Replacement for Apple Thunderbolt Display

[GeeYouEye]

I've got an Apple Thunderbolt Display and while I love it dearly, it's too hot to keep running in the summer without air conditioning The office next door, despite facing the same way, is about 15° cooler than mine, and it's pretty clear that it's the TB Display's fault; that room has a desktop PC running with a dual monitor setup, while I've got a MacBook Pro 16" and a TB Display. Also, there are occasionally little marching-ants-like artifacts around ⅔-¾ of the way down the screen on gray backgrounds, so I'm pretty sure it's not long for this world anyway.

For now I've switched to my gaming monitor, an Asus ROG PG278QR, and while I dig the 165Hz display, the color reproduction and viewing angles are awful. Cinematic it's not. Also missing a few ports, but I can deal with that. The point is, I could really use a different display entirely, one that's not too dissimilar from the TB Display, but runs much cooler. Any suggestions? Order of priority is 1440p+, color consistency, doesn't run too hot, ports, color reproduction, good refresh rate, price.

 

[cambookpro]

You may have already considered it, but the LG Ultrafine 5K is the TBD’s spiritual successor. Works great with OS X, three extra ports on the back, perfect 27” retina resolution, great colour accuracy, built in speakers and webcam, etc. It’s not cheap and doesn’t quite have the same aesthetic as Apple’s old offering, but I’ve been very happy with the upgrade from my old TBD.

 

[GeeYouEye]

It’s a possibility, though I’m not thrilled with the price, and it has just as high a power consumption as the Thunderbolt Display. Unless you’ve got firsthand experience that it doesn’t actually run as hot, it’s out.

 

[Mactech20]

I understand the gripe on that serious price tag of the LG. I've been in the Mac world for a while and so has my father. I still use the thunderbolt displays but he upgraded to 27" 4K LG's that work flawlessly. Hardly any heat from them and at a much better price.

LG UltraFine UHD 27-Inch 4K UHD 2160p Computer Monitor 27UN850-W, IPS with VESA DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, and USB-C, White,Silver

Upgrade to an LG UltraFine IPS 4K screen, delivering ultra HD resolution with supremely accurate colors, even when viewed off angle. The 27UN8550 W, 27 inch display offers versatility of USB Type C connectivity plus the Benefit of HDCP 2.2 compatibility, so it will seamlessly display 4K content f...

www.amazon.com

Personally both him and I have had poor experiences with macOS and view sonic / Samsung monitors. Stay with LG if you can.

 

[Kenjutsuz]

I understand the gripe on that serious price tag of the LG. I've been in the Mac world for a while and so has my father. I still use the thunderbolt displays but he upgraded to 27" 4K LG's that work flawlessly. Hardly any heat from them and at a much better price.

LG UltraFine UHD 27-Inch 4K UHD 2160p Computer Monitor 27UN850-W, IPS with VESA DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, and USB-C, White,Silver

Upgrade to an LG UltraFine IPS 4K screen, delivering ultra HD resolution with supremely accurate colors, even when viewed off angle. The 27UN8550 W, 27 inch display offers versatility of USB Type C connectivity plus the Benefit of HDCP 2.2 compatibility, so it will seamlessly display 4K content f...

www.amazon.com

Personally both him and I have had poor experiences with macOS and view sonic / Samsung monitors. Stay with LG if you can.

Just bought this same model last week. Works perfectly.

 

[Boyd01]

The office next door, despite facing the same way, is about 15° cooler than mine, and it's pretty clear that it's the TB Display's fault

I'm wondering about your original premise here - are you saying that the other office is 70 degrees and it's 85 in yours (for example)? That's a huge difference - could that really be caused by your monitor, especially considering that there are 2 screens in the other office?

Can you check the two offices early in the morning before the computers have been turned on for the day, or some other time when the computers aren't part of the equation? OTOH, if you're just saying your screen is hot and you want to replace it, that's fine too. I'm just finding it hard to believe that the Thunderbolt Display is the only reason for a 15 degree difference between offices.

 

[Aggedor]

I've got an Apple Thunderbolt Display and while I love it dearly, it's too hot to keep running in the summer without air conditioning The office next door, despite facing the same way, is about 15° cooler than mine, and it's pretty clear that it's the TB Display's fault; that room has a desktop PC running with a dual monitor setup, while I've got a MacBook Pro 16" and a TB Display. Also, there are occasionally little marching-ants-like artifacts around ⅔-¾ of the way down the screen on gray backgrounds, so I'm pretty sure it's not long for this world anyway.

For now I've switched to my gaming monitor, an Asus ROG PG278QR, and while I dig the 165Hz display, the color reproduction and viewing angles are awful. Cinematic it's not. Also missing a few ports, but I can deal with that. The point is, I could really use a different display entirely, one that's not too dissimilar from the TB Display, but runs much cooler. Any suggestions? Order of priority is 1440p+, color consistency, doesn't run too hot, ports, color reproduction, good refresh rate, price.

How are you connecting the ROG display? USB-C to DisplayPort? Just asking as this is the display I use (switching between my M1 Mac and PC), and I don't have those issues you mention (apart from the lack of ports!).

Being a matte display, it will look different to the glass-fronted Thunderbolt Display.

 

[xraydoc]

I was very close to buying the 5K LG Ultrafine as the heir-apparent to the Thunderbolt Display, but -- and perhaps it's just my age -- I think 27" is the bare minimum for size for me these days and didn't want to pay such a premium price for a relatively "small" display.

I had a 27" 4K at the office at work and recently replaced it with a 32" 4K, and I've had a 32" 4K at home for about two years now. I don't think a higher PPI at 27" would have made me any more satisfied.

I know Apple/LG is targeting a specific PPI by choosing 5K at 27", but I'm much happier on a 32" 4K than on a 27" display. I'm running my 32" 4K displays at looks-like 3008x1692 and I'm extremely happy. Same resolution at 27" and the text is too small for me, and 2560x1440 doesn't have enough vertical desktop space.

 

[GeeYouEye]

I'm wondering about your original premise here - are you saying that the other office is 70 degrees and it's 85 in yours (for example)? That's a huge difference - could that really be caused by your monitor, especially considering that there are 2 screens in the other office?

Can you check the two offices early in the morning before the computers have been turned on for the day, or some other time when the computers aren't part of the equation? OTOH, if you're just saying your screen is hot and you want to replace it, that's fine too. I'm just finding it hard to believe that the Thunderbolt Display is the only reason for a 15 degree difference between offices.

It's probably partly airflow (my office has more stuff), and indeed, there's still a couple degrees difference by 5 PM when all computers have been sleeping all day. But it's definitely mostly the TBD. The day after I switched to the ROG, the temperature difference was barely perceptible. It'd been +15° F for weeks, and all last summer.

 

[GeeYouEye]

How are you connecting the ROG display? USB-C to DisplayPort? Just asking as this is the display I use (switching between my M1 Mac and PC), and I don't have those issues you mention (apart from the lack of ports!).

Being a matte display, it will look different to the glass-fronted Thunderbolt Display.

Yep, USB-C to DisplayPort. It's definitely the panel. I've been using IPS panels for work for so long that TN panels really bother me. It's no good to have the lines on a spreadsheet fading as they go down the screen if you're not sitting exactly in the sweet spot. Maybe you have the PG279Q? That's an IPS panel that's otherwise identical.

 

[GeeYouEye]

I understand the gripe on that serious price tag of the LG. I've been in the Mac world for a while and so has my father. I still use the thunderbolt displays but he upgraded to 27" 4K LG's that work flawlessly. Hardly any heat from them and at a much better price.

LG UltraFine UHD 27-Inch 4K UHD 2160p Computer Monitor 27UN850-W, IPS with VESA DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, and USB-C, White,Silver

Upgrade to an LG UltraFine IPS 4K screen, delivering ultra HD resolution with supremely accurate colors, even when viewed off angle. The 27UN8550 W, 27 inch display offers versatility of USB Type C connectivity plus the Benefit of HDCP 2.2 compatibility, so it will seamlessly display 4K content f...

www.amazon.com

Personally both him and I have had poor experiences with macOS and view sonic / Samsung monitors. Stay with LG if you can.

Yeah this LG, and these two Dells: https://deals.dell.com/en-us/mpp/productdetail/98gx (Dell link instead of Amazon, because Amazon insists on merging this SKU with a 32" curved one) and https://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSharp-U2720Q-Backlit-Monitor/dp/B086H26XWV/ref=sr_1_3 are my top contenders right now. The U2720Q is $160 cheaper on Dell's website, but doesn't ship till late July. Fortunately, the U2720QM is also available on Amazon, and they're the same monitor, except it comes with an HDMI cable instead of a DisplayPort cable, and is $145 cheaper. https://www.amazon.com/Dell-U2720QM-UltraSharp-Ultra-Thin-DisplayPort/dp/B08F5J8S6Y/ref=sr_1_2. I'll probably go with the U2720QM, but if it's not available for whatever reason, I'll probably get the LG.

 

[Aggedor]

Yep, USB-C to DisplayPort. It's definitely the panel. I've been using IPS panels for work for so long that TN panels really bother me. It's no good to have the lines on a spreadsheet fading as they go down the screen if you're not sitting exactly in the sweet spot. Maybe you have the PG279Q? That's an IPS panel that's otherwise identical.

Ah yes, I have the Q. It was an expensive gaming monitor when I bought it a few years ago!

 

[GeeYouEye]

I ordered the Dell U2720QM. I'll let y'all know how it compares to the Thunderbolt Display when it gets here.

 

[GeeYouEye]

This thing is gorgeous. Comes with the right USB-C cable for both DP and PD, has 3 USB-A ports and another C, lovely consistent color... if it had a webcam and ethernet port it'd be a no-brainer upgrade. Definitely runs cooler than the TBD.

Nitpicks: it's hard to mount a webcam to the top securely, but it is possible. I do wish I could control the brightness from my computer. But the OSD isn't too terrible to deal with.

 

[Aggedor]

This thing is gorgeous. Comes with the right USB-C cable for both DP and PD, has 3 USB-A ports and another C, lovely consistent color... if it had a webcam and ethernet port it'd be a no-brainer upgrade. Definitely runs cooler than the TBD.

Nitpicks: it's hard to mount a webcam to the top securely, but it is possible. I do wish I could control the brightness from my computer. But the OSD isn't too terrible to deal with.

Sounds good. Can you post a pic of your setup?

I'm looking for a replacement monitor for my desktop PC that I can also easily switch to my MBA - seems like this will do it, given it has both USB-C and DisplayPort ports. I assume there is a physical button that allows access to a menu to switch inputs?

 

[smirking]

It’s a possibility, though I’m not thrilled with the price, and it has just as high a power consumption as the Thunderbolt Display. Unless you’ve got firsthand experience that it doesn’t actually run as hot, it’s out.

I know you've already gotten a new monitor, but I just wanted to weigh in and say that the LG 5K runs much cooler than my old 30" Apple Cinema Display. I'm making the assumption that the 27" Apple Thunderbolt display is not all that different from the 30" ACD that I had. If they're pretty similar in the heat they generate, then there's a big difference.

 

[avedis]

I’ve the LG Ultrafine 5K at home and the U2720Q at work that pairs with my 16” MBP.

The AG of the Dell would be good for a bright environment but if you can control lighting, I would pick the LG everytime due to deeper colors and of course much clearer text.