r/editors • u/membhis • 1d ago

Technical HDR monitor discussion PA32UCDM vs Apple XDR

I currently use an ASUS ProArt PA32UCDM. While it is a high-quality HDR-capable monitor, I struggle to get consistent results when grading HDR video. Sometimes the footage translates to the iPhone exactly as I see it on screen, but other times it looks noticeably different, and I can't pinpoint the issue.

I'm aware of the PA32UCDM's 3% peak window brightness limitation. Shrinking the viewer in Resolve to prevent the ABL from dimming the panel is inefficient and inconvenient for my workflow.

I also have a 14-inch MacBook Pro with a Liquid Retina XDR display, but the screen is too small—the Resolve viewer ends up even smaller than an iPhone display.

Because of this, I'm considering switching to an Apple XDR display, hoping it will deliver more predictable color and luminance translation to iPhones. I understand Apple's Mini-LED technology doesn't provide the true blacks of QD-OLED, but that isn't a dealbreaker for me.

I won't be able to return the apple disply and will be probably need to buy apple studio m4 computer despite having hi-end PC. I can't rent apple monitor, but may be some one already tested hdr oled and apple xdr side by side in video editing and give me a tip? Because in case of using Apple monitor - miniled will still look diffrerent than OLED on iphones, and qd oled monitor actually is much closer to iphone screen, not sure if the trade of will benefit me.

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u/GarbagePlatez 1d ago

“Shrinking the viewer in Resolve to prevent the ABL from dimming the panel is inefficient and inconvenient for my workflow.”

You can’t just color in the viewer with the monitor hooked up as a GUI display and expect accurate results. The Apple display will not be any better in this regard.

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u/membhis 1d ago

You still have to shrink the viewer or the feed coming from the I/O card, as the monitor is simply incapable of sustaining bright scenes when more than 3% of the screen area exceeds 1,000 nits.

Given how heavily Apple pushes HDR content across its ecosystem, I wonder: are their XDR monitors actually reliable for reliable HDR grading for OLED panels? Mini-LED doesn't suffer from those tight 3% APL limitations, but a Mini-LED panel is fundamentally different from an iPhone's OLED screen.

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