If it has a A13, why aren’t they putting in an Apple TV 5K?
That’s a good point. At the price Apple is asking for this display, and the included hardware, they already have most of the components covered, storage could be built in or added with SSD hanging off one of the back ports (though that isn’t Apples style). Just add a remote included or at extra cost and you’re all set.
Not measured here are the myriad of other issues with the LG UltraFine 5k, including: 1. slow wake time or more rarely unresponsive to waking. 2. backlighting issues best described as the macbook “stage light” problem. 3. The “hydraulic” adjustment system is jerky and requires two hands to operate, it’s also is easy to de-level the screen. 4. The apple community forums are full of system crash complaints related to the LG screen. Particularly if using a macbook pro with dual GPUs. 5. Colour consistency is poor with a noticeable gradient. 6. Sometimes the display will wake with a stripe of offset pixels.
One final note: the apple display has their typical hard glass surface, the LG has no protection, it’s just the cheaper plastic-feeling deformable/soft layer
I have two of the second version LG UltraFine 5K displays and they work fine.
We have two of the second gen and one of the first, and they all work fine.
Apple’s is $300 more but is smaller, lighter, way more attractive, and has tons of added features, from speakers to the camera to Center Stage, brightness, etc. Seems like the value proposition is there.
Older LG has camera and speakers. But why is this comparison even relevant if the LG is discontinued? What are the similar AND available alternatives to the studio display when purchasing a Mac Studio or Mini?
Because the LG is the only other 27" 5K external display that has ever been on the market. There is nothing else to use as a comparison.
Apple’s is $300 more but is smaller, lighter, way more attractive, and has tons of added features, from speakers to the camera to Center Stage, brightness, etc. Seems like the value proposition is there.
Older LG has camera and speakers. But why is this comparison even relevant if the LG is discontinued? What are the similar AND available alternatives to the studio display when purchasing a Mac Studio or Mini?
Because the LG is the only other 27" 5K external display that has ever been on the market. There is nothing else to use as a comparison.
One thing I like about my dell monitors Is that they rotate. What are good stands for the studio display that rotate?
sounds like a nice monitor, but they should have included FaceId since it has the A13 chip.
Yes. The ultrasharp U2723QE is a very nice colour calibrated 4K monitor with LG IPS black contrast technology that is yet to turn up in LG’s own displays, including the Ultrafine range. It has a very good dock, can rotate on its height and angle adjustable dark grey aluminium stand, although it doesn’t have camera and speakers, but it is a whole lot cheaper at USD$720.
If only the Mac mini had an M1 Pro version, I would just Velcro it to the back of the dell and have ports galore!
oh PS, Dell did have a 5K monitor for a while as I recall. Apparently did not sell well.
We have three of the LG 5K UltraFines, one first gen from early 2017, and two later versions bought in the last couple of years. All have been used with recent version Intel MacBook Pros, and more recently with M1 MacBooks. All three displays have been reliable. My only negative comments about them would be their lackluster aesthetics — well, by Apple standards — and the slightly wobbly stand system. I hardly ever use the web cam, but it's OK. The built-in speakers are meh, but good enough for casual use.
We recently took delivery of a new Studio Display, the standard model with tilt-only stand. First impressions are that the build quality and design are in a whole different league from the LG. Color rendition seems a little bit more vivid on the Apple, which might be due to its smooth glass compared to the LG's matte screen. The Studio can be dialed up brighter, although frankly that doesn't matter for a product that's hardly likely to be used outdoors — either display is plenty bright. We won't ever be using the Studio's camera, so I can't comment on it directly, but I disagree with the AI reviewer's comment that it's washed out in their comparison photo. What it does look look like is an over-processed image. While that has successfully brought up the shadows, it has also softened the facial detail. In comparison the LG photo is sharper, but lacks shadow detail. That could be a more accurate representation of the actual lighting conditions, but it's nonetheless not really what you want for a video conference. Still, Apple's got work yet to do here. (Incidentally, on first startup the Studio Display almost immediately prompted me to install a firmware update.)
My bottom line is that these are both expensive monitors, but that the Apple Studio is well worth the premium over the LG.
I do think that there was missed opportunity here. Apple could and should have standardized on the height adjustable stand at a modestly higher price, say $50-100 extra. Its $400 premium is kind of insulting, and is a self-fulfilling prophecy of how few of that version they're likely to sell. And these days 27" is pretty ordinary — think how attractive and distinctive this display would have been as a ~30" 5.5K with the same dpi!
One other difference, although not clearly mentioned by Apple, is that the LG monitor has an internal power supply - the power cord plugs directly into the back of the monitor. The Studio Display most likely uses the same (or at least very similar) external brick that the 24" iMac uses. So one more small box on the floor.
The Studio Display does not use an external power brick. It's just a power cord from the back of the display to a standard wall plug.
I'd gladly pay the extra $300 just because of the build quality and Apple support alone.
I do wish that Apple had an option to purchase this monitor without the camera and speakers. Just the monitor. I use an iMac with all that, and I just need external monitors to expand my desktop. I wonder if that would substantially reduce the cost of this monitor.
I'd gladly pay the extra $300 just because of the build quality and Apple support alone.
I do wish that Apple had an option to purchase this monitor without the camera and speakers. Just the monitor. I use an iMac with all that, and I just need external monitors to expand my desktop. I wonder if that would substantially reduce the cost of this monitor.
I think that would be a great idea, especially since something like a MacBook Pro already has great speakers and now with iOS 16 you can use your iPhone for a camera and its a better camera in the end. If you have a Mac Studio there are good choices for a 2.1 system to set on your desk that look decent.
I bet it would decrease the cost to build. I still wonder why it has an A12 (or was it an A13?) chip inside it? If its the run the extras of the display then I'd think it'd definitely reduce the build cost.
The Ultrafine 5K monitor was announced at $1299 but originally went on sale in late 2016 at a promotional price of $974, which made it a pretty decent value.
Even more so considering it took Apple until 2022 to produce a comparable 5K monitor - at a list price of $1599.
It's a shame there don't seem to be many options in the 27" 5K monitor space - it's a great Mac-friendly monitor size because it matches the 27" iMac and works perfectly with 2x HiDPI scaling.
Apple’s is $300 more but is smaller, lighter, way more attractive, and has tons of added features, from speakers to the camera to Center Stage, brightness, etc. Seems like the value proposition is there.
Apple is $700 more if you want to compare apples-to-apples. Apple is the only company in the world that can get away with charging an extra $400 for something so central/basic to a proper monitor's physical function. The added irony here is that Apple has always billed itself (rightly so) as a company that cares about good UI/UX and accessibility. Well, what could be more important than being able to adjust the height of a monitor?
Comments
There is nothing else to use as a comparison.
oh PS, Dell did have a 5K monitor for a while as I recall. Apparently did not sell well.
We recently took delivery of a new Studio Display, the standard model with tilt-only stand. First impressions are that the build quality and design are in a whole different league from the LG. Color rendition seems a little bit more vivid on the Apple, which might be due to its smooth glass compared to the LG's matte screen. The Studio can be dialed up brighter, although frankly that doesn't matter for a product that's hardly likely to be used outdoors — either display is plenty bright. We won't ever be using the Studio's camera, so I can't comment on it directly, but I disagree with the AI reviewer's comment that it's washed out in their comparison photo. What it does look look like is an over-processed image. While that has successfully brought up the shadows, it has also softened the facial detail. In comparison the LG photo is sharper, but lacks shadow detail. That could be a more accurate representation of the actual lighting conditions, but it's nonetheless not really what you want for a video conference. Still, Apple's got work yet to do here. (Incidentally, on first startup the Studio Display almost immediately prompted me to install a firmware update.)
My bottom line is that these are both expensive monitors, but that the Apple Studio is well worth the premium over the LG.
I do think that there was missed opportunity here. Apple could and should have standardized on the height adjustable stand at a modestly higher price, say $50-100 extra. Its $400 premium is kind of insulting, and is a self-fulfilling prophecy of how few of that version they're likely to sell. And these days 27" is pretty ordinary — think how attractive and distinctive this display would have been as a ~30" 5.5K with the same dpi!
I bet it would decrease the cost to build. I still wonder why it has an A12 (or was it an A13?) chip inside it? If its the run the extras of the display then I'd think it'd definitely reduce the build cost.
Even more so considering it took Apple until 2022 to produce a comparable 5K monitor - at a list price of $1599.
It's a shame there don't seem to be many options in the 27" 5K monitor space - it's a great Mac-friendly monitor size because it matches the 27" iMac and works perfectly with 2x HiDPI scaling.
Who would even think of selling (or buying) such a monstrosity? https://www.apple.com/imac-24/
Channel availability might be spotty but that's a separate topic.