TCL launches affordable Apple Studio Display rivals with up to 480Hz OLED panel

TCL has introduced two new high-end monitors in China, and they fall in the X3B OLED+ series. Among the two, the 27X3B seems to be standing as an affordable competitor to the 27-inch Apple Studio Display.

For reference, the regular Studio Display from Apple starts at $1,539, and it comes with an IPS (or "Retina") panel with a resolution of 5,120x2,880 pixels, 600 nits brightness rating, and a 60Hz refresh rate.

The 27-inch TCL 27X3B, on the other hand, features a Tandem WOLED display. It has a peak brightness rating of 1,500 nits, which is a big plus. Another highlight is the 280Hz refresh rate, but it has a native QHD resolution. There's a low-reflection coating for better visibility, and it's claimed to have a 99.5% DCI-P3 color coverage, making it good for professional workloads.

Just like the Studio Display, TCL's new 27-inch OLED monitor has a built-in speaker setup, and it's tuned by B&O. TCL also highlights that the display has "fast frame technology," promising low latency, and the overall design is quite similar to the Apple Studio Display.

As for the 32-inch display model, the 32X3B OLED+, it takes the specs up by a notch. It also comes with a Tandem WOLED panel, but there's a 480Hz refresh rate mode. This mode, however, dials the resolution down to FHD, which shouldn't be a big issue for competitive games.

There's a 240Hz refresh rate mode, and at that, the resolution goes up to UHD. The peak brightness rating remains the same, and the 32-inch model also has a low-reflection coating and a 99.5% DCI-P3 color coverage. It's also worth noting that the 32X3B has a richer port configuration, including a 90W USB-C, than the 27-inch model.

Regarding the price, the 27X3B is the most affordable one, retailing for CNY 3,699, about $546. As for the TCL 32X3B, it retails for CNY 6,499, around $959. The company tends to bring most of its products outside China, and these new OLED monitors are expected to hit the global market as well.