If you’re looking for an ultrawide monitor for your Mac, what’re the best options right now? In this guide, we take a look at the best ultrawide monitors for Mac for every possible budget…
An ultrawide monitor is a great investment for a range of reasons. These types of monitors are great for improving your workflow, editing images, working with video, and for gaming. An ultrawide also does away with the need to run two monitors as well – it’s like having two monitors in one.
As more and more people continue to work from home, the monitor market has been booming. New models with new features and abilities are launching on a monthly basis. But if you’re not particularly au fait with the monitor market, this can make choosing an ultrawide monitor for your Mac a little tricky.
What is the best model? How much do I need to spend? Which brands are the most reliable? Do all ultrawide monitors work with Macs? These are all questions you should know the answer to before breaking out your debit or credit card.
Secondly, you’ll also need to know what you want from your ultrawide monitor:
- Are you all about resolution and/or refresh rates? Or, do you want both? Meaning, a high resolution and a high refresh rate;
- Do you want to game with it? Or, is it just for work?
- With budgets, do you want to spend $300, $400, $500, or $1000 or more?
- Following budget requirements, you need to think about the screen type as well – certain types of materials (OLED and IPS) are more expensive than other, cheaper types (TN)
- Will you be editing images and videos? If so, you’ll need to think carefully about resolutions, screen type, and pixel density.
Confused? I know, I know – it all sounds really daunting. But if you need a quick primer on everything you need to consider/know before buying an ultrawide for your Mac, check out this guide – Buying An Ultrawide Monitor For Mac: Literally Everything You Need To Know.
The guide covers absolutely everything you could possibly need to know, from refresh rates to screen tech and contrast ratios, and it will help you make a more informed decision based on your own specific needs.
Okay, that’s the preamble over: let’s now take a look at the best ultrawide monitors for Mac (which includes options high-end, midrange, and budget options).
Best Ultrawide Monitor For Mac
- Excellent I/O (HDMI, USB, USB-C, and DisplayPort)
- High Refresh Rate
- 1ms response time; no image ghosting
- Impressive resolution (3440×1440) ensures amazing performance across the board
- Curved Display is Great For Gaming, Immersion
- 180Hz Refresh Rate
- 4K Resolution + HDR
- Excellent I/O (HDMI 2.0, USB-C, USB, and DisplayPort )
- HDR 10 w/ 60Hz Refresh Rate
- 4K Screen
- Curved Display
- Very Well Priced
- Huge 40in Display
- Insanely High Resolution (5120 x 2160 screen)
- Decent I/O
- Wide Color Gamut
- 4K Display Resolution
- Curved Display
- 120Hz Refresh Rate
- 85% NTSC color gamut coverage
Which is Best?
That’s quiet a few options to choose from, right? But which one is the best ultrawide monitor for Mac computers? As always, this depends on a few things:
- How much you want to spend;
- The type of resolution you want;
- And how high of a refresh rate do you need
The higher – or better-specced – you go on these variations will affect how much you pay. The best option overall, in our opinion, meaning the best ultrawide monitor for Mac overall, would be the Gigabyte M34WQ. It has a high refresh rate (144Hz), 91% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, an expansive 34in screen with a pitch-perfect resolution of 3440×1440.
Out of all the ultrawide monitors mentioned above, the Gigabyte M34WQ is the one we like most. It is also the monitor that is best for nearly every type of Mac user – from casual to professional-types, as well as those that like to game. It is a brilliant all-rounder.
- Excellent I/O (HDMI, USB, USB-C, and DisplayPort)
- High Refresh Rate
- 1ms response time; no image ghosting
- Impressive resolution (3440×1440) ensures amazing performance across the board
What’s the best option for those on a budget? The best ultrawide monitor for Mac if you’re on a budget would be the LG 34WN80C-B. This ultrawide is packed with reams of high-end specs, stuff like HDR 10 and a 4K resolution, so you’ll get brilliant performance across the board.
- HDR 10 w/ 60Hz Refresh Rate
- 4K Screen
- Curved Display
- Very Well Priced
It does lack the higher refresh rates found on the more expensive ultrawide monitors on this list, but for the price – and if you don’t plan on gaming – this shouldn’t be a problem. LG knows its stuff when it comes to screen tech, and the LG 34WN80C-B is a brilliantly executed ultrawide that will be perfect for nearly all Mac users.
If money is no concern and you want the largest possible ultrawide monitor for you Mac with the highest possible resolution, the Dell U4021QW UltraSharp is the one to go for – it is an absolute monster with its 40in 5120 x 2160 screen, high refresh rate, and market-leading color gamut coverage.
- Huge 40in Display
- Insanely High Resolution (5120 x 2160 screen)
- Decent I/O
- Wide Color Gamut
If you edit video or photos, this is the monitor you’ve been dreaming about. Yes, the Dell U4021QW UltraSharp is pricey but with quality like this that’s always going to be the case. And, on the plus side, it is still a damn sight cheaper than Apple’s Studio Monitor, so there’s that…
For gaming, media, and general immersion, go with the ASUS ROG Strix. This monitor, as the name suggests, is geared towards gamers. It has an incredibly high refresh rate (180Hz), a 4K resolution, and its 34in screen is curved for maximum immersion in whatever you’re doing on it. It is a brilliant all-rounder that is priced fairly with excellent I/O options.
- Curved Display is Great For Gaming, Immersion
- 180Hz Refresh Rate
- 4K Resolution + HDR
- Excellent I/O (HDMI 2.0, USB-C, USB, and DisplayPort )
If you cannot spring for the Dell U4021QW UltraSharp, the ASUS ROG Strix is the next best option for those that demand the highest possible display quality for video, images, and gaming.
Richard Goodwin
Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.
