Report: Apple Studio Display in the works with better specs than Pro Display XDR

Apple New Mac Mini Logic Pro Pro Display Xdr (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

Apple is said to be working on a new 7K display.
The Apple Studio Display would have an impressive resolution and pixel density even compared with Pro Display XDR.
It isn't clear whether the display could be announced during next week's Apple event.

Apple is reportedly working on a new type of display that will have a higher resolution than the current Pro Display XDR.

A new report by 9to5Mac outs a new Apple Studio Display that would reportedly come with an impressive 7K resolution. For reference, the current Pro Display XDR tops out at 6K and already looks stunning.

The report notes that it isn't yet clear whether this display would replace Apple's current Pro Display XDR or if it could sit above it in the lineup. Questions must also be asked about what this kind of display could cost given its reported resolution.

That resolution could be something quite impressive depending on the size of the screen being offered.

Pro Display XDR has a 32-inch 6K (6016 x 3384) panel with 218 pixels per inch. A higher resolution could mean that the new Apple Studio Display will have a higher pixel density of 245 PPI or that it will keep the same 218 PPI as the Pro Display XDR but on a larger 36-inch panel.

This new Apple Studio Display is thought to be the J327 product that was being tested in July of last year, complete with Apple silicon built in.

9to5Mac reported in July 2021 that Apple had been testing a new external display under the codename "J327" with a built-in A13 chip. It turns out that, according to our sources, the Apple Studio Display is the same J327 model – meaning that Apple has still been working on an external display with a dedicated Apple Silicon chip.

The report doesn't make it clear whether the 36-inch reference is based on information shared by a source, however. We also don't yet know when this display will arrive, although a March 8 event is planned. It's possible this display could be announced alongside a new MacBook Pro but that also is far from confirmed at this point.

All we really know about the March 8 event is that we will see a new iPhone SE but everything else is up in the air for now.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.