If you like the look of the Apple Studio Display but are put off by the hefty price tag, we’ve tested the best replacements for it in 2024.
Apple’s Studio Display was released in March 2022 to coincide with the release of the powerful M1 Mac Studio which has now been replaced by the 2023 M2 Mac Studio.
Starting at $1,599 and going up to $2,299 with customization (such as a height adjustable stand for $400), its aimed at those that want a more “affordable” version of Apple’s Pro XDR Display which costs a whopping $4,999.
When you consider that the Studio Display costs more than a 24 inch M3 iMac, then you get an idea of just how expensive it really is.
There’s no denying that its a difficult monitor to rival with ultra high-spec features such as 218 pixels per inch, a 12MP face tracking camera and A13 chip to process images that you simply won’t find in any other non-Apple display.
However, we looked long and hard and found that the best replacement for the Studio Display is the excellent 5K 27 inch LG UltraFine monitor for its similar spec to Apple’s monitor but for a much lower price.
This was closely followed by the new Designer focused BenQ 4K PD3225U which really impressed us with its out-of-the-box calibration with Macs and incredible color depth.
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Things To Consider
There are many things we looked at when comparing these displays to Apple’s monitor.
Some of the outstanding features of it include:
- Stunning build quality: The attention to detail and quality of materials make head and shoulders above any other monitor.
- Unbelievable specifications: 218 PPI, 5K, 27 inches, 14.7 million pixels, 600 nits of brightness and P3 wide color support to name just a few of the impressive specs.
- Speakers & Webcam: Six speaker sound system with spatial audio and an incredible 12 megapixel webcam with support for Center Stage.
However, there are some drawbacks to consider:
- It’s powered by the older A13 chip used in the iPhone 11. Considering the A16 chip is already available, this was a bit of a dated choice.
- It’s got a non removable power cable that can only be detached by “a professional”.
- There’s only one Thunderbolt port, three USB-C ports but no HDMI or DisplayPort.
- It doesn’t support High Dynamic Range (HDR) which is important for those that do video editing.
And of course, not to mention that cost still remains out of reach for many.
The good news is we found there are some very competitive and cheaper alternatives that are comparable in terms of specs and performance.
Some of the main things we looked for in these alternatives were:
- Color Accuracy
- Resolution
- Support for HDR 600
Here then are the best Studio Display replacements in order of ranking. You can find a comparison table of these monitors at the end of the reviews.
1. LG Monitor 27MD5KL-B Ultrafine
In our extensive research and testing, we found the 5K LG 27MD5KL-B UltraFine 27 inch monitor is easily the best alternative to the Apple Studio Display overall in terms of size, resolution and features.
With a very similar spec but almost $500 cheaper, it’s also ideal for those looking for a cheaper alternative.
In fact, Apple helped LG develop the UltraFine display as it contains a very similar panel to the 27 inch 5K iMac display.
Apple even used to sell the LG 5K 27MD5KL-B UltraFine 27 inch monitor on its website until the release of its own monitor.
It’s no surprise then that the specs and build of the 5K LG 27MD5KL-B UltraFine 27 inch monitor are very similar.
The LG 27MD5KL-B UltraFine 27 inch monitor is one of the few 5K 27 inch monitors on the market outside of Apple’s monitor and matches it in many of the most important specs.
The LG 27MD5KL-B Ultrafine 27 inch is a 5K Ultra High Definition (UHD) monitor with 5120 x 2880 resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio which is exactly the same as the Studio Display.
Crucially, the 27 inch LG UltraFine 5K display supports up to 218 pixels per inch (PPI) which is also the same as Apple’s retina quality screen.
This means that when you use it at its maximum 5K resolution the images are retina quality which is just as good.
This avoids many of the resolution scaling issues that many Mac users experience when connecting external monitors.
In terms of brightness, the 27 inch LG UltraFine 5K has 500 nits of brightness vs 600 in the Studio Display but it’s still more than enough even for well lit environments.
The 27 inch 5K LG Ultrafine is a flat-Panel IPS monitor with support for DCI-P3 99% color gamut.
The monitor also features both a built-in camera and a speaker and although these can’t compare to those on the Apple’s monitor.
There are also three Thunderbolt 3 ports which can display 5K video, audio and data simultaneously from a Mac and will also charge the battery of a MacBook Pro while connected to it.
One downside is that the 5K 27 inch UltraFine doesn’t have any Thunderbolt 4 ports although not many Macs currently have Thunderbolt 4 ports anyway apart from the Mac Studio.
The LG 27MD5KL-B Ultrafine 27 inch monitor has a 60Hz refresh rate which is the same as Apple’s monitor but it still performs very well fine for gaming and fast moving media.
It doesn’t however support HDR which may be a deal breaker for video editors.
If you’re looking for the best 5K monitor for Mac that’s a similar size and spec to the Apple’s Display, the 27 inch 5K LG UltraFine is a superb alternative.
It’s not quite as bright and don’t expect the same classy glass and sexy metal casing as Apple’s product but it really is the next best thing.
You can read our full LG 27MD5KL-B 5K UltraFine 27″ monitor review for more.
Pros:
- 5K quality resolution
- Wide P3 gamut
- 218 PPI for retina quality images
- Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Supports volume and brightness control from Mac
- Initially developed alongside Apple
Cons:
- Internal speaker quality is poor
- Webcam quality isn’t great
- No support for HDR
- No Thunderbolt 4 port
- 100 nits less brightness than Apple’s monitor
2. BenQ PD3225U 32 inch 4K Monitor
If you’re looking for a replacement for the Studio Display with incredibly sharp picture quality and that’s ready to go out of the box, then the BenQ PD3225U is an amazing alternative.
The BenQ PD3225U is an upgrade on the older 4K 32 inch BenQ PD3220U with much greater brightness, deeper blacks and color depth than its predecessor.
In our review of it, one thing that really stood out is the way BenQ have calibrated it to work instantly with Macs thanks to its “M-Book mode”.
There are no resolution or scaling issues like with some displays and refreshingly, it simply “works” out-of-the-box with Macs.
It also allows you to use the brightness controls on your Mac keyboard to adjust the brightness of the monitor itself.
BenQ monitors are generally aimed at designers and photographers and this display is easily one of the best for graphic design and photo editing due to the crystal clear sharpness and color accuracy of its images.
The BenQ PD3225U supports 4K at a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels but is also an In-Plane Switching monitor (IPS) which uses liquid crystals in parallel to produce richer colors than most displays.
It also utilizes BenQ’s ColorTone software to automatically fine tune calibration for Macs with a bit of manual input to help it get the color representation just right.
For design professionals, the PD3225U supports a DCI-P3 99% color gamut so it’s suitable for Adobe’s RGB profile. This makes it suitable for working with Adobe RGB profiled images and RAW photos which covers Rec BT 709 (although not up to Rec BT2020).
The pixel density of the BenQ PD3225U is a bit low however at just 140 ppi but it does support HDR.
There are lots of connectivity options including two Thunderbolt 3 ports, USB-C ports, HDMI and DisplayPort.
This enables you to connect more than one BenQ PD3225U together (known as daisy-chaining) and one of the Thunderbolt ports will also charge a MacBook.
Other nice touches to the BenQ PD3225U include an external HotKey puck to control the monitor with, KVM switch, ability to hot-swap color profiles and display two color profiles at once.
Typically for most external displays, the BenQ PD3225U also has internal speakers but the quality is poor. There’s no integrated webcam either.
There’s a lot more we could say about this excellent display and you can check out our full BenQ PD3225U review for more.
Pros:
- Mac mode designed for connecting seamlessly to Macs
- Fast user interface access via Hotkey Puck
- Amazing color depth and blacks thanks to wide P3 color gamut
- Thunderbolt 3 ports for daisy chaining other monitors
- Control brightness from your Mac keyboard
- Excellent ColorTone software
- Lots of other port connections
Cons:
- Internal speaker quality is poor
- No integrated webcam
- Only 4K resolution
3. Samsung ViewFinity S9
The Samsung ViewFinity S9 has almost the same specifications as Apple’s monitor and is easily the best Samsung alternative to it.
Samsung announced the impressive 27 inch 5K ViewFinity S9 at CES 2023 and has clearly positioned itself as a direct rival to Apple’s monitor.
Even in terms of looks, the Samsung ViewFinity S9 has a close resemblance to it.
In terms of specs, the Viewfinity S9 has a 5120 x 2880 display with a wide 10-bit color gamut that covers 99% of the DCI-P3 spectrum.
The ViewFinity S9 also supports 218 PPI which is golden range for the best compatibility with the retina displays of MacBooks.
It also has HDR600 support to improve shadows and highlights, support for 600 nits of brightness, a 4K webcam, one Thunderbolt 4 port, three USB-C ports and a mini Display port.
One other advantage is that the ViewFinity S9 also features its own remote control with a control joystick to navigate the on screen display settings.
Other nice touches wireless Bluetooth connectivity for speakers, keyboards and game controllers including support for AirPlay.
The sound system in the ViewFinity S9 is also impressive with 5W stereo speakers (although these don’t support spatial sound), split screen support with Samsung MultiView, WiFi connectivity and Tizen TV OS built-in.
You can also adjust the height of the stand on the ViewFinity S9 – if you want that privilege with Apple’s product you have to shell out an extra $400!
The Samsung ViewFinity can also quite easily be used as a SmartTV too with preinstalled apps including Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube.
On the downside, the price is very similar to the base model Studio monitor meaning that it’s not exactly a cheap replacement for it.
You can check out our look at the Samsung ViewFinity S9 vs Apple Studio Display for more.
Pros:
- Same specifications as Apple’s display
- 218 PPI
- 5K resolution
- HDR600 support
- Similar build style and quality
- Remote control and Smart TV functionality
Cons:
- Big external power supply
- Price is the almost the same
4. Asus ProArt Display PA279CV
If you need the best in sRGB color accuracy then the 27 inch Asus ProArt Display is a great option for artist and designers.
At around $500, there are very few monitors on the market with this kind of color accuracy at 4K at this price point.
The color accuracy is the outstanding feature of the Asus ProArt Display with a wide color gamut of 709 and Delta E < 2 color accuracy.
The 27-inch Asus ProArt Display PA279CV also supports 4K HDR UHD with a maximum of 3840 x 2160 resolution.
It has a pixel density of 163 ppi, a refresh rate of 60Hz and a reasonably high brightness level of 402 nits although this may not be enough for very well lit working environments.
The Asus ProArt Display PA279CV also features an LED backlight display which even the Apple’s product doesn’t have (although this is rumored to be added to it soon)
For ease of viewing it has an IPS 178° wide viewing angle panel to give you great visibility.
In terms of connectivity, you can connect a Mac to the Asus ProArt Display via USB-C which will also provide 65W of charging power to a MacBook battery while you use it.
In addition there’s also 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort and a USB 3.1 hub.
For artists and designers, Asus also include useful ProArt Presets and ProArt Palettes that allow you to configure and save color settings depending on what you’re working on.
Overall, for creative professionals on a budget, the Asus ProArt Display PA279CV offers a great value for money replacement.
For more check out our full Asus ProArt Display 4K review.
Pros:
- Excellent color accuracy for this price range
- Superb for color grading
- High brightness levels
- LED backlight display
- Lots of presets for artists and graphic designers
Cons:
- No real Adobe RGB support
- Only supports up to 4K
5. LG 34BK95U-W 5K UltraFine 34”
If you’re looking for something similar to our top pick the 27 inch LG UltraFine but a bit bigger with HDR support, then the 34 inch 5K LG 34BK95U-W UltraFine may be for you.
As with the 27 inch LG UltraFine, Apple originally helped LG develop the UltraFine range and it contains a very similar panel to the 27 inch 5K iMac display.
The 34 inch 5K LG34BK95U-W UltraFine gives you full 5K 5120 x 2160 resolution (also known as 5K2K) although it only supports a maximum of 163 pixels per inch (PPI) which isn’t quite retina quality like the 27 inch model.
However, unlike the 27 inch UltraFine it does support HDR.
The 34 inch LG34BK95U-W UltraFine also supports 600 nits of brightness.
In terms of color range, the 34 inch LG UltraFine has 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut range.
It can also easily handle 4K video and the wide viewing angles make it an excellent choice for those in desktop publishing or video editing.
In terms of ports, apart from the standard HDMI port there’s a dedicated Thunderbolt 3 port with 85W of power which offers DisplayPort Alt Mode.
There are also an additional 3 USB-C ports also giving plenty of options for connectivity.
The refresh rate of the LG34BK95U-W UltraFine is 60Hz which is good enough for most gaming.
There’s no integrated webcam but there are speakers in the LG UltraFine 34 inch 5K although the sound quality is poor and it’s best to connect some external speakers to it.
If you’re looking for something with a bit more screen estate that the Apple’s monitor but with a similar spec, then the 5K LG34BK95U-W UltraFine offers a cheaper, attractive alternative.
You can read our full LG 34BK95U-W 34 inch 5K monitor review for more.
Pros:
- 5K resolution with 5K2K support
- 3 USB-C ports plus Thunderbolt port
- Huge screen estate
- Thunderbolt port
- 3 year LG guarantee
- 600 nits brightness
- Supports HDR
Cons:
- Sound or brightness can’t be controlled from Mac keyboard
- 163 ppi isn’t retina quality
- Swivel requires mounting a stand
- No internal webcam
6. Dell UltraSharp U2720Q 27 Inch 4K UHD
If you’re looking for a budget option then the 4K 27 inch Dell UltraSharp U2720Q is excellent value compared to Apple’s monitor.
At around $500, you won’t find many other monitors that can compare to it.
Although it’s only 4K with a UHD resolution of 3480 x 2160, the display provides crisp, clear images for editing photos, watching films, designing and more.
Surprisingly for a monitor in this price range, the Dell UltraSharp U2720Q even supports HDR which is important for high quality contrast and fast action video playback for editors.
HDR provides better color contrast and makes video look more realistic meaning the Dell UltraSharp U2720Q is a good choice for video editors on a budget.
The Dell UltraSharp U2720Q also provides 99% sRGB color gamut which compares to 99% coverage of DCI-P3 in Apple’s monitor.
In terms of connectivity, the Dell UltraSharp U2720Q has two USB-C ports and one HDMI port so you can connect it easily to any Mac via the Thunderbolt ports and HDMI ports on the Mac Mini.
It also has three useful USB-A ports and a DisplayPort for added connectivity options.
On the downside, the brightness is just 350 nits although it does have an LED backlit screen
If you’re looking for a budget 4K alternative in the region of $500, the Dell UltraSharp U2720Q is definitely worth checking-out.
You can read our full Dell UltraSharp U22720Q review for more.
Pros:
- Lots of ports for connectivity
- Crisp high quality images
- 99% sRGB color gamut
- Excellent value for money
- Supports HDR
- LED Backlight
- Sturdy build quality
Cons:
- Brightness controls are poor
- No internal speakers
- No internal webcam
- No Thunderbolt port
- Only supports up to 4K
Comparison Table
You can see exactly how these monitors compare in terms of specifications and pricing below.
One Final Option To Consider
If none of the above tick the right boxes for you, then one final suggestion is from Alogic.
Alogic isn’t the most well known brand for monitors but we found the 27 inch 4K Alogic Clarity really gives the Studio Display a run for its money at just under $650.
If you’re willing to do without a built-in webcam, the Alogic Clarity offers a cheaper but very similar spec to Apple’s swanky display.
The Alogic Clarity looks and feels like a high end product with an impressive build quality in the 27 inch 4K display offering 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution.
Like Apple’s product, the Alogic Clarity can also be bought with a glossy or nano texture screen.
It also offers a height adjustable stand which Apple charge you an extra $400 for.
What also stands-out is the way this monitor plays with Macs. For creative professionals, the monitor supports average Delta E values of 0.5 for the Adobe RGB color gamut, HDR400 color depth and 1000:1 contrast ratio.
In terms of brightness, it only offers 400 nits but unless you’re working in a really bright environment, this shouldn’t be a problem.
There is of course a Thunderbolt connection which will charge your MacBook when connected to it plus USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort and a 3.5mm jack for connecting speakers or headphones.
Unlike Apple’s display, the power pack is also external which means if it ever fails, you don’t have to open-up the entire monitor to repair it.
There are some drawbacks to the Alogic Clarity such as the poor speaker sound quality and the color reproduction isn’t quite on the same level as Apple’s monitor but for the price, these are forgivable drawbacks.
Alternatively, for an extra $150 you can get the Alogic Clarity Pro Touch version which also offers a touch screen display and webcam.
The Clarity Pro Touch has an impressive built-in 8 megapixel webcam which neatly slides up to the top of the monitor at the start of a call and then slides back down again at the end.
The motorized webcam offers added privacy so no more messing about with sticky tape over webcams in case its on when you’re not aware.
This even works with stylus so could effectively use it as a giant drawing tablet with graphic design software or for mixing with music production software.
Pros:
- Amazingly high build-quality
- Available in glossy or nano-texture screens
- 90 degree portrait display
- Excellent Mac compatibility
Cons:
- 400 nits of brightness
- Poor speaker sound quality
- No webcam