The new Studio Display 5K also supports Windows PCs
Apple's new 27-inch 5K Studio Display, which includes a 12-megapixel webcam and speakers, also works flawlessly with Windows PCs, according to The Verge newspaper. Some features of the monitor's built-in A13 Bionic CPU will remain exclusively available on Mac only, Apple said.While there was no doubt that the display could also be used on a PC, this will still require a card graphics with compatible Thunderbolt or USB-C ports, as well as support for 5K or higher resolution, all features found in most modern models. It remains unclear whether this will also apply to the webcam, which, according to Apple's display web page, would also require a Mac connection for updates. A spokesperson for the company confirmed that the camera should work like a normal webcam when connected to a PC, again hinting that specific features will be exclusive to Apple's computers.
€ 1799 for a 27-inch monitor is in any case a very high figure, especially if we consider that the height adjustment bracket is to be purchased separately and is certainly not cheap. It must be said, however, that it is still a professional monitor, at very high resolution, with integrated webcam and a respectable speaker system, with a quality that is certainly higher than that of the speakers that we usually find integrated into monitors. However, if you don't work with a Mac or have no special needs, you can take home a quality 4K monitor at a much lower price. Peek Performance event presented the new M1 Ultra CPU, which by combining two M1 Max has raised the performance bar exponentially, as well as a new iPad Air with M1 chip and third generation iPhone SE.
Yes, Apple's 5K Studio Display With Webcam Supports Windows PCs But With Caveats
Starting tomorrow, Apple will be accepting preorders for its recently announced Studio Display, a 27-inch monitor with a built-in webcam and six-speaker sound system. Apple unveiled the multi-trick pony alongside a new Mac Studio desktop, an ideal companion for the Studio Display, but could you use the monitor with a Windows PC instead? The short answer is, yes, you can.At its core, the Studio Display is another 27-inch IPS monitor amid a sea of options. It stands out with a 4K Retina screen (5120x2880), support for 1 billion colors, P3 wide color gamut, 600 nits brightness, and supplementary capabilities courtesy of a 12-megapixel ultra-wide webcam, high-fidelity stereo speakers with force-cancelling woofers and spatial audio support, and triple microphone array with directional beamforming.
'Our hardware and software are designed together. That integration is what enables amazing features like Center Stage, Spatial Audio, and 'Hey Siri'. For pro workflows, macOS supports reference modes and fine-tune calibration so you can match industry standards—whether it’s HD and SD video or broader uses such as photography, web development, design, and print,' Apple explains.
So really, it's more than just a monitor when factoring in some unique functions. At the same time, an Apple spokesperson told The Verge that it should also work just fine with a Windows PC, even though that is not the intended platform. That includes the 12MP camera, which should function like a typical USB webcam when connected to a Windows PC.
Naturally though, there are caveats. The first one is simply connecting it to your PC—you won't find any HDMI or DisplayPort inputs here, just an upstream Thunderbolt 3 port (with 96W host charging) and three downstream USB-C ports (up to 10Gbps). Not all PCs can output a 5K signal at 60Hz over USB-C or Thunderbolt.
Once connected, it should work like any other monitor, but the other caveat is that you won't be able to tap into the features designed for Mac. The Apple spokesperson confirmed that things like Center Stage, spatial audio, and 'Hey Siri' will not work on PC. There may be workarounds getting Siri to work, but these features collectively factor into the price.Caveats aside, it's nice that the Studio Display will at least work, depending on your system. That could come in handy for a developer or creative professional who switches between Mac and PC. For the average user, though, it's probably best to shop a monitor outside of the Apple ecosystem.Speaking of price, the Studio Display costs $1,599 with the standard glass option and $1,899 with the nano-texture glass option. It comes with a stand this time, and with support for tilt adjustments. But if you want tilt and height adjustment capabilities, that will run you another $400, bringing the tally to $1,999 for the standard glass variant and $2,299 for the nano-texture upgrade. Apple separately sells a 3 meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable for $159 or a 1.8 meter version for $129, in case the bundled 1 meter cable isn't long enough.