The Samsung ViewFinity S9 is one of the few 27-inch 5K displays on the market, going head-to-head with the Apple Studio Display in offering ideal pixel density for full Retina quality.
The ViewFinity S9 is priced at $1,599.99, essentially the same as the Apple Studio Display, although Samsung includes a tilt- and height-adjustable stand while Apple charges $400 for that upgrade. The ViewFinity S9 can also be pivoted to a portrait orientation using the included stand.
The ViewFinity S9 features a Thunderbolt 4 port, three USB-C ports, and a Mini DisplayPort, and it includes 90 watts of power for machines connected through the Thunderbolt 4 port. A removable 4K SlimFit webcam supports tilt adjustments, as well as Auto Framing of subjects in the shot, similar to Apple's Center Stage feature. Built-in speakers with an Adaptive Sound+ option to automatically adjust noise levels are also included.
Built-in Smart TV apps and a remote control allow the display to function as a TV without being connected to a computer, with support for popular streaming apps and the Samsung Gaming Hub for playing cloud-based games from Xbox, NVIDIA, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by Juli Clover
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected.
Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update.
Complaints
There are a long...
Tuesday September 16, 2025 11:17 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26 was finally released on Monday, but the software train never stops, and the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 will likely be released soon.
iOS 18.1 was an anomaly, as the first developer beta of that version was released in late July last year, to allow for early testing of Apple Intelligence features. The first betas of iOS 15.1, iOS 16.1, and iOS 17.1 were all released in the second ...
Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:26 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small ...
Tuesday September 16, 2025 12:26 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple released iOS 26 on September 15, and it's now available for all iPhone users with a compatible device. There are a lot of changes and features to learn about, so if you want a quick, easy-to-read list that outlines what's new, we've got you covered.
Design
Liquid Glass design that reflects light and refracts what's underneath. It's system wide, with dynamic tab bars and toolbars...
Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:55 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
iOS 26's new Liquid Glass interface has been criticized for making some content illegible in certain circumstances, and now the UI design is reportedly causing another unusual visual problem for some users.
Liquid Glass adds subtle glowing effects to the corners of app icons, creating a dynamic glass-like appearance with depth and parallax effects. However, as noted by Gizmodo, this design...
Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe.
The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware.
With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...
Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions.
The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said.
It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
I don’t see why any Mac user would buy this over the excellent Apple Studio Display.
My ASD has been superb, but for some reason it attracts a lot of negative comments in this forum. It works perfectly with my Mac, it integrates beautifully with MacOS, it sounds good, it’s more HDR than some HDR displays I’ve tested, it’s 600 nits, and its webcam is adequate for work meetings. Oh and it’s perfectly color calibrated to my MacBook right out of the box. Yet, people who don’t have one tells me it sucks!!
My only reservation with it was that it was expensive, however, the release of Samsungs display, seems to show that quality 5K displays are not cheap to make or sell.
[S]And, please no more complaints that it’s only 60hz not 120hz or 144hz. Existing cables cannot carry 120hz at 5K. The tech doesn’t exist!![/S]
Corrected statement. The current tech on MacBooks can't even drive 5K at higher than 60hz. (I only have [I]TB4 and HDMI 2.0 on my current MacBook Pro (14" 2021 M1 Pro). At the time the ASD came out, I don't think there were many Macs that could use a 5K panel beyond 60hz.[/I]
***
EDIT
Since the thread has gotten so long, and I keep getting quoted on this, I see that no-one sees the later post where I corrected what I meant to say! I have lined through my original poorly worded statement. And have restated what I meant to say in italics. It's not that the tech doesn't exist, it's that it doesn't exist on MacBooks.
Why would anyone pay the same price for a plastic build monitor, am I missing something?
Street price will likely go down significantly, different from Apple. It is matte, which means you don’t have to pay the nano-texture premium if you don’t like glossy. It supports HDR which the ASD doesn’t. It supports AirPlay which the ASD doesn’t. And you can switch between stand and VESA mount out-of-the-box.
