Apple may soon launch the so-called “Studio Display Pro,” a pro version of the new Studio Display with mini-LED and the company’s 120Hz ProMotion technology.
- A well-respected display analyst sees a Pro version of the new Studio Display
- So-called “Studio Display Pro” may apparently launch as soon as this June
- It’s said to feature mini-LED backlights for an OLED-like experience
- It could also double the refresh rate via Apple’s ProMotion technology
When will Apple release a Pro version of its Studio Display?
Apple’s been predicted to launch a higher-end Studio Display, tentatively named “Studio Display Pro,” with premium features such as mini-LED backlights and Apple’s ProMotion dynamic refresh rate technology allowing for up to 120Hz.
According to Ross Young, the CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, production on the panel for the new display may have already started. Ross wrote on his Twitter that he has been able to confirm with multiple companies in Apple’s supply chain that a mini-LED version of Studio Display is in fact coming as soon as this June.
Still expecting a 27” MiniLED display from Apple in June. Guess it might be a Studio Display Pro…Have confirmed it with multiple companies in their supply chain…
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) March 10, 2022
In addition to mini-LED, it will reportedly feature Apple’s ProMotion technology that should appease folks who wish the newly launched Studio Display wasn’t 60Hz. Ross claims that the new mini-LED display will feature a 27-inch panel, the same size as the current model. It will also sport the same 5K Retina resolution as the current Studio Display. Read: How to manage settings for external displays on Mac
If the rumor pans out, Apple’s monitor lineup could soon look something like this:
- $1,599 27-inch Studio Display with 5K Retina IPS LCD screen at 60Hz
- 27-inch Studio Display Pro with 5K Retina IPS LCD screen and ProMotion for dynamic refresh rates up to 120Hz
- $4,999 32-inch Pro Display XDR with 6K Retina IPS LCD screen
Ross’s claims were brought into question by another well-respected Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, who wrote on Twitter that there may be no new mini-LED devices from Apple in 2022 because of cost concerns. “Apple may not launch new mini-LED products this year due to cost concerns,” Kuo wrote in a tweet.
Apple may not launch new mini-LED products this year due to cost concerns.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 10, 2022
So, could there be a place for even more monitors in Apple’s lineup?
Our take: Shut up and take our money!
Earlier rumors said Apple was working on multiple external displays so perhaps the company won’t just segment the market with Pro and non-Pro models but introduce additional panel sizes as well (i.e. 30 inches, 32 inches and possibly even more). Asked whether Studio Display Pro is supposed to sit between Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, Ross responded with a “yes”. He also speculated that Studio Display Pro might even replace Pro Display XDR since the new mini-LED monitor “will have around 2X as many mini-LED zones and >7X more LEDs.”
All in all, this is one rumor we hope will turn out to be true.
Making the Studio Display 120hz may have been more of a limitation of Thunderbolt 4… even if the Pro Display XDR got updated I don’t think it could have ProMotion 😞 pic.twitter.com/73H3FCEMba
— Tailosive Tech (@TailosiveTech) March 9, 2022
A Pro version of the current $1,599 Studio Display with ProMotion and mini-LED, the two features missing from the current model, would still be less expensive than the $4,999 Pro Display XDR. And announcing the new display at WWDC in June, presumable alongside a new Mac Pro, would make even more sense.