High-quality unboxing photos of Apple's LED Cinema Display

Apple's first LED-backlit and DisplayPort-based desktop monitor has arrived at AppleInsider; we now have high-quality photos as well as some early impressions.

The new 24-inch screen will seem instantly familiar to anyone who's used a 24-inch aluminum iMac — and it should, since it's eerily similar. Especially in person, it feels much like the all-in-one computer without the obvious chin that holds some of the computer component. That extends to the underside speakers, the webcam and the placement of the rear USB ports.

Having said this, the new display clearly shows Apple having learned a number of things since it released both the iMac and the very first aluminum Cinema Displays. The most conspicuous is the tapered aluminum back, which is actually part of a one-piece shell that covers all but the very front. It's thinner and more visually interesting than the old displays, and it won't collect dust like the iMac's black plastic might.

Also: there's no power brick. Or buttons, for that matter. The new model uses both the LED backlight and DisplayPort connector to its advantage to rid the screen of the external block and of the need to turn the display on or off. Leaving with your MacBook? Unplug the display and it powers down gracefully.

Image quality will need further testing but is definitely better than many low-cost displays with vivid colors and good viewing angles. It's not, however, the exact same display from the iMac: the new model definitely has a different white point.

About the only caution we have at this stage is that the lack of a chin makes the display harder to tilt without smudging the glass; users and friends who aren't especially careful will likely find fingerprints on the display's bottom lip before too long.

Expect a review within the next few days. Those eager for additional thoughts can also read Ars Technica's own impressions as well.