Best monitor for MacBook Pro: our top picks for 2025

Why you can trust our opinion on MacBook Pro Monitors

At Back Market, we’re experts in the tech industry. We don’t just recommend any monitor—we curate the best refurbished options that deliver top-tier performance, eco-friendly impact, and serious savings. Our customers will agree. 

Verified Refurbished by Back Market means refurbished MacBook Pro monitors that have been inspected by industry professionals.  That means you get a MacBook Pro-compatible monitor that looks and works perfectly—without the premium price tag.

Shopping with us isn’t just good for your wallet; it’s good for the planet. By choosing refurbished, you’re helping to reduce e-waste and extend the life of perfectly good tech, making your setup more sustainable. Plus, if you're upgrading, you can trade in or trade up your old monitor for extra savings, keeping even more devices out of landfills and more money in your pocket.

With a minimum 1-year warranty and hassle-free returns, you can shop with confidence, knowing you’re getting a quality monitor for your MacBook Pro, verified by pros, at a fraction of the cost.

Deep Dive: these are the five best MacBook Pro monitors

The first official MacBook was released by Apple in 2006, and historically, they have released a new and improved version every year. Alongside these MacBooks, Apple also releases its own monitors that are compatible with them. However, you don't need to buy an Apple monitor in order to use one with your MacBook. 

There are several premium quality monitors that are compatible with macOS that you can explore. Below, we’ve shared a few of the best options – and yes, we included one of Apple’s, too, in case you’re a purist.

Below is a list of our top five brands we trust and love when choosing a monitor. This is a brief overview before diving into our top picks with all the details you need to know. You’ll find that we’ve chosen quite a few rad models worth your time:

Back Market score: 💗💗💗💗🤍

Product specs

• Screen Size: 27 in

• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)

• Panel Type: IPS

• Color Accuracy: 100% sRGB, 99% AdobeRGB, Calman Verified

• Connectivity: USB-C (96W Power Delivery), HDMI, DisplayPort

• Ergonomics: Height, Tilt, Swivel, and Pivot Adjustments

• HDR Support: HDR10

Product pros and cons

Product features and benefits

The Asus 27-inch Monitor 3840 x 2160 LED (ProArt PA279CRV) is a MacBook Pro-compatible monitor built for creative professionals requiring top-tier 4K visuals. This monitor offers incredible color accuracy with 100% sRGB and 99% AdobeRGB coverage. 

It is also Calman Verified and pre-calibrated to display true-to-life colors for video and photo editing, digital art, and graphic design. Another worthwhile feature is its HDR10 support, which enhances depth and contrast. You’ll enjoy this monitor no matter what type of creative work you’re doing. 

The Asus 27-inch Monitor 3840 x 2160 LED also features a USB-C port, allowing for a single-cable connection. This might seem like a trivial feature, but it actually allows for the delivery of high-quality visuals while powering your laptop. 

Beyond stunning visuals, Asus has carefully crafted the monitor to be comfortable to use, which helps promote productivity. Since creatives benefit most from using it, it is unsurprising that it features an adjustable stand for ergonomic viewing angles. 

So, you won't get a crick in your neck as you work on your latest digital art masterpiece or a client's last-minute website design.

Back Market score: 💗💗💗💗🤍

Product specs

• Screen Size: 42.5 in

• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)

• Panel Type: IPS

• Color Accuracy: 95% sRGB, 99% Rec. 709

• Connectivity: USB-C (90W Power Delivery), HDMI, DisplayPort

• Multitasking Features: Picture-by-Picture (PBP) & Picture-in-Picture (PIP)

• Adjustability: Tilt, Swivel, and Height Adjustment

Product pros and cons

Product features and benefits

At Back Market, we know that professionals deserve the best, especially when it comes to MacBook-compatible monitors, and when it comes to work, bigger is almost always better. After all, the bigger the monitor, the more projects you can work on simultaneously. 

The Dell 42.5-inch Monitor LCD (UltraSharp U4320Q) has a massive 42.5-inch display with ultra-high 4K resolution. When connected to your MacBook, this monitor eliminates the need to work on multiple monitors. 

Another handy feature for working professionals is its picture-by-picture (PBP) and picture-in-picture PIP functionality. With this built-in feature, you can easily switch between tasks, which we think is particularly useful for software developers, financial analysts, and content creators. 

However, you might ask, “If the monitor is this big, is the cable management a nightmare?” Nope. Since this monitor has a USB-C port that provides power and lets you transmit video with a single cable, it makes your workspace feel more clutter-free. 

But that’s not all. This monitor is also easy on the eyes, and we don’t just mean its appearance. It offers a blue light mode to help reduce eye strain, which you’ll need if you spend hours being productive every day. It also has an anti-glare coating for those who like to take their work sessions outdoors.

Back Market score: 💗💗💗💗🤍

Product specs

• Screen Size: 27 in

• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)

• Panel Type: IPS

• Color Accuracy: 100% sRGB, 100% Rec. 709, Factory-Calibrated

• Connectivity: USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort

• HDR Support: HDR10

• Built-in Features: KVM Switch, Eye-Care Technology

Product pros and cons

Product features and benefits

The BenQ 27-inch Monitor 2560 x 1440 LED (DesignVue PD2705Q) might not be as well known as other monitors on this list, but it deserves its placement. It is one of the best monitors for MacBook Pro, especially if you’re a graphic designer, content creator, or video editor. 

This monitor offers impressive performance capabilities, accurate colors, and factory-calibrated 100% sRGB & Rec. 709 coverage. This means you’ll have access to true-to-life colors, which you’ll need if you use your laptop for creative purposes. 

If you’re worried the true-to-life colors will strain your eyes, don’t be. With this monitor, you’ll have access to anti-flicker technology and a low blue light mode. With these features, you’ll benefit from reduced eye strain, making your life more comfortable if you have to sit and stare at your monitor all day. 

In addition, the BenQ 27-inch Monitor 2560 x 1440 LED is ergonomically designed, so there will be no neck strain. Perhaps its most attractive feature, however, is its built-in KVM switch. With this switch, you can effortlessly control multiple devices using only one keyboard and mouse—a creative professional's dream.

Back Market score: 💗💗💗🤍🤍

Product specs

• Screen Size: 27 in

• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)

• Panel Type: IPS

• Color Accuracy: Wide Gamut Display

• Connectivity: Thunderbolt 2, USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet

• Built-in Features: Speakers, Microphone, FaceTime HD Camera

Product Pros and cons

Product features and benefits

You would think that Apple-specific monitors would be best for MacBooks, but this isn’t always the case. At Back Market, we’ve found that MacBook monitors typically underperform compared to other options. 

However, we know many users love the interface and are looking for a MacBook-specific monitor to complement their MacBook setup. So, after doing a little digging, we came across the Apple 27-inch Monitor 2560 x 1440 LCD (Thunderbolt Display). This display was released in 2011 with Apple saying in a press release:

Back Market score: 💗💗💗💗🤍

Product specs

• Screen Size: 27 in

• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)

• Panel Type: IPS

• Refresh Rate: 165Hz

• Response Time: 1ms

• Connectivity: HDMI, DisplayPort

• Adaptive Sync: AMD FreeSync

Product pros and cons

Product features and benefits

Are you on a budget but looking for a suitable gaming monitor that's compatible with a MacBook Pro? If so, you don’t need to look any further because the Acer 27-inch Monitor 2560 x 1440 LCD (Nitro VG270U) is everything you might need. 

Our team at Back Market stocks this budget-friendly monitor because of its affordable price point and fast performance capabilities that make it attractive to entry-level and veteran gamers. With an impressive 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, it delivers on responsiveness and can handle any game you want to play. 

However, it’s not only ideal for gamers – even if its design might appeal to them more. It's also suitable for general use for those who might only need a monitor occasionally and for video editing, making it one of our most versatile picks. 

Unfortunately, the biggest downside is that it does not have USB-C support, so MacBook Pro users need to use an adapter to connect via DisplayPort or HDMI. But this is a minor issue considering everything it offers, especially when you throw in the AMD FreeSync support and sharp visuals delivered by the 2560 x 1440 resolution.

MacBook Pro-friendly monitors compared

Explore some of our honorable mentions:

• Acer 23.8-inch Monitor 1920 x 1080 LED (CB2)

• Apple 27-inch Monitor 5120 x 1440 LCD (Studio Display)

• Samsung 27-inch Monitor 1920 x 1080 LED (C27F390FHN)

• LG 34-inch Monitor 3440 x 1440 LED (34BN77C-B)

Shopping tips for finding the best MacBook Pro Monitor for your needs

If you’re looking for the best monitor for your MacBook Pro, you should follow a few shopping tips. First, always buy only when you need a new monitor. Second, if possible, opt for a Verified Refurbished monitor. Back Market is an industry leader in refurbished tech and offers various MacBook Pro-compatible monitors to suit every need. 

Thirdly, you should consider your environmental impact. If you choose refurbished, you’ll do your part to lessen your carbon footprint, especially if you decide to buy from an eco-conscious reseller like Back Market. Another consideration is whether the place you buy from has a trade-in program. With a trade-in option, you’ll save money. 

Lastly, choosing a MacBook Pro monitor with the features and benefits you need is always a good idea. You don’t want to buy a monitor that doesn’t fit your requirements and becomes an eyesore, sitting lonely on your desk or stashed away in a corner.

The wrap-up on the best monitor for MacBook Pro users

In this article, Back Market provides five excellent choices and a good starting point for your search. If you decide one of these monitors is right for you, you might want to check out our available stock. As a verified refurbisher, we sell quality monitors compatible with MacBook Pros, including all the ones discussed. 

When you buy from us, you do your part to limit waste and save the environment while saving money. We’ll even take your trade-ins, putting more money back into your wallet that you can use toward a new-to-you monitor. So what are you waiting for?