Apple Cinema Display goes to 27 inches, 16:9 aspect ratio

Having reached a grand old age in the rapidly cycling tech world, Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display is today getting itself a new sibling. The new 27-inch display clocks in at a 2560 x 1440 resolution, sports a 16:9 aspect ratio, and does it all for the (not so) low price of $999. That might not sound like a steal, but Dell's similar U2711 (both offer IPS at the same resolution) actually retails for a hundie more at $1,099. For the price Apple includes a built-in iSight camera, a three port powered USB hub, and a universal MagSafe connector for charging up your MacBook. Like the 24-inch before it, Apple has really built this display to be the ultimate MacBook or MacBook Pro companion, since a single cable breaks out into the USB, Mini DisplayPort (with audio support), and MagSafe plug that are just about all your laptop requires when sitting down at a desk. PR is after the break, and the screen will start shipping in September.

Apple LED Cinema Display 27-inch

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Apple Unveils New 27-inch LED Cinema Display

CUPERTINO, California-July 27, 2010-Apple® today unveiled a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display with stunning 2560 x 1440 resolution and 60 percent more screen real estate than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. Featuring a built-in iSight® video camera, microphone and speakers, powered USB 2.0 hub, and universal MagSafe® connector, the new LED Cinema Display is an ideal companion for the MacBook® family or a Mac® desktop, and is available for $999.

"With built-in MagSafe charging, iSight camera, speakers, and USB ports, the LED Cinema Display is ideal for MacBook and MacBook Pro users,"said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With its massive 2560 x 1440 resolution, the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display is a perfect fit with our powerful new Mac Pro, and it gives iMac users an easy way to double their screen real estate."

The new, larger 27-inch LED Cinema Display features a beautiful 16:9 edge-to-edge glass display on an aluminum stand with an adjustable hinge that makes tilting the display almost effortless. The LED Cinema Display has vivid colors and exceptionally high contrast and uses a premium display technology called in-plane switching (IPS) to provide a brilliant image across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle.

Designed as a companion for any Mac notebook or desktop, the 27-inch display includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, built-in Mini DisplayPort connectivity for video and audio input and a powered three-port USB 2.0 hub so customers can charge their iPhone® or iPod® even when they take their MacBook with them.

The new LED Cinema Display now includes a new ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions and uses only as much energy as necessary to provide an optimum viewing experience. Made with mercury-free LED technology, arsenic-free glass and highly recyclable materials, the LED Cinema Display meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.* The new display contains no brominated flame retardants and all cables and components are PVC-free.

Pricing & Availability
The new LED Cinema Display will be available in September through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The LED Cinema Display requires a Mac with Mini DisplayPort.

*EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

[erwin Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:40AM]

finally 16:9

[SolidSnake Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:45AM]

@erwin
16:10 was more useful for design work.
Sigh.

[1 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:47AM]

@erwin Yes, this is worse than the 30". It's got the stupid glass front for a start.

[erwin Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:47AM]

@SolidSnake 16:9 is better for movies

[216 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:48AM]

@SolidSnake: 16:10 ftw

[Aaquibn Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:51AM]

@erwin

Still glossy displays :(

[SirMaster Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:51AM]

@erwin

I agree with SolidSnake. 16:10 is much better than 16:9. I love my 2408WFP 1920x1200 and would never switch to a 16:9 panel.

Even Dell's newest Ultrasharp U2410 has kept 16:10.

If I want 16:9 i'll get a TV and watch video on it like you are supposed to. If I get a computer monitor I want 16:10 so I can see more of a document when viewing 2 or 4 of them at a time.

[GBot Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:05AM]

@SolidSnake

In all fairness, it is called a CINEMA display...

[Revolutionary Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:07AM]

@SirMaster

In Singapore, Dell U2711 only costs USD$660 or SGD$899.
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/monitors?c=sg&cs=sgbsd1&l=en&s=bsd&~tab=2

So, with more connectivity ports, better colour accuration by using CCFL displays, which is more worth? Duh, I'm going for Dell. It's cheaper here anyways.

[blanka Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:11AM]

@erwin Only for native sponken films (so for Germans and Americans). All other countries are better off with subtitles UNDER Naomi Watts's boobs instead of ON TOP of it.

[pcfishhk Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:26AM]

@SirMaster - Even being 16:9, at 2560 x 1440, it has way more pixels (working area) for design work than your 1920 x 1200 display.

[Joao Cagao Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:55AM]

@1
I have both the 30" & the 24" side by side, and the 24" looks so much better - I really wish the 30" was the same. I don't care if it is glass, it never causes an issue & is easier to clean.

[John H Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:28AM]

@Joao Cagao

The Dell may be $100 more, but consider what additional features you get:

- A boatload of inputs (2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, Composite, Component, VGA)
- The ability to adjust height
- The ability to rotate to portrait
- Calibration at the factory with an individual Delta E chart for your display (for whatever that's worth)
- A card reader
- An additional USB port

The only thing Apple's offering gets you over the Dell model is a webcam and a fruit logo. I say the extra $100 is well-spent.

[Mic2000 Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:41AM]

@erwin I still don't get why this screen is lower then your actual iMac screen when placed next together. I thought Apple was really on Design/Functional.

[bahoo Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:46AM]

@Mic2000

That's what i thought.

Upon first seeing this monitor, i thought "man you could dual screen with an imac and they'd be the same size and height" which would be sweet because dual screen setups with different height/size monitors annoys the crap out of me. But then i saw a side-by-side pic of the 27" display with a 27" imac, and the cinema display is lower. I was shocked apple would miss out on such a small detail.

[epwnym Posted Jul 27th 2010 11:04AM]

@John H "The only thing Apple's offering gets you over the Dell model is a webcam and a fruit logo. I say the extra $100 is well-spent."

Try a webcam, _speakers_ (missing from Engadget description), and LED backlight.

And the lack of analog inputs is often beneficial to a monitor. Supporting them can negatively impact the performance of the panel (even on a digital connection). And no, that's not b.s.

Don't get me wrong—the Dell is still really good value. I'm working on a Dell Ultrasharp right now. But credit where credit is due.

[justit Posted Jul 27th 2010 11:31AM]

@bahoo bet you'll always see this hooked to a mini and never to an iMac at the store. Steve probably did a walk through before release of a mock store "it's breathtaking [by itself]!".

[John H Posted Jul 27th 2010 11:46AM]

@epwnym

That's true I forgot about the speakers, although Dell has a Soundbar that can clip onto the bottom of most of its displays for like $30. It doesn't look as nice as an integrated set, but honestly I wouldn't want to use either option; dedicated speakers are much better unless all you want to hear are the OS sound effects.

As for analog inputs, I personally wouldn't think of using VGA or Composite on a display that size and resolution (maybe component in a pinch) because I agree they would look like hell, but saying they would damage the display in a way that would affect digital signals is just false.

[redkamel Posted Jul 27th 2010 12:16PM]

@John H The dell also has a wider color gamut

[AMaench77 Posted Jul 27th 2010 12:17PM]

@epwnym

As a U2711 owner who has it plugged into my 27" Imac I will say that the DELL is a quality monitor even with out the LED. In fact I think it performs better and has better color depth then the Imac.

Those differences you listed are very minor especially for someone already with one monitor who has dedicated speakers. Even the LED backlight isn't worth the switch from all of the benefits you get with the U2711. And as the others have said your claim that analog will hurt the digital connection from like a displayport device is just false and ridiculous.

[Exodite Posted Jul 27th 2010 1:18PM]

@SolidSnake

And 4x3 or 5x4 is even more useful for productivity. The wide-ranging adoption of 1080p screens have precluded me upgrading from my set of 1280x1024 screens as 56 more vertical pixels simply isn't worth it.

Apple's cinema displays are indeed good but I'm eagerly awaiting a Samsung or LG 2560x1440 TN panel without glossy glass front, USB hub, magsafe connectors or exotic display connectivity.

I'm may be a professional but I'm not a _graphics_ professional so I couldn't care less about color gamut and all this other crap, just give me a cheap, sleek, LED-lit 27" TN panel monitor and I'd be happy as a pig in mud.

/rant

[timbercd Posted Jul 27th 2010 1:26PM]

@Revolutionary
Hate Apple much ?

[Professor Hubert J Farnsworth Posted Jul 27th 2010 1:38PM]

@John H
What about the two apple stickers? Please tell me that it comes with Apple stickers.

[Mr Blurrycam Posted Jul 27th 2010 2:19PM]

@John H

The Dell U2711 doesn't pivot to portrait. The U2410 does though...

[AMaench77 Posted Jul 27th 2010 2:45PM]

@Mr Blurrycam

Um yeah it does. maybe it's because mine is on an ergotron mount but I can do landscape or portrait any time I want really easily.

[chaboud Posted Jul 27th 2010 2:45PM]

@Aaquibn
No kidding. Deal killer, as if 16:9 wasn't annoying enough to begin with.

[j2daake Posted Jul 27th 2010 2:59PM]

@erwin What do you spend more time doing:
A)design work, games (debatable), or surfing the web
B)watching movies
Personally, black bars don't bother me at all, and more pixels is always a better thing. The only time a 16:9 monitor is good is if its hi res enough to turn it 90 degrees. Then you use it as a secondary monitor-primarily for stuff like web browsing. Although it should be 1080p because then its just enough to not have to scroll sideways (on most websites anyways). Although thats more like 9:16.

[awake Posted Jul 27th 2010 5:06PM]

@John H
Our US friends are getting screwed on the Dell U2711 - $999 in Australia or about $900 US (unless we are missing some unlisted spec)
http://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=au&l=en&s=dhs&cs=audhs1&kc=&oc=T14U2711WAU

[John H Posted Jul 27th 2010 5:28PM]

@AMaench77

As it turns out, Mr. Blurrycam is correct. The U2711 does NOT rotate to portrait with the included stand, although the U2410 does. Yes, an Ergotron stand would enable any flat panel with a VESA mount to rotate to portrait, but that's a separate (and awesome) accessory.

[spaceman37 Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:09AM]

@epwnym For the extra $100 on the Dell you also get power switch.

[Namarrgon Posted Jul 28th 2010 2:04AM]

@awake AUD$999 is pretty good, but $635 after a combination of sales, coupons and affiliate refunds is better :-) Especially when it was like $1300 a few months ago.

[eli Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:40AM]

999 aint bad! I might have to get this thing......

[James Sonne Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:48AM]

@eli
Agreed. A 27" HDTV goes for a bit of that, not to mention you get a full desktop computer with it. Plug in TV tuner and viola. Of course, I don't watch many movies, so 27" is plenty big for me, and is astronomical as a computer.

[Revolutionary Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:51AM]

@James Sonne

Huh what the hell you are talking?
This is just a display, with no computer powered on.
If you are talking about plugging a TV tuner, don't you need a zillion dollar mac first to plug in. Just get a HDTV.

[James Sonne Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:58AM]

@eli
My bad, that I saw iMac somewhere. Still a competitive price for the display, just look at Dell's options.

[eli Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:12AM]

@James Sonne

Um is it just me or is there no display in the apple store.... nor is there a 12 core mac pro...

[tad604 Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:12AM]

@James Sonne it's really not that competitive with dell's prices.

[eli Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:17AM]

@tad604

Yes it is.

"That might not sound like a steal, but Dell's similar U2711 (both offer IPS at the same resolution) actually retails for a hundie more at $1,099."

[blanka Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:19AM]

@eli
Still 200 bucks more than the 24 inch, which is history since today. So if you want a pretty display for your powerbook, you need 200$ more than before. You get more, but you pay more too. Very strange there is no other option. A 500$ 21.5 inch CD would be very welcome, since 27 inch is too big for many anyway.

[eli Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:22AM]

@blanka
There are SOOOO many options for the 23-24" display range that not having that choice from apple is no big deal if you ask me (I still see the 24" display in the Apple store by the way). The market hasn't yet caught up to the 27" display size though, which makes this a welcome addition.

[anus1220 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:41AM]

I never understood why these sold for so much.

[DefPoet Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:43AM]

@anus1220
ALL ips displays are expensive

[avinash240 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:44AM]

@anus1220 Especially when you realize another manufacturer like LG/Samsung etc..is actually making it, and you could probably buy the same thing for half (or 3/4)the price without the Apple shell.

[anus1220 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:46AM]

@avinash240 Haha that's what I was getting at. You're really paying for the housing because the display isn't Apple made, it's probably Samsung/LG or maybe even Sharp made.

[avinash240 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:47AM]

@avinash240 hmmm...If this is REALLY an IPS monitor then 999 is a decent price. I have a 30 inch Dell IPS at work and they run 1600 bucks.

[eli Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:47AM]

@anus1220 comparison shop it right now.

You'll find there's only ONE monitor out there that actually matches it spec-wise (resolution / screen size / inputs, etc) and thats one made by Dell which sells for over $1k.

[midnightblade Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:48AM]

@anus1220

If you consider that the only other displays with close to this resolution are 30" displays that cost quite a bit more then this isn't that bad. Though then again you can often get 30" displays at this price with higher resolution so...

But it says Apple!

[anus1220 Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:50AM]

@midnightblade ...Sooo shiny! If this has a glass panel though.... Sometimes I wonder what goes through Jobs' mind. That turtleneck must be cutting off circulation.

[genesis Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:50AM]

@anus1220
Because of the unicorn blood and tears of elves.
Seriously though I just can't justify their pricing scheme.

[DefPoet Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:50AM]

@eli
actually all those things you listed can be had in a $500 display
the only thing that makes this thing expensive is the ips panel since all
ips panels are costly