The new Apple display requires an Apple-made cloth to clean it
Apple’s newest and most expensive Pro Display XDR should only be cleaned with a special cloth. This prevents damage to your display, according to Apple. How much this cloth costs? Nobody knows.
Apple hasn’t only released the new Mac Pro, lovingly called «cheese grater» by fans and critics, but also a display to go with it. It goes by the name Apple Pro Display XDR. If you choose to get this nano-textured version of the display, make sure not to use any cloth to clean it. Use a special dry polishing cloth. Made by Apple.
Not a question of price
An article of the official Apple Support describes the cloth and its function – and sounds a lot like a warning.
Use only the dry polishing cloth that comes with your display to wipe dust or smudges off the screen. Don't add water or use other liquids to clean the nano-texture glass. Never use any other cloths to clean the nano-texture glass. If you lose the included polishing cloth, you can contact Apple to order a replacement polishing cloth.
No word about how much a replacement cloth costs. The link on the official support page leads to a contact form.
Apple might as well give away the cloths for free, as the Pro Display XDR is expensive enough. According to apple.com, the nano version of the Pro Display costs 6,399 francs.
- Apple Display Pro XDR: CHF 5,399.–
- Nano-texture glass: CHF 1,000.–
- Apple Pro stand: CHF 1,099.–
That’s a total of 7,498 francs for the display. If you want the luxury edition with any imaginable extra, it will set you back by another 58,198.20 CHF, which makes 65,696.20 CHF with the display. Considering this price, what’s a tiny surcharge for a cloth?
Preventing scratches
There's a simple reason why this special cloth is needed: nano-texture glass is called glass, but has little in common with traditional glass. Liquids and regular cloths can leave scratches or streaks. Nobody wants that.
The Pro Display XDR promises a lot, especially for professionals, as the 1600 nits and the contrast values of 1 000 000:1 indicate. According to Apple, typical desktop displays have sustained brightness around 350 nits. Pro Display XDR produces an industry-leading 1000 nits of full-screen sustained brightness and 1600 nits at its peak. In addition, it boasts 10-bit colour depth and supports the DCI-P3 colour space, which is common for US cinemas.
On top of this, nano-texture glass eliminates reflections in difficult light conditions. This ultra-matt coating is designed to make sure graphic artists and videographers don't need those strange blinders any more.
Typical matte displays have a coating added to their surface that scatters light. However, these coatings lower contrast while producing unwanted haze and sparkle. The nano-texture on Pro Display XDR is actually etched into the glass at the nanometre level.
This is supposed to reduce reflections. And these etchings could be the reason why a special cloth is necessary to ensure the display has a long and healthy life.
Speaking of displays: putting pressure on a flat screen will break it. So, if you’re pointing at something on the screen, do so without touching it. This doesn’t only apply to the Apple Pro Display XDR. Not only, but especially.
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