Early reviews of the $3299 Apple Studio Display XDR are here, and while they overwhelmingly praise the hardware, there are a few shared points of criticism.

The Apple Studio Display XDR debuted on March 3, replacing the Apple Pro Display XDR. Reviews of the new high-end external display began appearing on Monday, shortly after the iPhone maker lifted its embargo.

Various publications were quick to higlight the 120Hz refresh rate support and the miniLED backlight of the Apple Studio Display XDR as positive attributes, but there was no shortage of criticism, either.

The Verge

The Verge's review of the Apple Studio Display XDR praised the hardware's image quality, describing it as being sharp and clean, among other things. Much of the review focuses on the new display's 16 available reference modes, which it ultimately calls accurate.

Row of large monitors and a laptop on a wooden desk displaying music tracks and video editing timelines, with a person's hand using the laptop in a modern studio workspace

The Apple Studio Display XDR offers 16 different presets.

Speaker quality was described as being good, albeit only for an external display. The miniLED backlight and high-refresh rates were presented as the hardware's main improvement over the preceding Pro Display XDR, while the 12MP Center Stage camera was seen as a welcome addition.

Overall, the review calls the Apple Studio Display XDR a great option for Mac-using professionals who need the color accuracy and are used to the plug-and-play experience. Other users, meanwhile, might want to consider more affordable options, per the publication's review.

Tom's Guide

While The Verge spent an unnecessarily long time detailing color accuracy and presets, information of little use to the average user, Tom's Guide gets to the point much more quickly.

Three large computer monitors and a laptop on a wooden table in a modern store, displaying photo editing software, a soccer stadium scene, and product information pages.

The Apple Studio Display and Apple Studio Display XDR are two very similar products, with very different prices.

The publication is quick to point out the similarities between the Apple Studio Display and the Apple Studio Display XDR, such as both offering the same 5K resolution in the same 27-inch form factor.

In essence, owners of the Apple Studio Display are paying a $1,700 premium over the standard variant, only to get a 120Hz refresh rate, miniLED backlighting, and little else.

Still, the review highlights the benefits of the Thunderbolt 5 port for daisy-chaining displays, and says the 12MP Center Stage Camera is a welcome upgrade because of Desk View Support. The single input port, high price tag, and single 27-inch size were criticized.

The review evaluates the Apple Studio Display's performance and quality in real-world scenarios, including games, videos, and so on. Overall, the publication says the Apple Studio Display XDR is for creative professionals who want the best Apple monitor and who have the money for it.

PetaPixel

PetaPixel criticized the design of the Apple Studio Display XDR, particularly its sharp edges and thick bezels, relative to other monitors available on the market.

Silver Apple desktop computer seen from the back on a wooden table, showing the Apple logo, adjustable metal stand, power cable, and part of a keyboard underneath.

PetaPixel criticized the sharp edges of the Apple Studio Display XDR's stand.

The publication claims HDR content looks impressive on Apple's new high-end display, and there's no stuttering of any kind. Glow effects can be seen when bright objects are against dark backgrounds on-screen, and there's also a slight amount of halo, per the publication.

The Apple Studio Display offers a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, which PetaPixel calls impressive, but not quite up to par with OLED monitors.

The Apple Studio Display XDR's speakers, camera, and microphone are all described as being fine. The bass is not as good as that of standalone speakers, and neither is the microphone quality, per the review.

Ultimately, the review says that with the Apple Studio Display XDR, users get what they pay for.

Apple Studio Display XDR review roundup: Good, but not good enough

While most of the reviews praised the color accuracy of the Apple Studio Display XDR, they do point out clear areas where Apple could improve the product. Those include the high price tag, the smaller display size, and the relative similarity to the standard Apple Studio Display.

Overall, the hardware quality appears to be as expected, but the $3299 Apple Studio Display XDR is probably not worth it for most users.