Apple Cinema or Thunderbolt

I am in a similar situation to you: I have a 2010 Air and want it to share a 27" display with a to-be-bought Mini. I have ordered an original Cinema Display so that I can connect my Air to it. I currently use a 27" Cinema Display with my Mac Pro in the office. I have never used the USB ports on its back because they are not convenient to use at all! If you do not plan to daisy chain the display with other thunderbolt devices, then either display is OK. However, if you plan to daisy chain the display, you better wait for the Thunderbolt Display.

The IPS panels on both displays may be the same. However, I once heard that 2011 iMacs have updated panels. May the panels on Thunderbolt Displays be updated?

It is too bad that Apple has not reduced the price of the original Cinema Display! It should reduce the price of the Cinema Display!

 

I think the biggest reason to go with the Thunderbolt display is to have a port available for future use. Hopefully there will be some more external devices available in the near future and by going with the non-thunderbolt display that port will be used.

I think the reason Apple hasn't lowered the price on the other display is to still have it there as an option as most Apple products in the recent do not have Thunderbolt ports. It's essentially like choosing a monitor with HDMI or DVI except there is no way to convert the Thunderbolt to a non-Thunderbolt cable from what I've read so far.

 

if the macbook you are buying has thunderbolt I would definitely go with the thunderbolt display. It should still be compatible with the MBA you just won't be able to utilize the extra ports.

 

We don't know this and quite frankly it's irresponsible to suggest to the OP that it should be compatible. According to Apple it will only work with Thunderbolt-equipped Macs. Until someone gets their hands on one and tries it, we won't know if the display works with MDP.

Apple managed to make Target Display Mode in the new iMacs work only with Thunderbolt where simple MDP worked in the previous model. Backward compatibility means little to them.

 

This information is wrong. Not to yell at you but I'm shocked at how many people ask if the new thunderbolt display will work with their old mini display port and people tell them yes. That's an expensive mistake. It WILL NOT work.

You CAN use an old MDP monitor on a new TB Mac though.

I'd suggest you just get the new TB monitor as it will be more compatiable. You won't be able to hook up your MBA but it's getting older.

 

It's surprising, considering Thunderbolt ports on all the laptops work as Mini Display Ports, you'd think the Thunderbolt port on the Cinema Display would also work as a Mini Display Port. But it doesn't.

System Requirements

Thunderbolt-enabled Mac computer, including MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac
OS X v10.6.8 or later

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MC914?mco=MjMzOTQwMTY