Any Plans for Upgrade of Apple Thunderbolt Displays?

I'm looking around for another external monitor. I'm curious if there is any news of a refresh to the current Thunderbolt Display. If I'm correct, it's been on the market for about 2 years and hasn't had any upgrades or changes since then. I did a search on some online retailers and have seen some pretty pimped up displays for significantly less. Many of the new LCD/LED 27" monitors out there have HDMI. My new MB has HDMI out. I wondered if that's better than a thunderbolt connection especially since HDMI is universal.

I really dont recommend Thunderbolt displays, they are nothing special. I have a BenQ 27" monitor, and it works great, HDMI. and a fast response. Thunderbolt displays from apple are a waste of money, and they are 600 dollars overpriced.

-in the zone

Apple do not pre-release any information on new models, including displays.

iTz inThezone said:

I really dont recommend Thunderbolt displays, they are nothing special. I have a BenQ 27" monitor, and it works great, HDMI. and a fast response. Thunderbolt displays from apple are a waste of money, and they are 600 dollars overpriced.

-in the zone

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I couldn't agree more.

I don't mind paying more, if I am getting more mind you. The TB and USB ports don't justify $600 more. Actually you can get great Samsung and ASUS displays for $300 at 27" these days..

Now two things I don't like about the TB displays. 1) Screen type doesn't match the iMacs and 2) the screen height doesn't match the iMacs. Thus if I got an iMac the TB display would seem just as odd setting off to the side as a different brand would.

What would persuade me to get a iMac and a TB display in the future would be making them both retina display, making the height adjustable on the TBD so the screens are even going from the iMac to the TBD and lastly dropping the price to say $699. I think $699 would be a superb price range for a 27" retina display with TB and USB ports IMHO.

I think $699 would be a superb price range for a 27" retina display with TB and USB ports IMHO.

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LOL, and the Tooth Fairy will come to life and pay you a visit! Dream on..... ;P

chscag said:

LOL, and the Tooth Fairy will come to life and pay you a visit! Dream on..... ;P

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Hey keyword is "think" hehe.. ;D

Actually honestly if they added retina and height adjustments to the current TBD they would prob sell like hotcakes and I would more then likely get one when its time for a major computer upgrade.

EDIT:

I am little scared of the tooth fairy..

My hope is that Apple will release a replacement TBD with the new Mac Pro...although Apple seems to have plenty stock though. I've been holding out for one for about 9 months now, hoping the refresh comes soon.

There are lots of alternative displays out there, but be sure to compare apples with apples:

• The screen is higher res than a lot of the 27" monitors around.
• There are LCD panels and LCD panels. Cheaper ones tend to be a little harder on the eyes.
• The TBD is also a nice "docking station" for a Macbook.
• Personally I find my iMac screen to be the best I've ever worked on - I'm far more productive on this machine than any other. In my view it's due to the quality of the screen, the built-in light sensor and the brightness of the backlighting, allowing it to perform well under virtually any light condition.

If you'd like an alternative, I'd look for Dell Ultrasharp or similar. For a good 27" screen, you can expect to pay something in the ball-park of a TBD.

Its not that we don't have alternative options on displays, thats would be a huge understatement. The pain is the TBD doesn't match the iMac displays. Thats annoying if one like myself would want a iMac with a "Matching" display

Exodist said:

Its not that we don't have alternative options on displays, thats would be a huge understatement. The pain is the TBD doesn't match the iMac displays. Thats annoying if one like myself would want a iMac with a "Matching" display

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I always assumed it would be the identical LCD to the 27" iMac - isn't it?

I looked into a 27" Dell Ultrasharp, that through my distributor works out to roughly 50% of a TBD (retail ~$800). Somehow it doesn't feel right so I'm just going to hang on on see what the next TBD will bring.

And a BenQ 27" 1080p, nor in fact, any other 1080p 27" or larger monitor from any manufacturer is in the same realm as the TBD.

Those are all TV screens to which a computer can be attached.
They are not "computer monitors" with a native resolution of what they should have for the screen size.

I will agree the TBD is too expensive. Perhaps Dell's UltraSharp U2713HM - it's still up there at $800 - and it also outclasses any of those 1080p (TV screen) monitors on the market. There are plenty of screens more expensive than the TBD out there also - like Samdung's SyncMaster S27B970 at $1,200 list price.

Those 1080p screens are fine as computer monitors for a lot of people.
Personally, without having something equivalent to MS ClearType in OS X, I wouldn't own one of them for anything but watching videos

Checco said:

I always assumed it would be the identical LCD to the 27" iMac - isn't it? ...........

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While tech wise it appears the internals are the same. I have seen number of complaints about the screens not calibrating the same in color and contrast. But regardless look at the TBD and a iMac side by side..

This is the best pic I could find. Notice how the 27" TBD has to be raised up to sorta match the 27" iMac height.. They don't match.. I would have rather had the iMac just as thick as the TBD and kept them looking the same as to have it thinner and taller which looks silly and very distracting.

Notice how the 27" TBD has to be raised up to sorta match the 27" iMac height.. They don't match.. I would have rather had the iMac just as thick as the TBD and kept them looking the same as to have it thinner and taller which looks silly and very distracting.

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This is something I fully agree with... however, many folks buy the TBD to use at home with a portable Mac. Which in that situation the height and thickness of the TBD really doesn't matter. I suspect the update to the TBD is probably going to match the thickness of the new iMac displays. I hope it also matches the height.

I'm sitting here right now looking into the display of my 2013 27" iMac which I have on my executive desk in my home office. Unless I raise my office chair a bit higher, I wind up cranking my neck upward or tilt the screen downward to get a comfortable view. I wish Apple had built in the ability to raise or lower the display. I realize that would inherently add to the complexity of the stand, but I for one would be willing to pay the extra cost.

chscag said:

This is something I fully agree with... however, many folks buy the TBD to use at home with a portable Mac. ............

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I fully agree with you as well.

Personally, I am not found of the mac stands. Not much found of most monitor stands. But currently the best solution if you want both is to buy the iMac and TBD made for desk mounts. That way they can both be held up via the vest mounts on the back and will be centered. But they are very hard to find them on the applestore onine. Even though they are there..

We can forget about a new TBD any time soon it seems...LINK

Are you kidding? At 3999 Euros, that's more than the better Mac Pro costs. Maybe someone will buy it - a professional perhaps, but it's not a replacement for the TBD.

If they're selling it though and the existing TBD is till available on the Store, a new TBD is probably not on the horizon...

We don't know that for sure. The Sharp is a professional monitor and probably offered along with the Pro as part of a professional system. But like I said, at over $4000 it's not likely to sell very well. I believe Apple will upgrade the TBD at some time in the future, probably next year.

chscag said:

I believe Apple will upgrade the TBD at some time in the future, probably next year.

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I agree, but the problem is: I personally, and I'm sure many others, would've liked an upgrade to the TBD sooner. Actually, many expected it to be ready for the new Mac Pro launch and it would make sense wouldn't it? As you said, $4000 for a monitor is a bit high to say the least, but a new super-duper Mac Pro with a TBD equipped with USB 2.0 Ports?!? That's a bit, well, pathetic. Maybe we'll all be surprised around the 16th.