Apple is out of the monitor business so at its October event it said that it has partnered with LG to create two “UltraFine” monitors. A 27-inch 5K monitor with Thunderbolt 3 and a 21.5-inch 4K monitor with USB Type-C.

"UltraFine" monitors designed for Apple Mac
Apple has abandoned the standalone monitor business so instead it has partnered with the obvious company to offer two monitors for Mac. LG has been supplying Apple with IPS LCD panels for its Cinema monitors (and many other products) for many years.

The two new 27-inch and 21.5-inch LG monitors come with 5K (5120x2880) and 4K (4096x2304) resolution, respectively. These are the same resolutions as in Apple’s 5K and 4K iMac computers that also use LG’s IPS LCD panels – presumably the exact same panels. At 5K and 4K resolution, macOS can render at 2x scaling to ensure that icons and on-screen objects get reproduced at the same physical size but with higher pixel density.


Both LG monitors support DCI-P3 color gamut (99% coverage) that covers 25 percent more colors of the spectrum that is visible to the human eye compared to the aging sRGB. In recent years, Apple has made it a priority to support DCI-P3 across Mac, iPhone and iPad, and has incorporated system-level support for DCI-P3 in both macOS and iOS.

- “We are excited to be introducing two highly advanced displays capable of meeting the needs of even the most demanding Mac users,” said Brian Kwon, president of LG Home Entertainment Company. “Not only do these UltraFine displays offer stunning picture quality, they will usher in a new age of connectivity, helping creative users achieve optimal efficiency in their homes, studios or offices.”

Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C
LG’s 27-inch 5K “UltraFine” monitor comes with a Thunderbolt 3 connector that allows you to connect it to the new MacBook Pro using a single cable. The same cable will simultaneously charge the MacBook Pro.

Because the 5K monitor relies solely on Thunderbolt 3 it is only compatible with the new MacBook Pro.

LG says that it is the world’s first 5K display with Thunderbolt 3. LG and Apple have collaborated to make it possible to control brightness and audio volume controls on the monitor directly from macOS. Additionally, it features three USB Type-C ports for connecting accessories, a front-facing camera that works with FaceTime, a microphone, and integrated speakers.


LG’s 21.5-inch 4K “UltraFine” monitor has no Thunderbolt 3 port but can instead connect to a Mac via USB Type-C for video, data, and power over a single cable. It has the same macOS integration for display controls as well as three additional USB Type-C ports for connecting ports. It also comes with built-in speakers.

The only thing missing? The elegant design that made Apple Cinema displays so attractive.

The 21.5-inch 4K UltraFine monitor will be available starting in November for $699.95 and the 27-inch 5K UltraFine monitors will be available in early December for $1,299.95. The monitors can be pre-ordered from apple.com.