iFixit Teardown: Studio Display Features iMac-Like Internal Setup

[MacRumors]

Apple earlier in March released the Studio Display, its first standalone display since the Pro Display XDR. iFixit today disassembled the Studio Display in a video teardown to give us a look at the internals.

The inside of the Studio Display may be confusing at first because it has an internal setup that's not too dissimilar from a computer like the Intel iMac, thanks to the inclusion of an A13 chip, speakers, and fans. Several iFixit staff members were shown an opened up iMac and a Studio Display and asked to determine which was which, and many of them got it wrong.

The Studio Display opens up with an iMac opening tool, so it's easy to get to the components inside. iFixit last week gave a quick look at the Studio Display in its Mac Studio teardown, and confirmed at that time that the Studio Display Camera is essentially identical to the iPhone 11 camera.

There's no internal indicator of why the Studio Display camera has been experiencing quality issues, and Apple has promised a software fix that's coming in the future.

The Studio Display is using the exact same display as the 5K iMac, and there's an internal power supply, which iFixit says is an impressive feat of engineering. The internal power supply makes the Studio Display different from the iMac because it requires massive fans for heat dissipation, plus it requires a ~50 percent thicker chassis.

The speakers are "impressive for a display," and are glued down, which will make the speaker hardware difficult to remove. According to iFixit, the Studio Display's build in general is an "impressive testament to Apple's ability to solve problems."

iFixit has not yet shared a full written teardown of the Mac Studio or the Studio Display, so there could still be a few additional tidbits to discover when the complete teardowns are available in the future.

Article Link: iFixit Teardown: Studio Display Features iMac-Like Internal Setup

 

[Rudy69]

The speakers are "impressive for a display," and are glued down, which will make the speaker hardware difficult to remove. According to iFixit, the Studio Display's build in general is an "impressive testament to Apple's ability to solve problems."

You missed the part where they say it's justified though

 

[Realityck]

Hah asking people which is a display vs which is a computer? If you were unaware of the two products it might be hard to tell by simply looking at it with the display removed. It does indeed look like the 27” display could have been a iMac.

 

[vercordio]

All of that power for… what exactly?

 

[andrewxgx]

wanna bet they could easily put M1 there and cool the damn thing? thats how iMac should look like.
#DropTheChin

 

[WinstonRumfoord]

I would love to replace my 24" 4k with this, and relegate my 27"4k to "support" duty. The price is just a bit steep for me though. Maybe if my display dies, or we start seeing used/refurbs for around $1200/$1300 I'll bite.

 

[Jaro65]

Why not just make it an iMac.

 

[Analog Kid]

The Studio Display is using the exact same display as the 5K iMac

DPReview says otherwise…

”Apple confirmed to me that this is a new panel specially designed for this new thin-bezel monitor.”

 

[Realityck]

Why not just make it an iMac.

Better yet a 27” iMac that could also be used as a 27” 5K display if needed.

 

[Moonlight]

Why not just make it an iMac.

Why not make it an iPad?

 

[kkclstuff]

What's with the weird YT "click-bait hidden-camera" bit ?!?

to the point of 'what is possible'... hell yeah –alot .

 

[TVreporter]

Thinking this was going to be the next 27-inch iMac but maybe there were production delays, etc., so instead they opt to go with it as a monitor alone.

Wish they would have made this an iMac - instant buy.

 

[jarman92]

That internal power supply is amazing.

Thinking this was going to be the next 27-inch iMac but maybe there were production delays, etc., so instead they opt to go with it as a monitor alone.

Wish they would have made this an iMac - instant buy.

Doubt it. iMac's have a "chin" to show off the color; it doesn't make any sense for Apple to design an entirely different product just to bump up the display size to 27". Also, seems pretty unlikely Apple would shove an internal power supply and an M1 Pro/Max/Ultra in an enclosed space for no reason.

 

[Nismo73]

They saying it’s the same display b/c they’re both 5K or they compared part numbers??

 

[kkclstuff]

Better yet a 27” iMac that could also be used as a 27” 5K display if needed.

HAh, and let  miss out on us buying two products?

 

[turbineseaplane]

The ASD, at some point, was clearly an iMac 27" design

This is such overkill on the guts and the chassis for what the released product is.

Apple doesn't do overkill like this.

 

[furbzv1]

so it the same display as the 27" iMac or not?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

It looks like it's the same thing as the iMac with a few internal changes. Might as well put M1/M2 chip inside the display.

Update: facts!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509244657825292295

 

[sracer]

Better yet a 27” iMac that could also be used as a 27” 5K display if needed.

This.

My old 2013 21' iMac had its internal hard drive fail (1TB spinner) but I was able to repurpose it as my Plex server by adding an external SSD. (the thing runs an order of magnitude faster than when it was new) And I bought a 2nd iMac in 2017 to replace it as my desktop system... but I use that older iMac as a 2nd monitor via "target display mode".

I love how that older iMac is serving two functions simultaneously (Plex server AND 2nd display).

 

[jmonster]

That internal power supply is amazing.



Doubt it. iMac's have a "chin" to show off the color; it doesn't make any sense for Apple to design an entirely different product just to bump up the display size to 27". Also, seems pretty unlikely Apple would shove an internal power supply and an M1 Pro/Max/Ultra in an enclosed space for no reason.

They literally shoved an internal power supply and an M1 Ultra in the Mac Studio.

 

[Rudy69]

Better yet a 27” iMac that could also be used as a 27” 5K display if needed.

They could have easily shoved in the insides of a mac mini in there and charged $2,000 for it. And make it like you said where you can 'switch inputs' that would have been a GREAT purchase for $2k.....as I can't say the same about the current display

 

[sunny5]

DPReview says otherwise…

”Apple confirmed to me that this is a new panel specially designed for this new thin-bezel monitor.”

Almost same specs from 5K iMac and LG Ultrafine... Beside the brightness, they are same panels.

 

[turbineseaplane]

They could have easily shoved in the insides of a mac mini in there and charged $2,000 for it. And make it like you said where you can 'switch inputs' that would have been a GREAT purchase for $2k.....as I can't say the same about the current display

And I just don't understand why they didn't..

And we could absolutely bring back TD mode now also, as technology caught up and we have the ports, cables, standards, DSC, etc, to do that again.

It'd be really really refreshing for Apple to make some design and implementation choices that benefit consumers a bit more. Big expensive monitors should have more flexibility than this.

 

[turbineseaplane]

”Apple confirmed to me that this is a new panel specially designed for this new thin-bezel monitor.”

lmao

Would we ever expect Apple to say: "it's the same panel we used in our iMacs and very similar to the one in the LG Ultrafine 5k"

 

[Unregistered 4U]

All of that power for… what exactly?

$1,599