The Apple Studio Display is a few days old , but it remains as the most pop and low-cost Apple monitor — and one of thebest monitorsoverall — with a starting cost of $ 1,599 . The Apple Pro Display XDR is more capable for professionals , but it bulge out at a much more expensive $ 4,999 and is a caboodle more of a recess product .
Of course , $ 1,599 is very expensive for a 27 - inch display . But right now , it ’s among the best displays to checkmate with a Mac . It ’s possible that Apple will be unloose anupgrade to the Studio Display , and you ’ll likely desire to make out if you should opt that one or snap up the current example at the inevitable discount .
Specs
There are a few configuration options with the Studio Display that affect its price . For $ 1,599 , you get the stock chalk and tilt - adjustable stand . promote to the nano - grain looking glass add $ 300 , while the tilt- and height - adjustable bandstand supply $ 400 and the VESA mount adapter stand-in for the standard tie-up at the same price . The most expensive shape is therefore $ 2,299 , which make the Studio Display a very premium reminder indeed .
A drop-dead gorgeous design that looks and feels a lot like Apple
When I was taking depiction for my2025 Mac Studio review , I used the Studio Display as one of the connected components . That was n’t just because it ’s another Apple product . It ’s because it ’s an unusually adorable monitor , with Apple ’s typical design acumen and minimalist elegance fully on display ( no pun intended ) . The two Apple products matched absolutely , with the same sliver - ish aluminum , the same dividing line , and the same gorgeous chasteness . It was , in short , very photogenic .
Right now , I have three other presentation connected to the Mac Studio sitting on my desk , two Dell 27″ 4 K monitors and one Lenovo 32″ 4 K OLED . They ’re okay , aesthetically , but they just do n’t have the same panache . They do n’t distract from my environment ’s aesthetical , but they do n’t add anything , either . The Studio Display does just that . It make my frame-up look better , which no other admonisher I ’ve used or reexamine has done .
And the Studio Display has the typical punctilious Apple construction . It ’s all Al , to start with , which as with many Apple products just makes it sense like it ’s worth more . It ’s a solid - looking and -feeling structure as well , with a density that plastic constructions ca n’t agree . The other varan I ’ve review , and the ones I used that I cite above , are all solid enough but they just do n’t exude quality in the same manner .
My critical review unit had the simple rock - adjustable viewpoint , and the mechanism is smooth as silk . There ’s also a tilt- and altitude - adjustable bandstand choice that I ’m sure is just as buttery smooth . The VESA mount adapter is also a configuration option . This choice must be made when you order the Studio Display , because as far as I cognize , it ca n’t be changed afterwards . In this respect , the Studio Display find a lot like MacBooks that have the smoothest hinges around .
I ’ll lend another power point . Unboxing display is by and large a pain . The packaging can be tangled , and put things together command cautiously placing the panel somewhere and connect the standpoint . Then , cast everything back together to ship back to the manufacturing business is like trying to put together a puzzle , only one where if you do n’t align thing dead you risk damaging something expensive .
Apple ’s packaging is unequalled in its consistency and its ease of porta and , significantly , frame things back . You just pull the common Apple tabs to launch the boxwood , and then when you set it down , the sides sway out to supply well-off access to the Studio Display . And , it comes already put together , with wad of space to lift it out of the box and simply set it on a desk . It ’s a great experience , and I never felt like I start the peril of break something .
Minimal ports, minimal features
Some displays propose a emcee of feature of speech that can turn them into highly configurable and open hubs to serve as a centerpiece of a home office staff like mine . The Studio Display is not such a product . view theDell UltraSharp 32 4 K USB - C Hub monitor , which literally has its capableness included in its ( rather tenacious ) name . That has a emcee of USB - C and other port and a keyboard - TV - monitor ( KVM ) switch build in . Many other monitors have like features , and if you look around back , you ’ll find a veritable wiring water closet tucked forth .
The Studio Display is quite dissimilar . It has just four USB - C ports , one upstream with Thunderbolt 3 for connecting to a PC and three downstream go at up to 10 Gbps for connecting other peripherals . That ’s kind of a hub , I guess , but it ’s not intimately as functional as some others . The upstream interface can power up to a MacBook Pro 14 , which is a good thing . And if you have several Apple devices , you may useApple ’s persistence featuresto ploughshare display , keyboards , and mice . But if you ’re a Windows user , you ’re out of luck .
And here ’s what really makes the Studio Display less attractive to Windows personal computer users . Unlike the vast majority of monitors — maybe virtually all of them — the Studio Display has no on - screen display ( OSD ) for configure preferences . In fact , there are n’t that many options to configure , and they ’re all controlled using the macOS options app . There seem to be some hacks that will let you change various preferences on a Windows PC , but I simply would n’t recommend buying a Studio Display to use with Windows . Some thing will work with Windows via stock USB equipment , like the loudspeaker system and the webcam , but control are minimal .
On macOS , the scene are more meaningful but well behind many other monitor . you could change the resolution , adjust the gamut , and control the white compass point . compare to other proctor , though , your ascendency over the ok points of the Studio Display ’s functioning are quite limited . Really , that fit the Apple ethos , where plugging into a Mac gives you near - perfect public presentation out of the boxwood but with less ability to fine tune things . There are a number of denotation manner available to suit various purposes ( photo editing , TV editing , and WWW ) , but outside of selecting the mode you ca n’t really dig into the details .
The effective affair is that what lineament do exist are excellent . Take the sound , for exemplar . These are n’t just a duet of speakers added in as an afterthought . It ’s a six - speaker system , with force out - cancel woofers , supporting Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio power by an A13 Bionic splintering . And the audio is fantastic , much near than you get from any other monitor I ’ve used or try . I have a disjoined duet of Logitech verbaliser that are pretty decent , but I ’m invest those in the W.C. for as long as I ’m using the Studio Display . The audio frequency is just that good , and I love saving some desk infinite .
The 12 MB webcam is also dandy , with lovely video quality and corking low - light functioning . It indorse Apple ’s Center Stage feature that keeps you nicely framed as you move around . I ’ll also be putting my standalone webcam away , because the Studio Displays ’ adaptation is so much good .
finally , in a sentiency , the Studio Display is unornamented - bones in term of features and functionality . But like so many Apple products , what ’s there just works supremely well . The reminder follow Apple ’s mantra of “ it just exercise ” perfectly , and if you have a Mac and all but the most demanding requirements , you ’ll likely be quite glad .
Excellent image quality that’s best with a Mac
The Studio Display is built around a 27 - inch IPS panel running at 5 K ( 5120 x 2880 ) resolve and supporting Apple ’s True Tone technology that aline the showing for the ambient lighting . It supports 1 billion color , P3 wide color , and promises up to 600 nits of light , which is a lot for an external display . Apple does n’t list a direct contrast ratio in its textile , but digging around seem like it ’s rated at 1,200:1 . significantly , the 5 chiliad solvent utterly matches Apple ’s HiDPI effectuation , providing the sharpest possible image and the full text edition quality — something that other resolution can not do .
I used my colorimeter to try out the display , and the resolution vary wide ground on which preset is enable . With the nonpayment , this is a very good display . It ’s very bright at 584 nit , almost matching the specification and being much brighter than any other international IPS show I ’ve tested . The MSI Modern MD271UL display I reviewed came in at 376 nits , above our 300 - nit criterion but not most as brilliant as the Studio Display . Colors were exchangeable , with Apple ’s panel coming in at 100 % sRGB , 88 % AdobeRGB , and 99 % DCI - P3 , liken to the MSI at 100 % , 89 % , and 97 % severally . And the Studio Display ’s color accuracy was very good at a DeltaE of 1.48 , compared to the MSI ’s 1.84 . Contrast was just forgetful of our 1,000:1 doorway at 910:1 , but blacks still search fantabulous without even a speck of gray .
When you select a preset , brightness is shut up in at a lower tier and colors are optimise for the task . The Photography preset , for example , drops luminance to 157 nits and color truth amend to 1.24 ( 1.0 or less is indistinguishable to the human heart ) . dividing line remains close to the same at 900:1 . The Digital Cinema ( DCI - P3 ) nowadays also drops brightness and contrast falls off to 810:1 and color accuracy bumps up to a DeltaE of 2.07 .
I did n’t test every preset , but you get the gallery . select a predetermined locks the proctor into a distinct quality spirit level that Apple distinctly thinks is estimable . I did n’t bother calibrate the display , because I doubt that things would have gotten any better if I had .
As it is , display quality is splendid . luminousness , color , and dividing line are all excellent , you have True Tone if you want it , and you ’ll get the sharpest image when copulate with a Mac . And it ’s all drop - dead promiscuous to optimize for your task . I reviewed the standard glass modelling , but there ’s also a nano - textured chalk selection that scatters light to further downplay glare . I ’ve judge it with the latest MacBook Pro 16 , and I would n’t mind using that model .
One important annotation is that the Studio Display does n’t support high dynamical range ( HDR ) television . That will count for gamers and media consumers , although I find both to be very in force experiences with the Studio Display . If HDR is important to you , then you ’re out of hazard with this one .
The best display for most Mac users, at a price
As a writer , I love the Studio Display for its unpaired text asperity . My other display are fine , but there can be some fuzziness that the Studio Display avoids . I ’m not a photographer or video editor , though , so colors do n’t matter as much . And I have an OLED display for when they do , and for the inky blacks and awesome HDR performant that only OLED offer .
Is it the correct monitor for you ? Well , that depends on how much you value that perfect match of answer , the color quality and light , and the simplicity of use ( counterpoint with minimal configuration options ) . Is it worth a start terms of $ 1,599 ? I think it is , but you may get very good monitors for substantially less . My recommendation and rating here , therefore , is extremely dependent on Leontyne Price predisposition — as is likely the guinea pig with many of Apple ’s products .
