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TSE

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Original poster
Jun 25, 2007
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Title pretty much says it all, but when I ask equivalent, I mean:

1. Has a 4 or 5K resolution with great panel quality
2. Has a fantastic webcam
3. Has fantastic built-in speakers
4. USB-C Charging

A lot of the times when using monitors, I'm disappointed in the built-in speaker and webcam quality. With the Apple Studio Display, I'm 99% sure Apple is going to kill it on those factors.

Just curious! Thanks guys. :)
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,565
43,547
Title pretty much says it all, but when I ask equivalent, I mean:
From what I gather, the mac studio display has nearly the same exact specs has the LG 5k display that apple was selling, so I would assume that display would get you 90% of your list.

From what I've read about the display, its only 27" its only a 600nit, no real HDR, 60hz, no faceid.

I'm not sold on the Studio Display being worthy of the 2200+ price tag (adding in the stand and what not). Take a look at Dave2D's video, 4:14 into the YT, he talks about display

 

TSE

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 25, 2007
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St. Paul, Minnesota
From what I gather, the mac studio display has nearly the same exact specs has the LG 5k display that apple was selling, so I would assume that display would get you 90% of your list.

From what I've read about the display, its only 27" its only a 600nit, no real HDR, 60hz, no faceid.

I'm not sold on the Studio Display being worthy of the 2200+ price tag (adding in the stand and what not). Take a look at Dave2D's video, 4:14 into the YT, he talks about display


I know the refresh rate of 60hz is pretty below par right now, but I really don't care about that as I don't game and don't even notice my MacBook Pro's increased refresh rate. Dave2D's videos and take on products are brilliant, but he is a gamer first and I am a designer first so we tend to diverge on some key necessities from our computers.

I'm looking at some Dell Ultrasharp monitors and even their highest, most expensive end ones with USB-C and a webcam are only 300 - 400 nits brightness. That was my first idea before making this thread but they aren't it.
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
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and I am a designer first so we tend to diverge on some key necessities from our computers
My thinking is, for around 2,000 dollars you're getting what I consider a subpar monitor that lacks features that other 2,000 dollar monitors do have. I just think you're paying a premium for the apple logo, and you'll get more bang for your buck. I mean the LG monitor that Apple was selling was about 1,300 bucks. Dell offers a 40 inch 5k monitor for 2,000 dollars.

Its not my money, and ultimately you have to be happy with what ever you choose.

, but he is a gamer first
I wouldn't qualify him as a gamer first because I feel his perspectives are for the general public. I'm not the only one commenting on the lack of promotion for this monitor, and I don't think its a gaming thing. I mean consider how so many people love the faster refresh on the iPhone, and iPad. They talk about how smooth everything is and its a great experience overall.

Now with the said, I'm one of those odd characters who really don't see/notice the faster refreshes. I tried seeing how it differs on my iPad Pro and my wife's non-pro iPad and I don't notice any differences. My laptop has a faster display and likewise, switching to 120 or back to 60, doesn't mean anything to me, so I too would not be worked up about the refresh rate. I think brightness and HDR are things that would be very important.
 

TSE

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 25, 2007
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St. Paul, Minnesota
My thinking is, for around 2,000 dollars you're getting what I consider a subpar monitor that lacks features that other 2,000 dollar monitors do have. I just think you're paying a premium for the apple logo, and you'll get more bang for your buck. I mean the LG monitor that Apple was selling was about 1,300 bucks. Dell offers a 40 inch 5k monitor for 2,000 dollars.

Its not my money, and ultimately you have to be happy with what ever you choose.


I wouldn't qualify him as a gamer first because I feel his perspectives are for the general public. I'm not the only one commenting on the lack of promotion for this monitor, and I don't think its a gaming thing. I mean consider how so many people love the faster refresh on the iPhone, and iPad. They talk about how smooth everything is and its a great experience overall.

Now with the said, I'm one of those odd characters who really don't see/notice the faster refreshes. I tried seeing how it differs on my iPad Pro and my wife's non-pro iPad and I don't notice any differences. My laptop has a faster display and likewise, switching to 120 or back to 60, doesn't mean anything to me, so I too would not be worked up about the refresh rate. I think brightness and HDR are things that would be very important.

Hey man, I usually really enjoy your comments and viewpoint and you do a lot for this community but I really don't want this thread to turn into another Apple vs. PC thread.

I'm legitimately in the market for a monitor coming up and as a professional designer I'm asking for equivalent PC monitors with a very defined feature set that I highlighted. I'm going to spend some time looking some more but so far my search hasn't turned anything up. Please notice that promotion isn't one of the specifications I was looking for.

Thanks.
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
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but I really don't want this thread to turn into another Apple vs. PC thread.
I'm not attempting too, my whole point is that for 2,000 dollars you're not getting features commensurate with the price tag. As I said, its your decision, but you did start the thread asking about a PC equivalent to the Studio Display.

I offer the LG UltraFine 5K Display as the specs are very similar. Likewise the Dell has a 40 inch 5k display that looks to be very good.
 
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joevt

Contributor
Jun 21, 2012
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Title pretty much says it all, but when I ask equivalent, I mean:

1. Has a 4 or 5K resolution with great panel quality
2. Has a fantastic webcam
3. Has fantastic built-in speakers
4. USB-C Charging

A lot of the times when using monitors, I'm disappointed in the built-in speaker and webcam quality. With the Apple Studio Display, I'm 99% sure Apple is going to kill it on those factors.

Just curious! Thanks guys. :)
The Studio Display can work with PCs but the camera won't work:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-work-with-pcs-but-with-some-caveats.2337225/
EDIT: or maybe it will, just not with all the Mac features.
 
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grmlin

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Feb 16, 2015
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It's the only 27" 5k screen you can buy, so there is that. Well, you can also get the older LG one, which is basically the same thing in an ugly case, and save some money.
Having a 5K screen has some pros, especially for scaling the UI of MacOS, as 2:1 works best. Also sharper image quality, which is noticeable side by side with a 4K screen.

Is it worth the money? I don't think so, it's just too expensive in my opinion. It's also too small for me, now that I used the LG 5k2k for almost two years. Compatibility with other systems than MacOS is also a downside, but that's Apple.
 
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Lihp8270

macrumors 65816
Dec 31, 2016
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I know the refresh rate of 60hz is pretty below par right now, but I really don't care about that as I don't game and don't even notice my MacBook Pro's increased refresh rate. Dave2D's videos and take on products are brilliant, but he is a gamer first and I am a designer first so we tend to diverge on some key necessities from our computers.

I'm looking at some Dell Ultrasharp monitors and even their highest, most expensive end ones with USB-C and a webcam are only 300 - 400 nits brightness. That was my first idea before making this thread but they aren't it.
If you’re a designer rather than looking at peak brightness you really should be looking at what brightness the claimed colour accuracy is at.
 

JahBoolean

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Jul 14, 2021
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Hey OP, as a lot of people anticipating the launch of the newer display, I skimmed through the current market to find the shoe that fits my needs.

My bucket list did not include an integrated webcam and speakers, something that I had considered when looking at some of the higher end offerings and the older LG 5k, only to abandon those requirements once I had realized that the specialization required by such an hypothetical display would pigeonhold me towards lesser offerings.

Anyways, having been spoilt retina displays, the high dpi requirement was paramount, followed by brightness, I had dabbled in high refresh rate monitors but for my current use case, it is of lesser importance.

I do read ALOT of text those days, but still color accuracy is nice to have for the odd render / corrected photo.

This display [https://www.acer.com/ac/de/DE/content/conceptd-model/UM.HC1EE.P01] initially grabbed my attention, but myself coming from a double 4k monitor setup that I lost to a cheap screw and pointy desk clutter, the real estate offered by a single 27' 4k monitor is not enough.

That is why Apple's offering enticed me, but I could simply not justify two of them.

I finally lucked out by finding a used [https://www.lg.com/at/monitore/lg-34WK95U-W] and will be receiving it tomorrow, I can tell you more about it if you express interest.

Anyways, sorry for the slightly off topic post, but I felt like the thinking behind those two references may offer some clarity.
 
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LeeW

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Feb 5, 2017
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I finally lucked out by finding an used [https://www.lg.com/at/monitore/lg-34WK95U-W] and will be receiving it tomorrow, I can tell you more about it if you express interest.

I have been looking for something with a higher resolution, currently have an LG 34" but at 3440x1440. If I am right mine has 109 PPI whilst that 5k2k has 163. Not sure I would notice the difference, I may be wrong.

Let us know how that display works out.
 

grmlin

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Feb 16, 2015
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I have been looking for something with a higher resolution, currently have an LG 34" but at 3440x1440. If I am right mine has 109 PPI whilst that 5k2k has 163. Not sure I would notice the difference, I may be wrong.

Lt us know how that display works out.
The difference is huge, every time I sit in front of something old with around 100 DPI it feels like it’s broken.

The 5K2k isn’t as sharp as the Apple displays but it’s sharp enough from a normal viewing distance. I love mine
 
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LeeW

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every time I sit in front of something old with around 100 DPI it feels like it’s broken.

Yeah, see when I am using my PC, it looks totally fine, very crisp and clear, to me at least. The issue is the Mac Mini. It does look broken on that.

Font display especially. Which I am led to believe is more an Apple OS issue than my display. They tend to optimise for higher resolution, again I may be wrong on that but seems right given the significant difference on my PC.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
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I'm not attempting too, my whole point is that for 2,000 dollars you're not getting features commensurate with the price tag. As I said, its your decision, but you did start the thread asking about a PC equivalent to the Studio Display.

I offer the LG UltraFine 5K Display as the specs are very similar. Likewise the Dell has a 40 inch 5k display that looks to be very good.
It's a $1,600 monitor if you select the VESA connector and forgo the nano-texture screen. So it is $300 more than the LG UltraFine 5K, although the latter does come with a height-adjustable stand and VESA mount. In my experience, the LG stand is a bit wobbly, so I recommend using the VESA mount.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,124
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Yeah, see when I am using my PC, it looks totally fine, very crisp and clear, to me at least. The issue is the Mac Mini. It does look broken on that.

Font display especially. Which I am led to believe is more an Apple OS issue than my display. They tend to optimise for higher resolution, again I may be wrong on that but seems right given the significant difference on my PC.
MacOS as of late assumes that the display is “Retina” quality. Windows assumes the opposite. IMO, MacOS looks better than Windows on a high-PPI display, but Windows looks better on a low-PPI display.
 
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c0ppo

macrumors 68000
Feb 11, 2013
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Title pretty much says it all, but when I ask equivalent, I mean:

1. Has a 4 or 5K resolution with great panel quality
2. Has a fantastic webcam
3. Has fantastic built-in speakers
4. USB-C Charging

A lot of the times when using monitors, I'm disappointed in the built-in speaker and webcam quality. With the Apple Studio Display, I'm 99% sure Apple is going to kill it on those factors.

Just curious! Thanks guys. :)


I've just ordered one. Reading your posts, I feel like we're searching for the same kind of monitor.
What kills picture quality for me is anti-coating. Text doesn't look as sharp when there is anti-coating on the display. And I also love high brightness.

I'm a developer, so I really love to see sharp text. I'm waiting for my Eve display, it should arrive in 2-3 weeks.
But from what I saw, that's the display that will meet almost all my needs. I would like that it was 5K, but it's not. 4K will do.

Apple display would serve me great, but it's too expensive for what they offer (imho). And it doesn't work great with non-macOS.
 

grmlin

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2015
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Apple display would serve me great, but it's too expensive for what they offer (imho).
I think the price of the new display is the reason they removed the 27" iMac from the store. You can buy a 27" iMac with an SSD and an i5 for <2000€. Not even taking the Mac inside into account: the included keyboard and mouse ALONE get it down to the price of that stupid screen.

It's ridiculous imo
 

grmlin

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2015
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Yeah, that's my opinion. Its a bit ludicrous, but at least they're not charging 1,000 dollars for a stand (which is basically shaped aluminum) :p
I like best that you can't change the stand afterwards, the stand or vesa mount is fixed, not removable. Apple sometimes...
 

LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,245
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Over here
I like best that you can't change the stand afterwards, the stand or vesa mount is fixed, not removable. Apple sometimes...

This I thought was hilariously Apple. Their Monitor options are now like their RAM. You have one chance, just one to make the right decision for today and the next x years. Choose wisely or you will have to buy again.
 
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oz_rkie

macrumors regular
Apr 16, 2021
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I like best that you can't change the stand afterwards, the stand or vesa mount is fixed, not removable. Apple sometimes...
Wow, I was not aware of this and could not believe that this was the case. I had to go to their store and this is true. Even more surprising it is that this is not even mentioned very clearly on the page. You actually have to click the small info icon and its at the bottom of the popup in very small font.

Not that I am interested in buying such a subpar and overpriced monitor but if I was, I would have likely purchased it not knowing this fact if not for this thread. Pretty incredible.
 
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VideoFreek

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May 12, 2007
577
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I like best that you can't change the stand afterwards, the stand or vesa mount is fixed, not removable. Apple sometimes...
ArsTechnica reported that it will be possible to have the stand changed at an Apple Store or service provider, for an as-of-yet unknown fee. A PITA for sure, but better than nothing. I'm pretty confident someone will figure out how to DIY this.
 

JahBoolean

Suspended
Jul 14, 2021
552
425
I have been looking for something with a higher resolution, currently have an LG 34" but at 3440x1440. If I am right mine has 109 PPI whilst that 5k2k has 163. Not sure I would notice the difference, I may be wrong.

Let us know how that display works out.
IMG_2036.JPG


So far, the experience has been very positive, eye strain has almost completely disappeard and the extra luminosity has really helped during the last few sunny days.

The 5k2k has a scaling option that is almost equivalent to my old 34' 3440*1440, considering this, I have decided to use the old monitor as a side dish and have loved it. Whilst lackluster as a main monitor, 1440p UW is plenty fine for information that I barely need to be aware of and the stacked ultrawide setup is growing on me,

The only disappointment is the quality of the speakers that I personnaly find unbearable.

Got mine for 800 Swiss francs, around 850 Dollars, not great but no soul crushing remorse either ;).
 
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