If you don't have Thunderbolt compatibility, buy one of these, if you can!!
This is no longer a currently-produced model, having been 'superseded' by the Apple 27 inch Thunderbolt Display. For a Thunderbolt-compatible computer, the Thunderbolt’s ostensibly the better buy. Connecting a Thunderbolt display to a non-thunderbolt computer is undesirable, since, whilst the video should work, most other features will probably not.
The following are Apple Mac computer models that ought to be found Thunderbolt-compatible, whether or not so advertised:
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 13-inch, Early 2011 onwards)
Mac mini Server (Mid 2011 onwards)
MacBook Air (13-inch & 11-inch, Mid 2011 onwards)
iMac (27-inch & 21.5-inch, Mid 2011 onwards)
Mac mini (Mid 2011 onwards)
For any Mac NOT in the above list, the Apple 27 inch Cinema display is ideal. Connections, other than the power lead, emerge hard-wired from the back of the display as a single cable, subdivided into three legs: power-out lead for connecting to the Mac’s MagSafe power socket (substituting for the usual power adapter lead); video-in lead for connecting to the computer’s mini-display port, and USB-in lead (to activate the Display’s three USB ports, to serve effectively as a USB hub). The functionality thus achieved is excellent, in that the ideally-sized Display’s video performance is second-to-none, with brilliance controllable from the keyboard; audio emerges from the display, with volume etc. controllable from the keyboard; and the built-in ‘web-cam’ functions perfectly. With some layouts, the three-legged lead might seem rather too short, but it should suffice with computer and display in close proximity to one another.
The display is designed to function by being connected to the computer as indicated above. If the power were still to be delivered independently to the computer, rather than via the Display, some Display functions might not work as expected. For instance, with a MacBook Pro installed in a Henge dock, achieving the connections as designed would have to involve installing the MagSafe plug (with which the Display’s power-out lead is terminated) directly into the dock, with the result that the dock would then be completely hard-wired to the Display. With the video-in lead, such hard-wiring could be avoided by the separate purchase of a male mini-display port plug to female mini-display port socket short extension lead (available from re-sellers of Henge dock). A MagSafe male to female extension lead would also be needed (relatively costly, USA-sourced).
It is not immediately apparent why it should make any difference whether the computer is powered via the Display, or otherwise, but it does seem to do so, and if a hard-wired connection between a dock and the Display is not wanted, then extension leads are likely to be needed, to supplement the leads that are provided with the Display. Otherwise, with a docked ‘clam-shell' computer, the Display audio function may not be selectable, even with no use being made of the computer’s conventional audio-out capability. LED Cinema Display Firmware Update1.1 addresses an issue with the Display that may prevent sound from playing back through the Display's speakers, but does not appear to resolve the issue referred to above. However, Apple is aware that there have been issues relating to the functioning of the 27 inch Cinema Display's speakers.
Notwithstanding these minor apparent shortcomings, which might not be encountered by others, and indeed may well prove readily resolvable, it's a superb Display.Read full review
