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Life expectancy of Pro Display XDR?

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singularity0993

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 15, 2020
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I’m interested in buying a Pro Display XDR as my external display. Considering its price tag, I expect to use it for a very long time. It’s resolution and XDR capabilities are quite advanced and will probably stay at least above average in the next decade.

However, without technologies like ProMotion (120hz), I doubt whether it will last for very long, especially considering the fact that almost all “Pro” Apple devices have ProMotion (MacBooks, iPads, iPhones…). 60hz will probably look like ancient tech in 5 years.

Do you think ProMotion makes a difference? How long do you think XDR will last?
 
I still use a Circa 2008 Cinema Display as a 2nd monitor, previously w/ my 5K iMac, and now with my Studio Display. No, I don't use the Cinema Display for color critical work but it's perfectly fine for pallets, email monitoring, and accessing files while I'm in full screen on my main monitor. I'm sure the XDR will be similarly both as durable long term, and technologically irrelevant as a main monitor in 5 years. It's the nature of display technology -- all tech, really.

So, if your work requires something of the XDR's nature then that's what you buy and then write off what you can on your taxes, and then upgrade as new tech comes along. But, yes, it's a waste of money and overkill to buy one as a consumer, even if you plan on keeping it for 10 years -- which there is no guarantee anything will last that long even if the odds are in its favor.
 
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Fiona FTW said:
But, yes, it's a waste of money and overkill to buy one as a consumer, even if you plan on keeping it for 10 years -- which there is no guarantee anything will last that long even if the odds are in its favor.
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Yeah, you’re right. But Studio Display without HDR or ProMotion is just too underwhelming for me. I already have a bunch of old mediocre LCD monitors at home and I don’t think I need more.

However currently there isn’t any option between XDR and Studio Display. Maybe I should wait for the “Studio Display Pro” as predicted by analyst Ross Young.
 
Hmmm the Studio Display is not mediocre, it’s good, just not “excellent”. The 2021 MacBook Pro Display is what I call excellent.

If you have the budget for a Pro Display XDR, I think yes you’ll have better choice than the Studio Display. Buy an OLED or mini LED monitor ?
 
Yes, until now all mini-LED products from Apple are XDR so the new display will probably be XDR too. DisplayPort (TB3) can carry a maximum of 5K 120hz with DSC. This is probably why the new display is 27 inch (5k), because 120hz on a 32-inch (6k) display would require a new display protocol, which is not available on current Macs.

5K XDR ProMotion is the maximum resolution current DisplayPort standards supports. It is indeed reasonable that Apple releases a Studio Display Pro with this spec.
 
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Apple said that the ARM transition will take two years. That was at the 2020 WWDC. So this year's WWDC will probably see the release of the last Apple Silicon Mac -- the Mac Pro. I think it is quite possible that Apple releases a new Pro display with their new Mac Pro, as they did with the previous one.

If this turns out to be the case, then the new "Pro" display will almost certainly have XDR and ProMotion (you can't release a Mac Pro display that is inferior to MacBook Pro's!). That also explains why it must be 27-inch instead of 32-inch (as I said in my last post). This display may or may not replace Pro Display XDR. It is also possible that the new display becomes the "HomePod mini", where the new display is smaller than its old counterpart but has more features.
 
They wouldn't dare release a better 27" 3 months after a new release. It'll be a 7k Studio Display XDR.
 
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I don’t think displays will be updated in such a short time actually. Studio display and Pro Display XDR, the line up is complete already. But who knows. Let’s see what will WWDC bring to us.
 
macpro2000 said:
They wouldn't dare release a better 27" 3 months after a new release. It'll be a 7k Studio Display XDR.
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This display will be designed for the Mac Pro. It could be a Pro Display XDR replacement. But as I said current display protocols are unable to support anything more than 5k 120hz (unless they opt for the new DP 2.0) so it has to be 27".

Anyway, didn't Apple release the 16" MBP only 6 months after they updated the 15" one? Their release schedule is quite unpredictable. It's always a good idea to wait for WWDC, which is only 2 months away.
 
singularity0993 said:
This display will be designed for the Mac Pro. It could be a Pro Display XDR replacement. But as I said current display protocols are unable to support anything more than 5k 120hz (unless they opt for the new DP 2.0) so it has to be 27".

Anyway, didn't Apple release the 16" MBP only 6 months after they updated the 15" one? Their release schedule is quite unpredictable. It's always a good idea to wait for WWDC, which is only 2 months away.
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Not saying this is going to happen, but they could use two cables for 6k ProMotion.

I really hope they stick with 32inch as I‘d love to upgrade my LG 5k sooner or later.
 
macpro2000 said:
They wouldn't dare release a better 27" 3 months after a new release. It'll be a 7k Studio Display XDR.
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I wouldn't rule it out. Between the new 7K XDR and the Studio Display is a huge space where a Studio Display XDR would fit in:
$1599 Studio Display (5K LED)
$ ??? Studio Display HDR (5K HDR Mini-LED)
$4999 Pro Display XDR (7K HDR Mini-LED)
They could charge $2599-$2999 for it. Maybe they don't introduce it at the WWDC, but the audience would be fitting. This thing is not for the consumer and I think Apple will release it.
 
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Nice speculation, but given the fact that the XDR Pro Display is aimed at the professional market, predominantly film creatives, to which 120 hz refresh rate is utterly useless, I don't think we'll see an updated Pro XDR display that sports high refresh rate. Especially given the technical limitations that currently still exist (bandwidth requirements at high resolutions).

MiniLED? Maybe.

But given Apple's track record in updating displays, I highly doubt we'll see a new XDR Pro Display just two years after its initial introduction.
 
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funkahdafi said:
Nice speculation, but given the fact that the XDR Pro Display is aimed at the professional market, predominantly film creatives, to which 120 hz refresh rate is utterly useless, I don't think we'll see an updated Pro XDR display that sports high refresh rate. Especially given the technical limitations that currently still exist (bandwidth requirements at high resolutions).

MiniLED? Maybe.

But given Apple's track record in updating displays, I highly doubt we'll see a new XDR Pro Display just two years after its initial introduction.
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Exactly. 27-inch display is not a huge volume product, especially at Apple's scale. Apple made the Studio Display as a companion to the Mac Studio. Just ask ourselves, do we buy a 27-inch monitor every year? I think it's more like 5+ years (longer if the display is good). If we count the 2016 LG Ultrafine 5K as one of "Apple" display, the interval is about 5-6 years. If we don't count it, it's a decade.
 
funkahdafi said:
Nice speculation, but given the fact that the XDR Pro Display is aimed at the professional market, predominantly film creatives, to which 120 hz refresh rate is utterly useless
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Apart from making animations and scrolling smoother, 120hz is only useful when it comes to gaming, where the Mac is apparently terrible at.

Despite this, we are seeing ProMotion on high end MBPs. So I think ProMotion is on Apple devices not because it is useful but because it is nice to have. Anyway, since we are already having ProMotion on high end MBPs with XDR and mini LED, it seems unlikely that Apple will release another mini LED display without it. Let’s wait and see.

According to display analyst Ross Young, a product with 27” mini LED display is definitely on the way. If it’s not a display, then what could it be? iMac?
 
IF Apple wanted to release a desktop display with "ProMotion", they would have done so with the Studio Display they just released. Especially if we follow your logic that "ProMotion" is now such a common thing that even iPads and Macbooks have it. It would make no logical sense to release a Studio Display without ProMotion and reserve ProMotion for a new Pro Display.
 
funkahdafi said:
IF Apple wanted to release a desktop display with "ProMotion", they would have done so with the Studio Display they just released. Especially if we follow your logic that "ProMotion" is now such a common thing that even iPads and Macbooks have it. It would make no logical sense to release a Studio Display without ProMotion and reserve ProMotion for a new Pro Display.
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Those are all smaller displays. For instance, high DPI 326 PPI "Retina" display first appeared in the 3.5 inch iPhone 4 screen in 2010. Bigger panel with high DPI is much more difficult / expensive to make.
 
singularity0993 said:
Anyway, since we are already having ProMotion on high end MBPs with XDR and mini LED, it seems unlikely that Apple will release another mini LED display without it.
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I'd say it's extremely likely given 1) 5k 120hz is beyond TB4 bandwidth 2) the vanilla M1 does not support DSC

So they'd in effect be releasing a display that wouldn't work with the M1 Mac Mini, MBA, and 13 inch MBP
 
ondioline said:
I'd say it's extremely likely given 1) 5k 120hz is beyond TB4 bandwidth 2) the vanilla M1 does not support DSC

So they'd in effect be releasing a display that wouldn't work with the M1 Mac Mini, MBA, and 13 inch MBP
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Where did you get this info?
1) 5k 120hz can be carried over TB3 with DSC and 2) Vanilla M1 uses DSC to support Pro Display XDR’s 6k resolution.
 
m.x said:
I wouldn't rule it out. Between the new 7K XDR and the Studio Display is a huge space where a Studio Display XDR would fit in:
$1599 Studio Display (5K LED)
$ ??? Studio Display HDR (5K HDR Mini-LED)
$4999 Pro Display XDR (7K HDR Mini-LED)
They could charge $2599-$2999 for it. Maybe they don't introduce it at the WWDC, but the audience would be fitting. This thing is not for the consumer and I think Apple will release it.
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I expect exactly this at WWDC.

I never notice ProMotion on my iPad Pro so the lack of it on the ASD is a non-issue for me. Yes I would have liked mini-LED but I paid $2000 for my ASD and no way would I pay a lot more for a display at this point.
 
blairh said:
I expect exactly this at WWDC.

I never notice ProMotion on my iPad Pro so the lack of it on the ASD is a non-issue for me. Yes I would have liked mini-LED but I paid $2000 for my ASD and no way would I pay a lot more for a display at this point.
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But a 7k Pro XDR would then be around 36 inches, right? Is that actually realistic? That would widen the gap between the Studio Display and the Pro Display even more.
 
Well the XDR itself will last a very long time however whether you end up with buyers remorse when a new improved version is eventually released only you can decide.

I’m on the fence myself, I’m happy with the size and res but the lack of speakers and web cam niggle me. Combine the price and it’s a tough choice.

I’d genuinely find the 6k resolution really nice, coding and game development but there are a lot of other solutions for my needs that can deliver.

Decisions - just enjoy them
 
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