Best Monitors for New MacBook Pro

When it comes to buying the best monitors for the new MacBook Pro, you need to look for something with a great display and screen quality. Even though the MacBook Pro can be a standalone display device for many people, for some users a dual-screen configuration is the only right solution. 

Rather than randomly purchasing an appealing best MacBook Pro monitor with a large display, you need to carefully look at each spec. The screen resolution and color accuracy are highly important for you if you mainly use your MacBook Pro for photo and video editing. You no more have to consider basic FHD and QHD displays, as you need to look for something that can be the best alternative to your MacBook’s retina display XDR screen.

Besides looking for a monitor that can deliver stable video signals, you also need to look for other factors like adjustability and ergonomics. After all, you will be spending more long hours doing video editing on your monitor, so it should provide you with a crystal clear display without any compromise on your sitting posture. Monitors that come with built-in USB or Thunderbolt hubs can also come in handy, as they help you maintain a clean desk space. 

Our Top Pick For Best Monitors for New MacBook Pro: Gigabyte M27Q

Top Pick

Gigabyte M27Q

Budget-Friendly Fast Response Monitor For New MacBook Pro

When it comes to finding the best monitors for MacBook Pro, there is a vast variety of options in the market. We have tested multiple monitors that are compatible with the new MacBook Pro, and we have found that the Gigabyte M27Q provides the most value for money. Just by spending about $415, you get to have a 27-inch 1440p display that delivers crystal clear picture quality. With an incredibly low response rate of 0.5 ms and refresh rate of 165 Hz, you get to play high-paced games on your MacBook Pro.

All thanks to the wide viewing angles of the Gigabyte M27Q, you get to play multiplayer games on your gaming monitor. Similarly, you would be able to watch Netflix and your favorite movies on it with your friends. However, it has a considerably low contrast ratio of 1000:1, which might affect the natural brightness of dark objects. Luckily, it comes with a USB-C port that is compatible with the DisplayPort Alt Mode. 

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When it comes to finding the best monitors for MacBook Pro, there is a vast variety of options in the market. We have tested multiple monitors that are compatible with the new MacBook Pro, and we have found that the Gigabyte M27Q provides the most value for money. Just by spending about $415, you get to have a 27-inch 1440p display that delivers crystal clear picture quality. With an incredibly low response rate of 0.5 ms and refresh rate of 165 Hz, you get to play high-paced games on your MacBook Pro.

All thanks to the wide viewing angles of the Gigabyte M27Q, you get to play multiplayer games on your gaming monitor. Similarly, you would be able to watch Netflix and your favorite movies on it with your friends. However, it has a considerably low contrast ratio of 1000:1, which might affect the natural brightness of dark objects. Luckily, it comes with a USB-C port that is compatible with the DisplayPort Alt Mode.

The Best Monitors for MacBook Pro

We have tested more than dozens of monitors for this guide, and have come up with this list of the best monitors for MacBook Pro.

Dell 2720Q UltraSharp 27”: An All-Rounder Monitor for Creative Professionals

Specifications

• Screen Size: 27 inches
• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 pixels 
• Panel Type: IPS (In-Plane Switching)
• Aspect Ratio:16:10 (Widescreen)  
• Response Time: 5 ms
• Refreshing rate: 60Hz  
• Brightness: 350 cd/m2 (candela per square meter)
• Contrast Ratio: 1300:1
• Item Weight: 21.2 lbs.
• Curved Screen: No

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With an impressive 4K display that produces accurate hues and a top-notch ergonomic shape, the Dell 2720Q UltraSharp is a great external monitor for creative professionals. With a USB-C port and a high-quality IPS panel, it is surprising that you can purchase this monitor for around $560. All thanks to its exceptional display and color accuracy, you can perform heavy-duty editing work that involves high graphics photos and videos.  

The U2720Q has a minimalistic design, as its black color body is surrounded by sleek InfinityEdge bezels. Just from its outer appearance, you know that it is designed for professional use. Below its lower panel, you will find multiple buttons that you can use to do adjustments in screen brightness, color, and video source. The backside of the U2720Q has a grey shade to it and it also has a slightly round-shaped design.

Dell has not skimped out when it comes to adding ergonomics features to this monitor. The manufacturing team has taken into account the average height of people from all over the world to make sure everyone gets the best viewing angle.

You are going to be fond of the UltraSharp if you prefer having a diverse built-in ports hub in your monitor. Towards the right side, you will find a 3.0 Type-A port and a USB Type-C port. On the bottom side, there are a variety of different connection options, which include USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, Display Port 1.4, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C port.

With the 100W power delivery of its  USB-C port, you can expect to have fast charging even if you are playing heavy graphics games on your MacBook Pro. Furthermore, its massive USB ports hub is going to save you your desk space and you would be able to easily plug in your devices conveniently.

Lenovo ThinkVision M14: Portable Monitor For MacBook Pro

Specifications

• Screen Size: 14 inches
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080) FHD pixels 
• Panel Type: IPS 
• Aspect Ratio:16:9 
• Response Time: 6 ms
• Refreshing rate: 60 Hz  
• Brightness: 300 cd/m2 
• Contrast Ratio: 700:1
• Item Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Curved Screen: No

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If portability is something of high value to you, then the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 is a must-have monitor for you that you can connect with your MacBook Pro. With a display size of 14 inches, you would not get much of a large display but it promises to be highly portable.

 Because of its sleek design and lightweight, you can easily carry it outside without any considerable extra weight. With its 1080p resolution and high pixel density, you would be able to see images and videos in nice detail. All thanks to its dual USB-C inputs, you would be able to power your MacBook Pro and use its display at the same time. 

The ThinkVision has a kickstand located towards its back that you can use to set it up easily and make a tilt adjustment according to your preferred viewing angle. Despite its portability, it doesn’t have much room for ergonomics. The good thing is that it has a sturdy body, which allows you to easily carry it in your bag without damaging it. 

With a contrast ratio of 700:1 and a maximum brightness of 300 nits, you can have a stable display in different types of light settings. Similarly, it has about 99% sRGB color coverage and impressive AdobeRGB measurements, which means that you can get great graphics in your games and movies. Additionally, you will also be able to see accurate colors when you perform edit work on your MacBook Pro. 

You also have to keep in mind that it doesn’t come with built-in speakers so you will have to consider your MacBook Pro as your main audio source. Similarly, if it doesn’t have a touchscreen that can be troublesome for you if you prefer an easy user interface. 

The only caveat is its price tag of $250, which can be considerably high when compared to other portable monitors out there. In that price range, you can usually get a monitor with a touchscreen feature. Nevertheless, it is a lightweight portable monitor that you can use for a versatile type of work.

ASUS Designo MZ27AQ: Best 1440p Budget MacBook Pro Monitor

Specifications

• Screen Size: 27 inches
• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 pixels 
• Panel Type: IPS 
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 
• Response Time: 5 ms
• Refreshing rate: 60 Hz  
• Brightness: 350 cd/m2 
• Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (static)
• Item Weight: 9.5 lbs.
• Curved Screen: No

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Your MacBook Pro will make a great pair with the Asus MZ27AQ, as it has a unique futuristic design. Having a bezel width of only 0.1cm on all three sides, it almost looks like a bezel-free monitor with a neat display.

Everything about the Asus MZ27AQ is about sophistication and style with its sleek exterior and round-shaped stand. One of the drawbacks of this Asus monitor is that it is too fragile to be installed on a VESA wall mount. Asus didn’t add the wall mount feature to this monitor to preserve its modern aesthetics.

With a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels, the Asus monitor has a refresh rate of 60Hz and a response time of 5ms. Additionally, it has a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and the highest brightness of 350 nits. While these are not specs that would entice competitive gamers, it is enough for you if you play standard graphics games or perform photo edits. 

Subsequently, it boasts an amazing dynamic contrast ratio of 100,000,000:1 that covers almost 100% of the sRGB color space. It also has excellent black uniformity and a 178-degree viewing angle, which helps you screen clearly from different angles. Additionally, it comes with a blue light filter that ensures that you don’t suffer from eye strain after viewing the screen for long hours. 

Because of the limited 60Hz refresh rate, you might observe screen stuttering while playing fast-paced games. Luckily, it comes with an Overdrive mode that helps you avoid frequent display ghosting in high graphics games. It is always better to keep the overdrive mode to an average setting, as maximum acceleration can result in pixel overshoot.

MSI Prestige PS341WU: Best Ultrawide 5K Monitor for MacBook Pro

Specifications

• Screen Size: 34 inches
• Resolution: 5120 × 2160 pixels (5K)
• Panel Type: Nano IPS
• Aspect Ratio: 21: 9
• Response Time: 8 ms
• Refreshing rate: 60 Hz  
• Brightness: 450 cd/m2 
• Contrast Ratio: 1200:1
• Item Weight: 18.08 lbs.
• Curved Screen: No

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While it doesn’t promise a MacBook’s retina display, the MSI Prestige PS341WU provides a display that closely resembles the display of your MacBook Pro. With its 5K resolution of 5120 × 2160 pixels, you can expect to have vibrant colors with high contrast on your screen. It has a nano IPS panel manufactured by LG that is ideal for people who do professional photo editing.

There is a recent trend of 5K2K monitors in the market, as they provide exceptionally clear and clean displays. These monitors have a 5K horizontal resolution and a 4K vertical resolution. Because of the high pixel density and a large display of these monitors, you can focus on the finer details of your photo edit work.

The MSI monitor comes with a USB-C port that allows you to charge and display images in a convenient manner. Additionally, it also has a DisplayPort and an HDMI port for better connectivity.

It comes with a VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification and HDR support. The PS341WU has a standard brightness of 450 nits and a maximum brightness of 600 nits. While it cannot display HDR content in its full glory, it can deliver decent color accuracy and details, which can be a game-changer for creative professionals.

Once you connect it with the USB-C port, you can experience the full range of 5120×2160 pixels at a refresh rate of 60Hz. To drive this monitor into the full resolution mode, you will require a machine that can support DisplayPort 1.4. Luckily, the latest models of MacBook Pro support DisplayPort 1.4, so you can enjoy a high resolution on this monitor.

Gigabyte M27Q: Best Budget Fast Response Best MacBook Pro Monitor

Specifications

• Screen Size: 27 inches
• Resolution: 2560×1440 pixels (QHD)
• Panel Type: IPS 
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9   
• Response Time: 0.5 ms (MPRT)
• Refreshing rate: 165 Hz  
• Brightness: 350 cd/m2 
• Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
• Item Weight: 12.1 lbs.
• Curved Screen: No

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As far as budget is concerned, the Gigabyte M27Q is the top contender on our list that is perfect for photography and graphics professionals. This 27-inch screen has a 1440p resolution that helps you see visuals with clear details. It has a standard peak brightness of 350 nits and has impressive motion-handling capabilities, which means you would be able to see it clearly in bright light settings. 

Available at a price of about $330, this IPS panel has an amazing refresh rate of almost 170 Hz. All thanks to its wide color gamut and HDR support, you can enjoy superb visuals without any screen stuttering. With its exceptionally low response time of 0.5 ms and high contrast ratio, you would be able to play most high graphics games on your MacBook Pro with this monitor. 

Level up your gaming monitor adventures with the SuperSpeed (SS) IPS panel of the M27Q. SS IPS panels are capable of generating lower response times with their thinner liquid crystal layer and higher driving voltage. It produces a single continuous light source with its high-quality white LED so that you can have a soothing viewing experience. Also, it is capable of delivering a peak brightness of 400 nits for HDR content. It also lives up to its claim of “Super Wide Color Gamut” when you view it across different color variation visuals. 

With its outclass SDR color gamut and nearly full sRGB color coverage, you can expect to have highly accurate color delivery in your editing work. On top of that, it has excellent gradient handling that ensures that you don’t miss out on any important picture details in shadows. The only caveat is that you might not get a true HDR experience, which means that highlights would not appear clearly as they should on screen.

How to Choose the Best Monitors for MacBook Pro

Whether you are a photographer or an investment banking professional, the best Macbook Pro monitor you choose should be suitable according to your work. Depending upon your career and hobbies, you would have to look for specific qualities and features in a monitor for MacBook Pro.

Each individual would have different standards when looking for a monitor for Macbook Pro for their home or office use. Make sure to consider these factors to ensure that you are getting the best device for the price you pay.

Screen Size

Now that you have decided to look for the best monitors for MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, it is highly likely that you would be preferring a larger secondary display. After all, it wouldn’t make sense if you spend additional money just to get the same screen space. While looking for different monitor brands, you will find a standard screen length ranging between 23 inches to 34 inches. 

For photo editors and graphic designers, it is always better to go for a widescreen display device. However, the final size you choose would depend upon the desk space you have at home or office.

Color Accuracy

The color accuracy of a monitor for Macbook Pro plays a highly important role when you are editing photographs and videos at a professional level. It determines a monitor’s ability to display colors just how they were intended to be. A higher color accuracy equates to a lesser difference between the color reproduction by a monitor and the color input it receives. 

You can determine color accuracy by looking at various metrics such as the measurements of white balance and gamma. As someone who works on professional photos and videos, you would know how important it is to produce color tones that are highly accurate.

Compatibility

When looking for the best monitors for MacBook Pro, you need to make sure that it is compatible with your MacBook. Luckily, we have mentioned only the best monitors on our list that you can easily connect with your MacBook Pro. With these best monitors for MacBook Pro, you would not have to clutter your desk by setting up additional connection hubs. 

Nevertheless, you might find some monitors, such as the ASUS ProArt PA278QV, which are not well-suited for the MacBook Pro. But you don’t have to be surprised because such monitors come at a cheap price. For professional photo editors, it is never a good idea to compromise on the compatibility factor.

Color gamut

The color gamut refers to the specific range of colors a display device can deliver. This range is usually a limited color range when compared to that of what a human eye can interpret. Despite being much lower than that of the range found in the visible spectrum, the color gamut proves to be an accurate metric to measure the color reproduction capabilities of the best monitors for MacBook Pro.
When it comes to color gamuts, the Adobe RGB color space percentage is much broader than that of sRGB, as the former is used in the printing output capacity of a device. On the other hand, the sRGB is the lowest color output metric used to assess the best monitors for MacBook Pro. Mostly, monitors with an IPS panel can deliver more diverse colors than a TN or VA panel.

Brightness

From better viewing angles to a higher contrast ratio, monitors with higher brightness can level up your overall visual experience. Measured in nits (candelas per square meter), the brightness refers to your monitor’s capacity to emit light rays. For standard monitors, you would find a brightness range between 250 to 350 nits. On the other hand, monitors that are compatible with an HDR display can expect a brightness range of 400 to 1,600 nits.

In most cases, a laptop screen has a higher brightness than that of a monitor because it is designed to function in the outdoor space as well. Unlike monitors, you would also be using your laptops outside your home and workplace.

Our Final Words About The Best Monitors for New MacBook Pro

Finally, now that you have viewed our list of the best monitors for the MacBook Pro, you can make an informed buying decision. One of the initial decisions you will have to make is how much money you can afford to spend on this monitor. If you are on a limited budget, then we recommend you should look for monitors with a lower resolution. 

For photographers and image editors, we recommend going for monitors with higher resolution, which equates to a higher price. But, the budget can go through a steep price increase if you look for 4K monitors with other high-end features. On the other hand, you can also get an affordable monitor that has a good resolution and color reproduction without any other fancy features. 

Our top pick “Gigabyte M27Q” would be a perfect fit for you if you frequently connect and disconnect with your MacBook Pro at home, as it comes with a USB-C port. With this monitor, it would be easier for you to plug and unplug your monitor without any hassle. Available at a price of $415, the Gigabyte M27Q boasts an incredibly low input lag and response time. 

We came up with our recommendations by looking at external monitors with great specs that you can connect with your new MacBook Pro. Whether you are a gamer or a photography professional, most of these best monitors for MacBook Pro are suitable for you.