Chain sore
I duly rigged up the display with a MacBook Pro in expanded desktop mode and plugged in a couple of hard drives: one USB 2.0, the other a Firewire 800. I tried an Ethernet cable too. The only thing I didn’t try was daisychaining a second Thunderbolt accessory because I didn’t have any. In fact, I’m not sure I can think of any, other than another Apple Thunderbolt Display.
One extra 27in display not enough for you?
Just be warned that Thunderbolt daisychaining only allows for Thunderbolt devices. That is, you can plug the display into a Mini DisplayPort on a pre-Thunderbolt Mac, no problem, but then you wouldn’t be able to daisychain any DVI, VGA or DisplayPort devices or adapters from it.
Anyway, my point is that the display gave not the slightest flicker, freeze or twitch as I plugged and unplugged away at the back.
Then how about two?
But did Apple update its Boot Camp drivers to support Thunderbolt? Darn, yes it did. Mac OS X or Windows 7, the Thunderbolt Display took over everything from my laptop - even the audio, since the display contains its own 49W 2.1 stereo speakers. And a mic. And an HD webcam.
In terms of power consumption, the Thunderbolt Display sucked up a permissible 58-60W on its own, rising to 70-74W while also powering a MacBook Pro. Once I started adding external disk drives, this rose to 80W.
Verdict
Oh oh so lovely. Oh oh so expensive. What else is there to say? It’s an Apple product, which means it’s built to a standard that makes you wet your pants but priced to tighten your scrotum. Just keep in mind that a Thunderbolt Display needs a Thunderbolt Mac, and I wish there were more Thunderbolt peripherals to make me feel better about the whole Thunderbolt thing. If there were, and the display was about £150 cheaper, I’d rate it at 90 per cent or higher. ®
Thanks to Square Group for the review sample
More Mac Reviews |
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 MacBook Pro
13in |
 MacBook Air
11in |
 Mac Mini |
 27in iMac |
 Sandy Bridge
Hackintosh |
Apple Thunderbolt Display
COMMENTS
@Marvin the Martian
Dell U2711.
It uses the same IPS panel, but with a proper backlight, so that it displays almost the whole AdobeRGB colourspace, as apposed to almost all of the sRGB colourspace.
Apart from DisplayPort, it also accepts inputs from HDMI (with HDCP), VGA, 2xDVI, component video, composite video. Oh you can also tilt the display with the Dell too, and adjust the height without needing a hacksaw to reduce it, or telephone directories to raise it :) Oh, and the Dell has a non-reflective screen, so you get to see what you want in all it's good-ness, instead of the hagged unshaven face that also looks at you in the bathroom mirror.
As for all the output ports? My MBP has them already, thanks so I don't really need them.
Oh, and sorry but it's not quite £750. More like £600 or less (and worth EVERY penny)
I don't understand Apple
This screen is clearly aimed at rich, cool people who live in quasi-industrial penthouse lofts in once-rough-but-now-quite-posh city quarters. Why, then, make it so shiny that it's only of real use in a nerd's windowless basement hermit cave?
Could it be because Tarqin Trustfundington and his artisinal yoghurt-eating chums on the top floor actually just use it as a mirror? The proof will be whether it tilts back 90 degrees so you can do a line off it.
Even the marketing pictures of these monitors have a dirty great big glare across them.
Shiny screens are terrible.
Maybe I'm missing something but...
What's wrong with a plastic monitor case? It's cheaper, a plain black monitor goes with just about anything, and it really shouldn't need to be moved all that often (especially one that's 27"). Do a lot of people have trouble with dropping their monitors? If so, I suspect the aluminum still wouldn't help much.
You've been to Tarquin's parties, then?
Frankly, darling, we generally just use an iPad. There's an app, you know.
