Apple Studio Display
Computer monitor manufactured by Apple Inc
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Apple Studio Display (marketed as Studio Display) is a line of 27 in (690 mm) flat panel computer monitors developed and sold by Apple Inc.[1] The first generation Studio Display was announced on March 8, 2022, alongside the Mac Studio desktop, and was released on March 18, 2022. It was sold alongside the Pro Display XDR as a consumer option.
March 11, 2026 (second generation and XDR)
$1899 (first and second generation nano-texture glass)
$3299 (XDR with standard glass)
$3599 (XDR with nano-texture glass)
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Computer monitor |
| Released | March 18, 2022 (first generation) March 11, 2026 (second generation and XDR) |
| Introductory price | $1599 (first and second generation with standard glass) $1899 (first and second generation nano-texture glass) $3299 (XDR with standard glass) $3599 (XDR with nano-texture glass) |
| Discontinued | March 3, 2026 (first generation) |
| Operating system | Studio Display Firmware (iOS 17 distribution) |
| Current firmware | Studio Display Firmware 17 |
| Predecessor | LG UltraFine (Apple-endorsed third party) Apple Thunderbolt Display (Apple-branded) Pro Display XDR (to Studio Display XDR) |
| Related | Pro Display XDR (to first generation) |
| Website | Official website |
The second-generation Studio Display and the higher-end Studio Display XDR were released on March 11, 2026.
Overview
First generation
The first generation Studio Display is the first Apple-branded consumer display released since the Apple Thunderbolt Display was discontinued in 2016.[2] In the interim, Apple worked with LG to design the Thunderbolt 3-enabled UltraFine line, consisting of 21.5 in (550 mm) (later revised to 24 in (610 mm)) 4K and 27-inch 5K displays.[3] The Studio Display name was previously used for a line of displays marketed by Apple from 1998 to 2004.[4]
The Studio Display features a 27 in (690 mm), 5k LED-backlit panel, with 5120×2880 resolution at 218 pixels per inch and 600 nits of brightness, an increase from the 500 nits panel used in the LG UltraFine and 27 in (690 mm) iMac.[5][6] The panel also supports P3 wide color and True Tone technology.[7] It does not support HDR content.[8] It also includes a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers that support spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, and a three-microphone array that supports "Hey Siri".[9] On the rear of the display is a Thunderbolt 3 port that supports DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression (DSC) 1.2 and provides up to 96 W of host charging for connected laptops, and three downstream 10 Gbit/s USB-C ports.
The Studio Display includes an Apple A13 Bionic system-on-a-chip, which was introduced with the iPhone 11 line, to power audio and webcam processing. The built-in webcam supports Center Stage, introduced with the iPad Pro (5th generation), which pinpoints the positions of the users and automatically tracks the camera view accordingly to perspectively center them.[10] The A13 chip is paired with 64 GB of internal storage but only uses 2 GB at a time.[11]
The Studio Display comes in three mounting option configurations: a tilt-adjustable stand, a tilt- and height-adjustable stand similar to the Pro Display XDR, and a VESA mount. The mounts are built into the display and are not user interchangeable, but can be reconfigured by an Apple Store or authorized service provider after purchase.[12][13] Like the Pro Display XDR, it could also be configured with the optional laser-etched "nano-texture" glass finish to reduce glare.
The Studio Display has a 1.8 m (5.9 ft) proprietary power cable, which requires a special tool to separate from the display.[14] The display comes with a braided 1 m (3 ft) Thunderbolt 3 cable, and longer braided Thunderbolt 4 Pro cables in lengths of 1.8 m (6 ft) and 3 m (10 ft) are available separately.
Second generation
The second generation Studio Display was announced on March 3, 2026, and includes Thunderbolt 5 connectivity with a second downstream Thunderbolt port, an Apple A19 chip, a Center Stage camera that supports Desk View, and improved speakers.[15][16]
XDR
The Studio Display XDR was announced on March 3, 2026, and includes Mini LED backlighting that supports up to 2,000 nits for HDR content, a 120Hz refresh rate, an A19 Pro chip, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and a second downstream Thunderbolt port, and 140 W of host charging for connected laptops. Following its announcement, the Pro Display XDR was discontinued.[15][16]
Compatibility
First generation
The first generation Studio Display is compatible with all Macs with Thunderbolt 3 or newer running macOS Monterey 12.3 and later:
- MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
- MacBook Air (2018 or later)
- Mac Mini (2018 or later)
- iMac (2017 or later)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Pro (2019 or later)
- Mac Studio (2022 or later)
It is also compatible with the following iPads running iPadOS 15.4 and later:
The Studio Display works with other systems supporting DisplayPort, including Windows-based systems, but only supported Macs have access to features beyond display, speakers and webcam.[17] Intel Macs running Windows via Boot Camp are supported with version 6.1.17.[18] Other Apple devices supporting DisplayPort such as the iPhone 15 and newer, 6th generation iPad Mini and newer, 10th generation iPad and newer, and the 4th generation iPad Air will output to it, but at lower upscaled resolutions.[19]
Second generation and XDR
The second generation Studio Display and Studio Display XDR (at 60Hz) are compatible with all Macs with an Apple M-series chip running macOS Tahoe 26.3.1:
- MacBook Air (M1, 2020) or later
- MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) or later
- Mac mini (M1, 2020) or later
- iMac (M1, 2021) or later
- Mac Studio (M1 Max/Ultra, 2022) or later
- Mac Pro (M2 Ultra, 2023)
The MacBook Neo can only run at scaled 4K resolution.[20]
They are also compatible with the following iPads running iPadOS 26.3.1 and later:
Using the Studio Display XDR at 120Hz requires a Mac with an M2 Pro/Max/Ultra chip, M3 Pro/Max/Ultra chip, or an M4 chip or newer, or the iPad Pro (M5).[15]
Technical specifications
| Studio Display (first generation)[21] | Studio Display (second generation) | Studio Display XDR[22] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timetable | Announced | March 8, 2022 | March 3, 2026 | ||||||
| Released | March 18, 2022 | March 11, 2026 | |||||||
| Discontinued | March 3, 2026 | n/a | |||||||
| Unsupported | Supported | ||||||||
| Model number(s) | A2525[23] | ||||||||
| Order number(s) | MK0U3LL/A[23] | ||||||||
| Video | Display | 27 inches (690 mm), IPS LCD, glossy glass or nano-texture glass covered screen, 5K (5120×2880) resolution, True Tone technology | |||||||
| Backlight | LED | Mini LED with 2304 dimming zones | |||||||
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 (widescreen) | ||||||||
| Pixel density | 218 pixels per inch | ||||||||
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz with Adaptive Sync | |||||||
| Colors | P3 wide color gamut, 10-bit depth for 1.073 billion colors | P3 + Adobe RGB wide color gamuts, 10-bit depth for 1.073 billion colors | |||||||
| Contrast ratio | 970:1[24] | 1,000,000:1 | |||||||
| Brightness | 600 nits | Up to 1000 nits (SDR), 2000 nits peak (HDR) | |||||||
| System on a chip | Apple A13 Bionic | Apple A19[16] | Apple A19 Pro | ||||||
| Memory | 4GB RAM | 8GB RAM | 12GB RAM | ||||||
| Storage | 64 GB NAND flash memory | 128 GB NAND flash memory | |||||||
| Input/Output | Camera | 12 MP Ultra Wide camera with 122° field of view supporting Center Stage | |||||||
| Supports Desk View | |||||||||
| Speakers | High-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers supporting spatial audio and Dolby Atmos | ||||||||
| Microphone | Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming and support for "Hey Siri" | ||||||||
| Power input | 100–240 V AC @ 50–60 Hz | ||||||||
| Material | Aluminum frame and glass front | ||||||||
| Connections | Cables | AC power cord | |||||||
| Peripheral connections | 3× powered USB-C (10 Gbit/s) ports for peripheral devices 1× 96 W powered Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port |
2× powered USB-C (10 Gbit/s) ports for peripheral devices 1× 96 W powered Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) port, 1× downstream Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) port |
2× powered USB-C (10 Gbit/s) ports for peripheral devices 1× 140 W powered Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) port, 1× downstream Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) port | ||||||
| Mounting options | Tilt-adjustable stand | Tilt-adjustable and height-adjustable stand | VESA Mount Adapter | Tilt-adjustable stand | Tilt-adjustable and height-adjustable stand | VESA Mount Adapter | Tilt-adjustable and height-adjustable stand | VESA Mount Adapter | |
| Dimensions | Height | 18.8 in (480 mm) | 23 in (580 mm) – 18.8 in (480 mm) | 14.3 in (360 mm) | 18.8 in (480 mm) | 23 in (580 mm) – 18.8 in (480 mm) | 14.3 in (360 mm) | 23 in (580 mm) – 18.8 in (480 mm) | 14.3 in (360 mm) |
| Width × Depth | 24.5 in × 62.3 in × 1.2 in (622 mm × 1,582 mm × 30 mm) | 24.5 in × 62.3 in × 1.3 in (622 mm × 1,582 mm × 33 mm) | |||||||
| Weight | 13.9 lb. (6.3 kg) | 16.9 lb. (7.7 kg) | 12.1 lb. (5.5 kg) | 13.9 lb. (6.3 kg) | 16.8 lb. (7.6 kg) | 11.9 lb. (5.4 kg) | 18.7 lb. (8.5 kg) | 13.9 lb. (6.3 kg) | |
Reception
The Verge praised the Studio Display's macOS integration and sound and microphone quality, but criticized the webcam quality, lack of customizable mounting options, and lack of variable refresh rates, local dimming and HDR, saying it includes "panel tech that is woefully behind the curve".[25] ZDNET praised the display's design, build quality, and color accuracy, but criticized its usability outside of an Apple ecosystem.[26]
See also
- Apple displays
- Apple Studio Display (1998–2004)
- Apple Cinema Display (1999–2011)
- Apple Thunderbolt Display (2011–2016)
- Pro Display XDR (2019–2026)