Apple is now selling a new generation LG UltraFine 4K Display for the same $699 price as the previous generation. The product is now listed at the Apple Online Store with shipping from tomorrow.
The new model is a mixed bag. It features a larger 23.7-inch screen but the resolution is actually lower than the previous 21-inch incarnation. This means the effective pixels-per-inch is also lower.
The new display was already quietly on sale at some Apple Stores as discovered yesterday. Now, everything is official. The 4K display is compatible with any USB-C MacBook Pro or the 2018 iPad Pro.
The old 4K display only had one USB-C 3 port, which acted as the input port which provided the content to display. The new generation LG UltraFine features two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one for input and one to daisy-chain additional Thunderbolt 3 accessories. This means you could connect a Thunderbolt 3 external hard-drive array via the port on the display, all terminating in a single cable to your MacBook Pro. You can even connect a second 4K display through this port. Of course, the display can also charge your laptop over that same single connector with 85 W power delivery.
Just like the last generation, the display also sports three normal USB-C ports (5 Gbps) to connect peripherals such as a wired keyboard and mouse.
It’s not really clear why LG decided to increase the diagonal screen area by 2 inches but reduce the number of pixels. People will appreciate the larger screen but it would have been nice if they could have also maintained the same pixel density. Aside from resolution and physical size, the new panel appears to be identical. It boasts the same 500 cd/m² brightness and P3 wide color gamut.
The new LG UltraFine 4K Display is on display now, and the older 21-inch model has been discontinued.
