That’s fair, but the overall point is that Apple could have added a standard connector (normal Display Port) without sacrificing quality.

Thunderbolt 4 is a standard interface, and it supports DisplayPort 1.4 as well as 2.0.

That’s a good point — what I meant was that the DP connector found on graphics cards is pretty common (“standard”), so should be included. As a frame of reference, a similarly priced monitor I have has 2x HDMI, DisplayPort, thunderbolt 3, and a few USB A ports if you use it as a thunderbolt hub. And it’s a 144hz ultrawide with HDR support.

And while I acknowledge that Apple made a trade off for pixel density, they weren’t forced to make tradeoffs for other features that are common on high end monitors.

> the DP connector found on graphics cards is pretty common (“standard”)

So are D-sub connectors and HDMI. Should it have those as well? What about S-Video? Composite?

> they weren’t forced to make tradeoffs for other features that are common on high end monitors

They don't sell any products with DisplayPort connectors, nor do I think they've ever done so (certainly not recently). Selling a product with that connector is a commitment on some level to supporting what people plug into it, and as demonstrated by the OP, PCs are not really supported. It's also more engineering effort, but that's probably marginal.

This is a standard connector with cheap cables that adapt it to legacy devices using the DP alternate mode of USB-C. Apple are known for getting rid of legacy connectors. USB-C is a superior technology, it's only a matter of time before it's used for everything, and I appreciate Apple's efforts to hasten that day.

Why would Apple add a connector that none of their computers use?

So people like me would consider buying it.

I have a Mac. I also have a work-issued PC. I have both machines connected to the same displays, and switch between them.

DisplayPort isn't some obsolete technology here. I understand why this display doesn't have HDMI, or DVI, or VGA, or Composite, or S-Video, etc. But DisplayPort would be nice.

> DisplayPort isn't some obsolete technology here...DisplayPort would be nice.

Type C is one of the standard interfaces for the Displayport standard, and Displayport is the standard video transport on a thunderbolt cable.

...so, wait, DisplayPort is really more like DisplayProtocol, but there's also a physical port called DisplayPort? :(

That's how data cables/ports work. There is a DisplayPort "protocol", then there are DisplayPort physical connectors and cables. Then there are other types of physical connectors and cables that also can be used with DisplayPort "protocol". Same thing for USB, or HDMI etc.

Yes, it's confusing. But it's also a good thing as you can carry lots of stuff over the same cable and connector. A USB-C type cable and connector can carry USB, Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, HDMI, even analogue audio.

Before USB-C, Thunderbolt was using mini-DisplaPort connector and cables.

I don't think Apple really wants you to buy their monitor for use on a PC. It's just a support headache, between the cables and graphics cards and refresh rates and gamma and such.

Everything on the product page suggests it was only designed for Mac: https://www.apple.com/studio-display/

That it happens to work on a PC at all is, I guess, an unintentional side effect that they'd rather not even acknowledge. You can try it unsupported but it's not their problem...

They've never been good at supporting standards not invented there. Hell, ever tried to use a Magic Mouse with a PC? Everything about it feels completely off. Part of me wonders if subtle incompatibilities, where hardware works 80% of the way, is maybe even part of their deliberate strategy to introduce small headaches to the PC experience to frustrate you into switching.

(Of course OSX has its own share of frustrations too, but nothing like using PC hardware on a Mac or vice versa).

Apple hasn't been in the business of selling you things to use on non-Apple devices for a very... very long time.

Same reason Dell adds USB-C, DP, HDMI to their monitors: so you can use their product in preference to someone else’s.

Buy the Apple monitor, be impressed, buy the Studio to go with it.

I have one and somehow managed to get it into a mode where the UI was an appropriate size and it ran at 120Hz. Worked perfectly for almost a year, then I updated to Monterey and cannot for the life of me get it to run in HiDPI mode at my old preferred scaling. Tried all the third party monitor controlling apps (EasyRes doesn't have the scaling I'd like in the HiDPI list of resolutions)

I might just get rid of the monitor. I'm not convinced I loved it for my workflow anyway compared to 2 monitors where I can switch my Mac workspaces independently

110dpi can work without any scaling depending on your eyesight.

Yes—give me the resolution vs refresh rate if I have to pick.