Apple Studio Display Alternatives (2022): Top Picks From Samsung, LG & More

When pairing a monitor with a Mac, the Apple Studio Display is hard to beat. After all, it blends seamlessly from a design standpoint, and it has plenty of features to match. For instance, it sports a sharp 27-inch 5K (5120 x 2880) Retina panel with 600 nits of brightness and wide color gamut coverage. On top of that, it has a built-in 12-megapixel camera, a three-mic array and six speakers, as well as an A13 Bionic chip under the hood for Center Stage and Spatial Audio. The problem is, it’s on the expensive side, and getting things like a tilt- and height-adjustable stand will cost extra.

On that note, there are a couple of decent Apple Studio Display alternatives around, and while they each provide their own unique benefits, they have one thing in common: All of them are more affordable than the Cupertino brand’s display. Namely, there’s the LG UltraFine 5K that’s more or less the same, the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor that’s smarter in some ways, the Dell UltraSharp with a slew of ports and the ASUS ProArt as a budget pick.

Apple Studio Display Alternatives Comparison Chart

Model	Apple Studio Display	LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL-B	Samsung M8 Smart Monitor	Dell UltraSharp U3223QE	ASUS ProArt Display PA279CV
Price	Check Price at Apple.com	Check Price at LG.com	Check Price at Samsung.com	Check Price at Dell.com	Check Price at ASUS.com
Screen Size	27-inch Retina	27-inch IPS	32-inch VA	31.5-inch IPS Black	27-inch IPS
Resolution	5K (5120 x 2880)	5K (5120 x 2880)	4K (3840 x 2160)	4K (3840 x 2160)	4K (3840 x 2160)
RGB Color Space	100% P3	99% DCI-P3	99% sRGB	100% Rec 709 and sRGB, 98% DCI-P3	100% rGB
Brightness	600 nits	500 nits	400 nits	400 nits	350 nits
Refresh Rate	60Hz	60Hz	60Hz	60Hz	60Hz
HDR	n/a	n/a	HDR10+	DisplayHDR 400	HDR10
Audio	3-mic array, 6 speakers with Spatial Audio	Microphone, speaker	Microphone, speaker	n/a	Speaker
Camera	12MP, ultra wide, built-in	Yes, built-in	Yes, detachable	n/a	n/a
Ports	3 x USB-C, 1 x Thunderbolt 3	3 x USB-C, 1 x Thunderbolt 3	2 x USB-C, 1 x Micro HDMI	3 x USB-C, 5 x USB-A, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 out, 1 x HDMI, 1 x RJ45 Ethernet port, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack	1 x USB-C, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 2 x HDMI, 4 x USB-A, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack
Processor	A13 Bionic	n/a	Yes, unspecified	n/a	n/a
Stand	Tilt adjustable (included), tilt and height adjustable (sold separately)	Tilt and height adjustable (included)	Tilt and height adjustable (included)	Tilt, height, pivot and swivel adjustable (included)	Tilt, height, pivot and swivel adjustable (included)

LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL-B — The Most Similar Alternative

Practically the same monitor with different branding.

In terms of specs, the LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL-B is the closest thing to the Apple Studio Display. For starters, it also measures 27 inches and has a 5K resolution (5120 x 2880). Moreover, it has the same set of ports that consists of three USB-C and one Thunderbolt 3, and it has a microphone, speakers and an integrated camera too. That isn’t too surprising since Apple partnered with LG to create it.

It even has the upper hand on some fronts. Particularly, it comes with a tilt- and height-adjustable stand right from the get-go, and again, it’s a bit easier on the pocket. However, it’s not as bright with a maximum of 500 nits, and it falls a tad short with its 99% DCI-P3 coverage—not that the difference is that significant, though.

Samsung M8 Smart Monitor — A Smarter Alternative

An inch closer to the Apple Studio Display, thanks to its AirPlay support.

Like the Apple Studio Display, the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor is powered by an onboard processor, though it’s unspecified. At any rate, it also has a microphone and speakers, and it has a detachable camera called the SlimFit. 

Now what makes it stand out is it doubles as a stand-alone smart TV, meaning it can stream movies and shows from apps like Netflix. It even has AirPlay support, so you can mirror your iPhone or iPad to it. In addition, it includes a tilt- and height-adjustable stand, and it has HDR10+ to boot, which is something Apple’s monitor doesn’t have.

However, it’s not as sharp in comparison, owing to its lower 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) and larger screen real estate of 32 inches. And it tops out at 400 nits too, so it doesn’t get as bright either.

Dell UltraSharp U3223QE — A More Functional Alternative

The Apple Studio Display doesn’t even have half the number of its ports.

To start things off, the Dell UltraSharp U3223QE is sort of an outlier in this list because it doesn’t share that many similarities with the Apple Studio Display, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. First off, it boasts an IPS Black panel that provides unrivaled contrast compared to other IPS counterparts out there, and to top things off, it has DisplayHDR 400.

Also, there’s no shortage of ports on it either: three USB-C, five USB-A, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet and 3.5mm audio jack. There’s a good reason for that too, as it features Auto KVM that lets you control two sources with the same keyboard and mouse, which is just the thing if, say, you use a Mac and a Windows PC. Last but not least, its stand has an adjustable tilt and height, and it pivots and swivels as well.

That said, it doesn’t have a speaker or microphone, and neither does it have a camera. But that’s nothing some peripherals can’t fix. It’s on the big side too, measuring 31.5 inches. That, coupled with a lower 4K resolution (3840 x 2160), makes for a less sharper display.

ASUS ProArt PA279CV — A Budget Alternative

For the budget-conscious who doesn’t want to compromise on quality.

Compared to the Apple Studio Display, the ASUS ProArt PA279CV doesn’t exactly keep up. In its defense, it’s 27 inches with a 4K resolution (3840 x 2160), totaling to a respectable PPI of 163 as opposed to 218 PPI. 

What’s more, it has HDR10 support, a speaker and plenty of ports, including one USB-C, DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI, four USB-A and 3.5mm audio jack. You can also adjust its included stand’s height, tilt, pivot and swivel.

Thing is, it only has a max brightness of 350 nits, and it doesn’t have a camera either. Sure, it may seem relatively bare-bones, but considering its lower price point, it provides a lot of bang for the buck.

Verdict

Being on the expensive end of the spectrum, the Apple Studio Display isn’t accessible to a lot of folks, but there are plenty of monitors that can take its place, such as the LG UltraFine 5K, Samsung M8 Smart Monitor, Dell UltraSharp and ASUS ProArt.

LG UltraFine 5K

Samsung M8 Smart Monitor

And there you have it—our picks for what we think are the best Apple Studio Display alternatives. To reiterate, the LG UltraFine 5K is likely the next best thing because of how it’s similar. Meanwhile, the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor is the smarter option, and it even comes with AirPlay support. Then there’s the Dell UltraSharp that has a ton of ports and IPS Black panel, and lastly, the ASUS ProArt that delivers somewhat comparable performance without breaking the bank.

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