The Best Monitors for Apple Macbook M3 should be your next upgrade if you are planning to build a workstation around the brand’s latest chip. It’s one of the most powerful processors out there for productivity, so it deserves an equally functional and brilliant display. Apple has a few that are designed for their computers, but they are prohibitively expensive.
Apple’s M3 chips are currently inside their new MacBooks and the newly released iMac M3 from last month. We might see it in the Mac Mini later this year, but nothing has been confirmed since the Mac Mini M2 is still rather fresh.
The M3 family of chips comes in three variants: the M3, M3 Pro, and the all-new M3 Max. Each one scales up in performance and core count, starting with eight and going up to 16. The GPU cores also follow the same, along with the unified memory capacities that start from 8GB all the way up to 128 GB.
Monitors for Apple MacBook M3 Requirements
All new Apple computers, particularly the Apple MacBook M3 variants, only have USB-C ports. The Mac Mini still has an HDMI slot, but it might become a thing of the past for the upcoming model. It also makes sense to get a higher-resolution display to match the system.
We recommend going with at least a Thunderbolt 3-equipped device for better overall functionality. It will allow you to use a single cable to charge the laptop and transmit video. It’s also powerful enough to hold a multi-port hub, allowing you to have more options for your setup.
Here are some key aspects we consider before recommending displays for Apple users:
Panel Type – IPS is the default choice, but OLED has been steadily growing in the display market. Both are capable of great color quality, but only OLEDs are capable of fantastic contrast. It’s also more expensive, but we think it’s a worthy investment.
Color Accuracy – Apple’s computers are popular with the photography and editing crowd. It makes sense to buy a color-accurate display that can provide comparable performance with the Retina screens.
Resolution – 4K is hands down the default choice for Macs since the Retina displays they use always have high resolutions. 1440p is still viable, but 4K has become affordable enough to
Connectivity – USB-C or Thunderbolt connectivity is essential if you are using a monitor for anything Apple. Most of their devices are designed around the port, such as the newer MacBooks which have no other slots on their bodies.
Quality – Pairing a budget monitor with an Apple device is doable, but it doesn’t do the device any justice. Apple’s displays are also undeniably refined, so it makes sense to get a well-built alternative if you want to guarantee satisfaction while saving money.
Best Monitors for Apple MacBook M3 2024
Apple Studio Display
The Apple Studio Display is still the best monitor for the latest M3 computers since they were designed just for that. You get a very accurate and refined panel with a 5K resolution, plus unique features like its 6-speaker layout. It’s pricey, but it’s plug-and-play with any Apple computer.
Alienware AW3225QF
The Alienware AW3225QF doesn’t have USB-C, but it’s our favorite OLED monitor right now. It boasts fantastic image quality thanks to its accurate and full-color coverage, along with the infinite contrast. The downside is that you will need a USB-C to DisplayPort cable to make it usable with the Apple MacBook M3 models.
Lenovo P32p-30
The Lenovo P32p-30 is an excellent choice if you want a business monitor with fantastic image quality. It is built like a true high-end PC, and it has Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. Its large 4K screen works great for editing and multitasking, so it’s a must-have on your shortlist when shopping for the best monitors for Apple MacBook M3.
Philips Brilliance 27B1U7903
The Philips Brilliance 27B1U7903 also has Thunderbolt 4, but what makes it special is its mini-LED backlight. It offers impressive color and HDR performance, and it doesn’t look tacky at all. It’s also a 27-inch 4K monitor so that it will be crisper and sharper than most.
LG UltraFine 5K
The LG UltraFine 5K is one of the few true alternative monitors for Apple MacBook M3s simply because it was co-designed with Apple. It works great with all Apple computers, and it offers excellent image quality out of the box. It’s cheaper than the Studio Display, but it’s nearly identical since it was actually the spiritual predecessor to the newer model.
LG 40WP95C-W
The LG 40WP95C-W offers a crisp 40-inch curved ultrawide with a 5120 x 1440 resolution. It’s fantastic for editing work and multitasking, and it’s well-suited for the Apple MacBook M3 because of its Thunderbolt 4 connectivity.
Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30
The Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30 boasts a 49-inch super ultrawide screen that gives you a ton of room. It also offers excellent color quality, along with a ton of connectivity options to accommodate your gadgets and gizmos. It’s the biggest and heaviest in this lineup, but that’s a worthy sacrifice to get all the benefits it offers.
Asus ProArt PA348CGV
The Asus ProArt PA348CGV is one of the more flexible monitors for the Apple MacBook M3. It’s a ProArt monitor for editing, but it also has a 120Hz refresh rate and VRR for gaming. It’s also one of the inexpensive options in this lineup, making it a practical choice.
About the Author: Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen has the right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear and create reviews that accentuate the seldom-explained aspects of a PC monitor.
Leave a Reply