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Pro Display XDR - Wasted Money in 2022?
- Thread starter tawk
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TB4 doesn’t have enough bandwidth for 10 bit 6K at 120Hz.
As mentioned above, there's no technology that can handle 6K@120 Hz at the moment.
Also, in real life you won't use white in black terminal, it's just makes your eyes hurt no matter with blooming or not.
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DisplayPort 2.0 can handle 6K120 no problem.
The current Pro Display uses the DisplayPort 1.4 HBR3 link rate (8.1 Gbs/lane). DisplayPort 2.0 supports UHBR20 link rate (20 Gbs). Since it's more than twice the bandwidth, you'd have room to spare.
Heck, you can run 6K120 over USB-C these days.
The current Pro Display uses the DisplayPort 1.4 HBR3 link rate (8.1 Gbs/lane). DisplayPort 2.0 supports UHBR20 link rate (20 Gbs). Since it's more than twice the bandwidth, you'd have room to spare.
Heck, you can run 6K120 over USB-C these days.
Agree, but with a caveat.
I have the XDR and Studio Display side-by-side. I also have a M1 Pro 16". The DPI between all three looks the same, even though the MacBook Pro is technically denser.
The ironic thing is, the ProMotion on the MacBook Pro never really seems noticeable in comparison to the monitors. ProMotion definitely stands out on my iPad Pros (and to a lesser extent iPhone 14 Pro), but something about the laptop screens just doesn't show the same smoothness in the UI/scrolling that the iPads do. They don't look "bad", rather they just look closer to 60Hz like the traditional monitors.
I've been keeping an eye out for used ones of these, but there's just not many around (no surprise given the RRP).
The rumours have said there's a new LED-based display coming but in 27" size. I'd like to see something like this which would cover more price-points and sizes.
The rumours have said there's a new LED-based display coming but in 27" size. I'd like to see something like this which would cover more price-points and sizes.
- 27" ASD - what we have today
- 27" & 32" ASD "Studio" w/LED? Built-in speakers; webcam etc.
- 32" Pro Display XDR - Updated version of what we have today
When I upgraded from my 2014 27” retina iMac to a Mac Studio I got the Studio Display and have been very pleased.
It felt like a good upgrade.
I’m now considering getting a second Studio Display but on VESA to replace the 24” LG I currently use for my work laptop, that way I can have two very nice displays on Mac Studio or use the second display with work laptop.
It felt like a good upgrade.
I’m now considering getting a second Studio Display but on VESA to replace the 24” LG I currently use for my work laptop, that way I can have two very nice displays on Mac Studio or use the second display with work laptop.
I picked up a used one on Craigslist earlier this year and am a very happy camper. I had my eye out for a while until I found this one, but I have seen others occasionally.
I had qualms about buying it last year, but I have no regrets. For something that I stare at for hours, and for years on end, it was well worth it. If my Debian box would support it, I would buy one for Linux also. For text, next to the XDR, the best "text monitor" that money can buy (and I have bought quite a few) looks like an etch-a-sketch.
I would have two, but the M1 only supports one TB monitor. Waiting to see if there might be an M2 Pro Mini, or whatever, with more monitor support. If not, while I don't need the horsepower of the Max Studio, I may get one just for the ports.
Edit 1/7/23
Finally got a Max Studio and having all the ports is wonderful after working around the two on a Mini. I realized (remembered) that I had an old Thunderbolt Display on the shelf, unused for years. Brought it down, made a raised base to match the height of the XDR, and have been trying it for several days. Of course, side by side it can't possibly match the text clarity of the XDR, but it looks very good and works as a place to hang a browser, VLC, iMessages, etc, leaving the big screen free for work. I think I will keep it and use the $6000 for something else.
Also, I realized that the multiple screen usage is far improved over what it used to be. Now they can be moved to any position, tweaking up or down, rather than just this side or that. Both have hot corners, rather than only the one to the far one side or another. Not bad.
BTW - Ebay has quite a few used XDRs, most without stands. Never ordered from there so have no idea about the risk for such an expensive item.
I would have two, but the M1 only supports one TB monitor. Waiting to see if there might be an M2 Pro Mini, or whatever, with more monitor support. If not, while I don't need the horsepower of the Max Studio, I may get one just for the ports.
Edit 1/7/23
Finally got a Max Studio and having all the ports is wonderful after working around the two on a Mini. I realized (remembered) that I had an old Thunderbolt Display on the shelf, unused for years. Brought it down, made a raised base to match the height of the XDR, and have been trying it for several days. Of course, side by side it can't possibly match the text clarity of the XDR, but it looks very good and works as a place to hang a browser, VLC, iMessages, etc, leaving the big screen free for work. I think I will keep it and use the $6000 for something else.
Also, I realized that the multiple screen usage is far improved over what it used to be. Now they can be moved to any position, tweaking up or down, rather than just this side or that. Both have hot corners, rather than only the one to the far one side or another. Not bad.
BTW - Ebay has quite a few used XDRs, most without stands. Never ordered from there so have no idea about the risk for such an expensive item.
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I bought one XDR in 2020, another for my wife in 2021 and I'd buy another today. They are by far the best display you've ever used or seen and for 8 hours a day, worth the cost.
Finally an alternative for those in the camp that want a 32" high PPI display(don't know the price but I would guess far cheaper) https://www.pcmag.com/news/ces-2023-first-look-dell-ultrasharp-32-6k-monitor-ips-black
Looks promising!
My only reservation about this is the same as every other non-Apple monitor I see - will they be able to make it 100% reliable & quick to wake from sleep; will the panel be as good (colour accuracy, brightness) as Apple screens tend to be and will all the scaled resolutions work well (I'm assuming that's a no-brainer due to the panel resolution).
I purchased an XDR and I was extremely happy with it about a year ago.
Shortly after I received it I started to read rumors of an eventual new model with pro motion coming soon. I know it had been 2 years plus since it was released and I believed there could be some truth to these rumors. Went to return it and what a mistake that was. A year has passed and I would have used that display every single day this entire year.
Now I find myself wanting to buy it and just be done with it. it's an incredible display and just waiting for the new one around the corner was a bad call.
So no it is not wasted money even now in Jan 2023.
Shortly after I received it I started to read rumors of an eventual new model with pro motion coming soon. I know it had been 2 years plus since it was released and I believed there could be some truth to these rumors. Went to return it and what a mistake that was. A year has passed and I would have used that display every single day this entire year.
Now I find myself wanting to buy it and just be done with it. it's an incredible display and just waiting for the new one around the corner was a bad call.
So no it is not wasted money even now in Jan 2023.
Waiting for the "next great thing" usually results in disappointment and, eventually, wishing you had waited for the NEXT great thing. It's a never-ending loop that's just not worth the grief. Buy the best you can afford NOW and worry about tomorrow, well, tomorrow.
At least Apple needs to upgrade dimming to at least 10K zones and make dimming uniform. That's what I don't like in XDR.
So are we expecting a new XDR to go along with the Mac Pro?
Obviously screen technology has moved on, but would they at least add speakers to it I wonder? I know the argument about a built-in webcam was that there would be some expected places where security wouldn't permit it, but it seems like a missed trick not to have a 4K webcam and speakers in there.
Obviously screen technology has moved on, but would they at least add speakers to it I wonder? I know the argument about a built-in webcam was that there would be some expected places where security wouldn't permit it, but it seems like a missed trick not to have a 4K webcam and speakers in there.
same quality backlighting zones as the current macbook pros and added pro motion is what I am hoping for. Zone numbers/quality being the most important. 120 hz is very nice, but not something I personally need. Resolution seems perfect as it is. And I absolutely don’t want a built in cam or speakers.
As much as I'd love an XDR, I'm still rocking a 23" Cinema HD from around 2006... I've seen them in action, and honestly, know it would be a 10+ year piece of hardware for me (which could help to justify the upfront capital cost).
It comes down to the notion of needs vs. wants, for me anyway.
It comes down to the notion of needs vs. wants, for me anyway.
So, now it seems Apply will not have any new monitor any time soon. Is XDR still worthy? I need the 6K resolution, screen size, and the image quality for photo editing. I don't need 120Hz. The only thing that comes close is probably the Dell 6K. But if its image quality is as its price suggests (only about half as good as XDR), then I probably won't consider it.
If you can swallow the price, the answer is definitely yes. I have a room full of non-Apple monitors, including a pair of 4k's from LG and Samsung ("4.8 star, top rated, best in class,etc,etc") and beside the XDR, they look like a pair of flimsy screens from an Etch-a-Sketch. Not even close.
However, I also used an ancient Apple Thunderbolt display as a secondary monitor on my M1 Studio. In comparison, it looked fine, although in 2k only. When it died this year, I got a Studio Monitor, when side by side in my configuration, looks (from the front) exactly like a little brother of the XDR. And to my eyes, the quality of the image is the same. I almost bought another XDR, but it would have taken up too much space and since the secondary monitor is only used as a holder for reference windows, not really worth it.
My setup is for programming. I would not give up my XDR for its huge desktop and infinitely crisp text, but if circumstances required, I could be satisfied to use the Studio (or two of them) in its place.
Thanks. It's good to know. The price is indeed very steep, but not something completely impossible. Do you have the glossy one or the nano-texture one? My iMac Pro is glossy. Most of the time it doesn't bother me. But once a while when it's very sunny outside, the reflection can prevent me from seeing the shadow details in an image.
I’m also doing coding and thinking about pulling the trigger on the XDR. I have a 32’ 4k dell now and also 2x 4k 27’ dells but the quality on those ain’t that great. When I can, I try to work using the built in liquid retina display on my m1 16’ laptop.
I really wanted to have a pro motion xdr, but it seems this isn’t happening, so I think I’m going to buy an XDR…
Mine is glossy, but my workroom is in a windowless basement. No extraneous light anywhere. In fact, I run my brightness way down, since in the low light anything close to 500 or more nits will almost make afterimages on the eyes.