Review of the Apple Pro Display XDR Monitor: The top Mac monitor comes with a hefty price tag.
**Apple Pro Display XDR**
**MSRP**: $6,988.00
“The Apple Pro Display XDR shines with unparalleled HDR capabilities, but comes at a steep cost.”
**Pros**
- Exquisitely luxurious design
- Exceptional build quality in a monitor
- Outstanding HDR support
- Highly accurate image fidelity
- Broad viewing angles
- Seamless integration with macOS
**Cons**
- Extremely expensive
- Some blooming in bright images
- Contrast falls short compared to mini-LED and OLED
- High stand price is hard to justify
Although it might seem unusual to review a monitor that’s been available for over five years, the Apple Pro Display XDR is worth discussing. Apple has not rushed to refresh its monitor lineup recently, with the only other model, the Studio Display, launched in 2022. The primary reason for reviewing the Pro Display XDR is its compatibility with Apple’s latest Macs, which often leads new Mac buyers to ponder whether they should invest in an Apple monitor as well. Despite their age, both models continue to be among the best in the market and are notably costly. The Studio Display starts at $1,599 with a basic stand, while the Pro Display XDR begins at $4,999 without a stand or VESA connector. Adding the stand increases the price by $999. In a sense, the Pro Display XDR, while considerably pricier than many would like to spend, might be seen as a relative deal in comparison to its closest competitors. Regardless of price, the Pro Display XDR is an exceptional monitor for anyone who values outstanding image quality.
**Specifications**
- **Screen size**: 32 inches
- **Panel type**: FAFD IPS
- **Resolution**: 6K (6016 x 3384)
- **Peak brightness**: 1,600 nits
- **HDR**: HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
- **Contrast ratio**: 1,000,000:1
- **Response time**: Not defined
- **Color gamut**: 1.073 billion colors (true 10-bit)
- **Refresh rate**: 60Hz
- **Curve**: No
- **Speakers**: None
- **Ports**: 1 x upstream USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, 3 x downstream USB-C
- **Adjustments**: 30 degrees tilt, 120mm height
- **Dimensions (HxWxD)**: 28.3 inches (width) x 16.2 inches (height) x 1.1 inches (depth)
- **Weight**: 16.49 pounds
- **List price**: $4,999+
The Pro Display XDR on its own costs $4,999 with standard glass. Choosing the nano-textured glass raises the price to $5,999. If you want a VESA mount, you’ll need the VESA adapter for $199. Otherwise, the Pro Stand comes at an astonishing $999. This totals the most expensive Pro Display XDR to $6,988. However, Apple designed the Pro Display XDR for reference-level monitors that can exceed $20,000, making even its pricier configurations a relative bargain. Since its launch in 2019, newer models that rival the Pro Display XDR have emerged in various aspects, yet no less expensive monitor can match its overall performance. Thus, whether it’s excessively costly or a comparatively good deal will be addressed in the competition section below.
**Design**
You might think that a monitor released over five years ago would appear outdated, but the Pro Display XDR defies that expectation. It remains a visually stunning monitor, showcasing Apple’s meticulous design quality that sets its hardware apart. Should Apple launch a new version soon, it likely wouldn't differ much in appearance, and I personally hope it retains the current aesthetic.
At first glance, the Pro Display XDR has a recognizable Apple design. Posed next to (or above) a Mac Studio, the two products look distinctly like they were made for each other—even considering the Mac Studio was released nearly three years after the monitor. The design maintains Apple’s signature minimalism, enhanced by aluminum construction with no plastic, which adds to its elegance and distinction from ordinary monitors.
On the back, the “cheese grater” pattern crafted into the aluminum helps dissipate heat without needing a fan. Monitors with such specifications can get warm, and this construction ensures silent operation, a nice complement to the almost noiseless Mac Studio. The pattern also shares design elements with the Mac Pro, allowing for cohesive styling across Apple’s products.
Furthermore, the design is exceptionally functional. My review unit featured the Pro Stand, which, while expensive, is superbly constructed and outshines most third-party stands. It’s composed entirely of metal, and its attachment to the monitor utilizes magnets for
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