Skip to main content

RIP Thunderbolt Display: Apple discontinues its only monitor

apple discontinues thunderbolt display
Martin Voltri / Flickr
Looks like the days of having a matching second display with your iMac may soon be over. Apple has told a number of news outlets that it is discontinuing the Thunderbolt Display, which it has offered through both its website and retail stores since 2011.

The Thunderbolt Display will continue to be available through both the Apple website and Apple retailers as long as stock is available, however once the display is sold out, that’s it for the Thunderbolt Display.

Related Videos

It’s currently not known exactly why Apple is discontinuing its display, however some rumors suggest that Apple is working on a larger 5K display. Stock shortages before WWDC also led some to believe that Apple would unveil a new display at the conference, however no such announcement was ever made.

A 5K display would certainly be an impressive one, and would match Apple’s 5K iMac. It would offer a resolution of 5,120 x 2,880, and could also include things like USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a design to blend in with the latest iMac computers. If such a display is currently being worked on, it could launch with the next generation of MacBook Pros, which are said to have a launch date of this fall.

Still, for now there’s no official news of a replacement, and it’s possible there won’t be any confirmation from Apple until the new display is available for purchase.

Of course, if you’re looking for a new display you don’t have to go with a Thunderbolt. There are plenty of computer monitors out there that offer excellent image quality, many of which are far cheaper than the Thunderbolt Display was anyway. You won’t be able to get any of those third-party displays from the Apple Store though — if you’re currently looking for a second display for your Mac, you’re on your own.

Editors' Recommendations

Apple’s next Studio monitor may use a QD-OLED panel
Apple Pro Display XDR WWDC 2019 Hands On

Apple may be preparing to design upcoming products with OLED panels manufactured by Samsung, according to NotebookCheck (via The Elec).

Devices expected to get the panels range from iPads to MacBooks to foldable laptops, the latter of which the brand has not yet introduced, in addition to its Apple Studio Display.

Read more
Apple quietly launches unprecedented price cuts to its best MacBook Pros
The back lid of the MacBook Pro.

Apple's top of the line MacBook Pro 16-inch and 14-inch models are some of the best laptops the company has ever made -- but they're extremely expensive machines that rarely come down in price.

However, Apple has quietly dropped the price on these sought-after laptops with some surprising price cuts.

Read more
Apple’s mini-LED external display may be delayed until early 2023
The Mac Studio and Studio Display on a desk.

Apple might be looking to release a 27-inch mini-LED external display in 2023 that could serve as a follow-up to the Studio Display that launched in early 2022, according to Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young.

This prediction comes after the product release was supposedly delayed twice. Young expected the peripheral would launch during the summer, but Apple instead showcased new MacBook Air laptops featuring a second-generation proprietary chip.

Read more