If you’ve just purchased a new Mac, like the new M5 MacBook Pro, you might also be looking into some of the best display options.
Here are my recommendations, covering multiple product categories, price points, and more.
Updated November 10, 2025: Updated pricing and availability details, added new information on the ASUS ProArt Display 6K and the LG UltraFine 6K.
The best external Mac displays
Apple Studio Display
You can’t have a roundup of the best displays on the market without mentioning Apple’s Studio Displ…
If you’ve just purchased a new Mac, like the new M5 MacBook Pro, you might also be looking into some of the best display options.
Here are my recommendations, covering multiple product categories, price points, and more.
Updated November 10, 2025: Updated pricing and availability details, added new information on the ASUS ProArt Display 6K and the LG UltraFine 6K.
The best external Mac displays
Apple Studio Display
You can’t have a roundup of the best displays on the market without mentioning Apple’s Studio Display. While it’s on the pricier side of things, it features a beautiful Apple design with a 27-inch 5K display. You’ll also find one Thunderbolt 3 port for connecting your Mac, along with three bonus USB-C ports.
- Display: 27-inch 5K Retina display (5120×2880 resolution) at 218 pixels per inch
- Brightness: 600 nits
- Color Support: Wide color (P3) with support for 1 billion colors
- Webcam: 12MP Ultra Wide with Center Stage support
- True Tone Technology: Adjusts the display’s color temperature to match ambient lighting
- Ports: One Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port for host connection (providing up to 96W host charging) and three USB-C ports (up to 10Gb/s) for connecting peripherals, storage, and networking
The Studio Display is available in multiple configurations at various different prices which I’ve highlighted below. If you’re looking for an iMac-like experience with your Mac, there’s no better option than the Apple Studio Display.
Apple is reportedly planning to release a new Studio Display sometime during the first half of 2026. There aren’t any rumors about what to expect from that update. Nonetheless, I’d recommend looking for a deal on the current Studio Display to avoid paying full price for something that could soon be outdated.
Standard glass with tilt-adjustable stand
Standard Glass with tilt- and height-adjustable stand
Nano-texture glass with tilt-adjustable stand
Nano-texture glass with tilt- and height-adjustable stand
LG UltraFine 6K (new)
The LG UltraFine 6K has been highly-anticipated ever since LG teased it back at CES in January. The display promised an affordable alternative to Apple’s Studio Display and Pro Display XDR.
It offers a 32-inch panel with a resolution of 6144 x 3456 pixels. It has a bevy of ports. Here are the important specs:
- 31.5″ 16:9 IPS Black Panel
- UHD 6K 6144 x 3456 at 60 Hz
- 450 Nits Brightness, 600 Nits Brightness in HDR
- 2000:1 Contrast Ratio
- 98% DCI-P3 & 99.5 Adobe RGB Coverage
- Integrated USB-C Hub & KVM
- 1x DisplayPort
- 1x HDMI
- 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 5) with USB PD 140 W
- 3x USB-C
Here’s where to buy the LG UltraFine 6K
Asus ProArt 5K Display (new)
My colleague Jeff Benjamin just went hands-on with this one, and it caught my attention right away. The Asus ProArt (PA27JCV) Display 5K yields the same 5K resolution (5120×2880) in a similar 27-inch form factor to the Studio Display, but at half the price.
- Display: 27-inch 5K resolution (5120×2880 pixels) at 218 PPI with a matte finish to reduce reflections.
- Brightness: Typical brightness of 400 nits and peak brightness of 500 nits
- Webcam: None.
- Ports: USB-C, HDMI 2.1, and a standard DisplayPort 1.4.
Watch Jeff’s full review above for all the details. If you’re in the market for a 5K display for your Mac, it’s hard to beat the Asus ProArt.
Here’s where to buy the Asus ProArt Display 5K:
Asus ProArt 6K Display
If you’re looking for something bigger and higher-resolution, Asus has you covered. The new Asus ProArt Display 6K (PA32QCV) is a 32-inch display with a native resolution of 6016 x 3384. My colleague Jeff called it a “ridiculously good value” in his review.
- 31.5-inch 6K (6016 x 3384) IPS display
- 218 PPI
- 178° wide viewing angle
- 60Hz refresh rate
- Dual Thunderbolt 4 connectivity
- HDR10 and VESA DisplayHDR™ 600
- 98% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB wide color gamut
- Ergonomic design with tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustments
Perhaps the best thing about the ASUS ProArt 6K Display is its price. It costs $1,300, which makes it substantially cheaper than some of the most popular 4K and 5K displays on the market.
Here’s where to buy the ASUS ProArt 6K display:
Samsung ViewFinity S9 5K
Samsung’s ViewFinity S9 5K is another compelling option to pair with your new Mac, and it’s also far cheaper than Apple’s Studio Display. In fact, it’s currently on sale for $999.99.
It features a matte display that can reduce light reflections and distractions. There’s also a clever modular 4K camera built-in. It has one Thunderbolt 4 port for connecting your Mac, as well as a Mini DisplayPort and three USB-C ports.
The Samsung ViewFinity S9 5K can also double as a smart display with built-in streaming apps and other features powered by the company’s Tizen OS.
- Display: 27-inch 5K resolution (5120×2880 pixels) at 218 PPI with a matte finish for reduced reflections.
- Brightness: 600 nits.
- Webcam: Detachable 4K camera
- Ports: One Thunderbolt 4 port (providing up to 90W power delivery), one Mini DisplayPort, and three USB-C ports for connecting peripherals and accessories.
Here’s where to buy the Samsung ViewFinity S9 5K:
Read more in our full review: Samsung ViewFinity S9 5K display – a good Apple Studio Display competitor
BenQ 27″ 5K PD2730S Thunderbolt Monitor
This might be my favorite option on this list at the moment. The BenQ PD2730S 27″ 5K Monitor packs a wide array of Mac-friendly features, headlined of course by the crisp 5K resolution.
- Display: 27-inch 5K resolution (5120×2880 pixels) at 218 PPI with a matte finish for reduced reflections.
- Brightness: 400 nits.
- Webcam: None
- Color gamut: 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709, 98% P3
- Refresh rate: 60Hz
- Ports: One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (providing up to 90W power delivery), one downstream Thunderbolt 4 port, two downstream USB-C ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and three USB-A ports
- Hotkey Puck G3: Physical external controller with a dial and multiple programmable action buttons
Here’s where to buy the BenQ PD2730S 27″ 5K Monitor:
Read more in our full review: BenQ’s 27-inch 5K Thunderbolt 4 Designer Monitor is a proper Apple Studio Display competitor
BenQ 32-inch 4K PD3225U Thunderbolt Monitor
This is one of the most compelling options if you’re looking for a 32-inch display for your new Mac for under $1000. BenQ makes some of our favorite Mac accessories. The big downside to this one, however, is that you’re “only” getting 4K resolution instead of 5K resolution. However, it features an abundance of ports options and a sub $1,000 price point for a 32-inch panel.
- Display: 31.5-inch 4K UHD (3840×2160) IPS Black panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 140 PPI (pixels per inch).
- Brightness: 400 nits peak brightness.
- Webcam: No.
- Ports: One Thunderbolt 3 input (providing up to 85W power delivery), one Thunderbolt 3 output (providing up to 15W power delivery), two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, one USB-B upstream port, one USB-C downstream port, three USB-A downstream ports, and one 3.5mm headphone jack.
Here’s where to buy the BenQ 32-inch 4K PD3225U Thunderbolt Monitor:
Read more in our full review: Should a 32-inch 4K Mac display really be a non-starter?
Samsung Viewfinity S80TB
Another affordable 4K option comes from Samsung with the Viewfinity S80TB, packing Thunderbolt connectivity and a 27-inch panel.
- Display: 27-inch IPS panel with 4K UHD resolution (3840×2160) and a 16:9 aspect ratio.
- Brightness: 350 nits typical brightness.
- Webcam: No.
- Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one providing up to 90W power delivery), one HDMI 2.0 port, three USB-A 3.0 ports, one RJ45 Ethernet port, and one 3.5mm headphone jack.
Here’s where to buy the Samsung Viewfinity S80TB:
Dell U4025QW 40-inch Ultrawide
If you’re looking to pair your Mac with an ultrawide display, the Dell U4025QW is one of the best options on the market. It features a 5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate packed into a 40-inch display. There’s also a vast array of ports, a matte screen finish, and more.
- Display: 39.7-inch ultrawide curved display with 5K2K WUHD resolution (5120×2160) and a pixel density of 140 PPI.
- Brightness: 300 nits typical brightness.
- Web cam: No.
- Ports: One Thunderbolt 4 input (providing up to 90W power delivery), one HDMI 2.1 port, one DisplayPort 1.4, one USB-C upstream port, two USB-C downstream ports, four USB-A downstream ports, one RJ45 Ethernet port, and one 3.5mm headphone jack.
Here’s where to buy the Dell U4025QW 40-inch Ultrawide:
Samsung ViewFinity S65TC
A more affordable way to enter the ultrawide display market is the Samsung ViewFinity S65TC, which is currently on sale for nearly half off. It doesn’t pack all of the bells and whistles as other options, but you still get a 34-inch ultrawide curved display and a plethora of ports, including one Thunderbolt 4 port with power delivery.
- Display: 34-inch ultrawide curved display with Ultra-WQHD resolution (3440×1440) and a 1000R curvature for immersive viewing.
- Brightness: 350 nits typical brightness.
- Webcam: No.
- Ports: One Thunderbolt 4 port (providing up to 90W power delivery), one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.2, three USB-A 3.0 ports, one RJ45 Ethernet port, and one 3.5mm headphone jack.
Here’s where to buy the Samsung ViewFinity S65TC:
Wrap up
These are just some of the best options for external displays to pair with your new Mac. They all offer excellent macOS integration, an abundance of connectivity options, and unique sizes and form factors.
Have you picked up a new Mac recently? Which display are you using with it? Let us know down in the comments.
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