Top-Ranking Mac Displays : A Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide

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• We’ve reviewed our recommendations and updated our picks for best overall and best for gaming.

Whether you are upgrading your existing setup or looking to add some extra screen real estate to your MacBook, a good monitor is a wise investment. Here are our picks for the best monitors for Mac.

UPDATE: 01/18/2024

We’ve reviewed our recommendations and updated our picks for best overall and best for gaming.

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  BenQ

BenQ PD2706UA

Best Mac Monitor Overall
$550 at Amazon

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  Gigabyte

Gigabyte M27Q

Best Budget Mac Monitor
$230 at Amazon

Apple Pro Display XDR

Best Premium Mac Monitor for Creative Professionals
$4999 at Amazon

BenQ SW271C

Best Mac Monitor for Creatives
See at Amazon

BenQ PD3420Q

Best Ultrawide Mac Monitor
$600 at Amazon

• See More

• 
  
  Corsair

Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240

Best Gaming Mac Monitor
$750 at Amazon

What to Look for in a Mac Monitor in 2024

While the monitor market offers many options, you must keep a few things in mind before picking one up for your Mac.

Most importantly, you want a monitor that works seamlessly with your machine. Depending on which Mac you are using, you can connect to a monitor one of two ways—Thunderbolt via USB-C or an HDMI port .

As the Thunderbolt port is more versatile than the HDMI port, picking up a monitor with USB-C/Thunderbolt input is better for reducing cable clutter. For MacBooks that only include a Thunderbolt port, monitors with Thunderbolt or USB-C support are your only option.

In an ideal world, you should be able to pick any monitor and expect it to work flawlessly with your Mac. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

While buying a monitor, you also have to check if it’s compatible with Macs, particularly if you are using the new Apple Silicon-powered machines. Aside from asking the monitor manufacturer to confirm the support, you can check reviews and customer feedback on retail sites.

Besides compatibility and input support, your budget, available space, intended usage, and display size are also crucial. For example, creative professionals prefer color accuracy and better coverage of different color spaces, whereas gamers will want a high refresh rate panel and low input lag.

Screen resolution is another important part of a monitor. Although 4K has become quite common, QHD resolution provides an excellent middle ground between 4K and Full-HD resolutions. So you can choose the resolution that fits your budget.

For more helpful information about buying a monitor, you can check out our detailed explainer on how to pick the right monitor .

With the basics out of the way, now it’s time to jump into our recommendations.

How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best Mac Monitor Overall: BenQ PD2706UA

BenQ

The BenQ PD2706UA is an excellent monitor choice for most Mac owners. It’s a 27-inch 4K IPS monitor that delivers stunning color accuracy and offers near-complete coverage of the sRGB, Rec.709, and DCI-P3 color spaces. But more importantly, as it’s officially Mac-ready, you will have no trouble using it with your MacBook, Mac Mini, or any other Mac.

It’s also incredibly ergonomic, thanks to the bundled “ergo arm.” Apart from the typical swivel, rotate, tilt, and height adjustments, the ergo arm allows you to bring the monitor towards or away from you, or to the side. As a result, you can seamlessly get the best viewing angle.

The BenQ monitor shines in terms of connectivity options, and you have everything from HDMI to USB Type-C ports. The USB Type-C port also supports 90W power delivery, allowing you to run a single cable from your MacBook to the monitor for video signal and charging the laptop.

Other features include the PD2706UA’s ability to function as a KVM switch, three USB Type-A ports, and one USB Type-C port for connecting peripherals and storage devices. It also supports HDR10 and comes with the company’s Hotkey Puck G2 to quickly and easily access various monitor settings and preset color modes.

If you are a creator, you will be happy to know that this BenQ monitor has many content creation-oriented features, including easy color profile switching, easy color profile syncing, and DualView to view your content in two color modes simultaneously.

Unfortunately, as the monitor comes with the ergo arm, it doesn’t get a free-standing mount. So if you need one , you will have to buy it separately.

Best Mac Monitor Overall

BenQ PD2706UA

The BenQ PD2706UA offers a robust package for Mac owners with its sharp 4K resolution, excellent color accuracy, solid ergonomics, and USB-C support.

$550 at Amazon See at B&H Photo Video

Best Budget Mac Monitor: Gigabyte M27Q

Gigabyte

You don’t need to spend big bucks to get a good monitor for your Mac. For example, the Gigabyte M27Q , our pick for the best budget Mac monitor, typically costs around $330 but is still feature-packed.

Although Gigabyte calls it a gaming monitor, it’s more of an all-rounder. Whether you are doing office tasks, watching Netflix, or gaming, it will offer a great experience. The M27Q has QHD resolution and features a 27-inch IPS panel. The monitor also supports HDR, but it’s only rated for DisplayHDR 400.

Other features include a 170Hz refresh rate, low input lag, and excellent response time . You also get support for a KVM switch , allowing you to use a single keyboard or mouse across multiple devices.

The monitor has outstanding color accuracy, and it offers 92% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space and complete coverage of the sRGB. You also get nearly full coverage of the Adobe RGB color profile.

In terms of input ports, the Gigabyte monitor can receive display signals from HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C ports. However, the USB-C port can only deliver 10W of power. If you are using the M27Q with a MacBook , you’ll have to charge the laptop separately.

The M27Q also lacks swivel adjustment and can’t rotate to portrait mode. However, this is a common problem with budget monitors. If you need a monitor that’s easy to adjust, you’ll need to look at something a bit more pricey .

Best Budget Mac Monitor

Gigabyte M27Q

$230 $300 Save $70

This may be a budget monitor, but Gigabyte doesn’t skimp on the features. It has a 170Hz screen, great color accuracy, and excellent coverage of color profiles.

$230 at Amazon

Best Premium Mac Monitor for Professionals: Apple Pro Display XDR

Apple

Apple’s stunning Pro Display XDR sits in a category of its own. This professional-grade monitor has several things going for it, and if you need reference monitor-level color accuracy and superior HDR capabilities, there is no better option than the Pro Display XDR.

The Pro Display XDR is 32-inches in size and has a 6,016x3,384-pixel native resolution, also known as 6K. In addition, it shares a lot of its design aesthetic with the 2019 Mac Pro , particularly the pattern of cooling vents on the back. All in all, the monitor looks sleek and sophisticated.

Although the company has packed an IPS-type panel in the monitor, the Pro Display XDR can offer a reasonable contrast ratio thanks to full-array local dimming . But it still falls short compared to many OLED screens. so this is something to keep in mind if the contrast is a concern.

Its color performance is impressive with 100% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 99% DCI-P3 coverage. With a Delta E of only 0.57, the color accuracy is also exceptional. Moreover, the monitor shines on the brightness front with 1000 nits of sustained full-screen brightness and 1600 nits peak brightness . The high brightness levels help the monitor bring out even the smallest highlights in high dynamic range content.

While the Apple monitor does many things right, it falls short in some areas. For example, it suffers from blooming and off-axis luminance fall-off. The lack of a stand or VESA mounting adapter from the package is also disappointing. But if you have the funds to spare, there is no beating the Pro Display XDR’s overall professional quality.

Best Premium Mac Monitor for Creative Professionals

Apple Pro Display XDR

With a stunning design and pro-grade color accuracy, the Apple Pro Display XDR is an excellent monitor for creative professionals.

$4999 at Amazon

Best Mac Monitor for Creatives: BenQ SW271C

BenQ

If the Apple Pro Display XDR is overkill for your requirements or you don’t have the budget to go for it, the BenQ SW271C is a fantastic 4K monitor that will satisfy the needs of many creatives.

A successor to the aging SW271, the SW271C brings many welcome upgrades, including 60W power delivery support via the Thunderbolt 3 port. As a result, you can use just one cable for everything with your MacBook.

At the heart of the monitor is an 8-bit + FRC (Frame Rate Control) IPS panel that BenQ claims can display 10-bit color. The monitor accomplishes this by quickly flashing the adjacent colors to the missing original colors. This results in the human eye perceiving the missing color.

Coming to the color spaces, the monitor offers almost complete coverage of AdobeRGB, 90% of DCI-P3, and full coverage of sRGB. In addition, you get top-notch color accuracy with a Delta E of less than 2. This is great because while doing creative work, you want the colors displayed by the monitor to match as closely as possible to how the human eye perceives them.

Among other highlights, there is support for third-party hardware calibration. For example, you can use hardware calibrators with Calman Studio or Light Illusion’s ColourSpace software to get the color perfectly balanced.

HDR is one area where the SW271C lacks a bit, however. Although it supports HDR10 and HLG , the monitor isn’t bright enough to meet the DisplayHDR 400 specification. For creative work, however, that’s far from a deal-breaker.

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Best Mac Monitor for Creatives

BenQ SW271C

The BenQ SW271C has a lot going for it, from 4K resolution to outstanding color accuracy. In addition, it can display 10-bit color.

See at Amazon

Best Ultrawide Mac Monitor: BenQ PD3420Q

BenQ

The BenQ PD3420Q is a multitasker’s dream. It’s a 34-inch WQHD monitor that uses an IPS-type panel. So you get enough screen real estate to open multiple programs simultaneously without worrying about minimizing them.

It is an excellent monitor for content creators, designers, and video editors. You get a rock-solid color accuracy out of the box with a Delta E of less than three. The monitor offers 98% of DCI-P3 and full coverage of the sRGB color space. Unfortunately, however, the PD3420Q lacks AdobeRGB mode.

HDR10 support is present, though, and the monitor meets DisplayHDR 400 specifications.

The PD3420Q also comes with ample input options. You can use HDMI, DisplayPort, or Thunderbolt 3 via USB-C. The last one can also be used to deliver power to your laptop at up to 65W. In addition, the monitor can function as a USB hub and includes three USB 3.1 Type-A ports.

Lastly, the BenQ monitor has a sturdy build quality, and it looks great. It also provides good ergonomics and features an anti-glare coating. It’s expensive, but if you want an ultrawide monitor, you can’t go wrong with

Best Ultrawide Mac Monitor

BenQ PD3420Q

$600 $700 Save $100

The BenQ PD3420Q is an excellent ultrawide monitor. It has a 34-inch screen, super color accuracy, and Thunderbolt 3 support.

$600 at Amazon See at adorama

Best Gaming Mac Monitor: Corsair XENEON 27QHD240

Corsair

With its OLED display, 240Hz refresh rate, and solid motion handling, the Corsair XENEON 27QHD240 is an incredible monitor for gaming. It features a 27-inch panel with a 1440p resolution, which produces fantastic visuals thanks to the OLED technology and has a fast response time.

The monitor is also AMD FreeSync certified, resulting in Adaptive Sync support for variable refresh rate (VRR) on your Mac over the USB Type-C connection. So it can reduce screen tearing when you are playing your favorite games.

Plus, you get incredibly low input lag at high refresh rates. While the input lag increases at 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rates, it’s still not very high.

Beyond gaming, the 27QHD240 is also an excellent choice for media consumption, as the content looks breathtaking. Other features include a built-in KVM switch , 65W power delivery via the USB-C port, two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DP 1.4, and four USB Type-A ports.

Another benefit of getting the Corsair monitor is its three-year warranty, which covers “burn-in “ in the US. So, while the monitor is susceptible to burn-in as it uses an OLED panel, this warranty and the included features to avoid image retention should give you peace of mind. But if you don’t want to deal with this, you can consider Samsung’s Odyssey G7 , which is also a 240Hz monitor but with an LCD panel. The G7 is also cheaper.

Best Gaming Mac Monitor

Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240

$750 $1000 Save $250

The XENEON 27QHD240 from Corsair shines as a gaming monitor with its fantastic OLED panel, 240Hz refresh rate, fast response time, and low input lag.

$750 at Amazon See at Best Buy See at B&H Photo Video

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