Why I don't think Apple's Studio Display isn't worth it anymore

Summary

There’s no HDR support or local dimming on the Studio Display
The 60Hz refresh rate can limit your gaming experience
The overpriced Studio Display lacks HDMI ports and height adjustability

When the first Apple silicon iMacs were introduced, we had to say goodbye to one of the most beautiful displays that Apple had ever made. The stunning display on the 27-inch Retina 5K iMac is a thing of beauty and something that’s sorely missing from the current iMacs.

Apple realized that plenty of people still wanted a 27-inch 5K display to use with their Mac, so when the Retina 5K iMac was discontinued, the Studio Display launched. Apple’s 27-inch 5K display is still a thing of beauty, but it comes with a hefty price tag.

When the Studio Display first released, you could just about persuade yourself that paying $1,600 for essentially the same display in a Retina 5K iMac was worth the money. However, there are multiple reasons why Apple’s Studio Display just isn’t worth it anymore.

Apple Studio Display

$1439 $1599 Save $160

A 5K thunderbolt display designed by Apple optimized for its Mac lineup.

The Studio Display doesn’t support HDR content

You’re paying $1,600 for an SDR monitor

There’s a lot that the Studio Display does well, but there’s also a surprising amount that it doesn’t do. For starters, there’s no support for HDR content in a $1600 monitor. For context, this is a feature iPhones have had since the iPhone X way back in 2017.

Part of the reason why the Studio Display doesn’t support HDR is that there’s no local dimming.

The LED backlight always emits some light, so it’s not possible to produce the deep blacks needed for HDR content. The Studio Display also only reaches 600 nits of brightness, so there isn’t really enough range for HDR content. Don’t worry, though; if HDR is an issue, you can always upgrade to the Pro Display XDR instead for a cool $5,000.

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The Studio Display has a 60Hz refresh rate

More NoMotion than ProMotion

Screenshot from video game No Man's Sky in space

Hello Games

Macs have never been high on the list if you’re looking for a gaming computer. Still, it is possible to play games on a Mac, and if you’re going to do so, you’d expect your $1,600 display to give you smooth motion and responsive gameplay. Sadly, this is far from the case.

There’s no variable refresh rate in the Studio Display; you’re limited to 60Hz. If you’re playing a game such as No Man’s Sky, which can run well above 60fps on modern Macs, you won’t benefit from the smoother motion, reduced blur, and better responsiveness that monitors with higher refresh rates can offer.

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The Studio Display has no HDMI ports

Good luck connecting your PS5 to your Studio Display

PS5 and controller on colored background

The Studio Display has four ports: one Thunderbolt port and three USB-C ports. These ports are all very useful, with the Thunderbolt port able to charge compatible MacBooks, although at 96W it may not be able to deliver enough power for high-end MacBook Pro models during intensive tasks.

If you were hoping you could just connect your gaming console to your Studio Display and start playing, you’re out of luck.

There is a significant port missing from the Studio Display, however: there’s no HDMI port. If you were hoping you could just connect your gaming console to your Studio Display and start playing, you’re out of luck. The Studio Display is essentially designed to connect to a Mac and any other devices be damned.

It is possible to hook up your console to the Studio Display using adapters, but many of these solutions have significant problems, such as no audio or lower resolutions. You can also buy HDMI to DisplayPort converters that sit between your console and the Studio Display and convert the signal that’s passed to the Studio Display. However, these will set you back another $200 or so, making your expensive monitor even more pricey.

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A height-adjustable stand is another $400

If you want to raise your Studio Display you’re going to have to pay

Apple

Still, for $1,600 you’re surely getting a display that you can adjust to the optimum height for your needs, right? Well, no, of course you’re not.

The standard Studio Display comes with a tilt-adjustable stand with 30 degrees of tilt, but no way to change the height at all. For the same price, you can also opt for a VESA mount adapter that lets you mount the Studio Display on a wall or desk mount. But here’s the rub: Apple states that the stand and VESA mount aren’t interchangeable after purchase, so once you’ve chosen your option, you have a job on your hands if you change your mind.

Of course, Apple does offer a tilt- and height-adjustable stand that allows you to raise or lower the display by up to 105mm. You just have to pay $400 extra for the privilege, taking the cost of the standard Studio Display up to a cool $2,000. Yikes.

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A new Studio Display could be coming soon

You shouldn’t have too long to wait for the next model

If you’re coming from a Retina 5K iMac, the new 24-inch 4.5K iMac can feel like a bit of a downgrade. The only way to get that beautiful Apple 27-inch 5K goodness is to buy a Studio Display and pair it with whatever Mac you want.

Despite the limitations of the Studio Display, such as the lack of HDR support and 60Hz refresh rate, it’s still a beautiful-looking monitor, and currently the best way to enjoy macOS in the “Retina” pixel density it’s designed for. If you wanted the best way to enjoy macOS in 27-inch 5K glory, and you could afford the steep price, then the Studio Display made sense for some people when it was first released.

If the rumors are to be believed, there is a new Studio Display on the way that will solve many of the problems with the current model.

Now, however, that’s not the case. That’s because if the rumors are to be believed, there’s a new Studio Display on the way that will solve many of the problems with the current model. The new model is expected to feature mini-LED backlighting, so it should have better contrast, deeper blacks, and be able to support HDR content.

With a new Studio Display potentially arriving as soon as this year, it doesn’t make sense to shell out $1,600 on the current model when a much-improved model may be just around the corner.

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The Apple Studio Display is just not worth the price tag

You used to get the same display with a computer in it for a similar price

27-inch iMac Retina 5K, 2020, on a white background.

Apple

This is the biggest issue with the Studio Display. Even when it was first launched, the price was seriously high without the shadow of an updated model hanging over it.

For $200 more than the price of a Studio Display, you could get a beautiful 27-inch 5K display that ran macOS at the perfect pixel density, and get an entire computer thrown into the deal.

To put it into context, the Studio Display launched in March 2022 and the 27-inch iMac 5K was discontinued at the same time. Before it was discontinued, you could purchase a 27-inch Retina 5K iMac for $1800. In other words, for $200 more than the price of a Studio Display, you could get a beautiful 27-inch 5K display that ran macOS at the perfect pixel density, and get an entire computer thrown into the deal.

The standard model came with a 3.1GHz 6-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM that was user-accessible and could be upgraded to 128GB, a 256GB SSD, an AMD Radeon Pro 5300 graphics card with 4GB of memory, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and SDXC card slot, four USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a Magic Keyboard, and a Magic Mouse. All of that for $200 more than the price of a Studio Display.

Pricing the Studio Display at almost the same cost as the Retina 5K iMac was a real kick in the teeth for those who wanted a new 27-inch iMac and could no longer buy one. Now that the Retina 5K iMac is no more, the Studio Display is the only way that Apple offers to get the same beautiful display. With the features it’s missing, however, unless money isn’t an object, it’s just not worth the price for what you get.

Is Apple doing enough to keep the iMac’s profound legacy afloat?

There’s simply no way around it — the iMac is one of the most important computers to have ever been released. Upon his return to a floundering Apple in 1997, co-founder Steve Jobs ushered in a new era for the company with the launch of the original iMac model.Often referred to as the iMac G3 in retrospect, this 1998 product represented a pivotal moment in the consumer tech market. In a sea of uninspired beige PC boxes, Jobs had the gall to release a statement piece — the iMac shipped with a translucent casing, a fun bondi blue colorway, a built-in handle for maneuverability, a puck-shaped mouse, and without a floppy disk drive in sight. Apple has kept the iMac product line alive ever since, redesigning the chassis more than once to keep up with the times. The latest rendition of the iMac — with its flat-edges, bright colors, and iconic front chin — is in many ways an homage to the original iMac, which had also incorporated playful colors of its own.Unfortunately, in this post

Alternatives to the Studio Display

You can buy two decent 5K displays for the same price

Asus

If you’re not willing to pay $1,600 for the Studio Display, there are other options out there. It’s hard to look beyond the 27-inch 5K ASUS ProArt display. It has the same resolution as the Studio Display with the same “Retina” pixel density. It also supports HDR, includes an HDMI port, and the height-adjustable stand isn’t an extra $400. The best part is the price; you can get one for $800, or two for the same price as a Studio Display.

Asus ProArt Display 27-inch 5K HDR Professional Monitor

The Asus ProArt Display 27-inch 5K HDR Professional Monitor is a 5K display that matches the resolution and pixel density of the much more expensive Apple Studio Display. It also offers HDR support and an HDMI port, both of which are missing from the Studio Display.

Other options include the 5K Samsung ViewFinity S9 which is currently available for $999, or if 5K isn’t a dealbreaker, the 27-inch BenQ MA270U 4K monitor is designed to accurately match the color profile of your MacBook display, making it a great choice for a dual-screen setup, and is currently just $460.

Ultimately, the Studio Display is a gorgeous 5K monitor, but its high price and missing features make it hard to recommend when there’s a new model around the corner. It makes more sense to wait for the next Studio Display to be released or choose a cheaper option.