Apple Studio Display (1998–2004)

Apple Studio Display

A 17" Apple Studio Display
Type	Display
Inception	March 17, 1998 (1998-03-17)
Last production year	June 1, 2004 (2004-06-01)

The Apple Studio Display is a series of non-widescreen LCD and CRT displays manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. and introduced in 1998. After the 1999 introduction of the widescreen Apple Cinema Display, the Apple Studio Display line ran concurrently until it was discontinued in 2004. With the exception of the last model, the 5:4 17" Apple Studio Display, all Apple Studio Displays had an aspect ratio of 4:3.

Apple Studio Displays offered DB-15, VGA, DVI, and ADC as their display input. Some inputs Apple Studio Displays used were USB, Composite video, S-Video, ADB, RCA audio connectors, and headphone jacks.

Models

15-inch flat panel (1998–2003)

The first Apple display using LCD technology was known as the Apple Studio Display (15-inch flat panel). It was introduced at the 1998 Seybold Seminars Expo alongside the Power Macintosh G3/300 DT and had an initial retail price of US$1,999. MacWorld Magazine's Seybold conference coverage said the pricing "would have been considered aggressive a few months ago, but given recently plummeting prices for LCD monitors, Apple's display should be in the middle of the pack."

It has DA-15 connector for connecting the display to a computer, and 2 ADB ports, an S-Video and Composite video port, as well as RCA audio connectors and a headphone jack. Although it was intended to be paired with the Power Macintosh G3, its blue and translucent plastic design was ahead of G3 which were still beige. It is the first translucent Apple product since the eMate, predating the iMac G3 by a few months. The Studio Display requires System 7.5 or later, and has a brightness of 180 cd/m2.

Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White Styling

The Studio Display received its first major revision at MacWorld January 1999 with "ice white" and "blueberry" styling to match the new Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White, a brighter panel (200 cd/m2), and a lower retail price of US$1,099.

In August 1999 it was replaced with a model featuring DVI and USB ports with a white and graphite exterior styling.

Power Macintosh G4 Styling

In July 2000, a model featuring an ADC port and a clear plastic three-legged stand based on the 22" (55 cm) Apple Cinema Display was introduced. It was discontinued in January 2003.

All 15" (35 cm) Studio Displays had a native resolution of 1024x768 pixels.

CRT models (1999–2002)

CRT Apple Studio Displays in 17" (43 cm) and 21" (53 cm) sizes were introduced in January 1999 with VGA DE-15 connectors and "blueberry" and white exterior styling to match the Power Mac intosh G3 Blue & White. In August 1999 the exterior styling was changed to "graphite" and white to match the Power Macintosh G4. In July 2000 the 21" model was dropped and the 17" changed to a clear enclosure with ADC connector. The "blueberry" 17" CRT is notorious for flyback failure, in 2003 Apple issued a recall. Apple stopped selling CRT displays in May 2002.

15 and 17-inch flat panel ADC (2000–2004)

The 15" Studio Display (M2454) was introduced in 2000 and was included with the iconic G4 Cube. In May 2001, Apple released a 17" Studio Display (Model No: M7649) with a native resolution of 1280x1024 at an MSRP of $999. On January 28, 2003 the price was lowered to $699 and the 15" Studio Display was discontinued, leaving the 17" Studio Display as the last available model in the Apple Studio Display line, with no successor in sight. In June 2004, Apple retired the 17" Studio Display and the Apple Studio Display line in favor of their widescreen line - the Apple Cinema Display.