The impressive Mac Studio is one of the most powerful Macs on the market especially if you customize it with Apple’s incredibly powerful M2 Ultra chip.
However, it doesn’t come with an external display included so you have to buy one separately.
The Mac Studio was released around the same time as the amazing Apple Studio Display which is clearly aimed to complement it but it’s not exactly a budget option starting at $1,599.
However, fear not as we’ve tested the best monitors for the Mac Studio of 2024 with options for all different budgets and needs.
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Mac Studio Monitor Connectivity & HDMI 2.1
The Mac Studio has the best external monitor support of any Mac with 5 external displays possible in total.
That includes an incredible four 4K displays, six 6K displays or three 8K monitors.
The Mac Studio with M1/M2 Max chip has 5 ports to connect monitors, 4 of which are Thunderbolt 4/USB-C and an HDMI port which you can connect to any TV as it supports both image and audio output.
In the Mac Studio with M1/M2 Ultra chip, there are 6 Thunderbolt ports as the two USB-C ports on the front are also Thunderbolt 4 compatible plus an HDMI port.
However, note that only the M2 Mac Studio supports the latest HDMI 2.1 standard as the M1 Mac Studio uses the older HDMI 2.0 standard instead.
This means that although you can get 4K resolution via the M1 Mac Studio’s HDMI port, you can’t get high refresh rates of 120Hz via HDMI.
HDMI 2.0 only supports a maximum display resolution of 3840 x 2160 with a 60Hz refresh rate.
HDMI 2.1 supports the same 3840 x 2160 resolution but at up to a 120Hz refresh rate and can also support resolutions of 7680 x 4320 at 60Hz.
The good news is that both the M1 and M2 Mac Studio can can support up to 4 external monitors via Thunderbolt or 5 via Thunderbolt if you have the Mac Studio with M1/M2 Ultra chip.
The Mac Studio can also handle Ultrawide monitors including 34-inch, 38-inch and the biggest 49-inch displays.
Although the Mac Studio is available with both the M1/M2 Max and M1/M2 Ultra chip, neither chip affects which monitors or displays it can support.
With this in mind, here is our lowdown on the best Mac Studio displays of 2024.
1. Apple 32-inch Pro Display XDR (6K)
If you’ve got a $4,999 budget, then there’s simply nothing else on the market that can match the 6K 6016 x 3384 resolution on the Apple Pro Display XDR.
The XDR stands for Extreme Dynamic Range and goes way beyond the usual High Dynamic Range (HDR) you get in most monitors.
The stunning XDR is the first 32-inch Retina display to support up to 1600 nits of brightness and 218 pixels per inch.
This makes it a dream for professional video and photo editors as the XDR can adjust its brightness to reach HDR during playback.
In terms of connectivity, naturally Apple has included 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports (although note not Thunderbolt 4) plus two USB-C ports.
The XDR display is available in Standard Glass and Nanotexure and Standard Glass, the latter offering a sharper picture.
Nanotexture has a more textured looks but is designed to reduce loss of quality due to reflections.
The Standard Glass offers the same sharp look that you get on a Macbook Pro or an iPhone.
Both types of screen automatically adjust picture quality based on what you’re watching or doing on it so it’s optimized whether you’re doing video editing or music production.
Note that the XDR display does not include a stand which you have to purchase separately for around $999.
The Apple Pro XDR display also does not have any integrated speakers or a webcam like the Apple Studio Display does.
Pros:
- Incredible 6K resolution
- Available with both glass and nanotexture
- 1600 nits of brightness
- Automatically optimizes picture depending on what you’re doing
- Support for one billion colors
Cons:
- Stand is sold separately
- No integrated speakers or camera
- Price
2. Apple Studio Display (5K)
If the Pro Display XDR is out of your budget then the next best thing is undoubtedly the Apple Studio Display starting at $1,599.
The Apple Studio Display supports 218 Pixel Per Inch (PPI) although and can handle a maximum 5K 5120 x 2880 resolution compared to 6K in the XDR.
This makes it easily the best 5K monitor for Macs outside of the cheaper 34 inch 5K LG UltraFine (see review below).
For graphic designers, the Studio Display features an automatic sRGB mode which calibrates color perfectly for applications such as Photoshop and InDesign.
The Apple Studio Display supports 600 nits of brightness which is a lot less than the 1600 in the XDR but more than enough for most needs outside of video editing.
It does however support HDR which is an important feature for video editors and high quality video playback in general.
The Apple Studio Display has the same True Tone Anti Reflective Coating as the XDR and is also available with nano-texture glass.
There are even some advantages to the Studio Display over the Pro XDR including 12 MegaPixel Ultra Wide camera, studio quality microphone and support for Spatial Audio.
You can check out more in our full Apple Studio Display review.
Pros:
- Supports 5K
- Automatic sRGB color calibration
- High quality six speaker surround system
- 3 Thunderbolt ports
- 12MP face tracking camera
- Three-way microphone
Cons:
- No 6K support
- Maximum size is 27 inch
- Still expensive compared to other displays
3. BenQ PD3225U (4K)
If you don’t have the budget for either of Apple’s displays then the superb BenQ PD3225U is an excellent alternative.
For designers and photographers, the BenQ PD3225U offers exceptional sharpness and color accuracy, making it an excellent choice for editing images.
The PD3225U supports a DCI-P3 99% color gamut, making it suitable for working with Adobe RGB profiled images and RAW photos, covering Rec. BT 709.
Although the pixel density of the BenQ PD3225U is relatively low at 140 ppi, this is hard to discern even when compared to monitors with higher pixel densities.
In terms of connectivity, the PD3225U offers two Thunderbolt 3 ports, USB-C ports, HDMI, and DisplayPort.
Additional features include an external HotKey puck for easy control, a KVM switch, and the ability to hot-swap and display two color profiles simultaneously.
The BenQ PD3225U does have internal speakers, but with the Mac Studio’s six-speaker surround system supporting spatial audio, you likely won’t need to use them.
You can read our full BenQ PD3225U review for more.
Pros:
- Superb color depth and sharpness
- Lots of connectivity options
- Includes ColorTone software for designers
- Cheaper than Apple’s displays
Cons:
- No webcam
- Only goes up to 4K
4. LG 34BK95U-W (5K)
If you’re looking for the best ultrawide monitor to go with your Mac Studio, then the 34 inch LG 5K UltraFine is worth a second look.
Apple originally worked with LG to develop the UltraFine display and the result is something that’s very similar to the 27 inch 5K iMac display.
The display supports full 5K 5120 x 2160 resolution (known as 5K2K) with 163 pixels per inch (ppi).
This is great for 4K video editing although for reading text, you might want to scale down the resolution as it does make everything look much smaller at its maximum resolution.
The display supports High Dynamic Range (HDR), similar to Dolby Vision, which enhances the intensity and contrast of both bright and dark parts of an image.
You can adjust the tilt and height of the stand that comes with the monitor, and add swivel functionality using a VESA stand mount connection.
The monitor includes a Thunderbolt 3 port along with three additional USB-C ports, providing ample connectivity options for your Mac Studio.
While the monitor includes built-in speakers, the sound quality is not great, so it’s best to use external speakers.
The monitor does not have an integrated webcam, but you can easily connect one via USB-C or use a digital camera as a webcam.
Read our full LG 34BK95U-W review for more.
Pros:
- 5K resolution
- Lots of connectivity options including Thunderbolt
- Ultrawide screen
- Supports HDR
Cons:
- Swivel requires mounting a stand
- No internal webcam
5. Samsung ViewFinity S9 (5K)
The Samsung ViewFinity S9 boasts specifications (and price) nearly identical to the Apple Studio Display.
This 27-inch 5K monitor features a 5120 x 2880 resolution with a 10-bit color gamut covering 99% of the DCI-P3 spectrum.
Aside from stunning image quality, it supports a pixel density of 218 PPI which is the sweet spot when using an external display with macOS.
With HDR600 support, the display enhances shadows and highlights with a maximum brightness level of 600 nits.
In terms of connectivity, its equipped with the latest Thunderbolt 4 port, three USB-C ports and a mini DisplayPort.
It also includes wireless Bluetooth connectivity for speakers, keyboards, and game controllers, along with AirPlay support.
One nice touch is that the ViewFinity S9 comes with a remote control and a joystick for meaning it can double as a Smart TV. It even includes preinstalled apps like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube.
Even the the 5W stereo speakers aren’t bad although it doesn’t support spatial sound.
To top it off, the stand’s height can be adjusted as standard, unlike the Apple Studio Display, which requires an additional $400 for an adjustable stand.
On the downside, at $1,599, the Samsung ViewFinity S9 is priced similarly to the base model Apple Studio Display.
Pros:
- Similar to the Apple Studio Display
- High pixel density
- 5K resolution
- Remote control and Smart TV functionality
Cons:
- Large external power supply
- Price is similar to Apple Studio Display
6. LG Monitor 27MD5KL-B (5K)
The LG 27MD5KL-B UltraFine 27 inch monitor is one of the few 5K 27 inch monitors on the market outside of the Apple Studio Display and is a great alternative to it.
The display is a 5K Ultra High Definition (UHD) monitor with 5120 x 2880 Resolution and a 16:9 Aspect Ratio.
It supports up to 218 pixels per inch (PPI) which is the same as the Apple Studio display although only supports 500 nits of brightness which is 100 less than the Apple Studio Display.
The monitor also features both a built-in camera and a speaker.
Connectivity options include a generous three Thunderbolt 3 ports which is ideal for the Mac Studio meaning you can have at least two of these monitors connected to it and still have space for a Thunderbolt external drive too.
It only has a 60Hz refresh rate but it still works well for gaming and fast moving media such as when video editing.
Check our full LG 27MD5KL-B 5K review for more.
Pros:
- 218 PPI
- 3 Thunderbolt ports
- Similar specs to the Apple Studio Display
- Good value for money
Cons:
- Internal speaker quality is poor
- Webcam quality isn’t great
- Doesn’t support High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Pricing & Specs Comparison Table
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