In lieu of a Retina Thunderbolt Display, Apple now selling 4K IGZO Sharp LED monitor
Ahead of this month's debut of the revamped Mac Pro desktop, which can drive up to three 4K displays, Apple is selling a new 4K "Ultra HD" 32-inch LED IGZO monitor from manufacturer Sharp in its online store.
The Sharp PN-K321 4K monitor is currently available in various Apple online stores across Europe for 3,999 euros. It's also found in the U.K. store, but is not yet available in the U.S.
The 32-inch IGZO display is advertised to have a 1.07-billion color palatte with 350 cd/m2 brightness and an 800-to-1 contrast ratio. It also sports built-in 2-watt-per-channel stereo sound, and supports landscape and portrait modes.
The 4K resolution monitor packs in so many pixels that it's advertised to be able to view the content of four full-HD 1080p screens across a single display, all while reducing power with the use of IGZO technology. Its availability was first noted on Friday by IDG News Service.
Availability of the 4K display through Apple comes as the company is preparing to launch a revamped cylindrical Mac Pro desktop this month. Apple has boasted that the computer, which will start at $2,999, will be capable of driving up to three 4K screens.
This week, German retailer Conrad temporarily began taking preorders for the Mac Pro, indicating to shoppers that the desktop will be available on Dec. 16. However, there has been no official confirmation from Apple, and the preorder page was subsequently pulled.
The new Mac Pro will drive three 4K-resolution displays, but Apple does not yet offer a screen of that caliber resolution.
The ability of the Mac Pro to drive three 4K displays has fueled speculation that Apple could update its own Thunderbolt Display to a Retina-caliber 4K resolution. Supply of the Thunderbolt Display has been tight throughout 2013, further driving hopes that an update could be forthcoming, though Apple has unsurprisingly not indicated any such information.
Retina display-caliber wallpapers found in Apple's new OS X Mavericks operating system are 5,120-by-2,880 pixels, which is exactly twice that of the resolution found on the current Thunderbolt Display, as well as Apple's 27-inch iMac.
The Sharp PN-K321 4K monitor is currently available in various Apple online stores across Europe for 3,999 euros. It's also found in the U.K. store, but is not yet available in the U.S.
The 32-inch IGZO display is advertised to have a 1.07-billion color palatte with 350 cd/m2 brightness and an 800-to-1 contrast ratio. It also sports built-in 2-watt-per-channel stereo sound, and supports landscape and portrait modes.
The 4K resolution monitor packs in so many pixels that it's advertised to be able to view the content of four full-HD 1080p screens across a single display, all while reducing power with the use of IGZO technology. Its availability was first noted on Friday by IDG News Service.
Availability of the 4K display through Apple comes as the company is preparing to launch a revamped cylindrical Mac Pro desktop this month. Apple has boasted that the computer, which will start at $2,999, will be capable of driving up to three 4K screens.
This week, German retailer Conrad temporarily began taking preorders for the Mac Pro, indicating to shoppers that the desktop will be available on Dec. 16. However, there has been no official confirmation from Apple, and the preorder page was subsequently pulled.
The new Mac Pro will drive three 4K-resolution displays, but Apple does not yet offer a screen of that caliber resolution.
The ability of the Mac Pro to drive three 4K displays has fueled speculation that Apple could update its own Thunderbolt Display to a Retina-caliber 4K resolution. Supply of the Thunderbolt Display has been tight throughout 2013, further driving hopes that an update could be forthcoming, though Apple has unsurprisingly not indicated any such information.
Retina display-caliber wallpapers found in Apple's new OS X Mavericks operating system are 5,120-by-2,880 pixels, which is exactly twice that of the resolution found on the current Thunderbolt Display, as well as Apple's 27-inch iMac.
Comments
Apple’s offering will be $3,499; just wait.
I see a bunch of TB displays around my cube at work, they look fantastic. Wish Apple would make their own 4K TB display with the right aesthetics.
these 2k displays are a deal!
Even more, I wish for an actual retina Thunderbolt display, around 27", to be used at 2x. 5120x2880 like those Mavericks wallpapers, please!
Apple offering this Sharp is probably a nail in that coffin for a while to come, though.
Apple's 27" display is 3.7 megapixels. This 32" Sharp is 8.3 megapixels. That's 2.24 times as large if used at 1x. But I could get close to that pixel area cheaper with a pair of Apple TB displays, if all I want is more workspace. (I'm not previewing 4k video.)
So, I'll get a good deal on a 24"-27" Dell to go with my upcoming Mac Pro. I'll appreciate the portrait rotation if nothing else. (But sadly, Dells lacks speakers by default.)
P.S. It's a little weird that Apple shows the Sharp display sitting next to an Airport base station, instead of, say, a Mac. It's not like AirPlay can push 4k... can it?
Apple’s offering will be $3,499; just wait.
Well we will have to won't we?
I am rather surprised Apple doesn't have their own 4K display ready. I wonder if it has anything to do with Thunderbolt 2 chipset availability? When TB2 was originally announced, Intel said it was only going to be available in limited quantities in 2013 with full production ramping up in the first quarter of 2014.
Edit: SInce this is available in the UK and not the US store just yet, I suppose they could release their own 4K in the US only if supplies are limited. We will see I suppose.
-kpluck
Could that be the new Mac mini design? That have a standard 3.5 hard drive with PCIe flash? Just wishful thinking
I didn't know that a 4K monitor actually meant $4K. Go figure.
Ha ha, it's even worse! The price is in Euros, which in USD is $5,479!
It does have an Apple logo on the top also
I'll throw another option on the table here...
Notice how this display isn't available in the US on the Apple Store. So I would throw out that maybe Apple IS going to release a 4k Apple Display, but in very limited quantities so its only being sold in the US. So to make up for that and not totally leave others out in the cold without a 4k display option, they offered the Sharp 4k display as an option.
Doesn't 802.11ac support that amount of data?
I actually have a very serious question related to a 2009 24" Apple Cinema Display. Can someone with a history of experience with Apple Displays send me a DM/PM, so that I may ask a question? Thank you in advance.
So this display does not have a thunderbolt port?
Apple keeps prices numerically equivalent across currencies. It’d be $3,999 here, if sold.
This is as relevant a place as any; go ahead and ask.
Apple is very obviously doomed.
Given all the glare on the product images, I would definitely say it is matte. Only matte screens cause that kind of glare.
DisplayPort. And 2x HDMI, audio in and out. VESA 200mm. Height adjustable.
Quote:
This is as relevant a place as any; go ahead and ask.
I think I began having problems with what is known as 'Image Persistence' (similar to what I used to know as 'Ghosting' on RGB or Arcade monitors in the 1980s) about 7 or 8 months ago (April or May, 2013) - see similar/related images here, here and here. I've read enough about it so that I think I know what it is. The display (a 24" A.C.D.) is showing behavior that is consistent with Image Persistence (image retention on the display, although this seems to vary, both on the location of the display each time, and it also seems to take longer to appear, depending on how long the display has been off (even the number of days seems to have an effect)). I have already attempted the 'software' fixes (using an all white screen, or using alternating screensaver / patterns, but these do not seem to solve the long term problem, only short term). with Does anyone have any experience with this (Image Persistence)? Is this something, that while may not be common, is something that occasionally happens as displays age? I'm wondering what my options are .. as you can tell, so far, I have just been tolerating it. If it becomes too serious, I think that I would consider having the display repaired. Any ideas or suggestions, even related to the repair? I've thought about an Apple authorized repair location (not an Apple Store), near Pittsburgh. I seem to think that I feel that I trust smaller authorized repair locations more. I've been wondering about these issues for a while. Any help, thoughts or advice are appreciated. You may reply to me here, or, if you think that it to be more appropriate, you may send me a DM/PM. Thank you to anyone in advance.