The best USB-C monitors might prove to be an indispensable tool, whether you’re a Windows or MacBook user. USB-C is fast becoming the standard port of sorts for laptops, with many Ultrabooks now dropping other ports and sticking with this one type. This isn’t surprising as this latest type of connection is capable of carrying more power and data at faster speeds, which makes it more efficient than older connectors.
The best USB-C monitors for MacBook or Windows laptops, therefore, are able to transfer video, data, and power more efficiently over a single cable. That means that they’re not only able to display what’s on your laptop, but they’re also able to provide fast charging capabilities to your devices at the same time. As a result, they offer a great deal of convenience for busy creatives, especially those with USB-C only laptops.
Even if you’re not a content creator or graphic designer, you’ll still benefit from one of the best USB-C monitors. That’s especially since most of them still come with DisplayPort and HDMI ports, giving users a lot of versatility in terms of what kind and how many computers they can use it with. And, there's now a huge range of screens that offer this useful connection, from 4K displays to gaming monitors, so you’ll find an ideal one no matter your needs.
To help you find the best USB-C monitor for you, we’ve gathered the top and most highly rated ones in 2021. Take a look at our picks below if you’re ready to jump on the USB-C bandwagon. And, before you hit buy, do make sure to check out our included price comparison tool for the best prices available. You might also want to see our pick of the best 4K monitors or the best monitors for video editing and best monitors for MacBook Pro.
The best USB-C monitors available right now
Next to all the other options on here, the LG 32UN880 UltraFine Display Ergo takes a more back-to-basic approach. That isn’t to say it is lacking in features. On the contrary, there’s a lot to love here. The ergonomic C-Clamp stand, for one, lets you pivot, extend, retract, swivel and tilt the monitor every which way without fuss, the way a robust desk monitor arm would. It also comes with HDR10, which offers a bit of improvement in picture quality whether you’re in gaming, productivity or creative mode. And, there’s also a plethora of ports on hand; a DisplayPort, one USB-C, two HDMI and two USB-A ports are more than enough for most users.
As far as the more premium features, however, don’t expect a whole lot. Instead, what you’re getting is a brilliant 4K monitor with 350 nits of brightness and 95% DCI P3 colour gamut for most users' bright and accurately vibrant viewing pleasure (not to mention, for beginner photographers editing needs). What we’re saying is that it might not be rich in features, but it delivers where it counts, which to most people is really all that’s important. Especially when it’s one that’s more affordably priced than all the other top contenders.
If you’re looking for the best USB-C monitor overall for creative work, especially photo editing, this is the one. You get a lovely big 32-inch 4K display so you can really dive into the detail of an image, while the impressive colour gamut support (99% Adobe RGB and 95% DCI-P3) means you can get the look of your pictures (or videos) exactly how you want it.
The USB-C connectivity means you can bring your laptop back from a photoshoot and plug in a single cable to immediately get working on a bigger canvas. Similarly, you can just as quickly unplug the one cable when you need to head out the door to go to a job.
There's also a useful connection hub – you can use its USB 3 ports for external storage and other peripherals, but perhaps the most useful feature is the built-in SD card reader since MacBook Pros don’t include them these days. The accuracy and detail are desirable for everyone, but the whole setup here is smartly designed for photography.
This is the best 4K USB-C monitor you’ll find before having to make the leap into the world of seriously expensive specialist screens. It’s not just about the quality of the pixels here; this monitor is also extremely well-equipped all around. It's a rare display that can actually deliver 90W of power over USB-C, which is enough for any laptop running at full power on intense tasks, including a 16-inch MacBook Pro. There are also three USB Type-A ports for connecting accessories, and is has full ergonomic adjustments and rock-solid build quality, as you expect from Dell’s office products.
On the screen side, the 27-inch 3840x2160 display is extremely sharp – and with 95% DCI-P3 coverage, 99% sRGB and 99% REC 709 support, you know that you’re seeing things accurately. The 350 nits of brightness is pretty average, but offers great uniformity, and it’s HDR 400 rated. As a screen for both creative and office use, this is extremely hard to beat.
The MSI PS341WU was made with creatives in mind, and that's evident from its feature list, which boasts things like 98% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB colour coverage, a 5K display in an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and HDR 600 support – not to mention, a strong 450 nits of average brightness. It also offers full ergonomic adjustments, so it’s easy to make sure that you’re seeing the display clearly and working comfortably for long periods.
It’s also a USB-C monitor, of course, and features three regular USB 3.2 ports, so it acts as a useful connection hub. It’s the accurate, wide colours and high resolution that really draw us in, though. This is basically a 4K display with a bunch of extra working space, meaning you can view things in great detail and still have loads of room for tools.
This 4K USB-C monitor is another great-value all-rounder, with a few extra features that might tempt you in its direction. The 32-inch panel offers a bit more screen real estate while delivering all the detail of 4K plus HDR support. However, AMD FreeSync means it’s also a great choice for gaming, while BenQ’s Opt-Clarity technology also makes it easy to tweak the display profile and make it more visible in whatever conditions you’re in, such as in dim lighting. Flicker-Free and Low Blue Light features also keep it comfortable for users over long periods.
It doesn't just check these boxes, though. There’s also 95% DCI-P3 colour support, so you’re also getting the colour reproduction you want from a creative screen. The only thing really missing here is USB hub support, but given the excellent price, maybe you can live with that. This is another great option if you're looking to get one of the best USB-C monitors.
This is a great smaller USB-C monitor with impeccable image quality. A lot of the competition starts at 27 inches, but this is made to bring pro-level picture quality to a home office or small desk. And, of course, if you’re going smaller, USB-C only makes sense, since it keeps everything even more minimalist.
The 1920 x 1200 screen may not be particularly high resolution, but it’s high enough for most people, and it's certainly fair for the price. We also really like that it’s 16:10, giving a bit more height for viewing photos and documents since they aren’t always ideal fits on 16:9 screen. Even more important is the 100% sRGB coverage, 14-bit internal LUT and special uniformity tech to make sure everything looks top quality. At 300 nits, it’s not massively bright, but it’s about average – and again, we’ll take that for this price, given the strong uniformity of the screen. Finally, a full set of ergonomic stand adjustments means it’s great for working in comfort. The ASUS ProArt PA24AC is ideal for the creative office on a budget.
This is a USB-C monitor made with creative pros in mind, and that’s obvious from the outset. The biggest sell is the big 32-inch 4K panel delivering stacks of detail and an overall image quality from the IPS panel that's absolutely top-notch. The HDR support is a nice bonus.
One of the key features here is that its USB-C connection is not just USB-C – it’s also Thunderbolt 3. This is part of what pushes it up the price scale, but if you need ultra-fast connectivity then it’s essential. It means you’re able to daisy chain multiple monitors from one connection, store full-quality high-res video files on external storage and work with the live, and even connect external GPUs. It's the ultimate docking monitor for elite needs. BenQ really knows how to put together a great screen for creatives, and this is one of the best.
USB-C monitors aren’t just for creative professionals and masters of productivity. There are gaming options too, as the surprisingly affordable Gigabyte M32Q proves. With 94% DCI-P3 and 120% sRGB coverage, it doesn’t quite make it as a display for pro-level content creation. However, that’s more than good enough for most users and it’s certainly good enough for gaming, especially when combined with its VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, 1ms GTG response time, 165Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync support.
There’s no doubt that gamers, especially those who play competitively or have a penchant for fast-paced titles, will love it. This is one terrific USB-C gaming monitor, and looks every bit the part, touting gaming-inspired aesthetics, a dashboard that displays your CPU usage, clock speed and cooling management, and small gaming-centric extras. It keeps its price competitive as well. Just keep in mind that this isn’t a 4K monitor, which means you’re not gaming in 4K – though unless you have an expensive high-end GPU like an RTX 3080, you couldn’t do so anyway so this 1440p is just the ticket for most gamers.
This is one of the best cheaper USB-C monitors you’ll find, and we’re rather taken by its sharp design – especially compared to the chunky and more ‘practical’ looks you get from most of the monitors here. The 4mm-thick bezels and single metal arm make it look far more premium than its price, and it would look right at home in any design studio. This does come with a downside, though: you can only adjust the tilt, not the height or pivot.
Despite the low price, Lenovo has still seen fit to include USB hub functionality alongside its vital USB-C connection, so it’s not a case of style over substance at all. Its price means it won’t lead the pack for image quality, but it's perfectly good for most uses. It offers 99% sRGB coverage and resolution of 2560x1440 keep everything really clear, even if it's not as sharp as 4K. It balances its features and its price really well, and is desirable too – we‘re fans.
If you want a serious USB-C monitor for video editing, it doesn’t get much more serious than this. It offers 4K resolution (at the Ultra HD standard) and huge HDR – it can reach a peak brightness higher than most TVs, so it’s one of the best ways to work with HDR footage. It also offers colour coverage that includes 100% sRGB, 99.5% Adobe RGB and 95% DCI-P3 – not to mention, pro-grade calibration features and a hardware calibration tool in the box. Strong gamma tracking and consistency complete its credentials as a creative powerhouse. Like we said: serious.
As for connectivity, it's not just USB-C, but also Thunderbolt 3, which means you can daisy-chain it to other Thunderbolt 3 devices with colossal bandwidth between them. That includes monitors, or RAIDs with your uncompressed 4K, 6K or even 8K video on it, ready for you to work with live using your tools of choice. The Asus ProArt PA32UC comes with a high price tag, but if you need what it offers, it’s worth every penny.
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