Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Anyone know how many watts this monitor uses? It's not in the Apple Tech Specs (interestingly). Seems like it might be power hungry...
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoffeeMacBook
With the power of the A13, 64gb of internal memory and dual fans larger than those in the M1 Mac Mini, it makes me wonder if Apple could do more with this display in the future…

There were rumors previously that the display would be able to be used as a sort of external GPU for Apple Silicon Macs. I wonder if that is something that could be added in at some point.

Just seems kind of odd to have a chip as powerful as an A13 along with cooling fans just to enable “hey Siri” and webcam features. Seems like that could have easily been done with an Apple Watch chip.
 
To keep the whole thing cool? When you draw 96W for your MacBook and it's on maximum brightness, it will get hot in there.
The old Thunderbolt Display also had a fan (the XDR has 2).
Just saw the Studio Display in the  store over the weekend. I was wondering why is it noticeably thicker (at least 2-3x) than the iMac, which is a full computer in a smaller chassis.

But that makes sense, I didn’t think about charging. And I totally didn’t know the old Thunderbolt Display also had a fan.
 
Why does a display need 64gb of storage? Is it accessible by Mac OS?
I'm GUESSING it's some sort of technical limitation.

Center Stage was introduced on A13 devices, so A13 is likely the minimum SoC that can be used that supports Center Stage. However, the lowest amount of storage that ever shipped with A13 devices was 64 GB, so I wonder if the A13 hardware/software support is designed specifically for 64 GB and up... hence 64 GB in the Apple Studio Display.

But either way, this allows Apple simply to use the regular A13 + RAM piece.
 
Last edited:
So they updated the iPad Air to an M1 - which could theoretically run Mac OS

This has the processing power of a previous iteration iPad, but could have easily taken an M1, and ran Mac OS.

Instead, you get a below par monitor. Ouch.

No. You get a great monitor, without competition, that has the ability for Apple to download new features.
 
And it could be since it has A13 in it. Too bad you can't run full iOS on it, even if just for sh!ts and giggles. Or even better, run macOS on A13. It would actually run as fast as a 2015 era iMac.

I am sure someone is working on trying to JailBreak that A13. :p


Why does a display need 64gb of storage? Is it accessible by Mac OS?

Evidently the A13 SoC package has 64MB standard so Apple just went with the standard package rather than commission a custom one with significantly less.

Just saw the Studio Display in the  store over the weekend. I was wondering why is it noticeably thicker (at least 2-3x) than the iMac, which is a full computer in a smaller chassis.

But that makes sense, I didn’t think about charging. And I totally didn’t know the old Thunderbolt Display also had a fan.

The iMac's power-supply is outside of the machine, so it can be thinner and the only parts that need active cooling is the M1 SoC and RAM.
 
The monitor can provide nearly 100W of power to a MacBook, in addition to the power it draws itself. That's a lot of heat.
I use an LG 5K that's been doing the same thing without a fan for half a decade. Well, my particular unit's not been around that long, but the model sure has.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reggaenald
I use an LG 5K that's been doing the same thing without a fan for half a decade. Well, my particular unit's not been around that long, but the model sure has.
If you think your LG 5K doesn't have a fan then I have some fun news for you :D
 
The bottom-right logic board is attached by a few cables and looks like it can be swapped out for a different one, perhaps with an M1 or M2 family chip. It is entirely possible that Apple might use a similar internal design for a 27" iMac, should they release one.

In fact, theoretically, one could reverse-engineer the protocol used for the cables, and stick an M1 Mac mini logic board in there -- an M1 iHac 27", if you will.
 
Last edited:
If you think your LG 5K doesn't have a fan then I have some fun news for you :D
It turns out you're right, it does! I stand corrected. What's odd is that even with this thing inside it, it's still dead silent. The Samsung G7 I've been trying to replace it with for the past few days is louder because of coil whine (I'm guessing from the power supply).

s-l1600.jpg
 
With the power of the A13, 64gb of internal memory and dual fans larger than those in the M1 Mac Mini, it makes me wonder if Apple could do more with this display in the future…

There were rumors previously that the display would be able to be used as a sort of external GPU for Apple Silicon Macs. I wonder if that is something that could be added in at some point.

Just seems kind of odd to have a chip as powerful as an A13 along with cooling fans just to enable “hey Siri” and webcam features. Seems like that could have easily been done with an Apple Watch chip.
The two possibilities that occur to me/have seen suggested that make sense are:

* they're already contracting to produce tons of A13s with 64GB and with the chip shortage they decided to go with something that they already have a production line up and running and have a steady supply and if it's overpowered oh well, it'll just idle most of the time and that's that - and they always replace it with a lower powered chip in the future as chip availability improves.

* they put it in there for internal testing of various possible capabilities in subsequent displays, building out appletvs with displays, your suggestion about external GPU, etc, and will use it as a platform to collect telemetry on heat and such in the real world and do focused testing on those kinds of use and APIs, to be used in a future much more powerful chip (certainly for external GPU capabilities) in the future.
 
It turns out you're right, it does! I stand corrected. What's odd is that even with this thing inside it, it's still dead silent. The Samsung G7 I've been trying to replace it with for the past few days is louder because of coil whine (I'm guessing from the power supply).
Yeah I don't think they need to run at any particularly high RPM, and if you run two you can run them even lower (and two fans running don't add up to double the noise). I've not taken a deep dive into the reviews of this yet but I expect fan noise to be a non-issue.
 
Well, I wish they could fit an M1 Pro in there and give us a 27" iMac.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this started out as an M1 Pro/Max 27” iMac in development, but Apple later changed course since it doesn’t have the thermals for maximum performance (or for the M1 Ultra).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marty_Macfly
Can someone explain why it’s significantly thicker than the 24 inch iMac?
No chin? Also, the Studio Display includes the power supply. It's external on the 24" iMac.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this started out as an M1 Pro/Max 27” iMac in development, but Apple later changed course since it doesn’t have the thermals for maximum performance (or for the M1 Ultra).
Undoubtedly they prototyped a 27" Apple Silicon iMac but that doesn't mean they would have retained those design characteristics for the 27" Studio Display. Remember, they can design several different items at the same time.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.