Apple Studio Display (2022) vs Apple Thunderbolt Display
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleStudio Display (2022) | AppleThunderbolt Display | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | March 2022 | September 2011 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 27″ | 27″ |
| Resolution | 5120 × 2880 (5K) (better) | 2560 × 1440 (QHD) |
| Sharpness | 218 pixels per inch (better) | 109 pixels per inch |
| Panel | IPS (5K Retina) | IPS |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Brightness (typical) | 600 nits (better) | 375 nits |
| Contrast ratio | – | 1,000:1 |
| Colour range | Wide colour (P3) | – |
| Screen finish | Glossy | Glossy |
| Shape | Flat | Flat |
| Colour depth | 1 billion colours | Up to 16.7 million colours; Apple does not specify panel bit depth |
| Response time detail | – | Apple specifies 12 ms without identifying the transition; omitted from the grey-to-grey row |
| Viewing angles | – | 178° horizontally and vertically |
| Colour modes | Apple Display (P3-600 nits), 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), Photography (P3-D65), Internet and Web (sRGB) | – |
| Eye care | True Tone | Ambient light sensor automatically adjusts brightness |
| Connections | ||
| Video inputs | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt |
| USB-C charging | Up to 96 W (better) | None |
| USB ports | 3 × USB-C | 3 × USB-A |
| Ethernet | No | Yes |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Webcam | 12MP Ultra Wide with Centre Stage | FaceTime HD camera with microphone |
| Thunderbolt detail | – | Captive first-generation Thunderbolt input cable; two bidirectional 10 Gbps channels. Requires a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac, not a Mini DisplayPort-only Mac. |
| Other connections | – | Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000Base-T), FireWire 800 with up to 7 W power, downstream Thunderbolt port and Kensington security slot |
| Daisy chaining | – | Downstream Thunderbolt supports compatible devices and a second Thunderbolt Display where the Mac permits it. The port does not directly support Mini DisplayPort, DVI or VGA displays or adapters. |
| USB-C detail | Upstream Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port with 96 W host charging | – |
| USB hub detail | 3 × USB-C downstream (up to 10 Gb/s) for peripherals, storage and networking | Three powered USB 2.0 Type-A ports; device charging can work without a host attached |
| Speaker detail | Six speakers with force-cancelling woofers; wide stereo; Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos | Built-in 2.1 speaker system with 49 W output |
| Webcam detail | 12MP Ultra Wide, 122° field of view, ƒ/2.4, Centre Stage; three-mic array with directional beamforming; camera features and firmware updates need a Mac | FaceTime HD camera and microphone; Apple does not publish a megapixel figure in the specifications |
| Design | ||
| Stand adjusts | Tilt | Tilt |
| VESA mount | Yes | Yes |
| Weight with stand | 6.3 kg | 10.8 kg |
| Height adjustment | 105 mm with the optional tilt- and height-adjustable stand | – |
| Tilt | −5° to +25° | Tilt adjustment only; no height, swivel or pivot adjustment (Macworld) |
| Pivot | Landscape only on either stand; portrait with the VESA mount adapter | – |
| VESA pattern | 100 × 100 mm (VESA mount adapter option) | Requires the separately sold Apple VESA Mount Adapter Kit |
| Size with stand | Tilt stand 62.3 × 16.8 × 47.8 cm; tilt- and height-adjustable stand 62.3 × 20.7 × 47.9–58.3 cm and 7.7 kg (W × D × H) | Current UK support specifications give 650 × 491 × 207 mm (width × height × depth). The original manual gives 651.7 × 488.1 × 208.13 mm and 10.7 kg rather than the support page's 10.8 kg. |
| Controls | – | Brightness and colour profile through macOS Displays preferences; no on-screen menu or physical image controls (Macworld) |
| Colours | – | Aluminium enclosure with black glass bezel |
| Size without stand | 62.3 × 3.1 × 36.2 cm with VESA mount adapter (W × D × H) | – |
| Weight without stand | 5.5 kg with VESA mount adapter | – |
| Power and support | ||
| Power use | – | Maximum 250 W while charging a MacBook Pro; energy saver 2 W or less. Apple environmental report at 230 V gives 108 W on at full brightness, 1.9 W sleep and 0.75 W off. |
| Power supply | 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase | Internal power supply; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz |
| Laptop charging | – | Captive Universal MagSafe connector supplies up to 85 W separately from the Thunderbolt cable; no USB-C power delivery |
| Software | Needs macOS Monterey 12.3 or later, or iPadOS 15.4 or later on supported iPad models | Original requirement OS X 10.6.8 or later and a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac. Announced 20 July 2011 with availability within 60 days; September sale month follows contemporary MacRumors reports of customer shipments, rather than the announcement date. |
| Certifications | ENERGY STAR | ENERGY STAR 5.1; EPEAT Gold in the US and Canada |
| Warranty | – | One-year limited warranty and 90 days of telephone support |
| In the box | Studio Display, Thunderbolt cable (1 m) | Thunderbolt Display, AC power cord and printed documentation |
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