Apple has renewed its range of monitors for professionals with a new member of smaller size and lower price: the Studio Display. Perfect to complement the new Mac Studio or any other compatible Apple device, this screen shares many specifications with the Pro Display XDR, a monitor announced in 2019. Also with the LG UltraFine 5K and LG UltraFine 4K. Although both are not available on the company’s website, they can be purchased from other stores for a price similar to the new Apple monitor. But, What are the differences between all these models, which option is the most suitable?
Deciding between purchasing the Studio Display or the Pro Display XDR should not be a complicated task if you are clear about what you are looking for in a monitor for your Mac. Especially considering the great difference in price between the two. The StudioDisplay available by €1,779yes The Pro Display XDR, on the other hand, can be purchased for €5,499. They are 3,720 euros more. And it is that this latest model is intended, mainly, for professionals who need a larger screen, more image quality and brightness. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between both devices.
The Studio Display is a more compact monitor than the Pro Display XDR. It has, in particular, a 27-inch IPS-LCD panel. The top model maintains the same technology, but its size grows up to 32 inches. This makes its resolution higher, at 6016 x 3384 pixels (6K), compared to 5120 x 2880 pixels (5K) on the Studio Display. Despite this, both have the same pixel density. The brightness, yes, is different. The 27-inch model has up to 600 nits of brightness. The larger monitor, on the other hand, can vary from 500 to 1,600 nits of brightness depending on the reference modes, which brings us to the second big difference.
Apple’s ProDisplay XDR has more reference modes than Display Studio. Reference modes on the company’s monitors allow parameters to be adjusted in a more personalized way to better visualize the content the user is working on. For example, it is possible to apply a photo mode to achieve more accurate colors when editing images, or one that includes the possibility of playing HDR content to edit videos. In this case, the two monitors share many of the references, but the Pro Display XDR includes two additional ones to make the most of that extra brightness it has.
On the other hand, the Studio Display includes a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera to make video calls, as well as a system of three microphones and six speakers with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. The Pro Display XDR, on the other hand, does not include a camera for video calls. Neither speakers or microphones.
What are the differences between the Studio Display and the LG UltraFine 5K and 4K?
StudioDisplay | Pro Display XDR | LG Ultra Fine 5K | LG Ultra Fine 4K | |
Size | 27 inches | 32 inches | 27 inches | 23.7 inches |
panel technology | IPS backlit LCD | IPS backlit LCD | IPS backlit LCD | IPS backlit LCD |
Resolution, pixel density and brightness | 5K (5120 x 2880 pixels), 218 ppi and 600 nits of brightness | 6K (6016 x 3384 pixels), 218 ppi and 500 – 1,600 nits of brightness | 5K (5120 x 2880 pixels), 218 ppi and 500 nits of brightness | 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels), 183 ppi and 500 nits of brightness |
screen ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 |
Screen refresh rate | 60Hz | Adaptive from 47.95 to 60 Hz | 60Hz | 60Hz |
Finish | Anti-glare, optional version with nano-textured panel | Anti-glare, optional version with nano-textured panel | Anti-glare technology (anti reflections) | Anti-glare technology (anti reflections) |
Technology | True Tone, Wide Color Gamut (P3) | True Tone, Wide Color Gamut (P3) | Wide color gamut (P3) | Wide color gamut (P3) |
connections | 1 Thunderbolt 3 port, 3 USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, 96w connector | 1 Thunderbolt 3 port, 3 USB C 2.0, 96W connector | 1 Thunderbolt 3 port, 3 USB-C 3.0, 94W connector | 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, 3 USB C 3.0, 85W connector |
VESA mount / bracket | Stand included, height + tilt stand available separately / compatible | Does not include support / Compatible | Tilt and height support / Compatible | Tilt and height support / Compatible |
camera and microphone | 12 megapixel ultra wide angle and 3 built-in microphones | does not have | 1080p webcam, built-in microphones | does not have |
Speakers | 6-speaker system with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos compatibility | does not have | 5W stereo speaker | 5w stereo speaker |
Materials | Aluminum | Aluminum | polycarbonate | polycarbonate |
Reference modes | -Apple display (P3, 600nits) – HDTV video (BT.709-BT.1886) – NTSC video (BT.601 SMPTE-C) – Video PAL and SECAM (BT.601 EBU) – Digital cinema (P3-DCI) – Digital cinema (P3-D65) – Design and printing (P3-D50) – Photography (P3-D65) – Internet and web (sRGB) | -Pro Display XDR (P3-1,600nits) -Apple Monitor (P3-500nits) -Video HDR (P3-ST 2084) -Video HDTV (BT.709-BT.1886) -Video NTSC (BT.601 SMPTE-C) -Video PAL and SECAM (BT.601 EBU) -Digital cinema (P3-DCI) -Digital cinema (P3-D65) -Design and printing (P3-D50) -Photography (P3-D65) -Internet and web (sRGB) | – | – |
Price | €1,799 | €5,499 | 1,400 euros | 850 euros |
The differences between the Studio Display and the LG UltraFine 5K and 4K monitors are not as noticeable as they are on the Pro Display XDR. The 5K version of LG’s monitor maintains the same screen size, resolution, technology, and pixel density as Apple’s monitor, but with 100 nits lower brightness. The variant with 4K resolution, on the other hand, has a smaller screen size; 23.7 inches. Its resolution, and therefore its pixel density, is also lower, at 3840 x 2160 pixels and 183 ppi.
Another difference compared to the Studio Display is that theLG monitors do not have TrueTone technology, which adapts the screen tones depending on the ambient light. They do, however, include a 5W stereo speaker system, although it may not be as advanced as the six speakers with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos on the Apple monitor. On the other hand, the Studio Display includes a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. Only LG’s 5K monitor has a WebCam of the same resolution: 1080p.
Regarding the price, the LG UltraFine 5K can be purchased on portals such as Amazon for about 1,400 euros. The 4K model, on the other hand, is available for around 840 euros. That is, the Studio Display (1,799 euros) costs 399 euros more than the 5K version and 959 euros more than the 4K variant.
Which monitor is worth more?
The StudioDisplay It is probably the most convenient model for professional users looking for a large monitor with excellent screen quality. Although its price is slightly higher than the LG UltraFine 5K, it has more advanced specifications, such as six-speaker stereo sound, the ultra-wide-angle camera or the different reference modes.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for a much more advanced monitor for video or image editing and need a higher brightness level or a larger screen, the Pro Display XDR is the ideal option. You must take into account, yes, that its price is much higher.
If 27 inches is too big a size and you prefer to go for a more compact model, the 4K version of the LG UltraFine can also be a good alternative. However, you should bear in mind that there are cheaper options with similar characteristics for those users who are not looking for such advanced features.