Pro Display XDR Design
The Pro Display XDR is one of the largest displays you’ll be able to find. It comes in at 32-inches diagonally, which is the same size as a 32-inch TV. That’s going to look pretty impressive on anybody’s desk.
Slim bezels help make the display look even bigger when you use it. They’re only 9 mm wide, about the same size as the bezels on most MacBooks.
On the back of the Pro Display XDR, you’ll find the frame has been made with the same “cheese grater” design as the Mac Pro. It’s made from aluminum which helps to maintain the premium quality of the display.
There is actually a reason for that design choice. Having the holes helps with airflow, which can help to keep the display cooler. And, it’s only about an inch thick, so it’s not going to look too clunky on your desk.
Of course, there’s a stand that’s sold separately (for $999 no less). The stand gives a bit more flexibility with the display. You get about 12 cm of height adjustment, and tilt options to put the display at a more comfortable viewing angle.
The stand attaches to the back of the Pro Display XDR using magnets. Not only does this make for some easy attaching to the display, but also gives you the ability to rotate the display from landscape to portrait and back, which you might find rather handy.
Quality of the Pro Display XDR
Apple pulled out all the stops when it comes to the Pro Display XDR. The display clocks in at a whopping 6K (6016 x 3384 pixels) resolution. That’s more than 20 million pixels. Due to the exponential growth that comes with resolutions, that’s over twice as many pixels as in a 4K display.
Keeping with the impressive trend, you’ll find over a billion colors on the display. That’s better than most 32-inch TVs, and this is a computer display.
If you were wondering what XDR stands for, it’s Extreme Dynamic Range. This is Apple’s branded way of showing you how good its HDR is. And, with up to 1,600 nits of brightness and a million:one contrast ratio, it should be pretty extreme.
Because of the high-end HDR specs, Apple’s display supports Dolby Vision. This is perfect for anyone planning to watch any films or TV on the display, but you won’t notice the difference for non-Dolby Vision content.
However, taking a look at the Pro Display XDR specs on the Apple website, it shows that the display can only go up to 60Hz for the refresh rate. That’s quite low compared to some smartphones even, so perhaps the display may not be best suited for fast motion where a higher refresh rate would benefit.
In the display, Apple claims it included polarizer technology. This means that you’ll get a 25 times better view from an angle, which is handy for when you might share such a large display. The anti-reflective coating will also help.
As with most Apple displays, the Pro Display XDR comes with True Tone as well. This is where the display adapts to the surrounding environment, to slightly change the color and make it look more natural. On this display, you’ll find two light sensors, which should make True Tone super accurate.
In terms of real-world performance, the Pro Display XDR has been spoken about very highly. Tech sites rated the display between four and five stars out of five, and YouTubers, such as MKBHD, also rated the display highly.
While it’s very reassuring to hear that the display is impressive in the feedback we’ve seen, it should be expected for the price point Apple sells it at.
Pro Display XDR Ports and Compatibility
The ports section of the Pro Display XDR is just as sleek as the rest of the unit. On the back, you’ll find the power cable, one Thunderbolt port, and three other USB-C ports. The Thunderbolt port exists to connect the display to its source, and the others for charging or syncing.
If you’re wondering which Apple devices are compatible with the display, don’t worry, there are a fair few to choose from. The Pro Display XDR is compatible with the 2019 Mac Pro, any 2018 or later MacBook Pro, any 2019 or later iMac, and the 2020 MacBook Air.
While the display is compatible with these other devices, it was designed for use with the Mac Pro. So, you’ll likely get the best performance when using that device. It’ll still work perfectly well with the other Macs, but it was optimized for the Mac Pro (an expensive computer for an expensive display).
Pricing and How to Buy the Display
Apple starts the Pro Display XDR at $4,999 for the standard glass model, and reaches $5,999 for the nano-texture glass model. That’s definitely a lot of money to part with, especially since you can get much larger, budget 8K TVs for less money if you want a really big screen.
As we mentioned, the stand for the display comes sold separately for $999. And, Apple also sells a VESA mount separately for $199, so you can mount your shiny new display right on the wall.
So, that means at the cheapest, you can get the Pro Display XDR for $5,198 if you get the base model display and mount it to the wall instead of using a stand. It’s definitely not cheap.
What’s So Good About the Display?
That question is fairly self-explanatory. There’s no argument about it; the display is mightily good. It packs top specs, it boasts high performance, and it’s even got positive reviews in real-world usage. You’ll find it difficult to find a similar spec display on the market. What’s not to love?
Of course, that is overlooking the mammoth of a price you’ll need to part with for the display, and then that little bit extra to actually use the display.
For the pros, as the name aptly informs us, the Pro Display XDR is definitely not going to leave you disappointed.
