Apple Studio Display: Test of the noble monitor


Apple stopped making screens for a long time and left the field to other manufacturers. It wasn’t until 2019 that a (very expensive) monitor came back with the Pro XDR Display. The new Apple Studio Display looks just as chic, is a lot cheaper and received many top marks in the test.

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Great image quality, but not flawless

With the Studio Display, not only the design but also the picture is chic. Thanks to the high brightness (up to 609 candelas per square meter), extremely accurate color reproduction and large color space (also covers the larger DCI-P3 color space very far off) the studio display cuts a fine figure, especially when editing photos and videos. There are a lot of details to see with 5K resolution. However, the black value (0.55 candelas per square meter) and contrast (1054:1) are rather disappointing for the asking price of around 1,700 euros. The speakers and the built-in webcam are really good: The former make a headset for video conferences superfluous and are also a lot of fun when streaming via Netflix or Disney+. The webcam has its own processor (the A13 known from slightly older iPhones such as the iPhone 11) and can therefore automatically follow the user’s movements (Apple calls this technology “Center Stage”, it is also used in newer iPad models such as the iPad Air for use). Apple’s Siri voice control also uses the A13 chip.
Apple Studio Display Connections

The Apple Studio Display comes with four USB-C ports, one of which uses Thunderbolt technology. It is used to connect the computer and can also charge notebooks.

Apple preferred

The Studio Display runs best on a Mac. Windows PCs are more bitchy: They don’t always want to supply the Studio Display with an image and cannot change the settings of the Studio Display – these are common on macOS as with Apple set via the connected Mac. Of four tested notebooks with USB-C display port, only recognized that Acer Swift X the studio display.

Apple Studio Display monitor stand

With the standard stand, the Apple Studio Display can only be adjusted in terms of inclination. A height-adjustable foot with a very complex mechanism is available for a (hefty) surcharge.

Expensive extras

Even the standard version of the Studio Display is not a bargain, but there is more: For example, if you have a height-adjustable monitor stand If you want to have one, you can get a particularly chic model with a sophisticated balancing mechanism from Apple, but then you have to budget around 2,200 euros. The combination of the VESA version of the Studio Display (costs the same as the standard model) and a separate monitor base or monitor arm according to the VESA standard is more economical to adjust the height. A second possible extra on the Studio Display is the nanotexture coating (like the Pro XDR Display). It costs about 250 euros extra and prevents annoying reflections on the monitor surface despite the high-gloss surface. A great thing when the monitor is by the window or under a lamp, as the image quality does not suffer from the coating. Unlike most anti-glare monitors, the image does not become duller.

How good is the picture quality?

Color fidelity / deviations in grayscale / white rendering (color temperature)

Maximum brightness / black level / medium contrast ratio

Color space coverage: standard (sRGB) / extended (DCI-P3)

Switching time of the pixels (average / maximum)

Pixel density relative to screen size (number of pixels per inch)

Maximum brightness deviations across the entire screen

Gloss level of the screen surface / screen frame

Maximum refresh rate at native resolution

How good is the equipment?

Supplied connection cable

Additional headphone jack / audio input

Picture representations (picture in picture / picture next to picture)

Multimonitoring via Type C

How easy is it to use?

Adjustment options / preparation for wall mounting / weight of monitor / weight of power supply

Device settings / operation (personal opinion of the testers)

Menu settings/ operation (personal opinion of the testers)

How much energy does the device use?

Power consumption in application mode / standby / switched off

very high (98.8%) / high (11.2%) / very natural (6595 Kelvin)

high (598 cd/m²) / high (0.53 cd/m²) / very low (1068:1)

very high (no visible distortions)

very high (99.9%) / very high (97.1%)

short (11.0ms) / short (18.7ms)

very high (218 dpi at 5120 x 2880 pixels)

few (1 x USB-C with Thunderbolt and Displayport)

3 x USB-C (up to 10GBit/s, with charging function), 1 x USB-C Power Delivery

USB-C (with Thunderbolt and Displayport)

very few (angle of inclination) / no / 6.5 kg / 0 kg (built-in)

very extensive / comfortable

very basic / somewhat uncomfortable

a little high (56.58 watts / 0.11 watts / 0.37 watts)

Webcam with follow mode, voice control (Siri)

Replaces the iMac

With the introduction of the Studio Display, Apple has retired the large iMac 27 inch (and its more expensive professional version iMac Pro). If you want to buy an all-in-one PC from Apple, you only get the smaller 24-inch iMac with the latest technology. Not a big loss, because a Mac mini and Studio Display combo is almost as fast (and can be cheaper), a Studio Display and Mac Studio combo (with M1 Max or M1 Ultra) is significantly faster.
  • High image quality
  • Very detailed picture
  • high price
  • Adjustable only in inclination

Test conclusion Apple Studio Display

The Apple Studio Display (Test score 1.9) is a chic monitor with high image quality – super sharp, very detailed and with great color reproduction. This makes it the ideal partner for a Mac Studio or a MacBook Pro, but it’s also damn expensive. If you want to connect a Windows computer to the studio display, you should try out whether it recognizes the monitor before you buy it.



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