Apple Rumored to Launch Lower-Priced 24-Inch and 27-Inch External Displays: What to Expect

Since the Thunderbolt Display was discontinued in 2016, Apple has not offered a consumer-oriented external display. Apple did release the Pro Display XDR in 2019, but it is aimed at professionals and costs a hefty $4,999.

Pro Display XDR Yella
Fortunately, rumors suggest that Apple is developing two new lower-priced external displays that will be more suitable for everyday users. A new version of the Pro Display XDR with an Apple silicon chip is also said to be in development.

Heading into 2022, we've rounded up everything that we've heard so far about Apple's future display lineup below.

Early Rumors

In January 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to report that Apple had started early development of a lower-priced external display to sell alongside the Pro Display XDR. Gurman said the display would be geared more towards consumer than professional use and would have lower brightness and contrast ratio compared to the Pro Display XDR.

In July 2021, 9to5Mac's Filipe Espósito reported that Apple was testing a new external display with an A13 chip, and he said it would likely be a new Pro Display XDR. The report speculated that the chip could help a Mac achieve better performance when connected to the display and/or enable some dedicated features like AirPlay.

24-Inch Display

Earlier this week, often-accurate leaker @dylandkt claimed that LG is developing two new displays that have the same specifications as the current 24-inch iMac and an upcoming 27-inch iMac. While he said the displays currently have unbranded enclosures, he believes they will likely end up being standalone Apple-branded displays.

m1 imac
According to @dylandkt, one of the standalone displays will be based on the current 24-inch iMac, which has the following specs:

  • 4.5K Retina display with 4480×2520 resolution
  • 500 nits brightness
  • Support for 1 billion colors
  • Support for DCI-P3 wide color gamut
  • True Tone technology, which automatically adjusts the white balance of the display to match the color temperature of the light around you for a more natural viewing experience

Like the 24-inch iMac, the standalone 24-inch display likely won't have mini-LED backlighting or ProMotion, meaning the display won't have increased brightness for HDR content or a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling.

Given that the 24-inch iMac starts at $1,299 in the United States, a standalone 24-inch display without any of the computer-related components like storage would almost certainly be priced at less than $1,299, but pricing ultimately remains to be seen.

27-Inch Display

According to @dylandkt, Apple's larger 27-inch display will be based on the rumored Apple silicon version of the 27-inch iMac. The leaker said this display appears to have mini-LED backlighting and a 120Hz variable refresh rate, so it should feature ProMotion.

Earlier this week, display industry analyst Ross Young claimed that Apple is planning to release a new 27-inch iMac with a mini-LED display and ProMotion in the first half of 2022, so rumors do appear to be aligning for these products.

Little else is known about the 27-inch display at this point since the upcoming 27-inch iMac has yet to be released, so we don't have complete specs.

The current 27-inch iMac starts at $1,799 in the United States.

New Pro Display XDR

LG is also working on a 32-inch display that is likely to be a new version of the Pro Display XDR, according to @dylandkt. The leaker said the display appears to be equipped with an unspecified Apple silicon chip and will gain support for ProMotion.

Pro Display XDR Red
It's likely that the new Pro Display XDR would remain priced around $4,999.

Release Timeframe

Rumors have yet to provide a release timeframe for the new Apple displays, but @dylandkt said LG is still at an "early development" stage.

Related Forum: Mac Accessories

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Here's Which Vehicle Brands Will and Won't Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Friday June 27, 2025 9:52 am PDT by
Apple last month announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. There was news this week about which automakers will and won't offer CarPlay Ultra, and we have provided an updated list below. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...

Top Rated Comments

iPadified Avatar
46 months ago
Can we expect something as simple as being hight adjustable???
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ikir Avatar
46 months ago
Really can't wait. Finally a high dpi display with macOS friendly retina 2X resolution and promotion. The dream. Will be perfect for MacBooks and Mac minis.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
46 months ago

well at 5k having integrated m1 mac mini doesnt seem far fetched
And they could call it... iMac.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
uller6 Avatar
46 months ago
Dear Apple,
Please take my money! I'm still rocking my old 24" Cinema Display, but am itching for an upgrade. Nothing comes close to the design and build quality of the Apple displays.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnmarki Avatar
46 months ago
I have been rocking my dual A1316 Cinema Displays (circa 2010) every day, since release with a plethora of dongles and software tweaks to keep them somewhat relevant all these years. Still one of the most beautiful, and well-thought-out products Apple has ever released. I still remember the absolute battering my wallet took when they released the Mac Pro 6core Westmere and a few days later I got my dual Cinema Displays.... ? Memorrrrriiiiies ?

I'm ready to be hurt again...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ataq Avatar
46 months ago
Instant buy, what else?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)