Studio Display 2022 vs. Studio Display 2026 Buyer's Guide

[ArrayDecay]

The display itself...is unchanged.

 

[Charlie Bonesx]

waiting on the new lg to get the same panel as the new Studio Display xdr for the price of the new Studio Display

 

[Charlie Bonesx]

What does that newer chip really do?

it's just the chips they have a surplus of now

 

[conmee]

Wow, 27" 5K, A19 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, USB-C, webcam, and speakers.

They're 95% of the way to building a 27" iMac. It's baffling how over-engineered this is for a monitor - we used to get an entire computer "for free" included in the display for this price.

It could easily be an “iMac Neo” if Apple would let it boot macOS.

 

[conmee]

You get improved bass on the speakers, better camera processing, and desk view. The extra thunderbolt 5 port is nice, but not really worth the upgrade. The screen is unchanged.

They changed just about everything except the most important part of a monitor… the actual screen. 🙂

 

[idmean]

2026 model is actually a downgrade because it forces you to use Tahoe.

I am using it with Sequioa and the only thing that doesn’t work is the camera when my MacBook is in clamshell mode. Otherwise it works completely normally.

 

[conmee]

I am using it with Sequioa and the only thing that doesn’t work is the camera when my MacBook is in clamshell mode. Otherwise it works completely normally.

But the camera is one of the three things they upgraded. So it’s less functional than the 2022 ASD unless you use it with Tahoe. 😉

 

[conmee]

I’m on #team120hz so I’m disappointed I’d have to drop $3,300 just to get a higher refresh rate, but if they just priced the ASD at say $999 as it currently is, then I think that would be much more appropriate for a 60Hz monitor in 2026. Still would be pricey but factoring in the Apple tax for build quality, camera/speaker/TB5 hub functionality. I’d consider it a much more reasonable value at that price. As it stands, $1,599 seems particularly greedy for essentially the same display as 2022 just with some secondary bells and whistles that have nothing to do with the actual display itself.

 

[RMo]

Cmon man. Such a pointless reply when it is one less port.

It seems you misunderstood both my reply and the original article (or perhaps are joking/trolling?). The number of ports is the exact same. One of the USB-C ports was "just" upgraded from USB to Thunderbolt.

 

[poematik13]

I am using it with Sequioa and the only thing that doesn’t work is the camera when my MacBook is in clamshell mode. Otherwise it works completely normally.

Wait, so if the macbook is open, the camera works?

I’m buying one then

 

[Hogswarts]

It could easily be an “iMac Neo” if Apple would let it boot macOS.

So could your iPhone 17 Pro.

 

[Hashtag]

Has the problem that some (possibly all) users have with the 2022 model waking from sleep mode and not completely re-entering sleep mode been corrected with the 2026 model? Someone has posted an article about this problem here: Apple Studio Display sleep issue.

 

[schappim]

A19, 8gb Ram, 128GB storage… this thing is practically a Neo

 

[rafark]

For many purposes, 60hz isn't an issue whatsoever.

It literally is. I recently bought my first 120hz monitor and now I can’t go back to 60hz. Once you get used to a high refresh rate everything else looks so bad. The built in display of my m1 air feels so choppy in comparison. Like even moving the cursor looks so bad compared to a high refresh rate monitor. And I’m not even a gamer, UIs feel so smooth in a 120hz+ monitor. It’s a totally different experience and it’s so disappointing to see apple selling a 60hz monitor considering apple is a premium brand selling a premium experience.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Can any 2026 Studio Display owners confirm that you must use an Apple Silicon Mac w/Tahoe?

I use the 2022 version with even Windows computers, it's a big feature for me.

 

[Charlie Bonesx]

Can any 2026 Studio Display owners confirm that you must use an Apple Silicon Mac w/Tahoe?

I use the 2022 version with even Windows computers, it's a big feature for me.

I think that’s just for the camera processing?

So really no point in replacing the ‘22 for you I would think

 

[Lucky736]

I already have a 5K 60hz monitor… I bought in 2019. I got it when Apple was discounting LG’s 5K to $1000… which was ONE HELL OF A DEAL in retrospect.

Fantastic displays. Just sold the others I had but absolutely the best.

 

[edubfromktown]

I passed n $1050-ish for the older VESA one.

Sticking with 4k alternatives that have relatively high PPI for now.

 

[svish]

No reason to upgrade to newer one. On a separate note, with so much storage capacity and a powerful processor, it seems as if it is very possible to manufacture a 27" iMac.

 

[31 Flavas]

Cmon man. Such a pointless reply when it is one less port.

You do know that the "downstream" Thunderbolt port is also a USB port, at the same time, right? As in, just because MacBook Pro laptops have (3) three Thunderbolt 4 (or 5) ports don't mean they have 0 USB ports .... right???

 

[Vecna]

WHY THE 2022 VERSION AND THE NEW 2026 COST EXACTLY THE SAME? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

 

[RobertPS]

Another slight difference is that the new 2026 model is less energy efficient.
Probably because of the new processor and/or added memory.

 

[satchmo]

I think the 2022 one was occasionally on sale for $1299 USD (new, not refurbished). I’m not sure we’ll see it much lower than that.

There are some newer 5K displays from Asus (180hz) for less, although with a lesser build quality.

 

[HVDynamo]

I wouldn't call it the “obvious choice” at all. The price is, and that's what’s obvious, still way too high. Combine this with the hopelessly outdated display technology absolutely no one should buy this display. I personally would call it trash.

Outdated or not, it's still a pretty damn good display. There is a point of diminishing returns, you know.

 

[x86dude]

Why does a monitor have 128 Gb of internal storage ?