Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch)

Reviews for Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch)

Customer Reviews and Ratings

3.5 out of 5 stars

Based on 208 reviews

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Looks great when it works. Terrible with Bootcamp.

    • Written by from Mandeville

    The monitor is awful with Bootcamp. I've never not had random quirky problems with it. My Cinema Display was way better in terms of working correctly in windows. There is no way to disconnect/connect it while the computer is on. For some reason, the USB ports on it will randomly stop working and require a reboot to fix. Brightness controls on the keyboard don't do anything. For $1000, I would expect it to work better. Not a driver issue either.

    90 of 115 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Wonderful display flawed by waking from sleep issues.

    • Written by from Albany

    The display is hooked up to a 2012 MBP. Despite the fantastic image quality, reasonable sound, and great FaceTime camera, the display consistently has trouble waking from sleep when using the USB or ethernet ports on the back. Therefore, I resort to a direct plugin of my ethernet and peripheral into the MBP. For now I await a firmware update, but this usability issue could have been fixed during product development.

    70 of 79 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    GREATEST MONITOR ON EARTH

    • Written by from San Francisco

    I bought this monitor one week ago after reading the reviews here. I expected to have some problems with it. I have had none. I use it for development with my MBP plugged in. It is fantastic and I have not had a single issue with it. I highly recommend this monitor for anyone who uses a laptop but who would like a desktop solution sometimes.

    The colors and resolution are perfection. I never really understood the purpose of this monitor until I bought it. It gives me the flexibility of a laptop and the ability to have a desktop solution with a docking station built in. If you get tired of staring at your tiny laptop screen and want to see how beautiful Lion is you have to have this product.

    67 of 76 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Everything's Great Except...

    • Written by from Los Angeles

    I'm used to the 27" Cinema Display so the resolution, form factor, etc of the Thunderbolt Display wasn't anything new. As expected, the display is great. So much real estate. The only downside is the audio output level & quality. Not so great. And since there's no direct audio output, you're stuck using the aforementioned built in audio or plugging in a cable into the MBP, MB or MBA that you're using. Kinda defeats the purpose of Thunderbolt.

    80 of 103 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Great product ruined by glossy screen

    • Written by from Philadelphia

    Pros: all but glossy screen.
    Cons: glossy screen. I want a display; not a mirror!

    SOLUTION: just offer a matte option; even if more expensive.

    67 of 79 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    Good display but this is not a docking station

    • Written by from Quebec

    The quality of the picture is excellent in a dark room, but the screen is too glossy to be used near a window. I wished I could have used this display as a docking station but unfortunately, the Ethernet connexion only works if you boot your laptop with the display connected. It does not work if you just wake up the computer and then plug the display.

    60 of 66 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Nothing but problems

    • Written by from Santa Clara

    Quite angry at the moment. The display itself looks amazing when it actually works. So far the slue of problems I have encountered in just a few months of having this monitor (connected to a MBP): Ethernet port doesn't work (shows up as Bluetooth PAN), external MAC keyboard doesn't work, external MAC mouse works except for the buttons, connecting/disconnecting the Thunderbolt cable will cause both displays to show solid light blue, sometimes the laptop keyboard and trackpad will not function at all, boot time is at least twice as long with the Thunderbolt cable connected.

    65 of 77 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Missed Opportunity

    • Written by from London

    This is a quality monitor for sure but I cannot get along with the glossy screen. I video edit using Avid Media Composer and have switched back to a cheaper non-glossy screen just to avoid the annoying reflections and eyestrain. Having a glossy screen on my late 2011 Macbook Pro is one thing but when I need to edit for long hours with a larger screen I find the gloss on the TB Display offensive considering what these monitors cost. Apple need to be aware that the sort of people who are most likely to purchase these expensive monitors wont be casual computer users logging in to FaceTwitter or whatever. Even avid HD movie watchers have plenty of antiglare LCD/Plasma TV choices that they can hook up to a Mac for similar cost.

    63 of 73 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    Great piece of equipment, has a few issues

    • Written by from Jacksonville

    I purchased this to extend the desktop of my 13" MBP (a great little laptop incidentally). The monitor detects automatically and I get the brilliant display, which matches up with my MBP's display wonderfully in terms of color and temp. But, the audio which is supposed to automatically pipe into the monitors speakers almost never actually does. I have to reboot with the monitor attached for it to recognize. I've also noticed that the external hard drives that I have attached to the firewire 800 port don't mount either.

    I'll agree with the issue of integration with Lion's full screen mode. You throw iPhoto or any other app into full screen and depending on the program, sometimes it goes into full screen in my laptop, sometimes in the monitor. You'd think that it would automatically go into full screen into the display that the app window is in but it doesn't. Then to top it off the other monitor goes gray with the pattern of the sign in screen. So rather than being able to work full screen on one screen and being able to have say your mail and browser apps open in the 2nd, you basically end up with just one screen. A big screen but just one screen. This is very much a software and not a hardware issue as the screen itself is beautiful and does what it should do, which is display my information.

    I don't have an iMac but I did notice the issue with the height of the monitor. Why would they make the 27" display a couple of inches shorter than the current 27" iMac? That makes no sense at all. Unless it's a harbinger of the 27" refresh it's a pretty glaring oversight. If the refresh is the same size as the current display then I guess that'll explain it. As it stands there is a company that sells a pretty nifty shelf that gets the 2 within mm of one another and provides a shelf to store your keyboard and an integrated usb hub. An option for those considering the purchase to match up with their iMacs.

    62 of 71 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Nice Display - Terribly Thought out Integration

    • Written by from Coppell

    All the specifications and aesthetics are there in the Thunderbolt display. Unfortunately, there seems to be a pretty good disconnect when it comes to reliability when using the display as a primary dock point for your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.

    In the first few days of use this was a sweet set up being able to unplug the MPB and come back and plug in to see network connections automatically restore. Now however whether it is unplugged or left attached the network connection disappears forcing a re-boot. No matter the settings, sleep/no-sleep, the connection drifts away within a few hours without warning. Best bet is to read up before purchasing this current generation of Thunderbolt display.

    57 of 62 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Why oh why does this not match the current iMac

    • Written by from La Sauvetat 32500

    Really apple.. How can you expect us pros to buy something that has a completely different reflectivity to the current iMac screen.. It beggars belief frankly. I am saddened that apple seems to be leaving it's pro customers behind - still no Pro refresh! And now, when I was on the point of buying a new top of the line iMac fully specced, there is no pro screen with the same specs!!! What IS going on here!

    83 of 120 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Thunderbolt Disappointment

    • Written by from Fort worth

    The Good

    This thing looks awesome on my desk.
    The image is outstanding
    Fit and finish from a designer standpoint is comparable to none
    The sound quality is decent along with the camera

    The Bad
    Connecting it to my macbook is more than just annoying it is painful
    The sound works if you constantly change your settings
    Running your macbook in clamshell mode will cause it to run extremely hot
    You have to have the power connected to your macbook the entire time SMH
    The thunderbolt cord gets HOT!!! like omg hot
    Not to mention the screen flickers non stop for no reason

    I have a 100 dollar apple TV connected to my TV and I use Airplay. This system is way cheaper and much more reliable. Do not buy this display if you own a macbook and want bigger screen. I paid 1000 dollars for this thing and here I am 12 hrs later using my TV instead. I love apple products but the thunderbolt display is bad!!!

    57 of 68 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Dead after one week

    • Written by from Atlanta

    I'm really unhappy with this purchase. My monitor died this morning after only one week. It's now at the Apple Store being repaired. Not really the way you want a $1000 monitor purchase to go. Very unsatisfied customer.

    83 of 120 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    Sharp display, but unacceptable glare/reflection.

    • Written by from Fremont

    First let me say it really is a beautiful display, the thing is very sharp and colors are noticeably more rich than other LCDs. However, there's just way too much glare even in a moderately lit office environment to use it comfortably for long periods of time. After just a couple of hours of looking at it, my eyes get sore and I have headaches by the end of the day.

    I tried a 3M privacy/anti-glare filter, which quickly eliminated the eye strain and headaches, but it makes the display look absolutely horrible, worse than some bargain bin LCD. The screen is just too big for a filter; while looking at the center of the screen, several inches of the edges are blurred without moving my head.

    Also I've had problems with the Ethernet over Thunderbolt to my MBP that others have reported in forums. I connect/disconnect my laptop several times a day for meetings and eventually the MBP doesn't see Ethernet link anymore unless I reboot (some device enumeration issue?).

    I really want to like this display. I understand the color and sharpness may be a function of the glass, but there needs to be a better medium. What's the point of a great display if you can't look at it?

    49 of 52 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    No hesitation 5 stars! Music Producer Review

    • Written by from Camarillo

    I want to sure my setup and thoughts.
    I work in music production and needed a setup that would suit my mobil rig.

    I do not really understand what some people do not like about this screen...

    It is important to separate the two major players here.
    Software/firmware and hardware.

    SOFTWARE:

    Apparently people are having problems connecting several screens etc etc.
    Jerky thunderbolt performance etc etc.

    This is all fine, but it does not warrant a lower star rating in my eyes.
    They do their best to eliminate software issues through beta testing etc but it is NEVER before major releases that people come along with all sorts of ways of use and find all sorts of bug that will have to be addressed.
    As the issues of software can be anywhere in the chain (Lion, thunderbolt firmware, iMac, Macbook etc) I think the right thing to review is the..

    HARDWARE:

    Beautiful, big, crisp, instant, you can't really misunderstand it as it has NO buttons..which is almost weird. It just works..
    Im actually proud to have this screen on my desk. When people come over they actually say "wow..thats nice!" Im proud of it.

    I must say that I was very nervous weather my setup was going to work the way I hoped.
    For weeks, I had been think about ways to minimize and turn my rig into something I could easily pack up for sessions in LA.
    I sold my HD2, Mac Pro, Control24..EVERYTHING as it was mostly collecting dust as my mobile rig was getting more work.

    So I invisioned a thunderbolt setup.
    MacBook Pro w thunderbolt
    Pegasus RAID (thunderbolt)
    and the 27" Screen (again, thunderbolt.)

    For compatibility reasons I use Snow Leopard for my music and need to boot from my Thunderbolt RAID.
    I have LION on my internal MacBook Pro drive as I want to be uptodate when I do my personal computing.

    Here is my setup:

    Thunderbolt Screen is connected to

    1) a Digidesign 003 Rack (FW800)
    2) a USB hub with iLoks
    3) a AXIOM USB MIDI controller
    4) the Apple Keyoboard
    5) Ethernet for fastest connection while plugged in.
    6) Daisy chained thunderbolt to my Pegasus RAID Drive with my music software/samples etc. (I can happily report around 500MB/s. More than enough for what Im doing. (option click on startup and boot SL from the RAID)

    Now. Instead of having tons of cables running to my macbook or compromising speeds which I did in the past..
    All is connected via ONE thunderbolt cable that runs to my MacBook Pro.
    Its all VERY simple and with all the iLoks, software, powdered USBs etc..One would think that something should go wrong..

    EVERYTHING WORKS PERFECT!

    I couldn't be more happy with this setup!

    The screen does EXACTLY what it promises to do. In my eyes it is so worth the 949 I spent on it!

    I can recommend this for anyone..

    Sorry for a very long review but I wanted to let everyone know how I use it and that it is spectacular!

    Thank you for simplifying my life!

    73 of 100 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    It's mostly good...

    • Written by from West Hollywood

    The display is amazing! Graphics are unbelievable crisp, the colors are awesome!

    The glare issue is pretty bad... you really need to be strategic where you place it to avoid reflection... also it can be pretty intense sitting too close to it all day... need a good 2' deep desk to really be at a comfortable distance.

    57 of 69 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Wish I Could Return it

    • Written by from Sparta

    Worst monitor I've ever used for photo editing. The stories you read about the monitor hurting users' eyes are true. I bought a 27" iMac and would return it tomorrow if I could. On top of the monitor's usability problems, with the new iMac, there is no video in. Apparently, Apple wants to sell you everything you view on the iMac. Do not buy this monitor.

    106 of 168 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Incredible Design and Quality

    • Written by from Woodinville

    I've used them all, and this one is number one bar none. The quality of this external display is extremely high, the thunderbolt/ethernet/USB is a huge win for demanding professionals and the reliability of these things is incredible. I'm a system administrator in a 300+ enterprise Mac environment where everyone has a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with a Thunderbolt display, so they see quite a bit of hard use. None have ever failed. There's quite a number of 24" and 27" non-thunderbolt displays as well that are well over 1.5 years old, and none of those have ever failed either.

    58 of 72 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Needs a less glossy screen and a few more features to be work $1,000

    • Written by from Glen Allen

    My brother works for Apple, so I am a long time Apple fan, with that said I have a few issues with this monitor. First off, I love the monitor and am glad I bought it! I am docking my 13" MBP to it and I absolutely love the setup! I wish the screen was less glossy, it is noticeable. I also with it had it's own audio in/out and it's own dedicated power button. I like to power my Macbook Pro off when I am not home but in order to turn it back on I have to take it out of the stand I bought for it, open up the clamshell and actually turn it on. If it had these features it would be well worth $1,000, without it's worth about $800. Sorry Apple, just being honest. :(

    46 of 48 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Nah...

    • Written by from HICKSVILLE

    A $1,000.00 shiny dust magnet. I'll be shipping this lead weight back and sticking with my old 23' Wide Screen Cinema display. Its a shame apple stopped making them. The picture quality is comparable, the screen is a matte finish, and dust/glare is never a problem. Oh sure it isn't as pretty and all, but when the heck did apple think that looks should be substituted for functionality? I guess thats a silly question. Look elsewhere in my opinion unless you prefer a side order of glare with your glare.

    63 of 82 people found this useful

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