Should you buy the Apple Studio Display in 2024?? 2-year ownership review

Here's my 2 year review of the Apple Studio Display. I've used it for work, YouTube, side gigs, and gaming. Let me know what you think of it in the comments below. I hope you enjoy!

🤝 Become a Patron

🐦 Follow me on Twitter!

📸 Follow me on Instagram!

Music from Epidemic Sound:

[hirobnet]

I recently purchased Apple Studio Display after a long consideration compared with wide screen monitor for my development work. After a lot of reviews check, I have concluded myself that there is no other monitors work better for Mac. I know I do not play game and I do not use Windows machine. I do not need any extra peripherals like HDMI and USB-A. Mac just seamlessly works with one cable instantly and reliably. I am into this Apple Design theme. It is a perfect monitor for my needs even in 2024. I am just happy to sit in front of this beautiful monitor which motivates me more to be productive rather than working with plastic ugly looking monitor.

[bobsykes]

I bought mine when it came out pretty much for photo editing, and it really stands out for that. Color calibration is exceptional from the factory, and I found that professional printing houses recommend using it with Apple’s out of the box calibration settings, because manufacturing tolerance is so tight they can print to match the display as well or better than when people attempt to calibrate a monitor themselves with the third party tools. “Real” professional photo editing monitors are also IPS, generally only 4K, snd cost even more than this does. It’s similarly good for video editing and grading. Any other use cases? I’m not going to argue with you! Get something else. As good as it is for its purpose, professional media production, please Apple, bring us an updated display! (An updated Pro Display XDR while they’re at it too, please!)

[leokimvideo]

Update, My Studio Display blew up yesterday, belching smoke for 6 minutes before a final loud bang. Only lasted 18 months, very scary failure and I did get it on video. Posted pictures of the failure on my community tab and what to look out for before this failure. I can't post a video because I now have no display

[tfarfolini]

2024 and there is still no competition in the 5k segment. I have been using ASD for 1.5 years and I think it was a great purchase.

[ewmcdade]

I compared the Studio Display to a Samsung OLED at Mirocenter today. Forgetting about the Apple build quality/materials being 100x better than the Samsung....I still found the image more appealing on the Studio Display and i think it's due to having the glass panel on the screen. Something about having the glass there really provides a sense of DEPTH to the image and colors. The image on the Samsung OLED just looked flatter to me while the Studio Display had a more 3 dimensional quality, despite surely having a worse contrast ratio on paper.

[PeterGreter]

Taylor! I still love my ASD. I like the esthetic of it. I check out others and can’t find any at all that compare, build wise. Dude! So happy to see you not living next to a freeway anymore. You seem much happier in the new place. Cheers!

[eduardocunha_]

I don't know but maybe picking cheapest iMac would be better since it comes with keyboard and magic mouse/trackpad + you can use it as an extension of your macbook (since it will be more powerfull than the imac)

[ThomasVanhelden]

Thank you for your unbiased review.

I'm not a gamer, nor do I use Windows, and I love a good/clean desk setup. As a software engineer, I'm thinking about buying a second Studio Display :D

[elimogenson]

Watching this on my 27" Thunderbolt display that's still going strong and has been used with numerous Macs.

[omshantiom-]

Great video Taylor, this is refreshing. Thanks!

[FictionsAndIllusions]

Looking at all the metrics you've mentioned, it's not the best in any one aspect. However, taking a step back, it's easily the most balanced 5K monitor you can buy. It does everything pretty good. For example, as you've mentioned, the alienware monitor is 2x more color accurate, but it isn't nearly as bright. No other monitor I know uses glass as part of the display rather than plastic. No other monitor on the market offers nano-textured etching to create the matte coating which provides the maximum optical clarity while providing industry leading anti-glare. No monitor offers a 6 speaker array capable of Dolby Atoms sound. No monitor on the market provides the deep macOS integration and is ready to go when you wake your mac in 1 second. No 5K monitor is cheaper than Studio display while providing the exact same construction material, design, functionality.

Anyone buying this monitor should not consider one metric, but looking at all the benefits combined. This monitor is more accurate than most monitors out there, offers 5k resolution, 6 speaker array, a camera that while isn't great provides center stage functionality, 3 mic arrays with noise cancellation for super clear voice and video calls, nano-texture option, industry leading optical clarity for sharper and brighter looking display, and deep integration with macOS all baked into a single package. The better comparison would be LG ultrafine. However, that display has the cheapest plastic enclosure with an unaesthetically pleasing design. Another competing product would be Samsung ViewFinity S9. It gets close, but it uses the standard plastic matte material for the display, doesn't include dolby atmos capable speakers, doesn't have an included webcam that provides substantially better image quality than the studio display, and cuts cost by using a plastic back.

The bottom line is, for the price that you pay for, there is no competitor out there that can match Apple Studio display for the overall performance, functionality, and design (including use of materials).

[charminbaer]

I'm still using a 27" Thunderbolt Display with my M1 Pro MBP, and its been working great. I had 2 Thundrbolt OWC RAID drives daisychained off it, which are now in my garage connected to my old 2013 15" MBPr that's doing server duty. I do photography so I would love to upgrade to a newer monitor with USB-C and better speakers, but I REFUSE to get some plasticky monitor. I can get the Studio Display for $1400 with my Military/Veteran discount. There's really nothing out there that works as great with Macs with great speakers, display, build quality, design.

[gameraddikted]

Glad to see you highlight the refresh rate. I’ve seen so many reviewers state that they didn’t find it important and couldn’t really noticed. I’m so use to it on my iPhone, mbp, iPad, using my Apple TV, gaming pc for a decade. With the refresh rate, IPS and the fact it cost around the same when they had the 27 Intel iMacs I just couldn’t justify it. Would love a few changes so I could buy a couple of them for my setup.

[odebroqueville]

Very good review. Never thought very highly of Tim Crook. With Steve Jobs maybe the pricing was also quite high, but the products weren't a mixed bag of goods and bads.

[MsPsychobanana]

You are a talented reviewer. thanks for the quality review. deeply appreciated!

[samanwayphotography]

it has HDR capabilities, and looks really good, blacks needed to be more blacks, but if you really want a monitor that matches macbook color than this is it, there is no other in the market

[ReginaldoKono]

honest review, , and I agree about the point price at 2024. Thank you!

[rubicondronzsolutions]

The 16" M1 Max does have three thunderbolt 4 ports. I have one as well.

[DanielCano]

Bought this today for my Mom for $699.99 Open Box Deal! Hope she likes it:)

[JohnSmith-zlrz]

I'll wait for the next version, expecting MiniLED or something better.