Apple reportedly has a new external display in the works — with the same chip as the iPhone 11

News
By
published

Apple may be launching a new display to replace the Pro Display XDR

Apple Pro Display XDR
(Image credit: B&H Photo)

Apple is reportedly working on a new external display, so if you've been eyeing the ultra-expensive Pro Display XDR, you may want to wait a little longer. According to 9to5Mac, the panel will replace the Pro Display XDR.

"Sources familiar with the matter" say the upcoming display will sport an A13 chip —  the same processor inside the iPhone 11 — and a Neural Engine, which helps to facilitate machine-learning tasks.

Apple may launch a Pro Display XDR replacement

Apple isn't planning on updating the Pro Display XDR. It wants to replace it with another pricey, pro-level display with the A13 Bionic SoC and Neural Engine. 

Pro Display XDR

Pro Display XDR (Image credit: B&H Photo)

Besides this nugget of info, 9to5Mac doesn't have any more information about this alleged display, which is codenamed J327. However, the news outlet is also wondering whether Apple has plans to release an external display with a GPU.

After Apple discontinued the Thunderbolt Display in 2016, rumors were flying about suggesting the company could possibly be working on a new high-resolution display with a built-in GPU. The Pro Display XDR launched three years later, and yes, it has a high-res panel, but it doesn't have a built-in GPU. 

Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but the report insinuates that Apple's rumored plans to launch a display with a built-in GPU may not be totally out of the picture. It could be featured in this rumored display or a separate display altogether.

After all, having a CPU/GPU built into an external display would be appealing to consumers who want to render high-resolution graphics and run graphics-intensive tasks without being fully dependent on their computer's internal resources.

For those who don't want to spend an arm and a leg for display, there's also scuttlebutt that Apple is releasing a more affordable display for everyday consumers.

Keep in mind this is all speculation. While 9to5Mac claims that it gathered this information from a reliable source, it also points out that Apple could change its mind about packing this rumored display with an A13 chip and/or Neural Engine at any time.

Kimberly Gedeon
Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!