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Apple AppleColor High-Resolution RGB Monitor vs Apple Studio Display XDR

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

AppleAppleColor High-Resolution RGB MonitorAppleStudio Display XDR
Overview
Released1987March 2026
Display
Screen size12.8″27″
Resolution–5120 × 2880 (5K)
Sharpness–218 pixels per inch
PanelCRT (Apple support specifies a nominal 13-inch Trinitron tube and 12.8-inch viewable diagonal; owner and service manuals instead call it 13-inch viewable. Service Source gives 0.26 mm aperture grille pitch, while TIL2165 and TIL8439 give 0.25 mm. Analogue CRT has no fixed native pixel matrix.)Mini-LED (5K Retina XDR (IPS LCD, oxide TFT))
Refresh rate–120 Hz
Brightness (typical)–1,000 nits
HDR peak brightness–2,000 nits
Colour range–P3 + Adobe RGB, 81% BT.2020
Dimming zones–2,304
Screen finish–Glossy
Shape–Flat
Adaptive sync–VESA AdaptiveSync
Colour depth–1 billion colours
Colour modesOwner guide lists 256 colours with Macintosh Display Card 4•8 and 16.7 million with 8•24 or 8•24 GC; not an independent monitor colour-depth limitApple XDR Display (P3-2,000 nits), Apple XDR Display (P3 + Adobe RGB-2,000 nits), HDR Video (P3-ST 2084), HDTV Video (BT.709-BT.1886), NTSC Video (BT.601 SMPTE-C), PAL and SECAM Video (BT.601 EBU), Digital Cinema (P3-DCI), Digital Cinema (P3-D65), Design and Print (P3-D50), Design and Print (Adobe RGB-D50), Photography (P3-D65), Photography (Adobe RGB-D65), HDR Photography (P3-D65), Internet and Web (sRGB), Medical Imaging (DICOM-350 nits), Medical Imaging (DICOM-600 nits); custom reference modes
HDR detail–2,000 nits peak across 40% of the screen and 1,000 nits full-screen sustained (below 25 °C); HDR reference modes use PQ (SMPTE ST 2084)
Variable refresh range–47–120 Hz (Adaptive Sync); fixed 47.95, 48, 50, 59.94, 60 and 120 Hz
Viewing angles–89° left, right, up and down
Supported signal modesMaker documents support 640 × 480 at 66.7 Hz, 35 kHz horizontal scan and a 30.24 MHz pixel clock. These describe the supported analogue signal, not a native fixed matrix. Factory-adjusted active image area is 235 × 176 mm with a dark surrounding border; colour depth depends on the video card.–
CalibrationMaker TIL8439 states luminance of 20 footlamberts at the brightness-control detent and 25 footlamberts fully open; no conversion to an unpublished cd/m² figure. A thin horizontal grille-support line in the lower third is normal for this Trinitron tube according to the owner and service guides.Individually factory calibrated (Apple CMF 2026); Visual Fine-Tune and Fine-Tune Calibration in Pro Display Calibrator
Connections
Video inputsDA-15Thunderbolt 5
USB-C chargingNoneUp to 140 W
USB ports–Thunderbolt 5, 2 × USB-C
Ethernet–No
SpeakersNoYes
Webcam–12MP Center Stage with Desk View
USB-C detail–Upstream Thunderbolt 5 (up to 120 Gb/s) with 140 W host charging
Daisy chaining–Downstream Thunderbolt 5 port daisy-chains more displays; up to four with certain Mac configurations
USB hub detail–1 × Thunderbolt 5 downstream (up to 120 Gb/s), 2 × USB-C (up to 10 Gb/s) for peripherals, storage and networking
Speaker detail–Six speakers with force-cancelling woofers; wide stereo; Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos
Webcam detail–Three-mic array with directional beamforming; camera features and firmware updates need a Mac
Other connectionsMacintosh DA-15 analogue RGB input with composite negative-going TTL sync and detachable video cable; this is not a PC VGA connector. Compatible Macintosh video circuitry or video card is required. No integrated speakers or audio ports.–
Design
Stand adjusts–Height, tilt
VESA mount–Yes
Weight with stand15.5 kg8.5 kg
Height adjustmentOwner guide supplies a height-adjustment bar that raises the front by one-quarter or one-half inch. Tilt-and-swivel Universal Monitor Stand is a separately sold accessory and is not counted as the included stand.105 mm
Tilt–−5° to +25°
Pivot–Landscape only on the stand; portrait with the VESA mount adapter
VESA pattern–100 × 100 mm (VESA mount adapter option)
Size with standService Source gives body height 281 mm, width 344 mm and depth 385 mm; current support archive instead gives 11 × 13.5 × 16 inches. Optional monitor stand dimensions are not substituted.62.3 × 21.4 × 47.8–58.3 cm (W × D × H)
Size without stand–62.3 × 3.3 × 36.2 cm with VESA mount adapter (W × D × H)
Weight without stand–6.3 kg with VESA mount adapter
Weight detailService Source gives 15.5 kg (34 lb), with TIL2165 also specifying 34 lb including video and power cables. Owner guide instead publishes 20 kg (44 lb) including cables; this maker conflict is retained without attributing it to an undocumented revision.–
ControlsPower and manual degauss buttons on the rear; brightness with centre detent and contrast on the right side. Automatic degauss at power-up; maker specifies 20-minute warm-up to meet all specifications.–
Power and support
Power useCurrent support, TIL2165 and owner guide give 160 W maximum; Service Source instead lists 90 W without the same maximum qualification–
Power supplyCurrent support and Service Source specify 85–270 V AC, 47–63 Hz. Owner guide gives 90–270 V AC, 47–63 Hz; TIL2165 instead gives 85–270 V AC, 50–60 Hz. These are mains ratings, not display refresh.100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase
SoftwareApple support dates introduction March 1987; March 2 1987 maker price list explicitly schedules M0401 availability in May, rather than immediate March retail. Actual first retail month remains unverified, so year 1987 is retained. AppleColor High-Resolution RGB for Macintosh is distinct from the earlier AppleColor RGB monitor for Apple IIgs; no hardware or release figures are borrowed from that display. No inferred direct successor.Needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 or later, or an iPad with iPadOS 26.3.1 or later
Certifications–ENERGY STAR
Warranty–1-year limited warranty and 90 days of complimentary technical support from Apple
In the box–Studio Display XDR, Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable (1 m)

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