Apple Releases Tool for Calibrating Apple Pro Display XDR

[hugodrax]

Does it also calibrate the stand to ensure it is perfectly level to within 0.0001 degrees?

that requires a starrett granite surface plate

 

[hugodrax]

Kinda... but it's more like flat response monitoring speakers used in recording studios. Those speakers have "uncolored" sound response, but they need calibration (frequency response adjustments) depending on the room acoustics they will be used in, so the mix and mastering engineers have an accurate representation of the sound they are getting. This allows them to take decisions that affect how music or film will sound on PC speakers, cell phone speakers, high-end audio systems, headphones, etc.

heh my Genelec Ones cost more that the monitor, my monitor though is a Dell which make great monitors for the buck, but I work with my ears so the appropriate tools for the job.

 

[s66]

And no, you don't need to spend $15,000 on these calibration devices to achieve "good enough for most production" calibration. There are many colorimeters in the hundreds that can do pretty good job.

I'd bet the calibration done in the factory to the XDRs (they are individually calibrated) will be better than what an el-cheapo calibration device will be able to do. Esp. Considering these displays can output 1500 nits in HDR.

I'm afraid many who don't known 100% sure what they're doing will end up messing it up badly instead of making it better.

For the price and for the target audience shouldn't this have been available day 1 and not almost a year later?

Let's not forget the XDRs come calibrated from the factory already. They will not lose that calibration just because you get them (old CRTs needed to be recalibrated after being shipped due to differences in magnetic field of the earth, but the LCDs don't use magnetic fields like a CRT does.

 

[s66]

Shouldn't my iMac/MacBook and yours show the same colors? I would assume the same to be true with the XDR since it's an apple product

Over the years I've had many MBPs sitting right next to one another doing things and I can assure you that even those bought together in the same batch with nearly sequential serial numbers still do have slightly different color temperatures when showing things in the very same manner (even on brand new machines fresh out of the shrink-wrap)

I've a few XDRs and there is absolutely no difference between them when putting them side-by side (using the same settings obviously).

 

[- rob -]

I’ve been using the the XDR pro display since June, and it’s the best monitor I’ve ever had.

I spend up to 10 to 12 hours a day in front of the computer doing mostly programming.

I also was looking for a midmarket display from Apple that would compete with the LG ultrafine series, in part because of the seamless interoperability with TB3 and macOS.

That failed to materialize however, and I decided to jump in. I’m glad I did.

I also have the pro display stand and it is great. The quality is very high.

If you’re considering getting a pro display please come check out the XDR pro display owners thread. You can learn a lot more about how and why people choose to afford these monitors.

 

[zoom25]

I don’t think Apple displays were ever reasonably priced. They’ve always been priced at a premium in the market. In the Cinema Display era, you could get Dell monitors with the same LCD panel for less than half the cost. That’s a heavy premium for design and OS brightness control. The 5K iMac remains an outlier in this, which is a relative bargain considering the dearth of options and cost for stand-alone 5K displays.

Yeah, the 5K iMac is an incredible deal considering the computer and screen you get for the price. I have been looking at stand alone models, and the options are limited and costly.

If I could use a standalone Apple's own 5k screen without any issues with a Mac mini AND also potentially in the future for a gaming setup, that'd be ideal. 1 screen that just works without issues, for both Macs and Windows.

 

[gugy]

Not a hint, though there have been people asking for it.

I think the main drawback is Apple doesn't believe there is enough of a market to offer it (which implies there is enough of a market to offer the Pro Display XDR).

I wonder if Apple has any agreement with LG for being the main supplier of iMac screens that is holding then from releasing a stand-alone version. The LG displays sells at the Apple Store and maybe that's why we don't have an Apple branded one.
IDK, it's conjecture from my end.

 

[pollycat]

Another data point here from someone who bit the bullet and got one of these displays in August.
One of the best purchases I've ever made.
Rock solid, super sharp and clear, easy on my tired old eyes, lots of screen real estate.

 

[yurc]

yeah, wrong. A comparable display to the XDR runs upwards of $15k. For people who actually know what this is and have a need for it, it's a bargain. If you're just going to use it post on MR, then it's a complete waste of money.

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Nah, I am respectfully disagree.

XDR is good monitor, but in my own usage it doesn't come close with true reference monitor.


Still, it's good for main editing station, but it won't compete with actual reference monitor. Apple over hyped XDR as cheap reference monitor, but in real world I say XDR is just comparable to professional display like Eizo ColorEdge series, but no to reference monitor.

 

[danwells]

There's a LOT in between a $100, 3 year old Spyder 3 Plus and a $16,000 spectroradiometer - and pro monitors like the EIZO ColorEdge and NEC MultiSync PA series calibrate just fine with colorimeters in the $100-$300 range. If Apple insisted on a brand-new SpyderX (which handles higher brightness better) instead of whatever old model people have lying around in a drawer, or even on a $1000 true spectrophotometer like an i1 Pro, that would be a reasonable requirement. Supporting the $16,000 tools for those who have them (Hollywood-scale color grading facilities) also makes sense. High-end photographers and indie filmmakers might use the Pro Display XDR, but won't have $16,000 spectroradiometers...

 

[MrCrowbar]

Now release this for the iPhone ASAP

+1

The color filter on minimum is a tiny bit too much correction. A little more fine control and test images would be great.

 

[ghostwind]

For a professional monitor, the XDR is lacking two major things that pro monitors have. Namely hardware 3D LUT calibration and HDMI and SDI inputs. What pro is using a reference monitor with a Thunderbolt input?

 

[DailySlow]

Because like TVs
For some reason, and I personally don't understand why.
Every manufacturer seems to think they need to make the display show colors in a different way to every other screen.

You'd think after all these year's you#d not need to calibrate anything as all screens/projectors/tv's would show colours the same.
But no.
IT's why people buy equipment then, pay someone else to come round and calibrate it.

And then there's print, inks, etc. etc. and that's very important.

 

[lazyrighteye]

It’s not just a matter of “some people are richer”. If you’re using the monitor for web surfing, then it’s not $7k good for your uses. If you’re working on, say, filmmaking, where your color/brightness/etc has to be exactly the same as everyone else who’s working on the production (producers, editors, special effects artists, etc.), then it’s much more than $7k good - it doesn’t need to be just pretty, it needs to be crazily accurate. For the intended audience this monitor is a bargain. But the general consumer isn’t the intended audience for this monitor. Some understand that, and others get outraged / offended.

I wish Apple would make a $1k-ish monitor as well as this one - it’d be a lovely pairing with a M1 Mac Mini - but they haven’t, yet.

Nah, I get it. Made a living in the creative field, only on Macs, the past 20+ yrs. Have worked on their highest end computers and displays. I guess it’s just been a while since I noticed Apple cater so directly to such a niche/pro audience as they are with this monitor. I mean, catering to the creative pros is what made Apple. Now, in an era where Apple defines the mainstream, as opposed to bucking it, this monitor feels a bit of an anomaly. It’s back to a niche item, for a niche audience, in a company that has become the polar opposite of niche. And I’m not bagging on Apple. Again, they have allowed me to carve out a living. Grateful. In the sea of mainstream iDevices, this one just hits me as different.

 

[agf1997]

And no, you don't need to spend $15,000 on these calibration devices to achieve "good enough for most production" calibration. There are many colorimeters in the hundreds that can do pretty good job.

The listed compatible devices are not colorimeters, they are spectroraidometers.

And they cost approx. $50,000 each not $15,000

 

[nutmac]

The listed compatible devices are not colorimeters, they are spectroraidometers.

And they cost approx. $50,000 each not $15,000

I am not sure whether FlandersScientific.com is considered legitimate, but it is selling CR-300 for $15,999.

I stand corrected on spectroraidometer of course.

 

[CarlJ]

Now, in an era where Apple defines the mainstream, as opposed to bucking it, this monitor feels a bit of an anomaly. It’s back to a niche item, for a niche audience, in a company that has become the polar opposite of niche.

Agreed, the Mac Pro and the XDR monitor are anomalies compared to most of Apple’s offerings. They said very clearly, “we listened to a group of high-end (creative) professionals and made this system for them”, and a lot of consumers responded with, “but this system doesn’t cater to my needs”, and those paying attention are like, “...and? Did you listen to what Apple said? This system is not designed for you.”

I think the frustration comes because they now offer Priuses and Lamborghinis, and nothing in between. Where the old cheese grater Mac Pro was a couple notches up from Prius, but not in super-car territory. Hopefully they make another machine like that in the future.

 

[ghostwind]

I am not sure whether FlandersScientific.com is considered legitimate, but it is selling CR-300 for $15,999.

I stand corrected on spectroraidometer of course.

FSI is totally legitimate.

TBH, the probe choice is weird, to say the least, especially for HDR, as all have issues with low-light.

And to recommend 4 or 5nm, but not list the CR-250, which is 4nm (and 1/2 the price), but instead list the CR-300, which is 2nm, and a lot more expensive, is rather strange too...

It's as if they haven't really bothered to actually look into what's needed, but have just quickly decided to do something.

 

[ghostwind]

It’s not just a matter of “some people are richer”. If you’re using the monitor for web surfing, then it’s not $7k good for your uses. If you’re working on, say, filmmaking, where your color/brightness/etc has to be exactly the same as everyone else who’s working on the production (producers, editors, special effects artists, etc.), then it’s much more than $7k good - it doesn’t need to be just pretty, it needs to be crazily accurate. For the intended audience this monitor is a bargain. But the general consumer isn’t the intended audience for this monitor. Some understand that, and others get outraged / offended.

I wish Apple would make a $1k-ish monitor as well as this one - it’d be a lovely pairing with a M1 Mac Mini - but they haven’t, yet.

Disagree. As a pro, the XDR is not something I would ever use, as it has no internal 3D LUT calibration abilities or HDMI and SDI inputs. I've already commented on their current calibration option they came out with. Pros use Eizo, FSI, and LG OLEDs. This XDR is ...not sure what to be quite honest.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I’ve been using the the XDR pro display since June, and it’s the best monitor I’ve ever had.

I spend up to 10 to 12 hours a day in front of the computer doing mostly programming.

I also was looking for a midmarket display from Apple that would compete with the LG ultrafine series, in part because of the seamless interoperability with TB3 and macOS.

That failed to materialize however, and I decided to jump in. I’m glad I did.

I also have the pro display stand and it is great. The quality is very high.

If you’re considering getting a pro display please come check out the XDR pro display owners thread. You can learn a lot more about how and why people choose to afford these monitors.

I probably fall into the category that most folks would love to hate, or make fun of. But I just bought an XDR and I'm definitely not a professional content creator, or similar.

I also waited years for a mid-tier monitor from Apple, and the 5K LG model underwhelmed me. After thinking about it for many months, I ordered the XDR (plus stand) for delivery next week.

I have been a "display nerd" for 20+ years, always interested in tech and color accuracy/calibration. Looking back, I bought one of the first widescreen standard definition RPTVs (a Toshiba 40") back in 1999.

I don't keep most computers/phones/iPads very long, but I plan to get 8+ years out of the XDR, which works out to about $2 a day. And considering how many hours a day I spend staring a my screen, especially now that I work from home, I felt more comfortable with the investment.

 

[agf1997]

I am not sure whether FlandersScientific.com is considered legitimate, but it is selling CR-300 for $15,999.

Flanders is very legit. Great company. Smart people. Bram knows his stuff.

Sorry I forgot about the CR-300 ... it's the budget device of the group. PhotoResearch is definitely considered the gold standard.

 

[ghostwind]

I probably fall into the category that most folks would love to hate, or make fun of. But I just bought an XDR and I'm definitely not a professional content creator, or similar.

I also waited years for a mid-tier monitor from Apple, and the 5K LG model underwhelmed me. After thinking about it for many months, I ordered the XDR (plus stand) for delivery next week.

I have been a "display nerd" for 20+ years, always interested in tech and color accuracy/calibration. Looking back, I bought one of the first widescreen standard definition RPTVs (a Toshiba 40") back in 1999.

I don't keep most computers/phones/iPads very long, but I plan to get 8+ years out of the XDR, which works out to about $2 a day. And considering how many hours a day I spend staring a my screen, especially now that I work from home, I felt more comfortable with the investment.

I think I had that same Toshiba. I remember removing the plastic/reflective/protective cover from it/the frame with an exacto knife and then calibrating it to ISF standards. It was great next to my Sony CRT projector.

So I'm surprised to see that for someone who cares about color accuracy and calibration as much as I do, that you went ahead with the XDR. You do mention you are not a pro content creator however, so that would make sense, but why not an Eizo CG319X for example?

 

[blackadde]

The XDR by all accounts is a wonderful (video?) content consumption display. Everything looks good on it, it's super high res, and the industrial design is classically beautiful. If you just using it as a fancy desktop display it's probably amazing. Notice how every poster in this thread who bought and love it are in programming and IT, not pre-press or video color correction. It's probably a lot less ideal due to FALD drawbacks and panel uniformity / color casts if you stare at black and white color fields all day, as a type designer might.

 

[agf1997]

TBH, the probe choice is weird, to say the least, especially for HDR, as all have issues with low-light.

And to recommend 4 or 5nm, but not list the CR-250, which is 4nm (and 1/2 the price), but instead list the CR-300, which is 2nm, and a lot more expensive, is rather strange too...

It's as if they haven't really bothered to actually look into what's needed, but have just quickly decided to do something.

The 740 and 745 are very good in low-light. I upgraded from a 705 to a 740 a number of years ago specifically because of the low light measurement capabilities. The 788 is supposed to be an extended dynamic range version of the 740. I also think it has variable spectral bandwidth. BTW, this is where cheap devices (particularly low cost colorimeters) have major issues.

The Colorimetry Research devices (e.g. CR250) are nice. Sad to see them not on the list but they are the new comer to the group.

The CR-300 has been around forever (I don't think Minolta even makes it anymore), but a lot of people have it. And by a lot I mean some portion of the 20 of us that actually use these things. Not exactly a mass market. ;-)

 

[BeatCrazy]

I think I had that same Toshiba. I remember removing the plastic/reflective/protective cover from it/the frame with an exacto knife and then calibrating it to ISF standards. It was great next to my Sony CRT projector.

And remember the first time you could switch on the 16:9 picture setting on a DVD player to get that sweet, sweet anamorphic image on your display? This was well before the first HDTV broadcasts even, ha.

So I'm surprised to see that for someone who cares about color accuracy and calibration as much as I do, that you went ahead with the XDR. You do mention you are not a pro content creator however, so that would make sense, but why not an Eizo CG319X for example?

The XDR will replace my iMac Pro, so I'm very spoiled by 5K and associated PPI. Not that a CG319X would be a bad experience, but I figured if I was going to drop >$2K, I would want to at least match or improve upon the iMac 5K screen in respects to: 1) overall image size, 2) color accuracy, 3) PPI/scaling, and 4) aesthetics. No doubt the CG319X could hit 2-3 of those, but for a similar price, I'll trade absolute color accuracy for the Mac ecosystem usability of the XDR.

As mentioned by @blackadde above, I'm more of a very critical content consumer vs. creator. Would I prefer the XDR cost <$3K? Absolutely! But I've been disappointed with consumer displays in the price range, other than iMacs. And, I wanted a bit more flexibility than iMacs offer today.