INNOCN CB32U1 review: An affordable alternative to the Apple Studio Display?

The "Art Monitor" delivers extremely low color deviations and stands out with an excellent, high-contrast image that almost reminds us of an OLED display. Deep blacks despite the backlight, rich yet natural-looking colors, and an overall pleasing picture define the INNOCN. As a result, it is well suited for its intended purpose of editing photos and graphics.

Compared to the Apple Studio Display (starting at €1,449 on Amazon), it is significantly more affordable while also offering a larger screen and a higher refresh rate (120 Hz versus 60 Hz).

However, it is slightly dimmer and features an 8-bit panel rather than a true 10-bit display. Intermediate colors are simulated using FRC, allowing it to display the same 1.07 billion colors. Its price—roughly one-third that of Apple's display—is also achieved by leaving out several convenience features, including a KVM switch, speakers, camera, microphones, cable management, and pivot support.

For photographers, graphic designers, and Mac users primarily looking for a color-accurate display who can do without built-in speakers, a webcam, and seamless Apple integration, the INNOCN can be an attractive, lower-cost alternative.

The monitor is priced at $560 on Aliexpress. 

INNOCN is a Chinese monitor brand focused on delivering high-quality panels with strong value for money.

The company's newest model is the CB32U1. Marketed as a "Professional Art Display," it targets artists and creative professionals while using its elegant white design and marketing terms such as "Mac View" to position itself as a more affordable alternative for Apple users. But does it succeed?

With its clean white finish and slim black glass bezels on the front, the monitor has a premium, stylish appearance. Visually, we like the design of the INNOCN.

However, we did notice one weakness in the construction. The area where the stand locks into the monitor creates potential leverage on the mounting mechanism. The locking plate has a slight amount of play and can shift slightly out of its mounting point, which doesn't inspire much confidence. It raises concerns about whether the mechanism securely supports the display, particularly when lifting it out of the box by the stand.

The stand supports height adjustment, tilt, and swivel. In our experience, however, it does not rotate into portrait orientation, meaning there is no pivot function. Cable management is also absent.

The monitor includes the essential ports, but not much beyond that. There are no dedicated USB ports for a keyboard or mouse, and even the 3.5 mm audio jack is only available through the included USB-C hub.

It is also unclear which of the two USB-C ports provides the full 90 W power delivery. One port is labeled "USB-C," while the other is simply labeled "USB," although both appear identical otherwise.

The package includes several cables as well as a USB hub featuring three USB-A ports and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

INNOCN focuses entirely on image quality. Additional features such as a KVM switch, integrated speakers, or the previously mentioned pivot mode are not available on the CB32U1. On the plus side, the USB-C port supports up to 90 W Power Delivery, allowing it to charge external devices such as a MacBook. An integrated ambient light sensor on the top edge measures surrounding light conditions and can automatically adjust brightness and blue light levels to reduce eye strain.

According to the manufacturer, this "professional 4K monitor for photo editing" achieves a DeltaE below 1 and supports multiple color spaces, including 99% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB. A 120 Hz refresh rate is also intended to provide smoother visuals while working on creative projects.

Subjectively, we were very impressed: The image is bright, blacks are deep, and colors and contrast are presented beautifully. All content looks excellent without any noticeable color distortion. The monitor also includes various pre-configured color and image modes to adjust the display, including options such as Mac View, Art Design, and others.

In our measurements, the monitor reaches around 350 nits at 90% brightness with the Display P3 mode enabled. Unfortunately, brightness decreases slightly from the center toward the edges. At 100% brightness, the INNOCN reaches almost 400 nits in the center.

Unlike the Titan Army C49c1s (our review), the factory calibration of the Display P3 color profile is very good. DeltaE values measured with the ColorChecker remain below 1, while grayscale values are only slightly higher. Users therefore do not need to calibrate the monitor themselves, and it can reproduce colors with very high accuracy — a fundamental requirement for editing graphics and photos.

INNOCN advertises 100% sRGB and 99% DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB coverage. According to our measurements against Display P3, the monitor covers almost the entire sRGB color space, while Display P3 reaches 87% and Adobe RGB reaches 85%.

Subjectively, viewing angle stability is very good and better than the OpenCamera images might suggest.

When switched off, the monitor consumes around 0.5 W. The graph below shows the startup process beginning after 10 seconds. At 90% brightness, the monitor consumes just under 40 W.