If you’ve just purchased a new Mac, like the recently released Mac mini or Mac Studio, you might be in the market for a new external display as well.

Here are my recommendations, covering multiple product categories, price points, and more.

The best external Mac displays

Apple Studio Display

You can’t have a roundup of the best displays on the market without mentioning Apple’s Studio Display. While it’s on the pricier side, it features a beautiful Apple design with a 27-inch 5K display.

  • Display: 27-inch 5K Retina display (5120×2880 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch
  • Brightness: 600 nits
  • Color Support: Wide color (P3) with support for 1 billion colors
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz
  • Webcam: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support
  • True Tone Technology: Adjusts the display’s color temperature to match ambient lighting
  • Ports: Two Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120Gb/s) and two USB-C ports (up to 10Gb/s)
  • Host Charging: Up to 96W

The Studio Display is available in multiple configurations at various prices, which I’ve highlighted below. If you’re looking for an iMac-like experience with your Mac, there’s no better option than the Apple Studio Display.

Standard glass with tilt-adjustable stand

Standard Glass with tilt- and height-adjustable stand

Nano-texture glass with tilt-adjustable stand

Nano-texture glass with tilt- and height-adjustable stand

Apple Studio Display XDR

The Studio Display XDR was introduced earlier this year with several major advantages over the normal Studio Display, including mini-LED display technolgoy and a 120Hz refresh rate.

  • Display: 27-inch 5K Retina XDR display (5120×2880 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch with mini-LED backlighting and 2,304 local dimming zones
  • Brightness: Up to 1,000 nits SDR brightness and 2,000 nits peak HDR brightness
  • Color Support: P3 and Adobe RGB wide color gamuts with support for 1 billion colors
  • Refresh rate: 120Hz with Adaptive Sync
  • Webcam: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support
  • True Tone Technology: Adjusts the display’s color temperature to match ambient lighting
  • Ports: Two Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120Gb/s) and two USB-C ports (up to 10Gb/s)
  • Host Charging: Up to 140W

Those benefits, of course, come at an even higher price than the normal Studio Display.

Standard Glass with tilt- and height-adjustable stand

Nano-texture glass with tilt- and height-adjustable stand

Samsung M9 Smart Monitor

The 32-inch Samsung M9 Smart Monitor is a compelling option for Mac users thanks to its 4K OLED panel. My 9to5Toys colleague Justin Kahn made the switch to it, and he says “has been a joy to pair up with my Mac mini over the last couple months.”

  • Panel: 32-inch 4K OLED display (3840×2160 resolution) with glare-free coating
  • Refresh rate: 165Hz
  • Ports: DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C, 2x USB-A
  • Built-in camera: Yes, 4K
  • HDR support: Yes (HDR10/HDR10+)

While it doesn’t offer the crisp 5K or 6K resolution of some options on this list, you’ll enjoy the benefits of OLED, including deeper blacks and better color reproduction and contrast.

Buy the Samsung M9 OLED Smart Monitor:

LG UltraFine 6K

The LG UltraFine 6K is the evolution of LG’s high-end efforts in the display business. It offers a 32-inch panel with a resolution of 6144 x 3456 pixels. It has a bevy of ports. Here are the important specs:

  • Display: 31.5-inch 6K Nano IPS Black display (6144×3456 resolution) at 224 pixels per inch
  • Brightness: 450 nits typical; VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified
  • Color Support: 98% DCI-P3 and 99.5% Adobe RGB with 1.07 billion colors (10-bit)
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz
  • Webcam: None
  • True Tone Technology: None; supports automatic brightness adjustment
  • Ports: Two Thunderbolt 5 ports, one DisplayPort 2.1, one HDMI 2.1, two downstream USB-C ports, and one upstream USB-C port
  • Host Charging: Up to 96W over Thunderbolt
  • Contrast Ratio: 2,000:1

Here’s where to buy the LG UltraFine 6K

Asus ProArt 5K Display

My colleague Jeff Benjamin went hands-on with this one, and it caught my attention right away. The Asus ProArt (PA27JCV) Display 5K yields the same 5K resolution (5120×2880) in a similar 27-inch form factor to the Studio Display, but at half the price.

  • Display: 27-inch 5K IPS display (5120×2880 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch
  • Brightness: 400 nits typical; VESA DisplayHDR 500 certified
  • Color Support: 99% DCI-P3, 100% sRGB, and 95% Adobe RGB with 1.07 billion colors (10-bit)
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz with Adaptive-Sync
  • Webcam: None
  • Ambient adjustment: Ambient light and backlight sensors automatically adjust brightness and color temperature
  • Ports: One USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode, one DisplayPort 1.4, one HDMI 2.1, three USB-A, one downstream USB-C, and a headphone jack
  • Host Charging: Up to 96W over USB-C

Watch Jeff’s full review above for all the details. If you’re in the market for a 5K display for your Mac, it’s hard to beat the Asus ProArt.

Here’s where to buy the Asus ProArt Display 5K:

Asus ProArt 6K Display

If you’re looking for something bigger and higher-resolution, Asus also has you covered. The new Asus ProArt Display 6K (PA32QCV) is a 32-inch display with a native resolution of 6016 x 3384. Jeff called it a “ridiculously good value” in his review.

  • Display: 31.5-inch 6K IPS display (6016×3384 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch
  • Brightness: 400 nits typical, 600 nits peak HDR; VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified
  • Color Support: 98% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB with 1.07 billion colors (10-bit)
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz with Adaptive-Sync (48–60Hz)
  • Webcam: None
  • Ambient adjustment: Ambient light and backlight sensors automatically adjust brightness and color temperature
  • Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, one HDMI 2.1, USB-C and USB-A hub connectivity, and a headphone jack
  • Host Charging: Up to 96W over Thunderbolt 4

Perhaps the best thing about the ASUS ProArt 6K Display is its price. It is substantially cheaper than some of the most popular 4K and 5K displays on the market.

Here’s where to buy the ASUS ProArt 6K display:

Samsung ViewFinity S8 5K (S80HF)

Samsung’s ViewFinity S8 5K is another compelling option to pair with your new Mac that offers 5K resolution.

  • Display: 27-inch 5K IPS display (5120×2880 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch
  • Brightness: 350 nits typical
  • Color Support: 99% sRGB with support for 1.07 billion colors; HDR10
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz
  • Webcam: None
  • Ambient adjustment: Adaptive Picture automatically adjusts brightness based on ambient lighting
  • Ports: One USB-C port with 90W power delivery, one HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, three USB-A ports, one downstream USB-C port, Ethernet, and a headphone jack
  • Host Charging: Up to 90W over USB-C

Here’s where to buy the Samsung ViewFinity S8 5K:

BenQ 27″ 5K PD2730S Thunderbolt Monitor

This might be my favorite option on this list at the moment. The BenQ PD2730S 27″ 5K Monitor packs a wide array of Mac-friendly features, headlined of course by the crisp 5K resolution.

  • Display: 27-inch 5K IPS display (5120×2880 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch with Nano Matte coating
  • Brightness: 400 nits typical and peak; VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified
  • Color Support: 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709, and 98% P3 with 1.07 billion colors
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz
  • Webcam: None
  • Ports: One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port, one downstream Thunderbolt 4 port, one USB-C upstream port, one downstream USB-C port, three USB-A ports, one HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and a headphone jack
  • Host Charging: Up to 90W over Thunderbolt 4
  • Contrast Ratio: 2,000:1
  • Hotkey Puck G3: Physical external controller with customizable controls

Here’s where to buy the BenQ PD2730S 27″ 5K Monitor:

Read more in our full review: BenQ’s 27-inch 5K Thunderbolt 4 Designer Monitor is a proper Apple Studio Display competitor

BenQ 32-inch 4K PD3225U Thunderbolt Monitor

This is one of the most compelling options if you’re looking for a 32-inch display for your new Mac for under $1000. The big downside to this one, however, is that you’re “only” getting 4K resolution instead of 5K resolution. However, it features an abundance of ports options and a sub $1,000 price point for a 32-inch panel.

  • Display: 31.5-inch 4K IPS Black display (3840×2160 resolution) at 140 pixels per inch
  • Brightness: 400 nits typical and peak; VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified
  • Color Support: 98% P3, 100% sRGB, and 100% Rec.709 with support for 1.07 billion colors
  • Refresh rate: 60Hz
  • Webcam: None
  • Ambient adjustment: No automatic ambient-light color temperature adjustment
  • Ports: Two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, one downstream USB-C port, three USB-A ports, USB-B, and a headphone jack
  • Host Charging: Up to 85W over Thunderbolt 3

Here’s where to buy the BenQ 32-inch 4K PD3225U Thunderbolt Monitor:

Read more in our full review: Should a 32-inch 4K Mac display really be a non-starter?

Dell U4025QW 40-inch Ultrawide

If you’re looking to pair your Mac with an ultrawide display, the Dell U4025QW is one of the best options on the market. It features a 5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate packed into a 40-inch display. There’s also a vast array of ports, a matte screen finish, and more.

  • Display: 39.7-inch curved 5K2K IPS Black display (5120×2160 resolution) at 140 pixels per inch with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 2500R curvature
  • Brightness: 450 nits typical, 600 nits peak HDR; VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified
  • Color Support: 99% DCI-P3, 99% Display P3, 100% sRGB, and 100% Rec.709 with support for 1.07 billion colors
  • Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz with VRR support
  • Webcam: None
  • Ambient adjustment: Ambient light sensor automatically adjusts brightness and color temperature
  • Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, three USB-C ports, five USB-A ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and audio line-out
  • Host Charging: Up to 140W over Thunderbolt 4
  • Contrast Ratio: 2,000:1
  • Speakers: Two 9W speakers

Here’s where to buy the Dell U4025QW 40-inch Ultrawide:

Samsung ViewFinity S65TC

A more affordable way to enter the ultrawide display market is the Samsung ViewFinity S65TC, which is currently on sale for nearly half off. It doesn’t pack all of the bells and whistles as other options, but you still get a 34-inch ultrawide curved display and a plethora of ports, including one Thunderbolt 4 port with power delivery.

  • Display: 34-inch ultrawide curved display with Ultra-WQHD resolution (3440×1440) and a 1000R curvature for immersive viewing.
  • Brightness: 350 nits typical brightness.
  • Webcam: No.
  • Ports: One Thunderbolt 4 port (providing up to 90W power delivery), one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.2, three USB-A 3.0 ports, one RJ45 Ethernet port, and one 3.5mm headphone jack.

Here’s where to buy the Samsung ViewFinity S65TC:

Wrap up

These are just some of the best options for external displays to pair with your new Mac. They all offer excellent macOS integration, an abundance of connectivity options, and unique sizes and form factors.

Have you picked up a new Mac recently? Which display are you using with it? Let us know down in the comments.

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