Retina 5K iMac Will Not Act as External Display, Standalone Apple 5K Display Unlikely Soon

[tattooedyuppie]

Can we at least get a refreshed TB display that doesn't look like it's 3 years old? Maybe with a USB 3.0 port? Hey apple... Remember those things you used to care about? You know, computers? I wouldn't even entertain the idea of paying $1k for that outdated TB display. Maybe $250... MAYBE. And that's just so I wouldn't have to buy the Dell monitor.

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Apple's 4K/5K display would probably have to cost around $4000 and it wouldn't sell in massive numbers anyway since a lot of people looking for that type of display have already bought something else...

How would a display with no computer inside of it cost more than a computer with a retina display? Please find a designated driver to get you home tonight sir.

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5 years? Anyone buying this 5k iMac now is probably a pro and will have a new machine waiting to take its place in less than 3 years. I ordered a 5k iMac and am already eyeing a new Mac Pro too but waiting for those to be updated.

You hit the nail on the head. I'm a commercial photographer and I replace my iMac and laptop every 3 years.

 

[thekev]

GPU is lacking. Additionally, a single thunderbolt 2 can't handle the bandwidth required. That means technically, the current Mac Pros can't have a 5k display either.

On the gpu it's partly a matter of what they have in terms of driver capability, but as far as thunderbolt is concerned, TB 2 fully supports displayport 1.2. I would expect this new imac uses the internal variant of the 1.2 specification.

 

[tattooedyuppie]

For my Mac Pro I went with a 24" Dell UP2414Q 4k display. 4k at larger sizes than 24" is just awkward: pixels too big to use at 2x, too small for 1x. But this Dell is just the right size to be a Retina display that works TODAY.

It looks terrfic! And it has nice scaling options just like a retina MacBook Pro. No software to install--Apple supports this model specifically with scaling options not found on larger 4k displays.

However... you get what you pay for with Dell. Styling-wise this is not Dell's worst (clearly imitating the 2007 black-and-aluminum iMac design), but it is NOT close to Apple's display standards:

- No camera, no mic, no speakers, no Thunderbolt hub, audio ports, Ethernet, etc.; no powered USB, just an unpowered USB hub that loses power when the display isn't on.

- No option to adjust brightness automatically with an ambient light sensor. (Didn't realize how much I'd miss that.)

- Won't reliably wake from sleep!! And when it does wake, sometimes you get only half the screen. Keep trying.

- A few little bits of hair or dust between the layers. Looks like dead pixels, but it's not.

- Cheap painted silver plastic, combined with a few not-quite-matching thin panels of real aluminum.

- Gaps and cracks and creaks and flexes. Just feels cheap.

- Awkward touch controls that don't always work. Sometimes you have to press hard. Simply adjusting the brightness is a pain.

- Unreliable sensor that makes the controls' lights blink annoyingly.

- No protective glass--and thus risky and difficult to clean, and easy to bash with a box corner.

- Can't respond to the brightness keys on my keyboard.

- Shipped at an awful 30Hz and took research and hoop-jumping to enable 60Hz.

- Good warranty that might help with some of the above... except it's unbearably painful to deal with their support staff. Good luck with that.

- No magsafe to power your Mac laptop. This is not a dock for a MacBook the way Apple displays can function; but that's OK with a Mac Pro.

- Not a great black level, and uneven glowing backlight bleed around the edges when viewing dark images. Viewing angle is OK, not great.

- Generates a TON of heat! Ouch! My electric bill!

But yet... when viewed head-on, it has awesome res and color! I'm glad I have it--there is no better option yet. Also, it goes to Portrait... sometimes. And it can go very bright! And if you play endless games looking for deals like I did, you can find a cheap price. (Or you can get sent the wrong thing and waste time and end up not getting such a good price... like I did.)

I use mine at a scaled res equivalent to 2304x1296. But it will go as high as 3008x1692 if you like to squint.

I super appreciate this post. I was really about to pull the trigger on a 27" dell monitor but now you have me very apprehensive about it hah!

 

[whitedragon101]

People keep saying we need to wait for Skylake for Thunderbolt 3 and Display port 1.3 .

However on a PC surely the display port itself is not dependant on the CPU/motherboard chipset.

e.g If nVidia brought out a Maxwell GTX1080 with display port 1.3 and you put that in a Broadwell based system. That would then be a Broadwell system capable of driving a 5k monitor wouldn't it?

 

[rcappo]

I don't understand how people can use monitors less than 37"?

Why doesn't Apple combine this screen at 5K ( http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-84LM9600-84-Inch-LED-LCD/dp/B00B10UAAS ) with a new Mac Pro...

Well, 84" might be a bit much, but it could double as my TV just like my 37" HDTV external monitor on my Macbook Pro does now. And I could finally see the full resolution of my DSLR pictures. App developers for photography and video editing will love the increased resolution. But, it you jam it into a 27" screen, either you will have to sit 2 feet away to read it, or you have to increase the font and icon sizes.

 

[Traverse]

I don't understand how people can use monitors less than 37"?

Why doesn't Apple combine this screen at 5K ( http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-84LM9600-84-Inch-LED-LCD/dp/B00B10UAAS ) with a new Mac Pro...

Well, 84" might be a bit much, but it could double as my TV just like my 37" HDTV external monitor on my Macbook Pro does now. And I could finally see the full resolution of my DSLR pictures. App developers for photography and video editing will love the increased resolution. But, it you jam it into a 27" screen, either you will have to sit 2 feet away to read it, or you have to increase the font and icon sizes.

I'm sorry, but 37" is just far too massive for most home and office setups. The thing would obstruct views for people that talk with others across a desk and unless you sit several feet back, you will have to more your head too much to view the entire display.

Plus, without at least 4K or preferable 5K rendered natively, content will look comically large.

 

[tattooedyuppie]

For the love of god Apple... just update the current Thunderbolt Display with the iMac style low-reflection laminated glass and USB 3. I would buy that in a second. The Thunderbolt monitor was due for an update years ago and it still hasn't changed. I don't care about 4K or 5K. It would be nice... but in the meantime give us a small update to the dinosaur that is your current Thunderbolt monitor.

Exactly!

 

[KC3Dogs]

Video Mirroring Display --- Allowed!

I just called Apple Support and they debunked this. They indicated to me that the iMac5k will act as an external monitor. Obviously, it will not display at 5k resolution, but will upscale.

In fact, the iMac5k tech specs list extended desktop and video mirroring mode as available options.

http://www.apple.com/imac-with-retina/specs/

 

[nagromme]

I super appreciate this post. I was really about to pull the trigger on a 27" dell monitor but now you have me very apprehensive about it hah!

The 27" Dell may well have similar problems to the 24" I got.

But do consider the 24" anyway--not the 27"! That's my recommendation, because:

4k at 27" doesn't work well: at 2x, everything is super huge and horsey and you're wasting space. At 1x, everything is super tiny and hard to see. MAYBE you can enable other modes with scaling, but scaling with pixels that big is going to look poor.

But with the 24", the pixels are small enough to use 2x, or to scale to another res you may want (including the equivalent to 2560x1440: it renders to 5120x2880 5k, but then scales down to fit the display--works fine).

If you're used to 27", 24" may seem a little small, but you'll quickly get used to it.

And the 24" is cheaper. If you're going to settle for a compromise, let it be a cheaper one! Don't get your hopes up for an Apple-quality product, but it looks terrific for the most part.

(I also seem to recall the 27" units having worse viewing angles and/or color gamut, but don't quote me. Both of those are good on the 24". Er... 23.8" Anyway, something made me reject ALL the ~27" 4k panels out there, I recall.)

 

[twoodcc]

well this stinks, but at least we understand why. as tempting as this iMac is, i'm going to do my best to hold off for now.

 

[bungiefan89]

Why would you want to? I doubt anyone would like to connect their windows pc this beauty to use it as a monitor lol.

Because in 8 years when this type of computer is stupidly outdated, it would be REALLY nice if that premium screen could still be used!

I'm the owner of a 2011 27" iMac, and it pisses me off to no end that the ONLY thing I can use this BEAUTIFUL screen to display have to come from the computer itself or another Thunderbolt-equipped Mac. It is a SIN for a major computer manufacturer to not put at least an HDMI port on the back of screens as big and beautiful as these.

 

[thelion7]

better throw away that 5k monitor/computer in 5 years when 5k finally becomes a standard.

I agree... wasn't 4k released just over a year ago? Christ I'm still rocking 1080p on my TV.

The most recent update I've had is my Haswell 13 inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display and even that display is obsolete since the 5k IMac haha.

 

[alexhardaker]

Does this mean I won't be able to use a tv tuner in it or connect my virgin media tv box in? From the UK

 

[unobtainium]

Does anybody know where I can find that wallpaper? I love it!

 

[H2SO4]

I just called Apple Support and they debunked this. They indicated to me that the iMac5k will act as an external monitor. Obviously, it will not display at 5k resolution, but will upscale.

In fact, the iMac5k tech specs list extended desktop and video mirroring mode as available options.

http://www.apple.com/imac-with-retina/specs/

Be very careful with statements made by large corporations. My company Dell laptop supports extended desktop but you cannot use it in display only mode.

 

[HumpYourWayUp]

The fact that the nMac Pro cannot be connected to the retina iMac in target display mode is really sad.
Typical Apple - buy a Pro machine which was advertised for 4K quite heavily now gets completely f#ck@d. No 4k TB Display for you but look at this Retina display you cannot even use on your awfully expensive Pro machine....

 

[H2SO4]

Does anybody know where I can find that wallpaper? I love it!

National Geographic maybe?
Here’s mine;

 

[scotsrule08]

Well this sucks. I really wanted a screen for my macbook pro retina when I use it at home. Do you think there is any chance that they will release an updated Thunderbolt display though? With like usb 3.0 etc. HDMI and obviously thinner.

Just go out and buy the 39" Seiki 4K ($300). I am using the Seiki paired with a henge dock ($200) and my rMBP. It works very well.

 

[KC3Dogs]

Be very careful with statements made by large corporations. My company Dell laptop supports extended desktop but you cannot use it in display only mode.

I retract my previous (and first ever) post. Apple misinformed me. The iMac5k DOES support extended display and video mirroring (aka. video being outputted from the iMac onto other, secondary monitors) but does not support Target Screen Display (aka. video being inputted from other sources).

This is very disappointing. I do not need to list all the reasons why. I understand not processing at 5k resolution, but I would have been completely fine with my MBPr to be upscaled. That said, I had a $3500 pending order for the iMac5k that I have now cancelled. I am a long time Apple user, but they did lose this sale because of this one limitation.

 

[NICKXXXXXX]

Just go out and buy the 39" Seiki 4K ($300). I am using the Seiki paired with a henge dock ($200) and my rMBP. It works very well.

39" is huge for a desktop monitor... I would not want more than 24 or 27 inch

 

[MacDarcy]

I just called Apple Support and they debunked this. They indicated to me that the iMac5k will act as an external monitor. Obviously, it will not display at 5k resolution, but will upscale.

In fact, the iMac5k tech specs list extended desktop and video mirroring mode as available options.

http://www.apple.com/imac-with-retina/specs/

This is my question. I want to get the retina imac as a standalone computer. But down the road, I may want to use it as an external monitor for a MacBook. I understand you won't be able to use the retina imac as an external 5k monitor...but could you use it as an external monitor with the resolution of a current imac? Just wondering.

 

[KC3Dogs]

This is my question. I want to get the retina imac as a standalone computer. But down the road, I may want to use it as an external monitor for a MacBook. I understand you won't be able to use the retina imac as an external 5k monitor...but could you use it as an external monitor with the resolution of a current imac? Just wondering.

This is what I was hoping too. In fact, I believed that it would and placed my order. However, after seeing this article and doing MORE research, the iMac5k will not act as a second monitor to any other device. There was serious confusion with Apple Sales about the difference between 'supporting' extended displays and offering Target Video Mode. That said, I have cancelled my order.

To be clear, this iMac5k can support having it's own second monitor. It CANNOT as a second monitor.

Very disappointing for this price point and loss of functionality from an existing lineup.

 

[H2SO4]

I retract my previous (and first ever) post. Apple misinformed me. The iMac5k DOES support extended display and video mirroring (aka. video being outputted from the iMac onto other, secondary monitors) but does not support Target Screen Display (aka. video being inputted from other sources).

This is very disappointing. I do not need to list all the reasons why. I understand not processing at 5k resolution, but I would have been completely fine with my MBPr to be upscaled. That said, I had a $3500 pending order for the iMac5k that I have now cancelled. I am a long time Apple user, but they did lose this sale because of this one limitation.

Apples dilemma is this;
Piss off the nerds/hardcore user base, (us), or piss off joe public, (who are more in number and easier to sell goods to).

 

[toomanyipods]

I'm as disappointed by this as anyone - I bought a nMP and part of the reason I wanted to replace my Mac Pro 1,1 with the new model rather than an iMac was because I felt that retina-like display technology would take a year or two to catch up at which point I could plug it into my machine. Of course at the time I figured this would be 4K but Apple's decision to go to 5K leaves those of us who paid thousands for the new Pro machine with really only one way to go and that's to third party 4K displays.

On the positive side, the 5K iMac may force those third party manufacturers to up their game (and reduce their prices) so all we can hope is that in a few months the 4K options available to us will be cheaper and using better tech (IPS rather than TN at current TN prices).

My thoughts and position exactly. There's always something else to come down the road.

However, Apple has always taken care of upgrade paths for users. And they don't usually tend to market features they don't tend to support. They don't have a history of introducing throw-away technology, as it now seems they have done in the Mac Pro. Hardware capabilities and standards are one thing, but Apple doesn't seem to want to support 4K well, even, in software.

I was banking on this when I replaced an iMac with a Mac Pro. Knowing they'd likely at least support 4K well, have a retina/4K Apple display option for the Mac Pro, and that they'd support the dual GPUs in Aperture. I've been wrong on all three counts.

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I'm starting to regret my Mac Pro purchase before I've even paid it off.
(especially ever time I have to hard reboot it because some nasty third party application, like iTunes, is frozen.)

My sentiment as well. But you might want to troubleshoot. Repair permissions, etc. Apps staling?

Apple replaced my Mac Pro because mine would just turn off, and they wanted it for evaluation. Your symptoms don't sound normal either.

 

[H2SO4]

My thoughts and position exactly. There's always something else to come down the road.

However, Apple has always taken care of upgrade paths for users. And they don't usually tend to market features they don't tend to support. They don't have a history of introducing throw-away technology, as it now seems they have done in the Mac Pro. Hardware capabilities and standards are one thing, but Apple doesn't seem to want to support 4K well, even, in software.

I was banking on this when I replaced an iMac with a Mac Pro. Knowing they'd likely at least support 4K well, have a retina/4K Apple display option for the Mac Pro, and that they'd support the dual GPUs in Aperture. I've been wrong on all three counts.

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My sentiment as well. But you might want to troubleshoot. Repair permissions, etc. Apps staling?

Apple replaced my Mac Pro because mine would just turn off, and they wanted it for evaluation. Your symptoms don't sound normal either.

I learned the hard way with the 1st gen MacPro. It’s still a great machine but it’s disappointing that, (dead horse alert!), a £1700 computer in 2006 could only be upgraded as far as Lion.
With the help of those on this forum though, I’m stretching its life somewhat.
I will buy the latest Mac Pro but only once the first refresh at least comes. But that refresh better mean a Thunderbolt/DisplayPort/HDMI upgrade, DDR4 support amongst other things.