Will the Studio Display 2 have this key upgrade?

Chance Miller | Feb 4 2026 - 10:40 am PT

Apple is expected to release a new version of the Studio Display sometime in the first half of the year. This will mark its first update since originally debuting alongside the Mac Studio in 2022.

However, a new rumor suggests the Studio Display 2 might not have a most-wanted feature after all…

According to an anonymous tipster cited by MacRumors, the Studio Display 2 will have a 90Hz refresh rate instead of 120Hz.

The tipster believes that a 90Hz refresh rate would make sense due to bandwidth considerations. Thunderbolt 5 can support 5K resolution at 120Hz without any compression, but they think Apple likely wants to ensure there will be plenty of remaining bandwidth for connecting other devices and peripherals to the new Studio Display.

This is the second time a rumor has suggested a future Studio Display will feature a 90Hz display rather than 120Hz. In November 2024, an anonymous tipster reached out to the Upgrade podcasthosted by Myke Hurley and Jason Snell with the following tip:

“I have news on screen improvements for the next generation of the M3 iPad Air. Apple is working on a higher refresh rate LCD display with a new liquid motion panel fixed at around 90Hz. They’re also working on expanding it to other models or products like a 24-inch iMac and a next-gen Studio Display.”

In December, Macworld reported that the Studio Display 2 would have a 120Hz ProMotion display. Interestingly, that report cited an “internal pre-release build of iOS 26” as its source. Today’s MacRumors tipster also cites “alleged information from an internal build of iOS 26 that was leaked online.”

Presumably, both sources are looking at different builds. Apple’s plans have likely changed multiple times, so it’s unclear what the exact outcome here will be. Over the weekend, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reiterated that he expects the new Studio Display to launch during the first half of the year.

Would you be satisfied if Apple’s new Studio Display only offers a 90Hz refresh rate instead of 120Hz? Let us know down in the comments.

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