PSA: Studio Display Stands Are Not Interchangeable

[Le Big Mac]

This is bad design. An unnecessary complication Which just adds to expense. If I understand this correctly, if you can't change the stands, then effectively Apple is making 3 different models. if you had one model, one build, then the costs would decrease. This isn't a situation about giving people choice, this is a money grab.

Agree it's frustrating from a consumer perspective, but it really doesn't likely add costs. They need three back plates that are mostly the same for the identical internal parts, which are the expensive parts anyway. They just screw on one of three backplates according to demand. The highest cost is likely the inventory one, but really that's not much different than if they had a universal mount on the back and had to stock each of the stand options.

 

[pers0n]

The display back must of been the project Jony Ive was contracted to work on

 

[Digital Skunk]

I was just talking to a coworker about the difference between HP, DELL, LG, and Apple monitors.

TL;DR - you're gonna be making your decision based on the quality of the panel and the case functions and features.

Hearing this news makes it a bit harder to recommend the Studio Display for larger deployment. A company is going to have to order a completely new display if they want a VESA option or vice-versa.

That's not to say that I don't love the monitor myself, however, I'm going to have to think long and hard about wanting the VESA or standard stand.

 

[MallardDuck]

Right there is a reason to not buy it. Just stupid.

 

[deeddawg]

Probably talking 4K monitors. I thought the same thing ...damn I could buy three 32 inch 4K monitors for the same price....but we are talking apples to oranges. Not comparable. I'd love a 32 inch 5K monitor not 27 inch but we are most likely looking at close to 3000 dollars or maybe more based on Apple's pricing strategy...if it ever happens.

Yeah, I know. Lots of folks here not noting the distinct difference between 5K and 4K.

At 27" I prefer a QHD level of resolution, which is an integer scaling on 5K and a fractional scaling on 4K.

 

[JosephAW]

Wait, wasn’t there a vesa mount for the stand? Has to fit.

 

[MacBH928]

I am here for the comments

 

[satchmo]

I was just talking to a coworker about the difference between HP, DELL, LG, and Apple monitors.

TL;DR - you're gonna be making your decision based on the quality of the panel and the case functions and features.

Hearing this news makes it a bit harder to recommend the Studio Display for larger deployment. A company is going to have to order a completely new display if they want a VESA option or vice-versa.

That's not to say that I don't love the monitor myself, however, I'm going to have to think long and hard about wanting the VESA or standard stand.

Honestly, I think the target audience are businesses that require than 10. Frankly more like 1-5 person studios.
This certainly wouldn’t be something for enterprise and large in-house design studios.

 

[iphonehype]

Apple, why? Do you create products with design and engineering in mind first or do you create a product that can create the most amount of money?

 

[dutchyonabike]

Apple, saving the planet, 3 display stands at a time ?‍♀️

 

[tmi0815]

Hello,

The devices look pretty, but nothing more.

I was hoping for a "cheaper" around (1000 - 1499 Euro) monitor, who the hell needs a 5 K 27 inch screen ???

I have a 32 inch screen here with 4 K, here I have to make everything a bit bigger so that I can see it.

3K would have been completely sufficient for a 27er, here there should have been at least a 27er and a 30/31/32 inch with 4K.

That would certainly then also be affordable and would not cost over 2000 euros.
I think Apple exaggerates massively here and completely ignores the wishes of the users.

** Apparently, abder the M1 can only work with 5K screens compatible and flawless ) **

Are the devices at all 100% compatible to other Thunderbold standards or do we also have a PIXEL bug here ? (M1 BUG with 27er older Thunderbold Screens)..

I am out... sorry Apple .. not with me... didn´t blend me...

How do you see it ?

 

[akbarali.ch]

This product screams "discontinued soon"

seriously, feels so outdated already, no 120hz.

 

[theluggage]

Where are you seeing $200 extra for VESA option?

My mistake - that was for the XDR.
However, it still means that you get a monitor without any sort of stand for the sake of 4 bolt holes, and the point about VESA being built in to far cheaper displays stands.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

For real, this is probably the worst thing about this display. There is no reason why I should be limited to a stand that can't be changed later for a VESA mount, or vice-versa, especially at this price point. This is greed at is best.

Every single Dell monitor I've owned has had a tilt feature, height adjustment feature, and can be disconnected from the stand to attach to a VESA mount. And the stands don't look all that bad, either. Maybe not the same level as Apple's machined aluminim, but they certainly fit in well with the Dell design language. Apple could have easily done the same, and chose not to.

 

[reyesmac]

This is what makes Apple a pain in the rear to deal with. Most of the general public does not care about the design if it interrupts or limits usability. Great design at any cost is the opposite of what most people want. Its superfluous how far they go just to not have a visible screw. Almost Pointless. Maybe the economy taking away potential customers will get them to innovate on creating more economical systems. Then we can buy these on clearance instead.

 

[Danfango]

I always buy VESA mount monitors and stands separately. All the standalone stands for any monitor are either too short or too expensive.

 

[mansplains]

I was tempted to go with height adjustable since I thought it may permit rotation but stuck with tilt. The 27" iMac I have has been fine with tilt, and I have a standing desk I can adjust the height for easily. Wondering about vesa now, I've never really looked into those jigs..

 

[reyesmac]

Remember the ram slot on the iMacs? How perfect the fit was? Why can't they make a stand that detaches and fits as nicely as that ram slot? Form over function over price.

 

[Macintosh TV]

Let's be real, almost no one is going to switch their stand type after purchase. Stop making this into such a big deal because it simply isn't.

 

[123]

I guess the VESA mount version is the only truly good option.

That wouldn't be very stylish though. I suggest to go with the default stand and use some books for height adjustments.

 

[Danfango]

That wouldn't be very stylish though. I suggest to go with the default stand and use some books for height adjustments.

Just stuff it on one of these. That's what I will do: https://www.knoll.com/product/sapper-single-monitor-arm

Available on eBay usually for hardly anything. Paid £30 for mine.

 

[123]

Stop making this into such a big deal because it simply isn't.

The actual big deal is that a 1.5k monitor isn't height adjustable.

 

[orbital~debris]

The curse of Ive lives on.

Indeed! The modern tenets Jonathan Ive – along with Steve Jobs & team colleagues – instilled in Apple greatly enabled it to become one of the largest companies on the planet so far.

 

[jclardy]

For real, this is probably the worst thing about this display. There is no reason why I should be limited to a stand that can't be changed later for a VESA mount, or vice-versa, especially at this price point. This is greed at is best.

100% agree, I can understand no mini-LED (Too expensive and clashes with the $5k Pro Display XDR), no 120hz (Not enough cable bandwidth for 5k 120hz.)

But a brand new design for a $1600 monitor with a stand that can't be removed and later swapped for a vesa mount..? At this price point this should have the same magnetic connection of the Pro Display XDR.

 

[sracer]

Then don't buy it. There are excellent height-adjustable VESA compatible stands/mounts that cost well under $400.

I'm not going to buy this monitor because of the price but I'm also not going to complain about the price or anything about the monitor. It's not for me so I can move on.

Thank you. I agree.

But in fairness, this is the love-hate relationship that many have with Apple.

Step 1: Apple releases an expensive and oddly-designed device.
Step 2: Apple faithful ridicule Apple for the price and the poor design choices.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Apple announces that they are now an n + 1 Trillion dollar company.
Step 5: Apple faithful cheer Apple on for their success and accept those poor designs as "groundbreaking".

What happened in step 3? Customers fall over themselves to buy any and everything Apple... including those expensive, poorly designed devices.

But consider who this is coming from... a guy who thought his Galaxy A20 was a flagship Android phone and that his newly acquired 2020 iPhone SE is a flagship phone as well.