Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Fair comment. And they’re seemingly still using the same panel so LG won’t lose out. But as is often the case it’s the consumer that suffers by paying more than they may need to. Yes people can buy the LG elsewhere but many will choose the default Apple offering. Some won’t even be aware of the LG. I suppose it’s just plain business on Apple’s part but it feels a bit anti-consumer. Then again they’re not my favourite company at the moment so I’m probably just a bit salty 👍
I hope it is not the same panel: I have two of those ultrafines and both developed weird ghosting/burn in after as little as 3 months...
 
Just gut the 24" iMac it and sell it as a monitor and call it a day. Apple would make a grip of cash for those who want to add a monitor to their 24" iMac. Even go with colors.
Apple could implement that in software if they wanted to - easy peasy.

Edit - In fact.... it's very much feasible that the community could implement this rather soon considering how well M1 Linux is progressing. All you kinda have to to is use the Thunderbolt port as a device input (we know this mode is supported since we can hook up macs to sync), emulate a display device, and then shove the display data onto the screen's frame buffer. You could put such a system onto a USB dongle and boot it up as needed without needing further input - basically bringing target display mode back.
 
Last edited:
The picture quality is incredible. It's better than any Apple screen I've ever owned aside from my XDR MPB and OLED iPhone 13 Pro. Perhaps I got lucky with my panel, but I've never had any issues.

For a plastic monitor the build quality is excellent. The stand is height and tilt adjustable with a solid metal base. The stand is removable and can be replaced with the included metal vesa mount. The stand and vesa mount are quite heavy.

View attachment 1972105View attachment 1972107View attachment 1972106
 
Does LG still sell it?

It's an LG product, and I don't think Apple has any contractual or moral obligation to sell LG's products. They sold it when it was the best monitor option available for Mac buyers - it no longer is. LG can keep selling it if they want, and people who need it can buy it from them.

There were a litany of QC issues with it reported by a lot of users. I wouldn't be surprised if LG did axe it.
They might have been contracted with Apple since Apple was suppose to assist with the creation, so probably LG cannot sell it outside of Apple. It is probably a dead product and aftermarket selling (eBay, Amazon etc.) takes over.
 
The thing is, 5K displays are still a niche product area even after 5 years, so there's little competition. You only save a couple hundred $ buying an alternative to the Studio Display, which isn't worthwhile if you care at all about the built in accessories and the first-class TB support.
I think you've hit on the problem. Normally, an IT product that cost $1200 in 2016 would have been replaced by something with significantly better specs/higher resolution at the same price by now.

However, the PC market has hit 4k and stubbornly stopped. Problem is, 4k UHD is "good enough". Up to about 27", UHD is 'retina' at 21" viewing distance, so going higher brings rapidly diminishing returns. The Goldilocks Zone issue of 27" 4k screens needing non-integer scaling to get the system text/icon sizes 'just right' is a MacOS artefact that doesn't affect the Windows world. DisplayPort 1.4 adoption was slow, without which 5k needs Thunderbolt 3 or a dual-cable kludge.... So, basically, only Mac users want 5k and while HP, Dell etc. did briefly launch 5k displays they rapidly disappeared. The LG one was very obviously produced in partnership with Apple.

So it looks like there's no upgrade path for the "affordable" 5k display until mini LED comes along - and although the price of the Apple Studio Display seems high it could be that Apple, as the only user of 5k panels, are having to pay through the nose for the parts.

That's the problem though - with mini LED, maybe even micro LED and, hopefully, higher frame rates coming Real Soon Now and 5k looking like a dead-end format, $$$$ for an edge-lit 5k panel just doesn't feel like the investment it might have done 5 years ago.

Here are some of the ways the Studio Display is superior to the UltraFine 5K

...but the display improvements are fairly incremental, the sort of thing you'd expect "for free" from 5 years of progress, the cosmetic changes are... cosmetic, while the LG may have looked ugly it had better practical ergonomics (e.g. fully adjustable stand, built-in VESA mount as standard). I'm sure the new speaker system sounds better than anything else built into an ultra-slim display but they're unlikely to replace, say, the studio monitors and external microphones you might find in the studio where you're going to use your studio display. Heck, I only mess about with (alleged) "music" for my own amusement and use a $300 pair of KRKs (peanuts by monitor speaker standards) after experiencing the hot mess if you try even amateur mixing with less. Even enthusiastic YouTube vloggers are likely to invest in proper cameras, speakers and microphone gear.

Built in webcams are only good for video conferencing...and, looks like I might be able to use my iPad as a webcam for social Zoom meetings.

So whatever its features, I don't quite see who the Studio Display is for...
 
The picture quality is incredible. It's better than any Apple screen I've ever owned aside from my XDR MPB and OLED iPhone 13 Pro. Perhaps I got lucky with my panel, but I've never had any issues.

For a plastic monitor the build quality is excellent. The stand is height and tilt adjustable with a solid metal base. The stand is removable and can be replaced with the included metal vesa mount. The stand and vesa mount are quite heavy.

View attachment 1972105View attachment 1972107View attachment 1972106
I have an UltraFine 5k and a Pro Display XDR side by side. I agree---the LG looks great, even compared to a 6K 32 inch monster. Some people whine about "but it's plastic!" Yes, but so what? I care about the screen--not the borders. The UltraFine speakers are acceptable and the webcam was/is very good. They are solid displays you used to be able to grab on eBay for 999. Sad they were cancelled, but completely get it---if I were in the market for a display, I'd buy the LG and save the few hundred bucks. That's not great for Apple!
 
The Horror begins. I hope they keep the 4K Ultrafines alive. Most people buy those as entry level displays for the macbook/mac mini.
4480 x 2250. They already make a 218 ppi 24" display with the M1 iMac.
i never understood why they replaced the 2016 21.5” retina Ultrafine 4K (which used the 21.5” iMac’s 16:10 panel) with a 2018 24” non-retina Ultrafine 4K (which uses a 2160p 16:9 panel) which was larger and had fewer pixels.
 
So whatever its features, I don't quite see who the Studio Display is for...
The same audience that used an iMac before. Do they need better speakers? No. Will they like them? Yes. Do they need a better camera? No. Will they like it? Yes. Not everyone has a studio microphone and a studio camera in their software development studio. ;-)

But I agree that it's an actual shame that there is no variant that's just a damn screen without 400 or so bucks of bells and whistles.
 
If you take the $1300 that the UltraFine launched at in 2016 and adjust it along with U.S. inflation it's somewhere around $1560 today. The Studio Display is a also significantly better product.
Tech usually either gets cheaper or better or both over time though. I’m not sure how it’s “significantly better”. If you compare adjustable stands it costs $600 more.

The camera is probably better but that’s about it. I’m sure there are plenty of people who don’t care for the webcam anyway
 
  • Like
Reactions: Macative


Apple has removed the 27-inch LG UltraFine 5K display that was previously a Mac user's go-to option for external monitors from its online store following the launch of the Studio Display.

LG-UltraFine-Display.jpg

LG and Apple had worked on the display together, promising tight integration with macOS. The UltraFine 5K display featured a 5K display, P3 wide color with 500 nits of brightness, and one Thunderbolt 3 port capable of charging a Mac.

Following the announcement of the Studio Display this week, Apple has removed the UltraFine 5K display from its online store, now only listing the 23.7-inch UltraFine 4K display starting at $699. LG's own website also lists the UltraFine 5K display as sold out, and it's not entirely clear if the display will be restocked anytime soon.

The UltraFine 5K display retailed for $1,299, compared to the $1,599 starting price of Apple's Studio Display. The Studio Display was made available for pre-order this week and will be available on March 18. Learn more about Apple's newest display with our roundup.

Article Link: Apple Stops Selling 27-Inch LG UltraFine 5K Display
I picked the revision B model which is the current model and owned it for about 14 months then is died last fall. I’ve been having a heck of a time having it repaired by lg. first they want a $150 out of warranty then when I received it back it did the same thing 5 hours later. It’s back at lg “waiting on parts” for the last month so I wouldn’t buy another lg monitor at all. I don’t think the new studio display is worth $1600 but there is not really any other monitor option available. Apple should have came out with a cheaper 30”or 32” monitor but it would eat into sakes or at least priced it at $1299 for what you get. There will be no mini led versions until this model is replaced which would be years imo.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: fisherman188
Yes people can buy the LG elsewhere but many will choose the default Apple offering. Some won’t even be aware of the LG. I suppose it’s just plain business on Apple’s part but it feels a bit anti-consumer.
[Bold emphasis mine to call out what I am responding to.]

If someone goes into an Apple Store or uses the Apple Store online site and restricts what they buy to those stores, that is a lack of research on the part of the purchaser.

There are multiple stores with online sites (or are entirely online) where someone can do basic research on price and functionality from the ease of their home (or from a library or place of business that provides internet access):
  • Amazon
  • Best Buy
  • Micro Center
  • eBay
  • Office Depot / Office Max
  • Staples
  • Likely many more, I am just listing those in my city or that I know of online
It is not hard to find out what the best deal is, even for people who are not tech savvy. Heck, you don't have to buy from the store you do your research at - most people have one or more places of business they do not want to deal with, or they may not be near that store (Micro Center is a case in point - there is one where I live, but they are only in 16 states).

This is no different from any other type of purchase - if you go to one car dealership, without doing any research, not only is it possible to pay more for whatever car you buy, but you also may buy expensive add-ons that you could have got for a lower price somewhere else.

I understand you aren't happy with Apple, but this (dropping LG monitor in favor of Apple's new monitor in the Apple Store) is not anti-consumer behavior.
 
Does LG still sell it?

It's an LG product, and I don't think Apple has any contractual or moral obligation to sell LG's products. They sold it when it was the best monitor option available for Mac buyers - it no longer is. LG can keep selling it if they want, and people who need it can buy it from them.

There were a litany of QC issues with it reported by a lot of users. I wouldn't be surprised if LG did axe it.

At least in Germany, as of now, it is in stock:
https://www.lg.com/de/monitore/lg-27MD5KL-B

Availability was on/off for many months, at the moment, it is "on". So, they still sell it. Whether they still produce it: Dunno.
 
  • Like
Reactions: saulinpa
Why compete if you are the competition.
This is just to sell more overpriced Studio Displays, obviously, not because the Ultra Fine is outdated or anything.
Classic Apple. Shame I’m not a shareholder though.
I'm not too familiar with the LG display. Did it have a tri-beam microphone and camera like the Studio Display? Oh, and did the LG display have 4 thunderbolt 4 ports???

:rolleyes:
 
Thanks for the summary. But still, not very cool of them to stop selling an alternative option for those who don’t want those things.

The LG display is not sold anywhere else? Are you saying it was an Apple exclusive?

Yeah...I'm kind of steamed I can't buy a Toyota at a Ford dealership. But I do know where I can get one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: entropys
Does LG still sell it?

It's an LG product, and I don't think Apple has any contractual or moral obligation to sell LG's products. They sold it when it was the best monitor option available for Mac buyers - it no longer is. LG can keep selling it if they want, and people who need it can buy it from them.
I suspect Apple did indeed have an agreement to sell them. Otherwise Tim Cook wouldn’t have made such a big deal at the Apple event about partnering with LG. Remember also these were the exact same panels that were in the iMacs. Also, it was extremely hard to find these LG monitors anywhere else, at least in Canada. They were only available at Apple, at least when I looked.

I wonder who makes the panels for the 27" Studio Display.

There were a litany of QC issues with it reported by a lot of users. I wouldn't be surprised if LG did axe it.
These issues were fixed with later updates, according to forum members here.

The exact same 218 ppi they have with the 4.5k 4480 x 2520 panel in the iMac 24".
Does anyone sell a 200 ppi 30” screen that is good quality and works well with Macs? I don’t like 218 ppi as much.

I say this as an owner of a 2017 27” iMac (218 ppi) and a 30” Apple Cinema HD Display (100 ppi). A pixel quadrupled (200 ppi) version of the Cinema Display would be totally awesome.
 
  • Love
Reactions: RedTheReader
24" or 27"? Never. They're both way too small. I would never part with my 43" display, except maybe for a 49" or 55". Having a 43"-55" Retina display would be better yet. Having my Mac desktop as big as a physical desktop is the best upgrade I've made in many years.
 
The LG display is not sold anywhere else? Are you saying it was an Apple exclusive?

Yeah...I'm kind of steamed I can't buy a Toyota at a Ford dealership. But I do know where I can get one.
My understanding is it is gone from the LG website as well. I'm sure they are all over eBay-I bought two of them for < $1,000.00. Good displays, but why in the world would Apple let its new display compete with a mildly inferior but less expensive product? That would just be silly business.
 
  • Like
Reactions: citysnaps
If only it could do more than 60hz !!! But, plenty of other monitors that can so no loss really. I wish Apple would do a true consumer grade / priced monitor. The truly galling aspect is the cost of adding “height adjustment”… to a monitor! Only Apple!
 
I suspect Apple did indeed have an agreement to sell them. Otherwise Tim Cook wouldn’t have made such a big deal at the Apple event about partnering with LG. Remember also these were the exact same panels that were in the iMacs. Also, it was extremely hard to find these LG monitors anywhere else, at least in Canada. They were only available at Apple, at least when I looked.

I wonder who makes the panels for the 27" Studio Display.


These issues were fixed with later updates, according to forum members here.


Does anyone sell a 200 ppi 30” screen that is good quality and works well with Macs? I don’t like 218 ppi as much.

I say this as an owner of a 2017 27” iMac (218 ppi) and a 30” Apple Cinema HD Display (100 ppi). A pixel quadrupled (200 ppi) version of the Cinema Display would be totally awesome.
You'd rather have a less higher density display, or did I misinterpret what you wrote?
 
[Bold emphasis mine to call out what I am responding to.]

If someone goes into an Apple Store or uses the Apple Store online site and restricts what they buy to those stores, that is a lack of research on the part of the purchaser.

There are multiple stores with online sites (or are entirely online) where someone can do basic research on price and functionality from the ease of their home (or from a library or place of business that provides internet access):
  • Amazon
  • Best Buy
  • Micro Center
  • eBay
  • Office Depot / Office Max
  • Staples
  • Likely many more, I am just listing those in my city or that I know of online
It is not hard to find out what the best deal is, even for people who are not tech savvy. Heck, you don't have to buy from the store you do your research at - most people have one or more places of business they do not want to deal with, or they may not be near that store (Micro Center is a case in point - there is one where I live, but they are only in 16 states).

This is no different from any other type of purchase - if you go to one car dealership, without doing any research, not only is it possible to pay more for whatever car you buy, but you also may buy expensive add-ons that you could have got for a lower price somewhere else.

I understand you aren't happy with Apple, but this (dropping LG monitor in favor of Apple's new monitor in the Apple Store) is not anti-consumer behavior.

Don‘t disagree with any of that. I think Apple have just been rubbing me up the wrong way in recent times and so I’m more likely to dislike anything they do that’s even remotely negative.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.