The 6 Best Monitors For MacBook Pro And MacBook Air - Spring 2024 Reviews

The Apple Studio Display is the best MacBook Air monitor and MacBook Pro monitor that we've tested. It's one of two monitors available from Apple, as it's the lower-end version of the Apple Pro Display XDR, which is meant for professional content creators. While the Studio Display has fewer features than the Pro Display XDR, like the lack of HDR, it's still a great monitor, especially for casual content editing. It has exceptional accuracy before calibration thanks to its outstanding sRGB mode, which you can only access with a macOS device. It also delivers high pixel density thanks to its 5k, 27-inch screen, and text looks incredibly sharp.

It has an impressive selection of additional features, including a built-in webcam and microphone. It also includes four USB-C ports, but only one supports Thunderbolt 3 to display a video signal from your laptop. Lastly, you can get it in different variants, as you can get the standard tilt-only 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 regardless of which screen finish you choose, it doesn't have issues in a well-lit room as it gets very bright.

If you like working with multiple windows opened simultaneously, an ultrawide display like the LG 40WP95C-W is a good alternative to the Apple Studio Display. It has fewer features than the Apple monitor, as it doesn't have a webcam or mic, and it has a lower 5120x2160 resolution, which means that it has lower pixel density, but it still delivers very sharp text. It doesn't get as bright as the Apple monitor either, which means it isn't as good to use in a bright office space, but it's still fine if you have a few lights around.

However, it has a few advantages over the Apple monitor because it supports HDR, and its 40-inch screen has a wide 21:9 aspect ratio, so there's plenty of space to open multiple windows at once. Its impressive connectivity makes it great to use with the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, as it has two USB-C ports supporting Thunderbolt 4. They each deliver 96W of power, enough to keep MacBook Airs and most MacBook Pros fully charged while you're working. It also has a Picture-by-Picture mode, which is great if you want to connect multiple devices simultaneously.

If you don't like ultrawide displays or simply prefer something cheaper than the Apple Studio Display, check out the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. With a much smaller screen than the LG 40WP95C-W, it isn't as good for multitasking and doesn't support Thunderbolt either. Instead, it supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, which has less bandwidth than Thunderbolt but still delivers 90W of power to charge most MacBooks. Besides these small differences, it's an excellent overall monitor that delivers great picture quality. It gets extremely bright and has good reflection handling, so content is easy to see even in a very bright room.

Its extremely accurate sRGB mode makes it an excellent choice for content creation and editing. Additionally, HDR is good thanks to its Mini LED local dimming, so content looks bright and vibrant. It also has excellent ergonomics, so you can easily adjust the screen to an ideal position, which is great for sharing your screen with others. However, if you have trouble finding this monitor in your region, you can also check out the Dell U2723QE, which is another reliable option that has a massive USB hub. It has worse picture quality than the Acer, especially in HDR.

If you want something simpler and don't want to spend a ton of money on the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, the Dell S2722QC is a great choice to get as a lower mid-range monitor, and it often goes on sale. While it has great brightness, it doesn't get nearly as bright as the Acer, so it isn't as well suited to very bright rooms. It also lacks a local dimming feature like the Acer, so HDR content looks worse, particularly in dark rooms, as blacks look gray. Also, its USB hub delivers only 65W of power, which isn't enough power for most MacBook Pros. However, it can still charge your MacBook Air while you're using it, and it has two USB-A ports if you want to charge or connect other devices.

Besides that, the high 4k resolution helps deliver crisp images, and even though it doesn't have a dedicated sRGB mode like the Acer, it still has decent accuracy before calibration if you want to use it for casual photo editing. Though it works well with macOS, there are some reports online of people experiencing flicker with M1 Macs, which could get distracting if you experience this issue.

If you're looking for a budget monitor for your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, check out the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV. Unlike many budget-friendly options, this one has a USB-C port to easily connect your laptop, but the main trade-off versus the Dell S2722QC is that it has a lower 1440p resolution, so text isn't as sharp. That said, it's still great for productivity as it has incredible ergonomics that make it very easy to adjust to an ideal position, and its 65W of power delivery is enough to charge a MacBook Air but not most MacBook Pros.

This monitor is designed with content creators in mind, as it has an extremely accurate sRGB mode, so you won't have to calibrate it if you work in that color space. However, it doesn't support HDR, which is disappointing if you're a video editor and need that. If you want a monitor that does support it, the Dell S2721QS is a great budget-friendly 4k monitor that does, but it doesn't have any USB ports, and there are some macOS compatibility issues with a DisplayPort to USB-C cable, so the ASUS is still the better overall option.

If you want something cheap and don't want to spend much money, consider an entry-level model like the ASUS VG246H. It has a lower 1080p resolution and fewer features than the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV, as it doesn't have a USB-C port, but that's what you must expect for a cheaper display. This means you need to connect to it over HDMI, and you'll need to get an adapter if your MacBook doesn't have an HDMI port. Despite that, it still works well with macOS computers, but like the PA278CV, it doesn't support HDR.

It's 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, meaning it's a great choice if you often need to share your screen with someone else. Although it's limited in extra features, it has an sRGB mode that results in great accuracy. Still, it locks most picture settings, including the brightness, so it's only beneficial for editing content with that color space in a dark environment.