Monitor technology just keeps getting better, especially when it comes to LED/LCD screens. While you might not think that your monitor makes that big of a difference when it comes to your Mac mini, having the right monitor can be key to achieving the results you're looking for.
With its price, the Mac mini has become one of my favourite desktops ever released. Optimized for multi-tasking, with its decent number of ports and multiple configurations available, this machine will deliver everything you need in a powerful machine.
When the Mac Mini was released in its all-new form factor, compact desktop PC users immediately started noticing its presence. And with one quick look at their own desktop PCs, many noticed immediately that they could actually replace them. So, the question was if the new Mac Mini (the M1) is good to use as a primary monitor or even as a second monitor for their PC or to provide an additional display via HDMI.
I own a Mac Mini and I've been using it for years. The Apple Mac Mini is a small desktop personal computer that's the same size as the Apple TV. It's basically a small Apple desktop computer in a tiny box. This guide will give you my honest pick for the best monitor for Mac Mini (M1) in 2021.
The best monitor for Mac Mini in 2021 allows users to work with a display as comparably as the iMac’s Retina display. The Mac Mini does not come with a display that is not that strong or efficient to work on. This, however, does not mean that your computer cannot be powerful and yet has a great display to work on.
If you love a bigger screen, a larger keyboard and a bigger mouse then this list of best monitors for Mac Mini in 2021 will definitely help you choose the most efficient one for your Mac Mini. All these different types of screens come from different brands, but most of them are known to be among the top brands in the market today.
The Mac Mini is a great small form factor computer for both home users and in office environments. It can be used in education, small businesses, in cafes or even in home cinema setups. The choice of monitor is one of the most important when purchasing a Mac Mini desktop computer. You will need to pick a display that not only fits your business or home needs but also that the software you will be using supports native resolution of your display.
➡ Is 60hz good for Gaming? Good gaming monitor refresh rate?
I’ll cut to the chase. It is hard to give an authoritative answer on this matter because what you want and need depends on how you intend to use your Mac Mini. What if, for example, you want your Mac Mini to double up as a games machine? Will it be more powerful than your current TV/monitor set up? Then you will probably want a bit more grunt than the M1 can offer.
If you’re looking for a top-notch monitor to keep your Mac mini up and running, you’ve come to the right place. In our Mac mini M1 review , we talked about the importance of a great screen. It has been a while since playing with any Mac Mini, and it’s time that changes. Alongside the Mac mini M1 , we decided to put together a list of suitable Mac Mini PC monitors. These won’t be low-end panels – the Mac mini deserves the best – you’d be missing out otherwise.
➡ What is a freesync monitor ? FreeSync | AMD FreeSync
If you’ve just bought a Mac Mini then one of the first considerations will be to get a monitor that’s right for your tastes. The main thing to get right is the connection that the Mac Mini uses, known as ‘Thunderbolt’. It’s not something specific to Apple and is used across lots of laptops and desktops. Thunderbolt 3 brings 40Gbps transfer speeds and support for four concurrent displays (5K or 4K). If you’ve got a second-generation Mac mini then this will make it easier to find a monitor since it uses Thunderbolt 2.
The display is the centrepiece of your workspace. It not only offers a platform for work, but it can help make or break your productivity. Your monitor needs to be ergonomic, reliable and has to have the right features to make your work easier, but also make your time at the computer more comfortable. In this guide we’ll look at the essential features you should look out for in monitors, as well as those that offer particular benefits when using Apple’s Mac mini.
There are numerous factors to consider when buying a screen for your Mac mini by considering whether you want something for photo editing, graphic design or content creation. We have considered all of these points in our roundup below.
What is the best monitor for Mac Mini? The answer to this question should be simple — we need a monitor with the same resolution as the Mac’s native resolution, and one that will work with devices that output at that resolution. However, things don’t always pan out as we want them to. What if your needed resolutions conflicts with other settings on your monitor? Do you really need those extra connectors? We will consider those factors as well when picking our recommendations.
➡ What is monitor in computer?
It’s been a while since our last round-up of the best monitors for Mac Mini, so it’s time for an update. In our comparison tables below, we’ve included 5K and 4K displays as well as smaller 1080p monitors to give you a variety of options at many price points. As before, we recommend using the 120Hz / 144Hz refresh rate over the faster 340Hz rate on a Mac to reduce display stutter and tearing during motion. If you’re looking for a big catalog of even more monitors, refer to our picks for the best Monitor for MacBook Pro and Air and best monitors at CES , too.
It's a commonly held truth that much of the "enhancement" you'll see in a good quality monitor comes from the software that powers it, rather than just from buying a screen with a higher resolution or pixels per inch (PPI). That being said, you can still get a decent monitor for your Mac mini (or any other Mac) without destroying your budget.
These are the 7 Best monitors for Mac mini in 2021
Having the best monitor for your Mac is essential, but picking the right one can be hard. With many models offering different features, like USB-C support, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of monitors. So, to make things easier I’ve rounded up eight monitors that are great for using with your Mac Mini.
There are several monitor sizes that are good options for those with a Mac Mini or Mac Pro, and we've looked at all the available options. The displays we recommend here should be compatible with various iMac models as well as the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models, too. Our list contains the best 4K displays as well as large displays (some as big as 32in) for those who need an extra large, high-resolution display.
ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV: Best Monitor For Mac Mini
Size 27" Resolution: 2560x1440 Max Refresh Rate: 75 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate : Adaptive Sync
Our favorite monitor that’s perfect for the Mac Mini is the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV. It’s an absolute looker with a simple design and a fantastic stand. It’s powerful enough to run excellent video. The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV is specifically designed for Mac Mini, making it an excellent choice if you use one. It has a high-quality 27-inch IPS panel with accurate colors and grayscale performance. The monitor is color calibrated right out of the box, and it comes with everything you need — even a calibration report detailing its performance on screen.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV has all the key features that photo and video professionals look for in a monitor. It supports 3,000:1 contrast ratio, 100% of sRGB color gamut, 12-bit color depth with 10-bit processing, 10-bit display panel, and up to 1.07 billion colors. It comes with DisplayPort, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort (in), 4 USB 3.0 downstream ports (with fast charging), stereo headphone output (3.5mm jack), external power supply, and a built-in 5W speaker system.
A crisp 27-inch display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, the ASUS ProArt PA27AC is ideal for use with a Mac Mini. This high-end monitor has built in calibration controls that make it easy to fine tune the display’s color settings, and its USB-C connection supports DisplayPort Alt Mode for use with a Mac Mini. It has a comfortable ergonomic stand, and supports tilt adjustment. It’ll look great on any desk or table, and is a good choice if you want a clean looking monitor because it has a super thin bezel to give a more immersive viewing experience.
➡ Monitor refresh rate? What is refresh rate and its Uses?
And it has great ergonomics with a powerful, versatile stand. If you’re looking to pair your Mac Mini with a display, this is the one we recommend.
It utilizes a 27 inch AHVA (IPS-type) panel which has an astounding 109 PPI pixel density for the Mac Mini to make everything seem much clearer. This display is also able to get very bright in order to help fight glare, and it’s good at handling reflections because of its light matte anti-glare coating. This ensures you can enjoy images in their best quality, but even when you’re working with smaller details in images and text, this monitor has a high 4 ms (GTG) response time and overdrive compensation to reduce distortion.
If you want a really good 27-inch monitor for your Mac Mini, the choice is obvious – the ASUS ProArt PA278CV – one of my all-time favorite monitors. I use one as my standard workstation display and highly recommend it for any Mac user looking for a really good display under $500.
LG Ultrafine Monitor: Best 4K Mac Mini Monitor
Size 27" Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Max Refresh Rate: 60 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate : Adaptive Sync
Most Mac Mini and Mac Pro users will be able to get by with any monitor. But if you work extensively with full HD video editing, 3D rendering, or photo editing, then you might want to pick up a 4K monitor that offers the best color accuracy and viewing angles.
The best 4k monitor for your Mac Mini is the LG UltraFine. It’s a great all-around monitor with strong color accuracy and strong grayscale performance, making it a good choice as an every day monitor as well as one for editing photos and video. It has a simple style that’s meant to look nice in office setups, and it has a fantastic stand that comes with a bunch of ergonomic adjustments, like tilt, swivel, pivot, height adjustments, and VESA mounting.
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The LG UltraFine 4K features a 27-inch IPS screen, making it a great fit for any iMac owner who likes sitting close to the display. It offers a high resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 and a refresh rate of 60Hz. The monitor also ships with a built-in camera, microphone and speaker. It is a brilliant monitor that’s perfect for developers who are working with Boot Camp or vast virtual environments. Its 500 nits of brightness ensures that you’ll have plenty of room to work.
The massive resolution display is most impressive when you open up an incredibly dense Photoshop document or a 3D modeling program. When I’m tackling a project with lots of photos, the 4K resolution makes it really easy to navigate Photoshop’s tool palettes since they fit on the screen.
Great design doesn't have to be expensive. The UltraFine 4K monitor combines the beauty of the ultra-thin LG UltraFine 5K display with a price almost half that of our flagship model, making it more affordable than ever to make the most of your Mac Mini.
A great monitor for creating, designing, learning or just watching cat videos in 4K Ultra HD. With near perfect color accuracy, IPS display with vivid colors, built-in stereo speakers, lots of ports including Thunderbolt 3. A great compliment to your Mac Mini and Pro.
LG 38WN95C-W: Best Ultrawide Mac Mini Monitor
Size 38" Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Max Refresh Rate: 144 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate : FreeSync
The best monitor for Mac depends on your budget and on your usage of it. Unless you are a professional artist or designer, you do not need to pay upwards of $1,000. You can buy a decent 4K display screen from around $500 . The best monitor for Mac users is the LG 38WN95C-W because it has one distinct advantage over its competitors: The 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio provides a horizontal screen space far wider than that of other monitors. This gives you an edge if you use professional applications often – such as Adobe – that give you a lot of horizontal real estate to work with.
This is great for productivity tasks like Microsoft Office, where you want to get more of the document on screen at once, or for watching movies without black bars around the picture. It’s also excellent for multi-tasking with two apps side by side.
Designed for the Mac Mini, this ultrawide monitor has a display port input, two HDMI inputs, two USB slots, and a Thunderbolt 3 that also functions as Display Port Alt Mode. This means it supports many of the Mac’s advanced features such as picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture. This monitor’s IPS panel has wide viewing angles to ensure that color and contrast remain accurate no matter where you sit, so it’s a good choice for sharing your screen with others. It provides a responsive desktop experience thanks to the low input lag, and motion looks smooth as it has a quick response time.
Monitor has a sleek, simple design so it fits well in any space. A large screen gives you more room to spread out and get stuff done. It features a state-of-the-art IPS panel with wide viewing angles so everyone can see the screen from multiple perspectives.
With ultra-wide views, you can work on multiple word processing documents, spreadsheet files or images within one single window for enhanced efficiency.
The 38-inch LG Ultrawide Monitor for Mac mini is powered by DisplayPort but has problems displaying quality HDR content. Its 3840×1600 resolution and over 99% sRGB color gamut can be useful if you use your computer for photo or video editing and you need to see your work with as many colors as possible. However, its contrast ratio is low due to an IPS panel, and its viewing angles are bad, so it’s not good for using it side-by-side with other people. The local dimming feature doesn’t improve contrast at all and can’t be turned off.
Whether you’re writing a paper, working on your budget, creating a presentation and watching a YouTube video clip, you’ll get it all done at the same time. With an ultra-wide screen and 21:9 aspect ratio, you’ll get an immersive cinematic experience while playing games or watching movies. Plus, there’s DisplayPort and HDMI inputs to keep cords out of sight.
The IPS screen has very good color accuracy, but it doesn’t have perfect coverage of NTSC or sRGB, so professional photographers may prefer another monitor with better color accuracy. If you are just dying to have an ultrawide screen though, this one is worth it.
ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV: Best Budget Mac Mini Monitor:
Size 27" Resolution: 2560x1440 Max Refresh Rate: 75 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate : Adaptive Sync
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV is the best monitor for Mac Mini users if you’re on a budget. It’s an older model of the ASUS ProArt PA278CV, but it also comes with none of its newer features like support for 4K content or USB-C connectivity. This means that you can purchase this monitor at a more budget-friendly price.
Price-wise, it’s quite affordable (compared to the other displays on this list, at least), and it has all the features that are required in order to get that perfect color accuracy. It’s a 1440p IPS display with a 75Hz refresh rate, wide viewing angles, good reflection handling, and even gets bright enough to fight glare when working outdoors in direct sunlight.
Whether you are editing photos, watching movies or playing games, the ASUS ProArt PA278Q is a great choice. It has a slim profile with elegant brushed metal appearance. The On-Screen Control software feature lets you adjust the display settings with a few clicks, without having to go into Windows display settings menu.
The PA278QV is a high-quality display with a sleek and minimalist design, and it works well for both creative and office applications. It has excellent color accuracy and color management (DCCM) support, and while its sRGB coverage was not quite up to the mark for professionals, this monitor’s near-100% Adobe RGB coverage should be more than enough for people that do not need very specific hue accuracy. It also has a decent response time and superb gray uniformity, which means you get crisp blacks and vibrant colors regardless of what you are viewing.
The ASUS ProArt PA278QV leads the pack in visual features, performance, and ergonomics. Its IPS panel provides a 178° wide-viewing angle. The monitor’s resolution is eye-catching, but it’s best used at scale; I wouldn’t recommend this monitor to anyone who doesn’t need the screen space, as it would be dropped down to 1080p or less depending on your GPU. Finally, the ProArt PA278QV has a three-year warranty and 24/7 support from its manufacturer.
Apple Pro XDR Display 32-inch: Best for Video Editing
Size 32" Resolution: 6016 x 3384 Max Refresh Rate: 60 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate :
Seeing is believing. With more pixels on its high-resolution display than even the most advanced iMac, the new Apple Pro XDR Display gives more of your senses something to love. It's also an amazing tool for digital pros—complete with sleek design, superfast processor, and all of the I/O you need.
The Apple Pro XDR Display is optimized for both video post-production professionals and general users. Ideal for graphics professionals, it features AMD’s FirePro professional-grade graphics cards with up to 6016 x 3384 resolution support. The LED-backlit widescreen display offers a super-wide viewing angle to make sure colors are accurate at every seat, along with the ability to work day and night since its brightness can be adjusted down as low as 80 cd/m2. Connectivity options include Thunderbolt 3 and 3 USB-C ports, four USB 3.0 ports, and built-in 8 channel audio with optical digital output.
Enjoy the wide color gamut and large scale of this display as you work with 4K, 5K and 6K video projects, tensor flow deep learning, photography editing, massive spreadsheets, mapping software and more.
The Apple Pro Display XDR maximizes the power of your M1 Mac mini using a massive, curved, 32-inch P3-powered screen with a resolution higher than a 4K TV. With ultra-high-definition visuals and a whopping 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, it delivers razor-sharp whites and deep blacks that look fantastic on its native Retina display.
Its incredible screen size and high pixel density (it has more than 14.7 million pixels) mean you can view more content side by side at once. This massive 32-inch monitor delivers up to a whopping 1,600 nits of peak brightness for stunning images that pop. It also features a gorgeous design with a slim profile, wide viewing angle, and a streamlined aluminum stand designed to complement your Mac mini.
LG 27MD5KL-B UltraFine: Best 5K Mac Mini Monitor
Size 27" Resolution: 5120 x 2880 Max Refresh Rate: 60 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate : FreeSync
The LG UltraFine 27MD5KL-B is a stunning screen that's sized perfectly for a small office or apartment workstation.
This 27-inch IPS monitor is the big brother to our popular UltraFine 4K, and provides a solution for those who require 5K resolution with a Thunderbolt 3 capable Mac. With P3 wide color gamut and 500 nits brightness, it features an incredible picture as well as an abundance of high-end features such as multiple inputs, convenient cable management and a full compliment of connectivity including USB-C.
LG’s UltraFine 5K Display combines P3 wide color gamut, 500 nit brightness and 5120 x 2880 resolution with Thunderbolt 3 to deliver the most accurate display of colors, brightness and detail available today. Upgraded screens makes working on your Mac Mini a pleasure, whether you’re a graphic designer, avid photographer or programmer. Meet the needs of vivid professional work with a 27 inch monitor designed for professionals with built-in speakers, webcam and easy connectivity including a Thunderbolt 3 port without the need for an adapter.
While it doesn’t have quite the stunning design that Apple products have, it’s still an attractive display. It’s quite thin, measuring only 4.4 mm with the stand. The ultra-fine display is great for split-screen multitasking, especially when working on video editing with Final Cut Pro X.
The 27-inch LG UltraFine 5K monitor is designed to work with the new MacBook and MacBook Pro (and hopefully, eventually, the Mac Mini and iMac). Despite its many high-end features, this display doesn't come cheap: It costs well over $1000.
BenQ SW321C PhotoVue: Mac mini Monitor for photographers
Size 32" Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 Max Refresh Rate: 60 Hz Pixel Type: IPS Variable Refresh Rate : FreeSync
The BenQ SW321C is the perfect monitor for anyone using a Mac Mini all-in-one computer for photography or television projects. The SW321C features a large 32-inch screen for increased viewability.
Superb image quality with 99% Adobe RGB, 95% P3, 100% sRGB coverage.
You’ve got a lot to be excited about with the PhotoVue, especially when it comes to color fidelity. The display is full of features aimed at photographers, from the 99% Adobe RGB coverage up top to the 100% sRGB coverage on the bottom, from the adjustable physical controls for brightness and contrast to 4-step picture presets. It’s a killer display.
BenQ is already known for high-quality panels in its consumer and professional lineups, and we expect nothing less from this display. The screen has a glossy surface so the colours come through the way they are recorded, without being mixed by other layers.
I’ve used a fair few different displays over the years, but every time I go back to the SW321C, I’m left asking myself why I bothered with any of them. It’s not just because of the immense 32-inch 4K screen. It doesn’t have the speakers or many built-in connections you might normally expect for a monitor at this size, so there are no frills or extras to be found. But what it does have is an ability to deliver incredibly realistic images without being overly aggressive with contrast colours, which can often cause eye strain.
How to buy a Monitor for Mac mini?
From the moment you lay eyes on your new Mac Mini, you want to set it up in a nice monitor stand and add a keyboard and mouse to it. You might not realize this, but connecting your monitor can be harder than you think, especially if you have a recent model with one of the new USB-c connectors.
If you've got a recent Mac mini, chances are it'll work with pretty much any monitor out there. However, some monitors are better-suited for Mac users, including those with USB-C connectivity, making it easy to connect your Mac to the monitor. Also, macOS works best with monitors with around 110 or 220 PPI pixel density, as it affects the scaling of some user interface elements. As such, our recommendations will prioritize optimal performance over connectivity options.
We’ve tested five of the best 4K monitors that are currently available for use with your Mac Mini. Most of these monitors are compatible with the Thunderbolt 3 ports on your Mac Pro or usually-USB-C-equipped MacBooks, as well as with HDMI and DisplayPort on the newer MacBook Pros. As such, you won’t have to rely solely on USB-C as a means of connecting the monitor to your Mac.
This guide will help you find a 4K monitor that fits your needs, as all of our picks come from reputable brands and aim to offer a premium viewing experience to their users.
For other topics related to getting the most out of your Mac Mini or Mac Pro, check out our best desk for Mac Mini post and reading about the best speakers for Macs .
Does a Mac Mini need a monitor?
The Mac Mini does not come with a monitor included, so you will need to purchase one separately. A high-quality monitor not only allows you to make full use of your Mac Mini, but is also an investment that will last years. The Apple Retina 4K Display is a fantastic choice for those who demand stunning color and clarity. A wide color gamut and 5120 x 2880 pixels puts your work front and center. Plus, with built-in stereo speakers and a small footprint, the display is all you need on your desk.
If you’re looking for a new computer for your business, school, or home office, the Mac Mini is a good option. It’s specifically designed to connect directly to a standard television or display, which makes it much easier to use than a laptop. With its thin design and small footprint the Mac Mini easily fits beside your TV in a home entertainment center, on a work desk in a home office, or in a digital kiosk at a point of sale in a retail location.
Can you use any monitor with a Mac Mini?
The Mac Mini is a powerhouse computer that can be used as a computer for your home. Even though it's small, the Mac Mini still comes with two display outputs; one is USB-C/Thunderbolt, and the other is an HDMI port. This makes it easy to attach the Mac Mini to any monitor you like.
Does the Mac Mini support 4K resolution?
The latest generation of Intel Core processors enable the Mac Mini to support resolutions up to 4K and refresh rates up to 60Hz when connected to a compatible display, and output up to 6K at 60Hz when an optional adapter is attached via its USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port.The Mac Mini is the simplest and easiest computer you can use. It’s an appliance for all intents and purposes.
Conclusion
Any powerful machine with a small body is considered desirable, and no matter how powerful your machine is, it’s barely possible for you to know what you should consider in purchasing the best monitor for Mac Mini (M1). It’s a major equipment that is used in running various apps and works simultaneously with your system. Most of the people today love to work using their personal laptops and systems.
As a piece of hardware, the Mac Mini is awesome. It’s small, miniaturized, high-performance CPU kicks ass, and you can connect it to almost any display or TV you own. The machine itself doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles—it doesn’t have a dedicated GPU built in, nor does it have an optical drive. But if you take advantage of the machine’s portability and hook it up to a monitor with the right specifications, you should be able to get just about anything done.
Monitor technology evolves at a snail’s pace and any new developments on that front aren’t likely to be available for at least another couple of years. This means that the technology used in current models will remain valid over the lifetimes of those monitors, meaning it shouldn’t be hard to find a suitable monitor on the second-hand market in the future.
It’s also worth noting that there are no third-party ultra-wide monitors currently on the market with Apple’s new ProMotion or P3 color support, so if you want an ultrawide, it has to be one of the older models we’ve selected.
With the right selection of a monitor for this computer, you'll reduce the amount of time required to set things up, and will use it with better efficiency, too. In short, choosing a suitable computer screen for your Mac Mini is consider as an investment that helps you save time and effort over time. What's more, good screens can also help you get more from your Mac Mini, so there's a lot to gain from a small change in perspective.
If you are looking for best monitor for Mac Mini (M1), it is not that hard to find compact monitor that is tailored to meet the needs of this tiny, yet powerful desktop machine. You can use an HDMI, USB-C or Thunderbolt cable to connect your Mac Mini (M1) to any monitor, but if you’re looking for better image quality than regular monitors would provide, you need to choose a monitor meant specifically for Mac.
If you have any suggestions about the best mac monitor list and want to add your preview then do contact us and give your feedback.