Apple's Pro Display XDR: Dusty professional screen, expensive price
Apple is almost stubborn when it comes to professional hardware: completely outdated products are left on the market for years. Just like the Pro Display XDR.
Pro Display XDR: Old, but still (very) expensive.
(Image: Apple)
On December 10, Apple's Pro Display XDR will celebrate a milestone birthday. The professional screen with LED backlight will have been on the market for exactly five years – without having been overhauled in any way. This also applies to the price: the manufacturer still charges 5499 euros for the naked display in the "standard glass" version – and 6499 euros for matt "nano-textured glass". In addition, because you have to mount the screen somehow, there is either a VESA mount for 219 euros or, if you want something a little classier, the Pro Stand, which has become a meme online, for 1099 euros.
Already under 5000 euros in stores
Of course, the specs are still well worth seeing five years after the launch. The 32-inch display delivers 6K and HDR with "Extreme Dynamic Range" and is also very color accurate. LEDs light up in the background, formed in a "2D system of 576 local dimming zones arranged in a matrix". Unfortunately, despite the price, Apple's ProMotion 120 Hz playback is missing. Overall, it might be difficult to explain to the budget department in your own company why you should spend up to 7817 euros (with nanotextured glass, Pro Stand and interchangeable VESA mount) for a fully equipped display from the manufacturer in 2024. The retail price is slightly better. Here, the standard glass starts at less than 5000 euros and the nanotextured glass at 5829 euros. The Pro Stand can be purchased new – Bargain – for under 930 euros if you're lucky (or on eBay).
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Apple is currently making no attempt to provide the Pro Display XDR with a successor. In recent years, there have been repeated rumors – about an upgrade of its little brother, the Studio Display, with ProMotion and Mini LED technology. However, nothing has happened to date. Apple has also left the Studio Display unchanged on the market since March 2022, as the combination of a 5K resolution that is well adapted to the Mac and 27 inches is still quite rare. It is not unlikely that this device will also celebrate its fifth birthday.
Apple stubborn with old hardware
But why is Apple so stubborn when it comes to old hardware? This development is nothing new. For example, a completely outdated Mac Pro with Intel technology was left on the market for years because there were always customers who needed it.
The current Mac Pro and Mac Studio have now also reached the age of obsolescence – Both have the company's penultimate SoC (M2), albeit in an exclusive Ultra version (Mac Studio on request). It currently looks like Apple will overhaul both models with M4 SoCs in the coming year, but nobody really knows yet whether this is true.
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