Feb 27, 2019 - Looking for a good display option for your MacBook Pro or Mini? LG 27UK850-W 27' 4K UHD IPS Monitor with HDR10 with USB Type-C.
You can use 4K displays and Ultra HD TVs with these Mac computers:
- iMac (27-inch, Late 2014) and later
- iMac Pro (2017)*
- Mac mini (Late 2014) and later*
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)*
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) and later
- MacBook Air (Early 2015) and later
- MacBook Pro (Retina, Late 2013) and later
* You can learn more about connecting multiple displays to your iMac Pro, Mac mini (2018), or Mac Pro (Late 2013).
HDMI displays
Mac computers with built-in HDMI ports
Any Mac with a built-in HDMI port can support 4K displays and Ultra HD TVs via HDMI at 3840 x 2160 at 30Hz, or 4096 x 2160 at 24Hz. Note that mirroring isn't supported at 4096 x 2160 at 24Hz.
Additionally, the built-in HDMI port on Mac mini (2018) supports resolutions up to 4096 x 2160 at 60Hz.
Mac computers compatible with HDMI via adapter
The following Mac models support resolutions and refresh rates of up to 1080p at 60Hz, and 3840 x 2160 at 30Hz, over HDMI 1.4b when using the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter with macOS Sierra 10.12 or later:
- iMac (2017 and later)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- MacBook (2015 and later)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (2016 and later)
The computers listed above also support 60Hz refresh rate over HDMI when used with a supported HDMI 2.0 display, HDMI Premium Certified cable, and a compatible third-party USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter.
If the HDMI display that's connected to your Mac starts up to the Apple logo but then goes dark, you might need to update your HDMI cable. To ensure compatibility, and to achieve 4K resolution, Apple recommends a cable that supports HDMI 2.0 or later, such as the Belkin Ultra High Speed 4K HDMI Cable.
Single-stream transport (SST) displays
Most SST 4K displays are supported at 30Hz.
With OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 and later, most SST 4K (3840 x 2160) displays are supported at 60Hz on these Mac computers:
- iMac (27-inch, Late 2014) and later
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac mini (2018)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
- MacBook Air (Early 2015) and later
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015) and later
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) and later
With OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 and later, most SST 4K (4096 x 2160) displays are supported at 60Hz on these Mac computers:
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
- MacBook Pro (2016 and later)
With macOS Sierra, MacBook (2015 and later) supports 4K (3840 x 2160) displays at 60Hz over DisplayPort.
Multi-stream transport (MST) displays
These Mac computers support MST displays at 60Hz:
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac mini (2018)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015) and later
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) and later
If you use a 60Hz MST display with the MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) with AMD Radeon R9 M370X graphics card or iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), only one additional Thunderbolt display is supported. Learn more about Thunderbolt ports and displays.
Your Mac automatically detects MST-enabled displays. However, your display might require a firmware update to support 60Hz operation. Contact the maker of your display for details.
You need to manually configure 4K displays to use MST. Follow these steps to use the display's built-in controls to enable this feature:
- Sharp PN-K321: Choose Menu > Setup > DisplayPort STREAM > MST > SET
- ASUS PQ321Q: Choose OSD menu > Setup > DisplayPort Stream
- Dell UP2414Q and UP3214Q: Choose Menu > Display Setting > DisplayPort 1.2 > Enable
- Panasonic TC-L65WT600: Choose Menu > Display Port Settings > Stream Setting > Auto
- Other DisplayPort displays: check with the display manufacturer for compatibility information.
![2018 2018](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125856602/839883174.jpg)
Dual-cable displays
Some displays with resolutions higher than 4K require two DisplayPort cables to connect the display at full resolution:
- The Dell UP2715K 27-inch 5K display is supported by iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later and Mac Pro (Late 2013) running OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 and later.
- The HP Z27q 5K display is supported by iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later and Mac Pro (Late 2013) running macOS Sierra.
LG UltraFine Displays
The LG UltraFine 4K Display is supported on these Mac computers with DisplayPort Alt-Mode over USB-C:
- iMac (21.5-inch, 2017)
- iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac mini (2018)
- MacBook (2015 and later)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (2016 and later)
The LG UltraFine 5K Display is supported on these Mac computers with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C):
- iMac (21.5-inch, 2017)
- iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac mini (2018)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (2016 and later)
Adjust your display
Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Displays to adjust or scale the resolution on your display. This can make text and objects appear larger or give you more space on your screen. If your Mac doesn’t recognize a display you’ve just connected, hold down the Option key to make the Detect Displays button appear, then click that button.
Learn more
- 4K displays and Ultra HD TVs using Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 with Boot Camp use the same rules as macOS. If you upgrade from Windows 8 to 8.1, you should repair Boot Camp drivers.
- To get the best graphics performance from your 4K display, connect the display or its adapter directly to your Mac, instead of connecting through another peripheral or device.
This is an easy-to-follow guide aimed at folks who are in the market for an external display for their MacBook or MacBook Pro. These laptops feature USB-C ports exclusively, so if you want to hook them up to a display without the need for dongles, you’ll need to find one that supports the tech.
![Best 4k Monitor For Macbook Pro Best 4k Monitor For Macbook Pro](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125856602/487397173.jpg)
Since the USB-C port is relatively new, there aren’t a ton of monitors out there that are compatible with it just yet. But as usual we’ve taken the time to track down the best USB-C monitors for MacBook and MacBook Pro available, based on a variety of factors, including price, features, expert and user reviews, and of course our own experiences.
Why USB-C?
As aforementioned, Apple’s latest MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops feature USB-C ports—and only USB-C ports. The 12-inch Retina MacBook has one, the entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro has two, and all other MacBook Pro models have four. There are plenty of cables, dongles and adapters out there that will allow you to go, say from USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort, but those wanting a simple, out-of-the-box connection will want to look at USB-C compatible displays.
And really, other than the fact that it’s a newer (and therefore, not yet widely available) bit of tech, USB-C isn’t a bad thing. The connectors are reversible, so you don’t have to worry about your cables being upside down, and it’s extremely versatile, capable of transferring everything from data, to video—even power. In fact, if you can find a USB-C display that meets your feature and price requirements, it’s easily the best way to go. One cable, great image and sound quality, no adapters.
What to look for in a USB-C display
The answer to this question is fairly straightforward. First, obviously, you’ll want to make sure the monitor meets all of your needs: is it the right size and price? Does it have the features you want like built-in speakers or USB 3.0 ports? Once you’ve determined these things, it should be easy to narrow down your options.
There is one other thing to look for: USB-C PD or Power Delivery. This means you can connect one USB-C cable, from your laptop to your monitor, for both external display and power. Without it you’ll need a USB-C cable from your laptop to the display, and a second USB-C cable connected to your power brick. That also means you’re taking up two of your laptops USB-C ports—which is all you have in some models. So if possible, look for the USB-C PD symbol and ensure it’s rated for your laptop’s power supply.
Hopefully we can help you answer a lot of these questions below. Here are some of the best USB-C displays/monitors available right now.
The best USB-C monitors
LG UltraFine 4K 21-inch
With a stunning 4096-by-2304 resolution, the 21.5-inch LG UltraFine 4K Display brings your favorite photos and videos to life. Features include 3 downstream USB-C ports, a pass-through charging USB-C port for charging your MacBook or MacBook Pro, and built-in speakers. This monitor is quite expensive for its size, but given its features and the fact that it was developed in partnership with Apple, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Buy for $699.95.
LG 27UD88 4K 27-inch
This 27-inch LG monitor has a standard 4K definition of 3840×2160 and is chock-full of features. It benefits from software like Color Calibration, on-screen controls, Split Screen 2.0 (customize your monitor layout with 14 options, including PiP) and FreeSync support. It also has USB 3.0 ports, with Quick Charge support, and has a pass-through USB-C port so you can connect it to your laptop for a one-cable charge/data/video solution.
Buy for $769.
Acer H277HU 27-inch
The Acer H7 Series 27-inch IPS display isn’t 4K (2560×1440), but it gets high praise for its wide viewing angles and nearly bezel-less display. It’s perfect for folks wanting to put multiple monitors side-by-side. It also has a sturdy, magnetic paperclip stand, built-in speakers, and a plethora of ports including HDMI, DisplayPort, USB 3.0 (2x), and a USB 3.1 Type-C port for ultra-fast transfer of power, data and hi-res video audio.
Buy for $545.
Lenovo ThinkVision X1 4K 27-inch
This ultra-slim 4K monitor from Lenovo has a sharp design to match its sharp 3840×2160 panel. And it has the features to back it all up, with a built-in camera, built-in microphone and built-in stereo speakers. Other features include an elegant metal stand, HDMI port, DisplayPort, 2 USB 3.0 ports and a fully functional USB-C 3.1 port.
Buy for $670.
HP Envy 4K 27-inch
The HP Envy’s 27-inch 4K panel with micro-bezels complements an elegant design that does more than look incredible – it powers your PC or mobile device. Features include ultra-wide 178-degree viewing angles, 10 million : 1 contrast ration, 5ms max response rate, dual HDMI ports, and a USB-C port that delivers video and power of up to 60w from your laptop.
Buy for $455.
LG Curved UltraWide 34-inch
The LG 34UC99 Ultra wide 21:9 (3440×1440) curved monitor is one of the best (and most expensive) USB-C monitors you can get. Like the other LG monitors mentioned above, it has on-screen controls, Split Screen 2.0 tech, and support for AMD’s FreeSync technology for better gaming. It also has USB 3.0 (with Quick Charge support) and USB Type-C ports, and HDMI port.
Buy for $1,199.99.
We’ll obviously continue to update this list as we discover more great USB-C monitors. If you see something we’ve missed, be sure to let us know down in the comments below!