LG Electronics originally introduced its new UltraFine 27-inch 5K display at the end of October, a desktop panel cramming in 218 pixels per inch to create a crazy 5,120 x 2,880 resolution. It’s based on In-Plane Switching display technology that’s best known for its huge color depth and wide viewing angles, which is ideal for creative professionals needing a screen at this size. LG’s 5K display was previously available to pre-order directly from Apple, but it now appears that the display is currently unavailable, and will again be offered for sale in “December.”
“The color reproduction capabilities of the UltraFine 5K display allow it to cover 99 percent of the P3 color space,” LG stated last month in its reveal. “What’s more, the monitor’s advanced IPS display technology minimizes color shift and color loss from any viewing angle, ensuring that users see the original content as it was meant to be seen.”
Here are the specs pulled from Apple’s listing:
| Size (diagonal): | 27 inches |
| Resolution: | 5,120 x 2,880 |
| Number of pixels: | Over 14.7 million |
| Brightness: | 500 nits |
| Color gamut: | P3 color space |
| Built-in camera: | Yes |
| Built-in microphone: | Yes |
| Speakers: | 2x Stereo |
| Size: | 18.3” (H) x 24.6” (W) x 9.4” (D) |
| Weight: | 18.7 pounds |
| Ports: | 1x Thunderbolt 3 3x USB 3.1 Type-C |
As the specs show, we don’t have the finer details such as how many times the screen’s max resolution is refreshed per second (refresh rate) or how fast in milliseconds the pixels can change from fully white to completely black to white again (response time). However, Apple states that the included Thunderbolt 3 port provides up to 85 watts of charging power for MacBook Pro models with Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports.
The P3 color space supported by this panel is typically used by digital movies here in the United States, and was defined by the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) organization. It has the same blue primary color used by the Adobe RGB and sRGB color spaces, but has a different red primary than the other two. Thus, P3 provides more color than sRGB, and is seemingly equal in size to Adobe RGB. However, P3 has more reds and less blues and greens when compared to Adobe RGB.
According to Apple, this upcoming 5K display is ideal for photo and video editing, working with a huge number of on-screen windows, and watching high-resolution videos. To use this panel, customers need MacOS Sierra 10.12.1 or later, and a Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 port. It comes with a 6.56-inch Thunderbolt 3 cable, a power cord, and a VESA cover for disconnecting the screen from its stand and mounting it on the customer’s preferred VESA mounting solution.
Right now, Apple only lists the month of December as the display’s availability: an actual date isn’t provided. Even more, the “Add to Bag” button is currently grayed out, indicating that Apple may already be filled up on pre-orders for now. The price is a surprisingly low $974, but that may be for a limited time only as an introductory price.
