Apple Working on Studio Display 2: Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

[MacRumors]

Apple released the Studio Display in March 2022, alongside the first Mac Studio, and it has not received any hardware upgrades since.

The current Studio Display features a 27-inch LCD screen with a 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., the monitor starts at $1,599.

Below, we recap rumors about a potential Studio Display 2.

Mini-LED by Early 2026

Apple plans to release a new Studio Display in late 2025 or early 2026, according to Ross Young, a display industry expert and VP at Counterpoint Research.

In a subscriber-only post shared on X in February, Young said the new Studio Display would feature the same 27-inch screen size as the current model, but add mini-LED backlighting. This upgrade would result in increased brightness and higher contrast ratio compared to the current model, which has traditional LED backlighting.

Young did not share any further details, so it is unclear if any other Studio Display specifications would change, such as the refresh rate.

Young has a respectable track record with display-related information for future Apple products. For example, he was the first source to reveal the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max would feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, over a year before the devices launched. He is the founder and former CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, a research firm that was acquired by Counterpoint Research in late 2023.

A new Studio Display with mini-LED backlighting has been rumored by a few other sources, including Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The display will likely launch in 2026, according to Gurman.

90Hz Rumor

In November 2024, an anonymous listener of the Relay FM tech podcast "Upgrade" claimed that Apple was developing 90Hz display technology that could be used for the next Studio Display. This higher refresh rate would make content like videos and text while scrolling look smoother to the eye, but 90Hz would stop short of the 120Hz refresh rate that iPhones and Macs with ProMotion support can achieve. It is not clear to us if this individual has any established track record with Apple-related rumors, so keep that in mind.

Article Link: Apple Working on Studio Display 2: Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

 

[Yimbaz]

In November 2024, an anonymous listener of the Relay FM tech podcast "Upgrade" claimed that Apple was developing 90Hz display technology that could be used for the next Studio Display. This higher refresh rate would make content like videos and text while scrolling look smoother to the eye, but 90Hz would stop short of the 120Hz refresh rate that iPhones and Macs with ProMotion support can achieve. It is not clear to us if this individual has any established track record with Apple-related rumors, so keep that in mind.

Have we ever seen Apple do anything at 90hz? This feels like the same wishcasting that had the M3 iPad Air rumored at 90hz. I don't think we should take an anonymous podcast listener's tip very seriously.

 

[jclardy]

My first gen studio display is still going strong. I think if I bought another I would go for the nano-texture (Especially if it is like the MBP nano-texture - I've heard it was improved from the original Studio Display.) Not sure what else I would want, I guess higher refresh would be nice, and the ability to use other inputs (But that will never happen.)

I hope they add a power button - most of the kinks have been worked out now, but when I first got it I had to put it on a smart switch, as I would have to reboot it at least once a week and my power strip is hard to get to in a cage under my desk. Eventually a firmware update fixed it and it's been stable ever since.

 

[snipper]

Hard to understand why Apple makes blazing fast cpu/gpu chips that can do hundreds of Hz refresh rates, while at the same time limiting their monitors to 60 or 90 Hz.

 

[HailstormX]

A 32” option would be awesome.

 

[Windoes]

Make it to an M5 iMac

 

[AusMness]

Have we ever seen Apple do anything at 90hz? This feels like the same wishcasting that had the M3 iPad Air rumored at 90hz. I don't think we should take an anonymous podcast listener's tip very seriously.

Literally the only Apple display ever capable of 90Hz is the Vision Pro.. yeah, it’s going to be either 60 or 120 ProMotion

 

[mashinhead]

The only guarantee to this rumor, isn't specs, or timing. It's a price increase.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

ProMotion, or NoProMotion. There is no try 90hz.

 

[poematik13]

If it has ProMotion its an instabuy for me to replace my 2019 Dell P2415Q

 

[hubley]

You guys got me excited for a new development this is just a recap

 

[xnu]

90hz, ah the sweet spot between horribly slow and standard.

 

[ZeroInspo]

My body is ready for all the posts of people who simply do not understand display technology complaining about it not being 120hz.

 

[entropi]

Hard to understand why Apple makes blazing fast cpu/gpu chips that can do hundreds of Hz refresh rates, while at the same time limiting their monitors to 60 or 90 Hz.

not at all "hard to understand", it's 5K! (it is not your average 2K gaming monitor!!!)

 

[Onelifenofear]

Should be MiniLED. That’s the future.

 

[Onelifenofear]

not at all "hard to understand", it's 5K! (it is not your average 2K gaming monitor!!!)

Actually it’s 6K.

 

[spaxxedout]

90hz is a terrible idea. It’s a big draw back of the Vision Pro (even though it can do 96 and 100 for flicker adjustment). 120 makes the most sense because it plays well with 30/60/24. I guess the 48fps Avatar would have an issue, but it could clock down to 96 fps for that I guess.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

This is kind of a left-field wish, but if this thing is going to have an A16 or whatever CPU, it would be really cool if it could serve as a Homekit Hub. Ever since Apple discontinued the use of iPads as hubs I've been sort of SOL.

(Mac Mini as hub would be cool too)

 

[entropi]

Actually it’s 6K.

Let's qoute the article: "The current Studio Display features a 27-inch LCD screen with a 5K resolution"
...and no current rumor claims it will go up to the Apple XDR-level of 6K....

 

[ascender]

I'm assuming they'll also update the webcam along with whatever exact new panels they go for, but I really wish they'd do a couple of different sizes. A 32" and an ultra wide would be a nice lineup.

 

[BornAgainMac]

I was just thinking about Apple updating the displays 5 minutes ago. I wondered if they would announce anything in a few weeks. I guess I'll wait until the year 2026.

 

[daneoni]

If no Promotion then i'm not that interested.

 

[Onelifenofear]

Let's qoute the article: "The current Studio Display features a 27-inch LCD screen with a 5K resolution"
...and no current rumor claims it will go up to the Apple XDR-level of 6K....

sorry…you are right. I misread this as the XDR!

 

[svish]

Will be good if it has a faster refresh rate. Think it might be available only by next year. Probably by WWDC 2026. Think it will retain the same price.

 

[snipper]

not at all "hard to understand", it's 5K! (it is not your average 2K gaming monitor!!!)

The Asus 32 L ROG Strix XG32UQ on my desk costs ~ € 600 now, is 4K, 32 inch, 160 Hz. Affordable UHD monitors have been around for over a decade.

The Philips BDM4065UC I had before this one is from 2014, over a decade ago. 40”, 60 Hz, 4K and it was ~ € 700.

Sure, those can’t be of the same color accuracy for that price level, but not only first person shooter gamers enjoy a fluent image.