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How to Choose the Best Monitor for Mac® Devices

2024-08-26


Finding the right monitor for your Mac device is essential. Whether you use a MacBook Pro®, MacBook Air®, Mac mini®, Mac Studio®, or Mac Pro®, a good monitor can improve your productivity and the overall quality of your work. This guide will help you choose the best monitor for your needs, whether you’re a designer, photographer, or a versatile MacBook® user.

Best monitor for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air

Why Mac Users Need Specialized Monitors


Mac devices are known for their great display quality, especially in terms of color and resolution. When you connect an external monitor, it’s crucial to choose one that not only maintains these high standards but also matches the color profile of your Mac. A good monitor should offer excellent color accuracy, easy connectivity, support for high resolutions, and ensure that the colors you see on the monitor are consistent with what’s displayed on your Mac device. This consistency is key for professional and creative work.

Best Monitors for Mac-Based Designers and Content Creators


For designers and content creators, color is the key. They need monitors that display colors with absolute accuracy to ensure their work is represented faithfully across all platforms. The BenQ PD series monitors are a top choice for this purpose. They come equipped with a feature called M-book mode that matches the colors on the monitor with those on the MacBook, providing consistent visuals across devices. This feature is essential for professionals who rely on precise color matching in their work, such as graphic designers, photo editors, and video editors, ensuring that the colors they see on their screen are true to the original design.

Key Features:

  • Color Accuracy

  • All of BenQ’s professional monitors (PD and SW series) have BenQ AQCOLOR Technology and offer a Factory Color Calibration right out of the box as proof of the calibration result. It ensures Display P3, sRGB, Rec.709 with Delta E ≤ 3, and are Pantone Validated & CalMan Verified color accuracy. They also have fine-tuned the M-book color mode which is designed to minimize the visual differences between Mac displays and external displays. Learn more

  • ICC Profile Support

  • These monitors support ICC profiles and feature ICCsync, which automatically syncs your monitor's color profile with your Mac. With ICCsync, designers can now set up the correct ICC profile even when switching between different sets of color gamut’s. Learn more

  • Display ColorTalk Software

  • With Display ColorTalk, you can effortlessly match the colors across your displays without needing a calibrator.

  • Connectivity

  • The PD series monitors include Thunderbolt for fast data transfer, a KVM switch for controlling multiple devices with one setup, and Daisy Chain support for connecting multiple monitors. These features make it easy for designers to maintain an efficient and streamlined workflow with their Mac-based setups. Learn more

  • Seamless MacBook Integration

  • Effortlessly adjust the monitor's brightness and volume directly from your MacBook's function keys, delivering an intuitive user experience. Learn more

  • High Resolution

  • These monitors support high resolutions, making them ideal for detailed design work like graphic design and video editing. Learn more

    Why It’s Great for Designers:


    The PD series ensures that every professional work looks the same on the screen as it will in its final form. This maintains the high quality of every design. Read more about tips for choosing the right monitor here

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    Best Monitors for Mac-Based Photographers


    Photographers need a monitor that ensures what they see on the screen matches the final print. The BenQ SW series is designed for this exact purpose, offering precise color accuracy and advanced features tailored for professional photography. This ensures that the editing process is reliable, and the final printed images are consistent with what is displayed on the monitor.

    Key Features:

  • Color Accuracy

  • The SW series utilizes BenQ AQCOLOR Technology to ensure that colors are reproduced with the highest accuracy, allowing photographers to see their work exactly as intended.

  • 99% Adobe RGB

  • SW series monitors cover almost all of the Adobe RGB color space, which is important for accurate photo editing.

  • Hardware Calibration

  • In addition to the factory-calibrated color accuracy right out of the box, the SW series monitors provide 16-bit 3D LUT calibration. This precise hardware calibration ensures absolute color accuracy and consistency, allowing for long-term maintenance of color fidelity.

  • Screen-to-Print Solution

  • The SW series combines a Nano Matte Panel with Paper Color Sync software to provide accurate on-screen previews of printed images. By selecting the color gamut, printer model, and paper type, photographers can edit with confidence, knowing that the monitor's display will closely match the final print. This ensures a precise and reliable screen-to-print process, ideal for professional photo editing and soft proofing.

  • Shading hood

  • These monitors include a detachable shading hood that minimizes glare and reflections. This helps photographers maintain accurate color representation and contrast by shielding the screen from ambient light, ensuring consistent and reliable image editing even in brightly lit environments.

    Why It’s Great for Photographers:


    The SW series is built for photo editing and video editing, ensuring that what is viewed on the screen is what will be in the image you print. Read more about tips for choosing the best monitor for photo and video editing.

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    Best Monitors for Versatile MacBook Users


    If you use your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air for a variety of tasks, the MA series is a great option. Designed with MacBook users in mind, the MA series mirrors the elegant design of Apple® products and offers perfect color matching with your MacBook display. This user-centered design allows you to stay fully integrated within the Apple ecosystem while enjoying an enhanced visual experience. Starting tasks is a breeze, just connect a MacBook to the monitor and get started.

    Key Features:

  • Show Mac Colors

  • The MA series monitors deliver consistent colors, creating a seamless visual experience with your MacBook.

  • One Cable Connects All

  • The USB-C connectivity delivers a video signal, data transfer, and power at 90W, allowing you to extend your display while charging your MacBook–all with one connection.

  • Seamless MacBook Integration

  • Effortlessly adjust the monitor's brightness and volume directly from your MacBook's function keys, delivering an intuitive user experience.

  • Nano Matte Panel

  • Minimizes glare and reflections for a more comfortable viewing experience, even in brightly lit environments.

  • Elegant Design

  • MA series monitors have a minimalist design that complements your Mac, keeping your workspace clean.

    Why It’s Great for All Users:


    The MA series offers a balance of style and performance, making it the perfect companion for a MacBook and a great choice for all tasks. Learn more

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    FAQs on Choosing the Right Monitor for Your Mac

    Which Monitor Is Most Compatible with Mac?


    BenQ monitors are highly compatible with Mac devices, featuring Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connectivity for fast data transfer, and the ability to connect multiple monitors without losing performance. If you're looking for a general MacBook-compatible monitor, the MA series is ideal, offering a elegant design that mirrors Apple’s aesthetic. For designers or content creators, the PD series is perfect, offering precise color accuracy, seamless Mac integration with M-book mode, and advanced features like ICCsync and Display ColorTalk for consistent and accurate color matching. For Photographers, the SW series is perfectly tailored to their needs, with features like Paper Color Sync and a nano matte panel that ensures on-screen colors match final prints.


    For programmers, the RD series monitor is a standout choice, specifically designed to enhance coding and development tasks. It features a high-resolution display with Coding modes to enhance text clarity, making it easier to read code for long periods. The RD series also supports features like flicker-free technology and blue light reduction, which help reduce eye strain during extended use. For more details on choosing the best monitor for programming, visit BenQ’s guide on 7 Key Points for Choosing the Best Monitor for Programming.


    *Monitors with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C work seamlessly with Mac devices that feature Thunderbolt 4.

    Can I Use Any Monitor with a Mac Device?


    You can use many monitors with a Mac, but not all will give you the best experience. For the best results, especially in terms of color and resolution, it’s better to choose a monitor designed for Macs, such as those from BenQ.

    How Do I Choose a Monitor for a Mac Device?


    When choosing a monitor for your Mac, think about color accuracy, resolution, and connectivity. Designers should consider the PD series for its color accuracy. Photographers will benefit from the SW series, which offers the best consistency between the colors you see on the monitor and the colors on the image you print. General users might prefer the MA series for its stylish design and versatility.

    What Is the Highest Resolution External Monitor for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air?


    When looking for the highest resolution external monitor for your MacBook Pro, BenQ offers several excellent choices across different series. The PD2725U and PD3225U from the PD series both feature 4K UHD resolution, making them ideal for designers who need detailed visuals. The SW321C and SW272U from the SW series also support 4K resolution, specifically catering to photographers who require precise color accuracy. For other users, the MA270U and MA320U in the MA series offer sleek designs with 4K resolution, perfect for a variety of tasks, ensuring you get the most out of your MacBook Pro's capabilities.

    How Do I Adjust Scaling Support on a Mac Device?


    By default, your Mac automatically selects what it considers the optimal resolution and scaling for your display size. This setting determines the size of text, icons, and other visual elements on your screen. In most cases, it's best to use the resolution and scaling that macOS sets for you. However, if you prefer larger or smaller text and icons, you can manually change the resolution. Adjusting the scaling can enhance your viewing experience, whether you need more screen space or want easier-to-read text. This flexibility allows you to tailor your display to your specific preferences.

    Resolution PPI scaling


    Choosing the right monitor for your Mac is important for keeping up the high standards that Mac devices are known for. Whether you’re a designer, photographer, or general user, BenQ has a monitor that fits your needs providing excellent color accuracy, high resolution, easy connectivity, and ensuring the color matches with your Mac devices. Whether you’re editing photos, creating designs, or multitasking, there’s a BenQ monitor that can enhance your workflow and ensure your work looks its best. Explore the recommended series to find the ideal monitor that complements your Mac and elevates your productivity.

    *Apple®, Mac®, MacBook®,  MacBook Pro®, MacBook Air®, Mac mini®, Mac Studio®, and Mac Pro® are trademarks of Apple Inc.

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