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MacBook Neo Compatible With New Studio Displays, But There's a Catch

Apple's low-cost MacBook Neo is compatible with the company's new Studio Displays, but its output will be scaled to 4K resolution at 60Hz.

studio display and xdr
Apple confirmed the compatibility and output limitation with 9to5Mac.

With pricing starting at $1,599, the regular Studio Display runs at 5K with a maximum 60Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the all-new 5K Studio Display XDR is capable of up to 120Hz and pricing starts at $3,299.

Apple calls the refreshed Studio Display "the perfect companion to Mac," but if you were planning on using it as an external display for a new MacBook Neo, there are other options available at significantly lower price points – USB-C 4K displays from companies like LG, Dell, and Samsung, for example.

If you still have a Mac with an Intel chip inside, you're not going to want to pick up one of the new Studio Display or Studio Display XDR models either – neither model will work with an Intel-based Mac.

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ has two USB-C ports, but only one supports DisplayPort 1.4 for connecting an external display. To use an external monitor, it must be connected to the correct port, which is the USB 3 port located closest to the rear of the device. The laptop does not support Thunderbolt either, so you can't daisy-chain multiple monitors.

The $599 MacBook Neo‌ and the new Studio Displays are available to pre-order now, with availability beginning on Wednesday, March 11.

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Top Rated Comments

Ifti Avatar
11 weeks ago
Purchase a monitor that's double the price of your laptop?
Unless you have the Studio Display already, can't see why anyone would want to do that anyways?
I'd rather get a more powerful laptop, and a cheaper monitor.....but that's just me!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wanha Avatar
11 weeks ago
The Neo's A18 Pro - a glorified iPhone chip - can handle macOS, Terminal, and Xcode.

Meanwhile, the iPad Pro with an M5 chip can't do Terminal or Xcode and is at best still stuck with “two apps side by side”

Gee, I wonder what the true bottleneck is.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
11 weeks ago
Good to know about the limitation. However don't think those purchasing the Neo will plan on getting a Studio Display. Completely different price points.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blackstick Avatar
11 weeks ago
I think it pretty unlikely people would be purchasing a $3300 Apple Studio Display and a $600 Mac.

I could see if someone has an existing 2022 Studio Display already and want to get this Mac for their kid, they’d want it to work with any existing monitor sitting on a desk.

Still. Knowing how my daughters use their district issued Chromebooks and personal iPads? They’ve never once wanted to connect an external display. Same goes for my wife. She’ll sit right in front of my 40” Dell ultrawide working on her Air’s 13” screen… with zero interest in connecting the thunderbolt cable 2 inches away. In fact, I told her “your battery is low, that’ll charge it” she got annoyed her display extended to the panel 😆

My bro is a corporate attorney. Same thing. Work issued him a fairly nice 32” panel for working at home 2-3 days a week. It’s unopened in a box under his grand piano collecting dust. He just uses the 14” screen on his Lenovo.

Same goes for actual content like our Plex movies. Some of my encodes are from ripped DVDs I made in the early 00s from Netflix. I can replace the files with 1080p Blu-ray encodes so they look better on a 4k 70” tv but my three girls don’t give a crap. To them? They’re happy as can be watching a 480p rip I made in 2005 with pixels the size of golfballs. Often I replace the 480p file with a 1080 or 4k encode if they haven’t finished a movie because plex saves their place… I don’t think they realize it looks so much better when they finish it, maybe they assume AI upscaled it 😆 🤷‍♂️

Apple understands this type of user. Nerds don’t.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
11 weeks ago
Apple created an A19 and A19 pro iMac and then decided to not enable the computer function.😆
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ClaraStahlbaum Avatar
11 weeks ago
I don't think that someone is likely to buy the cheapest Macbook, and the most expensive Apple Display and use them together.

A lot of people don't understand that the Macbook Neo ISN'T designed for high-end tasks that people buy the most expensive equipment for. A lot of people on this forum have been needlessly complaining about a product they'll likely never purchase, because they already have the highest end equipment anyway.

I think that some people have a culture of elitism, and like to talk down to people who don't have as powerful of a computer as they do, which is silly.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)