When buying a computer monitor, it would be best to consider several things: the size, available cable ports, resolution, response time, and refresh rate. Keeping these factors in mind ensures that you get the right screen for your Mac mini on your first purchase. Now, here’s our complete list of the best monitors for the Mac mini to help you with your search.
HP 24mh FHD Monitor
Best Overall
With a 1080p LED display and fast response time, you can rely on the HP 24mh FHD Monitor for a smooth working experience when connected to your Mac mini. This 23.8-inch screen has a five-millisecond response time and 60-hertz refresh rate, allowing you to enjoy a sharper display with full colors. These features also lower the input lag to give you seamless viewing while working or watching fast-paced videos.
What’s more, this monitor also features a matte LED-backlit panel that delivers uniform brightness across the screen. Even with its brilliant display, this monitor lessens the strain on your eyes and allows you to see the screen clearly with its anti-glare panel.
Why we love it:
– Built-in speakers allow you to use the monitor without a headphone or any other audio output devices
– Can be rotated up to a 90-degree angle so you can work more efficiently based on your viewing preference
– A narrow frame maximizes the screen space giving you more area to work on
Something to consider:
This monitor comes with an external power supply that might be difficult to hide. It may cause an inconvenience when setting up the screen in your workstation if you want a clean, minimalistic setup.
LG 27UL500-W Monitor
Best Color Consistency
Thanks to its IPS Panel, the LG 27UL500-W Monitor gives you excellent image quality and vibrant colors at full brightness. With its crystal clear display, you’ll be able to see the details presented on this monitor more accurately, so you don’t miss any crucial information on your task. Its IPS panel also allows the monitor to deliver coherent colors across the screen at any angle.
This display is also factory-calibrated, meaning you can use it and enjoy its stunning visuals straight out of the box without any critical color adjustments. What’s more, this monitor supports AMD FreeSync technology that delivers a variable refresh rate to remove all tearing and stuttering while also minimizing lagging.
Why we love it:
– Factory calibration maintains precise color display and prevents any progressive changes
– Programmed with on-screen control so you can adjust the monitor settings without tabbing out of your game or task
– Its wide viewing angle of 178 degrees gives an adequate perception of the image or information shown on the screen no matter where you look at it
Something to consider:
This monitor’s FreeSync technology requires a compatible graphics card and is only available when the monitor is connected to your Mac Mini via HDMI or DisplayPort. These requirements might hinder or limit you from utilizing the screen’s full display capabilities.
Acer KG241Q Pbiip Monitor
Best Value
A high-quality yet affordable monitor suitable for a Mac Mini may seem a little too good to be true, but not with the Acer KG241Q Pbiip Monitor. This budget-friendly display provides a clearer and smoother motion across the screen with its 144-hertz refresh rate, making it more enjoyable to watch videos and play games without worrying about choppy images. It also features a rapid GtG response time of one millisecond for a blur-free transition and movement of objects displayed on your monitor.
Moreover, the KG241Q Pbiip monitor employs AcerVisionCare technology to reduce the effects of blue light on your eyes while maintaining a high degree of color accuracy. This feature also detects the amount of ambient light in your surrounding, prompting the monitor to automatically adjust its brightness and give your eyes a comfortable viewing experience.
Why we love it:
– Doubles the frames displayed per second for a more seamless viewing and gaming experience, especially when viewed on a first-person perspective
– Minimizes slow and choppy image rendering to eliminate screen tearing and ghosting
– Has a 16:9 aspect ratio to display high-resolution images in great detail
Something to consider:
This monitor uses a twisted nematic (TN) panel, which has a viewing angle of 170 degrees (horizontally) and 160 degrees (vertically). These angles may cause the display image’s color, brightness, and contrast to change if you look at the screen from a skewed perspective.
Samsung Samsung CF390 Series 27-inch Monitor
Best Curved Monitor
If you want a more immersive experience with your Mac Mini, try this curved monitor from the Samsung CF390 Series. Its 27-inch screen wraps around your vision with its 1800-millimeter arc radius, giving you a wider field of view while minimizing the distractions within your peripheral vision to maximize your productivity. This monitor also features an Eye Saver Mode and Flicker-free technology to reduce eye fatigue, making it more comfortable to use even during long working hours.
Additionally, this display uses vertical alignment (VA) panels to deliver deeper imagery in intricate detail so you can keep an eye on all the information on your screen. Its wide viewing angle also allows you to get a coherent view of the image displayed regardless of the direction you are looking from.
Why we love it:
– Compatible with VESA mounting, making it easy to install on a wall or a mounting arm to complete your multi-screen computer setup
– Automatically adjusts screen brightness to help reduce its energy consumption by up to 10%
– Curved construction reduces light leakage from screen edges for a more sustained color saturation across the screen
Something to consider:
The part that connects the monitor to its stand might be too firm, especially when new. This firmness might make it difficult to tilt the screen to your desired position.
Can you use any monitor with a Mac Mini?
Yes, you can connect any screen to a Mac mini as long as it has the correct ports and that you have the right cables to connect the two peripherals to its display outputs; the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 and the HDMI 2.0. This portable Apple desktop also comes with an HDMI to DVI adapter so you can connect it to an Apple monitor. If you want to connect it to a regular monitor, you need an HDMI to VGA or a port to VGA connector.
How many monitors can the Mac Mini support?
If you have both USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI 2.0 adapters, you can connect two monitors to the Mac Mini. Some models can even support up to three 4K displays since additional ports allow more screen connections.
What should you look for when buying a monitor?
The ports for video connections are what to pay attention to when buying a monitor for your Mac Mini. These connectors should be compatible with the adapters that connect to the Mac Mini to ensure a high-quality display. Here are other things you should consider when buying a monitor:
Screen size: Most computer monitors fall in the 19 to 44-inch screen range. The 22 to 24-inch screen is the most commonly preferred size for users since it allows enough space for tasks without cramping the display area. The larger the screen size, the easier it is to multitask. Consider your work setup space needs to ensure the monitor you get is the right fit.
Display technology: This factor pertains to the type of display that the monitor uses. A lot of screens previously employed cathode-ray tube (CTR) technology for an impressive display. However, it has been overshadowed by other technologies such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD), light-emitting diode (LED), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) due to their better display performance.
Resolution: This factor refers to the number of pixels that the monitor can present at any given time. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. So, if you want a screen that provides a crystal clear display, get a monitor with high resolution.
Refresh rate: This is the number of times your screen updates the visuals per second. A monitor’s performance is increased with higher refresh rate numbers. For example, high refresh rate monitors are used for visual work and game development.
Response time: You’ll want a monitor with a shorter response time since this factor tells you how long it will take for your screen to change pixels from black to white or gray to gray (GtG). A monitor with a long response time can be challenging to work with, especially when gaming or watching videos, since it creates more motion blur.
About the Author:
Rusty Davis has been a tech lover for as long as he can remember. From the early days of gaming consoles to the introduction of the smartphone, portable computers, and more, he’s always wanted to get his hands on the latest and greatest. He has years upon years of experience reviewing and testing everything from phone cases to smartwatches, the latest phones and tablets to gaming computers, and even desks. If it’s a piece of tech or tech-adjacent, he’s interested in how it works and who it works best for. He’s now here sharing all of his knowledge with you to help you make the best decision for yourself.
Why You Should Trust Us:
The Digital Trends team prides itself in offering expert product recommendations in ways that everyone can understand. Our team of experts is constantly using and reviewing the latest and greatest consumer tech, smart home gadgets, televisions, and so much more to offer insights to help guide your purchasing decision. We have vigorously tested thousands of different products across these categories, and we’ve distilled our lists to bring you the best of the best. If we feel a product does not live up to our expectations, it doesn’t make the list. We are humans though, and realize that not every recommended product will be perfect for everyone, so we do our best to call out important features that may impact your choices. Below our top picks we’ve included additional product information to ensure that you are making the right choice for your unique needs.
The products in this guide have been carefully curated by our team of experts and enthusiasts who understand the value and quality needed for the best options.
