Apple Studio Display vs. Pro Display XDR: which one is the real winner? Apple’s external monitors are priced like luxury goods, with the Pro Display XDR being one of the priciest accessories you can get. Is the massive price tag worth that much more than the Studio Display?
It’s time to put Apple’s displays to the test to see which one is actually worth your hard-earned money. This guide will look over how they work, relevant specs, and whether you really need to spend an extra $3,000 to get a great monitor for your Apple computer.
Apple Studio Display vs. Pro Display XDR: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Apple Studio Display | Apple Pro Display XDR | |
|---|---|---|
| Suggested Retail Pricing | $1,599 | $4,999 |
| Screen Size | 27 inches | 32 inches |
| Resolution | 5K or 5,120 by 2,880 pixels | 6K or 6,016 by 3,384 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| HDR Support | No | Yes |
| Inputs | USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 | USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 |
| Audio Support | Yes, comes with six speakers | No |
| Comes with a Stand? | Yes | No |
There are some very obvious discrepancies between these two displays. On paper, the Pro Display XDR would be appear to the superior choice for your Apple computer.
Apple Studio Display vs. Pro Display XDR: What’s the Difference?
Performance
The Apple Studio Display has a 5K resolution with an exceptionally bright screen measuring 600 nits. It is a larger display, coming in at 27 inches on the diagonal. Apple’s external monitors seem to hover around 60 Hz for their refresh rates, which isn’t an ideal fit. However, given the color reproduction, the Studio Display is a fine monitor for work and media consumption. Apple prides itself on excellent color accuracy, and the Studio Display is no exception.
- Immersive 27-inch 5K Retina display with 600 nits of brightness, support for one billion colors, and P3 wide color
- 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage for more engaging video calls
- Studio-quality three-mic array for crystal-clear calls and voice recordings
- Six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio for an unbelievable listening experience
- One Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB-C ports
The Pro Display XDR comes in at 32 inches on the diagonal and is a 6K Retina display. The peak brightness is nearly double that of the Studio Display, measuring 1,000 nits with standard content. It does come with HDR support, making it a far better choice for media consumption.
When using HDR content, the peak brightness jumps to 1,600 nits. From a pure performance standpoint, the Pro Display XDR has a massive edge. It has better peak brightness, a higher resolution, and HDR support for watching HD content.
System Compatibility
Both the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR are compatible with contemporary Apple computers. If you’ve got a later model Intel Mac or one of the Apple Silicon MacBooks, you’re right as rain. It is recommended that you opt for one of the newer M2 Macs to really drive the display. You’ve got the ability to power a display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz, which is more than enough for either of these displays.
You’ll need a Mac that is capable of running macOS Monterey 12.3 at a minimum for either display. iPad users aren’t left out either, with iPadOS 15.4 being supported for Stage Manager usage. Either way, both displays are perfectly suitable for use with contemporary Apple hardware. Compatibility with the ecosystem extends a decent way back. You’ll need a more modern iPad with Stage Manager support, but newer iPad Pro and Air models should fare just fine.
Extras
When it comes to extras, you’ll see a definite edge arise with the Apple Studio Display. The lower specced display comes with a 12MP webcam which is more than usable for selfies and video calls. Apple has stayed on top of firmware updates for the display, so improvements have been made since release.
- 32-inch LCD display with Retina 6K resolution (6016 x 3384 pixels)
- Extreme Dynamic Range (XDR)
- Brightness: 1000 nits sustained, 1600 nits peak
- One Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB-C ports
The Studio Display also comes with full audio support, with six speakers built into the device itself. Audio quality from the built-in speakers is decent, with a fair frequency distribution. There is a fair bit of bass frequencies present, so they’re great for media consumption.
The Pro Display XDR has a more laughable definition of extras. It’ll cost you more right away to get a stand for the device. Yes, you read that correctly, Apple is selling a display for almost $5,000 without a stand. The Pro Display XDR also comes with zero audio support and no webcam. You’ll have to rely on external speakers and a third-party webcam to get the same feature parity.
Inputs
The Apple Studio Display comes with a trio of USB-C ports and a lone Thunderbolt 3 port. You can effectively use the monitor itself as a USB hub, which is a blessing for devices with minimal USB connectivity. This is great for devices like the newer MacBooks, which are fairly port bare.
The Pro Display XDR comes with an identical configuration. You’ll find the same USB-C ports and single Thunderbolt 3 inputs on the device. Both devices benefit from using the Thunderbolt 3 connection as the primary means of connecting the display. Thunderbolt 3 has considerably more throughput than a USB-C connection, with 40 Gbps being the norm.
Compared to the USB-C connections with a maximum throughput of 10 Gbps, it’s no contest. The Thunderbolt 3 connection works well, with no noticeable compression or artifacts present on the display even with high-motion content.
Apple Studio Display vs. Pro Display XDR: 6 Must-Know Facts
- The Apple Studio Display comes packaged with a stand, speakers, and webcam.
- The Apple Studio Display is usable with newer Mac computers and iPads.
- The Apple Studio Display is effectively an iMac screen without the computer attached.
- The Pro Display XDR comes with no speaker or webcam included.
- You’ll have to pay extra for the Pro Display XDR’s usable stand.
- The Pro Display XDR is an expensive way to get HDR compatibility with your Mac computer.
Apple Studio Display vs. Pro Display XDR: Which One is Better? Which One Should You Choose?
So, which of these displays is the actual winner? The Pro Display XDR represents Apple at its brashest. It is an expensive high-performance display that is priced more in line with extreme luxury items than a computer peripheral. Yes, the monitor comes with HDR support and a higher resolution. However, that isn’t enough to justify the extreme cost difference.
The Studio Display is on the upper end of pricing for most monitors on the market. While it lacks the higher refresh rates and HDR support seen from the likes of LG and Dell at this price bracket, it is a wonderful display thanks to its color accuracy.
When you factor in a decent array of speakers and the webcam, it is a tidy solution to getting the best display for your Mac. The Pro Display XDR is great, but it isn’t worth the MSRP for the display alone.
- Apple Studio Display
- Immersive 27-inch 5K Retina display with 600 nits of brightness, support for one billion colors, and P3 wide color
- 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage for more engaging video calls
- Studio-quality three-mic array for crystal-clear calls and voice recordings
- Six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio for an unbelievable listening experience
- One Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB-C ports
- Apple 32-inch Pro Display XDR
- 32-inch LCD display with Retina 6K resolution (6016 x 3384 pixels)
- Extreme Dynamic Range (XDR)
- Brightness: 1000 nits sustained, 1600 nits peak
- One Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB-C ports
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