monitors

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on monitors:

Holograms at CES? Samsung shows off world’s first transparent microLED displays.

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Samsung transparent micro LED display
A screenshot from a video posted on X shows the transparent display in action.
Photo: Dave Snelling, @snellingD on X

Samsung showed off three transparent microLED displays at its First Look event Sunday just ahead of CES 2024 in Las Vegas, according to reports. Two of them are tinted, but the totally clear one can have an especially hologram-like effect.

Don’t get too excited, though. With no availability or pricing information available yet, it might be a while before even any rich people you know can buy these.

Best monitors for your Mac in 2023

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The Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, iMac 24″ and 16″ MacBook Pro.
From left to right: The 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 24-inch iMac, the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR.
Photo: Apple

What’s the best monitor for your Mac? Desktop displays aren’t just for desktop computers anymore — 77% of you are buying MacBooks, but you probably want a nice setup when you’re at home. And if you do have a Mac mini or Mac Studio, you want to make sure you’re picking the right display.

Apple introduced its own Studio Display last year, which has been well-received and is reasonably priced (at least compared to Apple’s other offering). But what does the broader market for midrange displays look like?

Here’s a display buying guide to help you find an appropriate monitor to go with your Mac.

Budget-friendly 15.6-inch external screen makes you more productive wherever you go [Review] ★★★

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Arzopa Portable Monitor A1C review★★★
The Arzopa Portable Monitor A1C (shown here with a simulated screen) offers more room to work at a very attractive price.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Arzopa Portable Monitor A1C is a 15.6-inch, 1080P monitor ready to be connected to a Mac, iPad or gaming device over USB-C or HDMI. Given its relatively low price, the screen is one of the better options available for those on a tight budget.

It’s currently available at a price below $100, which is significantly lower than the cost of rival products.

I tested the portable display in my home office and on a recent vacation. Here’s what I found.

Go ultrawide with this BenQ monitor for creatives [Review] ★★★★☆

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BenQ PD3420Q review★★★★☆
BenQ's ultrawide monitor has room for three apps side-by-side-by-side.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The BenQ PD3420Q is a ultrawide monitor designed to appeal to creative professionals with its atypical shape and color consistency with MacBooks.

The 34-inch screen has a 2K resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. And there are some nice additions, like a HotKey Puck and built-in KVM.

I tested the PD3420Q in my home office, exploring the advantages and drawbacks of the very wide screen.

BenQ’s 3 sharp new 4K monitors swivel on Ergo arms

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The PD2706UA is the newest of the three 4K monitors that come with the Ergo Arm.
The PD2706UA is the newest of the three 4K monitors that come with the Ergo Arm.
Photo: BenQ

BenQ recently added its 27-inch PD2706UA Design Monitor for home productivity to its lineup of screens that ship with the Ergo Arm. It follows the 27-inch PD2705UA and the 32-inch PD3205UA, both aimed more specifically at designers for their color accuracy.

All three displays offer customizable ergonomic design with plenty of options for movement on the Ergo Arm.

New stacked dual-screen display promises to jack up productivity

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It's two stacked, adjustable 24-inch screens.
It's two stacked, adjustable 24-inch screens.
Photo: Mobile Pixels

Mobile Pixels started a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign Wednesday for Geminos, its new stacked, dual-screen desktop monitor intended to enhance workstations.

This follows last month’s launch of the LG DualUp, a 28-inch screen with a 16:18 aspect ratio, somewhat like two stacked screens in one.

The products aren’t quite the same, but could this be the start of a trend toward tall, oddly shaped monitors?

New LG DualUp display is like nothing you’ve seen before

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That 16:18 aspect ratio looks odd but could be great for multitasking.
That 16:18 aspect ratio looks odd but could be great for multitasking.
Photo: LG

LG’s new DualUp Monitor with Ergo is a 28-inch panel with a 16:18 aspect ratio — tall and nearly square. The seemingly unique display features 90W USB-C passthrough charging and more.

Essentially, it’s like two stacked 1440p monitors in one display. And it could be a multitasking powerhouse.

Apple Studio Display not right for you? Try Samsung Smart Monitor M8 instead.

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Apple Studio Display not right for you? Try Samsung Smart Monitor M8 instead.
The Samsung M8 isn’t as high-res as Apple’s new monitor, but costs half has much. And is loaded with other features.
Photo: Samsung

The $1,599 price for the new Apple Studio Display makes it somewhat controversial. Samsung’s response is the $700 Smart Monitor M8, which measures 32 inches and has a UHD resolution.

Samsung clearly has its eye on Mac users. It built Apple AirPlay 2 into the screen. And an image of the display playing Apple TV+ is a prominent part of the press release.

Displays: To stack or not to stack? [Setups]

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Would you put a 28-inch 4K monitor on top of this 35-inch display, or next to it?
Would you put a 28-inch 4K monitor on top of this 35-inch display, or next to it?
Photo: shogoc@Reddit.com

When you see a computer setup with two monitors stacked on top of each other, what do you think? Maybe something like … doesn’t the person have to crane their neck to look at the top one? Isn’t it uncomfortable? Where does the webcam go? What’s wrong with side-by-side, maybe with one in portrait (vertical) mode instead of landscape?

The person behind today’s featured setup is confronting those very questions on the way to deciding a common multi-display conundrum: to stack or not to stack? That is the question.

LG 32-inch UltraFine OLED Pro Monitor takes on Apple Pro Display XDR

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LG 32-inch UltraFine OLED Pro Monitor takes on Apple Pro Display XDR
LG calls its new screen “the OLED display for design and video professionals.”
Photo: LG

The LG 32” UltraFine Display OLED Pro Monitor is a new option for creative professionals who need a top-tier display. It offers a million-to-one contrast ratio and a very wide color gamut.

The screen is aimed at the same market as Apple’s Pro Display XDR. And has a price tag to match.

Make your MacBook a double-wide with this portable second screen

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Increase your workflow with this 11.6
Enjoy twice the screen space with this 11.6-inch portable display.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Laptop screens are large enough to enjoy movies and work efficiently, but sometimes a little more screen space proves beneficial. Whether you’re developing crucial IT skills or writing the next great American novel, having an additional screen provides more space to work.

That’s why this portable second screen from Ofiyaa is a must-have for laptop-toting professionals. And it’s available for a limited time at just $249.99.

7 great travel gadgets at better prices than on Amazon right now

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These portable products are travel friendly
These awesome products make traveling a breeze.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Having the perfect portable gadgets by your side makes traveling simpler, more efficient and more fun. From Bluetooth accessories that take your smartphone to the next level, to super-cool gift ideas and the best wireless headphones for any trip, we found all these products on sale for a limited time — at prices that are even better than Amazon!

Add a high-definition touchscreen to any Mac

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Desklab Portable Touchscreen monitor
Instantly expand your computer, tablet and more with an add-on toucshcreen monitor.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A second screen can make a huge difference in productivity. For some people, it’s a critical part of their workflow. But even more interesting is the possibility of adding a screen with full touchscreen capabilities, so you can essentially use it as an extra monitor or a tablet.

Instantly triple your MacBook’s screen real estate with this add-on

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Mobile Pixels Trio
Perfect for presentations, mult-screen workflows, gaming and more, this USB add-on instantly expands your laptop's screen space.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Few things improve productivity like having more screen space to play with. Plenty of us rely on two screens to keep our workflows straight. And if you’re a gamer, you might want even more screen so your experience is truly immersive. With this lightweight add-on, you can get all of the above straight from your laptop.

Massive monitor makes this video-editing rig monumental [Setups]

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This wfh setup has an amazing monitor
No clutter on this desk.
Photo: @garydeefilms

An epic screen is the hallmark of any great setup, and Gary Dee’s video-editing suite is certainly no exception. Dee, a cinematographer and drone pilot, previously used two monitors, but he decided to declutter his desk and replace them with an UltraWide 34-incher from LG Electronics. The massive monitor still leaves him with plenty of screen real estate.

In terms of audio, a pair of Bose speakers give him banging sound. And he uses a high-quality Røde microphone. To complement his minimalist desk, he uses a Rain Design mStand to hold his MacBook.

Lepow portable display is a perfect companion for your MacBook [Review]

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Lepow 15.6-Inch USB-C Portable Monitor
Photographing a display is difficult, so the Lepow 15.6-Inch USB-C Portable Monitor looks better than this.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

MacBooks are wonderfully portable but a laptop display can be cramped for getting serious work done. The Lepow 15.6-Inch USB-C Portable Monitor is so slim and light it can easily go with you and double your available screen space.

I fully tested this surprisingly affordable USB-C monitor. Read my review to see how well it performs in the real world.

Nvidia unleashes 65-inch TVs fit for gaming

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NVIDIA gaming TV
NVIDIA's BFGDs bring ultra-fast gaming to the big screen.
Photo: NVIDIA

CES 2018 bugNvidia has unleashed the world’s first lineup of big-screen TVs fit for gaming.

They’re called BFGDs (Big Format Gaming Displays) and they’re capable of displaying 4K content at an ultra-fast 120Hz. They boast support for Nvidia G-Sync and HDR — and they have a Shield TV built right in.

The perfect 4K USB-C monitor for your MacBook [Review]

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lg
This stunning 4K LG Display plays nicely with USB-C.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The upcoming 2016 MacBook Pro is rumored to feature only USB-C ports, much like last year’s MacBook refresh.

If you’re hoping to get an external display to go with your shiny new laptop, right now the options are somewhat limited. Luckily, the stunning new LG Electronics 27UD88 monitor will provide you with everything you need.

Check out our video review below.

World’s first 34-inch, 21:9 curved display delivers truly immersive views

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With it's giant 21:9 curved face, the LG 34UC97 UltraWide display delivers stunningly crisp imagery. Photo: LG Electronics
With it's giant 21:9 curved face, the LG 34UC97 UltraWide display delivers stunningly crisp imagery. Photo: LG Electronics

Imagine futuristic and innovative design engineered into a display that’s capable of changing the way work with our computers as well as the way we view what we’ve created. And what if that display is the perfect tool for energetic collaboration?

Before you say anything, check out this new video from LG Electronics, which recently collaborated with artists who are passionate about genuine creativity.

This Monitor Shows Way More Colors Than Any Monitor You’ve Seen Before

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Look at this graph. Just look at it. The colored section represents all color visible to the human eye. The large black triangle shows the Adobe RGB color space, which is the space used by pro apps to process images, and can be captured by some cameras.

And the little white triangle, sat in the middle cutting out a fraction of the available colors? That’s the standard sRGB color space, which is what you’re looking at now on your Mac or iPad or iPhone (but probably not on the Retina iPad mini).

That’s because monitors don’t usually display so many colors. But the Eizo ColorEdge CG247 not only displays the full gamut of Adobe RGB, it calibrates itself too.

Use The Dock On Any External Display With Mavericks [OS X Tips]

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Dock Shot

Mavericks has revamped Apples support for external displays, making everything a lot easier when using a second or third monitor.

In previous versions of OS X, the dock was only accessible on your main display, however, and it seems the same way in Mavericks.

Until you realize, though, that there is a new, simple way to get the Dock on an external monitor.

LG Super-Wide Panoramic Monitor Accepts Two Inputs At Once

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cult_logo_featured_image_missing_default1920x1080

The “world’s first panoramic monitor” might not sound appropriate for the Cult of Mac, but when you find out about some of its tricks, you’ll see why I’m bothering to tell you about it.

The monitor is from LG, measures 29-inches on the diagonal and has a wide, wide aspect ratio of 21:9, and a rather lame resolution of 2,560 x 1,080.

Bring Displays Menubar Item Back To Mountain Lion [OS X Tips]

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Display Menu menubar

Before the Display preferences were available in the menu bar in OS X, connecting my Mac to an LCD projector was a tedious thing. When it arrived a few OS X versions ago, I showed everyone I worked with how much easier it was to use this, instead of hopping into the System Preferences every time they hooked their Mac up to an external monitor or projector. Then OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion came along and replaced the Displays menubar item with an AirPlay focused one, and I’ve missed the original ever since.

The developers behind third-party app, Display Menu, thought the same thing and fixed things for us all.

Turn Your iPad Into An External Monitor [Video How-To]

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idisplay

While the iPad has seemingly countless uses, one fairly uncommon one is the ability to use it as an external display for your Mac. iDisplay, a simple little app from the App Store, lets you achieve this. After all, if you already have the iPad, why not use it to your advantage? This video will show you how to set up iDisplay and tweak it to your liking.

Hook Your Mac Up To Pretty Much Any Display With Kanex’s New Adapters

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iadapt_30

If you’re on a Mac, you’ve probably noticed that the connectors needed to hook up an external monitor have changed quite a bit in the last couple of years… especially if you’ve got an older Mac and are trying to hook it up to a new monitor.

Kanex to the rescue, who have just released three new adapters to make it easier to hook any Mac you please up to your sexy new display.