LG and Dell to Showcase Latest USB-C Displays for New MacBook Pro at CES This Week

Monday January 2, 2017 1:00 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

CES 2017 kicks off in Las Vegas this week, and a handful of USB-C displays compatible with the new MacBook Pro will be unveiled at the show. USB-C displays display up to 4K video, transfer data, and charge the new MacBook Pro over a single cable connected between the display and notebook.

Dell today introduced the S2718D Ultrathin Monitor, a 27-inch IPS display which it claims is the "world"s overall thinnest monitor" with HDR10 support for vibrant colors. The display has a glossy finish with Dell's ultra-thin InfinityEdge bezels, but its base is bulkier than average to accommodate for the internal components.

dell-27-ultrathin

Dell's new S2718D display is indeed very thin (Image: Engadget)

While the display is indeed very thin, its other specs fall short of some existing USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 displays on the market. It is not 4K, for instance, but rather Quad HD with a resolution of 2,560×1,440 for 108 PPI. And while it covers over 99% of the sRGB color gamut, it does not support the wider DCI-P3 color gamut.

The display has a 60Hz refresh rate, peak brightness of 400 nits, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 6ms response time, and 178⁰ wide viewing angle, per Tom's Hardware. It can connect to a new MacBook Pro or 12-inch MacBook over a single cable, but with only 45W of power delivery. There is also one HDMI 2.0 port and an audio line out.

The S2718D Ultrathin Monitor will start at a rather expensive $700 on Dell.com, with U.S. availability expected on March 23.

LG will be showcasing more attractive options at CES this week, including the 32UD99, a new 32-inch IPS display with HDR10 support and 4K Ultra HD resolution of 3,840×2,160 for 137 PPI. In addition to HDR, the 32UD99 covers over 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut for wider and more immersive colors.

The 32UD99 can connect to the new MacBook Pro or 12-inch MacBook over a single cable, but LG did not specify the wattage for pass-through charging. The display also features built-in speakers with "Rich Bass" technology and a "True Color Pro" setting for "color reproduction accuracy unmatched in the industry," according to LG.

While it does not have USB-C input, LG will also be showcasing the 34-inch 21:9 UltraWide Mobile+ Monitor at CES 2017. The new 34UM79M model is "the world's first Chromecast-enabled multimedia monitor," enabling users to stream movies, music, games, and more from mobile devices directly to the monitor.

Also on display in Las Vegas alongside LG's UltraFine 4K and 5K displays will be its new 34-inch 21:9 UltraWide gaming monitor. The 34UC99 model is equipped with AMD's FreeSync technology, 1ms Motion Blur Reduction, Dynamic Action Sync, Black Stabilizer, and other gamer-friendly features. No word yet on USB-C input.

LG did not confirm pricing or availability, but those details should become known once CES gets underway later this week.

Dell's and LG's new USB-C displays provide new MacBook Pro owners with a couple of additional choices after Apple discontinued its Thunderbolt Display. LG's UltraFine 5K Display remains one of the best options, but those looking for alternatives should read our USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 Display Buyer's Guide.

Related Roundups: Apple Pro Display XDR, Apple Studio Display

Tags: 4K Displays, CES 2017, Dell, LG, USB-C

Related Forum: Mac Accessories

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...

• 130 comments

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...

• 89 comments

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...

• 238 comments

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

• 32 comments

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

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. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...

• 107 comments

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...

• 72 comments

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by Hartley Charlton

New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...

• 112 comments

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...

• 23 comments

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...

• 22 comments

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger

111 months ago

You know, I just miss Apple displays already.

None of these have the aesthetics the ACD and TB's I still own.

Simple workaround:
[LIST=1]
* Print out picture of Apple Cinema Display
* Cut out stand
* Tape it below the screen so it hangs down

Score: 69 Votes (Like | Disagree)

jonnysods

111 months ago

You know, I just miss Apple displays already.

None of these have the aesthetics the ACD and TB's I still own.

Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)

MakeAppleAwesomeAgain

111 months ago

That Dell monitor is gorgeous. Apple should be ashamed of itself.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ctyrider

111 months ago

That Dell monitor is gorgeous. Apple should be ashamed of itself.

Gorgeous? It's a 1440p display for chrissakes. If anyone should be "ashamed" here, it's Dell for shipping 8 year old technology in 2017!

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

va1984

111 months ago

Could you please explain what you were meaning, why would a low or high resolution be ok for a 27" monitor but a high resolution only be good for a small screen?

Resolution is all about how far you sit from a screen.

Ok -- it took me half an hour to find the link that I wanted to share but I now have it. (I'll save it this time!)

What I meant is simply that Mac OS is designed to look best at about 100-110 pixels-per-inch or at twice that much 200-220 ppi, in 'retina' mode, with perfect pixel doubling. This translates to an 'ideal' resolution of either 1080p (or 4K for retina) for a monitor in the 22" range or else a resolution of 1440p (or 5K for retina). This is the "correct" mode of displaying MacOS, but of course, as you say, one could just sit closer or further from the display. That's a different topic, Apple designs based on what it understands to be typical usage.
As you can see from this chart, a 4K 27" monitor is "wrong", because OS elements appear too small if used natively as 4K, and too large if used as "retina" 1080p (which is what the OS defaults to, by the way). Many people will go into the settings and run a 27" 4K monitor scaled to 1440p because, as most people would tell you, that just "looks" like the right size for Mac OS on a panel that size. But if you do that you are wasting money: you should have just bought a 1440p monitor instead of a 4K.
This is also why Apple never released an iMac 27" 4K, but waited until they could release a 5K 27" iMac, and a 4K 21.5" iMac. Ditto for the LG UltraFine. You will never see Apple officially endorsing a 4K 27" panel because its OS just looks bad on it.

This link ('https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/') is very helpful, and it contains this great chart, which I think every one shopping for an external display should take note of, and that MacRumors staff should understand before they claim that higher resolution is always better.
I have become convinced that this is an industry problem: they find it easy to manufacture 27" 4K panels right now, so this is what they are pushing. But for Mac users, 22" 4K or 27" 5K are more appropriate.
I personally don't have very strong eyesight (almost wrote iSight there), so maybe I would be content with a 24" 4K and things looking a bit big. But I had a 27" 4K and had to send it back, the OS elements were so big as to be goofy.