SecondGlowComparison · checked on 13 November 2026
SecondGlow vs a new Studio Display
If you have a 27-inch 5K iMac and a newer Mac, the real question isn’t which app to use. It’s whether to buy a new 5K display at all. Apple’s Studio Display is the obvious one. Here’s what $1,599 buys you that your iMac with SecondGlow doesn’t, and the other way round.
Choose a Studio Display if you want a camera and microphones built in, one cable that also charges your laptop, or the iMac off your desk.
Choose SecondGlow if you already have a 5K iMac you like looking at and want it as your Mac’s monitor for $39 instead of $1,599.
| SecondGlow | Apple Studio Display | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39 once, plus the iMac you already own | From $1,599 (source) |
| Screen | 27-inch, 5120 × 2880 (the iMac’s own panel) | 27-inch, 5120 × 2880, 600 nits (source) |
| Picture | Sent over the cable with adaptive quality: lossless when the screen is still, about 50 to 60 fps on full-screen video, measured by me | A direct display connection from your Mac |
| Camera, speakers, mics | The iMac’s speakers play your Mac’s sound (macOS 14.2 or later). Its camera and mics aren’t used | 12MP Center Stage camera, six speakers, three mics (source) |
| Cable | One USB-C to USB-A (USB 3) or Thunderbolt cable. Doesn’t charge the laptop | Thunderbolt 5, with 96W laptop charging (source) |
| Your Mac | Apple silicon, macOS Ventura or later | Apple silicon, macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 or later (source) |
| On the desk | The iMac stays on, running SecondGlow, and sleeps when you unplug | Just a display |
Where a Studio Display is better
- A camera and microphones for calls, built in.
- One cable that charges your laptop and carries the picture, with more ports on the back.
- Just a display. No second computer to keep on, new, with Apple’s warranty.
Where your iMac with SecondGlow is better
- $1,560 less. $39 once, for a screen you already own and already like.
- Nothing to sell, nothing to throw away. A used 5K iMac sells for a few hundred dollars; as your monitor it’s worth far more to you.
- It stays a computer. Unplug the cable and the iMac is an iMac again. Nothing is opened or changed.
Which should you choose?
If you’d buy a Studio Display mainly for the screen, try your iMac first: SecondGlow is free for 7 days, so you’ll know on your own desk whether its 5K picture is enough before you spend $1,599. If you need the camera, the microphones or one-cable charging, buy the display.
Other options, including free apps and conversion kits, are in the full guide.
Sources
Checked on 13 November 2026, on each product’s own site. Prices and features change; follow the links for today’s details.