The 6 Best Monitors For MacBook Pro - Winter 2023 Reviews

The Apple Studio Display is the best monitor for MacBook Pro that we've tested. Considering it's an Apple monitor, there are some features 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 fully charged while working. It also has three other USB-C ports to charge other devices, but you can't display images from those inputs. It has different variants, and you can choose which stand you want, either the one with the standard fixed stand, a height-adjustable stand, or one without a stand if you want to mount it. You can also choose which screen finish it has, and even the standard finish has fantastic reflection handling, meaning you won't have issues using it in a well-lit room.

If you find the Apple Studio Display too expensive and you want something slightly cheaper with more screen space, then check out the LG 40WP95C-W. It isn't as bright as the Apple Studio Display and has worse reflection handling, so it's worse to use in a well-lit room, but if you work in a dim or moderately-lit room, it's still a great choice. It's a wider display than the Apple monitor as it has a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 40-inch screen, so there's plenty of space to open multiple windows at once. It has a 5120x2160 resolution, so while its pixel density isn't as high as on the Apple monitor, it still has remarkable text clarity, and you won't have issues reading fine text.

What makes this great to use with the MacBook Pro is that it has impressive connectivity with two USB-C ports that each support Thunderbolt 4 with 96W of power delivery, which is 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.

If you aren't a fan of ultrawide displays or you simply 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, and while its 4k resolution is still lower than the 5k Apple Studio Display, you won't have issues reading fine text. It has many features, like a massive USB hub that includes 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 on the power-hungry models. Another USB-C port is used for the KVM switch, allowing you to connect two sources with the same keyboard and mouse, which is helpful if you have another computer alongside your MacBook.

It also has a dedicated sRGB mode that makes it excellent for content creators because the accuracy before calibration is amazing. It comes with a versatile stand that has remarkable ergonomics, making it easy to adjust to an ideal position. If you find the 27-inch screen too small and want something bigger, the Dell U3223QE is essentially a larger variant of this monitor, but colors in HDR look undersaturated.

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, and it regularly goes on sale too. It's a lower-end model than the U2723QE, so it has a smaller USB hub, but it still has one USB-C port that supports 65W of power delivery, which is enough to keep your laptop 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 some casual photo editing. However, it doesn't have an sRGB mode, so some colors look oversaturated. It gets bright like the U2723QE, but it has better reflection handling, so if you want to use it in a well-lit room, it's a great choice, as visibility isn't a problem.

While the Dell S2722QC doesn't cost much and can be found at budget-friendly prices, if you're on a tighter budget or you simply aren't a fan of 4k screens, then check out the Gigabyte M27Q. It has a lower 1440p resolution compared to the 4k screen on the Dell S2722QC, which is expected for a budget-friendly monitor. It means that text doesn't look as sharp, and because of the Gigabyte's BGR subpixel layout, there are some text clarity issues with programs that don't support it, but overall the text clarity is decent, and this won't be a big issue for most people. Besides that, it has a USB-C input that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with only 10W of power delivery, which isn't enough to charge your MacBook, but it at least keeps the battery going while working.

For the most part, there aren't any issues using this monitor with a MacBook, but in certain picture modes, there are flicker issues, so you have to ensure you don't use those modes. 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.

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 you have to expect for getting a cheaper model. 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 make the image remain accurate from the sides.

It doesn't have a USB-C port like the older models, but it still has an HDMI port you can connect your MacBook to if you have the newer MacBooks with an HDMI slot. It's limited in extra features too, but it has a flicker-free backlight that helps reduce eye strain during long usage sessions. It also has an sRGB mode that results in amazing color accuracy, which is great if you care about accurate colors and don't want to calibrate it.