Introduction
Apple has a long history of making industry-leading displays, going all the way back to the original Macintosh in 1984. Over the decades, they‘ve consistently pushed the boundaries of resolution, color accuracy, and panel technology. But in recent years, Apple had shifted focus to the displays built into iMacs and MacBooks, leaving Mac desktop users without a true successor to the beloved Thunderbolt Display.
That all changed in March 2022 with the launch of the Apple Studio Display. This 27-inch, 5K monitor is packed with cutting-edge features and Apple-exclusive tech, like an A13 Bionic chip, 12MP Center Stage webcam, and high-fidelity speaker system. After months of anticipation, does it live up to the hype? Let‘s dive in and find out.
Apple Display History
To put the Studio Display in context, here‘s a quick timeline of key Apple monitors over the years:
- Apple Macintosh (1984): 9-inch, 512 x 342 monochrome CRT built-in display
- Apple Two-Page Monochrome Monitor (1989): 21-inch, 1152 x 870 grayscale CRT
- Apple ColorSync/AppleVision 750 Display (1993): 17-inch, 1024 x 768 Trinitron CRT with anti-glare coating and ADB ports
- Apple Studio Display (1998): 15-inch, 1024 x 768 flat panel LCD pivoted into portrait mode
- Apple Cinema Display (1999): 22-inch, 1600 x 1024 widescreen LCD with Apple Display Connector (ADC)
- Apple Cinema HD Display (2002): 23-inch, 1920 x 1200 LCD with aluminum enclosure design language
- Apple LED Cinema Display (2008): 24-inch, 1920 x 1200 LED-backlit LCD, Mini DisplayPort, and MagSafe power connector
- Apple Thunderbolt Display (2011): 27-inch, 2560 x 1440 IPS LCD with Thunderbolt I/O, Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800
- Pro Display XDR (2019): 32-inch, 6016 x 3384 IPS LCD with Extreme Dynamic Range (XDR), Thunderbolt 3, and optional matte nano-texture glass
As you can see, Apple has steadily increased display resolution, size, and connectivity over the years. The Studio Display aims to bring the best of its current panel tech (outside of mini-LED) to a prosumer price point.
Technical Specifications
Let‘s run through the key specs of the Studio Display:
- Display:
- 27-inch (diagonal) 5K Retina display
- 5120‑by‑2880 resolution with support for 1 billion colors
- 600 nits brightness
- Wide color (P3)
- True Tone technology
- Camera:
- 12MP Ultra Wide camera with 122° field of view
- ƒ/2.4 aperture
- Center Stage
- Audio:
- High-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers
- Wide stereo sound
- Support for Spatial Audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos
- Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
- Ports and Connectivity:
- Three USB-C ports (up to 10Gb/s)
- Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port (up to 40Gb/s)
- Supports one display up to 5K resolution at 60Hz
- Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable (1 meter)
- Power cord (1 meter)
- Misc:
- Powered by A13 Bionic chip for audio and camera processing
- Tilt-adjustable stand (-5° to 25°) or optional VESA mount adapter
- Nano-texture glass option for reducing glare
Compared to other 27-inch 5K monitors on the market, the Studio Display stands out for its 600 nits brightness (most top out at 500) and P3 wide color gamut support. The MSRP of $1599 is on the higher end but still cheaper than the $4999+ Pro Display XDR.
| Monitor | Size | Resolution | Brightness | sRGB Gamut | Adobe RGB Gamut | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Studio | 27" | 5120 x 2880 | 600 nits | 100% | 98% | $1599 |
| LG UltraFine 5K | 27" | 5120 x 2880 | 500 nits | 99% | 97% | $1299 |
| MSI Prestige PS341WU | 34" | 5120 x 2160 | 450 nits | 100% | 98% | $1799 |
| Dell UltraSharp U2720Q | 27" | 5120 x 2880 | 350 nits | 100% | 89% | $1599 |
Display Quality
Numbers aside, how does the Studio Display actually look in practice? In a word: stunning. The 5K resolution is incredibly crisp at normal viewing distances, with a pixel density of 218 PPI. Fine details and text are razor-sharp, even when scaled.
The extra resolution makes a big difference for tasks like photo and video editing, CAD work, or coding. You can see more of your timeline or canvas zoomed out, or work with pixel-accurate 4K content with room for toolbars and panels. It‘s an undeniable productivity boost if you‘re coming from a lower resolution display.
In terms of color and contrast, the Studio Display delivers professional-grade performance. It covers 100% of the sRGB and 98% of the Adobe RGB color gamuts, with a respectable 1200:1 contrast ratio. Delta-E values (which measure color accuracy) are below 1.0 for most default reference modes, meaning any visible color errors are insignificant.
The 600 nits peak brightness is impressive for an IPS panel and noticeably outshines competitors. And Apple‘s signature True Tone technology automatically adjusts the white balance to match ambient lighting, making long editing sessions gentler on the eyes.
If we had to nitpick, the Studio Display lacks some advanced features found on other pro-level monitors. It doesn‘t support any HDR standards (the Pro Display XDR reaches a scorching 1600 nits peak), has no local dimming zones, and maxes out at a 60Hz refresh rate. But for most non-gaming use cases that don‘t demand those capabilities, the Studio Display still offers world-class image quality.
Smart Features: Webcam, Speakers, and Mics
A key differentiator for the Studio Display is its inclusion of an A13 Bionic chip—the same silicon found in the iPhone 11 lineup. This allows it to offer smart features and audio/video processing above and beyond a typical external display.
First up is the 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera. Using the A13‘s AI smarts, it supports Center Stage—the auto-tracking feature previously found in iPads that keeps you digitally centered in frame as you move. This works great for video calls, letting you naturally shift around or get up without worrying about staying in shot.
In terms of pure image quality, the Studio Display‘s webcam is good but not class-leading. It captures 1080p video at 60fps with decent sharpness and contrast. But reviewers noted that the processing can be a bit heavy-handed, leading to artificially smooth skin and crushed details in low light. It‘s certainly an upgrade over most built-in laptop webcams, but falls short of a high-end external camera.
The built-in speaker system, however, is seriously impressive. With four force-cancelling woofers and two tweeters, it delivers rich, room-filling sound with palpable bass response. Highs are crisp without sounding harsh, and stereo separation is convincing.
It also supports Spatial Audio when playing back Dolby Atmos content. This creates a virtual surround sound effect that tracks the position of your head, making it seem like audio is coming from different directions. The illusion isn‘t perfect, but it‘s a nice bonus for music and movies.
Finally, the Studio Display packs a three-mic array that uses beamforming to hone in on your voice while minimizing background noise. Reviewers found that it performs very well for conference calls and recordings, rivaling the quality of some USB podcast mics. Though as with any always-on mics, there are valid privacy concerns.
Compatibility and Ecosystem Integration
As you‘d expect from an Apple product, the Studio Display is designed first and foremost for Mac users. It connects over a single Thunderbolt 3 cable, which provides up to 96W of power delivery to charge your MacBook Pro. This lets you quickly dock and undock your laptop with a single plug.
The Studio Display also works seamlessly with macOS features like True Tone, Night Shift, and Spatial Audio. And many of its smart capabilities, like Center Stage and display reference modes, require a Mac to use. You can technically connect it to a Windows PC over Thunderbolt or USB-C, but you lose access to all of those features and settings. Even firmware updates require a Mac.
So while it‘s not impossible to use the Studio Display with a non-Apple computer, you really need to live in the Apple ecosystem to take full advantage of it. That tight, software-level integration is a key part of its value proposition.
Conclusion
So who is the Studio Display for? At $1599, it‘s certainly not the cheapest 5K monitor you can buy. Dell‘s UltraSharp U2720Q offers the same size and resolution for a few hundred dollars less. You could also opt for a larger ultrawide 34-inch model like the MSI PS341WU and get even more screen real estate at a slight PPI cost.
But what you‘re really paying for with the Studio Display is the Apple secret sauce. The industrial design, build quality, panel performance, and smart features are classic Apple—meticulously engineered and cohesive in a way few other manufacturers can match. Professionals who demand the best possible color accuracy and detail for content creation will find a lot to like.
And if you‘re a Mac user who‘s been waiting for an Apple-caliber display to pair with your Mac mini or Mac Studio, the Studio Display is really your only option short of the $5000+ Pro Display XDR. It integrates with macOS on a deeper level than any third-party monitor, with useful additions like Center Stage and Spatial Audio.
So while it‘s not a slam dunk for every use case, the Studio Display makes a compelling argument as the ultimate 5K monitor for Mac power users. If you have the budget and appreciate Apple‘s signature hardware/software synergy, it‘s a beautifully crafted display that will likely stand the test of time. Just make sure you pick the stand you want from the outset.
