Apple’s All-New 27-Inch Studio Display XDR Has 2,000-nit HDR and a 120Hz Refresh Rate

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A computer monitor displays a vivid image of a woman wearing gold fringe and sparkling accessories against a red and blue glittery background, showcased in photo editing software.

Apple has announced a new Studio Display and an all-new Studio Display XDR, both 27-inch 5K monitors. The former is an update to the Studio Display launched in 2022, while the Studio Display XDR replaces the outgoing 32-inch 6K Pro Display XDR from 2019.

“Apple has led the industry in delivering the world’s most advanced displays for pros to do their life’s best work, and today we do that once again with the introduction of the new Studio Display family,” says John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.

“Studio Display gets even better with a new 12MP Center Stage camera and powerful Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. And the Studio Display XDR is a huge leap forward for XDR technology, with a mini-LED backlight, 2000 nits of peak HDR brightness, advanced color accuracy, and a 120Hz refresh rate, transforming workflows like filmmaking, design and print, and 3D animation. It’s by far the world’s best pro display.”

Two computer monitors with silver stands display colorful abstract digital art; the left shows bold geometric shapes in blue, pink, and orange, while the right features 3D puzzle pieces and translucent objects in pastel shades.

Apple’s Improved Studio Display

Looking first at the updated Studio Display, which is likely going to be the choice of many customers thanks to its more accessible price point, it features the same 27-inch 5K Retina display with over 600 nits of brightness and P3 color gamut support as its predecessor. Apple says the Studio Display pairs great with all its latest Macs and is well-suited to a wide range of professional workflows, including photo and video editing.

A computer monitor displays a vibrant still-life image of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. A small silver desktop computer sits below the screen against a plain white background.

The 27-inch 5K display has a resolution of 5120 x 2880 (218 pixels per inch) and a 60Hz refresh rate. It supports Apple’s True Tone technology and is available with an optional nano-texture glass coating. It also features Apple’s latest 12-megapixel Center Stage camera with Desk View, a six-speaker system, wide stereo sound, Spatial Audio support, and a studio-quality three-mic array.

A computer monitor displays a bold, yellow “Passiflora” title over an orange-red background with purple passionflower illustrations, alongside layout design elements and text in a desktop publishing software.

On the back of the Studio Display are a pair of USB-C ports (up to 10 Gb/s) and two Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120 Gb/s). One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port supports 96W charging, while the other downstream port is useful for connecting high-speed accessories or daisy-chaining additional displays. The USB-C ports are designed for peripherals, storage, and networking devices.

The Studio Display comes standard with a tilt-adjustable stand that offers a range of -5° to 25°. An optional $400 tilt and height-adjustment stand lets users adjust the height by up to 105 millimeters (just over four inches). Speaking of optional add-ons, the nano-texture glass adds $300 to the total price.

While the core display technology remains unchanged from the original Studio Display released in 2022, the new Studio Display promises better audio input and output, faster connectivity thanks to the move to the new Thunderbolt 5 ports, a better camera, and the new nano-texture display option.

The new Studio Display will be available to preorder starting tomorrow, March 4, starting at $1,599. It starts shipping on March 11.

The All-New Studio Display XDR

While the Studio Display is not fundamentally new, although it is certainly improved, the new Studio Display XDR is a wholesale revamp of Apple’s approach to flagship displays. Apple calls the all-new Studio Display XDR “the world’s best pro display,” which is a bold, exciting claim.

A computer monitor displays a vivid portrait of a person in a shiny purple jacket, standing against a vibrant, colorful background with orange and green clouds; photo editing software interface is visible on the screen.

The Studio Display XDR features advanced display technology and offers up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, P3 and Adobe RGB wide color gamuts, and a 120Hz refresh rate. It also, as expected, moves to Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

At the heart of the Studio Display XDR is a 27-inch 5K Retina XDR display with a resolution of 5120 x 2880. It uses mini-LED backlighting with 2,304 local dimming zones. In SDR mode, the display reaches 1,000 nits of peak brightness, while HDR unlocks up to 2,000 nits.

A woman in a red shirt works at a desk with a laptop and two large monitors, editing a 3D digital model in a modern office with large windows and city views.

“This wide dynamic range — from the brightest brights to the deepest blacks — makes HDR content pop off the screen while virtually eliminating distracting halo and blooming effects,” Apple explains.

Color accuracy and stability are extremely important for creative professionals, and the Studio Display XDR promises to deliver. The Studio Display XDR now supports the Adobe RGB color gamut, in addition to P3 wide color, which Apple says makes it an even better reference display than its predecessor. Both P3 and Adobe RGB are available through the same default preset, which Apple says streamlines pro workflows that bounce between color spaces.

The Studio Display XDR features a 120Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync that supports a continuously variable refresh rate from 47Hz to 120Hz.

The new display has Apple’s latest 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, a studio-quality three-mic array, and a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio support.

Side and back views of a silver Apple iMac desktop computer, showing its thin profile, built-in stand, and Apple logo centered on the back. The stand has a circular hole for cable management.

Like the new Studio Display, the new Studio Display XDR also has a pair of Thunderbolt 5 ports and two USB-C ports. The new monitor offers up to 140W charging through its included Thunderbolt 5 cable, which is enough to fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The new Studio Display XDR replaces Apple’s 32-inch Pro Display XDR in the company’s lineup, which launched in 2019 for $5,000 without a stand. The product page for the Pro Display XDR now redirects to the Studio Display XDR, and the Pro Display XDR is no longer available for purchase on Apple’s website.

A computer monitor displays video editing software with a scene of a football player running in the rain on the main screen, surrounded by editing timelines, video thumbnails, and color grading tools.

Compared to the Pro Display XDR announced in 2019, the Studio Display XDR offers higher peak brightness, a faster 120Hz refresh rate, a better camera, better speakers, improved mics, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, a lower starting price, and improved overall display technology. Granted, users lose some display size and resolution. It will be very interesting to see how the new Studio Display XDR stands up in testing, because the Pro Display XDR was excellent, albeit very expensive and now quite outdated.

The new Apple Studio Display XDR includes a tilt- and height-adjustable stand with a height range of 105 millimeters (over four inches). The Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299, and the nano-texture coating is an extra $300. The all-new Studio Display XDR can be preordered starting March 4, with shipping beginning March 11.

Image credits: Apple

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