Only the best monitors for Mac mini will let you truly maximize the surprising power of your mini Apple computer. Whether you have a slightly older Mac mini or an M1-powered model, investing in a Mac mini display with fantastic picture quality, a solid build, and a robust feature set is vital.
More specifically, your Mac mini monitor should have high colour accuracy and excellent colour coverage as well as uniformity across the panel. If your daily workload is more productivity tasks focused, on the other hand, you'll need something with a lot of space for you to spread out. Of course, USB-C connectivity is important as well.
We've used, tested, and reviewed our share of displays, putting each one through its paces to ensure that it does deliver as promised. Here, we gathered what we think are the best monitors for Mac mini, some of which we've tested, others we've included based on user reviews and expert recommendations. Of course, if you're a fan of Apple, then you may be a digital creative, in which case you should check out our guides to the best monitors for photo editing and the best monitor for video editing.
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The LG 32UN8800-B UltraFine Ergo is just as great for Mac minis as it is for Ultrabooks and MacBooks. This 4K panel offers video and photo editors 350 nits of brightness and HDR10 support, as well as 95% DCI-P3 colour coverage, without costing a lot. That means it delivers a great price-to-performance ratio, allowing it to be capable enough for creative workloads while keeping things accessible for most people, price-wise.
Of course, it's the ergonomic C-clamp and base that's the star here. Instead of the usual stand and base, it comes with a highly-articulating version that offers the kind of ergonomic adjustments that suit creative professionals. Not only will it let you effortlessly pivot the panel 90 degrees, tilt and swivel better than other displays, but it allows for height adjustments, as well as extensions and retractions.
Combining that impressive feature set with its ability to deliver great performance for the price, the LG 32UN8800-B UltraFine Ergo is one of the best value monitors on the market – and just the perfect match for your Mac mini.
The Asus ProArt PA278CV is an excellent, affordable pick from the best monitors for Mac mini list if you do not require a kitted out display for your Mac mini. You might not be getting 4K resolution here, but unless you're tackling demanding creative workloads on a daily basis, in which the amount of detail and screen real estate a 4K display offers comes in most handy, a 1440p should more than suffice.
And, that is what this affordable display offers. That's on top of its Calman Verified colour accuracy of Delta E <2 and 100% sRGB and 100% REC 709 colour gamuts that still make it a great display if you do need to edit photos and videos from time to time. Although its brightness level is nothing to write home about, 350 nits is basically the standard these days.
Other mention-worthy features are its on-screen scaling overlay, the ability to daisy-chain two screens together via its DisplayPort, and the decent number of ports. Overall, you're absolutely getting a great value for its budget price.
The BenQ DesignVue PD3220U is great for creative professionals and coders alike. It boasts plenty of impressive features out of the box, from its high colour accuracy out of the box to its impressive 100% Rec.709, 100% sRGB, and 95% P3 colour gamuts. Our test results also revealed that it covers 98% of the DCI-P3 colour space. Those, alongside a variety of colour modes that include Animation, Rec.709, Adobe RGB, and CAD/CAM, pretty much have graphic designers and content creators covered.
Our BenQ PD322OU review also reveals a handful of nifty features for other Mac mini users who aren't in the creative world as well. Among them are not just one but two Thunderbolt 3 ports for daisy-chaining multiple monitors. One of them even delivers 85W power delivery for charging MacBooks and other laptops as well. Meanwhile, things like Picture-in-Picture, Picture-by-Picture, and a 90-degree pivot capability for portrait mode are best for productivity.
All in all, we found the big 32-inch 4K display to deliver stacks of detail and great image quality. This is the best value professional screen we've tested for creative and non-creative professionals alike
A stunning 3840 x 1600 display, the LG 38WN95C gives you the real estate you need to spread out and have all your tools handy so you can immerse yourself in your creative process and save time as well. But, there are many more features to love here besides its ultrawide goodness.
Content creators will appreciate its 99% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3 colour gamuts and VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification. Those who work from home and have the same setup for work and for play will also appreciate the fast refresh rate of 144Hz, 1ms fast response time, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync support. Meanwhile, the LG's ambient light sensor and an articulating stand are most useful for professionals who love to multitask.
The LG 38WN95C is a great all-rounder that should fit most types of Mac mini users. It costs a bit more than other monitors, but it's worth every penny if you have the budget for it.
The BenQ SW321C PhotoVue is one of the best displays for photographers, and it's designed to be that way as one of the manufacturer's photography monitors. Its 32-inch 4K screen lets you really get in and see every pixel if you need to, or simply provides a nice big and detailed canvas to view overall. Of course, you've got all the vital colour spaces covered as well, touting 99% Adobe RGB, 95% P3, 100% sRGB colour gamuts, and a 16-but 3D LUT helping to maintain realistic colour gradation.
During testing, we found that it delivers a bit more coverage than advertised, giving us a colourimeter reading of 100% Adobe RGB. Our BenQ SW321C PhotoVue review should also show that colour accuracy is top-notch on testing as well, delivering an average Delta E of 0.9 out of the box.
A clever PaperSync feature that enables you to choose from different paper types, and the display will attempt to mimic what your image would look like on that material. Gimmicky perhaps, but even without it, this is simply a phenomenal screen for photographers. The low brightness is a trade-off we can live with for total accuracy. It also offers some extra connections, though they're a bit recessed for our liking.
The Dell UP2720Q is for those who have discerning colour accuracy and connectivity needs and are seeking a pro-level monitor for their Mac mini. Here, you get 100% Adobe RGB, 80% BT. 2020 and 98% DCI-P3 gamut support, but the crown jewel is the built-in colorimeter that's CalMAN ready. It checks its own screen regularly to make sure accuracy hasn't drifted, so you don't need to worry about it.
This monitor also adds Thunderbolt 3 hub support, so if you want to daisy chain or just have several high-bandwidth accessories to connect, it's ready to go. This comes on top of all of the advantages of the screen at number one, including a razor-sharp 4K display and great ergonomics. Alas, you've still only got 250 nits of brightness, but that's no issue if accuracy is your main requirement. The only other downside on this one is that it's more expensive.
The Samsung M8 smart monitor makes it possible for the more budget-conscious consumers to enjoy that Apple display vibe without spending as much. It's clearly designed by Samsung to give pricey Apple displays a good run for their money with its iMac-inspired design, minimal port selection, and several colour options. At closer inspection, however, you'll come to realise that you're getting a Mac mini monitor than a good quality Apple knockoff.
Its flimsy built and lower image quality aside (lower than Apple's pro offerings, that is), the M8 also boasts a magnetic clip-on SlimFit webcam, IoT hub functionality that turns it into your SmartThings devices control center, and Smart TV functionality. That's on top of its USB-C connectivity with power delivery and 3,000:1 contrast ratio. If you're looking for an affordable Apple-esque display, this is definitely worth checking out, especially if you're looking for a versatile option.
Post-production editors and colourists that develop broadcast and online video content will appreciate having ViewSonic VP3268a-4K’s 100% Rec. 709 and 100% sRGB colour coverage. And, while it isn’t exactly new, it is a fresh update on the ViewSonic VP3268-4K, now touting USB-C connectivity, including, you guessed it, the Mac mini. It also offers improved colour accuracy over the original model and Pantone validation.
All those make this 4K monitor not just an ideal match for Mac computers, but also an excellent option for creators looking for a video editing monitor. Other things you’ll appreciate about it is its great port selection, 350 nits of brightness, and decent factory calibration. Unfortunately, there’s no HDR support and the contrast ratio is only 1,300:1, but the colours are more than vibrant and accurate enough for content creators.
For those who want to work with HDR video, the trouble with most monitors is the lack of brightness – you can't see what things would look like on a mid-range or better TV. That is not the case here. 1,000 nits of peak brightness puts this monitor up there with great TVs In fact, the use of Mini-LED means its localised dimming is actually more precise than a lot of TVs can manage for fantastic contrast, with hundreds of individual zones.
Its 4K resolution is also ideal, so you can really watch something at full quality here. Naturally, that means great DCI-P3 colour support (95% in this case), but 99.5% Adobe RGB and 100% sRGB coverage make it great for other work too. There's Thunderbolt 3 connectivity on board, which is ideal if you'll have RAIDs full of raw high-res footage. This monitor strikes a balance, offering excellent features for video pros, without entering the seriously high pricing of a Hollywood video monitor, making it a great choice as the best monitor for Mac mini for video editing.
Can I use any monitor with a Mac mini?
Unless you plan on pulling out a monitor from the last century, you can use just about any display with the Mac mini. But, since Mac minis don’t come with a screen like a MacBook Pro or iMac, having versatile connectivity is much more crucial. The Mac mini M1 and its Intel-powered predecessor come with an HDMI 2.0 port and multiple USB-C ports. And, you would be hard-pressed to find a monitor that doesn’t have at least HDMI connectivity. If your monitor has DisplayPort, you'll need an adapter.
How many monitors can the Mac mini M1 support?
The Mac mini M1 may be small, but it is quite the powerhouse, especially for its size. This little computer can drive two high-resolution monitors, thanks to that M1 system on a chip Apple introduced in late 2020. Specifically, it can connect and run a 6K display at 60Hz via one of its Thunderbolt ports and one 4K at 60 Hz via the HDMI 2.0 port. It might not be quite what the newest 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros can do, but it’s impressive nonetheless. The only caveat is that you can't daisy chain on the Thunderbolt 3 connection.
How do I choose the best monitor for Mac mini?
The Mac mini is very flexible and any recent monitor with a USB-C or HDMI port will serve you, so the best monitor for Mac mini will really depend on what you're using it for. Anyone working in visual design will want a high-quality display with good colour coverage. and uniform brightness. If you're going to want to hook up additional accessories, for example a MacBook, then you'll want a range of ports. it's also worth considering the location of those ports, especially if you'll be taking your Mac mini on the road with you and will need to plug it in and out regularly.
How do you connect a monitor to Mac mini?
It's very easy to connect a monitor to a Mac mini. Simply locate the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 or HDMI 2.0 ports (the former have a lightning symbol above them), plug in with a compatible cable, then turn on both devices.
Are Mac minis worth it?
There’s no more reasonably priced computer among Apple’s lineup than the Mac mini. And, with the M1 chip on hand, it’s pretty powerful as well. Of course, you need to factor in the price of your peripherals, such as a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But, this diminutive little beast can handle just about anything you can throw at it, from working on high-resolution editing and design projects to powering through the latest games available to Mac users.
