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Does Apple Studio Display Work With PCs? Kinda…
Can you use Apple’s new Studio Display with PCs? It’s kind of a long story – but you’ll find out everything you need to know inside. Spoiler alert: it ain’t easy…
Are you wondering if the Apple Studio Display works with Windows PCs? PLENTY of PC people are after Apple unveiled its newest display earlier this week–and there’s actually been quite a bit of confusion about what computers the display works with and which ones it does not.
To give you a quick rundown, Apple designed the Apple Studio Display as a companion monitor for the all-new Mac Studio computer.
However, Apple Studio Display will actually work with a number of Mac computers–in other words, you don’t need a Mac Studio to use the Studio Display.
But what about the Apple Studio Display working with a Windows PC? There the answer is a little trickier, but before we can explain why it really helps to understand how the Apple Studio Display is different than other monitors.
What Makes The Apple Studio Display Unique?
The Apple Studio Display is a gorgeous monitor that comes in a variety of stand options (and some even have a polishing cloth). But the sexy design of the display isn’t its only feature.
The Apple Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina display with a 5120 x 2880 pixel resolution. Pretty normal, right? But the display also features a built-in 12MP ultra wide camera, which lets it support Center Stage. And it has a studio‑quality three‑mic array with a six-speaker sound system that supports Spatial Audio.
But the Apple Studio Display has one more feature: an A13 chipset inside. Yep, this is the same chipset found in some iPhones.
It also features some other cool things, as Apple is happy to point out in their press release for the product:
“Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina screen with over 14.7 million pixels. With 600 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for over one billion colors, images come to life with spectacular detail. True Tone technology automatically adjusts the display’s color temperature as the environment changes for a more natural viewing experience. An industry-leading anti-reflective coating enables incredibly low reflectivity for better comfort and readability. And for workspaces with bright light sources, including sunlight, Studio Display offers an innovative nano-texture glass option. Nano-texture glass, first introduced on Pro Display XDR, scatters light to further minimize glare while delivering outstanding image quality.”
So Does Apple Studio Display Work With A PC Or Not?
The answer is yes and no. As a simple display, the Apple Studio Display should work with most modern Windows PCs provided they have a Thunderbolt port. However, many of the more advanced features of the Apple Studio Display will NOT work on the PC.
Apple has confirmed this to MacRumors, which reports that features such as Center Stage and TrueTone will not work on a PC, as these rely on the macOS operating system. Additionally, the screen resolution of the Apple Studio Display could vary depending on the type of PC you have.
Yeah, that’s a bummer, because the Apple Studio Display is one of the most gorgeous displays on the market now. However, it’s not entirely unexpected. After all, Apple designed its accessories to work with their products, not their competitors.
This can be seen in other Apple products, too, like the AirPods. Many of the AirPods top features, like Hey Siri, don’t work on non-iPhone devices.
So should a PC user buy the Apple Studio Display? That’s a tough call. Some of its best features won’t be available on a Windows machine and in that case, you may be better off just buying a high-end PC monitor.
And check out How To Use Apple Studio Display With Windows Boot Camp!
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