The Best Monitors For Mac Mini (2023 Reviews)

Need a new monitor for your Mac Mini?

Wondering whether you should buy a Mac Mini and what kind of monitor you’d need to pair it up with?

Then this is the buying guide for you!

Check out all the best monitors for Mac Mini available right now as well as everything else you need to look out for when buying a new display for your computer!

There are many monitors that could potentially go well with your Mac Mini, but in this guide – we’ll only focus on the ones that would complement it best!

What does that mean? All the monitors we’ve picked are based on IPS panels for the most consistent colors, widest viewing angles and with a refresh rate that’s not higher than the standard 60/75Hz as a higher refresh rate won’t be necessary.

We’ve also ensured that all monitors have excellent color reproduction, good connectivity options and high pixel density for sharp details and text as well as plenty of screen space!

If you want to view our changelogs for this particular buying guide, you can do so at the end of this article.

About The Monitor

Looking for a small and affordable monitor that has crisp picture quality? Then look no further than the LG 24QP500.

Image Quality

Now, this 24″ display features an IPS panel with wide 178° viewing angles, consistent colors and a 2560×1440 Quad HD screen resolution.

When displayed on a 24″ sized screen, the 1440p resolution results in a pixel density of 123 PPI (pixels per inch). By comparison, the more popular 1080p resolution has a pixel density of 92 PPI on same-sized 24″ monitors.

What does this mean for you? With the LG 24QP500, you get significantly sharper details and more screen real estate without breaking the bank.

Other panel-related specifications include a decent 300-nit peak luminance, a standard 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and 8-bit color depth support for 16.7 million colors!

Design & Connectivity

The design of the monitor nicely complements the Mac Mini, but the stand is tilt-only. Luckily, the screen is VESA mount compatible.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 1.4 ports, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack. All display inputs support FreeSync for tear-free gameplay and up to 75Hz at 1920×1080.

Alternatives

If you want a ~24″ 2560×1440 monitor with a fully ergonomic stand and a USB hub, you’ll have to invest over $300 for something like the Dell P2421D. However, at that price range, you should also consider a 4K monitor.

About The Monitor

In case you’d prefer a larger 27″ monitor, the LG 27QN600 is the most cost-efficient 1440p model.

Image Quality

Just like the LG 24QP500, the LG 27QN600 is based on an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, consistent colors, 350-nit peak brightness and a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1.

Now, due to its bigger screen size, the LG 27QN600 has a slightly lower pixel density of 108 PPI. This still results in very sharp details and plenty of screen space. In fact, 1440p is better suited for 27″ sized monitors.

For instance, if you’re working with a certain application that has a tiny toolbar, the icons will be bigger and easier to access on the LG 27QN600.

Of course, with the 24QP500, you can alleviate this problem by using scaling, but not all applications scale well. 

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is tilt-only, but the screen is VESA mount compatible.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 1.4 ports, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack. All display inputs support FreeSync and up to 75Hz.

Alternatives

• Dell P2722H – A 27″ 1440p IPS monitor with a USB hub

About The Monitor

Want even sharper details on a 27″ monitor? Then check out the Dell S2721QS with 4K UHD resolution!

Image Quality

On a 27″ monitor, the 4K resolution pushes the pixel density to 163 pixels per inch!

Now, such high pixel density will make everything tiny on your desktop, so you will need to use scaling to make small items such as text and icons readable. Scaling will make these items larger (thus reducing screen real estate), but also sharper!

Note that if you plan on using the monitor for work, you need to make sure that your applications are able to handle scaling; for instance, some apps can only scale by 100% or 200%, which would make your toolbar either too small or too big.

Luckily, most applications don’t have this issue, but it is something that you should keep in mind.

But here’s the kicker: other panel-related specifications include a 350-nit peak brightness, a contrast ratio of 1,300:1, 99% sRGB color gamut, and 10-bit color depth support for 1.07 billion colors! Note that the monitor is factory-calibrated!

HDR (High Dynamic Range) is supported as well, but due to the monitor’s limited color gamut, contrast ratio, and brightness, HDR is just simulated. Basically, you can ignore its ‘HDR support’ as it can only accept the HDR10 signal and display it, which doesn’t really improve the viewing experience, nor does it increase the monitor’s price.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor provides up to 110mm of height adjustment, 90° pivot, -5°/21° tilt, +/- 30° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 inputs, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack. FreeSync is supported with a 40-60Hz VRR range.

About The Monitor

The Samsung U28R550U has a bit larger 28″ screen, so you get a tad lower pixel density than that of the Dell S2721QS, but you get a wider color gamut for more vibrant colors!

Image Quality

The Samsung U28R550U covers 90% of the DCI-P3 color space, which is equivalent to around 125% sRGB gamut size, resulting in more saturated in rich colors.

The difference in pixel density (157 PPI) in comparison to the 27″ 4K models (163 PPI) is barely noticeable; in fact, most people will prefer the slightly larger 28″ screen.

Other panel-related specifications are what you’d expect from a 4K IPS monitor at this price range, and include a 300-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 10-bit color depth support and 178° wide viewing angles.

The monitor supports AMD FreeSync with a 40-60Hz VRR range and it works without issues with compatible NVIDIA GPUs. PiP/PbP support is available too.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is tilt-only, but the screen is VESA mount compatible via the 75x75mm pattern.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

If you’re looking for a similar monitor with an ergonomic stand, check out the ASUS VG289Q which uses the same panel, but has a more gamer-inspired design.

In case you need a ~27″ 4K monitor for color-critical work, we recommend the Dell U2723QE.

About The Monitor

The LG 32UN650 is the most cost-efficient 32″ 4K IPS monitor available!

Image Quality

The 4K UHD resolution looks incredibly sharp even on 32″ sized screens. With roughly 140 PPI, you get plenty of screen space with crisp details and text, though some users might prefer 125% scaling with this screen size/resolution combination.

Further, the LG 32UN650 has a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut for richer and more lifelike colors, while other specifications include a 350-nit peak brightness and a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1.

It also supports FreeSync with a 40-60Hz VRR range. Check out our LG 32UN650 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 110mm and -5°/20° tilt, while the screen is VESA mount compatible.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack and two 5W built-in speakers.

Alternatives

In case you need a 32″ 4K monitor for color-critical work, we recommend the Dell U3223QE.

About The Monitor

Looking for even sharper details but on a smaller screen? You can get 4K resolution on a 24″ display.

Image Quality

The LG UltraFine 24MD4KL is the perfect 24″ 4K monitor for the Mac Mini due to its high 183 PPI pixel density and wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut (equivalent to 135% sRGB) for more saturated and vibrant colors.

As if that’s not enough, it also offers a higher-than-average peak brightness of 540-nits and a static contrast ratio of 1,200:1.

Simply put, the monitor packs fantastic picture quality with plenty of screen space, vivid details, and punchy bright colors — all in its small 24″ form factor, which will nicely complement your Mac Mini!

Design & Connectivity

You can elevate the screen of the monitor by up to 110mm, tilt it by -5°/15°, or VESA mount it (100x100mm).

Connectivity options include two Thunderbolt 3 ports (one for video + 85W Power Delivery, one for daisy-chaining), three additional downstream USB-C ports and two 5W built-in speakers.

Alternatives

If you want a more affordable 24″ 4K monitor without the wide color gamut and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, check out the Dell P2415Q (with DeltaE < 3 factory calibration) and the LG 24UD58 (more suited for everyday use).

Want something even smaller monitor with a higher resolution? Check out the previous-gen UltraFine monitor, the LG 22MD4KA with a 21.5″ screen, and 4096×2304 resolution (218 pixels per inch).

The LG 22MD4KA specs include a 500-nit peak brightness, a 1,100:1 contrast ratio, 99% DCI-P3 gamut, 8-bit color depth, one USB-C port with DP Alt Mode and 60W PD and three downstream USB 2.0 type C ports.

About The Monitor

The LG 27MD5KL is the 27″ version of the LG 24MD4KL, but it also offers some additional features.

Image Quality

To start with, the LG 27MD5KL boasts 5K resolutions, that’s 5120×2880 pixels, which results in a stunning pixel density of 217 PPI! This pixel density is great for designers and developers using Retina UI.

The monitor also has a wide 99% DCI-P3 color gamut, while the peak brightness amounts to 500-nits and the contrast ratio to 1,100:1.

The bottom line is that it’s basically the same display as what you’d get with the 27″ 5K iMac.

Design & Connectivity

Just like with the 24″ model, you can tilt the screen, adjust its height and VESA mount it.

It has three downstream USB-C ports, but only one Thunderbolt 3 port for video and 94W Power Delivery; you wouldn’t be able to daisy chain another display anyway due to the bandwidth required for the 5K resolution at 60Hz.

The LG 27MD5KL also has a built-in camera + microphone, in addition to two 5W speakers.

Alternatives

Depending on price and availability, be sure to check out the previous-gen model as well, the LG 27MD5KB which has all the same features, but a slightly weaker 85W Power Delivery capacity.

Apple’s new Studio Display uses the same (or very similar) panel as that of the 27MD5KL, but it’s considerably more expensive, especially if you want a height-adjustable stand.

About The Monitor

Looking for something a bit different? There’s the LG 34WK95C ultrawide display!

Image Quality

This 34″ 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor has an aspect ratio of 21:9. What does this mean for you? It’s a 27″ 2560×1440 monitor that’s just 33% wider for extra horizontal screen space!

Think about it: the ultrawide format is especially useful for video editors due to the better overview of the timelines. Still, movies and games also look more immersive, and you get more screen space for productivity work!

As for the monitor itself, it has a screen resolution of 3440×1440, so you hit that pixel density sweet spot of ~109 PPI where you don’t have to use any scaling, yet you get sharp details and a lot of screen real estate.

The LG 34WK95C also supports a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut (factory-calibrated) for a vibrant picture quality while other specs include a 400-nit peak brightness, 10-bit color depth support and a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio.

You also get HDR support (though just entry-level DisplayHDR 400, which is a minor improvement) and PiP/PbP.

Design & Connectivity

You can elevate the screen by up to 110mm, tilt it by -5°/15°, or VESA mount it, but you cannot pivot or swivel it.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB-C (DP 1.2 Alt Mode, 60W PD), a headphone jack, two 5W built-in speakers and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

The monitor also has a noticeable 1800R curvature for added immersion!

Alternatives

Want a 34″ 3440×1440 IPS ultrawide monitor with a DCI-P3 color gamut and a flat screen? Check out the BenQ PD3420Q.

If you don’t need a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut or USB-C with Power Delivery, check out the cheaper LG 34WL750 or the Samsung S34J55W with a VA panel.

About The Monitor

Interested in something similar but larger? Check out the BenQ EW3880R – the best value for money 38″ ultrawide monitor for Mac Mini.

Image Quality

This 38″ ultrawide screen has a resolution of 3840×1600, so you get to keep that pixel density sweet spot of ~110 PPI for an excellent balance between screen real estate and detail sharpness.

Further, it supports a wide color gamut with 95% DCI-P3 coverage and has a decent peak brightness of 300-nits and a standard contrast ratio of 1,000:1.

While it lacks FreeSync and a 75Hz refresh rate for gaming, it offers other useful features, such as integrated sensors that automatically adjust screen brightness according to ambient lighting and PiP/PbP supports.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is robust and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 120mm, -5°/15° tilt and +/- 15° swivel, while the screen has a subtle 2300R curvature and support for VESA mounting.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with DP 1.4 Alt Mode and 60W PD, two downstream USB 3.0 ports, a headphone jack and dual 3W integrated speakers with an 8W subwoofer.

Alternatives

If you want a model with FreeSync and 75Hz, check out the LG 38WK95C, though it doesn’t have a wide color gamut. For gaming, we highly recommend the LG 38WN95C with 144Hz, though it’s more expensive.

About The Monitor

In case you’re after an ultrawide monitor with an even higher resolution, the MSI PS341WU is for you!

Image Quality

Thanks to its 5120×2160 screen resolution, this 34″ ultrawide monitor has the same pixel density as that of 27″ 4K monitors. So, you get incredibly sharp details and text with plenty of screen real estate!

It also has a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut, excellent Delta E < 3 factory calibration and a stellar 450-nit peak brightness that can jump up to 600-nits for HDR content.

There are 12 dimming zones, but due to the low 1,200:1 contrast ratio, the monitor is not ideal for HDR. Some HDR scenes with bright and dark objects far apart will look better, but in other scenes, you won’t get a meaningful improvement over SDR.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 100mm height adjustment, -5°/20° tilt, +/- 35° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with DP 1.4 Alt Mode, two HDMI 2.0 ports (limited to 3440×1440 or 3840×2160), three downstream and one upstream USB 3.0 ports, a microphone jack, a headphone jack and a combined audio jack.

About The Monitor

If you’d like to keep the high 5120×2160 resolution of the MSI PS341WU but have a larger ultrawide screen, there are a few 40″ models available, such as the LG 40WP95C.

Image Quality

On the 40″ sized panel, the 5120×2160 resolution still offers a high pixel density of roughly 140 PPI. Basically, you can think of the LG 40WP95C as a 32″ 4K monitor that’s ~33% wider.

You also get wide color gamut support with 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage, but peak brightness is lower at 300-nits, and there’s no local dimming support of any kind.

FreeSync is supported up to 72Hz for a bit smoother gameplay, while other features include PiP/PbP, hardware calibration, Black Stabilizer and various picture presets.

Check out our LG 40WP95C review for more details.

Design & Connectivity

The design of the monitor is robust and versatile with up to 110mm height adjustment, +/- 15° swivel, -5°/20° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility, while the screen has a subtle 2500R curvature for added immersion.

Connectivity options are abundant and include Thunderbolt 4 input with DP 1.4 Alt Mode and 96W PD, Thunderbolt 4 output for daisy-chaining, DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, dual 10W integrated speakers and two downstream USB 3.0 ports.

Alternatives

Lenovo, Dell and HP offer their models based on the same panel with some different features. You can choose the one based on your preference and pricing. Check out our full LG 40WP95C review for more information.

About The Monitor

Still not convinced and looking for something even more exotic? Check out the LG 49WL95C, a super ultrawide 32:9 monitor!

Image Quality

The LG 49WL95C pushes the ultrawide format even further to the 32:9 aspect ratio with a stunning screen resolution of 5120×1440. Simply put, that’s equivalent to two 27″ 2560×1440 monitors put side by side, just without the bezels in-between.

What’s the bottom line? This is the perfect monitor for multitasking, productivity work and video editing.

Other specifications include the standard 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a peak brightness of 350-nits, 10-bit color depth support and 99% sRGB color gamut.

But that’s not all, the monitor also supports Dual Controller, which allows you to connect two devices to the monitor and have control over them via just one set of keyboard/mouse using the Picture by Picture mode.

HDR is also supported, but due to the lack of local dimming and wide color gamut, it’s just software-emulated.

Design & Connectivity

As long as you can fit the monitor on your desk, it will suit any environment. The stand is sturdy and offers decent ergonomics, including up to 110mm height adjustment, -5°/15° tilt, +/- 15° swivel and VESA mount (100x100mm).

Connectivity options are versatile as well and include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 85W PD), a headphone jack, dual 10W integrated speakers and a quad-USB 3.0 hub.

Note that the HDMI ports are limited to 3840×1080 at 60Hz. For 5120×1440 at 60Hz, you will need to use DisplayPort or USB-C inputs.

Alternatives

• Dell U4919DW – Based on the same panel as the LG 49WL95C, however, it doesn’t have built-in speakers or HDR support. Its stand also doesn’t swivel to the left/right. The U4919DW does have three extra USB ports (7 in total, 5 downstream, 2 upstream — with a built-in KVM switch) and better DeltaE < 2 factory-calibration. So, it all depends on your personal preference and budget as well as pricing and availability.

Conclusion

Did you find the perfect monitor for your Mac Mini?

Feel free to leave us any questions you might have in the comment section below!

Overall, if you’re on a tighter budget, both the LG 24QP500 and the LG 27QN600 will ensure that you get excellent image quality and smooth performance with a premium feel for a reasonable price!

In case you can afford something pricier, we recommend the Samsung U28R550U or the LG 32UN650 for better sharpness and color vibrancy.

For audio/video editing and productivity work, you should definitely consider an ultrawide display. Here, we find that the BenQ EW3880R offers the best value for money.

Want the absolute best display? You won’t be disappointed with LG’s UltraFine displays or one of the 5K2K ultrawides! Deciding between these just depends on what you personally prefer or need from a monitor.