With the launch of Apple's second-generation Mac Studio, featuring the M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, choosing between the best monitors for the Mac Studio is crucial.
Our guide navigates the diverse monitor market, offering selections from premium to budget-friendly options, tailored to enhance the Mac Studio experience. The 2023 model supports an extensive range of displays, up to eight 4K, six 6K, or three 8K, making our focus on 4K and above resolutions vital for professionals in photo editing, video production, and graphic design, prioritizing resolution and color accuracy.
Compiled by our experienced team, this guide draws on expert analysis, user reviews, and brand credibility, aiming to streamline your search for the perfect Mac Studio monitor, ensuring high visual fidelity for any professional endeavor.
Quick List
The best Mac Studio monitor overall
You can buy this Apple monitor with either a tilt-adjustable stand, tilt- and height-adjustable stand, or a VESA mount adapter, depending on your preferences. This amazing 27-inch 5K monitor offers 600 nits of brightness, a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Apple Center Stage.
Read our full Apple Studio Display review
The best premium monitor
This 32-inch display boasts a stunning 6K display and is available with standard or Nano-texture glass, and various stands to suit your preferences. With a peak brightness of 1600 nits, it's brighter than most other monitors on the market, but this is easily one of the most expensive picks out there.
Read our full Apple Pro Display XDR deep dive
The best 4K monitor for Mac Studio
This well-received 4K monitor is offered in two sizes: 27 inches and 32 inches. It offers a 95% P3 and 100% sRGB color coverage with Delta E ≤ 3. You can use it with a wall mount or stationary. The peak brightness is only 400 nits, which could be a problem for some, but for the price, this is a good entry-level option.
Read our full BenQ PD2725U review
The best Apple Pro Display XDR alternative
This well-reviewed Dell monitor, which connects via USB Type-C, may be a better option than the Apple Pro Display XDR — and it costs much less. It boasts a 31.5-inch viewable screen size and 450 nit brightness, making it perfect for video and even gaming — especially since it has an excellent response time.
Read our full Dell U3224KB (6K) review
The best 8K monitor for Mac Studio
Another winner from Dell, this 32-inch 8K meets major industry standards, including 100% Adobe, 100% RGB, 100% rec. 709, and 98% DCI-P3. The result is immaculate, unwavering colors. It's compatible with multiple stands and mounts (including VESA). Supports up to 400 maximum nits, but it's as expensive as anything Apple has put out, so this is only for those with deep pockets.
Read our full Dell UltraSharp UP3218K review
The best affordable 5K display
This 5K LG monitor boasts a 27-inch display with DCI-P3 99% Color Gamut, delivering excellent response time and 500 nits of brightness. Additionally, it includes three USB Type-C ports, built-in speakers, a camera, and a microphone.
How to choose the best monitor for Mac Studio
Selecting the perfect monitor for your Apple Mac Studio requires considering more than just size. With the best 5K and 8K monitors offering significant leaps in clarity, color accuracy, and detail, they cater especially to professionals in design, photography, and videography.
However, for most tasks, the best 4K monitor may suffice, balancing cost with performance for regular creative work. When exploring 5K resolutions, you can opt for the traditional 16:9 or the expansive 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratios. If you are creating content, see our reviews of the best monitors for photo editing and the best video editing monitors.
Ultrawide monitors excel for tasks requiring extensive screen real estate, such as video editing timelines or simultaneous application use, while standard aspect ratios are preferred for design work due to their compatibility with high-DPI scaling, enhancing detail in images and text.
The choice of an 8K monitor, although offering unparalleled sharpness, is currently limited and requires a significant investment, with compatibility being a crucial consideration. Ensure your Mac Studio can support the high resolution of a 5K or 8K monitor to fully benefit from these advanced displays, making your workflow more efficient and visually stunning.
How we test the best monitors for Mac Studio
Our expert review team, with extensive experience testing a wide array of screens including the best monitors for MacBook Pro and the best monitors for the Mac mini. And we employ a thorough testing methodology tailored for Mac Studio monitors. We meticulously evaluate every aspect of monitor performance, including refresh rates for MacBook Pro displays and luminance for curved screens, applying uniform standards across all tests.
For 5K and 8K monitors, our evaluation extends beyond technical specifications to real-world usage, challenging each monitor with tasks it's designed for—be it running high-end games at peak settings, editing high-resolution images, or any other professional use case. Our tests rigorously assess color accuracy, brightness levels, response times, and refresh rates to determine a monitor's capability.
More than just verifying specs, we immerse ourselves in the daily use of each monitor, integrating it into our personal work routines over an extended period. This approach allows us to understand the practical aspects of using the monitor, from eye comfort and productivity impacts to stand ergonomics, curvature benefits, connectivity options, and energy efficiency.
Through this comprehensive testing process, we aim to provide detailed insights into how each monitor performs in environments akin to those in which our readers will use them, ensuring our recommendations for the Mac Studio are informed, reliable, and tailored to real user needs.
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