Studio Display - Colour range vs Mini LED and OLED

[LMC91]

Hi everyone. Looking for some help regarding the Studio Display. Currently on a 2015 13 inch MacBook Air and don't use an external monitor, and looking to upgrade to one of the new MacBook Pro’s, but really liking the idea of having that iMac experience too. All these screens are going to be much much better than what I have but before spending the money I’m trying to way up my options. I also don’t care about promotion so it’s really just the colours from the screen I’m worried about. I'm going back and forth on whether to get a 14 vs 16 M1 Pro, the laptop will rarely move from the desk, but still want a laptop, even though at one point was eyeing up the 24 inch iMac.

I took a photo with a iPhone 12 Pro Max and noticed things like the light in photos showing much brighter on the screen due to HDR and OLED. I airdropped that exact same photo to my iPhone 11 (LCD screen) and noticed that the colours on the 12 Pro Max screen were much better, the iPhone 11 looked more washed out in comparison, and seemed like it had less colour information. What I am assuming is that the reason is due to the 12 Pro Max displaying 1 billion colours like the studio display, and the iPhone 11 is displaying millions of colours.

So really, apart from the darker and brighter pixels shown due to Mini LED and OLED, does the colour output from the Studio Display match the OLED iPhones and MacBook Pro 14/16 inch Mini LEDs? Thank you.

 

[Htsi]

It will not, since it is essentially a similar display to the iphone 11. LCD with 600nits. However the huge increase in size makes a large difference.
If you buy the 14/16 macs the display on those will make you hate the studio display.
If you have return windows where you live, or can spare time to check it in stores. That might be more advisable. Trying at home would be best because store lighting can mask things you do not like.

 

[LMC91]

It will not, since it is essentially a similar display to the iphone 11. LCD with 600nits. However the huge increase in size makes a large difference.
If you buy the 14/16 macs the display on those will make you hate the studio display.
If you have return windows where you live, or can spare time to check it in stores. That might be more advisable. Trying at home would be best because store lighting can mask things you do not like.

I don't even think we have return windows here if the product is opened, usually there has to be a reason like a fault for sending it back. But ideally that would be great, due to the high expense.

I'm planning to take a run into a store soon to take a look at a 5k iMac, there's one right beside the 14/16 Pros luckily enough! But it's always that bit harder to compare since it might be difficult to get the exact same thing on screen.

Previously looking between MacBooks, I personally thought they all looked great (coming from the 2015 MacBook Air), but definitely want those colours to be good. Worried you're saying about the display being similar to the 11, but one being millions of colours, and the other 1 billion would surely make a difference?

 

[Htsi]

I’d say yes it would make a difference, but your comparison will be with your new laptop screen. Which is most definitely head and shoulders above the LCD in the studio display.

 

[LMC91]

I’d say yes it would make a difference, but your comparison will be with your new laptop screen. Which is most definitely head and shoulders above the LCD in the studio display.

Thank you. I'm definitely going to have to way up my options here. If at least the colour output matches, I think I'll be fine without the brighter and darker pixels, and the promotion, which I personally don't notice on my iPad Pro 10.5. I was even thinking of going for the 16 inch, and see if I'm happy with just that on it's own.

 

[Htsi]

In my opinion, If you’re dead set on an external monitor then the 14 makes more sense. If you’re not going to bother using the external monitor or buying it in the first place the 16 is a good idea

 

[LMC91]

In my opinion, If you’re dead set on an external monitor then the 14 makes more sense. If you’re not going to bother using the external monitor or buying it in the first place the 16 is a good idea

That definitely makes sense, and in my head I've been going back and forth on that very idea.

I'm actually happy for the most part using the laptop for most things, the external monitor was for design/3d stuff, but even then I'm not a professional, and I'm thinking monitor with keyboard and trackpad might be a more comfortable set up... I think I'll need to get into a store this week and see how I feel. Thanks again though for your thoughts and opinions, appreciate it.

 

[LMC91]

I was lucky enough to go into a store that had a Studio Display hooked up to a 16 inch MacBook Pro, so I could look at both side by side. The Studio Display looked great, colour from both seemed about the same to me, if there was any difference, I couldn't see it. I think I could see some difference with HDR content with some areas being brighter, but not anything that was a big difference to my eyes. Now it's time to start thinking about what I actually want to do here...

 

[mouthster]

I was lucky enough to go into a store that had a Studio Display hooked up to a 16 inch MacBook Pro, so I could look at both side by side. The Studio Display looked great, colour from both seemed about the same to me, if there was any difference, I couldn't see it. I think I could see some difference with HDR content with some areas being brighter, but not anything that was a big difference to my eyes. Now it's time to start thinking about what I actually want to do here...

I have a M1 Max 16" and the Studio Display and although the 16" screen is technically better on specs I enjoy the Studio Display much more. Like you, the only difference I see between them is with HDR content. I haven't enjoyed a display this much since the old 30" Cinema Display.

 

[LMC91]

I have a M1 Max 16" and the Studio Display and although the 16" screen is technically better on specs I enjoy the Studio Display much more. Like you, the only difference I see between them is with HDR content. I haven't enjoyed a display this much since the old 30" Cinema Display.

I'm very tempted! I'm moving from a 13.3 inch 2015 MacBook Air, which isn't Retina, so the 16 inch is going to be a huge jump in itself, and would be happy with for a lot of tasks. But there's times a big screen is great, and I think as a long term investment will be worth it. Oh and thanks for the reply in the Owners thread too!