Apple's Studio Display Has A Wild Accessory You Wouldn't Think Was Needed
Apple unveiled its latest monitor, the Studio Display, at the March 8 Apple event. The company has shipped its $1,600 external monitor with a proprietary power connection port and cable that is not available on any current-gen Apple product available in the market right now. And to make things even worse, the Studio Display's power cord is non-removable, or so says Apple's support document. What this means is when moving the Studio Display from one spot to another, the power cord will keep dangling. However, it appears that the power cord is removable after all.
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The Studio Display Power Cable Removal Tool is absolutely wild! pic.twitter.com/MoCY0pCdXt
— Stella – Fudge (@StellaFudge) March 20, 2022
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The Verge's Nilay Patel shared a picture on Twitter that gives us a peek at unplugged power cord. Interestingly, Apple appears to have made a dedicated cable removal tool that ensures that while removing the power cord, it is positioned at a right angle to avoid any weird movements that can cause damage to the whole system, especially the tiny pins. However, it is quite likely that Apple made the wild tool for its repair channel, and not for regular customers as they are being told that the power cord is non-removable. But hey, this is the same company that also sells a $19 polishing cloth, so there's always some scope for more bewilderment.
Stay away from a risky $1,600 experiment
Why did Apple decide to go with a proprietary power cord interface instead of a regular one that can be found on a ton of monitors out there? Well, it appears that the monitor's svelte profile proved to be a hindrance here. AppleInsider notes that a standard C14 inlet for accepting a C13 inlet is too deep for the Studio Display. That also explains why Apple went with a magnetic power cord for the M1 iMac instead of a C-series power connection interface. The power delivery on Studio Display happens via a system of three rather small metallic pins on the monitor, while the cord has a round plastic shell for the female side. Apple doesn't mention any risks of product damage if the power cord is removed, but doing so isn't exactly a cakewalk.
As Tech YouTuber Linus Sebastian demonstrated on his show, it takes two hands to yank the power cord off, and with a considerable amount of force involved. But doing so doesn't kill the internal circuits, and plugging the cord back in returns the screen to normal functionality. However, we advise against personally replicating it. Plus, the placement of the stand appears to be strategic, as it severely hinders fiddling with the cable. More importantly, one of the co-hosts noted that the plastic plug's fit is so tight that removing the power cord causes the whole panel to flex, which is another sign that users should stay from any adventures.