Here’s some monitors you can buy at that price point:

- 6k 32” monitor (similar PPI) (Acer PE320QX)

- most high-end 4k displays (even OLEDs) with 144hz+ refresh rate

32” 4k isn’t great PPI, but it’s still fine PPI, at a reasonable distance. Double the refresh rate is a much more noticeable improvement to me than 40% better pixel density, at a distance where retina matters a bit less than laptops & handhelds. And you can get that for less than half the cost

Plus, you can get it with multiple outputs & KVM to switch between MacBook & PC. And still run it off a single USB C cable.

I personally wouldn’t buy a new LCD based display anymore at this price. There are flaws inherent to the technology that affect all of my recent Apple displays (Studio Display, M1 Pro iPad, M1 Pro MPB, M4 Pro MPB). After using OLED TVs and OLED iPhones for years, it’s very difficult to look past LCD’s issues (edge yellowing+dimming specifically affects all my Apple screens more than I am happy with).

There are no reviews/studies on long-term aging of Apple’s LCD displays, so all of this should be taken with a grain of salt, maybe my devices are just unlucky.

I don’t know if the Pro XDR line is better or how that would carry over to the Studio XDR. I haven’t seen many complains about the Pro XDR, but the Studio Display form factor has a different cooling design which would affect longevity.

I will say I can never go back from retina resolution text, and that alone has made the experience of Studio Display good. If we could get OLED it would be perfection. I think I would have to see the XDR in practice to be convinced, but 120hz requiring a whole new computer does make it a non-starter for me.

Also works great with other sources like an Xbox

I used a Pro Display XDR as my daily driver at work and the difference is minimal

Also the non-XDR is only a small upgrade otherwise, no 120Hz, no HDR, only Thunderbolt 5 and a new camera. Finally a downstream Thunderbolt port though.

This is all after 4 years?

But even so, these 2 new monitors still don’t support multiple inputs.

- 5k resolution at HIDPI (27inch)

- 120hz refresh rate

- TB5 and single cable connectivity.

There are a couple of other HIDPI displays at 5k with 120hz refresh rate but they don't do TB5.

What are people's current favorites for a 5K 27" screen that doesn't cost as much as a whole damned computer?

  $1,500  Studio Display
  $3,300  Studio Display XDR  <-- NEW
  $6,000  Pro Display         <-- DISCONTINUED ???

EDIT: It appears the Pro Display has been discontinued.

Really glad Apple is building it.

How does a 5k display replace a 6k display? Are they giving up on 6k? Disappointing.

Sure, most of the time the cable seems secure enough to maintain connection when I accidentally nudge the laptop. But every once in a while, when I slightly shift the laptop here or there, flicker and everything goes batshit. The monitor loses connection, so maybe (depending on config) the laptop screen changes resolution and then eventually reconnects and flickers and changes back. Or the network drops out (if I'm connected to Ethernet over Thunderbolt). Or a program freaks out because the drive it was using disappeared. Or the laptop really freaks out and kernel panics.

Like I said, it doesn't happen a ton, but it's happened a handful of times over the years, just enough that now I always use an external mouse and keyboard with a docked laptop to avoid such nonsense.

As the years have gone, the only upgrade I wished to have was 120 refresh for some very limited design work - but 120 really is still not widely adopted in most places anywhere, so it’s really a non-issue for me.

The new XDR is smaller, has a less ergo stand, and also loses the beautiful lattice etchings on the rear which I often admire.

The XDR was overdue for a refresh, it’s nice the price dropped some, but I won’t be upgrading for now.

That is not extensive connectivity. That’s the bare minimum one might credibly expect.

If I were to consider buying a display like this, I would want at least two and preferably more inputs and at least a DisplayPort input. Not everything in the world is USB-C, especially when discrete GPUs are involved.

Did I miss something

The Studio Display XDR seems nice, but I wish they would have kept a 32" option.

Off topic, but Apple seems to be dropping hardware costs / capability - relying more in subscription, app store, and cloud now? On an impulse buy, I bought the entry level MacBook Air at Best Buy about two months ago because it was $200 off list price. Amazingly capable laptop for $800.

My father-in-law is a monitor engineer. He is insanely gifted. We were in a Taiwanese factory together years ago and I asked him what it would cost to build the Pro Display XDR today. I will never forget his answer…

“We can’t, we don’t know how to do it.”

I said about two years back I’d wait to upgrade my 1080p monitor until Apple shipped a high refresh rate one. I knew the monkey’s paw would curl but at nearly $5000 CAD that’s a hard no.

Probably not worth the hassle, but I wish there was literally any other display manufacturer out there with premium build quality.