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.
The best 4K monitors
Huawei
Details about the test
Per
High image quality
Very large color space
against
Uneven illumination
Asus
Details about the test
Per
High color fidelity (97.3%)
Very high sRBG color space coverage (100%)
against
Slightly high deviations in grayscale (3.0%)
Slightly high brightness deviations over the entire display (10.05%)
LG Electronics
Details about the test
Per
Particularly high image quality in 4K
Versatile adjustable
against
No speakers built in
Phillips
Details about the test
Per
High image quality
Bright and high-contrast image
against
Excessive brightness deviations across the screen
Few adjustment options
Phillips
Details about the test
Per
Sharpness, brightness and colors very good
Outstanding sound quality
against
Coarse motorized backlight control
Expensive
Phillips
Details about the test
Per
High image quality
Versatile adjustable
LG Electronics
Details about the test
Per
High color fidelity (96.9%)
High sRBG color space coverage (97.2%)
against
A bit dark (327 cd/sqm)
Slightly high deviations in grayscale (3.8%)
A.O.C
Details about the test
Per
High color fidelity (97.0%)
High sRBG color space coverage (96.5%)
against
Very high deviations in grayscale (6.7%)
Slightly high brightness deviations over the entire display (12.45%)
Complete List: The Best 4K Monitors
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 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.
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.