Apple's Studio Display vs. LG's UltraFine 5K Display

[PatriotInvasion]

The problem with the Studio Display is just knowing what it could have been.

The displays on the 14” and 16” MacBook Pros are absolutely beautiful and I think people expected the same level on this display, especially for the $1600 price tag. Then they ask $400 more for an adjustable stand, and add a non-removable power cable..it’s just odd.

For that price, it should have all the tech from the MacBooks. HDR, 120hz with variable refresh rate, mini-LED.

Really a disappointment knowing what they could have done..

This sentiment is the problem with most Studio Display reviews. Somehow, people have developed the impression that Apple could have just tossed in 120Hz and mini LED into a 5K display for $1,599, while neglecting that there is a grand total of zero monitors on the market with those specs.

5K 120Hz is not possible over Thunderbolt, and "just make it 4K then" was never an option for Apple based on their well established Retina display strategy for a decade now. If you really want a 120Hz 27" 4K display there are many alternatives for you, just not from Apple.

On mini LED, please do share with this thread a link to a 27" 120Hz mini LED display in 2022 for $1,599. Many people would be happy to consider it as an alternative if you can find it.

Lastly, I am wholeheartedly in the "please sell the 5K iMac as a standalone display" camp and for that reason I am thrilled with my Studio Display. It's the exact product I've wanted them to make for years and now we have it. If you are thirsty for bleeding edge display tech, rumors indicate that its coming but just be prepared to pay at least double for it because your expectations are unrealistic at the moment.

 

[BayouTiger]

The SD is certainly purdy, especially as I owned the Thunderbolt display and the 30” (which was awesome in it’s day), but my LG5k sitting nicely on it’s arm works really well. I never really get the whole “webcam sucks” fussing from the youtubers. They say the same about every laptop and onboard cam out there. Are they comparing to their DSLR on the tripod? I’ve never had a complaint about the cam on my MBP’s and they look about the same as my Thinkpad, XPS, Surface, or G14. It’s not intended to shoot videos on.
I may get s Studio Display if I decide to get the Studio, but it would go on the desk as the primary and put the LG on the side arm as I swing it out of the way when no using and keep inactive apps on it.

My only real complaint is that I wish they both had a Second TB input as I swap it between my Mini and 14“. I am tempted to just sell the Mini and get the Studio, as I do heavier work on the 14, but I do run into the 16Gb wall occasionally. But really only with 3rd party apps that don't manage memory well. It would be really useful with Revit and Bluebeam in Parallels.

 

[TonyTech]

Does Apple have exclusivity on making aluminum premium displays?

 

[Pmperry]

This would be great if VRR, 120Hz, QD-OLED, and Mini-LED weren’t all attainable at lower prices.

 

[cmaier]

This would be great if VRR, 120Hz, QD-OLED, and Mini-LED weren’t all attainable at lower prices.

You can’t get those things at 5k/27”, though. So whether SD is great depends on what features you prioritize.

 

[Pmperry]

Does Apple have exclusivity on making aluminum premium displays?

No, it is just prohibitively expensive to make Unibody Aluminum technology, so most companies won’t do it.

 

[Pmperry]

You can’t get those things at 5k/27”, though. So whether SD is great depends on what features you prioritize.

No you can’t, but you can get them in Ultrawide and that makes the “Display” aspect of the screen better on the competition.

 

[joevt]

You can’t get those things at 5k/27”, though. So whether SD is great depends on what features you prioritize.

5K120 is 1931 MHz pixel clock (CVT-RB). HBR3 x4 link can do that with DSC@12bpp or 4:2:0 8bpc.

 

[Enlightened Doggo]

My takeaway, don’t buy a 5k, there is a lot a great 4K monitor at 1000$ less, or there is the new Samsung 34" oled, which reviews can’t really find flaws in it, beside the price (but still… 300$ less than the Apple studio!!)

This guy gets it. 5K content doesn't even exist in the first place. Secondly, with 27" monitors people with 20/20 vision should not be able to see a difference at two feet viewing distance. Go 4K and get a higher refresh rate monitor with HDR.

 

[citysnaps]

No you can’t, but you can get them in Ultrawide and that makes the “Display” aspect of the screen better on the competition.

Who makes a 5K ultrawide display? If it's not at least 5K it's a non-starter for me. And then, for regular computer use I wouldn't want an ultrawide display.

 

[Pmperry]

This guy gets it. 5K content doesn't even exist in the first place. Secondly, with 27" monitors people with 20/20 vision should not be able to see a difference at two feet viewing distance. Go 4K and get a higher refresh rate monitor with HDR.

That depends, if you’re a photographer with a 16 MP camera, then you’re in heaven with that resolution as it is pretty much 1:1 for sharpening and image resolution.

 

[Pmperry]

Who makes a 5K ultrawide display? If it's not at least 5K it's a non-starter for me. And then, for regular computer use I wouldn't want an ultrawide display.

I never said 5K, I said you could get these features in an ultrawide.

Alienware’s new QD-OLED would bury the panel in this thing, at just about every spec. It does so for $700 less with a fully adjustable stand!

Couple that with Edifier R1280DB speakers and an Opal C1 Webcam for less than you can get this thing with a fully adjustable stand! For that you will get an infinitely better experience and that’s just sad, to think people would buy this at that price, just because Apple made it!

 

[Amethyst1]

Who makes a 5K ultrawide display?

LG and MSI make 34" 5120×2160 displays. There are also ≈40" 5120×2160 displays made by Dell and Lenovo.
Note this is less pixels than 5120×2880.

 

[Pmperry]

LG and MSI make 34" 5120×2160 displays. There are also ≈40" 5120×2160 displays made by Dell and Lenovo.
Note this is less pixels than 5120×2880.

Yes and that’s only an IPS panel with 60 Hz refresh.

 

[Gasu E.]

This is something I noticed almost immediately with my LG. I could see it wobbling when I was typing.

This is a question that reoccurs to me every time I see someone saying Apple should have just built in an adjustable height stand, but sold it at the same price the fixed height model is being offered at. Does anyone know of a competitively priced monitor that has a built-in adjustable height stand that does not wobble? I'm sure if Apple shipped a $1000+ monitor that had a wobbly adjustable height stand, we'd never hear the end of the complaints.

 

[MisterSavage]

The lg 5k shakes if you tap your desk. It’s minor, but it’s not as sturdy as the apple display.

Thank you! It's easy to find comments from other people saying it happens to them too. It obviously doesn't happen to everyone but to suggest that people who noticed it are "looking for problems" is silly. My Studio Display is rock solid on my desk when I'm doing my work.

 

[bradman83]

For all the people commenting on the lack of 120Hz - there are no true 5k 120Hz screens on the market because current connection standards do not support the bandwidth needed. Even HDMI 2.1 would have to resort to display stream compression to drive a 5k or 8k display past 60Hz. Apple would have to use an inelegant solution like two Thunderbolt cables to drive the display, which would have excluded a large number of M1 powered Macs owners whose machines only support one external display.

 

[NightOne]

Having owned computer monitors since 1979 and never broken a cable, my guess is that most people are not going to run into that.

Agree. What they are going to run into is while moving the monitor from one location to another the non-removable power cable is going to get caught on something causing the user to trip/stumble and drop the monitor. (and break it)



LOL

 

[gwhizkids]

One comment I would have here is that having the desklamp immediately behind the LG display may have affected the exposure of the side-by-side photos. Clearly, there is a difference. But the exposure may have been off due to the lamp with the bright light source hanging right there.

 

[deevey]

retracted

 

[Amethyst1]

For all the people commenting on the lack of 120Hz - there are no true 5k 120Hz screens on the market because current connection standards do not support the bandwidth needed. Even HDMI 2.1 would have to resort to display stream compression to drive a 5k or 8k display past 60Hz.

Yep, DSC can “do” 5K at 120 Hz. And Apple use DSC with both the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It really feels like the Studio display was going to be the next iMac - even its thickness seems to suggest it.

I totally agree, especially when comparing to the thickness and build of the 24” (which is an entire iMac!…but is thinner)

 

[KPOM]

Thank you! It's easy to find comments from other people saying it happens to them too. It obviously doesn't happen to everyone but to suggest that people who noticed it are "looking for problems" is silly. My Studio Display is rock solid on my desk when I'm doing my work.

The ASD, even with the height-adjustable stand, is MUCH more stable than the LG with the stand at any height.

 

[KPOM]

I totally agree, especially when comparing to the thickness and build of the 24” (which is an entire iMac!…but is thinner)

But the 24” iMac has the ”Mac” part in the chin (which people complained about), and it has an external power unit.

 

[iansilv]

Why didn't Apple include wifi on that studio display and give us an App so that we could make it a calendar/display/whatever screen for a house or business? I think it would be so cool to wall-mount this in a kitchen for a family schedule device...