LG UltraFine 5K Display now for sale through Apple, first orders ship in January [u]

One month after it debuted onstage at Apple's MacBook Pro event, LG's UltraFine 5K Display went up for sale on Monday exclusively through Apple's online storefront for $974.

As of this writing, orders placed through Apple's website will ship within 6 to 8 weeks, meaning the first units are unlikely to arrive in 2016. Apple previously said the LG UltraFine 5K Display would be available to purchase in December.

Measuring 27 inches on the diagonal, the 5K UltraFine Display was developed in partnership with Apple and supports resolutions up to 5,120-by-2,880 with DCI-P3 color, matching the latest MacBook Pro hardware unveiled in October. With built-in speakers, three USB 3.1 ports and 85 watts of charging power, the display acts as a hub for Apple's I/O constrained notebooks and serves as a suitable replacement for the erstwhile Thunderbolt Display.

While the display does not ship until January, customers thinking about buying a unit should do so before the end of the year. Earlier this month, Apple slashed 25 percent off retail pricing for both the 5K model and its smaller 21.5-inch 4K sibling. Available until Dec. 30, the limited time offer drops the 5K model down to $974 from $1,299.95, while the 4K version moves to $524 from $699.95.

LG's UltraFine 4K Display went up for sale alongside Apple's new MacBook Pro notebooks in October. Early preorder customers began receiving shipments some two weeks ago.

Update: Apple is no longer listing the LG 5K Display as available to purchase, with the product page now showing estimated availability in December. The reason for the change in status is unclear, though customers were able to place orders during a short window earlier today.