Apple on Tuesday introduced the Studio Display XDR with mini-LED backlighting as its new premium monitor for professionals. It replaces the Pro Display XDR in the lineup, though the new model is smaller and lower resolution.
Apple also introduced a second-generation Studio Display, its high-end monitor for prosumers. This includes a better camera, more speakers and other tweaks.
“Apple has led the industry in delivering the world’s most advanced displays for pros to do their life’s best work, and today we do that once again with the introduction of the new Studio Display family,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “Studio Display gets even better with a new 12MP Center Stage camera and powerful Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. And the Studio Display XDR is a huge leap forward for XDR technology, with a mini-LED backlight, 2000 nits of peak HDR brightness, advanced color accuracy, and a 120Hz refresh rate, transforming workflows like filmmaking, design and print, and 3D animation. It’s by far the world’s best pro display.”
Apple revamps its Mac monitors
Apple introduced the Pro Display XDR back in 2019, positioning it as a high-performance monitor for the Mac Pro desktop that also launched at the same time. It included a 32-inch, 6K LCD.
It was joined by the Studio Display in 2022. This 27-inch, 5K monitor was aimed at Mac users who wanted a great-looking screen with bonus features, like a built-in FaceTime camera.
On Tuesday, Apple brought out replacements for both.
Studio Display XDR: For the pros
GIF: Apple
The Studio Display XDR is Apple’s new top-of-the-line desktop monitor. Among its premium features are mini-LED backlights. This uses 2,304 tiny LEDs to provide backlighting for the LCD and illuminate very specific areas. The result is a higher contrast screen, with blacker blacks and improved brightness.
In addition, it features a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals. Adaptive Sync supports a continuously variable refresh rate between 47Hz to 120Hz.
Other premium features include 2000 nits of peak HDR brightness, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, as well as P3 and Adobe RGB wide color gamuts. It also introduces new DICOM medical imaging presets and the Medical Imaging Calibrator.
Apple says, “Studio Display XDR is designed for workflows like HDR video editing, 3D rendering, and diagnostic radiology.”
Unlike the Pro Display XDR it’s replacing, Apple’s latest premium model uses a 27-inch LCD at a 5K (5120 by 2880) resolution.
Thunderbolt 5 is built into the screen, as well as two additional USB-C ports for even more connectivity. It can act as a Thunderbolt hub, too.
Other bonus features include a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, a studio-quality three-microphone array with directional beamforming and a six-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio.
The Studio Display XDR price starts at $3,299 (U.S.), and that includes a tilt- and height-adjustable stand. Optional nano-texture glass adds $300.
Apple will start taking preorders for Studio Display XDR on Wednesday, March 4. The product will begin arriving to customers and will be in select Apple Store locations, starting Wednesday, March 11.
Studio Display 2: For everyone else
Image: Apple
The Apple Studio Display 2 is a modest update to its predecessor. The Center Stage camera offers improved image quality and support for Desk View. There’s now a studio-quality three-microphone array and a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. The desktop screen also now includes Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, providing more downstream connectivity for high-speed accessories or daisy-chaining displays. Its predecessor had Thunderbolt 3.
Apple calls the Studio Display “the perfect companion to Mac.”
It starts at $1,599 (U.S.) with a tilt-adjustable stand. Optional nano-texture glass adds $300, while a tilt- and height-adjustable stand adds $400.
Apple will start taking preorders for Studio Display 2 on Wednesday, March 4. The product will begin arriving to customers and will be in select Apple Store locations, starting Wednesday, March 11.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
