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Apple Studio Display (15-inch LCD, 1998) vs Apple Studio Display XDR

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

AppleStudio Display (15-inch LCD, 1998)AppleStudio Display XDR
Overview
ReleasedMay 1998March 2026
Display
Screen size15.1″27″
Resolution1024 × 7685120 × 2880 (5K)
Sharpness85 pixels per inch218 pixels per inch
PanelLCD (TFT active-matrix LCD; Apple does not identify the panel subtype)Mini-LED (5K Retina XDR (IPS LCD, oxide TFT))
Refresh rate75 Hz120 Hz
Brightness (typical)180 nits1,000 nits
HDR peak brightness–2,000 nits
Colour range–P3 + Adobe RGB, 81% BT.2020
Dimming zones–2,304
Screen finish–Glossy
Contrast ratio200:1–
ShapeFlatFlat
Adaptive sync–VESA AdaptiveSync
Colour depth24-bit colour interface; up to 16 million displayed colours in Apple's April 1998 datasheet1 billion colours
Colour modes–Apple 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 anglesTypical 120° horizontal and 90° vertical89° left, right, up and down
Calibration–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
Speakers–Yes
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 connections15-pin D-sub analogue RGB computer connection with included VGA adaptor; separate RCA composite and 4-pin DIN S-video inputs; left/right RCA audio inputs and mini-stereo audio output. Two downstream ADB sockets on desktop stand and an ADB connection on display; no USB hub is specified.–
Design
Stand adjustsHeight, tilt, swivelHeight, tilt
VESA mount–Yes
Weight with stand4.5 kg8.5 kg
Height adjustment110 mm with desktop stand105 mm
Tilt−10° to +45° with desktop stand; +15° fixed picture-frame stand−5° to +25°
Pivot–Landscape only on the stand; portrait with the VESA mount adapter
VESA pattern–100 × 100 mm (VESA mount adapter option)
Swivel±45° with desktop stand–
Size with standDesktop stand, 39.9 × 38.1–49.0 × 24.9 cm (width × height × depth), from Apple's April 1998 datasheet. Service manual lists slightly different metric dimensions beside the same imperial figures; datasheet retained here. With included picture-frame stand, 15.7 × 11.6 × 6.9 inches (width × height × depth), weighing 2.3 kg.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
ControlsPower, brightness, graphics/video source toggle, reset and on-screen display navigation; software controls for white point, black level, tracking, positioning and sharpness–
ColoursOriginal translucent Azul blue enclosure; not the later Blueberry or Graphite models–
Power and support
Power useDisplay operating consumption below 30 W, from the revision-specific Apple technical note; separate 45 W power adaptor–
Power supplyExternal power adaptor, 100–240 V AC at 50–60 Hz; this mains frequency is not the display refresh rate100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase
SoftwareApple announced this model on 17 March 1998 for worldwide availability in early May; Apple's archived support sheet gives introduction on 7 May 1998. Release month follows retail availability rather than announcement. Native 1024 × 768 accepts 60, 70, 74.9 and 75 Hz in the original maker manual. Apple Technical Information Library article 30460 explicitly distinguishes original Rev. A (180 cd/m², 4.5 kg desktop stand and below 30 W) from 1999 Rev. B (200 cd/m², 5.5 kg and below 35 W). The April 1998 datasheet and archived support sheet give the later figures; the later revision-specific technical note is followed here. PowerPC Mac with Mac OS 7.5 or later, or Windows 95/NT; see manual exclusions for older Macs and graphics cards.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 boxDisplay, desktop stand, picture-frame stand, VGA adaptor, power cord and adaptor, Apple Displays software with ColorSync profile and user manualStudio Display XDR, Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable (1 m)

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