Apple appears to be testing Studio Display 2 and it’s increasingly looking like this next-generation external monitor will run an unreleased A19 Pro chip.
The Studio Display, Apple’s external 27-inch 5K monitor released in 2022, has served many Mac owners as their go-to monitor. The current Studio Display is packed with built-in features like spatial audio, Center Stage video cropping and “Hey Siri” that work independently of the device the monitor is connected to.
That’s because the Studio Display is actually powered by an iPhone 11-era A13 Bionic chip. After three years with no hardware updates to the Studio Display, Apple inadvertently leaked in its own code that a new model—tentatively dubbed Studio Display 2—could use an as-of-yet unreleased A19 Pro chip.
The next Studio Display could run A19 Pro
MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has analyzed Apple’s code and discovered some strings indicating that the next Studio Display codenamed J427 is currently being tested. If true, that could mean the upgrade monitor might land soon, possibly as early as 2026.
The most tantalizing aspect of the leak is an unreleased A19 Pro chip referenced in Apple’s internal code. The A19 Pro would bring a serious performance leap compared to the A13 Bionic in the current Studio Display. The A13 debuted way back with the iPhone 11 in 2019.
We don’t know anything about the A19 Pro as Apple hasn’t announced it yet, but it’s a safe bet to assuming that it would enable much smoother processing for features like automatic cropping during video calls (Center Stage), hands-free Siri voice activation, spatial audio, crisper video calls via the built-in camera, and so on.
| Feature | Current Studio Display (2022) | Studio Display 2 (2026?) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A13 Bionic from the iPhone 11 (2019) | A19 Pro would bring more oomph for Center Stage, Hey Siri, spatial audio, video conferencing; it could also enable AI image processing for smoother video. |
| Backlighting | Standard LED | Mini‑LED (improved contrast, brightness) |
| Release timing | March 2022 | Expected in early 2026 |
| Other rumored enhancements | Standard design, basic visuals | Possibly ProMotion, improved design, better camera and audio features |
Of course, the chip would also bring support for Apple Intelligence, which the A13 Bionic doesn’t support, although it isn’t clear whether Apple would build any user-facing AI capabilities into the next Studio Display. If I had to bet, I’d say that the monitor could utilize the Neural Engine in the chip for various image enhancements for better-looking video.
Other rumored upgrades
Earlier, industry analyst Ross Young, along with sources like Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, suggested that the next Studio Display would pack mini-LED backlighting for better brightness, contrast and deeper black levels—all while retaining the 27-inch form factor.
The Verge had previously flagged mini-LED as a likely upgrade, noting how it could alleviate the backlight bleed and limited contrast of the current LED backlight in the Studio Display.
Other rumors mentioned additional enhancements, such as ProMotion, Apple’s dynamic refresh technology that could bring high refresh rates up to 120 Hz. Apple could also drop mini-LED in favor of an OLED panel, which would enable a slimmer enclosure along with picture enhancements like deeper blacks, higher resolutions, higher contrast, bumping up brightness levels even further and other perks.
The next Studio Display could drop in late 2025 or early 2026, coinciding with M5-equipped Macs. These are all rumors, and nothing is certain until Apple officially makes an announcement. However, the presence of codename references and chip identifiers suggests that Studio Display 2 is definitely in active development and testing.
Should you wait for the next Studio Display?
If you’ve been debating whether to buy the current Studio Display or wait for an upgrade, we would usually advise buying whatever technology is available today instead of waiting. But in this case, the next Studio Display might be well worth the wait.
With a next-generation A19 Pro chip and display improvements, the second-generation Studio Display seems poised to deliver a notably smarter and visually richer premium display experience.
And if design tweaks, ProMotion, and other bells and whistles are part of the package, all these improvements could make Studio Display 2 a much more compelling option for creative pros, content creators and just about anyone who appreciates clear, vivid images while working on their Mac.
Other related leaks
Code identifiers accidentally slipped into Apple’s code have revealed some tantalizing possible upgrades coming to other Apple devices. For example, the next Apple TV 4K is said to come later this year, three years after the current third-generation model appears to be a major refresh with a significant hardware boost that could unlock serious console-quality gaming.
It also seems like a second-generation HomePod mini speaker is launching this fall, featuring an unreleased Apple Watch processor that would provide a major performance boost over the current HomePod mini, released in 2020. The upcoming speaker would also benefit from Apple’s rumored in-house wireless chip, dubbed “Proxima,” that might bring better smart home integration, more reliable audio streaming and smoother handoff features.