Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Studio Display - Owners Thread
- Thread starter KPOM
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I applied mine a couple days ago and didn't notice any difference.
Not seeing any difference yet. Acording to some info I've read somewhere (can't remember where), the firmware fixes some stability issues.
It's a damn shame the new firmware doesn't fix issues like the resizing or resolution of windows after sleep or restart. Luckily Cordless Dog's 'Stay' app keeps on top of this issue at times.
So, after visiting the Apple Store today to see it by myself I just ordered my Studio Display (standard model).
MBP M1 owner here... after owning a LG 27UP850-W 4K for a year which was doing a OK job (I guess, well I chose it because the comments were really good when pairing it with a M1), it broke while I moved out of my flat a couple months ago, so I purchased a crappy entry-level Philips 4k monitor just to get by with my daily use for a short period of time. This is when I realised then how horrendous this scaling thing is! Omg the text is blurry, disgusting pixels all over the place, the awful bleeding, the atrocious white/black and the crappy brightness/contrast despite finding the best monitor settings. So I started to dig into every YouTube video and test out there, only to realise that 5k monitor is a MUST for Apple users for all the reasons you already know (and that I have overlooked in the past).
What have I done wasting my time (and eyesight) during this whole time? 😅 not using a 5k with Apple should be prohibited, there should be a clear message from Apple because it's really compulsory. I heard a YouTuber highlighting that the difference in pixels between a 4k and a 5k is 55% more pixels! No wonder this is so blurry when scaling... adding onto this the random calibration of non-Apple monitors with Apple products, the better brightness/contrast of the Apple Studio Display and the fact that of course I won't have to bother anymore with the Apple Studio Display: just plug and play! And also the proportions are the same as the MBP screen.
Of course the ASD has some specs missing, which will probably be available with the next Apple monitors, but that are not critical for me. Of course OLED Pro Motion 120 blabla will be sweet but at this expensive price I can probably start saving already 😅 the ASD is all I needed for now. Expensive, but just what Apple owners need indeed. No choice!
You can't imaging how exhausting it is when being used to Retina screens on MacBooks and iPhones since so many years and all of a sudden having to turn to a ****** monitor! Driving my brain crazy! I think I can never go back to anything less 5k when receiving my ASD tomorrow. Well done Apple, great marketing once again you got us on a leash
Take my money!
MBP M1 owner here... after owning a LG 27UP850-W 4K for a year which was doing a OK job (I guess, well I chose it because the comments were really good when pairing it with a M1), it broke while I moved out of my flat a couple months ago, so I purchased a crappy entry-level Philips 4k monitor just to get by with my daily use for a short period of time. This is when I realised then how horrendous this scaling thing is! Omg the text is blurry, disgusting pixels all over the place, the awful bleeding, the atrocious white/black and the crappy brightness/contrast despite finding the best monitor settings. So I started to dig into every YouTube video and test out there, only to realise that 5k monitor is a MUST for Apple users for all the reasons you already know (and that I have overlooked in the past).
What have I done wasting my time (and eyesight) during this whole time? 😅 not using a 5k with Apple should be prohibited, there should be a clear message from Apple because it's really compulsory. I heard a YouTuber highlighting that the difference in pixels between a 4k and a 5k is 55% more pixels! No wonder this is so blurry when scaling... adding onto this the random calibration of non-Apple monitors with Apple products, the better brightness/contrast of the Apple Studio Display and the fact that of course I won't have to bother anymore with the Apple Studio Display: just plug and play! And also the proportions are the same as the MBP screen.
Of course the ASD has some specs missing, which will probably be available with the next Apple monitors, but that are not critical for me. Of course OLED Pro Motion 120 blabla will be sweet but at this expensive price I can probably start saving already 😅 the ASD is all I needed for now. Expensive, but just what Apple owners need indeed. No choice!
You can't imaging how exhausting it is when being used to Retina screens on MacBooks and iPhones since so many years and all of a sudden having to turn to a ****** monitor! Driving my brain crazy! I think I can never go back to anything less 5k when receiving my ASD tomorrow. Well done Apple, great marketing once again you got us on a leash
Take my money!
Last edited:
- Adds support for in-field recalibration of the display using Pro Display Calibrator. Enables specific color workflows that may require custom calibration by an in-house spectroradiometer. Learn more
- Minor stability improvements
What’s new in firmware updates for Apple Studio Display - Apple Support
Learn about changes and features included in the firmware updates for your display.
Or you could wait for Apple to release their second gen Studio Display which might have a 34" model.
If they release a 34" model I'll definitely purchase it in the future to have two screens.
Let's hope they will release a larger model because the XDR was only 32".
Gave up my trusty 27" Thunderbolt display for similar reasons. It served me well and had been bullet proof for the last decade. But i wanted true retina at desktop level with seamless integration that i can use for another decade easily. So i bought the ASD. The price stings but i can't say i have any buyer's remorse whatsoever.So, after visiting the Apple Store today to see it by myself I just ordered my Studio Display (standard model).
MBP M1 owner here... after owning a LG 27UP850-W 4K for a year which was doing a OK job (I guess, well I chose it because the comments were really good when pairing it with a M1), it broke while I moved out of my flat a couple months ago, so I purchased a crappy entry-level Philips 4k monitor just to get by with my daily use for a short period of time. This is when I realised then how horrendous this scaling thing is! Omg the text is blurry, disgusting pixels all over the place, the awful bleeding, the atrocious white/black and the crappy brightness/contrast despite finding the best monitor settings. So I started to dig into every YouTube video and test out there, only to realise that 5k monitor is a MUST for Apple users for all the reasons you already know (and that I have overlooked in the past).
What have I done wasting my time (and eyesight) during this whole time? 😅 not using a 5k with Apple should be prohibited, there should be a clear message from Apple because it's really compulsory. I heard a YouTuber highlighting that the difference in pixels between a 4k and a 5k is 55% more pixels! No wonder this is so blurry when scaling... adding onto this the random calibration of non-Apple monitors with Apple products, the better brightness/contrast of the Apple Studio Display and the fact that of course I won't have to bother anymore with the Apple Studio Display: just plug and play! And also the proportions are the same as the MBP screen.
Of course the ASD has some specs missing, which will probably be available with the next Apple monitors, but that are not critical for me. Of course OLED Pro Motion 120 blabla will be sweet but at this expensive price I can probably start saving already 😅 the ASD is all I needed for now. Expensive, but just what Apple owners need indeed. No choice!
You can't imaging how exhausting it is when being used to Retina screens on MacBooks and iPhones since so many years and all of a sudden having to turn to a ****** monitor! Driving my brain crazy! I think I can never go back to anything less 5k when receiving my ASD tomorrow. Well done Apple, great marketing once again you got us on a leash
Paired with the M1 Max MBP, i'm set for the next few years.
Don't see myself upgrading from the ASD until mini-led and/or pro-motion become available either.
Last edited:
Yessir exactly!
Since you have the same setup as me could you help me with the following since I will receive it tomorrow and I never had an Apple monitor before:
- when I connect the MBP to the ASD, does it automatically connect them both with the 'right' default settings in 'Displays' - that is, no more scaling (unlike with my previous monitors)? Do I need to change 'Use as... Main Display'? 'Stop Mirroring'? Do you mirror or you use as second screen?
- 'Optimise for MacBook Pro' will this be selected by default, or no need?
- Will it select the right Colour profile and Refresh Rate by default? (I never touched this in the past)
- True Tone - do you turn it off? I just turned it off on my iPhone today btw, since I realise I don't like it so much changing display. And I've read that True Tone isn't good for graphic stuff.
- Do I need to update the screen firmware update or is this done automatically? And where do you control the monitor firmware update in Preferences?
- Is the cable included in the box good enough (USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, right?) - I'm only gonna charge my MBP 13
- Any more tips?
Cheers!
Integration with the MBP is seamless once you plug the thunderbolt cable in
- Auto-defaults to retina scaling i.e. 2560x1440 at 2x the resolution
- However, you may have to select the ASD as main display if that's what you want. Otherwise it'll be treated as an external screen, unless you're in clamshell mode.
- Auto-selects default colour profile and refresh rate
- True tone is only active on the ASD if in clamshell mode or you're using a desktop. If used as an external display to a laptop, then True tone is determined by the laptop.
- Since a new update was recently released you'll get prompted by software update that a new firmware is available. It's all done via the normal software update app. Make sure you don't disconnect the display from the laptop. In fact i would leave it alone till its completely done to avoid issues
- The Thunderbolt cable i received has been perfect so far. I know others had issues.
Overall it's plug and play. You only need to decide if the laptop or the ASD will be the main display. Everything else is automatic.
After doing the update i would test everything (camera, audio, brightness) to make sure it all works whilst you're still in your return window.
Attached is a picture of my current settings
- Auto-defaults to retina scaling i.e. 2560x1440 at 2x the resolution
- However, you may have to select the ASD as main display if that's what you want. Otherwise it'll be treated as an external screen, unless you're in clamshell mode.
- Auto-selects default colour profile and refresh rate
- True tone is only active on the ASD if in clamshell mode or you're using a desktop. If used as an external display to a laptop, then True tone is determined by the laptop.
- Since a new update was recently released you'll get prompted by software update that a new firmware is available. It's all done via the normal software update app. Make sure you don't disconnect the display from the laptop. In fact i would leave it alone till its completely done to avoid issues
- The Thunderbolt cable i received has been perfect so far. I know others had issues.
Overall it's plug and play. You only need to decide if the laptop or the ASD will be the main display. Everything else is automatic.
After doing the update i would test everything (camera, audio, brightness) to make sure it all works whilst you're still in your return window.
Attached is a picture of my current settings
Plug it in, let 'er rip! Aside from adjusting the placement, I don't think I've had a need to touch the settings at all (including rotating into portrait mode, which is handled automatically). I do use true tone (and night shift) but I'm not doing much graphics content. The included cable -- while on the short side -- charges the MBP as advertised. Presumably the firmware gets updated once in a while, it's not something I give any thought to.
If I had a nit to pick, it'd be that all the speakers show up as "Studio Display Speakers" and I wish I could name them. It's not much of a nit but in the best Macrumors tradition I feel compelled to register some complaint.
I agree with your original post that spending the money on something you literally spend all your time looking at is a solid investment. I've had one since they were announced (and a total of three now) and don't regret spending the money at all. I hope your experience is similar.
I had been waiting for Samsung to release the ViewFinity S9 since January, but when the Studio Display became available on the Apple refurbished website, I decided to stop waiting. The Apple refurbished website offered a significant discount on the studio display. I was able to save hundreds of pounds compared to buying a new one, and I still got a one-year warranty. The Samsung S9 5K monitor, meanwhile, has not been released yet. I figured that with the discount, it might end up being similar in price to the S9, and I'm so glad I did! The Studio Display is an amazing monitor and I'm so happy with my purchase.
Purchased refurbed Studio Display about 3 weeks to go with a new 16” MBP M2 Max.
The display is beautiful and no issues.
2-3 additional ports would be nice but doesn’t hurt the experience.
Sprung for the tilt/height adjust.
The recent firmware update was a PIA. Failed 4 times showing the warning and advice to go to Apple support, like that page would help.
Finally, during one of the power downs during the update I just pulled the power plug.
Waited about 30 seconds the plugged it back in and the update finally installed successfully.
The display is beautiful and no issues.
2-3 additional ports would be nice but doesn’t hurt the experience.
Sprung for the tilt/height adjust.
The recent firmware update was a PIA. Failed 4 times showing the warning and advice to go to Apple support, like that page would help.
Finally, during one of the power downs during the update I just pulled the power plug.
Waited about 30 seconds the plugged it back in and the update finally installed successfully.
Great pic, was it taken with an iPhone? Or is the backlight behind giving that nice ambience. Which light is it btw?
Also what is the little box underneath the screen, is its silicon earbuds?
Cheers.
Thanks!
It was taken with my Canon R6. Behind the studio display is a simple lamp from wilko that gives a warm ambiance light. It’s tiny so the monitor stand hides it well. It also performs as a cute stage light illuminating the frame
The one resting on the stand in the stream deck, but if you meant the little white case on the right that is the new AirPods Pro
Thanks!
It was taken with my Canon R6. Behind the studio display is a simple lamp from wilko that gives a warm ambiance light. It’s tiny so the monitor stand hides it well. It also performs as a cute stage light illuminating the frame
The one resting on the stand in the stream deck, but if you meant the little white case on the right that is the new AirPods Pro
Ha the stream deck yes. Thanks for the infos!
Just received it now and set it up. Took me 2 minutes! What an absolute beauty. Game changer for my daily use.
Will probably buy OLED/mini-LED in a few years' time for a lot of money, but until then seriously, this all I need really.
I don't even know how people can get used to anything less than native 5k/retina display nowadays.
Excited about what the future will bring (8k etc.)!
Yes exactly this way perfect.
Since I broke my MBP screen a year ago 😄 the ASD wouldn't start and showed 3 dots because probably the setup was still on my Philips display that I had just unplugged.
So I rebooted the MBP, entered the password (with a dark MBP login screen as I always do 😄) and abracadabra the ASD turned on.
I went to Displays and changed ASD to 'Main Display' with the default resolution. Keeping Adjust Brightness off as I always do (iPhone too), True Tone off too (really not liking the yellowing tone, same as on iPhone, plus I don't like when displays change over time).
I love the Brightness with like 60/70% is more than enough for me, whereas any other non-Apple display I had before 100% was not even enough for me! And the overall feel and visual experience is so smooth with my M1, something I never experienced with any of the non-Apple monitors before. No eye strain no bleeding either. Crisp text! <3
Not to mention that since it's Apple to Apple it feels faster too, probably due to no latency and no mirroring/M1 CPU used.
After 20 minutes of use I can see my eyes are already back to my usual Retina hi-res habit, this is really dope thanks Apple.
Can't believe they had no such product before 2022 lol why was it so hard for a company like Apple to produce a single decent monitor before?
Great day everyone.
Last edited:
I love mine. I did have to buy longer cables for mine as they're on VESA arms and the included ones are really short.
Totally agree about the wish to be able to name them or have some other indicator -- I've got two and I can't tell which speakers/camera/microphones are which unless I just go through some trial and error.
I find TrueTone makes things look a little yellower than I prefer, so I've turned that off. But mine are right near a big window, so I'm sure that has something to do with it.
Here's two quick tips which makes my experience even better:
- Go to Accessibility > Display
1. Menu bar size large: will slightly increase the height of the menu bar, which looks even better to me
2. Display contrast: move from normal to just a tiny bit toward the right, to taste until the grey becomes black > looks amazing, no more grey-looking black bar and all - "looks like an OLED without being an OLED" 😁 you just saved 4'000 bucks thank me later
I also use a full black desktop wallpaper empty with no icons on it, since I love black and clean so much. Looks sublime!
Two small changes that dramatically improve the ASD experience wow. Surprised Apple doesn't communicate on this.
- Go to Accessibility > Display
1. Menu bar size large: will slightly increase the height of the menu bar, which looks even better to me
2. Display contrast: move from normal to just a tiny bit toward the right, to taste until the grey becomes black > looks amazing, no more grey-looking black bar and all - "looks like an OLED without being an OLED" 😁 you just saved 4'000 bucks thank me later
I also use a full black desktop wallpaper empty with no icons on it, since I love black and clean so much. Looks sublime!
Two small changes that dramatically improve the ASD experience wow. Surprised Apple doesn't communicate on this.
While performing updates the other day, I was truly impressed by how seamless the process was.
I was running six displays from a MBP M2 Max in clamshell mode. When I applied the ASD update, the machine restarted and the top screens powered off. The "updating" status message appeared on the center XDR and the indeterminate loaders appeared on the two ASDs. Using an Angusplay USB-C switcher, I switched the XDR over to a work laptop to give it some juice while applying the 13.3 OS update. When I did, the 38" Dell Ultrawide powered on and the status message jumped to it.
People give Apple's multi-monitor support a lot of grief, but it works incredibly well with the right hardware. Nice job, Apple.
I was running six displays from a MBP M2 Max in clamshell mode. When I applied the ASD update, the machine restarted and the top screens powered off. The "updating" status message appeared on the center XDR and the indeterminate loaders appeared on the two ASDs. Using an Angusplay USB-C switcher, I switched the XDR over to a work laptop to give it some juice while applying the 13.3 OS update. When I did, the 38" Dell Ultrawide powered on and the status message jumped to it.
People give Apple's multi-monitor support a lot of grief, but it works incredibly well with the right hardware. Nice job, Apple.
Attachments
Yeah no option the rename the monitor itself or the speakers and mic which doesn't bother me in the case of Apple since everything is properly named with a clean name.
Speaking of the ASD speakers could you guys confirm it is 48'000 Hz by default? Versus 44'100 for MacBooks.
I'm really impressed by the speakers, probably the best speakers I had on a monitor.
Of course I use an external sound card so I won't be using them for my music production, but it's nice to have better speakers than my MBP for daily use like watching the news, YouTube videos etc. and even translates my music projects on these additional speakers for quick referencing.
The stereo image is very good and even the bass for monitor speakers pretty solid (clean and not boomy).
Tip: I slightly tweak the EQ through SoundSource to decrease a bit the low end freq to get perfect result to my ears.
SoundSource is a must for anyone in my opinion, been using it for months, and especially here since there's no EQ attached to the Studio Display otherwise.
Of course I use an external sound card so I won't be using them for my music production, but it's nice to have better speakers than my MBP for daily use like watching the news, YouTube videos etc. and even translates my music projects on these additional speakers for quick referencing.
The stereo image is very good and even the bass for monitor speakers pretty solid (clean and not boomy).
Tip: I slightly tweak the EQ through SoundSource to decrease a bit the low end freq to get perfect result to my ears.
SoundSource is a must for anyone in my opinion, been using it for months, and especially here since there's no EQ attached to the Studio Display otherwise.
Except if you have two Studio Displays.… they both get the exact same names.