LG introduces 5k monitor for Mac systems

LG has introduced two new screens. The LG Ultrafine 5K Display is a 27″ screen with an IPS panel with 5120×2880 pixels. The Ultrafine 4k has a size of 21.5″ and a resolution of 4096×2304. Both screens are connected with USB-C.

The screens contain a webcam, speakers and a microphone and they can be connected to devices with one USB-C cable. The 5k screen can provide 85 watts of power to a connected laptop via the USB cable. The 4k screen offers 60 watts. There are three other USB-C ports on the back of the screens, to which peripherals can be connected.

To support the 5k display, the USB-C port on the computer must support Thunderbolt 3. According to the specifications, a Thunderbolt 3 cable is suitable to control two 4k screens. By combining the two video signals, a single 5k screen can be connected. The 4k screen can also use the displayport interface.

According to the specifications, all Apple devices with a Thunderbolt 3 connection and macOS 10.12.1 can handle the 5k screen. This only includes the new MacBook Pro. Current iMac and Mac-Pro models cannot be connected to the 5k display. With an adapter cable, they do work with the 4k screen. There are also other manufacturers that make computers and motherboards with Thunderbolt 3 connections. It is not known whether these can also be connected to the screens. The MacBook does have a USB-C port, but it does not support the Thunderbolt 3 interface.

The 5k monitor appears to be the successor to the Apple Thunderbolt Display, which was discontinued in June. That monitor had a similar panel to the top-of-the-line iMac at the time and a Thunderbolt connection. Rumors have been circulating for some time that Apple would replace the monitor with a 5k model, but the appearance of a different brand’s 5k display on the Apple website seems to suggest that there will be no 5k displays in the Thunderbolt or Cinema Display lines will appear.

The screens are for sale on the Apple website for 1399 and 749 euros respectively. The website indicates that the screens will be available from December.

LG Ultrafine 4k LG Ultrafine 5k