LG Possibly Developing Three New Apple Displays, Including Pro Display XDR With Apple Silicon Chip

[CalMin]

What Apple needs to realize (and I hope they do with this design) is that not everyone is a graphics pro. I don't need 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and P3 wide colour gamut for my spreadsheets!

I'd be happy with a well designed display, with decent IQ, MacOS integration at a (Apple) consumer level price - something like $1-2k on a 32" 4k or 5k monitor that worked well with my Mac would be an instant sale.

 

[svish]

Hopefully it will be launched/announced soon and will be priced right!

 

[WinstonRumfoord]

MBP's were plagued with poor design decisions for the better part of 4 years, almost all of which were fixed in the 2021 models. We need the same attitude applied to a standalone display.

Yes we absolutely do. I still can't for the life of me understand why they thought that removing all the ports, removing magsafe, and the touchbar were good ideas. It's like they didn't consult one single person who uses a MacBook Pro in a Pro capacity.

I'm majorly bummed my last work computer died a bit over a year ago and was replaced with a stupid 2019 Macbook Pro. Now one of the thunderbolt ports is already dead, and I can't even import photos to the computer when I have my laptop at my desk plugged into both monitors. Lunacy.

They fixed the MBP, it sounds like there is a good chance they will offer up a "reasonably" priced iMac Pro replacement, and it sounds like we are getting a reasonably priced ATD/ACD replacement. Someone deserves a promotion over there!

 

[Zdigital2015]

That’s still out of the price range for most, even people who buy Mac Pros. So it doesn’t make sense to add yet another expensive niche product. Needs to be $1,500-$2,500 max.

People who buy Mac Pros can certainly afford $3,000 for a second Gen 32” XDR display. First, that’s half the price of the current XDR, second, those users are buying higher end displays from NEC, EIZO, Asus and et al. A really high quality mini-LED HDR display from Apple that complements a new Apple Silicon Mac Pro will sell at $3K. Probably not to you, but to professionals who see it’s value, it will. The 32” will be a niched product while the 24” and 27” will be the mainstream products, as they are intended to be.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

People who buy Mac Pros can certainly afford $3,000 for a second Gen 32” XDR display. First, that’s half the price of the current XDR, second, those users are buying higher end displays from NEC, EIZO, Asus and et al. A really high quality mini-LED HDR display from Apple that complements a new Apple Silicon Mac Pro will sell at $3K. Probably not to you, but to professionals who see it’s value, it will. The 32” will be a niched product while the 24” and 27” will be the mainstream products, as they are intended to be.

i mean the 27" with mini-led ,hundred of dimming zones ,120hz....not so niche.like how is this didfferent from the 32" model rly?

.and wondering if it'll be below 2k

 

[Zdigital2015]

Really curious about the pricing.

My guess is $799, $1499 and $2999 for 24”, 27” and 32”, respectively. Apple has never been shy about pricing monitors appropriately while every other manufacture makes it a race to the bottom.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

My guess is $799, $1499 and $2999 for 24”, 27” and 32”, respectively. Apple has never been shy about pricing monitors appropriately while every other manufacture makes it a race to the bottom.

why would the 32 cost double of 27? that doesnt make sense to me

 

[Zdigital2015]

i mean the 27" with mini-led ,hundred of dimming zones ,120hz....not so niche.like how is this didfferent from the 32" model rly?

.and wondering if it'll be below 2k

My guess is $1,499. It all depends on yields and volume production to start driving down the cost of mini-LED. I suspect the 27” and 32” will have some form of GPU coprocessor to drive 120Hz on the display while not impacting the main computer. This is something that has been alluded to in patents, but everyone thought Apple was going to stick an AMD GPU in a monitor and now we know that was never Apple’s intention. Apple Silicon, yes, other GPUs, no.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

My guess is $1,499. It all depends on yields and volume production to start driving down the cost of mini-LED. I suspect the 27” and 32” will have some form of GPU coprocessor to drive 120Hz on the display while not impacting the main computer. This is something that has been alluded to in patents, but everyone thought Apple was going to stick an AMD GPU in a monitor and now we know that was never Apple’s intention. Apple Silicon, yes, other GPUs, no.

likely,dimmimg zones require some processing power ...but for just 5inch (nay less if the 27 gains in size) and no other major difference,you double the price from 1.5k to 3?

 

[Zdigital2015]

why would the 32 cost double of 27? that doesnt make sense to me

Because this is Apple and because they do not raise the price proportional to the screen size, they price it according to their own metrics. Half the price of the existing display sounds likely.

 

[Zdigital2015]

likely,dimmimg zones require some processing power ...but for just 5inch (nay less if the 27 gains in size) and no other major difference,you double the price from 1.5k to 3?

The 27" will be the mainstream seller, so pricing will be fairly aggressive, but you're still paying for an Apple display, so you will be paying a significant premium for any these displays. All will come with stands.

Besides, $2,999.00 would be a pretty great price for a 6K display with those advanced features. ASUS is charging $4,999.00 for their 32" 4K display. Apple undercutting to $2,999.00 would be hailed as a breakthrough for high refresh HDR displays.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1649963-REG/asus_pa32ucg_k_32_4k_hdr_uhd.html

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

The 27" will be the mainstream seller, so pricing will be fairly aggressive, but you're still paying for an Apple display, so you will be paying a significant premium for any these displays. All will come with stands.

Besides, $2,999.00 would be a pretty great price for a 6K display with those advanced features. ASUS is charging $4,999.00 for their 32" 4K display. Apple undercutting to $2,999.00 would be hailed as a breakthrough for high refresh HDR displays.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1649963-REG/asus_pa32ucg_k_32_4k_hdr_uhd.html

what does all will come with stands? that to get adjustable height youd have to buy a stand?or that all these displays will come with a stand in them

oh yes ik its just that 27" pricing seems too low to me

 

[Zdigital2015]

what does all will come with stands? that to get adjustable height youd have to buy a stand?or that all these displays will come with a stand in them

oh yes ik its just that 27" pricing seems too low to me

All three will come with stands. None of them will be height adjustable, all will be like the current XDR magnetic mount to make VESA mounting easier.

Alternatively, Apple could go with $999(24”), $1799-$1999(27”) and $2999(32”) and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. No one should be surprised at this pricing, except for the $299 4K crowd who will be aghast…as usual.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

All three will come with stands. None of them will be height adjustable, all will be like the current XDR magnetic mount to make VESA mounting easier.

Alternatively, Apple could go with $999(24”), $1799-$1999(27”) and $2999(32”) and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. No one should be surprised at this pricing, except for the $299 4K crowd who will be aghast…as usual.

i mean i went from the mba m1 to the 14 mainly for its screen(im a bit of a dumbass i admit it).if the 27 actually is 1500,it represents the price difference between mba and mbp (1200) + my monitor (300) so i could afford it by getting the mba+27" upcoming monitor lol ,which would have me pissed i presume

but tbh ,i cant believe such a display would be price that "low" ...i suppose it dpeends upon imac 27 pricing..if new imacs truly come at 2-2.5k then we shall see the 27" standalone monitor for 1.5k ig?

btw does apple give student discount for displays?

 

[CWallace]

The 27" Ultrafine 5K is $1299 so $1499 seems reasonable for the 27" display.

The 21.5" Ultrafine 4K was $699 so $999 seems reasonable for the 24" display.

I expect the Pro Display XDR Mark II to have higher or longer sustained performance to the smaller models to justify a higher price tag. That being said, I could see it dropping to $3999 from $4999.

 

[jouster]

All three will come with stands. None of them will be height adjustable, all will be like the current XDR magnetic mount to make VESA mounting easier.

Alternatively, Apple could go with $999(24”), $1799-$1999(27”) and $2999(32”) and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. No one should be surprised at this pricing, except for the $299 4K crowd who will be aghast…as usual.

I hope that whatever stand they use is sturdier than the XDR's. I was very surprised at how wobbly it is.

 

[seek3r]

I wish they were all Apple-branded though. The Ultrafine series looks utterly unremarkable and dull.
That being said, I would still totally consider one. I have an M1 MacBook and I wish I had a larger display when working in an office. I don't even need high refresh rate, just give me some reasonable color accuracy and pixel count.

If these are for apple they will be, LG will do the display and apple will handle design and any specific chips they handle, the unbranded displays are the the dev displays

 

[Somian]

LG developed those Apple Cinema Displays from 2003 (20, 23, and 30)

The 30” Cinema Diaplay was actually built in Korea by LG themselves. Having disassembled several of them, all PCBs say LG and have their logo. I assume Apple only did the industrial design.

The important thing is that they're Apple-branded, though.

I have LG Ultrafine 5k I bought at an Apple store and have had issues with them. Apple just has better customer service and their build quality is better.

And when you use two products together (like a Apple Computer with a LG display) and you get sync issues, Apple customer service will say "talk to LG" and LG will say "talk to Apple"...

These LG 27" UltraFine 5k were a good deal for under $1000 when they came out but I'd rather spend $1299 for the same panel in something like the Thunderbolt Display case with the option to talk to Apple support when I need to.

I still have a 27" Thunderbolt Display and it had 0 issues. This thing came out 10 years ago. The LG displays had shielding issues that needed to be repaired and then burn-in issues they can't fix. Plus the case is wobbly and the USB-hub fails some times.

 

[gugy]

The 27" will be the mainstream seller, so pricing will be fairly aggressive, but you're still paying for an Apple display, so you will be paying a significant premium for any these displays. All will come with stands.

Besides, $2,999.00 would be a pretty great price for a 6K display with those advanced features. ASUS is charging $4,999.00 for their 32" 4K display. Apple undercutting to $2,999.00 would be hailed as a breakthrough for high refresh HDR displays.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1649963-REG/asus_pa32ucg_k_32_4k_hdr_uhd.html

I’ll be pleased with a XDR at $3k price point but I don’t see Apple cutting in half their current prices. i think the new XDR will cost the same, maybe this time with the stand included.
so, I can see the 24 at $1k, 27 at $1.5k and 32 at $5k.
yes, it’s a big jump from the 27 to 32 but since Apple got away charging that prices, I think they will continue to do so and add features on the 32 model that will make the Pros that can afford continue shelling the dough.
Apple give us the prosumers the other cheaper options and we just move on, IMO.

 

[anshuvorty]

Just like with the M1 Pro/Max Macbook Pros, as soon as Apple publicly announces this, I may be in line Day 1.

The only problem will be if it exclusively uses USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports. I have a PC and I would love it if it plays nicely with both PC and Macs....but if the Pro Display XDR is anything to go by, I don't think it will have compatibility with PCs....

 

[deconstruct60]

My guess is $1,499. It all depends on yields and volume production to start driving down the cost of mini-LED. I suspect the 27” and 32” will have some form of GPU coprocessor to drive 120Hz on the display while not impacting the main computer.

There is no load directly on the host computer to directly driving the display. The display's TCON controller does that. The specifics of the LCD , backlight , native color mapping . etc is suppose to be standardardized to the host computer. ( host sends DisplayPort video data stream and TCON upacks that and routes to the individual pixels with the right mapping. )

Completely decoupling the CPU and GPU memory runs 100% opposite direction that Apple has been going with their GPUs. They just spent over a year and a half of talking about how Unified Memory is "insanely great" and "critical" to their performance success and now ..... going to toss it out the window? That just doesn't seem likely.

This is something that has been alluded to in patents,

Patents for what though? [ did a very quick search and little popped up directly ] A GPU in a headset ( where perhaps some upside in stripping out "middle man" TCon on a limited battery budget ) directly driving the specific screen only because it is embedded just for that type? Maybe.


Unless this is some kind of extremely narrow design patent ( as opposed to a process/idea patent ), the basic elements are all there previously. eGPU existed. monitor existed. Putting one inside the other is not a "uniquely novel" idea. if it is a design patent that really worth all the hype for the number of years gone by at this point.

Rumors sites have been walking this "GPU monitor" thing for creeping up on 6 years.

Apple readying new external 5K Display as current model goes out of stock, may feature integrated GPU - 9to5Mac

Update: No new Apple display at WWDC … timing unclear but integrated GPU next-gen Apple Display is still in development. The current $999 (!) Thunderbolt...

9to5mac.com

It is like a broken analog clock thing... ( right twice a day). Apple has been mucking around on what to do with VR/AR headsets for about just as long. ( including a. 'base unit' wirelessly attached to a headset. )

but everyone thought Apple was going to stick an AMD GPU in a monitor and now we know that was never Apple’s intention. Apple Silicon, yes, other GPUs, no.

AMD's GPUs and drivers are built for decoupled memory. Apple's aren't.

 

[deconstruct60]

I'm not sure Apple want such a low pixels per inch (139 ppi). It doesn't look great in macOS.

That resolution is simply not enough for 31.5".

So it's either 6K like the Pro Display XDR or 8K.

Another possibility that it is a 5K like the 27" model. The 'Mr. Magoo' factor where not trying to place a 30" monitor just as close to the user as a 16-24" one. If trying to keep the costs under control while both crank up to 120Hz max (and perhaps down to 24Hz ) . It could be more like a TV+computer monitor placement.

Apple went though lots of gyrations to create their own custom spec panel lighting/layering technique with mini-LED. I'd be somewhat surprised if Apple was going to toss it all in the trashcan for something less than micro-LED replacement. Apple sold the Cinema Display 30" for like 6+ years. That they'll toss XDR into the trash can after 2.5" years would be off their pattern over last decade or so. ( LCD tech is moving through a faster evolution spurt right now , but less than half of Apple's 'normal' cycle ? )


Decent chance that the XDR is around for a decent time going forward. And this ~32" will be "something else". [ All the more so if it is a Ultrafine product and LG panel tech they may want to option to others. And Apple doesn't want LG to 'kill' the XDR off for several more years. ]

 

[CWallace]

The current Pro Display XDR does not use MiniLED. It does have 576 lighting zones, but one would imagine if it goes to MiniLED that number would increase rather significantly.

 

[deconstruct60]

These will be Apple-branded displays using LG panels and electronics - just like the current 24" and 27" iMacs.

The 21.5" and 27" iMacs had same panels as the Ultrafines at the start. There is no solid guarantee here that this are direct Apple brand monitors. As opposed to a way to sell more display panes that only Apple is primarily buying.

Another plus is these Apple displays will go through the additional calibration that LG Ultrafines apparently do not, so we will see much more uniformity with the iMac (24") and iMac Pro (27") than we do not see with the Ultrafines.

It isn't "calibration" but software integration QA that is the bigger issue.

 

[CWallace]

The 21.5" and 27" iMacs had same panels as the Ultrafines at the start. There is no solid guarantee here that this are direct Apple brand monitors. As opposed to a way to sell more display panes that only Apple is primarily buying.

True, but we have multiple reports that Apple is working on new displays that will be smaller and cheaper than the Pro Display XDR. Yes, that does not mean Apple will brand them, but it does not preclude it, either. And with Apple willing to release a $5000 display, they could very well be willing to release less expensive displays to fill out the line.

It isn't "calibration" but software integration QA that is the bigger issue.

Based on the number of threads and posts, the LG UltraFine monitors appear to have much more variability in their image quality compared to the iMac 5K. So Apple appears to be doing some sort of validation / adjustment of every iMac 5K display towards a common standard whereas LG appears to not be doing so.

As such, if Apple decided to brand this new display, I would expect it to have very similar image quality to an iMac Pro - just as the 27" iMac and 27" Cinema Display / Thunderbolt Display did.