LG, Dell and Lenovo debut new USB-C monitors compatible with Apple's latest MacBooks
A trio of monitor makers have announced new USB-C-based displays coming later this year, with LG, Dell, and Lenovo throwing their weight behind the new all-in-one connector found on Apple's 12-inch MacBook and new MacBook Pros.
Dell S2718d
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show, Dell announced its 27-inch Ultrathin S2718D display, which the company is touting as the "world's overall thinnest monitor."
While it's not as powerful as LG's UltraFine 5K, and it's not even 4K, the Dell Ultrathin offers Quad HD with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels. The display covers 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut, and it is equipped with Dell's InfinityEdge technology, so the bezel design on the display is almost absent.
The monitor can connect to Apple's new MacBook Pro as well as the 12-inch MacBook via a single cable. It also offers power delivery - but users only get 45W of it - so you won't be able to charge the new 13- and 13-inch MacBook Pros from the display itself. Other connections on the S2718D include one HDMI 2.0 port and an audio line out.
It should be available March 23 for $700 in the U.S.
LG 32UD99
LG also announced the 32UD99, a 32-inch IPS display with a 4K Ultra HD resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. The display supports the HDR10 standard and covers more than 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. LG says it offers a "True Color Pro" setting for "color reproduction accuracy unmatched in the industry."
It also can connect to Apple's latest MacBook Pros, as well as the 12-inch MacBook, via USB-C.
The monitor's built-in speakers will feature LG's "Rich Bass technology" and the design will utilize the "slim ArcLine stand."
Pricing and availability have not yet been revealed.
Lenovo ThinkVision P27h
Finally, Lenovo also revealed two new USB-C based options: The 27-inch ThinkVision P27h and the 23.8-inch P24h. Both monitors are QHD, IPS panels with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels and offer nearly 100 percent of the sRG color gamut. The monitors will also have 6ms response time.
Design wise, Lenovo's displays are also almost bezel-less.
HDMI and DisplayPort will be available inputs along with USB-C -- with a total of four full-sized USB ports. Thanks to 10Gbps bandwidth found in USB 3.1 users can also utilize the DisplayPort out to a second display.
Both displays are expected to arrive in March, with the P27h display costing $329, and the P24h at $259.
See AppleInsider's ongoing coverage of CES 2017 for more Apple-connected devices announced at this week's Consumer Electronics Show.
Dell S2718d
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show, Dell announced its 27-inch Ultrathin S2718D display, which the company is touting as the "world's overall thinnest monitor."
While it's not as powerful as LG's UltraFine 5K, and it's not even 4K, the Dell Ultrathin offers Quad HD with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels. The display covers 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut, and it is equipped with Dell's InfinityEdge technology, so the bezel design on the display is almost absent.
The monitor can connect to Apple's new MacBook Pro as well as the 12-inch MacBook via a single cable. It also offers power delivery - but users only get 45W of it - so you won't be able to charge the new 13- and 13-inch MacBook Pros from the display itself. Other connections on the S2718D include one HDMI 2.0 port and an audio line out.
It should be available March 23 for $700 in the U.S.
LG 32UD99
LG also announced the 32UD99, a 32-inch IPS display with a 4K Ultra HD resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. The display supports the HDR10 standard and covers more than 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. LG says it offers a "True Color Pro" setting for "color reproduction accuracy unmatched in the industry."
It also can connect to Apple's latest MacBook Pros, as well as the 12-inch MacBook, via USB-C.
The monitor's built-in speakers will feature LG's "Rich Bass technology" and the design will utilize the "slim ArcLine stand."
Pricing and availability have not yet been revealed.
Lenovo ThinkVision P27h
Finally, Lenovo also revealed two new USB-C based options: The 27-inch ThinkVision P27h and the 23.8-inch P24h. Both monitors are QHD, IPS panels with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels and offer nearly 100 percent of the sRG color gamut. The monitors will also have 6ms response time.
Design wise, Lenovo's displays are also almost bezel-less.
HDMI and DisplayPort will be available inputs along with USB-C -- with a total of four full-sized USB ports. Thanks to 10Gbps bandwidth found in USB 3.1 users can also utilize the DisplayPort out to a second display.
Both displays are expected to arrive in March, with the P27h display costing $329, and the P24h at $259.
See AppleInsider's ongoing coverage of CES 2017 for more Apple-connected devices announced at this week's Consumer Electronics Show.
Comments
We already have PC manufacturers skimping on great technology because it will add an extra $100-$200 to their hardware on licensing costs.
You certainly can charge a new 13" MBP with a 45W supply — you're just limited to about three-quarters of the rate of its native 61W charger. In fact you can both charge and use it at the same time on 45W, but again, it'll take longer.
Do the math. The 2016 isn't capable of using 45W just to operate. If it could the battery life would only be a bit over an hour on the 49.2W-h internal battery (Touch Bar model). So imagine that the most intensive real world usage resulted in, say, just 3 hours battery life. That would mean an average power consumption of 16.4W. That would leave 28.6W for charging from a 45W supply, which would bring an empty battery up to 100% charge in well under 2 hours.
The Apple-anointed LG UltraFine successors to the venerable Cinema and Thunderbolt line of displays are MORE capable than any of the me-too USB-C displays that are being trotted out at CES?
Shocking.
Or not.
Especially the Lenovo ruins it with the ThinkVision logo in the left corner, it gives the product a really cheap appearance.
You are asking the wrong question, I think.
You mean: Dell makes a monitor, WHY DOESN'T Apple?
That's a much more interesting question.
Apple is clearly in a house-cleaning phase right now. Similar to the late 90's when Steve came back.
Apple certainly could keep making monitors, WiFi routers (or laser printers, eMates and PowerShot cameras if you go back to the last purge), but they seem to be consciously narrowing focus. It seems like a good strategy to me. Apple only wants to play in a market if they have a shot at being the design leader. For a time all the products listed above were categories Apple led.
So my answer to your question is that Apple is choosing to narrow focus and monitors are part of the required collateral damage.