Apple may be prepping a Studio Display 2 upgrade with ProMotion, HDR, and A19 chip

If all goes as planned, the high-end monitor could arrive next year

by · TechSpot

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Rumor mill: It appears that Apple may be preparing to release an upgraded Studio Display to accompany its 2026 Mac Studio. Data mining has revealed that the refresh will include an A19 processor allowing it to outperform the current offering. It may also switch to Mini-LED technology to bring it on par with newer MacBook Pros.

An internal pre-release build of iOS 26 points to a significant overhaul of the Studio Display – Apple's premium desktop monitor. Macworld got a chance to examine the code and found various clues confirming a long-rumored update. References found in the iOS 26 source code identify new specs for the external monitor, including major hardware upgrades that would bring the Studio Display closer to the company's high-end notebook displays.

The code refers to the device as J527, a designation previously noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his March 16 newsletter. The references outline two significant upgrades – a variable refresh rate that reaches 120Hz and support for high dynamic range. The current Studio Display tops out at 60Hz and lacks HDR, leaving a sizable gap between it and the Mini-LED panels in modern MacBook Pro models.

The jump to 120Hz indicates ProMotion-level responsiveness that would benefit animation, scrolling, and high-frame-rate content creation. The addition of HDR support suggests Apple is planning an entirely new panel technology, most likely Mini-LED. These displays can deliver higher sustained brightness and dramatically better peak luminance for highlights.

For comparison, Apple's current Studio Display hits 600 nits and remains limited to standard dynamic range, while the latest MacBook Pros reach 1,000 nits sustained and 1,600 nits for HDR. If Apple aligns the next-generation monitor with those capabilities, image quality will see a meaningful leap over its predecessor. Macworld noticed that the source code explicitly references J527 operating in both SDR and HDR modes.

If the code is anything to go by, Cupertino will be upgrading the Studio Display's internals significantly. The new monitor will utilize Apple's A19 chip, replacing the aging A13 found in the current model. While the display does not run apps, its onboard processor manages webcam image processing, speakers, and Spatial Audio. The newer chip could also improve computational photography for the built-in camera and give Apple more headroom for future features.

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Gurman reported that Apple is developing two monitors – one codenamed J427 and another codenamed J527 – and has not yet decided which one will ship or when. It's possible that Apple is weighing multiple form factors or that one of the monitors could eventually replace the Pro Display XDR. The new Macworld findings suggest that J527, at minimum, is progressing through internal development with a feature set more ambitious than the current Studio Display.

The code suggests that Apple is targeting a 2026 launch date. If that release window holds, the Studio Display 2 could arrive alongside the next-generation Mac Studio and reset Apple's external monitor lineup with long-requested improvements.