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 MacBook monitors are the best buys? At Creative Bloq, most of our writers pair MacBooks with monitors 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.
We highly rate this 4K display for its balance of price and features. With a high pixel density of 163ppi and solid colour coverage (and built-in colourimeter), we found it to be a great option for creative work. Read more below
For a more affordable option, this 1440p display offers great value. We were impressed with the colour accuracy and colour coverage for the price, and it has the all-important USB-C connectivity for barely $300. Read more below
It's eyewateringly expensive, but Apple's Pro Display XDR blew us away. With resolution of 6016 x 3384, enough for many 6K formats, and an incredible HDR peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits and optional nanotexture effect, it's in a class of its own. Read more below
We love this mid-range option, which balances price and features, with good colour coverage for creative work and USB-C supporting DisplayPort 1.4 and power delivery. Sharp 4K resolution and a dedicated Apple mode sweeten the deal. Read more below
If you don't need 6K resolution but want a premium screen with great colour accuracy for photo editing, we can vouch for the quality of this 32-inch 4K screen. The hood and Hotkey Puck G2 are nice additions. Read more below
We think this OLED gaming monitor is a great option for more screen space. It boasts fantastic colour, a fast response time and a relatively gentle curve, keeping distortion negligible for creative tasks while giving an immersive feel to films and gaming. Read more below
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 image
+
Excellent connectivity for MacBook users
+
Strong colour coverage and accuracy
Reasons to avoid
-
Contrast and brightness could be better
Buy it if
✅ You want the optimum balance between quality and price: This is cheaper than any Apple monitor while providing 4K resolution and great colour coverage.
✅ You want a display for creative work: 99.8% of the sRGB gamut, 96.1% of the Adobe RGB space will have most creatives covered.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want more space: We think 27 inches is a good size for 4K, but some creatives may want even more space to work across multiple windows.
❌ You don't need a display for creative work: If you're not using your MacBook for art or design work, even this display may be overkill.
The bottom line
🔎 Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q is a pro screen that comes with good connectivity for MacBooks and a very reasonable price tag for the specs provided. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
The Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q is our top pick as the best external monitor for MacBook Pro because we found it to offer great performance and features for a fairly reasonable price.
Design and build: 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.
Display: The 4K screen has 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.
Pricing: This Dell monitor is our top pick because we think it provides great value. We've tested a lot of monitors, and we think a solid 4K display of this size with great colour control for little over $1,000 / £1,000 is a winner.
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
-
Not 4K
Buy it if
✅ You have a tight budget: This is most affordable display we recommend for MacBooks.
✅ You're not bothered about 4K resolution: UHD provides most benefit for those who need more image clarity for finer details, particularly video editors and motion designers. If that's not you, QHD will probably be fine.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You need the best image quality and colour: Other monitors on our list have higher resolution and better contrast and colour coverage.
❌ You want a larger display: 27 inches will be perfect for many people, but some may want a wide display.
The bottom line
🔎 ASUS ProArt PA278CV is incredibly good value. If you want an external display for more working space but don't have a big budget, we think this is the obvious choice. ★★★★
What you need to know:
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. There are compromises here, not least the lack of 4K resolution, but you might not need it if you're not planning to use the display for video editing.
Design and build: 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.
Display: 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.
Pricing: The most attractive aspect of all is the price. At under $280, this monitor is in budget territory, which makes the specs on offer quite impressive. There are cheaper displays, but for creative work, this is the best deal we can recommend.
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ASUS ProArt PA278CV scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design and build
Practical design and plenty of ports.
★★★★
Display
Great 4K resolution and excellent colour coverage.
✅ You're a huge Apple fan: If you like the design of your MacBook, you'll surely love this premium display.
✅ You have the budget of a mid-size creative studio: This display is a big investment, costing around $5,000.
✅ You need a bright screen for HDR work: Headinline specs include 6K resolution and HDR peak brightness of 1,600 nits.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You don't have all the money: It might be obvious, but if budget is an issue, this isn't the screen to consider.
❌ You working in a small home office: This screen will be overkill for most most home offices.
The bottom line
🔎 Apple Pro Display XDR is an outstanding monitor even several years after its release. The image is bright and detailed and the build is modern and premium, but it's more of a studio investment, with the cost ruling it out for most consumers. ★★★★
What you need to know:
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. hope you're getting a good, screen, and it certainly delivered that when we tested it.
Design and build: If you have a MacBook, you're probably a fan of Apple's engineering, in which case you're certain to love this display. It has the sleek design and finish that we expect 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.
Display: 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. 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.
Pricing: At around $5,000, this not a monitor intended as a regular consumer purchase. That price doesn't even include the official stand, which you have to buy separately.
✅ You want a great value display for creative work and general productivity: We found this monitor to be accurate and well designed, and it's the second-cheapest on our list.
✅ You want an ergonomic design: We liked the C-clamp base that came with our review model.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You need specialist specs for photography: BenQ's PhotoVue monitor below provides higher Adobe RGB coverage and other features designed specifically for photographers.
❌ You want Thunderbolt support: USB-C does the job, but Thunderbolt is faster.
The bottom line
🔎 BenQ DesignVue PD2706UA is a well-priced monitor for creatives and general office use for anyone who doesn't have very specific requirements in terms of colour coverage. You sacrifice extra features and Thunderbolt support, the price is very good. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
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.
Design and build: We 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. It's a shame there's no Thunderbolt, but the display did the job to keep our MacBook Pro charged during testing.
Display: We found colour coverage and accuracy to be excellent if not quite up there with BenQ's pro photography monitors (see below). It came out of the box fасtоrу саlіbrаtеd, and асhіеvеd 95% P3, 100% sRGB and 100% Rec.709 and a colour accuracy of Dеltа Е ≤ 3 in our testing, makin it a solid choice for the creative work if you don't need the broader Adobe RGB coverage of a display like the PhotoVue below for print work. Our reviewer appreciated the inclusion of BenQ's signature eye-care technology, using ultra-low blue light and flicker-free technology to offer a more comfortable viewing experience.
Pricing: This is 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 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.
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
+
Hardware calibration with 16-bit LUT precision
+
Handy design features, including Hotkey Puck
Reasons to avoid
-
Main connection bay is hard to reach
-
Paper Color Sync needs refining to be truly useful
Buy it if
✅ You want a display for photo editing: Hardware calibration and great colour coverage make this an option for those who print their photos.
✅ You want a large display: 32 inches provides a good amount of space for multitasking or comparing images.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're on a tight budget: This isn't bad value for a pro display of this size, but it's twice the price of our top pick.
❌ You don't print photos or design work: Those who only create digital work may not need such broad colour coverage and features like Paper Color Sync.
The bottom line
🔎 BenQ SW321C PhotoVue is among the best monitors for photographers using MacBooks, particularly for those who want the colour coverage for accurate prints. It has useful time-saving features and much accessible price tag than other Pro monitors. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
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.
Design and build: This isn't the sleekest-looking monitor, and the bezels are thicker than on some modern displays, but the build feels solid and robust. And while the menu buttons were a bit confusing, the Hotkey Puck control provided makes up for this – we found its wheel and buttons really handy, allowing smooth navigation to select and change inputs and colour modes. We thought the stand could be steadier but we liked the touches of the cable management slot and the place to store the Puck. As for articulation, the display can be swiveled 45 degrees to each side and tilted up to five degrees down and 20 degrees up. It can also be pivoted 90 degrees to portrait orientation.
Display: 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. We found the anti-glare coating to be effective, minimising reflections when working in harsh light.
Pricing: This is an expensive display aimed at professionals, but we think it's worth it for those who work in different colour spaces. Additional features like the hood for shading the display and the HotKey Puck help to justify the price.
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
+
Bright OLED panel
+
Minimal distortion from the curve
+
Sleek design
Reasons to avoid
-
Could be more adjustable
Buy it if
✅ You want an ultrawide monitor for your MacBook: A wider display means room to open windows side by side.
✅ You work on two MacBooks: This monitor can display output from two devices at once.
✅ You want a modern-looking design: This monitor looks more contemporary than some of the more utilitarian options on our list.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You don't want a curved screen: Some people feel a curved screen distorts the lines in design work.
❌ You have a small desk: A 34-inch display can dominate a smaller office.
The bottom line
🔎 Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 is a great value ultrawide monitor. It's designed for gaming, which you're not that likely to be doing on a MacBook, but its OLED display and picture-in-picture abilities make it an option for multitasking creatives too. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
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.
Design and build: Sporting various shades of white, this monitory has a very distinctive design, and it's a lot more eye-catching than many of the more function-oriented displays we've picked. Whether you like that will depend very much on your taste, but the gaming touches are relatively low key. The two-pronged stand looks very modern, as do the almost non-existent bezels around the display. We were happy to find 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.
Display: 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.
Pricing: Ultrawide monitors are pricey, but we think this gaming-oriented option from Philips is surprisingly good value at just under $800 / £650.
Connections: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x USB-C, Ethernet, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type B, headphone jack
Brightness (max): 350 nits
Reasons to buy
+
4K resolution for a great price
+
Decent colour reproduction
+
KVM
Reasons to avoid
-
Fiddly OSD
-
Lacks in-built colour modes
Buy it if
✅ You want a 4K display at a great price: We were impressed with the clarity of the image at this price.
✅ You want a large display: This 31.5-inch panels provides lots of work space.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want extra features for creative work: This value monitor doesn't have preset colour modes or much in the way of extra features.
The bottom line
🔎 Iiyama Prolite 32-inch is a solid option if you want a 4K display for less. It's a lesser known brand, but we were pleasantly surprised by the clarity and colour coverage of this monitor, although it does lack special features and Thunderbolt support. ★★★★
What you need to know:
As a work monitor for MacBook Pro users, the Iiyama Prolite XUB3293UHSN-B5 is a strong proposition. It has the brightness, the colour response, and the convenience of the built-in KVM to be a handy desk companion. The fact it’s big and high-res just makes it even better.
Design and build: The monitor is big and heavy but comes with a suitably stout stand. We were surprised at how high it can be raised, and there's a 100mm VESA mount for attaching it to an arm). This also allows for a good degree of flexibility with positioning. The controls for the OSD are a bit fiddly but we found it possible to get used to them.
Display: There's some reasonable colour accuracy on display too. In our tests, the screen outperformed its listed brightness, managing 403 nits at 100%. It can also output 100% of sRGB, 83% of AdobeRGB, and 92% of P3, but doesn't have sRGB or AdobeRGB presets, so you'll have to calibrate those manually. The refresh rate tops out at 60Hz, with a 4ms response time, but if you're working on a MacBook Pro, you're not going to be that focused on gaming, which is the main reason you'd want a higher refresh rate.
Pricing: The best thing about the Prolite display is the price, which is very accessible for a 4K display. If you’re looking for something that can fullscreen Lightroom or Premiere Pro, but can’t quite stretch to a pro screen, this package from Iiyama is an attractive proposition.
✅ Colour accuracy is vital: We've mentioned several displays with good colour coverage and accuracy, but this outshines them all.
✅ You work with HDR footage: The monitor has a range of specialist features designed to allow reliable editing of HDR footage.
✅ You work with a team: Eizo's cloud-based ColorNavigator Network provides centralised quality control so administrators can set color modes and register or adjust settings for their team whether the monitors are local or remote.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're on a budget: Designed for professional studios, this hugely expensive display will be overkill for most people.
❌ You want a compact monitor: This is a big and bulky monitor.
The bottom line
🔎 Eizo ColorEdge CG319X is the best monitor we've tested when it comes to precise colour management but it will be overkill for most users. It's very expensive and it also lacks USB-C ports.. ★★★★
What you need to know:
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.
Design and build: As you would expect, this is a big and heavy monitor, and it has a fairly utilitarian appearance with thick bezels, and a thick build in general. It's a monitor for getting work done rather than looking good on a desk in an open plan office and it's clearly made for durability. The gap at the back for airflow doubles as a handle, which is handy, and we found adjustment options to be very generous, with the option to swivel 344 degrees and tilt backwards up to 35 degrees. It can be raised quite high too.
Display: 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 (you can even continue to work while it callibrates). 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.
There's a whole array of other specialist features too, including HLG (hybrid log-gamma) and a PQ (perceptual quantization) curve for reliable editing of HDR video content. There's a Clipping function that highlights areas that can't be displayed at the correct brightness with the current settings and a safe area marker for checking that important details and subtitles are visible on different devices.
Pricing: This monitor would be at the top of our list if it weren't for the price tag of almost $6,000. Many of the professional features are designed for teams working on projects and will be overkill for a lot of people. If you do need those specs, you will surely know it.
✅ You want a portable display for your MacBook: This portable monitor is compact and travel friendly.
✅ You work out of the office: Uses for a portable display include working on the go or showing work during visits to clients.
✅ You want an OLED screen: There are cheaper portable monitors about, but Asus's OLED display tech makes this the best we've tested.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You need the best colour coverage: This only reaches 95.5% of sRGB, but that's actually not bad for a portable display.
❌ You're looking for a main external monitor for your MacBook: At just 16-inches, this display isn't going to be much bigger than that on your MacBook.
The bottom line
🔎 Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH is the best portable monitor we've tested for using with a MacBook. We were impressed with the contrast of the OLED panel, and the compact size makes it potentially useful for travel. This probably won't be your main monitor for your MacBook though. ★★★★
What you need to know:
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.
Design and build: 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.
Display: Asus claims 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.
Pricing: We think that at around $350 / £450, the ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH represents fairly reasonable value for what it offers. There are much cheaper portable monitors out there, but most of them look rather poor compared to a MacBook Pro screen and don't have anything like the specs for creative work.
✅ You want to watch TV on your MacBook monitor: The M8 provides Smart TV streaming that doesn't require booting up your PC.
✅ You want to browse and answer emails without switching on your MacBook: These smart features could potentially save time for those who aren't always working on their laptop.
Buy it if
❌ You won't use the smart features: If you work on your MacBook most of the day, you might not use those in-built tools.
❌ You want a compact monitor: Some people may want a smaller display.
The bottom line
🔎 Samsung M8 has the looks to match a MacBook even if it does come from a major rival. It's reasonably priced and has a bunch of smart features, although some will only really benefit users who want to use the monitor alone as well as with their MacBook. ★★★★
What you need to know:
Including a Samsung monitor in pick of the best monitors for MacBook Pro might seem like some kind of heresy, 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.
Design and build: We do think that this monitor feels flimsier than Apple's offerings and but, 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.
Display: Our tests found colour coverage and accuracy to be decent enough for creative work after callibration, although they're a long way from the Ezio, BenQ and Apple display on our list. The display has a peak brightness of only 400 nits, but we found the dynamic HDR10+ does well to recover detail in dark and light areas.
Pricing: Priced at around $700 / £600, this monitor is a heck of a lot cheaper than any display that Apple currently offers. 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 like the idea of the smart features.
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?
Many of our expert contributors and reviewers have been 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 work and also put them through their paces for photo and video editing.
We test their brightness and colour reproduction using professional colorimeters, not just relying on factory claims, and we dive down into responsivity, refresh rates and everything else that's important to creatives' work and play.
But 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 intended user is going to get out of it. You can read more about how we test and review at Creative Bloq.
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.
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.
Is Apple Studio Display a good monitor for MacBook Pros?
The Apple Studio Display is a lot more affordable than the Apple Pro Display XDR that we've included in our list, but we think it's overpriced for what it offers, which is why we haven't included it in our list. That's not to say that it's a bad screen. The image quality is good, and it has a build-in webcam, but we would have liked superior specs for the price. See our full Apple Studio Display review.
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.
