Apple Studio Display - Owners Thread

[The Clark]

The ASD is my biggest disappointment so far – I love everything about the design and built quality, but can't find a uniform enough screen (which is, well, the most important part of a monitor).

I went through 5 displays in a month and all are bad. Some had a pinkish tint on the sides that was too visible to be ignored. Others had a pretty bad dirty screen effect. All are worse than my 5k iMac from 2019.

Considering the price, I can't understand how Apple can ship monitors with such poor-quality panels. I even talked to Apple on the phone, and they just suggested I try ordering again and hopefully get a better panel.

I think you just have to accept the fact that there is no such thing as a "perfect" display. When you're actually using the screen for work, you typically don't notice issues like backlight bleed, uneven uniformity etc. 5 returns is insane and I'm surprised they let you do that. Your OCD lost them tons of money, time, and effort.

The display is not perfect, but it is by far and away the best option for Mac users who require an external monitor.

 

[The Clark]

You must not have used an oled before. I can't watch any movies or shows on my ASD, the black levels are so bad.

I have a few oled displays, the ASD has perfectly acceptable black levels for me still.

 

[frame309]

I think you just have to accept the fact that there is no such thing as a "perfect" display. When you're actually using the screen for work, you typically don't notice issues like backlight bleed, uneven uniformity etc. 5 returns is insane and I'm surprised they let you do that. Your OCD lost them tons of money, time, and effort.

The display is not perfect, but it is by far and away the best option for Mac users who require an external monitor.

Well, I disagree.

First of all, I design interfaces and stare at white/grey backgrounds for 8+ hours each day. A more or less uniform screen is crucial for me and I always notice such imperfections, especially when they are this bad.

Second, I own two MacBooks and an iMac with almost perfectly uniform screens. Even my LG TV is very uniform. Apple Studio Displays that I got looked like total trash next to them.

There are many screens with much better uniformity (see table here). Unfortunately, none of them are 27" 5K.

If Apple's QC wouldn't allow such panels to reach customers, no one would lose money, time, and effort (me included, cause I too value my time a lot).

 

[choreo]

The ASD is my biggest disappointment so far – I love everything about the design and built quality, but can't find a uniform enough screen (which is, well, the most important part of a monitor).

I went through 5 displays in a month and all are bad. Some had a pinkish tint on the sides that was too visible to be ignored. Others had a pretty bad dirty screen effect. All are worse than my 5k iMac from 2019.

Considering the price, I can't understand how Apple can ship monitors with such poor-quality panels. I even talked to Apple on the phone, and they just suggested I try ordering again and hopefully get a better panel.

Are you sure you don't have something like True Tone turned on? I have (2) ASDs side-by-side purchased over year apart with (1) NEC 27" as well and none of them have a pinkish hue like what you are showing? True Tone does add a tint if I turn it on (which I never do).

 

[xraydoc]

The ASD is my biggest disappointment so far – I love everything about the design and built quality, but can't find a uniform enough screen (which is, well, the most important part of a monitor).

I went through 5 displays in a month and all are bad. Some had a pinkish tint on the sides that was too visible to be ignored. Others had a pretty bad dirty screen effect. All are worse than my 5k iMac from 2019.

Considering the price, I can't understand how Apple can ship monitors with such poor-quality panels. I even talked to Apple on the phone, and they just suggested I try ordering again and hopefully get a better panel.

Typical for an IPS panel (the mild non-uniformity).

VA panels on some less expensive displays and most TVs are more uniform, but have shallower viewing angles.

Everything comes with some kind of trade off.

 

[frame309]

Are you sure you don't have something like True Tone turned on? I have (2) ASDs side-by-side purchased over year apart with (1) NEC 27" as well and none of them have a pinkish hue like what you are showing? True Tone does add a tint if I turn it on (which I never do).

Yep, I'm sure True Tone was off. The first display I received was pretty uniform but had a pink tint only on the sides. Couldn't get used to it, unfortunately. Pic attached (edited it a bit to highlight the issue).

The one that I still have doesn't have the pink tint on the sides and is crisp white in general, but has a pretty bad dirty screen effect (which was confirmed by Apple technicians)

 

[henry72]

I wonder which panel Apple is using on these ASD. LG, Samsung or something else.

I really hope the ASD will age better than the iMac or LG UltraFine displays.

2015 27" iMac has pink edges ..anyone else?

That was not my impression. Rather, that goodwill repairs for known inherent defects would improve the brand's reputation and customer loyalty. I suspect the attitude and expectation of this is different in different countries.

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Zest28]

Well, I disagree.

First of all, I design interfaces and stare at white/grey backgrounds for 8+ hours each day. A more or less uniform screen is crucial for me and I always notice such imperfections, especially when they are this bad.

Second, I own two MacBooks and an iMac with almost perfectly uniform screens. Even my LG TV is very uniform. Apple Studio Displays that I got looked like total trash next to them.

There are many screens with much better uniformity (see table here). Unfortunately, none of them are 27" 5K.

If Apple's QC wouldn't allow such panels to reach customers, no one would lose money, time, and effort (me included, cause I too value my time a lot).

Quite interesting to see that Dell Alienware monitors are the best apparently. I always found Dell Alienware monitors a bit "too dim" personally as they tend not run very bright based on what I have seen.

You will probably struggle working on Dell Alienware monitors in a bright room.

 

[MacGizmo]

I wonder which panel Apple is using on these ASD. LG, Samsung or something else.

I really hope the ASD will age better than the iMac or LG UltraFine displays.

2015 27" iMac has pink edges ..anyone else?

That was not my impression. Rather, that goodwill repairs for known inherent defects would improve the brand's reputation and customer loyalty. I suspect the attitude and expectation of this is different in different countries.

forums.macrumors.com

The iMac and ASD both use the LG UltraFine panel. It's everything but the panel that makes the difference between the three. Actually, there are quite a few 5k displays on the market that use the LG panel – with the circuit board, connection ports, and cases being customized by the selling manufacturer (Dell, Kuycon, Apple, etc.)

 

[Zest28]

The iMac and ASD both use the LG UltraFine panel. It's everything but the panel that makes the difference between the three. Actually, there are quite a few 5k displays on the market that use the LG panel – with the circuit board, connection ports, and cases being customized by the selling manufacturer (Dell, Kuycon, Apple, etc.)

Based on what does the ASD and LG Ultrafine use the same display? I see everybody is saying this, but I haven't seen the evidence behind it. Are there any part numbers that confirms this?

Because the LG Ultrafine suffers from PWM flickering while the Apple Studio Display doesn't. And the ASD also does 600 nits while the LG Ultrafine only does 500 nits. And the LG Ultrafine also suffers from reliability issues, having a high probability to die.

 

[xraydoc]

Based on what does the ASD and LG Ultrafine use the same display? I see everybody is saying this, but I haven't seen the evidence behind it. Are there any part numbers that confirms this?

Because the LG Ultrafine suffers from PWM flickering while the Apple Studio Display doesn't. And the ASD also does 600 nits while the LG Ultrafine only does 500 nits. And the LG Ultrafine also suffers from reliability issues, having a high probability to die.

I've got zero insider knowledge, but I suspect the backlight system and all that is up to the vendor (i.e., Apple or whomever else is using the bare LCD panel). So it's certainly conceivable that the LG Ultrafine and the Apple Studio Display use the same panel but completely different backlighting and control boards, enough so that they look like entirely different displays.

Also, is LG still producing the 5K Ultrafine monitor for retail (I think not)? If not, then I'm sure we're on to a second or third revision of the 5K panel, which may further differentiate the ASD from the LG variant.

 

[Wheel_D]

Yep, I'm sure True Tone was off. The first display I received was pretty uniform but had a pink tint only on the sides. Couldn't get used to it, unfortunately. Pic attached (edited it a bit to highlight the issue).

The one that I still have doesn't have the pink tint on the sides and is crisp white in general, but has a pretty bad dirty screen effect (which was confirmed by Apple technicians)

@frame309 - Thank you for your post. I'm planning to buy an ASD, so it's frustrating to hear that the quality isn't up to par. Have you thought about getting a refurbished ASD from Apple's refurb store? Supposedly, Apple's refurbished hardware undergoes stringent quality checks.

Also, have you considered Eizo's monitors? Eizo doesn't offer a 5K model, but their monitors are widely used by graphics professionals and have a reputation for being the best on the market.

 

[thosmatthews]

I’ve had an ASD now for a few months and whilst mostly happy, I’ve noticed an increase in backlight bleed since purchase. I went through 4 Pro Display XDRs last year because of a weird array of issues that I couldn’t stomach for the price (shockingly bad dirty screen effect, glue sticking out the side between glass and body, front glass not attached straight on one unit, dead pixels on every unit, it goes on…). I figured it was a bad batch.

I’ve been using apple screens since the 2004 cinema displays and my business has used Apple machines since 2010, so I’ve seen maaaany screens over the years. I’d not had any ‘intolerable’ screen issues (besides screen retention after many years of use) until the XDR. The light bleed on my ASD is just about tolerable, but my now mothballed 2013 27” non retina, 30” ACD and 27” Thunderbolt Display have much less light bleed than my new ASD. Fortunately outside of watching a film I don’t see it so much and, unless it gets worse, I’ll live with it.

 

[Wheel_D]

Has anyone on this thread purchased an ASD from Apple's refurb store? If so, what have you experienced? I'd be particularly interested to know how the performance compares to a new ASD.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Has anyone on this thread purchased an ASD from Apple's refurb store? If so, what have you experienced? I'd be particularly interested to know how the performance compares to a new ASD.

I purchased from Apple as a refurb. Other than the box being plain it looked brand new, and I haven't had any problems with it.

 

[Rafterman]

If it were cheaper...a buy. If i were the same price, but with 120hz and HDR...a buy. The same specs and price, but 32 inches...a buy (maybe). But $1600 minimum for 60 hz non-HDR 27 inch monitor that can only connect to one Mac and no thunderbolt daisy chaining is a tough sell.

I use a Dell, 32 inch, 4k, 144 hz (1ms) HDR monitor and paid $800. I know it doesn't have a camera, built in speakers or the same cool software operability with Macs that an Apple display has, but another $800 for so many performance downgrades makes no sense.

 

[erasr]

Guys I know no one knows but to add to the million times this has been asked;

Is it worth buying an ASD now?

I’m fed up of crappy plastic monitors. I could go for that nice Dell or BenQ but I do video calls all the time.

I have an M2 MBA. Is the ASD camera as good as the M2 MBA camera?

 

[filmgirl]

I have an M2 MBA. Is the ASD camera as good as the M2 MBA camera?

No. It is absolutely not as good. You’ll be better off using your MBA webcam or buying a standalone camera. Or using an iPhone in Continuity Camera mode (or using an old iPhone as I do). I do not find the camera on the ASD even remotely acceptable compared to the other options I have, but if I was using a 2017 MacBook or something, I might be more generous. But your M2 MBA has a substantially better camera.

If video calls are the primary reason you want a bigger display, and not your need for 5K/pixel-perfect retina scaling, I think you can find a better option.

That said, if you do enjoy pixel-perfect scaling and have the budget for a ASD and another webcam, it is a fine monitor. I personally think it is overpriced, but with effectively no competition in the 5K/27” space, it is what it is.

 

[dotnet]

But your M2 MBA has a substantially better camera.

Is that because of worse low-light ability of the ASD camera? Because it has a much higher resolution than the M2 MBA camera (12MP vs. 2MP). Or is it perhaps because Center Stage and post-processing ruin it for the ASD?

 

[filmgirl]

Is that because of worse low-light ability of the ASD camera? Because it has a much higher resolution than the M2 MBA camera (12MP vs. 2MP). Or is it perhaps because Center Stage and post-processing ruin it for the ASD?

The sensor is smaller, so that’s part of it. The other thing is the ASD uses a ultrawide lens it then crops to achieve the center stage effect, and that takes a lot off the image. The ASD sensor is the same that is in the iPad IIRC. The iPad also supports Center Stage and is equally mid, but few people expect a lot out of the iPad camera.

For cameras, you don’t ever want to just go by megapixel count. A larger sensor of a lower megapixel count will usually provide better results than a higher megapixel count paired with a smaller sensor. And not having to to the cropping helps a lot too.

In truth, none of Apple’s webcams are great. But it’s stark how much difference there is between my 2020 iMac and the one on the 27” ASD that sits next to it (I connect my M-series laptops to the ASD too, but the iMac is usually primarily connected); why Apple couldn’t use the webcam from the 2020 iMac, I don’t know. Some product manager got too excited about the Center Stage demo and didn’t realize that moving around to center people isn’t as useful as actually having a sharp image.

 

[xraydoc]

Guys I know no one knows but to add to the million times this has been asked;

Is it worth buying an ASD now?

I’m fed up of crappy plastic monitors. I could go for that nice Dell or BenQ but I do video calls all the time.

I have an M2 MBA. Is the ASD camera as good as the M2 MBA camera?

Personally I would. I don't think a refresh model is coming out any time soon. Obviously I have no evidence either way, but Apple usually keeps their displays around a long time. And there are no 120Hz 5K panels, nor would TB4 likely be sufficient, so you'd need not only a new display but a new Mac as well.

The camera is not a high-performance 4K camera, that's obvious, though it's definitely not the 12¢ sensor everyone claims. I use it regularly for video conferencing for work and to be frank it looks far better than 99.9% of everyone else's $45 Logitech webcams or crappy Dell laptop cameras. Lately, I tend to turn off Center Stage and just center & crop my image to how I want it -- the newest versions of macOS and ASD firmware support this. And the portrait mode setting (blurs background) looks way better than the background blur built in to Zoom & WebEx (less distortion around your head and body).

The brightness, text sharpness and color/contrast consistency is worlds better than most other displays. It's not cheap, but it's as good as it gets in a 27" display without going to the $6000 XDR.

I built my workspace with three ASDs (one in landscape and two in 90º portrait). And three ASDs were still cheaper than one XDR.

 

[Rafterman]

Personally I would. I don't think a refresh model is coming out any time soon. Obviously I have no evidence either way, but Apple usually keeps their displays around a long time. And there are no 120Hz 5K panels, nor would TB4 likely be sufficient, so you'd need not only a new display but a new Mac as well.

The camera is not a high-performance 4K camera, that's obvious, though it's definitely not the 12¢ sensor everyone claims. I use it regularly for video conferencing for work and to be frank it looks far better than 99.9% of everyone else's $45 Logitech webcams or crappy Dell laptop cameras. Lately, I tend to turn off Center Stage and just center & crop my image to how I want it -- the newest versions of macOS and ASD firmware support this. And the portrait mode setting (blurs background) looks way better than the background blur built in to Zoom & WebEx (less distortion around your head and body).

The brightness, text sharpness and color/contrast consistency is worlds better than most other displays. It's not cheap, but it's as good as it gets in a 27" display without going to the $6000 XDR.

I built my workspace with three ASDs (one in landscape and two in 90º portrait). And three ASDs were still cheaper than one XDR.

Dell has a 5K (but 40 inch) curved panel that runs 120hz.

 

[MacGizmo]

Dell has a 5K (but 40 inch) curved panel that runs 120hz.

The Dell 40" 5k curved panel is not true 5k, it's 5k/2k. And it's only 140ppi – nowhere near Retina quality. Lousy speakers and no webcam, either.

Not saying it's a bad display, but it's not even in the same league with the ASD, in my opinion.

 

[xraydoc]

Dell has a 5K (but 40 inch) curved panel that runs 120hz.

Not the same kind of panel at all. That‘s 5120x2160 at <140 PPI.

True 5K is 5120x2880. and Apple’s ”retina” standard is ~220 PPI. No one makes this type of a panel at 120Hz currently.

 

[Rafterman]

Not the same kind of panel at all. That‘s 5120x2160 at <140 PPI.

True 5K is 5120x2880. and Apple’s ”retina” standard is ~220 PPI. No one makes this type of a panel at 120Hz currently.

DPI is overrated. The G3223Q I have (144hz, 4k, 32 inches) is only 137 dpi, but is very clear. Maybe for extreme photo editing and such, where you are zooming in alot, it matters, but not for most people.