Use an external display with your MacBook Pro
The HDMI and Thunderbolt ports on your 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and the Thunderbolt ports on your 13-inch MacBook Pro support video output, so you can connect an external display, a projector, or a high resolution TV.
On your MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro, you can connect up to two external displays in the following configurations:
You can also connect a single display with up to 8K resolution at 60 Hz or up to 4K resolution at 240 Hz using the HDMI port.
On your MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Max, you can connect up to four external displays in the following configurations:
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Connect up to three external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz using the Thunderbolt ports and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144 Hz using the HDMI port.
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Connect up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz using the Thunderbolt ports and, using the HDMI port, either one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60 Hz or one external display with up to 4K resolution at 240 Hz.
To learn more about using an 8K display with your MacBook Pro, see the Apple Support Article Use an 8K display with your Mac.
On your 13-inch MacBook Pro, you can connect one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz.
If you’re not sure how many external displays your MacBook Pro supports, check your Technical Specifications. Open System Settings, choose Help > MacBook Pro Specifications, then locate Display Support (you may need to scroll).
To see where your ports are located on your MacBook Pro, see Take a tour: 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro or Take a tour: 13-inch MacBook Pro. You can learn about each port and what it looks like with the Apple Support Article Identify the ports on your Mac, and make sure you have the right adapters with Adapters for your MacBook Pro.
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Connect a VGA display or projector: Use a USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter to connect the display or projector to a Thunderbolt port on your MacBook Pro.
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Connect an HDMI display: Plug a cable from your HDMI display directly into the HDMI port on your 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro. Use a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter to connect the HDMI display to a Thunderbolt / USB 4 port on your 13-inch MacBook Pro.
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Connect a USB-C display: Connect the display to a Thunderbolt port on your MacBook Pro.
Use an adapter to connect a display. If your display has a connector that doesn’t match the port you want to use, you may be able to use it with an adapter (sold separately). Visit apple.com, your local Apple Store, or other resellers for more information and availability. Review the display’s documentation or check with the display’s manufacturer to make sure you choose the right product. See Adapters for the Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C port on your Mac.
Troubleshooting. To troubleshoot an issue with an external display, see If your external display isn’t detected or appears blurry on your Mac.
If you’re not sure how many external displays your MacBook Pro supports, check your Technical Specifications. Open System Settings, then choose Help > MacBook Specifications, then locate Video Support (you may need to scroll).
Use an Apple TV with AirPlay. If you have an HDMI display connected to an Apple TV, you can use AirPlay to mirror your MacBook Pro screen on your TV screen. See Use AirPlay on your Mac for details.
Adjust and arrange displays. After you connect an external display or projector, go to Displays in System Settings to set how the displays are arranged, choose which to use as your main display, and adjust resolution. If you want to mirror your screen, click the display that you want to act as a mirror, then choose the mirror option from the “Use as” dropdown.
The 6 Best Monitors For MacBook Pro And MacBook Air – Spring 2023: Reviews
- Table of Contents
- Intro
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Best Monitor
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Best Ultrawide
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Best Mid-Range
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Best Lower Mid-Range
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Best Budget
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Best Cheap
- Notable Mentions
- Recent Updates
- All Reviews
- Discussions
Updated Apr 21, 2023 at 04:21 pm
By Nicholas Di Giovanni
Getting an external monitor is a good idea if your MacBook Pro doesn’t give you enough screen space to work with.
A monitor with a USB-C port allows you to display an image from your MacBook Pro and charge it using a single cable. While macOS works best with 5k displays, they’re still limited in market availability, so you can also get a 4k monitor if you want sharp text. You’ll also want to consider other things like the monitor’s color accuracy and peak brightness to get the most out of your MacBook Pro.
We test monitors’ compatibility with the 2021 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip using USB-C or DisplayPort connections. The results are also valid for any MacBook, including the MacBook Air, or if your MacBook uses the newer M2 chip.
We’ve bought and tested more than 270 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best displays for MacBook Pro to purchase. Also, check out our recommendations for the best work monitors, the best monitors for photo editing, and the best monitors for Mac Mini.
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Best Monitor For MacBook Pro
Apple Studio Display
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Mixed Usage
6.
9Office
8.1
Gaming
6.1
Media Consumption
7.5
Media Creation
7.8
HDR
3.1
Size
27″
Pixel Type
IPS
Max Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
Native Resolution
5120 x 2880
HDR10
No
See all our test results
The Apple Studio Display is the best monitor for MacBook Pro that we’ve tested. Considering it’s an Apple monitor, it has features that you can only get with a macOS device.
It has exceptional accuracy before calibration thanks to its outstanding sRGB mode that you can only access with a macOS device, making it a fantastic choice for content creators as you won’t have to calibrate it. It has an impressive selection of additional features, including a built-in webcam, microphone, and speakers. Its 5k resolution delivers incredibly sharp text, and the 27-inch screen makes it easier to see more of your work at once.It has one Thunderbolt 3 input that supports 96W of power delivery, meaning you can keep your MacBook charged while working. It’s available with different stand and screen finish options. You can either get the standard fixed stand, a height-adjustable stand, or one without a stand if you want to mount it. You can also choose between a glossy or matte screen finish, and combined with the high peak brightness, you won’t have any issues using it in a well-lit room.
See our review
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Best Ultrawide Monitor For MacBook Pro
LG 40WP95C-W
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Mixed Usage
7.
5Office
8.0
Gaming
7.2
Media Consumption
7.5
Media Creation
8.3
HDR
6.5
Size
40″
Pixel Type
IPS
Max Refresh Rate
72 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Native Resolution
5120 x 2160
HDR10
Yes
See all our test results
If you like working with multiple windows opened simultaneously, an ultrawide display like the LG 40WP95C-W can be a good alternative to the Apple Studio Display.
It has a wider 40-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio, so there’s plenty of space to open multiple windows. However, it isn’t as bright as the Apple monitor and has worse reflection handling, so it isn’t as good to use in a well-lit room. It has a 5120×2160 resolution, so while its pixel density isn’t as high as on the Apple monitor, text still looks very sharp, and you won’t have issues reading fine text.What makes this great to use with the MacBook Pro is its impressive connectivity with two USB-C ports that each support Thunderbolt 4. They deliver 96W of power, enough to keep most MacBooks fully charged while you’re working. It also has a Picture-by-Picture mode which is great if you want to connect multiple devices at once, like if you work on a Mac Mini and MacBook at the same time.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro
Dell U2723QE
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Mixed Usage
7.
6Office
8.4
Gaming
6.7
Media Consumption
7.7
Media Creation
8.6
HDR
6.9
Size
27″
Pixel Type
IPS
Max Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
Native Resolution
3840 x 2160
HDR10
Yes
See all our test results
If you don’t like ultrawide displays or prefer something cheaper, check out the Dell U2723QE. With a much smaller screen than the LG 40WP95C-W, it isn’t as good for multitasking, but it also has a 4k resolution with a high pixel density and sharp text clarity.
It has many features, like a massive USB hub with three USB-C ports. One of them supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 90W of power delivery, which is enough to charge most MacBooks or at least keep the battery going while you’re using it. Another USB-C port is used for the KVM switch, allowing you to control two sources with the same keyboard and mouse, which is helpful for productivity.It also has a dedicated sRGB mode that makes it excellent for content creators, and it displays a wide range of colors in the sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces, which is important if you work in those color spaces. If you find the 27-inch screen too small and want something even bigger, the Dell U3223QE is essentially a larger variant of this monitor, but colors in HDR look undersaturated.
See our review
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Best Lower Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro
Dell S2722QC
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Mixed Usage
7.
7Office
8.7
Gaming
7.1
Media Consumption
7.6
Media Creation
8.4
HDR
6.4
Size
27″
Pixel Type
IPS
Max Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Native Resolution
3840 x 2160
HDR10
Yes
See all our test results
If you want something more simple and don’t want to spend a ton of money on the Dell U2723QE, the Dell S2722QC is a great choice to get as a lower mid-range monitor for the MacBook Pro.
It’s a lower-end model than the U2723QE, so it has a smaller USB hub but still has one USB-C port that supports 65W of power delivery. It’s enough to keep your laptop’s battery going while using it, and it has two USB-A ports if you want to charge other devices. It doesn’t have any issues with recent M1 MacBook Pros, except the default scaling is 1080p when you connect your MacBook, so you need to change it to 4k to take full advantage of the display.The high 4k resolution helps deliver crisp images, and the monitor has decent accuracy before calibration if you want to use it for casual photo editing. However, it doesn’t have an sRGB mode, so some colors look oversaturated. It gets bright like the U2723QE and has even better reflection handling, so it’s a great choice if you want to use it in a well-lit room.
See our review
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Best Budget Monitor For MacBook Pro
Gigabyte M27Q
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Mixed Usage
7.
8Office
7.8
Gaming
8.4
Media Consumption
7.6
Media Creation
8.0
HDR
6.5
Size
27″
Pixel Type
IPS
Max Refresh Rate
170 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Native Resolution
2560 x 1440
HDR10
Yes
See all our test results
The Dell S2722QC doesn’t cost much and can sometimes be found at budget-friendly prices, but if you’re on a tighter budget or aren’t a fan of 4k screens, check out the Gigabyte M27Q.
It has a lower 1440p resolution compared to the 4k screen on the Dell, which means that text doesn’t look as sharp. Its BGR subpixel layout also causes some text issues with programs that don’t render well with it, but the text clarity is still decent on macOS. Besides that, it has a USB-C input that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode to display an image from your MacBook. However, its power delivery is limited to 10W, which isn’t enough to power your laptop.It has a few extra features usually found on higher-end models, like its KVM switch and Picture-by-Picture and Picture-in-Picture modes, making it a great choice for productivity and providing good value for a budget monitor. There aren’t any issues using this monitor with a MacBook for the most part, but there are flicker issues in some picture modes. You won’t have problems if you don’t use those modes, and the most accurate modes don’t have those problems anyway.
See our review
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Best Cheap Monitor For MacBook Pro
ASUS VG246H
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Mixed Usage
6.
5Office
7.6
Gaming
6.3
Media Consumption
6.5
Media Creation
7.2
HDR
2.7
Size
24″
Pixel Type
IPS
Max Refresh Rate
75 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Native Resolution
1920 x 1080
HDR10
No
See all our test results
If you want something cheap and don’t want to spend much money, consider a cheaper entry-level model like the ASUS VG246H.
It has fewer features than the Gigabyte M27Q as it doesn’t have a USB hub or Picture-by-Picture modes, but that’s what to expect for a cheaper display. It also has a smaller screen and lower resolution, so it isn’t ideal for multitasking, but the pixel density and text clarity are decent. Despite its price, it’s still well-built with an incredibly ergonomic stand, making it easy to adjust to an ideal viewing position. It also has wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides.It doesn’t have a USB-C port like the other monitors in this recommendation, but it still has an HDMI port you can use if you have the newer MacBooks with an HDMI slot, and there aren’t any connectivity issues. Although it’s limited in extra features, it has a flicker-free backlight that helps reduce eye strain during long usage sessions. It also has an sRGB mode that results in great accuracy, but it locks most picture settings, so it’s only beneficial if you need accurate colors for content creation.
See our review
9
It has exceptional accuracy before calibration thanks to its outstanding sRGB mode that you can only access with a macOS device, making it a fantastic choice for content creators as you won’t have to calibrate it. It has an impressive selection of additional features, including a built-in webcam, microphone, and speakers. Its 5k resolution delivers incredibly sharp text, and the 27-inch screen makes it easier to see more of your work at once.
5
It has a wider 40-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio, so there’s plenty of space to open multiple windows. However, it isn’t as bright as the Apple monitor and has worse reflection handling, so it isn’t as good to use in a well-lit room. It has a 5120×2160 resolution, so while its pixel density isn’t as high as on the Apple monitor, text still looks very sharp, and you won’t have issues reading fine text.
6
It has many features, like a massive USB hub with three USB-C ports. One of them supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 90W of power delivery, which is enough to charge most MacBooks or at least keep the battery going while you’re using it. Another USB-C port is used for the KVM switch, allowing you to control two sources with the same keyboard and mouse, which is helpful for productivity.
7
It’s a lower-end model than the U2723QE, so it has a smaller USB hub but still has one USB-C port that supports 65W of power delivery. It’s enough to keep your laptop’s battery going while using it, and it has two USB-A ports if you want to charge other devices. It doesn’t have any issues with recent M1 MacBook Pros, except the default scaling is 1080p when you connect your MacBook, so you need to change it to 4k to take full advantage of the display.
8
It has a lower 1440p resolution compared to the 4k screen on the Dell, which means that text doesn’t look as sharp. Its BGR subpixel layout also causes some text issues with programs that don’t render well with it, but the text clarity is still decent on macOS. Besides that, it has a USB-C input that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode to display an image from your MacBook. However, its power delivery is limited to 10W, which isn’t enough to power your laptop.
5
It has fewer features than the Gigabyte M27Q as it doesn’t have a USB hub or Picture-by-Picture modes, but that’s what to expect for a cheaper display. It also has a smaller screen and lower resolution, so it isn’t ideal for multitasking, but the pixel density and text clarity are decent. Despite its price, it’s still well-built with an incredibly ergonomic stand, making it easy to adjust to an ideal viewing position. It also has wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides.
Notable Mentions
- Dell S2721QS:
The Dell S2721QS is a step down from the Dell S2722QC as it doesn’t have a USB-C input, so either you need an adapter or to connect via HDMI. If that isn’t an issue, it’s a great choice because it also costs less.
See our review - LG 38WN95C-W:
The LG 38WN95C-W is a lower-end model compared to the LG 40WP95C-W in terms of office features because it has a lower resolution and smaller USB hub, but it also costs less, so it’s a great choice if you want to save a bit of money.
See our review - ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV:
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV is a budget-friendly monitor that costs just a bit more than the Gigabyte M27Q and doesn’t have the same flicker or text issues. However, it doesn’t support HDR at all, so the Gigabyte offers more for its value.
See our review
However, it doesn’t support HDR at all, so the Gigabyte offers more for its value.Recent Updates
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Apr 21, 2023:
Verified picks for availability and for consistency with other articles; added the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV to Notable Mentions. -
Feb 17, 2023:
Renamed the LG 40WP95C-W to ‘Best Ultrawide Monitor’ because it’s in-line with what people are looking for with a MacBook Pro; updated text throughout for clarity. -
Dec 20, 2022:
Renamed the LG 40WP95C-W as the ‘Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor’ from ‘Best Ultrawide Monitor’ to focus on its market placement and not its ultrawide format; added the LG 38WN95C-W and the Gigabyte M32U to Notable Mentions.
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Nov 16, 2022:
Replaced the Gigabyte M34WQ with the LG 40WP95C-W because it has Thunderbolt 4 support, and added the ASUS VG246H as the ‘Best Cheap Monitor’ for consistency with other articles; updated the text for clarity and accuracy throughout. -
Oct 18, 2022:
Added the Dell U2723QE as the ‘Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor’; replaced the LG 32QN55T-B with the Gigabyte M27Q because it’s better overall; removed the Dell C1422H in the ‘Best Portable’ category; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best external monitors for MacBook Pro and the best MacBook Air monitors that are currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people, in each price range.
Rating is based on our review, factoring in price, and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our monitor reviews, except Dell monitors. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.
Connecting one or more external displays to a Mac
Search this guide
You can connect one or more external displays to your Mac (each display may require a video cable or adapter). See the Apple Support article Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C adapters.
Wireless display connection
You can wirelessly connect other devices to your Mac, such as another Mac and some smart TVs, and use them as displays.
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Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Displays in the sidebar.
(You may need to scroll down the menu.) Open Display Settings
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On the right (below your Mac’s name), click the pop-up menu, then select a display.
(You may need to scroll down the menu.) Connecting displays using a cable
Connect video cables (with adapters if needed) securely from the video output ports on your Mac to the video input ports on each display. See About video ports.
Depending on your Mac model, you can connect one or more external displays to your Mac.
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On Macs with the Apple M1 chip. One external display can be connected to a Mac. The presence of docking stations does not increase the number of displays that can be connected. You can connect a second display to the HDMI connector on a Mac mini with an M1 chip. See the Apple Support article Macs with an Apple processor.
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Thunderbolt 3 (USB‑C) Mac computers. One external display can be connected to each connector.
If multiple Thunderbolt devices are connected to each other, the Thunderbolt 3 display must be the last device in the chain. If your Thunderbolt 3 display has USB connectors, you can use them for data and power. -
Mac computers with Mini DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, or Thunderbolt 2 connectors. Up to two displays can be connected. If the displays themselves have Thunderbolt connectors, you can connect one display to another and then connect one of them to your Mac’s Thunderbolt connector. If your Mac has two Thunderbolt connectors, you can connect each display to a separate Thunderbolt connector on your Mac. The DisplayPort device must be the last in the chain of connected Thunderbolt devices. Connect a display, TV, or projector to your Mac.
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Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) and HDMI Mac computers . Depending on the Mac model, you can connect up to four external displays to your Mac. See the Apple Support article Connect your display to your Mac.
If multiple Thunderbolt devices are connected to each other, the Thunderbolt 3 display must be the last device in the chain. If your Thunderbolt 3 display has USB connectors, you can use them for data and power. 
Only the device that is directly connected to the Mac receives power from the Thunderbolt connector. The rest of the devices in the chain must be powered by separate power adapters.
See also Using iPad as a second display for MacApple Support article: Using an 8K display with a MacApple Support article: How many displays can I connect to a MacBook ProApple Support article: How many displays can I connect to a Mac mini
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A detailed guide for designers, developers and everyday users
Choosing the perfect Mac monitor is no easy task. There are a lot of nuances and subtleties that can both ruin your life and greatly simplify it. We have translated the most detailed material on this topic, so now you do not have to guess and google a million different articles.
Everything is collected here.
When choosing an external monitor for your Mac, you must make some important decisions and answer some important questions. Not every display is suitable for Mac. The first part of this article was written back in 2016, but not much has changed to date. Below we will talk about this, but first a little theory.
What size monitor to choose
It depends primarily on your budget, the size of your desktop and personal preferences. However, the factors discussed below also play an important role.
Retina or not
Most Macs support non-Retina displays up to 40 inches. But in the case of Retina displays, the diagonal of supported monitors will average up to 27 inches.
The problem to contend with is that the design of the macOS interface is set up to be comfortable for most people, having a density of 110 pixels per inch in regular displays and 220 pixels per inch in Retina displays – at such a density the text is comfortably readable, and the icons are unmistakably identified by the user from a normal distance.
However, using monitors with a density significantly different from 110 or 220 pixels per inch can cause displayed text and macOS interface elements to appear too large or too small to the user.
In the Mac System Preferences, under “Monitors”, when adjusting the scaling manually, you can find the following options: “Increased Text” and “More Space”. They can be a good solution if the pixel density of your monitor is far from 110 or 220 PPI. If you use these options, macOS will display the screen as a kind of virtual canvas and, using bitmap graphics, increase or decrease it to the size you need. True, you will get blurry pixels, higher memory usage, more stress on the graphics card, and significantly reduced laptop battery life (when connected to a laptop). If you can, use the Default Monitor setting. It provides better image quality optimized for longer battery life.
In addition, the use of a display on which the pixels are blurred and the image is scaled significantly distorts the final look of the developed product – the developer will not be able to determine whether the interface elements he creates are in the right place, and the elements that the designer animates will be flicker.
Therefore, setting “Default for monitor” is the only way out.
You can see the flickering I mentioned in the image above – it’s a 1 or 2 pixel line on a Retina display, but when the display is scaled down by a fractional amount (72%), those pixels don’t appear on the display pixels. As you scroll, the separator starts to flicker, because the line is significantly distorted when scaling.
You certainly don’t need to select a display with a pixel density of 110 PPI or, in the case of a Retina display, 220 PPI. A smaller value will only mean that the text and UI elements will be larger, while a larger value will mean that they will be smaller. To calculate the pixel density of the display you are interested in, you can use the PPI calculator from Sven Neuhaus. You can see a list of popular external monitors for Mac with an indication of the pixel density that is comfortable for macOS (110 PPI for non-Retina displays and 220 PPI for Retina displays) you can see below. These are not the newest models, but looking at them, you will be able to navigate by such parameters as resolution, diagonal and pixel density in order to choose the most suitable option.
We’ll get to the newer models below.
If you want to use the “Default Monitor” resolution setting, then you should not buy those monitors whose PPI value is in the red zone. For example, on a non-Retina display with a pixel density of 160 PPI, the macOS interface will be too small, and on a Retina display with the same density, it will be too large. If you need larger interface elements or a larger font, then you can certainly get the display, the PPI value of which is in the red zone.
In the table you can see iMac 4K, iMac 5K and Surface Studio – they are used solely for comparison, since they obviously cannot be used as external monitors. Surface Studio, with its 193 PPI pixel density, for example, is great for displaying the Windows interface (for which the ideal PPI for a non-Retina display is 96 and for a Retina display 192). If I could buy Surface Studio as an external monitor for Mac, I would.
Wide color gamut support
The wide color gamut support found in displays using the Adobe RGB, Display P3, or DCI-P3 color space is ideal for photo processing if your source was made in one of these color spaces.
However, most developers of games, web pages, iOS and Android applications work in the sRGB color space. If you’re also in one of those industries, you probably only need sRGB support (and an IPS LED display). An improperly configured display that supports a wide color gamut but lacks color management software will display colors that are too saturated and do not match what the final product actually looks like.
Often gamut capable displays can be set to emulate sRGB or calibrated to values similar to sRGB, but not always. For example, I don’t know how to calibrate the iMac 5K display to sRGB values. The “99% sRGB spectrum coverage” mentioned in a display advertisement is usually a sign that the advertised display is a great fit for web or app developers.
There is another problem with displays that support a wide color gamut – the latter significantly stretches the same range of values (for example, from 0 to 255 for 8 bits per color channel) over a larger range of absolute colors.
The number of available steps between shades remains the same, and each step becomes larger. In addition, using a display that supports a wide color gamut and has color management software also typically requires a single, double, or triple conversion of the displayed image to and from a display profile. This, in turn, can lead to errors in the rounding of values, which in the image are noise or gradient bands.
In short, if you need sRGB, only buy displays in that color range.
Which monitor to choose in 2022
Not much has changed since I wrote an article about external monitors for Mac in 2016. LG, Dell, Samsung, and other display manufacturers either failed to meet the demands of many designers and developers, or were reluctant to release products with rather short life cycles.
However, in 2019Apple announced its return to the display market with the announcement of the Pro Display XDR, an incredible monitor at an incredible price that exceeded the specs most Mac users needed, but made it financially unaffordable for many.
Also in 2019, LG’s ultra-thin 4K monitor has been upgraded from 21.5 inches to 23.7 inches, while maintaining the same resolution and decreasing pixel density. Because of this, the market was actually left with one product that satisfies our requirements – LG 5K UltraFine. However, the latter appeared and disappeared from warehouses so quickly that it is still not clear to me whether this monitor exists as a serial product.
Luckily, thanks to Apple and their new Studio Display, an almost perfect monitor for us is back on the market.
The Studio Display is similar in performance to the LG 5K UltraFine and the discontinued iMac 5K, although the latter uses a different panel. Studio Display is what many, including myself, wanted from Apple: an iMac without a computer. Yes, the screen refresh rate is below 120 Hz, it does not have local dimming, HDR and many other features, but I think that using them would be the wrong decision for the company, because it would significantly increase the cost of the monitor.
However, Apple’s goal with the release of Studio Display is much more important than the creation of the most high-tech display – it is to create the perfect monitor, which will be the default choice of those designers and developers who work on the Mac.
With all of the above in mind, let’s take a look at what are the characteristics of a good external monitor for Mac computers in 2022.
macOS has been designed to be user-friendly on a Retina display with a pixel density of approximately 218 PPI. If the display PPI is higher, the macOS text and UI will be smaller, and if the display PPI is lower, it will be larger. On a display with a pixel density much higher or much lower than 218 PPI, the macOS interface becomes not very comfortable to use, and the text is not very easy to read.
Apple laptops have a slightly higher pixel density of 227 PPI for the MacBook Air and 254 PPI for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, respectively. This ensures the readability of the interface elements and the information displayed in them, as well as a closer viewing distance (the closer you get to the display, the larger the objects look). This determines how physically large text and interface elements are displayed on the respective devices.
This also tells macOS to start without display scaling. Display scaling is a system preference option that maps your Mac’s screen to a virtual buffer that is larger or smaller than your display, and then scales the final result to fit. This allows Mac computers to work with a wide range of displays with different pixel densities.
However, display scaling comes with some significant disadvantages, including more blur, flickering while scrolling, moiré, slower GPU performance, and lower battery life if you’re using a laptop. In addition, when scaling the display, anti-aliasing is also turned off and the gradients become much less smooth. Given these issues, it’s much better to run macOS on monitors with the pixel density that the system is best suited for.
The comparisons below are made by simulating a Studio Display on the left and a 27-inch 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 pixels) display on the right, with the macOS display scaled so that both text and UI elements are the same size. The 4K display is a typical high-end display with a pixel density of around 163dpi. Also, I enlarged the images provided to make the scaling issues more visible, but if you know what to look for, these issues can be seen with the naked eye. Please note that browser scaling, display scaling, and other settings on your device may make it difficult to see the differences in the examples below.
The main problem is that when display scaling is enabled, everything becomes more blurry.
When pixels do not have a 1:1 ratio to the macOS window buffer, edges and thin lines flicker when scrolling.
However, even when the interface elements are not moving, small details displayed on the display may form moiré patterns. For example, in the image below, you can see how the chessboard turns into an indecipherable mess.
In the example below, we can see a couple of photos of the 14-inch MacBook Pro display taken at the same distance from the display. The image on the left shows a 1×1 checkerboard pattern with the Default Monitor setting, and on the right is the same pattern with the More Space scaling option that was selected when manually setting it.
Of course, not everyone will notice these problems and not everyone will be annoyed by them, but they are real. What’s more, there are plenty of reasons to use manual display scaling or buy monitors that can’t run macOS with 1:1 pixel display. It’s just good to know about the trade-offs when it comes to buying an external monitor for a Mac. If you are looking for a cheaper option, then you should look at non-Retina displays with a pixel density of 109 PPI, but the image on it will look more pixelated.
You can see a comparative overview of current Mac displays with their pixel density values in the table below. To calculate the PPI of a specific display you are interested in, you can use the PPI calculator from Sven Neuhaus.
Color gamut
The range of colors a display can show is often determined by its color space. In 2016, I wrote: “if you need sRGB colors, then buy an sRGB-only monitor.” Now it’s more common to have content that renders great on displays with a wider color gamut, and buying something that covers the Display P3 or Adobe RGB color space can be a great solution, especially if you plan to use the monitor for a long time.
However, the Display P3 color space issue is somewhat moot, as all displays that meet the macOS PPI requirements cover the Display P3 color space.
It is likely that future displays will cover wider and wider ranges of colors until we reach the limits of human eye perception (ACES). Most likely, the next stop for consumer displays in this regard will be the Rec.2020 color range.
Color Depth
Support for a wider color gamut increases the need for steps when displaying color as numeric values. Standard color gamut (sRGB) displays typically use 8 bits per component (a total of red, blue, and green use 256 levels of intensity each), allowing for approximately 16.7 million different possible colors to be displayed.
Wide color gamut displays require 10 bits per component to avoid problems such as gradient striping. As far as I know Studio Display, Pro Display XDR and LG 5K UltraFine accept exactly 10 bits per component. Apple’s technical specifications refer to this specification as “1 billion colors”.
I assume this means 10 bits are sent to the display, but the panel itself can use fewer bits when using temporal anti-aliasing and other options that make the most of the hardware.
For displaying images on monitors with a wide color gamut, 10 bits per component is a great solution, and the new Apple Studio Display has it. By the way, if you look at the specifications of the 24-inch iMac, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro running on the M1 processor, then you can see that they support “1 billion colors”, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air support “ millions of flowers.
Brightness
Most of the time, any Mac display I use is below 50% brightness, however I know others have different opinions on this and some of my friends use maximum brightness. Brightness requirements are dictated solely by the user’s work environment.
Local Dimming
Dividing the display backlight into individually controllable zones can increase contrast ratio and produce deeper black levels.
This is commonly referred to as local dimming or mini-LED technology. Local dimming features include the Pro Display XDR, 12-inch iPad Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.
I guess Apple refers to this feature as “XDR display” in the specs because they use mini-LED technology, which provides both local dimming and helps fine-tune HDR.
Local dimming is a great feature and the first feature I would like to see on the updated Apple Pro Display in the future. However, I do not think that this feature is of paramount importance.
HDR
HDR support is certainly nice, but only important for those users who work with high dynamic range content. It is important during photo editing or video editing, but probably not very important for most designers and developers.
Refresh rate
It would be great to have a 120Hz refresh rate, but so far I don’t know of any display that meets macOS’ pixel density requirements while still providing a high refresh rate.
Both the Apple Studio Display, the LG 5K UltraFine, and the Pro Display XDR have a 60Hz refresh rate.
In my opinion, it is technically possible to transfer a 5K resolution image at a refresh rate of 120 Hz and 10 bits per component through Thunderbolt 3 with image stream compression, but I may have made a mistake in my calculations.
Night Shift and True Tone
Both Night Shift and True Tone technology significantly change colors away from their true appearance. They simply distort what you see. When you work with color, I think both of these technologies should be turned off. Also, I think it’s worth considering your surroundings and trying to keep lighting changes to a minimum during your working day. Human perception is known to be relative, but it seems to me that constant exposure to a neutral and still environment can develop muscle memory for colors. And the more permanent your workspace is, the better. That is why, by the way, many sets and programs for video editing and color correction have minimal neutral lighting, and carefully selected colors (for example, the Adobe software interface).
The health benefits of Night Shift are questionable, but if you enjoy using it, great. Just turn off Night Shift when working with color.
I currently use an Apple Pro Display XDR, but I would definitely buy a Studio Display if it was available when I needed to upgrade my monitor. I’m using the default P3-500 nit mode with True Tone and Night Shift off, and auto-brightness off.
Opinion Big Geek
While choosing the perfect monitor for Mac has become a lot easier lately (if you don’t want to rack your brains, then just take the Apple Studio Display, LG 5K UltraFine or Pro XDR with a large amount of free money), the problem of choosing is everything still exists, as there are still few available monitors on the market that meet all the requirements described above. This problem is exacerbated if you are looking for a monitor with a large diagonal, and there is no need to talk about curved models or models with an atypical Mac aspect ratio.