Apple's Pro Display XDR isn't the best MacBook Pro monitor unless you've got a really big budget: while it's an incredible display it's also incredibly expensive, coming in at £4,599 for the standard model or £5,499 for the one with Nano-texture glass. So it's good to hear that Apple is working on something much cheaper – and we don't mean cheaper compared to five thousand quid. And that means I might actually be able to afford one.
Two sizes for considerably less cash
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, as reported by MacRumors, Apple is making a successor to its much-missed Thunderbolt Display. Unlike the Pro Display XDR, which is strictly for the highest of high-end users, it's going to be a consumer model.
The new display may come in two iMac-sized versions, 24 inches and 27 inches, and there may also be a 32-inch version. That's the same size as the Pro Display, but we don't know if this is a direct replacement or a cheaper, less well-specced alternative. It and the 27-inch are expected to be mini-LED displays with variable 120Hz refresh rates.
As for the price, that's reported to be around $999 for the entry level model – which is fairly pricey by display standards but not by Apple standards. The 27-inch may come in at around $2,500.
There's no sign of a release schedule just yet so here's hoping Apple uses some of its time to fix the annoying display bug that currently plagues non-Apple USB-C displays: there seems to be a bug in the M1 MacBook Pro's USB-C display support and it's really rather annoying, waking my external display any time it feels lonely. That's irritating enough on a third party display but it'd be much worse on an Apple one costing twice the price.
- Equip your iMac or Macbook with the best Mac VPN
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
Apple Intelligence will add plenty to your iPhone, but also take something important away
What the right hand giveth...
By Rik Henderson Published
-
iPhone 17 tipped for upgrade Android owners have enjoyed for years
This is one rumour we can definitely get on board with
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Your iPhone 16 or 16 Pro battery should last longer, here's why
There's an increase in battery size in all iPhone 16 models
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
One of next summer's most exciting sci-fi blockbusters has been shot on an iPhone
Danny Boyle is sticking to the basics
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple finally opens up to third-party app stores, but only if you win the postcode lottery
iPads are getting a more open ecosystem in Europe
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: all four models compared – should you pre-order today?
How do the 2024 iPhone upgrades compare to what was launched last year's iPhone 15 models?
By David Nield Published
-
Apple Intelligence rollout to begin soon – here's when your iPhone will get it
Apple has announced different stages for its AI system rollout, here's when it's coming to your region
By Rik Henderson Published
-
iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max – bigger, more powerful and smarter
Apple's latest Pro models are upgraded in just about every area
By Rik Henderson Published