Good morning. I just purchased my first Mac. The 2023 MacBook Pro 16” M3 Pro. I want to get an external display but don’t want to spend $1600 on the studio display. Is the 27” Thunderbolt Display still a viable option? I found one in perfect condition with the Thunderbolt adapter for $300. Is this a good deal or am I better off getting something else?
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Thunderbolt Display for MacBook Pro?
- Thread starter UncleHauser
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I would definitely buy something newer and higher resolution. LG has Ultrafine 5k which is not as fancy as the Studio Display but has basically the same display panel and is less expensive. The Samsung Viewfinity S9 is another 5k option, or you could get one of the multitude of 4k 27" displays for far less money. You don't need it to be Thunderbolt.
It might be in perfect external condition, but it has stuff like fans which ramps up during certain types of use (or may be on its way out given age, and was/is frankly ridiculous to have in a pure monitor anyway even when I had it new) and the display is otherwise something that any recent or used budget glossy WQHD IPS monitor can match or outperform.
The fact that it still sells for $300 is testament to the value of that fruit badge to some - for no other good reason that it has that badge.
You would be that some if you went ahead with the purchase. I'd echo chrfr.
The fact that it still sells for $300 is testament to the value of that fruit badge to some - for no other good reason that it has that badge.
You would be that some if you went ahead with the purchase. I'd echo chrfr.
A 1440p (109 ppi) screen is never a good deal on a modern Mac. Even for free. A new 27" 4K screen will be so much better and won't cost anything like as much as a 5K screen.
Any particular reason why you are wanting to use a Thunderbolt Display? DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB-C monitors will work too (USB-C to DisplayPort, USB-C to HDMI, HDMI to HDMI, HDMI to DisplayPort, or USB-C to USB-C).
Ideally, you want a monitor that has around 110ppi or 220ppi for the UI to not be too big or too small without having to do any scaling. This blog explains it some more.
bjango.com
This isn't true. Many people use 27" 1440p displays and are happy with it. It's really a subjective thing and people have different preferences. Also, the further back you sit from your display, the less important having a HiDPI display is, as you cannot see the pixels from that distance. This guy returned his 4K display and went back to 1440p since the non-integer scaling he used was bogging down his M1 Mac when other applications were pushing CPU/GPU.
Ideally, you want a monitor that has around 110ppi or 220ppi for the UI to not be too big or too small without having to do any scaling. This blog explains it some more.
Mac external displays for designers and developers
If you’re considering an external display for your Mac, there’s a few important decisions to make. Apple doesn’t sell external displays any more, so you can’t just default to their wisdom. That’s an issue, because not all displays are well suited for Macs.
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Hmmm... it appears we're dealing with a Born-Again type.
If you really want that antique because it's an Apple display but you can't afford the Studio, go for it - because for you, probably nothing else will do, and it will tide you over towards that proud moment where you can buy a Studio - or whatever else is then current with a fruit logo.
Praise be, brother.
If you really want that antique because it's an Apple display but you can't afford the Studio, go for it - because for you, probably nothing else will do, and it will tide you over towards that proud moment where you can buy a Studio - or whatever else is then current with a fruit logo.
Praise be, brother.
I’m still using my “antique” Thunderbolt Display. It’s now a 2nd display only because I have a work-provided iMac Pro. I work primarily in Photoshop And the TB has served me well. I think the iMac will be put out to pasture before the TB. It is a personal preference thing, and dependent on how you want to use it.
You know, one thing I've noticed from years spent in forums is that people who say that in the above context usually have no experience outside of their limited personal perimeter. But in a way, that is indeed true.