Apple has promised that it will address webcam quality issues on its new Studio Display with a software update.
The monitor’s rather disappointing camera performance is one of the biggest frustrations among reviewers. One likened it to an “old BlackBerry,” while another said it is “awful in good light and downright miserable in low light.”
Studio Display isn't blowing everyone away. Photo: Apple
The first reviews of Apple’s new Studio Display are in, and just as expected, reviewers have some terrific things to say about it. Its impressive 27-inch panel and top design make it one of the finest monitors you can pair with a Mac.
But is it worth its price tag? That depends who you ask. While some reviewers love Studio Display, others say its shortcomings stick out like a sore thumb. Here’s the review roundup.
Despite hopes that Apple's new Studio Display might get mini-LEDs sooner than later, it might not happen. Photo: Apple
It appears unlikely Apple will roll out any new products with mini-LED displays in 2022 because of concerns about cost, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet Wednesday. That would include hoped-for updates to the 11-inch iPad Pro and the recently released Studio Display.
Kuo clarified that Cupertino’s existing mini-LED products, such as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, may be updated this year.
Well, that's no surprise. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
LG’s popular UltraFine 5K monitor has been banished from the Apple Store following the launch of Apple’s own Studio Display. Both products offer very similar specifications, but LG’s — which isn’t quite as bright — is cheaper.
Apple is still selling the 23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K display, which is a considerably more affordable alternative to the 27-inch options at under $700.
Mac mini's next refresh is coming, just not in a hurry. Photo: Apple
Apple’s next major refresh for Mac mini may not come until 2023, according to the latest claims from one analyst, who has proven reliable in the past.
Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities this week revised his predictions for the next-generation compact desktop, which he previously expected to see this year. It could now launch alongside the first Mac Pro with Apple silicon.
Apple's new black-and-silver peripherals dress up your desktop whether or not you buy them with the new Mac Studio or Studio Display. Photo: Apple
Along with the new Mac Studio desktop computer and Studio Display Apple rolled out on Tuesday, it launched swanky black-and-silver peripherals — Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse — that go well with the new gear.
They’re similar to options you can choose if you buy a pricey new Mac Pro. But now you can purchase them separately.
Do you have to pay a bit more than you would for the normal options sold a la carte? Yes. But of course you do.
The Mac was neglected today, but there's still some exciting stuff in the works. Photo: Apple
In 2010, Steve Jobs proudly proclaimed Apple had become a “mobile device company.” Tim Cook went further, dismissing anything that wasn’t a mobile device as a “hobby project.” It sounded like the Mac’s days were numbered. At Cult of Mac, we even ran a story on how to replace your Mac with an iPad.
How things have changed. With Tuesday’s launch of the Mac Studio, Apple completed the best Mac lineup we’ve seen in more than a decade. The new M1 Ultra chip offers unprecedented desktop performance. And longtime Mac fans will welcome the return of Apple’s Studio Display monitors.
The Mac is most definitely back. So what happened? Why did Cupertino fall out of love with the Mac, and what prompted the change of heart?
But iMac Pro may not make a comeback after all. Photo: Apple
Apple is developing a more impressive version of its new Studio Display that will boast a mini-LED screen and ProMotion technology, according to one analyst. “Studio Display Pro” is reportedly set to make its debut this June.
There is some bad news for iMac fans, however. The rumored iMac Pro upgrade Apple was said to be planning for 2022 may not come at all now that the new Mac Studio and Studio Display have landed.
Here's why devices are officially compatible with Studio Display. Photo: Apple
It requires a lot of bandwidth to drive the super-sharp 5K screen in Apple’s new Studio Display, and some devices just don’t cut it. Those hoping to use one with iPad Air will be disappointed to learn that a big upgrade is necessary.
Studio Display is only compatible with the fifth-generation iPad Air, announced during Apple’s big Peek Performance event on Tuesday. The fourth-generation model, released in October 2020, is left out in the cold — like iPad mini.
A larger iMac with Apple silicon is expected later this year. Photo: Apple
After gracing us with its jaw-dropping Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display on Tuesday, Apple finally discontinued the aging 27-inch iMac. The machine is no longer available to purchase through official Apple retail channels.
It’s probably not gone for good, however. Cupertino is rumored to be working on a larger iMac model that could appear alongside other new Mac models — including a new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro — later this year.
The Apple Studio Display, revealed Tuesday alongside the new Mac Studio desktop, finally brings a high-end Apple monitor at a more-affordable price point.
Like the MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR, the new 27-inch 5K monitor features TrueTone, P3 wide color gamut, studio-quality microphones, a six-speaker sound system, a thin bezel and optional nano-texture glass. But at $1,599, it costs just a fraction of the Pro Display XDR’s eye-watering price.
“The Studio Display is in a class of its own,” said Nicole Kordes, Apple’s engineering program manager for Mac, during Tuesday’s Peek Performance event. “Along with a gorgeous screen. It’s loaded with incredible features that no other desktop display can deliver. And it provides that integrated experience Mac users love.”