- Apple launched a new Studio Display monitor earlier this week
- It has plenty of improvements but misses out on some features
- You can get similar features at lower prices with these alternative screens
Apple released a suite of new monitors this week, and that includes a Studio Display that gets its first updates since 2022. But despite its new features and improvements, it falls short in a few areas. That means it might not be the right choice for you.
Thankfully, there are plenty of other options out there. Here, we’ve found three monitors that make great alternatives to Apple’s Studio Display.
1. BenQ MA270S
BenQ is well-known for making some of the best monitors around, and its new MA270S continues that trends with a range of features that match (and often exceed) what you get from Apple.
For instance, it packs in the same 5K resolution, 27-inch frame and IPS LED backlighting. Its 70Hz refresh rate is faster than the Studio Display’s 60Hz and it supports HDR10, which Apple’s offering does not. There’s a Nano Gloss texture option, which is similar to Apple’s “nano-texture glass” and cuts out glare and reflections. And BenQ’s MA270S clocks in at $1,000 / £899 – a full $600 / £600 less than Apple’s Studio Display.
That said, there are some drawbacks. The MA270S’s 450 nits of maximum brightness falls short of the Studio Display’s 600 nits, for instance. It also lacks Apple-specific features like True Tone, which dynamically adjusts the screen temperature based on your ambient lighting.
The Studio Display offers Thunderbolt 5 connectivity (BenQ’s MA270S is limited to Thunderbolt 4) and a 12MP camera with Center Stage and Desk View built in. Finally, you’re unlikely to get anywhere near the audio experience as you’ll find on the six-speaker Studio Display, as the MA270S has only half the number of speakers.
Still, for $600 / £600 less, you might not mind those limitations. Considering the savings, it’s a strong option.
2. Asus ProArt Display PA27JCV
Asus is mostly known for its gaming products, but it also has a ProArt line that is targeted towards the same creatives who might be interested in what Apple has to offer. The ProArt Display PA27JCV, then, makes for an interesting alternative to the Studio Display.
You get a 27-inch screen, 60Hz refresh rate, 5K resolution and an IPS LED backlit panel, just like the Studio Display. Asus’s monitor offers marginally less brightness (500 nits versus the Studio Display’s 600 nits) but supports HDR10 and is compatible with both the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces — the Studio Display only works with the former, while you’ll have to shell out for the $3,299 / £2,999 Studio Display XDR if you want Adobe RGB support from Apple.
Like the BenQ MA270S, Asus’s screen has its share of downsides. There’s no front-facing camera, no True Tone equivalent and no Thunderbolt 5 (there’s no Thunderbolt support at all, in fact). Then again, it costs $799 / £649 (currently down from its usual £749), which is half the Studio Display’s asking price. That’s nothing to sniff at.
3. INNOCN 40C1U
At first look, you might think the INNOCN 40C1U is too good to be true. After all, it exceeds the Studio Display in a number of ways – its 40-inch ultrawide screen and 100Hz refresh rate are far beyond what you get from Apple – yet it costs just $750 / £795, less than half of what Apple wants for the Studio Display.
The benefits don’t end there. In exchange for your money, you get a 5K resolution, Adobe RGB compatibility and much more ergonomic freedom (including height, tilt and swivel adjustments) than the Studio Display. It also offers AMD’s FreeSync Premium in case you want to dabble in a little gaming. All that led us to score it 4.5 stars in our review.
Of course, INNOCN has to make sacrifices somewhere. For one thing, the 40C1U doesn’t look anywhere near as nice as the Studio Display. For another, there’s no support for Thunderbolt or 10-bit colors and it lacks any kind of webcam. The maximum brightness of 400 nits is outdone by Apple’s 600 nits and its two speakers will be blown away by the six-speaker system in the Studio Display. But for $750 / £795 (note that INNOCN doesn’t ship directly to the UK), it still brings plenty to the table.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
