This.
I just need a monitor. I do not need these extras. I already have a speaker and camera setup which meets my needs.
No Apple Display for me, I will most likely by this instead later this year: https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-ultrasharp-49-curved-monitor-u4919dw/apd/210-arnw/monitors-monitor-accessories
But I would rather by one with retina display, don’t know if there’s a curved monitor that has it though…?
given the ports available on the new Studio Display, what’s the best cabling strategy if you wished to use this with an M1 Macbook Air in clamshell mode, including a doc/hub for things like ethernet and external data and backup drives?
So go into settings and turn it off. Problem solved.
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It’s not a “problem”. If you want to use True Tone, turn it on. If you don’t, turn it off.
You’re overthinking it. It’s not the Riddle of the Sphinx.
People doing graphics work wouldn’t want True Tone, but they’re just a small subset of the target audience for the Studio Display.
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I think even if you were to keep True Tone disabled, it’s good it exists because it signals a complete and reliable integration between the monitor and the computer and that the monitor can do accurate color profiling out of the box (because True Tone can’t work without accurate automatic base calibration.)
I do graphics work all the time and would leave it on quite happily.
I think you could make a good argument that True Tone is presenting a more natural white based on your lighting, so the colours you’re working with are more likely to map to what you’ll see in the end result. Especially on a printed page.
I typically prefer True Tone on to off for my MacBook Air, and wish I had it on my iMac Pro.
I have researched higher-resolution Ultrawide monitors recently, with particular attention to pixel resolution, and have not found any with Apple’s so-called “Retina” resolution.
I have been spoiled by high-resolution displays after using a 27" Retina iMac since 2014 and more recently a 13" M1 MacBook Pro. These feature pixel per inch (PPI) resolution of 218 ppi for the 27" iMac and 227 ppi for the MacBook Pro. The text resolution of both is extremely sharp, even when scaled or magnified to a larger font size.
For me, using a lower-resolution display for productivity work - text, spreadsheets - is tiring and unpleasant. This is quite personal - some users are not bothered by lower-resolution displays and value other qualities such as high refresh rates (especially prized by gamers).
Your suggested Dell 49-inch Super Ultrawide monitor U4919DW has a resolution of 5120x1440 and a ppi resolution of approximately 109 ppi. The height of the monitor’s actual viewing area is 13.2", relatively short for productivity work such as text documents and spreadsheets. Since you mentioned preference for a Retina display, I would point out that the resolution of that monitor is nowhere near “retina”.
You might have a look at Dell’s 40" Ultrawide U4021QW. The PPI resolution of 140, while not “retina” quality, is relatively good and much better than the Dell 49" Ultrawide. Another good feature of the U4021QW a viewing area height of 15.5", similar to that of standard 16:9 ratio 27" monitors and a good height for viewing text documents, spreadsheets, etc.
Another consideration would be one of LG’s 34" Ultrawide monitors, the 34WK95U. Like the 40" Dell mentioned above, the resolution is so-called “5k2k”, or 5120 x 2160. With a vertical viewing area height of approximately 13.5", that translates to a PPI resolution of approximately 160. The height of the monitor’s viewing area is only 13.5", though.
Like you, I would like an Ultrawide monitor but have found none that approach Apple’s “retina” resolution. My order is in for a pair of Apple’s Studio Displays, to be mounted side-by-side.
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I’d love to order one, I’m really happy that Apple is doing a first-party monitor again and it looks great, but…
It’s still too expensive for what it is. Unfortunately there’s no competition in this segment, as all the other manufacturers cater to the gaming crowd, where 5K resolution is not popular. The market standard is a 4K panel on a 27 or 32-inch screen, making the ppi count lower than what it should be for those sizes.
I use a Dell 27-inch 4K with the resolution scaled to “looks like 2560 x 1440” on a Mac mini M1. This gives me the same amount of information as a native 5K, and it’s fine for my aging eyes.
I had a 27-inch iMac before this setup and I was able to compare it with the 4K monitor before I sold it. In my case, If I really look, I could see the difference between 5K native vs simulated.
Native 5K is better? Of course, but I rather have this setup than the old iMac.
Also, The Studio Display has only one input, so it’s not possible to connect two Macs at the same time.
My Mac mini is connected to the monitor via HDMI, and I also connect a MacBook Air via USB-C. The monitor seamlessly switches the input to the USB-C connection and when the MacBook Air is disconnected, it switches back to HDMI.
I know it’s not Apple’s modus operandi but It would be great to have a “Let it Be… Naked” version of this monitor, stripping it down to the essence of just a great quality (and good looking) display with a lower price tag.
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This is very interesting. But I don’t think it would change anything except your perception, and in theory your colours could be more accurate because you’re no longer compensating for your display’s 6500 kelvin.
Our eyes get Used to different perceptual whites really quickly.
I could be wrong though. I’ve been wrong many times.
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I have two on the way. The plan is only to keep one but I wanted to try out both stands. I’m hoping the nicer stand meets my needs, but at that price, it’ll have to be about perfect for me to keep it and not just go with the “included” stand.
I’m curious, what are your needs for the nicer stand?
It’s a basic question, but: is the “tilt- and height-adjustable stand” mostly intended for those with standing desks?
My desk setup is pretty standard, but I still wonder which stand I should get, considering I cannot change it later (except for returning it now, as you suggest).
I have a standing desk and have ordered the tilt and height adjustable stand, but even with just a sitting desk, I’d order the height adjustable one. My iMac’s screen is way too low for me. If my wife ever uses my machine or sits at the desk, the iMac is right for her. So one size isn’t really a good use case.
(And if you adjust your body throughout the day, proper ergonomics suggest you should be able to adjust your display too.)
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Good points, thanks! As I sit here and stare at my monitor, it probably is just a bit low.
I have the Thunderbolt Display, which is aging just in time for the Studio Display to replace it…
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Here’s what Austin Mann says about True Tone when editing photos on his XDR monitor: “Perhaps my favorite aspect of these new configurations is when switching to a preset other than the default “Apple XDR Display,” the True Tone and Night Shift features are disabled, and Brightness is manually set and not adjustable. This is exactly the way it should be for color consistency. Previously, I’ve turned off True Tone/Night Shift permanently (despite the clear benefits) just because I don’t like the idea of shifting color, but now I’ll gladly leave those features on for general use.”
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Anyone gotten a shipping notification yet? Normally when I pre-order things I get my shipping/tracking info at least by Monday the week of (Friday) delivery. Nothing so far, which makes me wonder if it’s coming on Friday.
Worst part is the one I should get Friday is the version (stand) I don’t think I’m keeping. The version with the stand I think I’m keeping isn’t coming until May. That means I’ll use the Studio display for a week+, have to return it, and then have to live without it for 2 months. First-worldy - I know.
I have had multiple of the LGs and can confirm for you that each one had a slightly different colour profile. They just weren’t calibrated to the same spec every time. It was one of the things that drove me nuts about those displays: even if you had two side by side, they weren’t likely to match, even though they should have.
Your only options here: two matching displays that win the panel lotteries, or getting a calibration tool and using that to colour match them.
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Based on the setup you posted in the other review thread, I decided to try using the LG UltraFine 4K with my Studio Display. The LG 4K replaced my 24" Dell 4K, which is not Retina. To my dismay, though, after connecting the LG, I found, like you, that the panel is a bit unevenly lit, and the colors and white balance do not match.
Fortunately, I have a i1 Display Pro color calibrator and that got the LG’s colors to match the Studio Display’s pretty closely. I’m exchanging the LG 4K in hopes that the replacement has a more evenly lit panel. And if it does, I’m inclined to keep the LG and cancel my order for an additional Studio Display.
BTW, @anon20961960, if you’d like to borrow my color calibrator—I know they’re expensive given how infrequently they’re used—feel free to DM me, and we can work out a way to get it to you.
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Just wanted to follow-up on this. I got the replacement LG 24" UltraFine 4K today, and it has a much more even panel. After I color callibrated the LG, it looks pretty good along side the Studio Display, When I get my desk cleaned up from all the uproar caused by switching computers, I’ll post a photo of my setup.
Update: On a whim, I enabled True Tone on my Studio Display, and to my surprise, it also changed the tone of the LG 4K. Sufficed to say, I’ve cancelled my order for a second Studio Display as it seems the LG UltraFines fulfill my need for a secondary monitor, which of course is setup in portrait.
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