Apple Studio Display XDR w/ Mac Pro 2019

[randotron]

Just got my Apple Studio Display XDR and connected to my several apple devices and here is what I found:

• MacBook Pro 16" (Nov 2023) — M3 Pro, 18 GB RAM, macOS Tahoe 26.4.1 → 120 Hz
• MacBook Pro 16" (Nov 2023) — M3 Pro, 18 GB RAM, macOS Sequoia 15.7.4 → 60 Hz
• MacBook Pro 14" (2021) — M1 Max, 64 GB RAM, macOS Sequoia 15.7.5 → 60 Hz
• Mac Pro (2019) — Intel Xeon + AMD Radeon Pro W5700X 16 GB, macOS Sequoia 15.7.5 → 120 Hz

Had to trade my Vega II MPX for W5700X MPX since I don't think Vega II support DSC. Glad to see the Studio Display XDR works on Intel Mac Pro even without upgrading the OS with the full support of 120 Hz. Don't know if the M1 Max would support 120 Hz if upgraded to Tahoe but I really hate Tahoe so no plan to figure it out in the near future.

 

[thenewepic]

Don't know if the M1 Max would support 120 Hz if upgraded to Tahoe

it will not.

 

[thenewepic]

I don't think Vega II support DSC

you're right, it doesn't.

 

[joevt]

I don't think Vega II support DSC.

You should be able to get a 5K60 dual tile mode with the Vega II. The display does not appear to have a dual tile mode for any other modes.

Question: Since the Apple Studio Display XDR has a downstream Thunderbolt port, can you daisy-chain another display to it?

With the Vega II, probably not, since every Thunderbolt host controller of the Mac Pro only has two DisplayPort In Adapters and both will get used by the dual tile mode.

With the W5700X, maybe. Or maybe not. It depends if macOS is tunnelling a second DisplayPort connection to the Apple Studio Display XDR even if the display is using single tile mode.

In each case, we can list the number of DisplayPort In and Out adapters of the host Thunderbolt controllers and the display Thunderbolt controllers using either of these commands:

ioreg -fiw0 > ioreg_list.txt
ioreg -fliw0 > ioreg_all.txt

In each case, we can see the DisplayPort connections to the host and the DisplayPort capabilities using AllRez.