Skipping the Apple Studio Display? LG alternative to return

When Apple released its new Studio Display, it delisted the LG UltraFine 5K Display, leading many to believe it had been discontinued. However, LG confirmed that the UltraFine 5K will still continue be manufactured. For Mac users in the market for a new monitor, that’s not a bad thing.

LG told The Wall Street Journal that while the UltraFine 5K display is currently out of stock, it will still be manufactured. The reason for the lack of stock is due to the current component shortage and high demand. The company said that the display should be back in stock next month on its website and thruogh other third-party sellers.

You can be the judge of the webcam quality. More shots in my video: https://t.co/lYQjFnqFI9 pic.twitter.com/sEWkpDIs7t

— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) March 17, 2022

Apple removed the UltraFine 5K display from its website once its own Studio Display was released. Ironically, Apple originally worked with LG to make the display that featured Thunderbolt connectivity and tight integration with MacOS. The delisting on Apple’s website is most likely due to the similarities with the Studio Display.

Apple’s Studio Display isn’t receiving much high praise at all. Many tech reviewers were perplexed at the relatively poor quality of the Studio Display’s webcam. Others pointed out the lack of HDR despite being powered by the powerful A13 Bionic chip and the fact that other Apple products feature HDR support. After being contacted by both The Verge and the WSJ, Apple released a statement saying the “system isn’t behaving as expected.”

Compared to the UltraFine 5K, the Studio Display doesn’t seem to offer much of a compelling upgrade. The webcam has better picture quality on the LG display and offers tilt and height adjustment. Apple’s Studio Display comes with tilt support by default, but adding height adjustment is a $400 upcharge. The UltraFine 5K has the same resolution, nearly the same brightness, and costs $300 cheaper.

This makes LG’s display still a worthy purchase for Mac owners and puts Apple on the defensive over what should have been a big step forward. PC owners may also want to steer clear of the Studio Display. Apple stated that some features such as True Tone, Center Stage, and Spatial Audio are MacOS exclusives that require MacOS to function.

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