Apple’s New $3,299 Studio Display XDR Comes With Some Caveats

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A person sits at a desk using a laptop and two large monitors, working on 3D digital artwork with colorful graphics displayed on the screens in an office with large windows and city views.

Apple’s new 27-inch Studio Display XDR looks like a great option for photographers and video editors requiring accurate colors and high peak brightness. However, as eagle-eyed prospective customers are discovering, there are some caveats to consider when it comes to compatibility.

On Apple’s store listing for the new Studio Display XDR, which went up for preorder this morning around the same time Apple unveiled its new $599 MacBook Neo, the Studio Display XDR is not compatible with all Macs, nor are all its features available on all Apple Silicon-powered Macs.

Firstly, those with Intel Macs are out of luck when it comes to Apple’s new display. Not a single Intel-powered Mac is listed as compatible with the display. Admittedly, this might not be a big deal for most prospective customers. Arguably, not all that many Intel Mac owners are champing at the bit to spend $3,299 on a new monitor. Fine, but the last Intel-powered Mac Pro, released in 2019, was only discontinued in 2023 when the only Apple Silicon-powered Mac Pro released thus far arrived on the scene.

A computer monitor displays a vibrant image of a model wearing a gold, fringed outfit and pearl accessories against a bold red and blue background.

The 2019 Mac Pro is not that old, and Apple continued to sell it until less than three years ago. For a professional Mac to not be able to use Apple’s newest displays is sure to disappoint some users who paid a pretty penny for what was still a very powerful machine not that long ago.

It isn’t just Intel Macs that are out of luck, though. There are plenty of Apple Silicon-powered Macs that will be limited to a maximum of 60Hz refresh rates on the new Studio Display XDR, which partially undercuts one of the monitor’s biggest selling points: its 120Hz refresh rate.

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.

Mac models with M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, M2, and M3 support the Studio Display XDR at up to 60Hz. “All other Studio Display XDR features are supported,” Apple adds.

A single iPad model, the iPad Pro with M5, supports the display at 120Hz. All other compatible iPad models, which include iPad Pro (M4 and M5), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and newer), iPad Pro 11-inch, iPad Air (M2, M3, and M4), and iPad Air (5th generation), are capped at 60Hz.

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.

The Apple Studio Display XDR still has plenty of powerful, attractive specs and features. Still, these limitations are worth considering for prospective customers using older Apple Silicon-powered Macs and essential knowledge for Intel Mac owners, especially those with the Mac Pro (2019), who may have thought they’d be able to use Apple’s new flagship display.

Image credits: Apple

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