Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reviews Apple’s 2026 Studio Display, which maintains the same $1,599 price and LCD panel while delivering significant webcam improvements.
- The upgraded webcam shows dramatic enhancements in both low-light and well-lit conditions, though it still doesn’t match dedicated 4K webcams or iPhone quality.
- Additional upgrades include two Thunderbolt 5 ports and slightly improved speakers, while the microphone array remains adequate for basic video calls.
You’d be right to criticize the new Studio Display for its lackluster improvements over the old model. It was overpriced for what it offered in 2022, and the new 2026 model keeps the same price without changing the actual display panel at all.
Yes, the four USB-C ports in the back are upgraded, now including two Thunderbolt 5 ports. And yes, the speakers are a little better—and still great compared to most monitor speakers and terrible compared to almost any dedicated speakers. But that hardly takes the sting off paying $1,599 for what is demonstrably decade-old LCD panel technology.
The webcam, though…that got a huge boost. Look at the difference in low light between the old and new cameras.
While low light performance is the most dramatic improvement, there’s still a major quality difference even when very well lit with a big key light.
Of course, the new display doesn’t quite match the quality of using your iPhone as a webcam or the best dedicated webcams. You can get a much better image out of the 4K 60fps cameras from Logitech or Elgato. But the new webcam is more than serviceable; it’s actually quite good.
But the new camera really highlights how bad the original model’s camera was. The difference is all the more dramatic since the old model had a really bad webcam that produced grainy and blotchy images and couldn’t seem to figure out proper white balance. Apple tried to fix it through firmware updates, but the truth was, it just wasn’t a very good camera. Now the Studio Display has a good camera.
Unfortunately, the microphone array is still just okay, but it’ll serve you fine for simple video calls. If you want better voice quality, using AirPods or a dedicated mic is suggested. I produced a quick video to give you an idea of how it all compares in motion.
Note that the Studio Display XDR has the same camera, mics, and speakers as the new Studio Display, so you’ll get the same picture and sound out of the $3,299 model.
As decent as the webcam is (finally), I’d like to see Apple take real leadership here, though. The next time Apple updates the Studio Display, it should use the same sensor as the iPhone selfie camera. The new square-sensor arrangement makes it easier to shoot landscape or vertical at full resolution (increasingly important for content creators), and it can handle 4K and 60fps with Dolby Vision while delivering superior detail, color, and contrast. The iPhone’s front camera is exactly what Apple should include in a monitor that costs $1,599 (or $3,299 for that matter)—and it’s certainly thick enough to handle it.
