The best monitors for MacBook Pro in 2024

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Three of the best monitors for MacBook Pro on a green background

(Image credit: Future / Dell / Asus / Apple)

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1. Best overall: Dell UP2720Q
2. Best budget: Asus PA278CV
3. Best premium: Apple Pro Display
4. Mid-range: BenQ PD2706UA
5. For photography: BenQ SW321C
6. Ultrawide: Evnia 34M2C8600
7. Most versatile: BenQ PD3220U
8. Best colour: Eizo CG319X
9. Best portable: Asus PA148CTV
10. Best smart: Samsung M8
How to choose
How we test
FAQs 

The best monitors for MacBook Pro can help us work better and faster, providing more screen space and a more comfortable viewing experience. But which monitors are the best buys? At Creative Bloq, most of our writers pair MacBook Pros and Airs with monitors both in the office and at home, so we're well-positioned to help. 

We've reviewed and tested dozens of monitors firsthand in our search for the best MacBook Pro monitor, and we've also spent hours comparing specs and customer reviews. Based on our evaluations, we've drawn up a pick of the best monitors for MacBook Pros, and Airs, for different needs and budgets. We've compared the pros and cons of each and suggested what type of users each display is best for.

For more choices, see our guides to the best 4K monitors and best monitors for video editing. Just remember that they need to be USB-C monitors for a MacBook Pro.

Quick list

We'll start with a quick list of our top options. Click 'Read more' or scroll down to for our full guide.

The best monitor for MacBook Pro overall

Dell UP2720Q monitor, one of the best monitors for MacBook Procb badge

(Image credit: Mike Jennings)
The best monitor for MacBook Pro for most creatives

Specifications

Size: 27in
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Connections: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 2 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x USB 3.2, 2 x Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C, 1 x audio
Brightness (typical): 250 cd/m2

Reasons to buy

+
Crisp 4K images
+
Excellent connectivity for MacBook users
+
Strong colour coverage and accuracy

Reasons to avoid

-
Contrast and brightness could be better

The Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q is our top pick as the best external monitor for MacBook Pro because we've found it to offer great performance and features for a fairly reasonable price. It's a 4K screen with a high pixel density of 163ppi. 

We found that this translates into great detail for creative work, and that was backed up by our test results for colour coverage. We got 99.8% of the sRGB gamut, 96.1% of the Adobe RGB space and 95% of the DCI-P3 gamut. There's also a built-in colourimeter, which should help you calibrate for optimum colour performance.

We liked the ergonomic stand, which can swivel, pivot and tilt, as well as adjust vertically, making it very flexible. We also found the connectivity options to be ideal for the MacBook users among us thanks to two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports and 90W power delivery. The design may not turn heads, but the specs and performance provided make this our pick as the best monitor for MacBook Pro for most creatives.

See our full Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q review for more details.

The best budget monitor for MacBook Pro

Product shot of Asus ProArt 27 PA278CV, one of the best monitors for MacBook ProCB endorsed

(Image credit: Asus)

02. ASUS ProArt PA278CV

A great value monitor suitable for MacBook Pros

Specifications

Size: 27in
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Connections: 1x USB-C, 2x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI, USB hub, earphone jack
Brightness (maximum): 350 cd/m2

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent accuracy
+
Lots of features
+
100% sRGB

Reasons to avoid

-
Average contrast ratio

We think the Dell monitor above is good value, but it still represents quite an investment. For a more affordable option that can still do the job for creative work, we think the ASUS ProArt PA278CV is a very reasonably priced option. It's a 1440p display, so you don't get the clarity of 4K resolution, but the colour coverage and accuracy are outstanding for this price (we tested Delta E < 2 and 100% sRGB and Rec.709).

It comes pre-calibrated out of the box, something you rarely see on cheaper displays, and it allows for easy colour adjustments, from switching between various colour gamut modes to fine-tuning all sorts of parameters to get the screen looking the way you want. There are compromises here, not least the lack of 4K resolution, but you get USB-C connectivity with 65W power delivery, which we happily used to power a MacBook. There's also a USB hub and an ergonomic stand. It's not an option for video editors or designers working with 4K footage, but for other creative work it does the job very well, and the price makes it a good option as a MacBook Pro monitor for students.

The best premium monitor for MacBook Pro

Product shot of Apple Pro Display XDR on white background, showing image of bird.CB endorsed

(Image credit: Apple)
The best monitor for MacBook Pro if money is no object

Specifications

Size: 32in
Resolution: 6016 x 3384
Connections: 1 x Thunderbolt 3, 3 x USB Type-C
Brightness: 1000 nits

Reasons to buy

+
1,600-nit peak brightness 
+
Huge 6K resolution
+
Thunderbolt & USB-C connectivity

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive…
-
…and it doesn't come with a stand

For anyone looking to edit video or work on immersive 3D design on their MacBook Pro, Apple's own Pro Display XDR is a stunning if eye-wateringly expensive option. At around $5,000 (not including the stand) you'd hope you're getting a good, screen, and it certainly delivered that when we tested it. 

With resolution of 6016 x 3384, it can handle many 6K formats (though not quite the 6K full-frame recording of a RED camera). Added to that is an incredible HDR peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits, with a typical brightness of 1,000 nits . There are 576 individual dimming zones for backlight control, so contrast is colossal, and we found dark areas to be well defined and blacks to be gorgeously black. 

As for colour spaces, we appreciated the reference modes for colour spaces including DCI P3, sRGB, NTSC, BT.709, and many more. One of those modes is for 'Apple display', which will make it match a MacBook Pro for brightness, which we found ensured a consistent look with the two displays next to each other. You can also apply a nanotexture effect on the screen to reduce reflectivity.

It comes with one Thunderbolt 3 port, meaning it can go at the end of a Thunderbolt chain, but can't be a Thunderbolt hub. There are thee USB-C ports for connecting accessories. When we tested the display, we found it hard to fault. As we said at the time, it looks slick, has a clean sharpness to the screen and is brilliant at colour reproduction.

Read our Apple Pro Display XDR review for more details.

The best mid-range monitor for MacBook Pro

The BenQ PD2706UA is one of the best monitors I've used

(Image credit: Future)
The best mid-range monitor for MacBook Pro

Specifications

Size: 27in
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Connections: 1x HDMI 2, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB Type-C (DP1.4), 1x Audio Out (3.5 mm), 1x USB-B (upstream), 3x USB-A (downstream), 1x USB-C (downstream)
Brightness: 350 cd/m²

Reasons to buy

+
Great balance of price and specs
+
Good connectivity with USB hub
+
Ergonomic design with C-clamp

Reasons to avoid

-
No Thunderbolt support

We've reviewed a lot of BenQ monitors, and we're big fans. This is one of its more affordable options and occupies a space as a solid mid-range option as a MacBook Pro monitor. It's more expensive than our budget pick at number 2 in this list, but it's cheaper than most of the others, making it a solid value option.

We found colour coverage and accuracy to be excellent if not quite up there with BenQ's pro photography monitors (see below). We also appreciated the ergonomics of the Ergo mount with C-clamp, which our reviewer found helped reduce clutter on her desk to keep thing neat. There are two USB-C ports, one with 65W of power delivery, which we found did the job to keep a MacBook Pro charged. We think this is a great option for designers and also editors that aren't ready to invest in a display with all the bells and whistles.

Read our full BenQ DesignVue PD2706UA review for more details.

The best monitor for photo editing on MacBook Pro

The BenQ SW321C monitor, one of the best monitors for MacBook Pro, on a desk

(Image credit: Michelle Rae Uy)
The best monitor for MacBook Pro for photo editing

Specifications

Size: 32-inch
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Connections: SD card reader, 2x HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C PD 60W, USB Type-B Upstream, 2x USB 3.1 downstream
Brightness: 250 cd/m2

Reasons to buy

+
Improved brightness and colour uniformity
+
USB-C connectivity
+
Hardware calibration with 16-bit LUT precision

Reasons to avoid

-
Main connection bay is hard to reach
-
‘Paper Color Sync’ needs refining to be truly useful

If you need a big, premium 4K screen with the colour accuracy for professional photo editing and video editing, we suggest the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue. After testing this gorgeous monitor in-depth, we can say that if you're a photographer who works on a MacBook Pro, this is one of the best options. 

We tested 99% Adobe RGB and 100% sRGB colour coverage and 95% of the video colour space DCI-P3. We found accurate colour accuracy out of the box, with an impressive average Delta E of 0.9 in our tests. The additional features are the icing on the cake, but it's nice to have the shade hood and the Hotkey Puck G2, which is handy for changing colour space and to quickly access shortcuts. 

See our full BenQ SW321C PhotoVue review for more details.

The best ultrawide monitor for MacBook Pro

A Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 monitor on a wooden desk

(Image credit: Future)
The best ultrawide monitor for MacBook Pro

Specifications

Size: 34in
Resolution: 3440x1440
Connections: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-C (supports power delivery), 1x USB-B 3.2 upstream, 4x USB-A downstream (1 for fast charge B.C 1.2)
Brightness: 1000 nits (peak)

Reasons to buy

+
Brilliant curved OLED panel
+
Minimal stretching or distortion
+
Impressive colour gamut

Reasons to avoid

-
Pro-level price
-
No colour-temperature adjustment

The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 is a premium ultrawide gaming monitor, but we found that it's also great for creative tasks such as video editing, photo editing or graphic design. Our reviewer found that 34-inch OLED panel offered fantastic colour coverage and 175Hz refresh rate. In some curved displays, the curve can create too much distortion for creative work, but we found that the curve wasn't too pronounced while still immersing him impressively well in his gaming endeavours. 

Our tester was also impressed by the convenience of having three brightness settings available ('Bright', 'Brighter' and 'Brightest'). The latter goes to a maximum 1,000 nits of brightness. That's very bright. 

Of course, it’s a boon to multi-taskers as well, especially those dealing with massive spreadsheets or who use several different apps at once. Its picture-in-picture and KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) permit connecting to two devices at once and view them without switching peripheral, which can be handy for multitasking and working across multiple programs. 

There's also a wide range of ports on the back. We would have liked a little more adjustability and a better on-screen display, but this is the best ultrawide monitor for MacBook Pro that we've tested to date one we factor in price. For more details, read our full Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 review.

The most versatile monitor for MacBook Pro

BenQ PD3220U, one of the best USB-C monitors, in portrait mode on a desk

(Image credit: Michelle Rae Uy)
An excellent mid-price option as a MacBook Pro monitor

Specifications

Size: 31.5in
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Connections: 2x HDMI v2.0, 1x DisplayPort v1.4, 1x Thunderbolt 3 (85W PD + DisplayPort Alt Mode)
Brightness (max): 250 nits

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous design and IPS panel
+
Good value for money

Reasons to avoid

-
Colour is good but could be better

BenQ stays true to its affordable yet solid nature with the BenQ DesignVue PD3220U. This 4K monitor from its professional design line may not be the cheapest of our roundup of best monitors for MacBook Pro. But considering its rivals, it's certainly among the most affordable in its class. That's while keeping things feature-rich and its picture quality looking fantastic.

Not content with USB-C, it offers not one but two Thunderbolt 3 ports to keep creatives happy, allowing daisy-chaining of multiple monitors and even connection of external GPUs. It also comes with different colour modes for different creative workflows. 

Performance is excellent as well. The wide colour gamut of 100% Rec.709, 100% sRGB, and 95% P3 that BenQ promised is on point. In fact, during our testing, it even exceeded expectations in the DCI-P3 colour space, covering 98%. Our BenQ PD322OU review might show that its peak brightness didn't quite meet the 250-nit on paper. However, we found that its colour accuracy measures up, giving us an average Delta E of 0.92, pre-calibration.

The best MacBook Pro monitor for accuracy

Man using the Eizo ColorEdge CG319X, one of the best monitors for MacBook Pro

(Image credit: Eizo)
Immaculate colour accuracy for professional editors

Specifications

Size: 31.1 inches
Resolution: 4096x2160
Connections: 2x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI, 3x USB-A, USB-B
Brightness (typical): 350 cd/m2

Reasons to buy

+
Fantastic colour accuracy
+
Huge cinema 4K resolution

Reasons to avoid

-
Eye-watering price

It turns out that if you want the best of the best monitors for MacBook Pro, you'll need a big ol' budget – who knew? This professional monitor for video editing competes with Apple's own Pro Display (see number 3) in price, but we found it delivers for demanding professional requirements.

Resolution is DCI Cinema 4K (4096x2160) on a 31.1-inch screen. This means that you’re not just getting a lot of real estate to work on, but you're also getting the sweet spot in 4K viewing. But where the Eizo ColorEdge CG319X really stands out is in its accurate colour reproduction. 

It comes with its own colour calibration hardware, with a built-in sensor that will run regular checks to ensure what we're seeing is what we should be seeing, and with no extra effort required on our part. Eizo’s specialist software also helps you choose the colour profile you want to work with, and it has HLG HDR support for video compositing and grading, with 10-bit colour support and 98% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RBG coverage. 

This would be at the top of our list if it weren't for the price and specific features that are overkill for a lot of people. If you do need those specs, you will surely know it. See our full Eizo ColorEdge CG319X review for more details of our experience with this screen.

The best portable monitor for MacBook Pro

ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH portable monitor standing on wooden desk

(Image credit: Future)
The best portable monitor for MacBook Pro

Specifications

Size: 15.6 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Connections: 3x USB-C, 1x Mini HDMI
Brightness (typical): 318 nits

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent colour coverage
+
Slim and lightweight

Reasons to avoid

-
Struggles to hit full brightness
-
Flimsy stand

These days, portable monitors are becoming part of many MacBook Pro users' arsenal. They’re small and travel-friendly, keeping you mobile while giving you that extra screen real estate wherever you go. For that, the ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH is our current pick – an unflashy but dependable portable monitor that delivers good colours and decent brightness.

The manufacturers claim 400 nits of brightness, but this appears to be a bit of wishful thinking – in our testing, we only managed a maximum of 318 nits. This is still very decent however, and makes the ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH useable in a range of lighting situations, which is exactly what you want from a portable monitor. We found colour coverage is excellent, covering 95.5% of sRGB and 100% of DCI-P3. It may be portable, but this is a serious monitor suited to creative work.

We liked the nicely refined design, with plenty of ports for connection and buttons to adjust parameters. The monitor even has a standard socket for a photography tripod, which could be a novel way of keeping it free-standing – especially since the supplied stand is a foldy piece of leather and vinyl that's unlikely to impress.

Read our ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH review for the full picture. 

The best smart monitor for MacBook Pro

Samsung M8, one of the best monitors for MacBook Pro, against a white background

(Image credit: Samsung)
A smart monitor for MacBooks and PC laptops

Specifications

Size: 32in
Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
Connections: 2x USB-C, 1x MicroHDMI
Brightness (typical): 400 cd/m2

Reasons to buy

+
Comes in different shades
+
Rich in features

Reasons to avoid

-
Build quality isn't the best

Including a Samsung monitor in pick of the best monitors for MacBook Pro might seem like some kind of treason, but hear us out on this one! Fans of the 24in iMac line will appreciate the Samsung M8 smart monitor. Looking at this display's sleek, iMac-esque look, minimal port selection and several colour options, it's obvious what Samsung is trying to do here: give consumers an affordable, non-all-in-one option that delivers on everything else.

Now, we do think that this monitor feels flimsier than Apple's offerings and its image quality isn't as exceptional. However, the 4K display is impressive in its own right. As we said in our review, the Samsung M8 is absolutely chock-full of features. There's USB-C connectivity with power delivery, a handy magnetic clip-on SlimFit webcam, Smart TV functionality and even an IoT hub that lets us see a map of all our smart devices and to control them directly from the monitor.

Granted, it is missing a few things one might reasonably expect from a monitor at this price, most notably an articulating stand and high-quality speakers, but if you're looking for a feature-rich external monitor that works well with your MacBook Pro, the Samsung M8 is an interesting, good-looking option to consider, especially if you have a bunch of smart device, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than any display that Apple currently offers. 

See our full Samsung M8 Smart monitor review for more details.

How to choose the best monitors for MacBook Pro

To get the best monitor with your MacBook Pro, there are a couple of things to consider. Firstly, USB-C connectivity is ideal. Only the newest 14- and 16-inch Macbook Pros come with HDMI ports, while all other models are limited to USB-C ports for connecting to external displays. And, while it’s not necessary, most USB-C capable monitors can deliver power via that USB-C cable. If you prefer a one-cable solution, you’ll want to ensure you’re getting enough power from the monitor.

If you’re hoping to do any kind of content creation on your Apple laptop, then having a wide colour gamut coverage is crucial. Look for 97% DCI-P3 or higher. You’ll also want a resolution to match your portable’s. Using a 4K monitor between 24 and 32 inches will provide a viewing experience similar to that of your MacBook Pro’s retina display.

Lastly, you may also want to consider other aspects of the monitor that aren't to do with the screen. Do you want built-in speakers, or do you have another audio setup? Do you need a fully articulating stand to be able to position the monitor at any angle, or will something simpler fit the bill?

How we test the best monitors for MacBook Pro

Many of our regular contributors and reviewers have ben using MacBook Pros as their regular laptop with an external monitor setup for years, so they know what they're looking for. When we review monitors, we carry out lab tests to check their brightness, contrast and colour coverage and accuracy, but we also use them in practical situations over several weeks for our own everyday and also putting them though their paces for photo and video editing. 

We make sure we don't just geek out over tech specs, but also take a realistic view of what a monitor is like to use, and what the average user is going to get out of it. We've also taken onboard reviews from our sister site TechRadar and from customers online. You can read more about how we test and review at Creative Bloq.

FAQs

Is the MacBook Pro compatible with all monitors?

The short answer is yes, mostly. While most MacBook Pros come with a pretty limited port selection, typically a couple of USB-C ports, there are Mac-compatible dongles for just about every type of connectivity. Unfortunately, that does mean you’ll have to invest in an adapter to use those Apple laptops with monitors that don’t have USB-C connectivity. Of course, owners of the most recent 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros won’t have to worry about that since they come with HDMI ports.

With that said, a few monitors have had issues connecting to M1 MacBook Pros sporting the latest macOS. If you’re considering a monitor that doesn’t natively support Thunderbolt / USB-C connectivity, you’ll want to see if others have had software-related issues and if the manufacturer has updated the firmware to address the issue. For full details see our post on how to connect a monitor to MacBook Pro.

Can a MacBook Pro support a 4K monitor?

MacBook Pros are incredibly powerful for their thin and lightweight design. Not only are they more than capable of driving a 4K monitor, but more recent models can drive even higher resolution displays. The 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro, for example, can drive a 6K display at 60Hz while the 14- and 16-inch M1 Pro models can drive two.

What's the best monitor for MacBook Pro?

The best monitor for MacBook Pro depends on what your needs are. For more creative professional work, we'd recommend the Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q, number one on our list above. However, if you're a professional video editor, we'd point you towards the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue (number 4) and video editors may be tempted by Apple's own stunning Pro Display XDR. That said, these monitors all cost over $1,000. If money is tight, the best monitor for MacBook Pro we can recommend on a budget is ASUS ProArt PA278CV (number 2 on our list). 

We've chosen the devices on our list by using them for creative work, including image editing and video editing as well as carrying out our own lab tests to assess colour coverage, accuracy and uniformity across the displays.. We've also sought out options with good connectivity options for creatives working on MacBook Pros.

Can I use multiple monitors with my MacBook Pro?

Yes, you can use multiple monitors with some models of the MacBook Pro. For instance the MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023) and MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) models with the M2 Pro chip support up to two external displays simultaneously, based on the resolution (up to 8K) and refresh rate (up to 240 Hz) of each external display. For older models, check the tech specs here to see how many connections are supported.

Matt Bolton

Matt is Managing Editor at TechRadar.com, and previously worked on T3, MacLife and MacFormat. He's been testing technology for over a decade, working in specialist Apple publications as well general technology and creative journalism, and has charted Apple’s ups and downs since his student days (but still hopes to hear “one more thing”). By day, you can find him covering TV, audio, smart home gear and more at T3.com, as Home Tech Editor. By night, he's probably updating or pairing or installing some new piece of technology in the quest for the perfect setup.

With contributions from