- Best Monitor For A Mac Mini
- Best Monitor For A Mac
- Best Monitor For A Macbook Air
- Best Monitor For A Mac Mini
The Acer is a 27 inch IPS monitor with 2560 x 1440 resolution. It offers a thin bezel design, and a 15 degree tilt for more comfortable viewing.The base is magnetic so you can store simple office tools like paperclips without cluttering up the screen. Some of the best monitors for Mac computers in 2018 are: Dell U2415 Ultrasharp Monitor. If you have looked around other people’s configurations, you may have probably seen this monitor in action many times.7. This is one of the best and the most popular monitors to use with Mac Pro and Mac Mini. This Dell monitor is a great monitor and we picked it as the “best monitor for the MacBook Pro”. The Dell U3417W FR3PK 34″ Screen has a curved display which improves your field of view by reducing reflections. Your Mac or MacBook's display is already gorgeous. If you're in the market for a second display or something larger than what you have, a 4K monitor is a huge step in the right direction, so you can try and maintain the same level of definition. These are the best 4K monitors for your Mac.
In this video, we listed the top 5 best monitors for mac in 2018. I made this list based on my personal opinion and i tried to list them based on their price, quality, durability and more.
When it comes to buying a monitor, there are many things to look for. The priorities and considerations to bear in mind differ depending on the main uses of the monitor. As a photo editor what you should be looking for is a monitor that will allow you to open and make color, contrast and other changes to images. This then needs to be translated to photobook or printer. Only a screen that gives high color reproduction is the best monitor for photo editing. What is that monitor? Here is a guide with our best picks for 2019.
Size and Resolution
This is very important because it will determine how sharp an image is. The resolution refers to the number of pixels on the screen. The more the pixels, the sharper the image will be when viewed. The size of the screen determines the ideal resolution it should have. For instance, 23” monitors give sharp images at a resolution of 1920 by 1080 whereas a 27” screen would need a higher resolution to create displays with the same sharpness. A bigger screen means more space to display icons, images, web pages and many others.
This refers to all the colors available in a device which is, in this case, the monitor. The wider the color gamut the better because the images will have each shade of color as captured. All the subtleness in the raw file will be shown. A display that has a lookup table (LUT) and In-plane switching is a great choice.
The best photo editing monitor needs to have at least 8bit LUT which allows the monitor to pull up images from a color palate with 16.7 million colors. A 10-bit LUT raises that to a palette with over a billion colors. The latter is, however, too expensive for most photographers. Digital connectivity options like DVI, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are also very important.
There are two types of panels that you can find on an LCD monitor. The commonest is the Twisted Nematic (TN) which is the cheapest and the most common. The other is vertical alignment (VA) which is rarer but has better color accuracy compared to TN panels. They have the best blacks but viewed from a wrong angle, the colors may be weird.
The best option for a good photography monitor is one with In-Plane Switching (IPS). Though more expensive, IPS panels have wider viewing angles and display more color among other likable features.
Color space is the set of colors that define a standard. This standard can be a digital representation of colors, a set of color swatches or any other. The color space, given in percentage, is the number of colors the monitor can display in any color space. The best monitor for photo editing should have 100% sRGB. This translates to 70% Adobe RGB space which is among the best.
This is the ability of a monitor to display colors exactly as they should be. The accuracy can shift due to many factors and hence one needs to keep calibrating this color accuracy often. It is advisable to carry out calibration at least once a month. Most screens have an inbuilt calibration tool. In most cases, this is an external colorimeter that is draped over the monitor in the calibration process.
During this calibration process color patches are shown and then an ICC profile is created using the software. This adjusts the colors properly. For those shoes monitors do not come with a calibration tool, a good choice for photo editing monitors is either the Datacolor Spyder 4 or the X-Rite ColorMunki Display.
Preview | Product | Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
BenQ BL2711U 27-Inch IPS 4K Monitor, 3840x2160, sRGB, and Rec.709, CAD/CAM ,... | from $229.00 | ||
LG 34UC80-B 34-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide QHD IPS Monitor with USB Quick Charge | $549.99 | ||
BenQ SW2700PT PhotoVue 27 inch QHD 1440p Photography Monitor | Hotkey Puck for... | $599.00 | ||
Samsung CF791 Series 34-Inch Curved Widescreen Monitor (C34F791) | from $796.32 | ||
BenQ PV270 27' Video Post-Production IPS Monitor, 2560x1440 QHD, 96% DCI-P3,... | from $1,006.57 | ||
Dell Ultrasharp 32' UP3216Q Monitor, UHD 4k 3840 x 2160 at 60Hz, 16:9, 99.5%... | from $337.03 | ||
ASUS PA329Q 32' 4K/UHD 3840x2160 IPS HDMI Eye Care ProArt Monitor | from $310.40 |
1. BenQ BL2711U 27-Inch IPS 4K ($455.73)
To allow you to see everything on the screen clearly, this 27-inch long LCD monitor has 3810x2160 resolution. With this, you get 4K HD enabling you to watch 4K videos seamlessly and see all the details of an image clearly.
The IPS panel technology in place qualifies this to be the best photo editing monitor. There are many viewing angles, 178 in both horizontal and vertical planes to be precise. This means images that remain vivid regardless of the angle they are viewed at.
This screen has 100% sRGB which means you will be getting access to most colors even when using the most demanding photo editing software. You can enjoy over a billion brilliant colors on this monitor. This monitor has a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000,000:1 which gives exceptional accuracy.
![Monitor Monitor](https://cdn4.iconfinder.com/data/icons/imod/512/Hardware/iMac-on.png)
2. LG 34UC80 B 34 Inch 21:9 ($599)
The screen measures 34” long with an aspect ratio of 21:9. To make even more use of the space, the screen can be split in two. You get access to four different Picture-in-Picture (PIP) options. It has a resolution of 3440 by 1440 which makes images sharp and clear with 109 PPI (pixels per inch).
This screen can be viewed from different angles without affecting the color thanks to the IPS technology. Us the adjustable stand to set the screen to an angle you are comfortable with. The sRGB is 99% which means that you will get the perfect color for all your images and graphics. The colors are very accurate making this the best monitor for photo editing.
All work with no play is no fun and LG knows that. They have fitted this screen with AMD Freesync which enables seamless gaming. The game mode makes gaming more fun. When you need to recharge your phone do it with the USB 3.0 Quick Charge port that charges up to four times faster.
3. BenQ 27 Inch 2K Photographer Monitor ($595.29)
If you do most of your photo editing in photoshop, then you need to buy this monitor. It is the best monitor for photoshop. It has a commendable 60Hz refresh rate. It is 27 inches long and comes with 2k QHD resolution (2560x1440) translating to 109PPI which ensures clarity and fine details can be seen clearly in images. You can work even in areas where the glare is in excess because the shading hood will reduce the glare.
For wider viewing angles, this screen is fitted with IPS technology. For high color accuracy, use the hardware calibration and palette master element software. Other calibrators supported by this monitor are Data Color, Spyder, X-Rite and i1 Display Pro. These will maintain the color performance at its optimum.
The 100% sRGB 99% Adobe RGB will allow you to reproduce colors without any trouble. You will have realistic colors in any image whether taken indoors or outdoors. The 10-bit display has a color gamut of over a billion colors so images look exactly like the original piece. To make the RGB accuracy, this monitor comes with a 14-bit 3D LUT.
4. Samsung CF791 Series ($749.99)
The screen is 34” wide and curved for a larger viewing window. The deep curve (1500R) puts everything on the screen at a place where the eye can catch it fast. Multi-tasking is made easy by the 21:9 aspect ratio, picture-in-picture feature and Picture-by-Picture feature. The latter allows users to connect DP and HDMI while maintaining the image quality. The resolution is ultra WQHD 3440X1440 which enables it to deliver sharp images.
The CF791 has Quantum dot technology which allows it to display many colors. These are shown as crisp and bright thanks to the factory calibration. Thanks to the 3000:1 contrast ration, the blacks are deeper while the reds and greens are natural. That is because it has a Vertical alignment panel type. This means that the viewing angles are very limited.
5. BenQ PV270 27” ($899.00)
The 27” long screen has a resolution of 2560 by 1440. All images are sharp and clear. The brightness uniformity all over the screen gives a consistent viewing experience. This is one of the best monitors for photography with 72Hz refresh rates.
The IPS technology allows wide viewing angles without affecting the color appearance. The screen has PV270 which covers 100% of the Rec. 70-9. This also supports 96% of DCI-P3. This means you will see colors just as they are because there are many options to choose from.
The 99% Adobe RGB allows photo editors to edit images with colors that are as natural as possible. This is aided by 14-bit 3D LUT which gives great color mixtures. The color accuracy is one of the best. The color display clone feature automatically adjusts images to the ambient light conditions giving the much needed consistency.
Hardware calibration can be easily done on this monitor. There are two preset modes that save the calibration results directly in the monitor. Combine this with the Palette Master software and you will have great color accuracy. The software is very easy to use.
6. Dell UtraSharp 4k ($1,083.66)
This 31.5” screen has a resolution that is four times that of HD screens. The 4K resolution (3840x2160) ensures crisp and sharp images are displayed. It has an IPS plane which makes it easy to see clear details regardless of the angle you are viewing at.
The monitor has PremierColor which gives high-quality color precisely. It has 87% DCI-P3 and 100% REC 709 color coverage. As for sRGB and 99.5% Adobe RGB coverages, they are 100% and 99.5% respectively.
This screen is calibrated at the factory so the color accuracy is high. You can also do the calibration yourself with the included Dell UltraSharp Color Calibration Solution software. Combine this with the X-Rite i1Display Pro Colorimeter for best results. As for the color gamut, you will be getting access to over 1.07 billion colors.
7. ASUS PA329Q ($1.248.94)
The 32” screen has UHD resolution (380 by 2160). You will see all the details in the images you will be viewing. The IPS panels ensure the color and other details are seen clearly from different angles.
The color reproduction is very commendable with the monitor having 100% Rec 709 and 99.5% Adobe RGB. To ensure this color is as natural as possible, the monitor is factory calibrated and has a color accuracy of DeltaE. The 14-bit LUT is part of the ASUS ProArt calibration technology. It is also compatible with many hardware calibrators like X-rite i1 Display Pro.
Bottom Line
Best Monitor For A Mac Mini
Photo editing is all about colors and images. The best monitor photo editing needs to give clear details on the image and colors as natural as possible. Choose a screen that has coverage on a wide variety of colors and can give crisp and clear images. Choose any of the above and you will not be disappointed.
![Best monitor for a macbook air Best monitor for a macbook air](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a4/Add-Multiple-Monitors-to-a-Mac-Mini-Step-1.jpg/aid547902-v4-728px-Add-Multiple-Monitors-to-a-Mac-Mini-Step-1.jpg)
We have mentioned the best monitors for MacBook pro and all are better for viewing media or working with multiple windows next to each other. An external monitor with USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 docking station makes it easy for you to connect your MacBook Pro. Any ultra-wide monitor will give you extra screen-space as higher resolution (up to about 4k) is always better for development but it will also look slightly blurry because of the way macOS renders fonts. We recommend you to get an IPS panel of at least 27 inches with 4k resolution that will give you close-to-retina sharpness/experience.
6 BestMonitors for MacBookPro – 2019
(Top Pick) | Size: 38' Resolution: 3840 x 1600 Ports: USB 3.0 Quick Charge USB Type-C 2 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, USB Type-C, upstream, downstream ports, | |
(Runner-Up) | Size: 27' Resolution: 3840x2160 Ports: USB 3.0 Quick Charge USB Type-C 2 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort | |
(Budget Pick) | Size: 27' Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Ref Rate: 60Hz Resp. Time: 5ms | |
(Top 5K USB-C Pick) | Size: 27' Resolution: 5120 x 2880 | |
Size: 32' Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | ||
Size: 28' Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | ||
Size: 27' Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Ports: 2 x 2w speakers, 4- USB 3.0 Ports HDMI & Display Port |
1. Dell U3818DW – Best Monitor For MacBook Pro
A Great high-end USB-C monitor for professional who needs only best
This is truly a mighty beast to use with your mac. You will get to see an absolutely amazing picture quality and text readability. If you know that Macbook Pro of 15-inch needs 85W to charge but most other ultrawide monitors with USB-C connectivity (besides the LG UltraFine) have a maximum of 60W of upstream power. For us, Dell U3818DW is the best monitor for MacBook Pro as it provides 100W of upstream power which means you don’t need to rely on your Mac battery to do more work, this monitor will quickly charge it while working.
This is the best display to use with your MacBook Pro, MacBook, or Mac Mini due to its amazing features. The USB-C port with most power up to 100W can charge your Mac in no time as compared to other monitors. With its 3840 x 1600 resolution (~111 PPI) you won’t get any headache while multitasking with excel files or editing work.
If you want to play some games, you can use it for a small amount of gaming only due to its low response time of 5 ms and only 60Hz refresh rate. It feels very sturdy and you can VESA mount it save some more space on the working table. In Connectivity Options you will get, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2 (HDCP 2.2), 2 x HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2), 2 x USB 3.0 Upstream port, 2 x USB 3.0 Downstream port (side), 2 x USB 3.0 Downstream port (bottom), 1 x USB Type-C (Alternate mode with DP1.2, Power Delivery, and USB2.0).
Pros
- Super Charge 100W Upstream Power
- Lots of Ports available
- Amazing Picture and Text Quality
- Can be VESA mounted
2. LG 27UD88-W – Best 4K Monitor For MacBook Pro
A great 4K USB-C Monitor with a perfect balance of price and performance
When it comes to monitors and TVs, LG never misses the shot. LG 27UD88-W is an extremely high-value 4K display for PC and Mac and can be used for many different purposes. It also has the brand new USB Type C technology and quick charge support.
One thing we didn’t like about this LG monitor is it didn’t charge your 15 inch MacBook fully while working. If you put your Macbook in sleep mode it will charge it completely but slowly. On the other hand, 13-inch Mac will work perfectly with it. Although this may be a downside for many but there are few advantages of owning this screen. Like, you just need a single USB Type-C cable to modify the monitor layout. With this 4k monitor, you can use it for both gaming and photo/video editing as well. Being a UHD monitor which means you can use it as a native 4k monitor it will provide lovely crisp text (just little bigger) easy to read.
With having USB-C port, you will also have two HDMI inputs, a single DisplayPort, a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack, and a pair of USB 3.0 ports with Quick Charging for compatible devices. Honestly, this is the new external display to go with your new Macbook Pro 13 or a 15-inch laptop.
Pros
- 27 inch 4K screen
- Single USB-C cord to power my MBP
- Lots of extra ports
- Great design to match my new MBP 13
Cons
- cannot control brightness and volume via the Mac keyboard
- USB hub at the back does not work great
3. LG 27UK850-W – Best Budget MacBook Pro Monitor
Excellent Mac monitor for people who need a decent second screen
If you are looking for an external monitor for MacBook pro as a replacement to your old display and still in your budget, then LG’s 27UK850-W is the best MacBook Pro monitor fits everyone’s pocket. It is another great choice for MacBook Pro users with high value and versatility. It has an HDR10 compatible IPS 4K screen, delivering supremely accurate colors with RGB 99% Color Gamut, even when viewed off-angle thanks to its IPS display. Image quality is amazing and the backlight bleeding is very low. We think that this is the best monitor to use with Xbox one x console as well we have not problem setting this up.
It offers the versatility of USB Type-C connectivity, plus the benefit of HDCP 2.2 compatibility, so it will seamlessly display 4K content from a variety of sources. Using one single cable from the screen to your MacBook Pro, you can charge the laptop, drives the display, connects the keyboard. Its resolution of 3840 x 2160 is more than MacBook Pro 13 inch with Retina display.
It also has FreeSync, for tear-free gaming with Mac devices that come with AMD GPUs. There is only one issue we felt if you connect this monitor to any device via USB-C, the 2 USB-A ports in the back of the monitor limits the speed to 2.0.
Pros
- Works great with Macbook Pro
- Great image quality
- Responsive OSD controls
- Lots of ports
Cons
- USB-A ports default to 2.0 speeds
- Can’t control volume through keyboard buttons
4. LG 27MD5KA – Best 5K USB-C Monitor
This high res 5K screen is perfect for your high-end MacBook Pro
LG’s Ultrafine 5K is LG’s new Thunderbolt 3-equipped display aiming to replace Apple’s out-of-the-game Retina monitors. A single USB-C cable (included) provides up to 60W of charging power to your MacBook with USB-C port or MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. And three downstream USB-C ports (480 Mbps) offer additional connectivity and power to compatible devices and accessories.
It is one of the best 5K monitors to act as an external display for your MacBook Pro or iMac 5K but you will need a Thunderbolt 3 compatible input on your device and a compatible TB3 cable like the ones we listed above since the monitor functions exclusively on this connection standard, which is its biggest weakness:
It really doesn’t function properly on Windows, but if you plan on using it with a Mac exclusively, this shouldn’t be a problem. Also, its simple design doesn’t work that well with its thick bezels, but you won’t notice it while staring at its beautiful 5K screen.
5. BenQ PD3200U 32-inch USB-C Monitor
It has a 32-inch 4K screen with 2560×1080 resolution suits best for multitasking people. Due to the dual view feature of this mac monitor, you can work in two separate modes at the same time such as sRGB, CAD/CAM, animation display mode or Darkroom mode. For port options, you will get 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.2 input, and one mini DisplayPort connection.
The display has perfect color accuracy with 10-bit, 100% sRGB and Rec.709. It displays all these merits on a 32″ 4K IPS display. It has a 4ms response time, so it can even be used for casual gaming but not anything further since it is aimed at professional designers. This is a reasonably priced monitor & will work very well with a pro in terms of speed and picture quality. If you have Mac 2017 version just get a USB-C to display port cable and you are good to go.
Best Monitor For A Mac
6. ASUS MG28UQ 4K/UHD
Best Monitor For A Macbook Air
Even though 4K has been around for the last couple of years, the word “affordable” did not even come to our minds when we talked about it for a long time. But since 2016, 4K started to become more and more common and we finally started to see some decent 4K screens for reasonable prices. ASUS MG28UQ is one of them.
I am sure seeing a $350 4K monitor that you can use with your Mac relieved you after the whopping $1000 price tag of Apple’s Thunderbolt display. With a price of $350, you get a fast 4K monitor with FreeSync. Also, you do get a number of different options when it comes to connectivity, so you can use this monitor on different devices at the same time.
Of course, since the price is lower, you do not get the color accuracy and viewing angles of an IPS panel. But a TN panel is still good for gaming purposes along with everything else.
7. Acer Predator XB271HK with USB 3.0
Acer’s Predator series made a name for themselves for being absolute monsters for gamers. Their distinct design makes it obvious. When you take a look at XB271HK, you immediately understand that it is a Predator. With its iconic pointy red feet and thick neck that allows you to adjust your monitor in a number of ways, XB271HK proudly carries its title.
Best Monitor For A Mac Mini
Apart from its stunning design, Acer Predator XB271HK doesn’t hold back. It features a DisplayPort 1.2 port for Thunderbolt 2 compatibility. Except that, with a beautiful IPS panel, Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, and 1ms response time, Acer Predator XB271HK comes to close to being a perfect choice for people looking to enjoy games on their Mac.
Accessories for 4K and 5K Displays
Connectivity is a little bit different than normal PCs on Mac, especially when it comes to connecting your MacBook to your PC monitor. Finding the right USB-C cables fast enough to transmit 4K and 5K data can be difficult, so here are our recommendations.
1. Cable Matters USB-C to DisplayPort Cable
The Cable Matters USB-C to DisplayPort Cable is a Thunderbolt 3 compatible USB 3.1 Type C Male to DisplayPort Male 4K & 60Hz compatible cable. It works with Thunderbolt 3 compatible computers with DisplayPort alt mode such as 2017 MacBook Pro, 2016 MacBook Pro, MacBook 2015/2016, Google Chromebook, HP EliteBook Folio G1, Asus ZenBook UX390UAK, Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus etc.
2. Belkin USB-C Laptop to Monitor Video Cable
The Belkin USB-C Laptop to Monitor Video Cable supports USB 3.0 transfer speeds (5Gpbs) and 4K Audio/video at up to 60Hz and drives 100 Watts of power to your laptop. Its robust polycarbonate over-mold is really durable so even though the price is a little bit higher than our first choice, it will last longer.
3. Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 USB-C Cable
Cable Matters Thunderbolt 3 USB-C Cable which can transmit data at around 20 Gbps while providing 100 Watts of power to your laptop. It is one of the fastest and best cables for Thunderbolt 3 compatible monitors.
Which Macs support 4K display?
- MacBook Pro (Retina, Late 2013) and later
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
- iMac (27-inch, Late 2013) and later
- Mac mini (Late 2014)
- MacBook Air (Early 2015) and later
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) and later
Conclusion:
With Apple’s Thunderbolt display being phased out, we have to choose other compatible monitors. Whether you want to play games on your Mac or you edit movies and photos professionally (or both), these are the best external monitors for a MacBook Pro that you can connect to your Mac and enjoy whatever you aim to do in maximum image clarity. If our guide helped you make your decision or we missed a great UHD monitor for Mac, let us know below.
Content On This Page
- 6 Best Monitors for MacBook Pro – 2019
- 1. Dell U3818DW – Best Monitor For MacBook Pro
- 2. LG 27UD88-W – Best 4K Monitor For MacBook Pro
- 3. LG 27UK850-W – Best Budget MacBook Pro Monitor
- 4. LG 27MD5KA – Best 5K USB-C Monitor
- Accessories for 4K and 5K Displays