The Apple Studio Display could have been so much more

For the better part of 12 years, Apple has owned the world of 5K displays — primarily because it essentially offered the only options. LG 5K UltraFine It was a solid, if bland, choice, but a lot of people bought iMac 27 inch From 2014 for its 5K screen alone. Then in 2022, Apple finally gave people what they wanted by launching the $1,599 Studio show (Which was basically the iMac’s screen as a separate monitor with a webcam and speakers). Remove LG from its store.

It wasn’t until late 2024 when companies like BenQ and Asus finally started releasing their 27-inch monitors with 5K resolution. Although the Studio Display was the best-designed and best-looking—its aluminum frame and stand are sturdy and sleek—competitors offered things that the Studio Display didn’t, like more adjustable stands, a better variety of ports, and the ability to connect to multiple computers at once. They work with Windows too. And even though they use the same old 5K panel as Studio Display (or a very similar panel), they’re much cheaper, ranging from just $1,100 to $550.

This means that Apple was ready to respond. This year Apple finally Studio Display was released with the appropriate panel upgrade. It has a mini LED backlight instead of edge lighting, with a quantum dot-based optical array of up to 2,000 nits of brightness. It supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, has 14 highly accurate reference modes, and includes two that use Apple’s newly developed CMF (Color Matching Function) to achieve color consistency across display technologies. I’m referring, of course, to $3,300 Studio Display XDR.

As for the average studio monitor, Apple just installed a better webcam and faster ports on the same 12-year-old IPS panel and that’s it. And it is Still $1600.

Unfortunately for Apple, it’s not 2022 anymore, and Studio Display now faces more competition. I spent a few weeks testing the new studio monitor side by side BenQ PD2730S ($1100) and MA270S ($1000), Asus Pro Art PA27JCV ($700), and KTC H27P3 ($550), and replace regularly. Most do at least one thing better than a studio monitor, if not multiple things, and are hundreds of dollars cheaper.

To be fair, the new display isn’t the XDR Studio He is Better than the 2022 model. Fortunately, it has a much better camera, and instead of one Thunderbolt 3 port and three USB-C ports, it now has two Thunderbolt 5 ports (one up and one down with daisy-chain support) and two USB-C ports. The speakers are better, and it has an A19 chip instead of an A13 Bionic chip (which doesn’t really matter for a display). But it’s still built on the same old edge-lit 60Hz panel with 600 nits of brightness.

Color accuracy has always been there One of the strengths of Apple displays. Just like the 2022 Studio Display, the 2026 version is extremely color accurate – especially in sRGB mode, which is excellent. The BenQ PD2730S monitor has the accuracy of a studio monitor (and comes with a calibration report). The BenQ MA270S display and the Asus display aren’t quite close in measurements, but they’re great for all but the most important color tones.

The studio monitor has problems with the black level appearing more gray than black, especially in a dark room. BenQ monitors have much deeper blacks than studio monitors; The Asus ProArt isn’t quite as strong there, but it’s still better than the Studio Display. The studio monitor’s standard glass handles reflections well (better than the BenQ MA270S’s “nanogloss”), but the additional $300 nano-finish option is better for brightly lit rooms. The BenQ PD2730S has a matte panel that reduces reflections almost as well as Apple’s nano-textured glass upgrade, but it also unfortunately raises the black level a bit when compared to other BenQ devices.

Build quality on the Studio Monitor is excellent, with an all-aluminum frame, but the $1,600 base model’s placement options are underwhelming. It comes with either a tilt-only stand or a VESA mount option that doesn’t include a stand (but not both; they’re separate models). If you want a tiltable stand- and The height is adjustable, it’s another $400. The stand moves smoothly and stays in position, but does not spin or rotate. All mount decisions must be made at checkout as well, as there’s no way to remove the mount or add a VESA mount yourself.

Apple’s competitors allow for more placement flexibility, with removable mounts that allow for VESA mounting. The BenQ MA270S, PD2730S, and Asus ProArt PA27JCV all have swivel, tilt, and height-adjustable stands, and they’re completely removable, if you prefer to use a VESA arm or mount. Now, none of the stands are as sturdy or good-looking as Apple’s stands, as they all have some plastic, but the extra flexibility makes up for that. And the BenQ MA270S has a nice rubber pad on the front to place your phone or earphone case without worrying about it slipping.

The port selection on the Studio Display has been improved for this year, but it’s still optimized for people who live in the specific world Apple wants you to live in. The upgraded Thunderbolt connection is great if you intend to sequential displays, but can still only connect one computer at a time. There’s still no HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-A, audio out, KVM, or any controls at all. It’s all done in the Settings menu on the connected Mac, and there’s no power button to turn it off. BenQs, Asus, and even the KTC H27P3 have more connectivity options. Although there’s no Thunderbolt 5, both BenQ devices include Thunderbolt 4, and they all have at least one HDMI port. Asus and BenQ monitors also have KVM for using a single set of peripherals with multiple computers.

During my time with all monitors, the BenQ MA270S was the one I always came back to. He’s the one I’m writing to now. The picture looks great. Fits my desk better. The studio monitor, even with the height-adjustable stand, doesn’t go low enough for me. I can connect the BenQ to my M4 Macbook Air and Windows PC at the same time and quickly switch between them, or even use one on each side of the screen. I can press the power button to turn it off, and I can still adjust its brightness and color modes from my computers. Plus, it’s only $1,000, which is half the price of a studio monitor with a tilt- and height-adjustable stand.

The BenQ MA270S has a glossy screen, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The matte screens on the PS2730S or Asus ProArt are better for people who need more to deal with reflection. (Of the two, I prefer the matte BenQ, but they both work well). Any of the three are great for professional color work.

Just having a 5K panel isn’t enough to compete with a Studio Display. While the $550 KTC H27P3 has a picture as sharp as the Studio Display (and the other three), its stand is only tilted and wobbly, and the port selection is more limited than the BenQ and Asus monitors. As the cheapest 5K monitor here, it’s suitable for everyday use, but its color inaccuracy makes it unsuitable for color work.

Apple missed an opportunity with Studio Display. Improvements could have been made to the backlight, offered a more flexible stand option, or changed the panel to one with a higher refresh rate. But instead, all we really got were Thunderbolt 5 ports and a better camera with an old, outdated panel. There’s not enough to justify the $1,600 price tag when all of its competitors are hundreds of dollars less, and most of them have similar color accuracy and much better ergonomics and features.

All of the competitors I’ve tested so far use panels similar to the ones Apple has been using since 2014. But now that Studio Display XDR exists, competitors have more options, too. New screens – e.g LG 27GM950B and Asus ROG Strix XG27JCG – Use mini LED backlighting with high refresh rate panels that have specifications similar to those of the XDR. Plus, they cost $1,200 or less, which makes the average studio monitor seem a far cry from reality come 2026. We’re also getting closer to seeing a 27-inch 120Hz 5K OLED display, as both LG screen and Samsung screen They demonstrated the technology.

Although the 2022 Studio Display had its limitations, it was the best option if you wanted a 27-inch monitor with 5K resolution. But times have changed. The 2026 Studio Display isn’t the only 5K monitor anymore, and it’s not the best 5K option either. I can’t tell you why Apple still charges the same price for the same old board as it did four years ago. What I can tell you is that unless you prioritize Apple’s design above all else, you’re better off saving your money with something else.

Photography by John Higgins/The Verge