There are rumors that Apple plans a “Studio Display Pro” with ProMotion support— and a new report shows there’s a good reason why it should.
The computer monitor market size is forecast to increase by US$22.83 billion at a compound annual growth rate of of 8.64% between 2023 and 2028, according to the Technavio research group. And the more options Apple offers, the better.
“Rising demand for high-resolution displays is notably driving the market growth,” according to Technavio. “As technology progresses, consumers seek enhanced visual quality and immersive experiences. High-resolution monitors are particularly sought after in design and creative fields where accurate color representation is crucial. The surge in remote work has further increased the demand for such monitors, providing professionals with comfortable and productive displays.”
The rumors are that Apple plans a “pro” version of the Studio Display that would offer ProMotion support in a 27-inch (or bigger) monitor. The current Studio Display lacks support for ProMotion, which isApple’s name for the adaptive, high refresh rate, 120Hz display first available on the iPad Pro.
While a standard refresh rate will update a display 60 times a second (60Hz), the ProMotion’s adaptive 120Hz screen works at twice this speed. This results in smoother scrolling, improved responsiveness and better gaming performance.
A Studio Display Pro would likely utilize mini-LED technology with the most notable design change is to switch the material of the mini-LED backplane from the PCB found in current Apple products to glass. The benefits of adopting a glass backplane include a thinner panel thickness, a narrower bezel, an extended product lifespan, etc.
If/when it arrives, unlike the US$1,599 Studio Display, the Studio Display Pro is expected to support ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120MHz. The display will probably cost more than the “non-Pro” version, but far less than the $4,999, 6K Pro Display XDR.
