Apple’s new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR include built-in storage and Apple silicon that handle several internal system functions. Both displays ship with A-series chips and a larger storage configuration than the previous generation. Apple uses this internal hardware to run the display’s operating system and support camera and audio processing.
The Studio Display uses the A19 chip, while the Studio Display XDR runs on the more powerful A19 Pro. Each model includes 128GB of onboard NAND storage, which is double the 64GB storage Apple used in the earlier Studio Display. The displays also include system memory, with 8GB RAM in the Studio Display and 12GB RAM in the Studio Display XDR.
According to developer logs shared by Mr. Macintosh, both displays contain the full 128GB internal storage along with their respective RAM configurations.
Why the Displays Need Storage
Apple uses the storage to run an iOS-based operating system inside the display. The A-series chips process Center Stage camera features, color calibration, spatial audio, and USB and Thunderbolt device management.
The storage also allows the displays to download firmware updates and run internal diagnostics over time, even though Apple does not expose this storage to users.
Apple likely chose the larger capacity because it already sources NAND storage from its iPhone supply chain, which keeps production simpler and more cost-efficient.
