Apple Stores Quietly Carrying New LG 23.7-Inch UltraFine Display

[MacRumors]

Over the past few months, supplies of the LG UltraFine 4K and 5K displays have dried up at Apple's retail and online stores, leading to speculation on the future of Apple-approved displays beyond a rumored ultra high-end 6K display perhaps coming alongside a revamped Mac Pro later this year.

As shared by TidBITS, however, Apple retail stores are now quietly carrying a new $700 23.7-inch UltraFine display from LG. TidBITS' Julio Ojeda-Zapata was able to locate the new display in two different Apple retail stores, but it is not currently listed in the company's online store.

To my surprise, an employee told me I should consider forgoing the 21.5-inch model. Why? "Because we have a larger LG display for the same price." Laid out for me on the floor were boxes for the two monitors--including the 23.7-inch version that had seemingly come from nowhere.

At 23.7 inches, the new UltraFine display sits between the original 21.5-inch 4K and 27-inch 5K display, but there is some confusion over the resolution of the display. Ojeda-Zapata claims that it only offers a resolution of 3360x1890, which would not reasonably allow it to serve as a Retina-quality display, but a user manual (PDF) for the display indicates that its native resolution is in fact 3840x2160. That's still less than that 4096x2304 resolution of the smaller 21.5-inch UltraFine 4K, but it would at least qualify as an Ultra HD resolution that is typically marketed as being 4K.

Ojeda-Zapata purchased the new display and shares a brief overview of it, noting that it carries the same design as the previous UltraFine 4K/5K displays sold by Apple and offers a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports and three regular USB-C ports on the rear. The original UltraFine 4K/5K displays only offered a single Thunderbolt 3 port in addition to the three USB-C ports, so the extra Thunderbolt 3 port on the new display allows for daisy-chaining additional Thunderbolt 3 accessories over a single connection.

Article Link: Apple Stores Quietly Carrying New LG 23.7-Inch UltraFine Display

 

[David1964]

9to5 Mac were first with this story

 

[KazKam]

Be vewy vewy quiet, we'we cawwying ewG 23.7-Inch UwtwaFine Dispways.

 

[john katos]

I don't think the original LG 4k display has thunderbolt, since it can be used with the ipad pro.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Well so much for Apple making their own smaller display

For those of us who will find the 6K display too expensive and too large (is the Mac Mini’s iGPU even going to be able to drive it?) this might be the only alternative.

 

[Distace]

Can I connect it with my MacPro (Late 2013) by using an additional TB2 to TB3 adapter?

 

[RyanXM]

To my surprise, an employee told me I should consider forgoing the 21.5-inch model. Why? "Because we have a larger LG display for the same price." Laid out for me on the floor were boxes for the two monitors--including the 23.7-inch version that had seemingly come from nowhere.

So what was the other model that was laid out for him? Size? Part Number?

On another note, this might give us the idea that Apple is going to introduce a 24" (23.7") 4K iMac. 21.5" is just too small in todays world. Would be interesting to see a 28" 5K iMac.

 

[drewsof07]

Well so much for Apple making their own smaller display

For those of us who will find the 6K display too expensive and too large (is the Mac Mini’s iGPU even going to be able to drive it?) this might be the only alternative.

Rumors suggest an eGPU setup within the 6K display, theoretically putting the horsepower onboard the display

 

[HappyIntro]

The picture of the monitor on the box sure looks like 16:10 or even 3:2 aspect ratio - I guess that's just an optical illusion due to the angle of the photo. Still, when I first looked at it I thought there was a chance it offered additional vertical real estate than (IMO) crappy 16:9.

 

[saulinpa]

I don't think the original LG 4k display has thunderbolt, since it can be used with the ipad pro.

Right - It was USB-C alt mode or something like that so wouldn't work with a TB 2 port.

 

[InuNacho]

Rumors suggest an eGPU setup within the 6K display, theoretically putting the horsepower onboard the display

Oh good. So if the gpu in the monitor fails, the whole thing is trash.

 

[guzhogi]

I find it kinda funny/weird how small screens can get that have 4K. Just saw this phone that has a 5.5" 4K display: https://www.sonymobile.com/us/products/phones/xperia-xz-premium/specifications/

 

[DrJohnnyN]

Ugly without Apple branding. Just looks cheap.

 

[44267547]

9to5 Mac were first with this story

Why would that matter or have any relevance to the reader? It’s not like that these displays are available in the masses in Apple stores (They are not in stock in my area) or not available in Apples online store yet.

 

[BGPL]

We shouldn't be talking about this. It was supposed to be quiet.

 

[ralpa]

That’s an ugly display

 

[saulinpa]

Specs show 8.3 megapixels - 3840x2160 - https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/product/certified-displays/details/2331816

So to do sudo-retina on a Mac would you set the resolution to 2200x1250 or thereabouts ?

 

[2010mini]

Why did Apple get out of the display business?

 

[SigEp265]

Ohhhh did they get rid of the larger top bezel ?

 

[justperry]

That’s an ugly display

Don't like it either, display is mostly not the problem, the stand is.

Nobody can make a display as beautiful as the Apple all aluminium displays, the ones without black bezels, it was iconic.

 

[timber]

Well, at least people needing displays get a continuous stream of products that are updated now and then.

 

[poorcody]

Just looked over the User Manual linked in the article... it definitely connects via Thunderbolt-3 (vs the USB-C in the previous model), and provides Power Delivery... however, details are very sparse: doesn't say how much power is delivered (60W? 85W?), or what speed the USB-C ports are. Probably similar to the Ultrafine 5K though.

Also says the second Thunderbolt port can be used for daisy-chaining a second display if your GPU supports it.

 

[lixuelai]

Wouldnt be surprised if Apple comes out with a 30-32in Pro display.

 

[Moonjumper]

The picture of the monitor on the box sure looks like 16:10 or even 3:2 aspect ratio - I guess that's just an optical illusion due to the angle of the photo. Still, when I first looked at it I thought there was a chance it offered additional vertical real estate than (IMO) crappy 16:9.

I've noticed a massive different going to a work-supplied laptop that is 16:9 coming from a MBP with 16:10. Vertical height is more important to me than horizontal. Luckily I can still do most of my work on my iMac, which still being 16:9, is at least large enough to have a reasonable height because it is 27". But I would love to see a 1:1 ratio display available.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Apple is leaving its desktop users behind. Wait for Mac Pro w/ display, it will be a $15,000 debacle that nobody will buy and headlines will harken back to the Lisa. Apple will find a way to screw it up.