The best monitors for the Mac Mini

Apple shook up the computer world forever in November 2020 when it introduced the first Mac lineup with its own Apple Silicon processors. Dubbed the M1, this processor blew professionals and critics away with its seamless performance and impressive benchmarks. The top dog of those new devices was the M1 Mac Mini. With Apple’s in-house processors, the Mac Mini is now one of the best desktop computers you can get, period. But a great computer will need great peripherals, which the Mac Mini lacks out of the box — key among them being a great monitor.

We're helping out by going through our favorite picks for the best monitor to work with your Mac Mini, starting with Apple's newest 5K monitor specifically made for Macs, the Studio Display. Read on to learn more and check out other options, too.

Apple Studio Display

Apple's latest 2022 monitor is designed from the ground up to serve as an external display for Mac products, making it easily the best fit for the Mac Mini. The 27-inch monitor offers a 5K resolution with Apple's Retina panel technology and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide cam (plus studio-quality mics) for easy web conferences. In a less usual move for Apple, the monitor also comes with an excellent six-speaker sound system that includes Apple's Spatial Audio support for compatible audio files, making it a great monitor pick if you listen to a lot of music while working, but don't really like external speakers.

The Studio Display has an option to add Nano-texture glass, which helps reduce glare when working in sunny or bright conditions, and offers several choices for the stand, including a height adjustment design, or a VESA mount. Brightness is on the high end for monitors at 600 nits, and color accuracy is excellent (Apple is using its own Display P3 color gamut to gauge support for a billion different colors). Three USB-C ports are included, and the display can automatically pair with your Mac Mini during setup. All in all, you can see why we're recommending Apple's own entry first.

BenQ PD3200U

A 5K monitor is a dazzling high-end option for extra detail, but many people would be just fine with 4K for their work and play. This BenQ steps up with a spacious 32-inch, 4K design that is excellent for editing or design, especially if you like to make use of the DualView option that makes it easy to view photos or videos side by side on the screen. It also offers 100% coverage of the sRGB color gamut and factory calibration to help with color accuracy when the details are most important.

The 60Hz BenQ PD3200U also comes with a hotkey puck, or a little wheel accessory with several buttons to automatically switch between screen modes. Those modes are specifically designed to help with certain types of work, including CAD/CAM, Animation, and Darkroom. Put it all together, and this monitor has serious utility for a wide range of professional uses.

Asus Designo MX279HS

Another boon to designers, this frameless 27-inch monitor offers an extra-wide 178-degree viewing angle with its LED-backlight IPS panel, which is ideal for collaborating with others or working with clients. The full HD monitor also includes virtual scaling so you can preview photos or a variety of documents with precise dimensions before printing them out, as well as a blue light filter and similar modes to help with lengthy work sessions.

The Designo MX279HS also has a brightness rating of up to 250 nits, 32mm built-in speakers for some impressive audio while you work, and a variety of ports, including two HDMI, a VGA port for older connections, and more. Best of all, it's highly affordable, making it a good pick for artists or others working within their budgets.

LG 34WK95U-W UltraWide monitor

LG offers this 34-inch model with a 5K resolution for those looking for a clean design and top-notch image quality. The 5120 x 2160 resolution is backed by a 5ms response time and a 60Hz refresh rate. USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB-C ports all are included with this model, so you don't need to worry about compatibility.

As we noted in our review, the menu options are very easy to use via the hidden joystick and allow for detailed adjustment of color and image quality. The price is high, but the LG 34WK95U-W monitor really has it all.

HP Z38c curved monitor

Curved monitors are great for multimedia lovers who plan on playing a lot of games or watching a lot of movies and TV on their computers. Now that the M1 has finally made the Mac a competent gaming solution, a curved monitor is an excellent option for your new Mac Mini setup. The HP Z38c curved monitor is one of the best curved monitors to come out recently, featuring a massive 37-inch screen for the most complicated projects or immersive entertainment, plus a UHD resolution for rendering as much detail as you need.

With a curved monitor this large, you will need a lot of space to accommodate it. But the HP Z38c curved monitor offers some of the most real estate you can find on a single screen, which can be particularly helpful for more detailed video or sound editing and many similar projects where you need to review a whole lot of information at once — preferably in high-resolution detail.

Dell P3222QE 4K Hub Monitor

Dell's 32-inch USB-C hub is an ideal monitor for a busy desk, so makes an excellent companion for a Mac Mini model — especially if you need to dock some other accessories while you work. The sturdy design is made to last with options for adjusting height, tilt, swiveling, and more, while the 4K IPS panel covers 99% of the sRGB gamut.

In addition to the easily accessed USB-C ports, the Dell P3222QE monitor also comes with HDMI, DisplayPort, four USB-A 3.0 ports, and Gigabit Ethernet. It's a particularly strong choice if you tend to work not only with a desktop computer like the Mac Mini but with a MacBook also by your side that may need charging while you are busy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Editors' Recommendations