Mac Monitor For 2018

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With a stunning 4096-by-2304 resolution, the 21.5-inch LG UltraFine 4K Display brings your favorite photos and videos to life. So whether you’re watching a movie or editing an image, this high-performance monitor delivers immaculate 4K resolution for even the most pixel-packed visuals. Best MacBook and Mac Monitors in 2018 by Mark Myerson on 05.19.18 under Daily Digest, Product Roundups The Gadget Flow Daily Digest highlights and explores the latest in tech trends to keep you informed. Confirmed in April by Apple itself, the 2018 Mac Pro will be a major refresh of the product line, offering high processing performance to the professional market.

Calibrate Mac Monitor For Print

The BenQ PD3200U 32-inch 4K designer monitor is the best option on the market to pair with a MacBook Pro. This award-winning monitor was built with advanced IPS technology so that all types of professionals can work confidently in 100 percent sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces with brilliant color, wide viewing angle and 4ms response time when viewing pictures or videos. Connect a 2018 MacBook Pro to an unsupported monitor, and the YPbPr/YCbCr color mode can cause poor display performance. I found a way to fix it by overriding the EDID back to RGB mode. Best 4K Monitors Under $400 10. ASUS MG28UQ 28-Inch 4K FreeSync Gaming Monitor. Video gaming is one of the areas where 4K monitors are in highest demand.

The Rundown

  • Best Overall: BenQ PD3200U 32” 4K at Amazon, “The best option on the market to pair with a MacBook Pro.”
  • Runner-Up, Best Overall: LG 34UC98-W Curved UltraWide Monitor at Amazon, 'Equipped with two Thunderbolt 2.0 input/output ports, this monitor allows you to transfer data from compatible devices with incredible speeds far superior to USB 2.0.'
  • Best Budget:Acer H277HU at Amazon, “A great monitor that won’t break the bank.”
  • Runner-Up, Best Budget: Samsung UE590 Series 28' LED 4K UHD Monitor at Samsung, 'The 100,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio provides accurate color and sharp contrast for improved picture quality.'
  • Best for Gamers: LG 4K UHD 27UD88-W 27” at Amazon, “Its clear and detailed 4K Ultra HD resolution looks fantastic from even inches away.”
  • Best for Design Professionals:ViewSonic VP3268-4K 32” Frameless at Amazon, “This huge 32-inch frameless ultra-wide 4K monitor delivers lifelike colors.”
  • Best Space-Saving Monitor: LenovoL24I-20 Monitor, 23-Inch at Amazon, “A stylish and budget-friendly solution at only 23 inches.”
  • Best Value: Dell Ultra HD 4K P2715Q at Amazon, “Comes fully equipped with 3840 x 2160 resolution – that’s four times more detail than Full HD resolution.'

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: BenQ PD3200U 32' 4K Designer Monitor

4.4

The BenQ PD3200U 32-inch 4K designer monitor is the best option on the market to pair with a MacBook Pro. This award-winning monitor was built with advanced IPS technology so that all types of professionals can work confidently in 100 percent sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces with brilliant color, wide viewing angle and 4ms response time when viewing pictures or videos. The BenQ monitor’s dual view function allows you to work in two separate modes at once such as sRGB, CAD/CAM, animation display mode or Darkroom mode without needing two screens.

This monitor even has low blue light and flicker-free technology to reduce eyestrain – essential for professionals who look at screens during long work days or gamers who play well into the night. With adjustments available for height, tilt, pivot, stroke and swivel, this monitor can be comfortably fine-tuned for any user – plus the smart screen orientation detector will automatically transpose your screen contents so you can view them correctly with no extra effort.

Runner-Up, Best Overall: LG 34UC98-W 34-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide Monitor

The LG 34UC98-W 34-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide QHD IPS Monitor blends great picture and features that make it a great option for any MacBook Pro owner. Equipped with two Thunderbolt 2.0 input/output ports, this monitor allows you to transfer data from compatible devices with incredible speeds far superior to USB 2.0. You can even charge compatible devices using the included USB 3.0 Quick Charge port.

Apart from the cool included ports, the monitor itself has some fantastic features including OnScreen control, which allows you to make quick adjustments to screen configurations and display settings in just a few moves so you can create custom workstations. A fun-to-use Screen Split feature includes a handy picture-in-picture mode for multi-tasking. If you crave color accuracy, you know sRGB is the standard color space of ideal color reproduction. Providing over 99 percent coverage of the sRGB spectrum, this LG monitor is a great choice for photographers, designers, event planners or anyone else who needs their colors to be on point. Best of all, this monitor has a fully ergonomic design to make viewing pain-free. Adjust the height and tilt of the display to provide the best user experience for every person in the family or at the office.

Best Budget: Acer H277HU

If you need a great monitor that won’t break the bank, this Acer H7 Series monitor is a great choice. Its 27-inch wide viewing IPS display shows every detail clearly and vividly without warping color – great for streaming online video, gaming or photo editing. It fits in neatly at home or in the office with its zero-frame design, handy magnetic base, and brushed hairline finish. Thanks to high-resolution and a high-contrast ratio, you receive improved detail with reduced eyestrain.

It comes with HDMI and display port inputs so you can use it with additional devices. Designed with power-saving technologies, helps this monitor further cut future costs. A -5 to 15-degree tilted angle provides comfortable viewing, preventing neck and shoulder injuries.

Runner-Up, Best Budget: Samsung - UE590 Series 28' LED 4K UHD Monitor

For a budget-friendly monitor, the Samsung UE590 series 28-inch LED 4K UHD monitor has some top-shelf features. Despite a very affordable price tag, it had one of the fastest response times we found at just 1 ms. This speedy response time keeps quick-moving images in your favorite video games and movies from blurring and ghosting while preventing color streaking. The 60Hz refresh rate also helps preserve the clarity of the picture for gaming and other fast-moving media. The 100,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio provides accurate color and sharp contrast for improved picture quality.

The 170 degree horizontal and 160 degree vertical viewing angles plus -1–15 degree tilt give you a variety of angles to view your monitor comfortably. Or try out the picture-in-picture mode to view two images or documents at the same time. You can even choose to mount this monitor on the wall thanks to the 75mm x 75m VESA design. Plus, it has HDMI 2.0 output, DisplayPort output, and 3.5mm audio output, allowing you to attach other essential devices when necessary.

Best for Gamers: LG 4K UHD 27UD88-W 27' LED-Lit Monitor

Coming in at under $600, the LG 4K UHD 27UD88-W 27-inch LED-lit monitor is a great value for the price. Though less expensive than other options, its clear and detailed 4K Ultra HD resolution looks fantastic from even inches away. It maintains color consistency with sRGB coverage over 99 percent so you never have to worry about inaccurate color when creating presentations, editing photos or designing your own graphics. The USB Type-C port lets you display stunning 4K video, transfer data and charge a laptop or mobile device all from the same place.

Are you a gamer that plays a lot of games including dark scenes? LG's Black Stabilizer is perfect for you – it senses darkness and helps make it brighter giving you an edge when trying to spot clues or enemies in the dark. In fact, this monitor comes with three modes for gamers - two for first-person shooters and an RTS pre-set – for optimized gaming conditions no matter what you’re currently playing.

Best for Design Professionals: ViewSonic VP3268-4K 32' Frameless 4K Monitor

If you’re a design professional, you need a monitor that can live up to your exacting standards. The View Sonic VP3268 4K monitor won’t let you down. This huge 32-inch frameless ultra-wide 4K monitor delivers lifelike colors and nearly perfect color accuracy ideal for graphic design, photography, or video. With screen-wide sRGB color uniformity and 4.39 trillion colors, you'll always make the right choice and never have to worry about color inconsistency no matter what part of the monitor you are viewing. The four-sided ultra-thin bezel minimizes distractions and is especially handy when working with more than one monitor.

Hardware calibration is also available with the optional ViewSonic ​Colorbration Kit, which allows you to calibrate the monitor based on the type of work you are doing. It even comes with an advanced ergonomic design and an industry-leading three-year warranty so you can have peace of mind and body when making this purchase.

Best Space-Saving Monitor: Lenovo L24I-20 Monitor, 23-Inch

Not everyone has the luxury of working in front of a huge monitor. For those with limited workspace or if you're just looking something a little smaller, this Lenovo monitor is a stylish and budget-friendly solution. At only 23 inches, this monitor squeezes neatly into compact workspaces or home offices. Despite the smaller size, the wide-view display still provides a great viewing area. The minimal-frame design, narrow bezel and the absence of color distortion, ghosting or irritating reflections make this a solid overall display.

The FHD (1920 x 1080) In-Plane Switching screen displays vivid images across wide (178/178 degrees) viewing angles too. To further help with space-saving, this monitor also comes with clutter-free cable management to keep your workspace neat and tidy.

Best Value: Dell Ultra HD 4K Monitor P2715Q 27-Inch Screen LED-Lit Monitor

This Dell Ultra HD 4K Monitor was originally priced at over $700, but is now available on Amazon for less than $400, making this a great value. The 27-inch monitor comes fully equipped with 3840 x 2160 resolution – that’s four times more detail than Full HD resolution. The high pixel density is essential for revealing fine details onscreen, a great feature for photo editing, gaming and watching videos. With 99 percent sRGB color coverage, you can rest assured that your color matching will be totally accurate whether you are creating presentations, designing t-shirts or editing photos for the family album.

Get comfortable thanks to the adjustable stand which enables tilt (5 degrees forward or 21degrees backward), pivot, swivel and even built-in cable-management. You can even save desktop space by mounting the monitor onto a swing arm or on the wall instead thanks to the VESA-compatible 100 x 100 millimeter wall mount kit.

How To Calibrate Mac Monitor For Lightroom

Tested by

How We Tested

We bought a top-rated monitor for a MacBook Pro that our reviewers tested daily for weeks on end. We asked our testers to consider the most important features when using this monitor, from its design to its picture quality. We’ve outlined the key takeaways here so that you, too, know what to look for when shopping.

What to Look for in Monitors for MacBook Pros

Screen size -Your decision to add a monitor to your MacBook Pro is likely driven by a need for a larger screen. Most models come in a variety of sizes, often ranging from 23 inches to 34 inches and up (measured diagonally).

Picture quality -A standard monitor will have a resolution of around 1920 x 1080 pixels. For an even more vivid viewing experience, look for a monitor with 4K Ultra HD resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). Another factor that will contribute to stellar picture quality is color accuracy, which is especially important for designers. sRGB is the standard color space of ideal color reproduction, and the best monitors will have coverage over 99%.

Design -The design of a monitor takes into account material, color, ergonomics, and build, among other things. Some have a wider footprint, while some are designed specifically to save space on your desk. Some designs are fixed, while others can tilt for a better viewing experience. Some even incorporate a curved screen. The best design is entirely based on your personal preference.

Test Results: BenQ PD3200U 32' 4K Designer Monitor (Best Overall)

4.4

What We Like

  • Multiple color settings

  • Incredibly clear display

  • Useful features

What We Don't Like

  • A little bulky

  • Sound quality not the best

“In terms of resolution and color range, this monitor has the best colors and sharpness I’ve seen on a monitor ever,” raved one of our testers. Other highlights, according to our reviewers, include the convenient touch-sensitive panel, adjustable angles, and super simple setup — ”Even a child could set this up,” one of our testers remarked.

While our testers liked the versatility and features of the monitor, one of our reviewers wasn’t impressed with the quality of the built-in speakers: “I appreciate the utility of having speakers on the monitor, but the quality of sound coming from the speakers wasn’t too impressive,” he said. One of our testers also wished it were less bulky, but noted, “It may be heavy but at least it isn’t easily damaged or scratched, which maintains its new appearance.” Overall? “Whether I was reading, gaming, or watching a video, the colors were always really good and I could adjust the settings to my liking,” declared one of our testers.

BestUSB-C Monitors for MacbooksiMore2019

If your daily-use Mac is a MacBook and you need a bigger display than the 13 or 15-inch laptop screen, your best bet is LG's 27-inch 4K display for its versatility and price. It's perfect for most people, though there are other monitors better suited to different needs.

Best Overall: LG 27UK850-W

LG's latest 4K display is perfectly sized for most people at 27-inches. It supports a wide range of peripherals, including USB-C, USB-A, DisplayPort, HDMI, and standard headphones.

The best part of this monitor is its ability to power your MacBook while acting as a display so that your battery does not limit you. It can even power the 13-inch MacBook Pro with ease (though it struggles to keep the 15-inch MacBook Pro juiced up more than a trickle during use).

Pros:

  • Built-in USB hub for all your peripherals
  • Easy setup
  • 4K display
  • 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time
  • IPS 3-side borderless display

Best Overall

LG 27UK850-W

The best USB-C monitor for most people.

This 4K monitor is perfectly situated between price and features with a variety of ports, high-speed data transfer, and 60W charging for your MacBook.

The 27-inch Envy has a great display that looks as good as its hardware. It's ultra-thin with a 'micro-edge' bezel, meaning it has a 3-sided nearly bezel-less edge, so you see more on the screen than, say an iMac's 27-inch screen. The USB-C connector powers up to the 13-inch MacBook Pro (it'll trickle charge the 15-inch MacBook Pro, too) so you won't have to worry about battery drain.

It's got a small base for minimal desktop footprint and can be mounted on a wall. With two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, and support for AMD FreeSync, it's the perfect gaming display, movie-watching screen, and everyday monitor.

Pros:

Calibrate
  • 4K display
  • Fast 60Hz refresh rate
  • Zero lag for gaming

Best Value

HP Envy 27

An affordable option that looks as great as it performs.

The HP Envy 27 is a quality model monitor for this price. With a 27-inch 4K display and USB-C connection, you're getting the biggest bang for your buck.

Mac monitor for computer

The price tag on the LG UltraFine 4K is very appealing. You can have a quality 4K monitor that works seamlessly with your Mac. Though it doesn't have the Apple design aesthetic, the good stuff is all on the inside. Just like an Apple brand monitor, all of the monitor's controls are available in the settings section of your Mac.

This 24-inch display fits right into the pocket of reasonably priced and excellent quality if you don't mind the boxy black look. As for the price, you can get two of them for almost the price of one LG UltraFine 5K Display.

Pros:

  • Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • Dual-screen full 4K display support
  • Supports 85W charging
  • Easy to set up

Best for daisy-chain

LG UltraFine 4K

Dual-screen full 4K support.

Hook up two for a beautiful, bright, and convenient workflow for your Mac laptop.

Though LG's UltraFine 5K was designed specifically with Apple's MacBook Pro in mind; it's the 34WK95U-W that wins our hearts. This 5K monitor has a 5120 x 2160 resolution, 34-inch display, a Thunderbolt 3 port, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort port, and a couple of USB-A ports. It's more versatile than the UltraFine, and that's ultra-fine with us.

Best Mac Monitor For Photo Editing

Pros:

  • Pro-quality technology
  • Nano ISP color 5K display
  • USB hub
  • Versatile input options

Cons:

  • No built-in camera or microphone
  • Poor built-in speaker quality

Premium option

LG 34WK95U-W Nano-ISP UltraWide

From MacBook to iMac with LG and Thunderbolt 3.

Use LG's UltraWide monitor with your Mac laptop and daisy chain it with a second 4K monitor and have data transfer up to 40Gbsp and 85W charging.

With LG's latest update to its UltraFine 5K monitor, you can use it along with your 2018 (or later) iPad Pro with USB-C. That's because the monitor now supports USB-C and Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt 3 charges the MacBook Pro and the three USB-C ports offer 5Gbps downstream. Its 27 inches big, which is about the size of Apple's larger iMac, and has a similar P3 wide color gamut with 500 nits brightness. For full 5K resolution on a larger display, the UltraFine 5K is your perfect choice.

Its biggest downfall is that it doesn't quite have that Apple aesthetic. LG has designed an attractive Edge-Arcline base for some of its monitors, which looks better with Apple products. The UltraFine 5K, unfortunately, still has that big, boxy black base.

Pros:

  • Up to 5K resolution
  • Designed for Apple
  • Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C
  • Built-in speakers, camera, and mic

Best for iPad Pro

LG UltraFine 5K

Full 5K display plus support for USB-C.

Calibrating Mac Monitor For Photography

If your workflow includes both a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro, this is the monitor you want for performance, reliability, and productivity.

The future is curved, and LG is the pioneer of bending the display rules. This 38-inch UltraWide monitor has a 21:9 ratio with split-screen support and is perfect for graphic designers and professional photo and video editors. The display has a USB-C data transfer port, two USB- A ports, plus a couple of HDMI ports, and a DisplayPort port.

Pros:

  • Well-designed
  • Easy setup
  • Versatile ports
  • Good built-in audio

Best Curved

LG 38WK95C-W Curved UltraWide

Ahead of the curve.

If you need to charge your Mac laptop and transfer data at the same time, you're in luck because this curvy beauty has what you want.

The ZenScreen is a favorite around the iMore office for its incredible portability. It's a 15.6-inch screen with a USB-C connector. You can rotate between landscape and portrait mode, and it's compatible with Thunderbolt 3. If you need a second screen when you're headed for the coffee shop, this takes up just the right amount of space without being a burden on your portability.

Pros:

  • Weighs less than 2 pounds
  • Ultra-slim at only 8mm thick
  • Comes with its own cover
  • 60Hz refresh rate

Best on a budget

ASUS ZenScreen

As portable as it gets.

The ZenScreen is ASUS's very portable monitor with its own USB-C port, a great-looking IPS panel, and Eye Car technology to prevents eye fatigue.

Bottom line

Picking the right second screen for your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro is a difficult one. It's important to consider how much room you have on your desk, what you plan to use your Mac laptop for, and how much you can afford. That's why the LG 27UK850-W is the perfect fit for most people. At 27-inches, it's big, but not too big. It's got an incredible 4K screen resolution and a variety of versatile ports for connecting all manner of peripherals.

If the LG 27Uk850 is just a bit out of your range, the HP Envy 27 truly is the next best thing. With 4K resolution and USB-C support, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that the LG model does, but it's got everything you need to make your second screen work for you. Your most significant compromise is that there are fewer ports than the more expensive model, and the base isn't as sturdy.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Lory Gil is iMore's managing editor and spends more time in front of her monitors than she does anywhere else. She's constantly switching between desktop and mobile for work and knows how important an easy setup is.

Luke Filipowicz is iMore's gaming guru and knows how important a great monitor with zero lag is. If he had the room on his desk, he'd surround himself with 360-degrees of 4k displays.

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