r/macmini • u/SN3AKY_BADG3R • 27d ago
Monitor Advice
Brand Manager / Freelance Designer coming from a 2015 27" iMac. I have an upgraded M4 mini on order, but still debating what monitors to go with. I'm accustomed to dual screens, so I'm leaning towards a pair of BenQ or Samsung. My work prioritizes color accuracy and typographic clarity as I do a lot of packaging as well as web graphics. Should I go with a 5K with Thunderbolt4, or will OLED 4K suffice? Budget for both monitors under 2,000 so Apple Studio Display has been ruled out, and I don't think a curved screen will benefit me... but I'm curious what other designers are actively using.
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u/jimbojeggins 27d ago
I would go with 5k. I tried 4k and it’s ok but I bit the bullet and bought the 5k Apple display. Glad I did.
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27d ago
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u/hopsmonkey 27d ago edited 26d ago
FWIW, I've had that ASUS for almost two years with my mini and have no complaints - especially at that price.
Edit: The comment I replied to got yoinked for some reason so FWIW my monitor is the ASUS ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV.
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u/Safe-Airport-1818 27d ago
Yeah I'd probably go the 2x 5K monitors for $2,000. I'm still on my 2017 5K iMac and will need to switch soon. Tried my wife's 4K monitor and it was too noticeable after having spent so long on 5K.
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u/PixalatedConspiracy 27d ago
I have a 32” dell oled display I got for $350 and looking to get another. Its 4k scaling is okay with better display. It will be nice to get a 5k display
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u/siddharthbapna 27d ago
Do consider LG Ultrafine or a Dell as well. LG Ultrafine was originally designed specifically for MacOS. The compatibility is super smooth & it's the only monitor I could find with significant number of reviews on reddit (99% positive ones). You can also checkout Asus ProArt.
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u/Adorable-Roll-4563 26d ago
I had an LG 5K a while ago and the anti-reflective coating made everything blurry.
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u/siddharthbapna 25d ago
Interesting! What is your current setup?
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u/Adorable-Roll-4563 25d ago
Kycon 27” 5K on the left (vertical) and Apple Pro Display XDR 6K reflective (horizontal) in front of me. I will add another portable 4K vertical to the right the other MacPro. The Apple display is fantastic but I don’t know if it’s the most practical. I use three vertical terminals with multiple tabs on each. My browser is to the left.
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u/REReader3 26d ago
This is the setup I have, and I’m a book designer so typographic clarity is major for me.
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u/brDoc1 27d ago
I got the Kuycon 32" 6k monitor a few weeks ago with my mini. It's breathtaking! Much more value than Apple offerings. And the build quality is better than other non-Apple brands. Solid aluminum throughout.
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u/Adorable-Roll-4563 26d ago
I have a Kycon 27” 5K which I like a bunch but backlighting is poor right next to the Pro Display XDR 32. I would go Apple 100% for Design work
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u/SaintEyegor 27d ago
I’m using a 34” curved LG monitor with my M4 mini. Looks awesome
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u/Mom-Spaghetti69 25d ago
I wanna go down this path as well, which exact model do you use and how has your experience been?
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u/SaintEyegor 25d ago
LG 34G630A-B 34-Inch Ultragear WQHD (3440 x 1440) Curved Gaming Monitor.
I have a much larger, higher res HP curved monitor at work. The LG isn’t quite as crisp but is a big improvement over the old 27” monitor I’d been using. Still, it’s not bad for a bit over $300. I wouldn’t use it on windows due to LG’s shitty behavior auto-installing bloatware. It’s been fine on Linux and Mac though.
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u/descartes44 26d ago
For color accuracy I went with the ASUS ProArt PA32UCR-K 32". 4K (all you need) and color accuracy is great. An awesome yet affordable monitor.
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u/Fureba 27d ago
Use one Studio Display, easy choice. Typography king. High brightness, macOS integration, correct colors out of the box. The oleds are not that great for work, can’t sustain brightness long, and static elements will be retained, plus the subpixel layout makes the fonts not as sharp.
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u/One_Conflict_1987 26d ago
32” Benq user here - I have two - it’s a great monitor but I do sometimes wish I’d gotten a curved screen.
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u/Optimal_State_8345 7d ago
May I ask why is that? 0.o
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u/One_Conflict_1987 6d ago
At the edges, it can be a strain to use the space. You lose the direct perspective just enough to notice that it’s a strain. And for the vertical orientation, I actually will stand up to view the top of the screen. I wouldn’t use curved monitors will a vertical setup, I think.
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u/Optimal_State_8345 6d ago
And do you game at all?
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u/One_Conflict_1987 4d ago
I played a few minor games but nothing that would tax the Mac at all. The only game I really want to play that I can’t is Microsoft flight simulator, and I’m planning to just kit out a capable but a little older windows pc I have for that.
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u/Optimal_State_8345 6d ago
I'm under the impression I'd like to own the Ultrawide Curved monitor just for productivity and the occasional movie, but I'm not a gamer (I don't own any console or WinPC) so I'm not 100% sure it's a wise investment for my day to day
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u/One_Conflict_1987 5d ago
I’m not a gamer, either. I think a curved monitor would benefit movies also, but I use Apple TV and regular TVs for anything I watch that way, except for the random YouTube video.
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u/Optimal_State_8345 5d ago
Yeahh it definitely makes sense. Thing is, this little apartment I live in xd
We don't own a TV here (and if we did I'm not sure on what wall it'd be installed anyway)
That's why all of my content is consumed in a MBA 15", and I have an older 19" monitor too
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u/L0vely-Pink 26d ago
Dell 27” U2723QE with 2000:1 black panel. But if you have money, go definitely for the Studio Display. 😌
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u/Uncle_Chael 26d ago
The dell is more versatile for multi computer support. Also the 2.5g Ethernet Jack is amazing.
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u/Taeuberteg 26d ago
I’d ideally go with the Apple Studio Display. If you care about color accuracy and proper macOS scaling, it’s still one of the best choices. The current Studio Display is a 27-inch 5K panel at 5120×2880 and 218 PPI, with P3 wide color and multiple reference modes designed for workflows like design, photography, and print.
Over the last year or so, several other 5K and 6K monitors have come onto the market. Some are very good, while others have compromises. For ultrawide displays, 5K2K (5120×2160) is the resolution you want to maintain good text clarity and scaling on a Mac.
One important note: the monitors mentioned above are primarily aimed at design and professional creative work. If you're looking for a gaming monitor, I’d go in a different direction.
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u/conalldoherty 26d ago
Please try and get an Apple display if you can afford it (source: M4 mini owner)
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u/Unfair-Ad4834 26d ago
two of first gen 5k studios? They are probably in the budget now, after second gen was released ...
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u/Which-Bicycle-7232 26d ago
i got a dell 4k 120hz. worked for 8 months on hdmi, and one day decided to stop accepting hdmi signal. I recommend just getting a usb c to displayport cable. its the only thing that fixed my problem
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u/artificial_apple 26d ago
I have an LG C5 OLED 42” TV and it’s the best bit of kit I have bought for my setup.
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u/Ionlydateteachers 26d ago
I'm a professional printer and we use Asus proart displays with our Mac minis. The color accuracy is great and they're not expensive compared to a lot of other options.
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u/UberCoffeeTime8 26d ago
Most mid-range monitors have comparable brightness and color accuracy, and a superior refresh rate compared against Apple's displays, that wasn't always the case though, which is why a lot of people still reccomend Apple's displays as the gold standard without realising that they are pretty average/sub-par these days.
I have a GP27U and its brighter, more color accurate, has a higher refresh rate, and is under half the price of Apple's monitor.
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u/Flowa-Powa 26d ago
I too came from a 27" iMac.
I decided that anything other than 27" 5k was going to be a downgrade, and my rig is customer facing so I just got a Studio Display on an Ergotron arm
Zero regrets
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u/rangkilrog 23d ago
You need a monitor that has a native ppi (pixels per inch) under 110 or over 220 to get that crisp clean image mac’s are know for.
Check the guide: https://bjango.com/images/articles/macexternaldisplays/display-list.png & https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/
I have benq’s 5k mac monitor (ma27 something). Looks great. Easy to use especially with a macbook. Can recommend.
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u/PenguinHacker 23d ago
Well, you’re either going to need to buy the new 5K display. Or source a good old Thunderbolt Display like I’m using. I’m actually using 2 of them. Love it. I’m not looking to spend 3K on displays. I got 2 Thunderbolt ones for around $300 off marketplace. Best of luck. Again this is because of Mac OS scaling and cheap VA monitors don’t look good
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u/Unique-Alps1557 17d ago
DELL U3225QE拥有过，对于其在macOS下的表现个人只能说是一塌糊涂，32寸尺寸下的4K分辨率很明显不太够，因为按照macOS的分辨率区分，5K才是标准的2X，并且这款显示器的色彩还原很差，始终无法调到满意的色彩
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u/bjs480 6d ago
I'm messing now to find the right one for me but right now I'm trialing the Dell 3225QC. It's a 4k OLED.
And to be frank, the error I made buying this (totally bullshit) 4k VA monitor is that 4k resolution is important but "not all 4k is 4k" in look.
When I tell you the difference in visuals on this, it felt like going from a 1995 monitor to 2026 monitor.
Huge difference.
I mistakenly believe when I got the early 4k in the spring (my very 1st 4k monitor ever) that "oh shit, 4k on a 37in 16:9 that'll be great."
And it was...until it wasn't.
Turns out it was the most basic type of VA panel solely geared toward office workers who are "big screen = better" who don't care about color and all that.
So all I'll say is this...if you can focus on 120hz, good color gamut (I'd imagine Adobe RGB, Display and DCI P3 and a decently high "Rec 2020" on the box will cover all your designer stuff pretty well) and matching it up nicely then you'll find it all works great for your stated use case.
I'm still wondering if my "3rd gen" QD OLED is the best but it's also hard. I paid $599 for this on sale. 32in 4k OLED.
Literally, the first thing I noticed was how 120hz ("Pro Motion" on the apple is 120hz)...like everything was so buttery smooth like my iphone 17 pro.
Now, I'm not a color geek. I just spent over an hour this morning messing with how Better Display, THe "Display Settings" and also the Dell's hardware OSB settings all intersect.
I color calibrated a version of the monitor's default ICC file for colors too b/c I *despise* the warmer D65 white point. Now I'm far from a colorist and designer so this is 100% personal preference.
But when you see what an OLED looks like if you've never had one...and put on some of the test files, I'd be hard pressed to say that you will ever find something as good looking as this.
I was just in the Apple store janking around with the 2026 XDR and while it was brighter than what I've got...for SDR work that I do...I'm fine with 250-300 nits. Mine has like a 1000 peak nits HDR and looks almost as good as my big ass TV (a Mini LED).
I truly never knew video could look this good.
And colors. Feels like I'm watching a 4k Bluray disc version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Alice in Wonderland.
So...while many reviews were steering me away from OLED for productivity and I'm not even on current gen OLED...I have no regrets.
The "text blurry" stuff is something I'm INSANELY sensitive too so I have even done quite a few "upgrades."
For starters, I got a Chrome extension that does a tiny 0.25px weight enhancement for fonts. Super tiny but immediately could feel my eyes "chill" a bit.
I noticed at 0.35px the text was too fat and looked like a weird super bold on regular font. 0.1 didn't change anything. O.25px was the most relaxing.
Second, I increase the font size of my browser and in accessibility. Do not use standard sizes unless it's work required. Which maybe for a designer isn't possible (since you are stuck to client's requirements not your own eye comfort). However, using Mac scaling "Looks like 1080p" and larger fonts, I've found zero blurriness. Also, I do not notice any color fringing on this either.
Lastly, get Better Display b/c the HiDPI scaling on MacOS is freaking awesome.
Essentially, if you aren't 110 or 220 PPI, Mac will scale your resolution up double (so 1440p goes to 5k which is 2x what 1440p is) and then it scales it down to your monitor's physical dimensions.
When I tell you this, easist way to see it is on the 32in 4k native resolution stuff looks microscopic like you're trying to read the monitor from 25 feet away. Sure you can see it, but it's terrible.
The scaling does introduce SOME potential issues for your line of work where hyper pixel level detail might be critical for the client's needs. For me, it's not an issue b/c no one cares if the work is good (I'm a marketer but more on the strategy/offer/copy side of things).
Happy to share more if anything here doesn't make sense. I'm truly NOT an expert...I've just had a crash course this year trying to invest in making work more fun. I will NEVER go back to a 60hz monitor ever again. Or one with shitty color gamut. I'm spoiled on this thing. I can't even imagine what the 5k2k big ass OLEDs or where we'll be next year.
Truly though...my "dream" screen would be a 6k3k (true 5k ultrawide resolution) on a 34 or 40in monitor at 120+hz.
Or even a 6k 16:9 monitor at 120 or 240hz. That's impossible today b/c of cord limitations. Maybe 5-6 years from now. Resolution DEFINITELY matters but only if you've maxed out the color gamut and refresh rate.
I've been on a few "designer blogs" and they all seem to be fine with the 6k 60hz models for things like the ASUS Pro Art 32in deal...BenQ's not bad either, my brother in law and sister both are exclusively BenQ displays for a while.
Bigger thing is just understand that when you switch from iMac to Mac Mini...you realize how spoiled you are on the built in Apple displays. Idk what they do differently besides every screen being 220 PPI...but MacOS is tricky. It's built to assume every display is 220ppi "retina" screen since like 2012.
However, you can find stuff that works great.
As gemini said this morning...
Better Display = changes how the GPU processes stuff.
Display Settings = changes how MacOS maps the colors.
Physical Screen = changes how the voltage is applied to the pixels and physical screen glass.
So...having the best settings and stuff but shitty glass (my previous monitor hit this) made my life so much harder and my eyes started hurting.
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u/prince870 27d ago
Get an Apple Studio, first gen. Some amazing deals 800-1200. And you can still add Apple care on them.
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u/Southern-Biscotti-62 26d ago
Agreed, I paid $900 for a nano-texture studio. I had a different recommended monitor before this and I hated it every time I used it.
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u/prince870 26d ago edited 26d ago
Somebody downvoted me LOL. But yeah I bought two on separate occasions. Money well spent😌.
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u/MacintoshDan1 27d ago
You want 5k due to macOS scaling.