Why You Can Trust CNET Apple Studio Display: Apple's Newest Mac Pairs With a $1,599 Monitor
The newly announced 27-inch 5K monitor is now available for preorder.
- Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
The Mac Studio and Mac Studio Display monitor.
The M1 Ultra chip, Apple's latest high-speed processor, arrived at the company's first event of the year today. With it came the Mac Studio, a new desktop computer that's designed to work with the also-new Studio Display monitor.
The company bills the new monitor, which starts at $1,599 (£1,499, AU$2,499), as part of what it calls the "Ultimate Studio Experience." The aluminum design is almost all screen, with narrow borders; it can tilt 30 degrees, and there's an optional $400 stand that lets you adjust height. The monitor has 5K resolution (14.7 million pixels) and can reach up to 600 nits in brightness, Apple says. A premium nanotexture glass option, said to further reduce glare, adds $300 to the price tag.
The screen's claim to fame is an integrated camera and mic array, powered by an A13 Bionic chip. There's a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and Apple claims excellent audio quality for its six speakers, which also handle spatial audio. The camera also works with Center Stage, Apple's video-call tech that follows you around the room, and the mic will allow a connected Mac to respond to "Hey, Siri" voice commands.
Connectivity consists of one Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port with 96-watt charging capability, to connect your Mac, and three USB-C ports.
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Previously the only Apple-branded monitor was the Pro Display XDR, which starts at $4,999. With a peak brightness of 1,600 nits and zone-based local dimming, it's a powerhouse for HDR, video editing and pro-level color. The Studio Display is less than half as bright and similar in brightness to numerous other, less expensive monitors, so its main appeal will likely be to Mac Studio buyers who want to match their fancy new desktops but don't need a Pro Display XDR.
The Studio Display can be preordered now and will be available starting March 18.
Apple also announced the third-gen iPhone SE during its Tuesday event, marking one of its first major product launches of 2022. The new iPhone SE starts at $429, making it slightly more expensive than its predecessor, and it packs a new processor and 5G support.
Wondering what else Apple announced today? For starters, there's the upgraded iPad Air with a faster M1 processor and 5G support, new iPhone 13 colors and Apple's M1 Ultra processor, as well as the Mac Studio. The products arrived alongside iOS 15.4, Apple's latest iPhone operating system update. You can check out everything Apple debuted at its "Peek Performance" event here.
