Best Monitors For Mac Mini - Black Friday 2024

The best monitor for Mac Mini that we've tested is the Apple Studio Display. It's a great monitor that allows you to complete your Apple ecosystem. It also has features you can only use with a macOS device, like its extremely accurate sRGB mode. This makes colors look life-like and accurate without any calibration, which is important if you do any content creation, but it doesn't support HDR at all. It also has a 5k resolution that results in the optimal 220 PPI for macOS, and it has extremely sharp text clarity. It even supports Thunderbolt 3, which allows for fast data transfer from your Mac Mini.

There are several different variants of the monitor, one of which is the stand it comes with. One only offers tilt adjustments, but there's a version with height adjustments and another with a VESA adapter if you want to mount it instead. Another difference is the screen finish, and regardless of which screen coating you get, you won't have issues in a well-lit room as it gets bright enough to fight glare.

If you find the 27-inch screen on the Apple Studio Display too small and need more space to work with, consider an ultrawide monitor like the Dell U4025QW. With a 21:9 aspect ratio and 40-inch screen size, it's easy to multitask with different windows open, which is useful if you're a video editor, as you can see more of your timeline at once. It's different from the Apple monitor because it has lower pixel density, but the text clarity is still fantastic. It also supports Thunderbolt 4 on its primary USB-C port, which allows for higher bandwidth than Thunderbolt 3, ideal if you have a newer Mac Mini that supports Thunderbolt 4.

Regarding picture quality, it displays a wide range of colors in SDR and has fantastic accuracy before calibration. Unlike the Apple monitor, it supports HDR, but it has limited picture quality in HDR anyway because of its low contrast ratio and terrible local dimming feature, so it isn't a good choice if you want to use it in a dark room. It gets bright enough to fight glare if you want to use it in a bright room, but its reflection handling is just okay, so intense glare can be distracting.

If you don't want the ultrawide screen of the Dell U4025QW and find the Apple Studio Display too expensive, check out an upper mid-range option like the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, which often goes on sale. It has a 27-inch screen like the Apple monitor, and while it has a lower 4k resolution and the pixel density is below the macOS target of 220 PPI, text is still very sharp. Besides that, it has a few advantages over the Apple as it supports HDR and uses Mini LED backlighting, so it displays deep and inky blacks next to bright highlights. This is ideal if you want to edit content, whether you're using it in a dark or bright room.

Although it doesn't support Thunderbolt like the Dell or Apple monitors, it has a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, so you can still connect your Mac Mini for video and data transfer with one cable. It also has two USB-A ports, so you can connect other devices directly to the monitor, which is useful if you don't have any ports available on your Mac Mini.

Although the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx often goes on sale, if you find it too much out of your price range or you don't need all of its features, then a mid-range option like the Dell U2723QE is a good alternative. It's a 4k, 27-inch monitor like the Acer, but it's different in a few ways. It doesn't have Mini LED backlighting, and the picture quality is worse, but that's the trade-off for getting something cheaper. Instead, it has a bigger USB hub that helps with multitasking, especially if you want to connect a second display.

It has five USB-A ports and three USB-C ports, one of which supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, so you can connect your Mac Mini over USB-C. Another USB-C port is for the KVM switch, which makes it easy to switch between different sources, like your Mac Mini and MacBook Pro, for example, and use the same keyboard and mouse on both. Another advantage of this monitor is that it supports daisy chaining, so you can easily connect a second display as long as your Mac Mini supports it.

If you're looking for something in the budget category, there are a few good options for the Mac Mini, like the AOC Q27G3XMN. The main trade-off for getting something cheaper is that it has a lower 1440p resolution than the Dell U2723QE, which means that it doesn't deliver the same amount of details, and with lower pixel density, it also has worse text clarity. However, the AOC delivers much better picture quality than the Dell, particularly in dark rooms, which is useful if you're a content creator.

It uses Mini LED backlighting, which is a nice feature for a budget monitor. This helps it display deep blacks with bright highlights, and there isn't much blooming around objects either. One downside is that it doesn't have a USB hub, so you can only connect your Mac Mini over HDMI. Another thing to know is that this monitor sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it available, the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx is similar as it also has Mini LED backlighting, but fast-moving objects are blurrier on it.

If you are looking for a cheap monitor to use with your Mac Mini, then look into the Dell G2724D, which you can buy for a low cost directly through Dell's website. It has fantastic accuracy before calibration and overcomes glare in bright rooms. It also has superb ergonomics and wide viewing angles, so it works well if you want to share your screen with someone else. It also has the same 1440p resolution and text clarity as the AOC Q27G3XMN.

Unfortunately, its picture quality isn't nearly as good as the AOC's. Highlights don't pop in HDR, and deep blacks appear gray in a dark room. Additionally, colors aren't nearly as vivid as the AOC, and it has a less immersive HDR experience. However, this is what you have to expect with a cheaper display.