Apple Studio Display

27-inch 5K Retina display with integrated Apple A13 CPU

Mar 9, 2022: Ordered Apple Mac Studio M1 Ultra. Delivery changed a few times, last estimate June 29.
Apr 19, 2022: Ordered Apple Studio Display that should deliver by June 3.
Jun 3, 2022: Apple Studio Display: Delivered! Still, I can’t use it since the Mac Studio has not <sigh>.
Jun 24, 2022: Mac Studio M1 Ultra shipped and could be here tomorrow which will be the 109th day.
Jun 25, 2022: Apple Mac Studio M1 Ultra: Delivered!
Oct 3, 2023: Ordered 2nd Apple Studio Display that should deliver next day.
Oct 4. 2023: 2nd Apple Studio Display: Delivered!

Apple Studio Display Tilt $1599.00 – Tilt & Height $1999.00 – VESA $1599.00

Apple Studio Display Features:

• Immersive 27-inch 5K Retina display with 600 nits of brightness, support for one billion colors, and P3 wide color
• 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage for more engaging video calls
• Studio-quality three-mic array for crystal-clear calls and voice recordings
• Six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio for an unbelievable listening experience
• One Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB-C ports
• 96W of power delivery to charge your Mac notebook
• Nano-texture glass option
• Configurable stand options

Cutting to the chase, I love this display. It is so good. I can visualize that a $3000.00+ display with mini-LED and 120HZ refresh rate would also be very nice, but this $1599.00 display is killer and unmatched by competition.

The solid and stylish aluminum build of the Studio Display is unique. Most if not all other non-Apple displays are plastic. There are not a lot of 5K displays out there, and this resolution means a lot to me. 5210×2880 resolution is to behold. To be able get a 5210×2880 screen print rocks. Pixel perfect with no scaling is amazing thing to see. 600 nits of brightness totally works. The color functions that visual creatives would appreciate are spot on.

The speakers and microphones I am sure are unmatched by any other. As a musical sort though, I have higher quality alternatives more suitable for music and video. I would imagine most people that can afford a $1599.00 display also have better speakers and headphones. Most musicians or video content creators are not looking to their display for speakers and mics. I won’t be listening to albums or watching movies with the Studio Display speakers most of the time either, no matter how good they are.

I usually use pro-level Bluetooth headphones or wired headphones/microphones routed through my interface, but I can see the Studio Display speakers and mics as useful for videoconferencing with FaceTime, Zoom, etc., or viewing something with someone in person without turning on my interface, microphone and powered monitor speakers.

The $1599.00-$2299.00 price depending on the options, eh… the $400 tilt and height adjustable stand is kind of a stab, but OK on the rest. For its top-end dollar outlay, I expect and believe the Studio Display is a top end display unmatched by competition. My perspective is as someone coming from a several hundred dollar 24″ 1920×1080 display. I’m not someone overjoyed with a less expensive offering than the $5998.00 including stand Apple Pro XDR Display. A pair of $1599.00-$2299.00 displays stretches my brain as far as it goes without breaking. For me, $1600.00 for one or $3200 for a pair of 27″ displays took some serious brain gymnastics to get to. I did get there for one Studio Display initially and a second one later.

I think many people were hoping for a display that was and still is unavailable in the market, a Mini LED screen with newer back-lighting technology instead of LED, HDR instead of SDR, and a variable refresh rate up to 120HZ instead of 60HZ. I can imagine the unannounced but expected someday Apple Studio Pro Display could have these specifications, but estimated to be over $3000.00 each, it’s out of my reach.

Truth be told, you can’t get an equal or better 5K Apple quality display with Apple system functionality for a price equal to or less than the Studio Display. You just can’t. If you want better, you’re going to pay handsomely for it, either $3000.00+ for the rumored Studio Pro Display or $6000.00 for the Apple Pro XDR Display.

The real value of the Studio Display comes when paired with an Apple Mac. Creatives and video communicators should appreciate the features of the Studio Display the most. It is not a gaming display. If gaming is your priority and/or lone pursuit, you’d be happier with a higher refresh rate 4k display instead of or in addition to this display. It is not a display for PCs. It will work on a PC with Thunderbolt 3, but you’ll miss all the CPU and software driven features, so why?

So all that said, reported low quality camera functionality and buggy behavior Center Stage behavior on some blogs and YouTube channels really didn’t cloud my purchase interest. For starters, it’s a valid explanation that 1080p webcam video on a 27″ 5K display is always going to look grainy next to the 5K by its very nature and specifications. Second, Apple says there will be improvements for the camera soon in new firmware. Multiple independent sources concur, the A13 CPU is running iOS 15.4 and the camera can be upgraded with software. I’m inclined to think Apple will take care of this quickly. Anyone semi-seasoned in electronic music knows waiting for a specific firmware fix can be risky, time consuming and frustrating, but I expect the fixes will be in and verifiable before the Apple Studio Pro Display is announced.

FYI, the Apple Studio Display replaces the 27″ LG UltraFine 5K monitor in Apple’s lineup and has been removed from Apple.com. When you really look at the quality, specs and reputation of the various pieces of this 6 year old LG monitor, it doesn’t stack up to the Studio Display anyway.

I’ll keep you up to date if anything changes.

Thanks!
-Yehuda

Manufacturer’s website
https://www.apple.com/studio-display/

Product support, downloads
https://support.apple.com/

Videos

Yehuda Rothschild Apple Studio Display YouTube Playlist

Useful Links