ASUS ProArt 6K Display
ASUS:
ProArt Display PA32QCV is a 31.5-inch 6K HDR monitor designed for professional content creators. This Calman Verified display boasts a wide gamut with 98% DCI-P3 coverage and Delta E<2 color accuracy. The ProArt Preset feature now includes the new M Model-P3 mode to deliver seamless and consistent colors when working with MacBook devices. Dual Thunderbolt™ 4 ports support daisy-chaining and enable superfast data transfers and 96-watt power delivery via a single cable.
Unlike the LG and Dell 6K displays, this has the same 6016x3384 resolution as Apple’s Pro Display XDR, which hasn’t been updated since it was introduced more than 6 years ago. The ProArt costs $1,399, whereas the XDR is still priced at $5,999 (with stand).
ASUS doesn’t have the same design aesthetic as Apple, so the ProArt 6K’s design isn’t impressive. There’s a square-shaped base, an arm that attaches to the display, and thin bezels at the top and the sides. There’s a thicker bottom bezel that houses some quick access control buttons.
ASUS’ display has the same 218 pixels per inch as the Pro Display XDR, and text looks crisp. Colors are accurate out of the box and can be further tweaked in the Settings menu with different profiles. HDR10 support is included, but peak brightness maxes out at 600 nits, which limits HDR performance. It also does not have individual local dimming zones, which means it is lacking several of the pro features that set Apple’s XDR display apart.
The ProArt 6K has a matte display coating that’s meant to cut down on reflections, but it does impact some of the color vibrancy and contrast.
Fabien Sanglard (2023, Hacker News):
According to Intel’s Thunderbolt-3 technology brief, the interface has a bandwidth of 40 Gbps. With the 6,016 x 3,384 @ 60Hz / 10bpc plugged into a calculator, the display requires roughly 38.2 Gbps.
This means Thunderbolt 3 bandwidth is nearly maxed out with only 40-38.2 = 1.8Gbps left.
[…]
Thunderbolt 4 was released in 2020 along with Intel’s 8000-series controllers called Maple Ridge. It did not increase the bandwidth, which stayed at 40 Gbps, but it made support for DisplayPort 1.4 (and therefore DSC) mandatory.
This version allows supporting display configuration such as 8K@60Hz.
Previously:
- BenQ PD2730S 5K Display
- ASUS ProArt 5K Display
- ViewSonic VP2788-5K Display
- LG UltraFine 6K
- Apple’s Stale Mac Displays
- Best Mac Monitors and Displays 2024
- ViewFinity S9
- Dell UltraSharp 32 6K
- Studio Display
- Testing the 2019 Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR
- Mac Pro 2019
Update (2025-11-03): Jeff Benjamin:
Like other monitors in the ProArt lineup, the Asus Display 6K features slim 3cm bezels. The bezels are slimmer than what you’ll find on Apple’s first party displays, but the effect is interrupted by the large chin that sports the Asus Logo and physical controls at the bottom.
[…]
An ergonomic stand is, of course, included in the box, and it affords this display a ton of flexibility. The monitor can tilt +23° ~ -5°, swivel +30° ~ -30°, pivot +90° ~ -90°, and rise 0~130mm. Say what you want about the copious amount of plastic, but it’s so nice to have such a capable stand included (for free!) in the box.
[…]
Comparatively, the ASUS ProArt Display 6K features a downright embarrassment of I/O riches[…]
[…]
MacBook users in particular might want to download Asus’ DisplayWidget Center, which lets you control many off the settings found within OSD menus directly from your Mac. It also makes it possible to control the external display’s screen brightness via the keyboard shortcuts in MacBook’s function row.
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The fact you can't (from what I've researched) hardware calibrate the Pro Display XDR seems to me a bigger "missing pro feature" than not having a backlight technology, whose most prominent characteristic is producing stepped glowing artefacts like the old Star Wars matte boxes, around any bright object on a dark background.
The only consistent complaint I've seen about the XDR, is the panel's lack of consistency - and I've seen it from people who've bought and returned multiple displays in a row to get one they could live with.
I’m tired of these shitty companies calling these shitty displays “H”DR for anything lower than 800 nits, and that is a stretch too. In the gaming world, even 400 nits is consider “H”DR. This too is embarrassing. No professional can grade HDR content on these ridiculous displays, especially when the common recommendation for HDR content is to master for 1000 or 2000 nits. So if these displays do not target an HDR audience, what the fuck is the point of wasting engineering time and effort to support “H”DR technologies, then waste time on certifying it as “H”DR600. Surely no one seriously looking at these displays will fool themselves into thinking it’s an “H”DR screen. So I just don’t get it. Looking at reviews, it doesn’t even cover P3 correctly, let alone a wider HDR colorspace such as 2020.
I have the Asus 6K and can confirm it's a great monitor for its price. The HDR mode works reasonable well too even though it doesn't get super bright (it does pop a bit brighter for photos/video). In this mode the brightness controls on my Apple Magic Keyboard work without needing to install Asus software too.
Mine does have a faint electrical coil whine but that's mostly inaudible. Details on my reddit post: https://buildkite.com/owner-dot-com/owner-app-e2e-tests-pull-request/builds/1700/steps/canvas
