Apple Studio Display vs Samsung ViewFinity S9: Which 5K Monitor is Best for Mac Users?

The 27-inch Apple Studio Display and Samsung ViewFinity S9 are two of the few current 5K monitor options for Mac users. With both priced at $1599, they seem like head-to-head competitors. After testing both displays, here is an in-depth comparison of the Studio Display vs S9 to help Mac owners decide which is the better buy.

Pricing and Specs Overview

Let’s start with a high-level look at how the two displays compare on pricing, size, resolution and core specs:

Pricing

• Apple Studio Display: $1599 (base model)
• Samsung ViewFinity S9: $1599

Screen Size

• Both 27-inch diagonally

Resolution

• Both 5120 x 2880 (5K)

Refresh Rate

• Both 60Hz

Brightness

• Both 600 nits peak

Ports

• Studio Display: 3x USB-C, 1x Thunderbolt 3
• S9: 1x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI, 1x Thunderbolt 3

Webcam

• Studio Display: 12MP ultra wide camera
• S9: Magnetic attachable 4K camera

Speakers

• Studio Display: 6-speaker sound system
• S9: Dual 5W speakers

Adjustability

• Studio Display: Tilt adjustable stand
• S9: Fully adjustable stand with rotation

On paper, they share many similarities. But dig deeper and there are some key differences that impact the overall user experience.

Unboxing and Setup Comparison

First impressions matter, so let’s look at the unboxing and setup process.

The Studio Display continues Apple’s tradition of premium packaging. The display comes carefully wrapped in a sleek box with everything neatly packed. Just lift out the monitor and plug in the Thunderbolt cable. It’s up and running in seconds with no assembly required.

Alternatively, the S9 arrives in a bland brown box plastered in specs. Opening it up reveals loose components stuffed inside without much care. You’ll need to unpack everything, assemble the stand, and bolt it onto the display.

There is also a chunky external power brick that adds clutter. The S9 then requires you to navigate through menus and run a multi-minute initialization.

Unboxing Experience Winner: Studio Display

The Studio Display’s refined packaging and instant plug-and-play setup fits Apple’s brand identity. Samsung’s presentation feels unpolished.

Design and Build Quality Comparison

The Studio Display sports an elegant silver and black aesthetic with slim bezels. The all-aluminum housing gives it a sturdy, premium feel. The counterbalanced hinged stand connects as a seamless extension rather than a tacked-on accessory.

By contrast, the S9 opts for a generic silver and black look. The nearly all-plastic construction feels less substantial, especially the hollow stand attachment. However, the front bezels are slimmer for a slightly more modern appearance.

Both displays are prone to a bit of wobble when fully extended on the stand mounts. The Studio Display exhibits marginally less shake likely owing to its beefier metal chassis.

The S9 does offer advantages with its stand flexibility. The height adjusts over a wider range and it swivels 90 degrees into portrait orientation. This can be handy for certain creative workflows. Unfortunately, the height adjustment is not as smooth as the Studio Display’s, with cheap creaking sounds as you reposition.

Design and Quality Winner: Studio Display

The metal build, unified stand and precisely engineered hinge mechanism of the Studio Display edge out the S9’s plasticky hardware. But the S9’s versatile adjustments offer unique use cases.

Display Performance Comparison

The screens are where these monitors will spend most of their time, so display characteristics are critical.

Both serve up a crisp 218 pixel per inch (PPI) image thanks to the 5K resolution on a 27-inch panel. This results in none of the unsightly scaling artifacts you may see on 4K or lower resolution displays.

The Studio Display offers a glossy screen coating while the S9 has an anti-glare matte finish. The S9 avoids reflections better in bright rooms but some users prefer the punchier colors and contrast on glossy panels like the Studio Display.

They reach similar 600 nit peak brightness levels for HDR content. In real world use the Studio Display can appear slightly brighter at maximum settings. Both deliver plenty of brightness for well-lit office settings.

The S9 supports HDR 600 for improved dynamic range with video. Side by side, the S9 yielded better shadow details and specular highlights on HDR movie clips.

The Studio Display also exhibits more backlight bleed across the panel than the S9 samples we inspected. However, it delivers more consistent backlighting and color uniformity across the entire display area. The S9 tends to show larger variations in backlight and color accuracy at different points on the monitor.

Display Performance Winner: Draw

The Samsung S9 secures an edge in HDR and a matte option is available. But the Studio Display takes the lead in tight backlight control and color consistency. Overall display performance is strong on both models.

Built-In Audio Comparison

One of the biggest differentiators between these two displays is the integrated speaker system.

The Studio Display packs a premium six-speaker setup complete with force-canceling woofers. The angled drivers bounce sound off the desk for an immersive audio experience.

By contrast, the S9 offers only basic twin 5-watt stereo speakers firing from the rear.

Listening side-by-side reveals the massive chasm in sound performance. The Studio Display can fill a room with rich, layered audio including surprisingly solid bass response. The S9’s speakers sound terribly thin and anemic by comparison.

If you plan to use the display solely with external speakers, the S9’s sound isn’t a deal breaker. But for occasional audio without extra equipment, the Studio Display’s sonics blow away the S9’s weak attempt at built-in audio.

Audio Winner: Studio Display

You simply can’t compete with the Studio Display’s innovative six-speaker system. The S9’s speakers are barely an afterthought.

Webcam Comparison

Both monitors offer attachable webcams as laptop users are increasingly relying on external cameras for better video conferencing quality.

The magnetic webcam module on the S9 clicks into place at the top of the display. A physical cover slides over the lens for privacy when not in use. It can also detach fully if preferred.

The webcam itself captures video in 4K resolution but image quality is mediocre. Colors look washed out and detail is lacking. It works fine for basic Zoom calls but doesn’t impress.

Similarly, the fixed 12MP webcam integrated above the Studio Display’s screen is acceptable yet far from remarkable. The 1080p images are better than most laptop cameras but still look digitally processed versus truly sharp.

Webcam Winner: Draw

Neither monitor ships with a great webcam. Even the spec-topping models merely provide passable image quality. If broadcast-ready video is essential, look at premium webcam options from Logitech or others.

Mac Integration Comparison

As monitors aimed primarily at Mac users, integration with macOS is important to streamline usability.

The Studio Display pulls ahead here with thoughtful features missing on the S9. For example, the display automatically adjusts brightness based on ambient room lighting like MacBooks do. Super handy not to have to manually change brightness constantly.

Using a Mac keyboard, you can also easily control the Studio Display’s brightness, volume and power without fussing with menus or buttons on the monitor itself.

By contrast, the S9 treats the Mac like any standard computer. You need to bring up the display’s menus to tweak settings rather than using convenient keyboard shortcuts. It adds friction to the experience.

Mac Integration Winner: Studio Display

The Studio Display’s thoughtful design details mesh with macOS capabilities for a more seamless extended Mac workspace. The S9 operates like a standard external display.

Smart Features Comparison

One unique capability of the ViewFinity S9 versus old-school monitors like the Studio Display is its built-in smart platform.

Like a smart TV, the S9 allows you to browse and download apps including video streaming services. You can watch Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and more directly on the display without connecting a computer.

The S9 also supports services like Apple’s AirPlay for beaming videos from an iPhone or iPad to the larger screen.

Additionally, Samsung’s Gaming Hub integrates cloud gaming capabilities. Connect a Bluetooth controller and you can play Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and other cloud-based games through the display.

So the S9 offers smart functionality similar to owning a smart TV. For some users this may expand the display’s usefulness beyond traditional computing scenarios. But others likely don’t need their monitor pulling double duty as a smart TV.

Smart Features Winner: S9

The S9 brings some added versatility through its integrated smart platform. But these additions probably aren’t essential for many monitor buyers.

Pricing and Value Comparison

With nearly identical $1599 retail pricing, which delivers greater overall value?

The Studio Display comes from a premium brand in Apple with commensurate quality. But is it $600 better than a comparable 5K Dell or LG monitor? Not necessarily based on features alone. You’re paying an Apple tax.

But the S9 positioned itself as a high-end Samsung model rather than a budget option. Yet the execution feels inconsistent for the price.

Ultimately, the Studio Display better aligns with its premium aspirations. From unboxing to construction to audio to Mac integrations, it better justifies its flagship pricing. The S9 feels like a mid-tier monitor marked up to $1600 rather than genuinely earning luxury status.

Conclusion

The Samsung ViewFinity S9 serves up solid picture performance along with some nice bonuses like the articulating stand and smart capabilities. It can save desk space by consolidating computers and smart TVs. This combo approach may suit some purchasers.

But as a monitor focused squarely on delivering a top-end Mac user experience, the Apple Studio Display edges out the S9. The unified aluminum design, remarkable sound system, thoughtful MacOS integrations and general fit-and-finish leave the S9 feeling almost like a budget option despite similar pricing.

The Studio Display better targets the core needs of creative Mac power users versus trying to be a jack-of-all-trades. For Mac-centric buyers wanting the best 5K monitor money can buy, the Studio Display remains the superior choice over the S9.