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Hoping for a curved Apple Thunderbolt Display? Check out this LG 21:9 beauty

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I’ve never been greatly convinced that curved TV screens are anything but a passing novelty. Watching TV is a social experience, so optimizing the viewing angle for just one person seems odd. But a curved monitor makes much more sense to me, enabling more comfortable viewing from a fixed position at your desk – especially as monitors get larger.

LG has just announced that it will formally launch the 34UC97,  “the world’s first curved monitor with an extra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio,” at the IFA in Berlin next month. The 34-inch ultra-wide monitor offers a 3440×1440 resolution, and – appealingly for Mac users – supports Thunderbolt 2 … 

The Quad HD resolution display gives digital photographers and filmmakers the level of detail and accuracy that their work demands. Compatible with both PCs and Macs, the LG 34UC97 monitor easily handles heavy graphics and videos with ease on either system and supports Thunderbolt™ 2 for high-speed data transfers — four times faster than USB 3.0 — and allows multiple devices to be daisy chained together. The monitor also features MAXX AUDIO® and 7W stereo speaker system guaranteed to deliver peak audio performance across all frequencies.

Check out what 3 of these things look like together:

LG_Monitors_2_5001

Looking at the above photo, it also seems to look pretty cute. LG said that it will also be launching a 31-inch 4K monitor, as well as a lower-resolution 31-inch monitor aimed at gamers. No pricing or availability has yet been announced.

Apple is believed to be working on a 4K display, though nothing is yet known on timing.

What are your views? Are you holding out for 4K, or is matching the 1440 vertical resolution of the existing Apple Thunderbolt Display while extending the width to fit in more horizontal pixels a good compromise? Does a curved monitor appeal? As ever, let us know in comments.

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Comments

  1. Terrence Campbell - 10 years ago

    I’m starting to ask myself. Are curved displays even good for designers and developers?

    • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

      As a designer, I can tell you without hesitation that I would not be able to work on a curved display. I’m sure it’s great for gaming, but for your general purpose use curved displays seem like they’d be terrible.

    • Alexander Crammer - 10 years ago

      To me this display sounds great. It would be like having two or three monitors in one, and the curve would mean it would be seamless. I believe I could definitely appreciate displays like these.

  2. dcj001 - 10 years ago

    “four times faster than USB 3.0 ”

    But, Ben, it is not four times faster. It is four times the speed of. Or three times faster.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      True, though LG is far from alone in using that wording, and I think the meaning is clear, so I wouldn’t personally take them to task for it.

    • I really don’t understand the difference between “…faster than…” and “…times the speed of…”? Isn’t USB 3.0 rated at 5gbps whereas Thunderbolt’s maximum single direction 20gbps. If you divide Thunderbolt by USB 3.0, then your answer is 4. Doesn’t that make Thunderbolt four times faster than USB 3.0?

  3. standardpull - 10 years ago

    Yes, “Watching TV is a social experience”. But there are a few that still go home after school or work and watch TV outside of a social experience. For those people, the traditional flat screen may still be a workable option.

  4. Tim Jr. - 10 years ago

    Getting my hands on the 34UM94, from Massdrop for a fairly good price. Not to be confused with the 34UM95, which had issues this newly shipping 34UM94 is supposed to have fixed and comes with extra 2 years of warranty.

    Overall, the 34UM94 seems to basically be the same thing but not curved, has two TB 2 ports like this. It’s also 3440 x 1440 34 ” screen.. Trying to decide if I want to keep it or leave it in the box when it arrives and sell it LOL.

    I got tired of waiting for Apple to upgrade their TB Display though.. and I’m not interested in 4k.. Just way to much needed to drive it and to many scaling issues.

    However, I’ve mixed feelings n curved displays.. For gaming it would be great, but I use my system largely for work.. not so sure that would be better… or just stick with my Massdrop 34UM94.

    •   (@johnkeller101) - 10 years ago

      What’d you get for it on massdrop? I’ve been looking into it but I cant find a discounted or even reasonable price anywhere

      • Murdoc158 (@murdoc158) - 10 years ago

        The Massdrop price was $849 shipped to the USA.

      • Tim Jr. - 10 years ago

        Yup, $849.. compared to most places, it was a steal.. $999 lowest I’ve seen it, as high as $1299..

  5. Wafa Kamel - 10 years ago

    I believe curved TV is just a marketing gimmick, it maybe of some value? to computer gamers

    • Cun Con - 10 years ago

      I agree curved TV is just marketing gimmick. I saw one in Costco and it’s like shit at 55″. Curved screen may be good if it’s 120″ or so. The point is to give the same distance from your eye to the screen horizontally. For monitor it’s a different story since you sit closer to the monitor and curved screen may appear better.

  6. Everytime I see such a thin edge and skinny base I could not care how current the IPS panel is or is not. That is one structurally weak and ugly base. It’s not Wall Art. Then again, Apple’s base is hard to best and so far no one has done it.

  7. Truffol (@Truffol) - 10 years ago

    Ditto on how curvature makes much more sense for individuals on monitors…looks gorgeous

  8. Daniel L. Lau - 10 years ago

    I just purchased a 32″ Dell 4K display, and let me tell you, curving the edges to face the user seems like a great idea right now. I noticed just today that I have a hard time reading texting in the corners of the current flat display. And with this large a display, I find myself spending time shifting windows around using the mouse. I never had this problem on the 30″ Mac Monitor that I just replaced.

  9. Sebastian Rasch - 10 years ago

    As a Gamer, I have my eyes on the ASUS ROG Swift 144 Hz G-Sync at the moment. A curved UWQHD UHFR monitor would be an awesome Gamer monitor though (21:9 + 1440p + 120-144 Hz)!! Add G-Sync, FreeSync oder Adaptive Sync and I’ll throw money at you.

  10. zoidbert - 10 years ago

    I ordered LG’s other Ultra-Wide about a month ago; still on backorder via Amazon.

    I’m really hoping Apple will end its three-year-long reign-of-the-Thunderbolt-Display and introduce something new but, honestly, I’ve given up all hope on that.

    #macdrought

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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