Although most monitors work with your MacBook, some offer a few advantages. Those with USB-C ports make it easy to connect your laptop. However, the monitor needs to support DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt to get a video signal from the MacBook. It also needs to have enough power to charge your laptop while you're using it.
While macOS is optimized for use with monitors that have a pixel density of 110 or 220 PPI, not all monitors have this exact pixel density. The next best alternative is to use your MacBook with any resolution you prefer, and make sure text looks sharp. There are other factors you should consider depending on your usage. For example, having good color accuracy is important for content creation, and it's good to get something with deep blacks and bright highlights if you work with HDR content.
We evaluate monitors' macOS compatibility by testing with a 2023 MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) and a 2024 MacBook Pro (M4 Max). The results are also valid for any chip and MacBook, including newer M5 models and the MacBook Neo.
We've bought and tested more than 385 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best external monitor for MacBook Pro, including the best MacBook Air monitors. Also, check out our recommendations for the best monitors for Mac mini, the best monitors for Mac Studio, and the best monitors for programming. If you're shopping for a laptop, check out the best Apple laptops and MacBooks.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best Monitor For MacBook Pro
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracySDR BrightnessSize32"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate60 HzNative Resolution6016 x 3384USB-C DisplayPort Alt ModeThunderboltSee all our test resultsUSB-C Power DeliveryThe best monitor for MacBook Pro is the ASUS ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV. There are a few advantages to getting it, like its high 6k resolution. It also has Thunderbolt 4 support with 90W of power delivery, so you can charge even power-hungry MacBook Pros while you're using it. Plus, it has a big USB hub besides that, with four total USB-Cs and two USB-As, making it easy to connect different devices directly to it. It even has a KVM switch, which helps if you have different MacBooks connected to the monitor and want to use the same devices on both.
Besides its large 32-inch screen, an advantage of getting it is its LuxPixel matte coating. It absorbs light really well, and combined with its high peak brightness, it's a great choice to use in well-lit rooms. The downside of this aggressive coating is that images look hazy. Another thing to consider is that you need to use a scaled resolution on macOS, as text is too tiny with its full 6k resolution. Regardless, text looks sharp, which is useful for reading documents or reading through webpages.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracySDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate120 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160USB-C DisplayPort Alt ModeThunderboltSee all our test resultsUSB-C Power DeliveryIf the ASUS ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV is out of your price range, you can look into a lower-cost option, like the Dell U2725QE. It has some drawbacks compared to the ASUS monitor. It has a lower resolution and lower pixel density, but text looks crisp regardless. It's worse to use in well-lit rooms, too, because its coating doesn't absorb light as well as on the ASUS. It has more mirror-like reflections, which can be distracting if you have it opposite a sunny window. It gets bright enough to fight some glare, though.
That said, the main advantage of getting this over the ASUS is its massive USB hub. It includes a KVM switch, five USB-A ports, and five USB-C ports. You can connect all kinds of devices directly to the monitor and just worry about reconnecting your laptop when you want to use it. One of the USB-C ports supports Thunderbolt 4 with 140W of power, which is even higher than the ASUS monitor. It also supports daisy chaining with up to two extra monitors connected directly to this one, which helps if you want the additional screen real estate. You can also check out the similar Dell U3225QE if you want a bigger screen, but it costs more.
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Best Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracySDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate60 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160USB-C DisplayPort Alt ModeThunderboltSee all our test resultsUSB-C Power DeliveryIf the Dell U2725QE is still too much out of your price range, there are other great work-friendly 4k monitors you can get for cheaper. One of those is the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV, which is a 27-inch monitor that's fairly similar in picture quality to the Dell U2725QE. However, the main downside of getting this is that it doesn't have a KVM switch or Thunderbolt support. While this means that it won't take full advantage of your MacBook with the fastest possible data transfer, it still has DisplayPort Alt Mode. You can display an image and charge the MacBook thanks to its 90W of power delivery. There are other USB ports to which you can connect your devices as well.
One of this monitor's strengths is its color accuracy. It's very accurate in its sRGB mode, and you'll only need to calibrate it if your work requires perfectly accurate colors. It also has picture modes for other color spaces you may work with, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. Plus, it gets bright enough to fight glare in a well-lit room, but it performs worse in a dark room as it has a low contrast ratio.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracySDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate120 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160USB-C DisplayPort Alt ModeThunderboltSee all our test resultsUSB-C Power DeliveryIf you want to save some money without necessarily getting into the budget category, the Dell S2725QC offers solid value as a lower mid-range pick. It's especially worth getting when you can find it on sale. It's very similar to the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV as it's another 4k, 27-inch option, but there are some differences in features. For example, the Dell has lower power delivery over USB-C, and its 65W of power may not be enough to quickly charge higher-end MacBooks. It doesn't have as many picture modes either, but its sRGB mode is still accurate enough before calibration.
The Dell actually has an advantage over the ASUS if you edit or watch fast-moving content. This is because its 120Hz refresh rate offers a smoother feel. This also helps if you work with long documents or webpages and quickly scroll through them. Like the ASUS, the Dell also comes with a small USB hub to connect your devices. You can also consider the cheaper and similar Dell S2725QS if you want something without any USB ports, though, but that means you'll have to connect your laptop over HDMI.
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Best Budget Monitor For MacBook Pro
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracySDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate144 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440USB-C DisplayPort Alt ModeThunderboltSee all our test resultsUSB-C Power DeliveryIf you're looking for something on a budget, check out the Dell S2725DC. It's a step-down model and different from the Dell S2725QC as it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images and text aren't as sharp and detailed. It doesn't have HDR support either, but considering the S2725QC's limited picture quality in HDR, this doesn't make a big difference anyway. It comes with similar productivity features as the S2725QC, including an ergonomic stand and a small USB hub that has DisplayPort Alt Mode and 65W of power delivery.
It's even a good choice if you're a content creator. Despite not having a dedicated sRGB mode, it's accurate before calibration with minimal white balance and color inaccuracies. However, gamma tracking is on the dark side, which means you have to calibrate it to avoid this issue. Besides that, it also gets bright, which is ideal if you want to use it in a bright room, but reflections are distracting in sunny environments.
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Best Cheap Monitor For MacBook Pro
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracySDR BrightnessSize24"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate100 HzNative Resolution1920 x 1080USB-C DisplayPort Alt ModeThunderboltSee all our test resultsUSB-C Power DeliveryIf you're on a really tight budget to get a monitor after buying your new MacBook, a good alternative to the Dell S2725DC is the Dell P2425H. The main trade-off is that it has a smaller screen with a lower 1080p resolution, so images aren't as detailed and there's less screen space to work with. However, this is what you have to expect from a cheap, entry-level monitor.
While it's a simple office monitor that offers the basics, like a wide viewing angle and a very ergonomic stand, it also includes a USB hub. This helps if you want to connect your devices directly to it. It also has a USB-C port, but it doesn't support DisplayPort Alt Mode like the S2725DC, so you can't use this for a video connection with your MacBook. Instead, you need to connect your MacBook to it via HDMI or with a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter. Another thing to consider is that it's dimmer than the S2725DC, so it's not a good choice for use in a very bright room.
Notable Mentions
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ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV:
The ASUS ProArt PA27JCV is a 5k monitor that's a cheaper alternative to the ASUS ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV. It's similar in many ways, but it doesn't support Thunderbolt.
See our review -
Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx:
The Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx is a mid-range 4k monitor that costs a bit less than the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV. The Acer has Mini LED backlighting and has better overall picture quality in HDR. However, it's less accurate than the ASUS in SDR.
See our review -
AOC Q27G3XMN:
The AOC Q27G3XMN is a budget-friendly 1440p monitor with better picture quality than the Dell S2725DC thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. This makes it a great choice if you want to use it in HDR. However, it has fewer productivity features than the Dell.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS:
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is an entry-level 1440p model that competes with the Dell S2725DC. The ASUS has better out-of-the-box accuracy, which is useful if you're a content creator. Unfortunately, it has a smaller USB hub than the Dell.
See our review
Recent Updates
Mar 19, 2026:
We replaced the Apple Studio Display 2022, as it's been discontinued, with the ASUS ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV. We also replaced AOC Q27G3XMN with the Dell S2725DC for consistency with other recommendations. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the Dell U4025QW and added the Q27G3XMN.
Feb 06, 2026:
We removed the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX as it's hard to find, and we renamed the Apple Studio Display to the 'Best Monitor For MacBook Pro.' We also added the Dell S2725QC as the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro' to give another option. In the Notable Mentions, we added the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx.
Nov 10, 2025:
We replaced the Dell U3225QE with the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX because it has better picture quality. We also removed the Dell U4025QW as it doesn't fit into the scope of the article, and added the Dell U2725QE as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor For MacBook Pro.' Lastly, in the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 40WP95C-W, the Dell S2722QC, the Dell P2423D, and the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, and we added the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS, the Dell S2725QC, and the U4025QW.
Jun 02, 2025:
We replaced the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx with the Dell U3225QE, which has Thunderbolt support, and for consistency with other recommendations. We also added the Dell P2425H as the 'Best Cheap.' Lastly, we added the XV275K, the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV, and the Dell P2423D to the Notable Mentions.
Apr 08, 2025:
We added the Apple Studio Display back in as the 'Best Apple Monitor' to better match expectations for the market. We also replaced the Dell U2723QE with the cheaper ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV for consistency with other recommendations. We removed the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B because it's hard to find. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Dell U3223QE with the newer Dell U3225QE and added the Dell S2722QC.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best external monitors for MacBook Pro and the best MacBook Air monitors. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The 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. 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.