The Apple Studio Display is NOT Worth $1600 — Here’s What You Can Buy Instead
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Look, if you’re someone who loves Apple products and obsesses over design/aesthetic and have the money to afford a $1600 display then hey, more power to you! I personally would advise you to shell out $3400 more to get the PRO XDR display (as its tech justifies the price over this display) but again more power to you!
This is aimed at those who are interested in spending such a budget but aren’t sure that the studio display is the best value for money.
Firstly, lets start with why I don’t find the value in the $1600 monitor.
The monitor was 27” which is the minimum screen size for creative work. I believe that a 32” monitor is a better size as the extra 5” of diagonal space can help speed up your workflow.
Physical screen out of the way, let’s talk resolution. Yes the apple studio display is 5k res, so what? It has not been adopted as an industry standard which means that building such panels is expensive.
4K monitor prices are far more reasonable and although you lose some pixel density, most people will have a hard time perceiving the difference in sharpness between the 2 resolutions. Which leads me back to my previous point, having more monitor real estate will be more beneficial for most people over having a higher resolution.
So what’s a good alternative display? There are a couple options.
Option 1: If you’re okay with the 27” a nice 4k alternative to the studio display is Dell UltraSharp U2720Q 27 which has an IPS panel, 10 bit color, DCI P3, and will cost only $590
Dell UltraSharp U2720Q https://amzn.to/3LjwyAh
Option 2: LG 32BN88U-B 31.5” Ergo IPS UHD 4K Ultrafine. This 32” is a far better value as it is a larger display combined with a more versatile stand. It is an IPS panel HDR compatibles with 10 bit color ad 95% coverage of DCI P3
LG 32BN88U-B 31.5” Ergo IPS UHD 4K Ultrafine https://amzn.to/3JyDGrT
Option 3: This is a little unorthodox, BUT it has potential to be a fantastic monitor. The display is a 48” OLED, gaming monitor. Yes its a massive display, BUT it has 120hz, 10 bit color, HDMI 2.1, HDR. It really has all the goodies you’d want in a monitor from 2022. This will cost you roughly $1100 but it is definitely a viable option.
Aourus 48” OLED, gaming monitor https://amzn.to/36Kp1v8
Now that we have the display sorted out, let’s look at the next pieces to help you one up the studio display. The mic and speakers are apparently the best on monitors, but what’s better than the world class built in mic and speakers? Dedicated mic and speakers.
For mic setup, a simple focus rite solo 2i2 combined with a Behring ear xm8500 mic will blow the built in mic out of the water any day. The cost of this combo would be only $140. The combo is fantastic and if you check my youtube video (linked under title) you’ll hear the quality yourself. The $20 mic is so good people compare it to the Shure Sm7b which is a $400 mic.
Mic interface: https://amzn.to/3qC0kIx
Mic cable: https://amzn.to/37P2uOe
As for speakers, sure the studio display has some, but a pair of Yamaha hs5’s will beat them every time. These will run you $400 and the required cables will run you another $20. These are the same brand studio monitors that some of the staff at MKBHD use.
Speakers: https://amzn.to/3urPBBp
Cable: https://amzn.to/3qz2zMI
Lastly the webcam, currently the studio displays webcam is not functioning as intended and looks really bad. With that being said, you can buy an independent 4K webcam like the Logitech brio and have a far better experience. This specific webcam would cost you another $150.
Webcam: https://amzn.to/3ukI4nO
So, we have our display, mic, speakers, and webcam sorted out. What’s the final total? Well depending on what monitor option you go with it’ll run you around $1100, $1500, and $1900 (the last option is pricier than the base Apple Studio Display, it’s still cheaper than buying the Display with its $400 height adjustable mount)
If you’re a value conscious spender, these options beat the Apple Studio display. All links provided are affiliate links. I did a lot of research to confirm that the products I am recommending are worth your hard earned money.
Ciao
— Ali
