gen 1/USB 3.0.