On January 17, tech media outlet MacRumors published a blog post revealing that Apple is expected to release a second-generation Studio Display in 2025, featuring Mini LED backlighting and supporting a 90Hz refresh rate.
In April 2023, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that Apple was expected to mass-produce a 27-inch external display with Mini LED backlighting by the end of 2024/early 2025, bringing higher brightness and contrast.
In addition, an anonymous listener of the RelayFM tech podcast "Upgrade" revealed that Apple is developing 90Hz display technology, which may be used in the next generation of Studio Display.
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A higher refresh rate will make content such as videos and scrolling text look smoother, but 90Hz is still lower than the 120Hz refresh rate of ProMotion (available on iPhones and Macs), but even so, it is still an improvement.
Apple's Studio Display launched in March 2022 alongside the first Mac Studio. This monitor features a 27-inch LCD screen, 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, P3 wide color gamut, a maximum brightness of 600 nits, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. The starting price for the Studio Display in China is reportedly 11,499 yuan.
However, the media outlet also pointed out that given that Apple's high-end Pro Display XDR has not undergone any hardware upgrades since its release in 2019, it is possible that the successor to the Studio Display will remain unchanged for the next few years.
2025 Mini LED Backlight Display Trends and OLED Technology Competition Analysis
