Where Is Apple's 5K Thunderbolt Display?

[Icaras]

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.

Definitely agree with you. A 4K 21.5" TBD would also be perfect for Mac mini users too. Remember when Apple used to sell three different sizes for their classic Cinema Displays? They really covered their Mac user base with display choices back then. I'm not saying we need to have that many now, but at least two seem pretty essential.

 

[hootansharifian]

If Apple customers have shown anything, it's their willingness to pay for relatively outdated technology and specs (eg the 1GB phone).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.

And that 1GB holds up better than Android phones with 3GB RAM.

 

[Bubba Satori]

And that 1GB holds up better than Android phones with 3GB RAM.

Holds up what better?

 

[ValiumEater]

Got tired of waiting for an updated Apple Display so I bought an LG 34" widescreen with Thunderbolt 2 for less than the 27". **** you Apple.

 

[satchmo]

Or simply have users spend more money on higher margin iMacs.

 

[chfilm]

I'm positive on this one. And 2017 would actually be good, because I wouldn't wanna get rid of my Mac Pro this year already, it's still such a beast!

5 would be so nice though. But I can happily wait until next year. They might announce it already in fall though..

 

[Yelmurc]

I've been waiting on getting a external monitor in hopes that Apple comes out with a new Cinema Display. This is making me sad.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Or simply have users spend more money on higher margin iMacs.

That and consider the margin on a 5 year old $1K 27" relic that might cost Apple $200, if that.

Why give your customers the latest and the greatest monitors competing with Dell & HP, competitively priced,
when you can sell your loyal customers creaky old stuff with an $800 profit.

And it has nothing to do with that farcical supply chain excuse.
Nobody is fooled. Well, a few are.

 

[jcorso]

I've had zero issues with a 2013 Mac Pro and an NEC PA322UHD. Everything just works and has since I first plugged it in a year ago. The 32-inch screen is big enough that it's usable at 384x2160, although I typically run it at 3008x1692, both at 60Hz. At $2,900 the NEC is expensive, but its wide gamut is great for photography. I'm not convinced that 4K makes all that much visible difference in anything but teeny-tiny menus at 27", and I don't think a true 5K setting (5120x2880) is even available on the 5K iMac, but 4K at 32" is pretty nice. 34" would be even better.

 

[splash5]

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.

So true...

 

[Abazigal]

What I wonder is why the thunderbolt display hasn't been updated since 2011, save for the inclusion of a magsafe adaptor for the newer laptops. How hard would it have been to at least throw in USB3.0 ports and perhaps thunderbolt 2, or maybe even give it the iMac's form factor?

The thunderbolt display was actually a very good piece of hardware back in 2011, back when a 2k display easily cost just as much, as over the years, tech has gotten cheaper, yet the specs / price of the display has not changed to reflect this new reality.

 

[manu chao]

Why is MR posting outdated information? Apple skipped over a 4K iMac?

Really?

MacRumors is putting a lot of implied assumptions in this. Apple skipped releasing a 27" 4K iMac because that would have either meant less real-estate in the optimal mode or default mode that wasn't optimal (ie, used non-integer scaling). And Apple doesn't use the 21.5" 4K iMac display in a standalone monitor because (a) few people would buy a 21.5" external monitors, most people want something bigger if the get an external monitor and (b) because either regressing from 27" to 21.5" or offering 21.5" retina screen in parallel with a 27" non-retina screen would not their style.
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What I wonder is why the thunderbolt display hasn't been updated since 2011, save for the inclusion of a magsafe adaptor for the newer laptops. How hard would it have been to at least throw in USB3.0 ports and perhaps thunderbolt 2, or maybe even give it the iMac's form factor?

ROI not high enough?
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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.

Reportedly, TB 3 is DP 1.2-limited itself, though with so little out with TB 3 it's hard to know what this actually means. I think what MR means is that the DP on the motherboard (ie, using the integrated graphic chip) is limited to DP 1.2 on Skylake.

 

[Gudi]

Or simply have users spend more money on higher margin iMacs.

The display also needs a computer, you know.

5K Thunderbolt Display + MacBook Pro >> 5K iMac

 

[patrickbarnes]

Eh... It'll be this year.

The issue was supply of 5k panels. Now that both Dell and HP are shipping it, Apple will get on board soon.

Apple ACD 30" and HP 30" use the same panel. It's not like they manufacture it themselves.

 

[DesterWallaboo]

From what I've read... 5K displays need more than Thunderbolt2 bandwidth to drive them?

 

[ShadovvMoon]

The display also needs a computer, you know.

5K Thunderbolt Display + MacBook Pro >> 5K iMac

5K Thunderbolt Display + 2016 Mac Pro

 

[bretm]

Some people will still buy used 30" ACDs these days because they're just that nice.

But they're not. Horrible contrast ratios, and poor Rez.

 

[B4U]

It is not made thin enough to fit in the back pocket without bending it.
Also, it cannot display the graphics flat enough so it is still getting updated in the basement now.
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5K iMac cannot be used in target display mode, so it can't be an external display for my MacBook Pro.

5K iMac seems like a great deal. A whole desktop computer for $150 more than Dell's 5K monitor, but it doesn't fill the 5K Thunderbolt Display void (yet).

That one reason alone is why I have been trying to keep my old 2009 iMac alive for as long as I can because I do need to carry my MacBook Pro for school work and would love to be able to continue the work when I get home without sending the files over.

 

[MrNomNoms]

Where is Apple's 5K Thunderbolt Display?

It comes with a CPU/GPU, etc.. it's an iMac...

Which makes me wonder whether the question should be "where is the upgraded Mac Pro"? based on what I've seen it appears that they're slowly killing off the Mac Pro which explains why they're not upgrading their Thunderbolt display because the long run goal I guess is to eventually move workstation folks onto 27" iMac's and portables for everything else given that it is the only explanation as to why they haven't tweaked or made a minor update to the Mac Pro in over 2 years along with letting third parties step up to provide displays rather than Apple doing it themselves.

 

[SchneiderMan]

Apple being lazy. Where is Apple News app for OS X? A backlit wireless keyboard? More iPad Pro accessories? It took them nearly a year to release a charging dock for the Apple Watch.

 

[randian]

Intel is always late, no way Cannon Lake comes out in 2017.

 

[allanfries]

Still using the 27" Cinema display that came out in 2010, which I'm fine with. Great Display! If there was one with USB 3.0 and a jack for external speakers I would really consider the upgrade.

 

[Max(IT)]

I couldn't wait anymore, for the price of one of these old monitors I bought two Dell 27" 4k monitors.

Then buy two Dell monitors....

Holds up what better?

Everything: apps and operative system

Intel is always late, no way Cannon Lake comes out in 2017.

You nailed it. Most of this is about Intel, not Apple.

 

[MH01]

5K iMac cannot be used in target display mode, so it can't be an external display for my MacBook Pro.

5K iMac seems like a great deal. A whole desktop computer for $150 more than Dell's 5K monitor, but it doesn't fill the 5K Thunderbolt Display void (yet).

does the iMac display compare to the dell? I was not able to find the specs on the apple display.

Just cause they are both 5K does not mean they are the same quality and specs.


The target display mode is the best feature of my iMac, this being missing in the new 5k iMac has put me off purchasing for now.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

Why 5K???

If Apple wanted to they could release a 32" 4K display that is supported with standard connections. It'd be an upgrade in every way from the current display. Price would probably be about the same too.

There is no reason Apple can't do that besides they don't want too. And they can add a 5K version down the road.