The Apple Studio Display Is the premium brand’s new high-end display for the consumer and professional markets. It features top-of-the-line specifications and unique characteristics such as having an iPhone chip inside, among many other things. Let’s see if the Apple Studio Display should be your next upgrade or if you are better served by going with the alternatives.
Apple Studio Display Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 5120 x 2880
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: Unknown
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 600 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (4 Woofers with 2 Tweeters)
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes 100 x 100
- Connectivity: USB-C Thunderbolt 3 x 1, USB-C Downstream x 3
- Dimensions with Stand (WxHxD): 24.5” x 18.8” x 6.6”
- Weight: 13.9 lbs
Design and Features
The Apple Studio Display doesn’t look like your typical PC monitor since the brand employs a design philosophy that’s unique to them. The device looks like a larger iPad pro with a slim and flat chassis that has a matte silver finish. It doesn’t have physical bezels that stand out, but it does have inner borders which sit flushed against the standard or nano-texture glass layer.
Note that we mentioned “standard” and “nano-texture glass layer” above, meaning there are two options. Apple mentioned that the default version already has low reflectivity, but the nano-texture option does an even better job. It actually does, but we only recommend buying the option if you work in a well-lit environment since it’s an additional $300 on top of the starting price.
What we immediately liked about it is its proportions which are in many ways sleeker than the usual display product. It only takes up 6.6 inches of depth and its base is quite thin and flat so it can slide under a raised keyboard or laptop. It also doesn’t weigh a lot so it’s reasonably portable, allowing you to move it around easily or bring it with you to conferences or collab sessions.
Its build quality is comparable to what the other Apple devices offer, so it is quite durable and svelte. We didn’t see any manufacturing defects such as burrs or uneven seams, and there were no signs of structural weakness on any of its parts. The included stand is surprisingly stable so it won’t simply sag unless you somehow wear out the hinge.
The Apple Studio Display doesn’t have an OSD joystick like a regular monitor since all of its features can be accessed via Apple’s OS. It is great for the sake of design and cleanliness, but that also means it can’t be fully utilized with anything other than an Apple product. You will lose integrated features like Center Stage and its reference modes if you use a Windows PC.
The stand is our least favorite part of the Apple Studio Display, but it’s not because of its tilt-limited adjustments. You need to pay $400 more if you want height adjustments which are silly considering most high-end monitors already have a fully-adjustable option by default. The VESA mounting option costs just as much as the original configuration, so there are no discounts there.
It also doesn’t have any connector other than USB-C, so older peripherals and computers will not readily work without an adapter. Only the Thunderbolt 3 slot supports DP Alt Mode and charging that goes up to 96 watts, so it should be where you connect your PC or laptop. The other three are designed for peripherals and data transfers, so you are going to need an adapter for those if you want to use regular keyboards and mice.
The Apple Studio Display also has a built-in 12-megapixel lens that’s perfect for collaboration and conference calls. It’s noticeably better than the webcams we came across on other professional monitors, but its overall capture quality is exaggerated. It’s comparable to what most iPhones have for front cams, so it is still reasonably clear and bright enough for its intended purpose.
Another attractive feature of the Apple Studio Display is its six speakers which aim to provide surround sound. Four of those are force-canceling woofers dedicated to bass while the other two act as high-performance speakers. it doesn’t offer booming bass, but it is noticeably clearer and better than what most built-ins can offer.
Display and Performance
The Apple Studio Display sports a 27-inch custom IPS panel with a 5120 x 2880 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and an unspecified response time. The backlight has a 600 cd/m2 maximum output and a contrast ratio which we assume is 1000:1 like most IPS panels. This monitor focuses on wide gamut coverage and its True Tone technology for accuracy rather than entertainment-biased specifications like HDR.
One of the main draws of this monitor is its crisp Retina screen with a higher resolution that isn’t regularly available on most consumer monitors. It’s as sharp as a MacBook’s screen, so you might need some scaling for office tasks and reading. It’s great for imagery and videos since there is a lot of space to work with, plus you get eye-popping details and crispness.
The Apple Studio Display renders more than 100% sRGB and 96% DCI-P3 with a low deltaE average of only 0.75. Its reference mode locks down the gamut to 99.7% sRGB and 81% DCI-P3, but with better accuracy of 0.25. Most users won’t need to calibrate it since the screen and its presets are already tuned and spot-on by default.
This kind of accuracy from the factory is what makes Apple display products very popular in the prosumer space. Of course, the numbers posted above are not guaranteed since each and every panel is different. However, it’s a good measure of how this new display model was treated at the factory before being sold.
The sample reached 591 cd/m2 at 100% which is impressive and sufficient in fighting off glare in well-lit rooms. its contrast ratio is limited to 1099:1 at 50% brightness so it is incapable of producing deep blacks like the mini-LED equipped Pro Display XDR. This is expected from an IPS panel, but not from a very expensive monitor.
Panel uniformity for the Apple Studio Display sample is almost perfect since there are no backlight leaks or clouding issues. There is a minor difference in the backlight’s spread, but it’s only visible through the lens of a colorimeter. We know Apple cherry-picks its panels, but there will still be some out there with issues in this regard due to tolerances in manufacturing.
Responsiveness or its pixel response time is also not the best in its category, so it is not ideal for fast-paced gaming. The 60Hz-limited screen shows some smudges and ghosting in fast and contrasting transitions, but we feel that it can get way with slower-paced casual titles. Unfortunately, there is no overdrive feature to solve this, but that’s okay since it’s meant for professional use anyway.
The Apple Studio Display isn’t compatible with FreeSync or G-Sync so smooth gaming isn’t guaranteed. However, we don’t see anyone buying this monitor for that purpose, so it should be fine without that feature. Input lag sits at 15ms at 60Hz, so it is still reasonably fast to avoid showing some delay during any type of use.
Thoughts on the Apple Studio Display
The Apple Studio Display is a fantastic monitor when it comes to imaging quality and its special features. The 5K Retina display is crisp and vibrant, plus it offers superb accuracy via its well-tuned presets and the panel’s special treatment. We also like the speakers and the built-in webcam, expanding the brand’s display line into something more than just high-end displays.
However, we despise the practice of hiding creature comforts behind paywalls when it’s readily offered on most monitors. Even $200 models have fully adjustable stands and VESA mounts, so the only reason behind it is to milk the consumer for more cash, and not sophisticated design. It’s a great monitor, but the wise will most likely go with other options because of the added costs.
Pros:
- Excellent Color and Accuracy
- Attractive Design
- 96-Watt USB-C Thunderbolt 3
- Crisp 5K Retina Resolution
Cons:
- Expensive
- Creature Comforts Hidden Behind Paywall
- Limited Compatibility for non-Apple PCs
- Low Contrast
About the Author: 
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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