Apple Studio Display Reviews: 'A Confounding Miss'

[profets]

To me, the Studio Display seems like an excellent option - I know there’s many less expensive options, a lot of 4K displays, but really not much in terms of an actual 5K display, not to mention the Apple design, built in ports, speakers, etc.

However, it feels like this should have been released 5 years ago when the 2011 TBD was really showing its age.

In 2022 its ok still - but heck, after experiencing 120Hz and HDR across the iPhone & iPad for several years, and MacBook Pro recently, I’d have a tough time spending decent $$ on a new display that is missing both those features.

I get it - its a significantly larger display and both 120Hz & HDR would likely be cost prohibitive, but its just unfortunate.

 

[TheDailyApple]

The display is obviously targeting previous iMac users, but I think that speakers, webcam, and microphones are a mistake. These make it stupid to buy more than one of these, and many people wouldn’t even use them on a single display. I have a set of bookshelf speakers at my desk, and wouldn’t use the speakers once. Built in peripherals make sense for an all in one, but not a display. Apple should have released a screen with no camera, microphone, speakers, or A13 chip for $750-999. Or at least one like that along side this.

 

[zorinlynx]

Anyone else surprised that the studio display is lacking so much at this price? For that much money I'd expect HDR and top quality all around. Instead we get no HDR, questionable camera, a captive power cord and an inability to change the mounting option after purchase.

 

[jb-net]

Apple & Displays = never a success story

 

[SRemington]

Get a good 4K 60hz (or greater) display, some amazing speakers and a high end webcam for less than a single display.

That. I was hoping for a ProMotion Retina Display. Very disappointed that it’s only 60hz.

I’ll wait if they release something interesting in June, else I’ll get myself a MacBookPro 16” and a 4K 144hz Gaming Monitor.

I’m currently on a 2013 MacBook Pro which is still working like charm. Coming full circle to keep the HDMI ports and MagSafe ?.

 

[jarman92]

Apple conned everyone the display is old tech it’s mega over priced for what it is, get the Mateview it’s so cheap and better

“Conned?” By accurately describing and selling a product? Pretty hyperbolic, no?

 

[david.olstein]

I wonder if any of these reviewers criticized the fact that the Studio Monitor has a single video input.

 

[Spike1999]

Same with Rene Ritchie. I feel Dave2D is the best of the “reviewers”.

Yeh agreed and MaxTech

 

[jarman92]

I'm by no means a "Pro" user, but I fail to see how, when it comes down to actually displaying stuff, this is better than the Asus 4K monitor I have that I paid £350 for.....

A 27” 4K monitor has significantly lower resolution than the Studio and will not scale macOS properly. Most other monitors have less brightness. Few other monitors include USB-C ports, let alone a Thunderbolt port that provides 96W of power. Few other monitors include good speakers and a webcam (actually I think no other monitor does). Every other monitor is plastic and ugly.

 

[Macative]

This display is an embarrassment.

 

[CWallace]

The display is obviously targeting previous iMac users, but I think that speakers, webcam, and microphones are a mistake.

Honestly I think it is targeting Mac mini and MacBook Pro users as those two groups have been vocal for years for Apple to release a 5K display that was better than the LG UltraFine 5K. And those groups want speakers, a webcam and microphones.

The release of the Mac Studio gave Apple a third group of users they could sell the monitor to so now Apple feels the potential sales volume is large enough to finally justify releasing it.

 

[Octavius8]

Looks nice, if we were in 2015…
Overpriced, mediocre display tech.
Later Apple will issue statements saying is the greatest consumer level display at this price point they have ever designed and we should buy it and be super happy (that we are getting pretty old display tech).
The main feature of a monitor is the display panel, no amount of camera and speakers can compensate for that!
Shame on the company that dares to sell a polishing cloth at those prices. What did we expect?.

 

[jarman92]

The Mac Studio itself seems to knock it out of the park.

As does every Mac they’ve released since the debut of the M1.

 

[anshuvorty]

After reading these reviews, I’m worried, but I can always return it within 2 weeks if it’s not that great.

 

[MrGimper]

The display is obviously targeting previous iMac users, but I think that speakers, webcam, and microphones are a mistake. These make it stupid to buy more than one of these, and many people wouldn’t even use them on a single display. I have a set of bookshelf speakers at my desk, and wouldn’t use the speakers once. Built in peripherals make sense for an all in one, but not a display. Apple should have released a screen with no camera, microphone, speakers, or A13 chip for $750-999. Or at least one like that along side this.

I thought this when it was initially announced.

 

[Sir Ruben]

I already had a nagging feeling that I was buying old tech wearing new clothes, and the fact that I cant connect a work laptop easily without constantly swapping the cable was a big concern. Now it turns out that the camera is completely pants too.

Maybe it's some kind of sign that my Studio Display comes a week after my Mac Studio. Everything points to cancelling this and going with an Ultrawide I think. Other than looking pretty and having good speakers, everything else is a negative. What a shame.

 

[MichaelDroste]

Looks like I'm staying with my brio and hp z27

 

[anshuvorty]

It’s basically the 5K iMac sans the Mac. What’s interesting is the audio and camera don’t appear to be up to the hype. Perhaps that will be adjusted through software updates.

I don’t ever recall Apple having a “camera” issue and then promising to fix it through software updates later on.

This has plagued Google, OnePlus, and even Microsoft. It will be interesting to see how Apple fixes it.

 

[MrGimper]

A 27” 4K monitor has significantly lower resolution than the Studio and will not scale macOS properly. Most other monitors have less brightness. Few other monitors include USB-C ports, let alone a Thunderbolt port that provides 96W of power. Few other monitors include good speakers and a webcam (actually I think no other monitor does). Every other monitor is plastic and ugly.

OK, so a 5K monitor has a higher resolution than a 4K monitor.... got it. The rest of it, meh.

 

[haruhiko]

Yeh agreed and MaxTech

MaxTech‘s testing videos are fun to watch. I like Max’s review more than the filler videos they push out every so and often. But generally I like the channel. I never can finish an iJustine video and Rene Ritchie..hmm his videos could have more substance other than repeating Apple marketing stuff.

 

[DFZD]

Well a similar spec display was launched by Apple in 2020 for around the same price.

Just that it had a full computer inside it.

 

[UBS28]

5K scales better in macOS than 4K. There aren’t any $400 5K monitors.

Maybe because most people don’t want 5K, as video content is in 4K in the first place.

 

[dmr727]

After reading these reviews, I’m worried, but I can always return it within 2 weeks if it’s not that great.

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Let us know what you think! The reviews really tempered any enthusiasm I had for the display.

 

[lpoolrob]

Other than size, how do the specs of the panel itself compare to the M1 iMac display?

 

[KPOM]

I don’t ever recall Apple having a “camera” issue and then promising to fix it through software updates later on.

This has plagued Google, OnePlus, and even Microsoft. It will be interesting to see how Apple fixes it.

If it’s the same camera that’s in the iPad Pro and new iPad Air, then it should be much better, since we know how it performs on those devices. That does suggest a software glitch. Why Apple didn’t catch this before sending it to preselected reviewers is puzzling, particularly when one of the reviewers is Joanna Stern, who has been harping on poor quality webcams for the past 2 years.