Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
The Spectrum One with Gorilla Glass is a 4 potassium , 27 - inch showing that ’s an affordable alternative to Apple ’s Studio Display ( which starts at $ 1,599 ) . It has honorable vividness quality , high brightness , and a varying refresh rate . Its mordant reproduction is n’t as rich as the Apple Studio Display , but the Spectrum One is a good choice for all kinds of use of goods and services case .
monetary value When Reviewed
This value will show the geolocated pricing schoolbook for ware undefined
The top, left, and right bezels on the Spectrum One display are thinner than on the Apple Studio Display.
Best Pricing Today
Apple makes nice displays , but sheesh , they are expensive . So , when a presentation like Dough ’s Spectrum One with Gorilla Glass is resign , it certainly captivate a shopper ’s eye . price at $ 898 ( that ’s $ 799 for the display and $ 99 for the stand ) , it ’s well chintzy than the $ 1,599Apple Studio Display .
It ’s easy to find a 27 - in , 4 super C display that ’s cheaper than the Studio Display , but they are not ordinarily on equation with Apple ’s quality . The Spectrum One , however , issue forth very cheeseparing – so secretive that for a lot of mass , it ’s a workable option to the Studio Display . As you might look , a few compromise are made , but you also get a few feature article that you either ca n’t receive or have to pay extra for in the Studio Display .
The top, left, and right bezels on the Spectrum One display are thinner than on the Apple Studio Display.
( If you are thinking of buying the Spectrum One , you should have it away about Dough ’s history . It used to be Eve , but it developed a tough reputation due to problematic products and client service . I ca n’t speak to the fellowship ’s current service record , but theswitch to Doughinvolves exertion to provide dear service and product to reinstate itself and clean up its image . )
See how this monitor compares to others in ourround - up of the good displays and monitors for Mac user .
Specifications
Design and build
Here ’s a nitpicky detail that only Mac users can understand . One of the problems with non - Apple displays is that they do n’t match the Apple pattern aesthetic . This is a trivial emergence , but doggonit , third - party designs are often downright ugly .
The top , leftover , and right bezel on the Spectrum One display are thin than on the Apple Studio Display .
Foundry
Sold separately for $99, the Spectrum One’s stand offers tilt and height adjustment and can pivot 90 degrees.
That ’s not the case with the Spectrum One . It does n’t wait like an Apple product , but it does depend nice . The showing ’s aluminum stand is a gray tint that ’s not the same as Apple ’s Space Gray , but it does n’t clash with it .
Overall , the Spectrum One feel like a solid , inflexible exhibit . That ’s peculiarly important if you want to swivel the display from time to time , which you’re able to do .
The presentation has a lean bezel that ’s about a quarter - in thick around the top and sides , and they ’re thin than the Studio Display ’s half - column inch bezel . The Spectrum One ’s bottom bezel is thicker , but it does n’t stand out .
A connection hub and on-display control joystick are on the back of the Spectrum One.
The Spectrum One presentation in this review has a Corning Gorilla Glass with DXC front , and harmonize to Dough , this glass increases the ambient line ratio by 40 pct and cut down reflexion by 70 percent when liken to other Spectrum One displays , which have glossy or matt glass . Compared to the standard semi - shiny glass on the Apple Studio Display , the Gorilla Glass appears more mat - like and it does a well job of circularise glower . With a entirely black Desktop , the Studio Display ’s calamitous look deeper while the Spectrum One has a bit of a frosted face to it .
Sold separately for $ 99 , the Spectrum One ’s stand offer tilt and tiptop adjustment and can swivel 90 degrees .
Display stand
The Spectrum One ’s standpoint does not hail with the display but is a separate part that you ’ll have to pay up $ 99 for . The stand attaches to the VESA mount ; it snaps into place and can be easily removed . The tie-up does declare oneself a unspoiled raiment of adjustments : its upright tilt go 7 degree up or 23 degrees down , it can pivot 90 degrees , and it has a height adjust range of 122 millimeters .
If the $ 99 for the rack is a letdown , deal that the stand included with Apple ’s Studio Display does not have height allowance . Apple does offer a viewpoint with that , but you ’ll have to pay an additional$400 .
Ports
The Spectrum One connects to the Mac through a USB - C embrasure that also supplies 100 watts of power throughput to charge a machine-accessible MacBook . A Mac can also use one of the two HDMI 2.1 interface , but by connecting through USB - nose candy you ’ll also be able to use the display as a hub and its other USB - C port ( 15 watts ) , the two USB - A embrasure , and the 3.5 millimetre sound recording diddly . There ’s also a USB - B larboard so PCs can use the display as a port wine hub and DisplayPort .
Built-in controls
The back of the Spectrum One has a mini joystick that ’s promiscuous to touch when sitting in front of the presentation – it ’s at the bottom centre of the back . When you push it down , a control panel come along and the joystick is used to navigate mise en scene , including Picture mise en scene such as Brightness , Contrast , colour temperature , and Sharpness setting .
It ’s important to know about this control condition panel because you ’ll postulate to get at it to tweak the figure of speech quality – particularly the Brightness , which I ’ll discuss in the “ Image and television lineament ” department .
A connexion hub and on - display control joystick are on the back of the Spectrum One .
you may link up multiple devices to the Spectrum One , even a game console like an Xbox or PlayStation . ( After all , the Spectrum One was ab initio contrive as a gaming show . ) And thanks to its varying refresh charge per unit – which let in the ability to range at 120Hz – gameplay will be smooth . You ca n’t get 120Hz on a Studio Display if you ’re able to connect a cabinet to it in the first place – it does n’t have HDMI , so you have to use an HDMI to Thunderbolt adapter .
In macOS ’s Display System preferences , the Spectrum One can be adjusted for its refresh rate . you may go under it to Variable , which adjust the rate on the fly between 40 and 144Hz , or you may select a rate . you’re able to also twist on the option to adjust the exhibit to show eminent dynamic cooking stove ( HDR ) content and pick a color profile . The brightness ca n’t be set through System preferences , only through the display ’s control dialog box .
Image and video quality
I usedmacOS Sonoma ’s terrific wallpapersas well as some personal exposure and videos to test the image calibre of the Spectrum One , and overall , the image lineament is impressive . The colors are ample , vivacious , and accurate , and the detail is precipitous . To me , the Spectrum One expect more precise in some instance while the Studio Display come off as too live .
But as I advert when I covered the Gorilla Glass on the display , the Spectrum One ’s black is n’t as deep or deep as that on the Apple Studio Display . It does n’t detract from the overall image caliber , it ’s just … different .
The 4 K videos I played ran swimmingly and I did n’t mark any off - arrange artifacts . To check the Spectrum One ’s response rate , I ranResident evilness : Villagewith macOS Sonoma ’s Game Mode turn on . The difference was elusive when switch between 60Hz and 144Hz , but the game did see smoother at the faster refresh charge per unit , which is central for first - person triggerman . The variable and high-pitched refresh rate feature is one that you ca n’t find on the Studio Display , which is fixed at 60Hz .
One major advantage the Spectrum One has over the Studio Display is that it supports HDR10 , a stock high - dynamic range format . HDR can be turned on and off in the Display System preferences , but if you ’re catch or work in HDR content , you ’ll definitely want it on – it makes a dramatic difference . When catch HDR videos , I noticed an melioration in the dividing line and item with HDR . For example , in thisvideo , you may see much more skin texture with HDR on the Spectrum One than with HDR off or compared to the Studio Display .
The Spectrum One has a distinctive smartness of 450 nit , but its maximum brightness is 750 nits , which is 150 more than the Studio Display . The brightness , however , is a swelled agent when you ’re setting up the Spectrum One . accord to the display ’s built - in control panel , the nonremittal brightness is fix to “ 50 , ” which I assume is 50 percentage of the maximum 750 nits . In any case , it look too dimmed , especially when seat next to a Studio Display . When I turn it up to 80 and 90 , it look to be more on par with Apple ’s display , and turn it up to 100 made it a tad brighter by comparing . rick up the brightness also helped cut down the glower of the glass .
Multimedia features
The Spectrum One does not have build - in speakers , microphones , or a television camera . If you need these features , you ’ll have to resort to external solutions . If you ’re particular about audio recording and image quality , you probably prefer to go this route even if those piece as built - in because you’re able to get speaker and a mic that produce much better quality .
The Spectrum One can swivel to a vertical position .
As for the camera , you could use an iPhone and take advantage ofmacOS ’s Continuity Camera . The iPhone ’s photographic camera is much comfortably equipped to deal different lighting situations and it produces large video tone . You ’ll need to get a mount like Belkin’siPhone Mount with MagSafe for Mac Desktops and Displays($39.99 ) .
The Spectrum One can pivot to a vertical position.
The Spectrum One has a keen feature called Split Screen modality , where the display can show two sources at once . unluckily , the two screens do n’t altogether fulfil the display ; each screen door reside 50 per centum of the horizontal show width . Split Screen is turned on through the video display ’s command panel .
Price
The Spectrum One with Gorilla Glass is $ 799 without a stall . you may supply your own bandstand to tie to the VESA mount , or you may devote an extra $ 99 for a stand . Even at $ 898 ( include a stand ) , that toll is much more toothsome for a lot of customers than the $ 1,599 Apple Studio Display with the semi - calendered received glass and a stand that does not proffer height adjustment .
Other 27 - inch 4 K displays can be found for under $ 799 , but they do n’t offer a variable refresh rate or a glass front like the Spectrum One ’s Gorilla Glass . They also may practice twisted nematic ( TN ) or upright alignment ( VA ) display technologies , which are cheaper but tend to have lesser overall effigy quality than IPS or LED .
Should you buy the Spectrum One with Gorilla Glass?
The Spectrum One with Gorilla Glass is worth a look if you ’re in the marketplace for a video display and cringe at the $ 1,599 start price of the Apple Studio Display . There are a few craft - offs : it ’s 4 K resolution rather than 5 K , and it lack speaker , a microphone , and a webcam . Its overall image timbre is n’t as good as the Studio Display , but it ’s still very unspoiled for even professional - floor prototype work . It had a few advantages over the Studio Display , such as a varying refresh charge per unit to a maximum of 144Hz , a higher maximum brightness , its $ 99 bandstand has pinnacle adjustment , and it can link to game consoles at 120Hz . Overall , it ’s a showing that ’s worth the investment funds .
