Where Is Apple's 5K Thunderbolt Display?

[Stacc]

Apple could release a 5k monitor that uses MST over thunderbolt 3 to combine 2 displayport 1.2 streams. Both displayport 1.2 streams can be carried over a single thunderbolt 3 cable and there would be bandwidth left over for other peripherals connected to the monitor. Its probably not a coincidence that OS X got better MST support around a year ago and supports the Dell 5k display (which uses MST).

AMD is bringing displayport 1.3 to its graphics cards this year. One question is whether the displayport 1.2 limitation is due to skylake processors or if its the specification itself. Could Apple use displayport 1.3 with thunderbolt 3 if the source was an AMD graphics card? Maybe the display would only support new macs with discrete graphics initially until Intel built it into their integrated graphics.

 

[dannys1]

Better question. Where is Apple's 2016 Macbook Pro?

(Then gimme thunderbolt display)

Well, at least 3 months away obviously, at LEAST.

 

[sofila]

It's hidden in the same warehouse that contains Powerbook G5, 2015 17" Macbook Pro, 32 gb base model iPhone 6 and the ark of the Covenant

 

[chleuasme]

5K models from Dell and HP retail for between $1,649 and $1,999, while Apple's all-in-one 5K iMac starts at $1,799, but cannot be used in target display mode.

Apple already sells a 27" Retina 5K iMac, and its screen could be the basis for a corresponding 5K Thunderbolt Display. The display could share the same 5,120×2,880 resolution, USB Type-C ports for connecting Thunderbolt 3 peripherals and possibly an ultra-thin design like the newest iMacs. But no current Macs could drive such a 5K display over a single cable.

The Dell UP2715K retail price is $1649, the hp Z27q is $1299, not $1999.
For dual DP 1.2 support:
Since 10.10.3 (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856), the nMP 2013, the two iMac 5K models, and the last rMBP15 with dGPU R9 M370X can drive 5K displays.
In particular, the nMP can support up to three 5K displays: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP697

 

[Wild-Bill]

I can't believe they're still charging $999 for that woefully outdated display.

Nearly six years old, USB 2.0 and first gen t-bolt.

Totally unsat.

 

[WigWag Workshop]

Would love to see an update display from Apple. That being said, I will be picking up the new iMac once it's announced in 2016.

 

[splash5]

well this is easy to answer... its got nothing to do with an iPhone. why would they care about something that can't sell apps?

 

[td2243]

It is a simple matter of priorities. The revenue Apple would make off displays is peanuts compared to their iphones and iPads. It's the same thing for the Mac Pro line. It gets neglected because it isn't as financially beneficial to divert any attention at all to those areas. That's my guess.

 

[Scuba629]

Grr... This article makes me want to wait longer on a new laptop. I was really looking forward to the Skylake laptops but it seems they won't be able to do more than 4k stuff well. I was really hoping they would be the perfect processor for everything but I guess we aren't there yet.

If I read it all right Skylake can do one 5k monitor? Or no? I got mixed up with the SST and MST stuff.

 

[Jess13]

*Suspenseful theatrical trailer music with professional narrator's voice*

“In late 2014, no one expected them to release an iMac with 5k screen... Now, in 2016, they're set to release the all-new 8k Thunderbolt Display.”

*spliced audio clip of Steve Jobs*

“Today, Apple is going to reinvent the res[olution]!”

 

[flottenheimer]

If only Apple would update the current display to a slimmer design with updated ports I would be fine. A reduction in price would look nice as well.

The current display is the biggest rip-off in Apples entire product lineup. I really don't get why they dont get serious about it - or discontinue it.

 

[splash5]

It is a simple matter of priorities. The revenue Apple would make off displays is peanuts compared to their iphones and iPads. It's the same thing for the Mac Pro line. It gets neglected because it isn't as financially beneficial to divert any attention at all to those areas. That's my guess.

i know ... its a shame... for years i have used mac pro towers from back before the old g3 green ones, but with the current offerings its getting harder to stay with them, build quality & reliability isn't what it used to be. High end users and the design industry used to be big money for them but they have dropped the ball on a lot of their software and now they only push iPhone, iPad and watch.
i think we are just going to go dell in the future, as you get twice the product for your $$$ and real service.

 

[nutjob]

If Apple customers have shown anything, it's their willingness to pay for relatively outdated technology and specs (eg the 1GB phone). So Apple often don't have any real incentive to keep their products up to date in this respect. If anyone is to blame it's people who keep on buying irrespectively.

 

[Tech198]

i still prefer the iMac 5K.. May not be a display only, but least it wins over any other thunderbolt display from Apple.

 

[gugy]

As a pro graphics guy I do miss updates on displays. I am still using the 30" ACD and love it but when I first saw the 5K iMac I was sold.
I can't wait to see Apple releasing a stand alone 5K TB display and while I know it is a pipe dream a matte version like my current ACD that would be fantastic. The thing I don't like about the TB displays and iMacs is the glare you get when working on a bright environment.
Hopefully 2016 will bring updates on the MacPro and the addition of TB3 so these fantastic 5K displays will be available. It's time to update my gear and this is what is holding me back.
[doublepost=1452902560][/doublepost]

I'm still running my original 30" ACD from 2004 as my main display.

Best tech investment ever.

Could not agreed more. I love my ACD and the matte is fantastic. I don't get why Apple drop it. The glass might look pleasing as a design feature but not very good is the glare it brings on bright environments. That is a pain.

 

[pat500000]

Yeah, this is getting out of hand.

What's getting out of hand? The way Apple is conducting their business or?

 

[zorinlynx]

I would settle for a 21.5 retina iMac, and a 21.5 retina display connected to that iMac, both side by side on my VESA desk mount.

That would be GORGEOUS. But of course it's not possible yet.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Computers are trucks. - SJ

By that logic computer peripherals are truck parts.

 

[Andres Cantu]

$999 for a Thunderbolt display in 2016 is just evil.

 

[Black Belt]

How can puny Dell put out so many. I swear sometimes (a lot of the time) it seems like Apple has an engineering team of about 20 people.

 

[phairphan]

This assumes that we're completely dependant upon Intel implementing DisplayPort 1.3. I'm hoping we're not.

As far as I recall, the incoming generation of NVidia / AMD discreet GPU's should support it, which would mean the refreshed pro line could support it.

This would at the very least enable the pro gear to connect - and maybe MST for the rest?

The trickier issue imo is that thunderbolt 3 doesn't support DisplayPort 1.3. I think that just makes life confusing!

If I understand TB correctly, yes, this means we have to wait for Intel to implement DP 1.3 support in the TB controller chip. It don't believe you can simply feed a DP 1.3 signal (say from an AMD or Nvidia GPU, both of which are expected to incorporate DP 1.3 this year) into the controller and have a DP 1.3 signal multiplexed in the TB output. Even if a new nMP is released this year with current cards that support 1.3 (ha ha ha), TB 3 will hamstring them—underscoring the inanity of the TB standard's tethering of video and data signals.

 

[Schizoid]

Apple displays will quietly disappear.
But hey, you can keep on buying phones and tablets... don't worry about Pro computers, they'll quietly disappear too. Enjoy your watches.

 

[Traverse]

I don't want 5K. I'm amazed how much smoother OS X runs on my dual 1080p and 1200p displays than on my one 2880x1800 display.

However, I want them to update it with the iMac profile and USB 3 support.

 

[djbuddha]

This year guaranteed. Apple wouldn't want to do a multi cable solution for 4K. Now that Thunderbolt 3 is out plus all the market research with 5k macs and their reception, it's only a matter of time.

 

[Gudi]

Where is Apple's 5K Thunderbolt Display?

There it is!​

Waiting for a MacBook Pro with a Thunderbolt 3 port and a mobile GPU that can run 5K @ 60 MHz.​