Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

M5 iPad Pro Could Hint at New Studio Display Feature

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
70,415
42,061


The updated specs of the M5 iPad Pro may point toward a major new feature for Apple's next-generation Studio Display expected in early 2026.

studio-display-purple-february.jpg

Apple's latest iPad Pro debuted last month and contains one display-related change that stands out: it can now drive external monitors at up to 120Hz with Adaptive Sync. The feature should deliver lower latency, smoother motion, and fewer visual artifacts during workflows such as gaming and video editing, with Adaptive Sync further minimizing latency for rapid-response tasks.

This is the first time an iPad has supported 120Hz output to an external monitor and the timing aligns closely with Apple's development of a next-generation Studio Display. Although Macs have long supported 120Hz external displays, Apple has yet to ship a standalone monitor with a refresh rate above 60Hz, and they are fairly unusual in the market as a whole.

Rumors from multiple sources suggest Apple is preparing a significant Studio Display update for early 2026. Earlier this year, MacRumors found references in Apple code to a new external monitor codenamed J427, which will include the A19 Pro chip.

Display industry analyst Ross Young has said Apple is developing a 27-inch monitor with mini-LED backlighting. Mini-LED technology would improve brightness, contrast, and color performance compared to the current 27-inch 5K LCD panel.

It would also bring the monitor in line with the MacBook Pro, which has touted mini-LED technology since 2021. In combination with a potential ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate on the Studio Display, this would bring it fully into line with the MacBook Pro.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple plans to release a next-generation Studio Display or equivalent replacement external monitor as soon as early next year alongside new Macs with the M5 chip.

Apple launched the Studio Display in March 2022 alongside the Mac Studio. It features a 5K LCD display, 60Hz refresh rate, 600 nits of brightness, built-in camera and speakers with Center Stage and Spatial Audio support, the A13 Bionic chip, "Hey Siri" commands, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. Pricing in the U.S. starts at $1,599.

The combination of new 120Hz external display support on the M5 iPad Pro and the increasing likelihood of a major Studio Display refresh early next year adds weight to the idea that Apple is preparing a higher refresh rate for its upcoming monitor, but it remains speculation for now.

Article Link: M5 iPad Pro Could Hint at New Studio Display Feature
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/30/ipad-pro-hint-at-studio-display-feature/
This article leaves out an important caveat. The iPad Pro M5 tech specs specifically state it supports 120 Hz only up to 4K. Anything higher including 5K or 6K is only supported at 60 Hz.

Thunderbolt 5 can theoretically support 120 Hz at 5K or 6K but it's ultimately a question of when panel OEMs will get around to developing ones that Apple can use given how small the market is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Leon Ze Professional, DaniTheFox, UnbreakableAlex and 10 others
I just purchased a new MacBook Pro M5 & I assume with this new monitor I wouldn't be able to get 5k 120HZ? Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt many will buy the new display if only a small fraction of people have a device that is capable of 5K 120hz.
 
KPOM said:
120Hz at 5K requires a Thunderbolt 5 port, so it makes sense that Apple would roll out the updated Studio Display with m5 Macs in 2026.
Click to expand...
4K@120 runs over HDMI 2.1 just fine in 4:4:4 10 bpc, and 8K@120 takes DSC. While I haven't tried that, a M2 pro/max should be able to do 5K@120 4:4:4 8 bpc no prob.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandstorm
No one edits video @ 120hz screen refresh. there is NOTHING to be gained there. in fact since everything I shoot is 24.00p, I run all my screens at 24hz to avoid the problems of _higher_ frame rates. I find higher frame rates weird and disorienting. only gamers really care and even then science questiions much above 120hz as making any reaction difference, never mind the wasted energy for those frame rates.
 
  • Disagree
  • Haha
Reactions: Sandstorm and Pezimak
Steve01234 said:
No one edits video @ 120hz screen refresh. there is NOTHING to be gained there. in fact since everything I shoot is 24.00p, I run all my screens at 24hz to avoid the problems of _higher_ frame rates. I find higher frame rates weird and disorienting. only gamers really care and even then science questiions much above 120hz as making any reaction difference, never mind the wasted energy for those frame rates.
Click to expand...
Actually, IMO one of the nice things about 120hz is that it's a multiple of both 30 fps and 24 fps, so all of the common video frame rates will work without changing the refresh rate, or fancy variable refresh / adaptive sync.

Anyway, I find 120hz makes moving my mouse feel smoother and more precise. It's not a huge difference vs 60hz but it's nice to have. I think using a mouse at 24hz feels really awful though, I'm very surprised you can't feel the difference!
 
  • Like
Reactions: imageWIS, Sandstorm, Diogo FM and 9 others
Steve01234 said:
No one edits video @ 120hz screen refresh. there is NOTHING to be gained there. in fact since everything I shoot is 24.00p, I run all my screens at 24hz to avoid the problems of _higher_ frame rates. I find higher frame rates weird and disorienting. only gamers really care and even then science questiions much above 120hz as making any reaction difference, never mind the wasted energy for those frame rates.
Click to expand...
120Hz would handle 24fps just fine, just like 60Hz displays handle 30fps. Aside from that, science does not question anything above 120Hz as human vision is not digital and can see stimuli of duration much shorter than 1/120th of a second.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pezimak and 01cowherd
Steve01234 said:
No one edits video @ 120hz screen refresh. there is NOTHING to be gained there. in fact since everything I shoot is 24.00p, I run all my screens at 24hz to avoid the problems of _higher_ frame rates. I find higher frame rates weird and disorienting. only gamers really care and even then science questiions much above 120hz as making any reaction difference, never mind the wasted energy for those frame rates.
Click to expand...

💀 🧍🏼‍♂️

IMG_8706.jpeg
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: iMean, Sandstorm and Pezimak
KPOM said:
The m5 iPad Pro supports 120Hz only up to 4K. Perhaps the new Studio Display will support 120Hz at lower resolutions on m5 Macs but 120Hz at higher resolutions only on m5 Pro/Max Macs.
Click to expand...
They might not want to give away the new display by saying it can do 5k and will update it after release of the monitor.
 
  • Wow
  • Like
Reactions: _Mitchan1999 and Cape Dave
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back