Katarzyna Petru
Apple recently presented the new Apple Studio Display and Apple Studio Display XDR monitors. Although the devices offer a high 5K resolution and refresh rates of up to 120 Hz, not all Mac users will be able to fully utilise their capabilities. It turns out that the full functionality of the new screens was designed mainly with Apple Silicon-based computers in mind.
Older Macs have serious limitations
New Apple monitors are not fully compatible with Macs based on Intel processors. Apple began phasing out these chips in 2020, introducing its own Apple Silicon chips.
In practice, this means that the monitors work best with devices such as:
MacBook Air with M1 chip or later
MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon
iMac from 2021
Mac mini from 2020
Mac Studio from 2022
Mac Pro from 2023
Older Intel-based computers can indeed display images via Thunderbolt or DisplayPort, but users then lose many functions.
Without Apple Silicon, you lose most features
The new Studio Displays come with built-in processors; the standard model contains the A19 chip, while the Studio Display XDR uses the A19 Pro. This enables features such as: a camera with Center Stage functionality, built-in microphones, a speaker system, and integration with macOS. When connected to an older computer or PC, the monitor functions only as a regular screen without additional features.
The most demanding feature of the new monitors is support for 5K resolution at a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Apple emphasises that this requires a very high bandwidth and an efficient graphics chip. Therefore, full 5K 120 Hz is available only for selected computers with newer Apple Silicon chips, including: M2 Pro, M2 Max, and M2 Ultra, M3 Pro, M3 Max, and M3 Ultra, M4, and M5 and their Pro and Max variants. Older chips, such as M1 or the basic versions of M2 and M3, are limited to 60 Hz.
The new Apple monitors offer very high image quality and advanced features, but they have been designed primarily with Apple Silicon computers in mind. Users of older Macs with Intel processors can use the screens only to a limited extent, without many integration features with the system.
source: flatpanelshd
