Best MacBook Pro monitor in 2024 – ultrawide and 4k picks

If you’re looking for the best monitor for MacBook Pro, we’ve got you covered.

MacBook Pros are sleek powerful and portable devices. This portability naturally limits their screen size, however. Pairing your MacBook with a monitor is a great way to get around this, ensuring your device works for you in the home or office, as well as on the go.

Picking the right monitor for you and your MacBook can be daunting. There are a few key things to think about. First of all, because the built-in retina display is so crisp and vibrant, it’s worth looking for a display of similar quality for your external monitor.

Another important thing to look for is a Thunderbolt 3 port. This allows you to charge your MacBook Pro through the same USB-C cable that is hooked up to your monitor, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

We’ve tailored our picks specifically for the MacBook Pro, working to its strengths. This means that you’ll be seeing the best 4k and ultrawide monitors, rather than the best 360Hz gaming monitors. We’ve also got budget-friendly and touch screen compatible options, meaning you should find something right for you here.

All the monitors on this list work with all the latest MacBooks Pros but are ideal for those that have Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 ports. This basically includes any MacBook Pro from 2016 onwards. You can double-check your MacBook Pro’s ports here.

Best monitor for MacBook Pro

• Dell UltraSharp U2720Q
• Apple Studio Display
• LG 34BK95U-W UltraFine
• ASUS ProArt Display PA148CTV
• Acer CB282K

Best overall monitor for MacBook Pro – Dell UltraSharp U2720Q 

The Dell UltraSharp U2720Q is a great monitor for your MacBook Pro with a sparkling 4K resolution, wide colour gamut and an array of useful ports. One of these ports is that all-important Thunderbolt 3 display port which allows you to charge your MacBook through the same cable that is sending its display information to your monitor.

There’s an array of great display features to make this monitor work well for you as well. These include high levels of tilt, swivel and pivot, which pair well with the wide viewing angle. There’s also anti-glare for bright rooms, a 99% sRGB colour gamut for accuracy, and wall mount compatibility.

At 27 inches it may overcrowd some desk setups though it makes sense for many to get a monitor that is a significant step up. Speaking of benefits it is a shame that the UltraSharp U2720Q is not touch screen, despite its relatively high price. While this does limit its utility for those looking to create visual art on their MacBook Pro, it shouldn’t be a concern for most users.

Best Apple monitor for MacBook Pro – Apple Studio Display

It’s no surprise that a monitor by Apple itself is amongst the best for your MacBook Pro. Right off the bat, this screen will be perfectly calibrated to your Mac thanks to its sRGB mode which is compatible only with macOS devices. This is great as it avoids the need to calibrate the screen manually for those who rely on complete colour accuracy, such as visual artists.

Its display is crisper than the best 1440p monitors with a 5K resolution and a 27 inch screen size. This grants the user far more detail and size than is possible on a laptop screen. There is a selection of finishes to choose from that all have excellent anti-glare, meaning you’ll be able to work well even in brightly lit rooms.

There’s a Thunderbolt 3 input that provides 86W meaning you can charge your MacBook with the exact cable you are using to hook it up to the monitor. There are a further 3 USB-C ports though none of the others can be used for display.

This is a beautiful monitor with amazing integration with all Mac devices as well as incredible levels of colour accuracy for creating visual art and content. The only draw backs are a lack of HDR and the high price.

Best ultrawide monitor for MacBook Pro – LG 34BK95U-W UltraFine

With highly accurate colour reproduction and a broad contrast, the screen is perfect for photo editing or fine colour work. This works in alignment with the screen’s HDR and Nano IPS technology to make for highly accurate colours.

The 60Hz refresh rate is on the low side but this won’t come into play in everyday use, nor for photo or video editing.

There is a great selection of ports including a USB-C capable of 85W power delivery, on top of that there is a DisplayPort 1,4, and two HDMI ports, though these are HDMI 2.0 meaning their maximum resolution is 3440×1440. If you’re looking specifically for the best HDMI 2.1 monitors, we’ve got you covered.

The widescreen 34″ Nano IPS display feels huge and detailed, the 5K allowing for unparalleled multitasking. It essentially means you can have a full size 4K display only taking up part of your screen with room for another smaller one. This is made all the more useful by the LG 34BK95U-W’s wide viewing angles, useful for adjustability and shared screen working.

If you do go for this ultrawide monitor, make sure you’ve got one of the best ultrawide monitor arms to go with it.

Best Touchscreen Monitor For MacBook Pro – ASUS ProArt Display PA148CTV

The ASUS ProArt Display PA148CTV has a superb 100% sRGB colour gamut coupled with precalibrated CalmanVerified colour accuracy. This works perfectly with its 10-point multitouch touch screen to allow for drawing or other detailed colour work on the go.

Its USB-C connectivity makes this portability all the more viable as you can connect it to your MacBook Pro without an adapter.

There’s also a nice focus on viewing comfort with a wide viewing angle, and both flicker free and low blue light technology to avoid eye strain.

At just 14 inches it is on the smaller side of monitors on this list, in fact, it’s actually smaller than many MacBook screens. Though this is because it is designed to be used alongside your MacBook, allowing you to have extra tabs or specific apps that benefit from the monitor’s touch screen, rather than as a replacement display.

Best budget friendly monitor for MacBook Pro – Acer CB282K

This is a great budget friendly way to increase the screen of real estate you can use with your MacBook Pro. The CB282K Acer has managed to keep prices low and performance high. There’s a speedy 4ms refresh rate, crisp 4K display and wide colour gamut.

The 60Hz refresh rate is not the fastest but Acer has mitigated this with the monitor’s inclusion of AMD FreeSync which allows the GPU to determine frame rates rather than the monitor.

One of the major downsides of this device however is its lack of a USB-C display port. This means you’ll be connecting your MacBook through the HDMI and therefore having to use a second cable to charge it: a bit fiddly but not the end of the world.

It’s a great monitor for those who have specific tastes in colour settings, with tonnes of different picture modes to tinker with, including sRGB, reading, standard, eco HDR and custom.

Overall this is a great screen to use for your MacBook, especially considering its price and one of the best budget 4K monitors on the market currently.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use a non-Apple monitor with your MacBook?

Yes – any monitor with HDMI or USB-C compatibility will work with your MacBook Pro, though those made by Apple have the advantage of being perfectly calibrated to other Mac devices.

Is the Apple Studio Display worth it?

The Apple studio display does cost a lot but you are getting an incredibly high-quality display and lots of useful features in return for this investment. If high colour accuracy and brightness are of importance to you, this monitor is more likely to be worth it.

When will new MacBooks come out?

There is speculation that Apple will release new MacBooks at the Worldwide Developer Conference in June of this year. However, this is unconfirmed.