Contrast is about 1,100:1, which is pretty good for an IPS panel. And like many IPS panels, color and gamma are a little less consistent in the deep shadows than the rest of the range, though it doesn't vary a lot. It's rated for up to 600 nits with its default Apple P3-600 profile and hit about 590 in testing, but the black is a bit brighter than some other 600-nit monitors I've seen, too - about 0.27 nits. That's because it's a traditional IPS panel with a standard white LED backlight, albeit one without common artifacts like backlight or edgelight bleeding. The actual display is excellent, though not blow-your-socks-off outstanding. Our unit didn't have the matte Nano Texture screen, but the glossy isn't too reflective as long as you don't have light streaming from behind.
I had to raise my desk to get it to the right level. There's a single Thunderbolt 3 connection to connect the display and three USB-C connectors, though they're all on the back where they can be annoying to get to, especially if you're constantly plugging and unplugging devices.Īnd if you're going to buy this, spring for the height-adjustable stand. Even if it's just for playback and not creation. Like the XDR, the Studio Display's controls are all in software, so, for instance, if you want to disable it or turn it off you have to unplug it, and it's basically unusable with anything other than a Mac, unless you want a display with no controls.Īnd HDR, HDR, my kingdom for HDR.
It tops out at a 60Hz refresh rate, although other Apple products, like the iPad Pro and some MacBook Pro models, have ProMotion, Apple's 120Hz variable refresh rate technology for smoother video playback and gameplay. There are also some notable capabilities missing that would appeal to everyone. Not just because the webcam turns dumb in the absence of MacOS, but the lack of an onscreen display for switching reference color profiles combined with Windows' how-is-it-still-so-bad color-management interface makes color handling too much trouble. Unsurprisingly, the monitor doesn't play well with Windows.
SRGB, P3-D50 (Apple's alternative to Adobe RGB for print), P3-600 (Apple Display, native), DCI-P3 (6300K, gamma 2.6), Display P3 (6500K, gamma 2.2), HD/BT.709, PAL/SECAM, NTSCġ year limited with 90 days free tech support Nano-texture glass, $299 Tilt-and height-adjustable stand, $399 VESA mount adapter, no extra cost but no stand The speakers sound excellent - for a monitor - but there's some distortion when you crank them, and I missed the fullness a subwoofer would provide and the ability to adjust more than just the volume. The mic's audio quality was fine, as long as you don't mind the lack of ambient noise reduction.
I do think most of the issues with the webcam, like the lack of a narrow-angle view for conferencing, somewhat unimpressive noise reduction and lack of global setting options, can be remedied with software updates.
Trying to be both at the same time adds cost. It could have been either a mainstream monitor well under $1,000 with a webcam and speaker system, designed to connect to a Mac Mini or MacBook Air, or a color-accurate monitor (without the webcam and speakers) for the Mac Studio and MacBook Pro at closer to $1,200. It's expensive but not overpriced for what it delivers it simply offers both too much and too little for its price.Įven if you accept its typical form-over-function Apple-ness - no physical controls, no easily accessible ports, having to pay extra for a height-adjustable stand and so on - it's ultimately expensive for either segment of folks it's suited to.
Not that the 27-inch Apple Studio Display is disappointing: It has excellent color accuracy and surprisingly good speakers for a monitor, making it a solid choice for Mac owners. When Apple announced its $1,599 sibling to the $4,999 Pro Display XDR, I was among those disappointed that the long-anticipated model wasn't simply a smaller, lower-brightness version of its big brother.