When Apple introduced its all-new Mac Pro earlier this year, Marketing SVP Phil Schiller made a point of noting that machine would be capable of driving three 4K displays simultaneously. Since then, there has been much speculation over whether or not Apple will eventually introduce its own 4K displays as an update to its Thunderbolt Display. However, with the Mac Pro expected this month, it looks like displays from third-parties will be the only option at launch. Below we’ve put together a roundup of 4K displays already ready for the Mac Pro launch (which could be any day now –Apple said “December”), including a new model just launched by Dell today.
DELL |
Just announced today, Dell’s new 4K monitors will be available just in time for the launch of the Mac Pro this month. The 32-inch model is available globally now, the 24-inch is available in the Americas (globally Dec. 16) and the 28-inch model will come in early 2014. Dell is using the 3840 x 2160 resolution Ultra HD resolution, opposed to the higher resolution 4096 x 2160 Cinema 4K standard.
Dell UltraSharp 32 Ultra HD Monitor (UP3214Q) – $3,499
Dell UltraSharp 24 Ultra HD Monitor (UP2414Q) – $1,399
Dell UltraSharp 28 Ultra HD Monitor (P2815Q) – Under $1,000
SHARP |
We first saw and loved Sharp’s first 32-inch monitor (PN-K321) almost a year ago back at CES in January, and for the last few months its been one of the only 4K monitor options in the US. Sharp also has the PN-K322B, a 32-inch touchscreen variant with pen input support that launched in Japan in July and could come stateside in the future. Sharp has confirmed the touchscreen will indeed support OS X by demoing the touch displays running the OS at trade shows in recent months.
Sharp 32-inch IGZO 4K Ultra-HD monitor (PN-K321) – $5,250 $3,666
Sharp 32-inch 4K Ultra-HD Touchscreen LCD Monitor (PN-K322B) – 560,000 Yen (approx. $5500)
ASUS |
ASUS has the most affordable 32-inch 4K monitor available in the U.S. as of yet with the PQ321Q available now for $200 less than the $3500 it first went on sale for. The reviews have been fairly solid and ASUS markets it as the thinnest 4K monitor available.
ASUS 31.5-inch 4K Ultra-HD monitor (PQ321Q) – $3,499 $3,322
SEIKI |
Seiki: While Seiki hasn’t officially announced a 4K display, it is offering some of the most affordable 4K TV options on the market. One of those TVs, the 39-inch 4K Ultra HD model (SE39UY04) is also being marketed as a computer monitor and from the reviews it sounds like many are having a great experience using it as a dedicated display. The best part is that it’s only a fraction of the price of the 4K monitors above at just $479, much like a long list of 4K TVs that have already hit well below the $1000 price point. The downside? its 30Hz Framerate is going to turn off many (but it is above the just released MacBook Pros 24Hz HDMI out so good enough for them).
Seiki Digital 39-inch 4K Ultra HD LED TV – $479
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The 24″ dell will be the most interesting. I plan to get three of those…or two of those and one of the 32″
Go with Dell over Sharp \ Asus \ anyone else. They have great warrantys and great support; and also great financing :D
I agree, I’m interested in the 24” Dell as well. Unfortunately, the links from this article aren’t active yet. I get an error message saying “Our apologies…The product you have selected is not currently available for online purchase in the segment you have selected.”
Dell accidentally leaked the 24″ one.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7556/dell-leaks-details-of-a-24-uhd-4k-3840×2160-monitor-the-up2414q
That’s why they prob took it down.
You can do 30Hz with the Seiki monitor if you get a more advanced HDMI 1.4 DisplayPort adaptor: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DOZHL82/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 . There are reports on Amazon of people using that and the Seiki display at 30Hz from the new Macbook Pros.
But it might be good to wait as supposedly early 2014 (“Spring”) Seiki will have a 4K display that supports either HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 (not sure which exactly or if both). That would support higher frame rates.
One other good thing about the Seiki is that it also supports 120Hz 1080p, which is great for gaming.
“However, with the Mac Pro expected this month, it looks like displays from third-parties will be the only option at launch.”
Why? This seems like nothing more than an assumption from 9to5Macs end. Surely launching one along with the MacPro will create some much desired hype to go along with the new MacPro and the new version of FCPx which is also launching this month.
I’ve owned the 39″ Seiki. The thing that killed me was the crushed gamut (anything magenta is useless even after i1 Pro calibration). The backlight just can’t do it. Also there was vertical pixel line bleed (blue on gray did it bad) as well as huge non-uniformities in backlight and flashlighting. Sure, it’s a ton of sharp text but photos, real photo processing is not a good idea on this thing.
You should make sure you’re using a high quality HDMI cable, I’m curious how you powered this as the macbook pro and mac pro do not have hdmi out, and I’m assuming you’re on a mac, was this with the display port adapter then? You also might be able to alleviate the backlight-bleed with some bezel modifications.
The retina macbook pro (late 2013) does have a native HDMI 1.4 port and the Mac Pro 2010 model has the Display Port adapter to HDMI 1.4. Tried 4 different cables. Same deal… here’s shots taken with iPhone of PS CC color picker:
Samsung 27″ Series 9 LED LCD: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uzb03y386pbpnt8/photo%202.JPG
Seiki 39″: https://www.dropbox.com/s/duxnj889gf1a3bl/photo%201.JPG
Again, I’ve done about a dozen calibrations using the $200 i1Pro which makes the Samsung look like a dream.