While Apple brought out its 5K Studio Display back in March 2022, Samsung has been hinting about its rival display for most of this year -- and now the display is available in the U.S. for $1,599.
The ViewFinity S9 has a 27-inch 218 PPI display at a 5K (5,120 x 2,880) resolution, which can be ideal for those who edit photos and videos.
Samsung has been showcasing the ViewFinity S9 since CES 2023, and soon after it announced the price and release date for South Korea. But it's only this month that US release plans were unveiled.
The company likes to try to steal some of Apple's thunder, such as its Galaxy phone series, but this is the first time Samsung has tried to rival Apple's Studio Display, which is also a 27-inch 5K monitor. But the ViewFinity S9 has features that go some way towards justifying that $1,599 more than the Studio Display ever did.
A better camera for a start
The ViewFinity S9 comes with a built-in 4K SlimFit camera, so Zoom and Google Meet calls can take advantage of this, while Apple's Studio Display only has a 12MP ultra-wide camera that supports 1080p video and Center Stage.
Back when it was released in 2022, its poor-quality webcam was the subject of much discussion, prompting Apple to explain that it was a bug, and an update would fix it. And while it mostly did, the quality paled in comparison to other monitors.
YouTubers such as MKBHD were quick to mention its limitations, and while there wasn't a mention of the Studio Display at WWDC 2023, it's a passable Monitor if it's something you really need.
Since 2022 however, we've not heard much about both of Apple's displays, and whether we'll see a refresh by the time 2023 ends. But Samsung's offering may be tempting to many, especially as the display can be pivoted to 90 degrees without paying extra for a stand compared to Apple's take.
Adding to the fact that there you can connect to a bunch of streaming apps directly on the ViewFinity, such as Netflix and Xbox GamePass, it could be a tempting purchase for many.
However, time will tell if this will be a total replacement for the Studio Display once macOS Sonoma is released in the fall, as its small print makes sure to mention that it doesn't have full compatibility with macOS just yet. But regardless, at $1,599, the ViewFinity S9 could be the display to beat.
