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Please suggest a 27" monitor, $500-$1000

Speed38

Speed38

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 5, 2011
410
222
WDC Metro area
I volunteer at two aging-in-place communities, helping seniors with Apple devices.
One elderly lady asked me for help in finding a 27" external monitor f/u/w her 2022 Macbook Air which has two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
I am totally failing in my efforts to find a monitor between $500 & $1,000 that will be, essentially, a plug-and-play solution. I.e., one that, once she gets the necessary cable, will connect without a lot of fussing about with resolution, scaling, etc., as that will all be beyond her ability.
Aside from the very expensive Apple monitor, can anyone recommend choices worth investigating?
I take it problems with non-Apple monitors spring from the fact that Macs don't use video cards like Windows machines.
Any pointers, recommendations would be more than welcome.
 
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Speed38 said:
I am totally failing in my efforts to find a monitor between $500 & $1,000 that will be, essentially, a plug-and-play solution. I.e., one that, once she gets the necessary cable, will connect without a lot of fussing about with resolution, scaling, etc., as that will all be beyond her ability.
Aside from the very expensive Apple monitor, can anyone recommend choices worth investigating?
Click to expand...
Did a bit of a deep dive into 27" monitor shopping recently.

Initial Thoughts on Dell UltraSharp U2723QE​

While getting one during the Black Friday holiday shopping season might've been cheaper, what you aim to do should be no problem.

I think you'll end up having her get a 4K 27" monitor. From a quick look at Amazon just now -

ASUS ProArt Display 27” 4K HDR Professional Monitor (PA279CRV) - IPS, UHD (3840 x 2160), 99% DCI-P3/Adobe RGB, ΔE < 2, Calman Verified, USB-C PD 96W, DisplayPort, Daisy-Chain, Height Adjustable​

$434, Good brand name, 4.4/5 Stars.

Speed38 said:
I take it problems with non-Apple monitors spring from the fact that Macs don't use video cards like Windows machines.
Click to expand...
No. Apple doesn't support sub-pixel anti-aliasing, and favors monitors with either 110 or 220 dpi resolutions (the later is 'retina'), which for a 27" display is 5K. It scales otherwise, which many of us consider an overblown concern.

But if this lady is really well-heeled and has sharp eyes, ASUS also has a ProArt 5K 27" display for around $800.

Richard.
 
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Speed38 said:
One elderly lady asked me for help in finding a 27" external monitor f/u/w her 2022 Macbook Air which has two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Click to expand...
You're likely going to pick one that supports USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode, which should not only let her MacBook Air send video to the monitor but may well charge the MacBook at the same time (the product descriptions will let you know whether the monitor offers charging via the USB-C port to the device).

You don't need a Thunderbolt monitor for what she's likely needing. You can run a USB-C cable from her MacBook Air's Thunderbolt ports to the monitor.
 
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Dell U2723QE -- 27", 4k, and has built-in KVM.

One USB-C connection from her MacBook and it will charge (90W), as well as connect ethernet and several USB devices like keyboard and mouse, if she chooses to use those.

I use one with my Mini and have scaling set to "looks like 1080p" (which is the default for 4k) and chose to reduce text size a bit. Looks very good, great colours.
 
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@drrich2 & Altis - just got home and read your answers, for which my undying thanks. I am off to look the monitors you suggest. Unfortunately, she noted that she was hammered with medical bills last year and would not be able to spring for the $800 one.
drrich2 said:
You're likely going to pick one that supports USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode, which should not only let her MacBook Air send video to the monitor but may well charge the MacBook at the same time (the product descriptions will let you know whether the monitor offers charging via the USB-C port to the device).

You don't need a Thunderbolt monitor for what she's likely needing. You can run a USB-C cable from her MacBook Air's Thunderbolt ports to the monitor.
Click to expand...
In my efforts to both help her and learn more about monitors, this is the first reference to USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode I have run across. Searching around I found this: "a feature that allows USB-C ports to transmit video and audio signals using the DisplayPort protocol. This enables a USB-C port to function as a DisplayPort interface, allowing direct connections to external displays, such as monitors or projectors, without requiring additional adapters or converters." And I found that, "the Thunderbolt 3 ports on a Mac support DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode)". So is there a particular cable she will need to get? How would I connect her MB Air using this mode?
 
Speed38 said:
So is there a particular cable she will need to get?
Click to expand...
Basically a USB-C cable (see my P.S. below), and there's a good chance one you can use will be included with the display. You don't need a Thunderbolt cable unless you get a Thunderbolt monitor.

I don't think she needs an $800. I'm guessing this is for routine home use. 4K 27" Displays in the $400 - $500 range aren't low end, they're mid-range.

Thunderbolt monitors tend to be more expensive. The real budget 4K 27" displays sometimes offer HDMI but not USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode. I'm assuming she doesn't want to use a dongle, hub or adapter to connect a USB-C port to HDMI. So a USB-C port monitor is probably the way to go.

It's easy to go overboard with recommendations at times. Check this out on Amazon:

Dell S2722QC Monitor - 27 inch 4K USB-C , UHD (3840 x 2160) Display, 60Hz Refresh Rate, 8MS Grey-to-Grey Response Time, Built-in Dual 3W Speakers, 1.07 Billion Colors - Platinum Silver​


Roughly $280 + sales tax. 27", 4K, USB-C, rated 4.4/5 stars, a reputable brand and it's in stock. With 65 watts power delivery it should keep her MacBook Air charged. And that page links to this:

acer 27 Inch 4k IPS Monitor for Home, Office & Creators | 99% sRGB Color Accuracy | 90w USB-C Port Charges and Connects | Adjustable Height, Tilt, Swivel, Pivot | USB-C, DP & HDMI | CB272K​

Roughly $250 + sales tax. 4.4/5 Stars and in stock.

Altis said:
Dell U2723QE -- 27", 4k, and has built-in KVM.
Click to expand...
That is a good choice...and what I'm using right now. Roughly $488 + tax, almost out of stock (2 left just now), you get KVM functionality if you want to use it with more than one device, it's got considerable hub functionality, and the IPS Black panel is said to offer better contrast than standard IPS panels.

You can drive yourself nuts agonizing over different tiers of features, whether a BenQ is better than an ASUS, whether 5K is worth the extra money, etc...

Realistically, I suspect any of these 3 would work fine. If fear, uncertainty and doubt drive a need to buy higher in hopes of improving one's odds of satisfaction, the Dell U2723QE is a reasonable mid-range option.

P.S.: The world of USB-C can be pretty confusing. The USB-C cable should be rated for high enough power delivery for the display to power the MacBook Air, of course, and should be able to handle the data delivery rate. I think my Dell U2723QE came with that, and more besides.
 
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I think the tough part is:

"a plug-and-play solution. I.e., one that, once she gets the necessary cable, will connect without a lot of fussing about with resolution, scaling, etc., as that will all be beyond her ability."

I'm thinking any 4K monitor you get is going to be set at the native resolution when it's plugged in…which is going to present the system too small for her. My vision is excellent and I find, on my 4K LG monitor, that even 1440p is too small. I'm liking mine set to 2400x1350.
 
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Speed38 said:
When I click on that link, it takes me to a Baptist Health Deaconess site!
Click to expand...
Sorry about that! Too many browser windows open and packed onto a 27" screen. Here is the proper link. Thankfully it even let me fix the link in my above post. Thanks for letting me know.
 
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I don't see the content you intended showing up to click on, but I'm guessing someone spoke of backlight bleed (I also saw someone mention IPS Glow as a separate thing), which can be a thing with IPS panels. RTings.com seems to be a reputable site for reviews; here's their review of the Dell U2723QE. Scroll way on down into the Test Results sections, and under Picture Quality, scroll on down to Black Uniformity. It scores 5.9 and says:

"The Dell Ultrasharp U2723QE has disappointing black uniformity. When you're watching dark scenes in a dark room, the backlight bleed along the bottom edge is noticeable. Unfortunately, the uniformity is worse with local dimming because there's blooming around bright objects. The local dimming measurements are taken in HDR because the local dimming feature only turns on in HDR."

It was listed in their Best 5 Dell Monitors of 2025 Reviews.

I imagine some YouTube reviews of it ought to try to show you what it looks like. I'm not sure how much it varies unit-to-unit, and this display has been popular for years so maybe quality control has improved? With the time factor in mind, here's a thread:

Dell released their newest Ultrasharp model ,U2723QE, U3223QE Ultrasharp monitor​

Started in February 2022, 56 pages on this and the 32" similar display, and a quick skim suggests it wasn't till around Post #75 that someone got their hands on one (the 32") that morning. Post #171, someone finally got a 27" and it was missing a cable and may've been on 'open box' product. In Post #213 a user with 2 32" discussed backlight bleed and IPS glow a bit, and has photos. In Post #234, Degrader wrote:
Degrader said:
Some user experiences from my side. I've tested four samples of the U2723QE. The first two had production date Nov 2021 and the other two Jan 2022. All orderd from Dell's website. The first two were quite disappointing regarding the contrast and backlight bleed and clouding (so bad black uniformity). I've measured (with a SpyderX) 1300:1 in the centre of the screen of one sample and the other 1700:1. The samples of january offered 2000:1, even a little more. All the four samples had the same firmware version (M2T101). When measuring the gamme value I saw in the standard mode that two samples had a low value of 2.0 and the other two the expected 2.2. A low gamma value has a big impact on the perceived contrast and saturation of the colours. However when using the sRGB, REC709 or DCI-P3 mode than the gamma values were conform the expectations, so 2.2 for sRGB and Rec709 and 2.6 for DCI-P3.
Click to expand...
Amazon's product page has a lot of reviews. My take:

1.) IPS Panels have pro.s and con.s, and it's an IPS Black (better contrast) based panel.
2.) Dell is a reputable brand name, widely known.
3.) Dell often has monitors in a 'sweet spot' mid. range in terms of value - features and quality for money.
4.) They get a lot of attention - 2 similar Dells led to a 56 page thread in a Mac forum with a bunch of posts before anyone even had one.
5.) With that many different perspectives scrutinizing the details, and product variability, I figure there's plenty of criticism to feed FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt). You might find more criticisms on the Dell than a competitor with the same issues if the latter gets less attention and scrutiny in reviews.
 
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Well, that's settled. I am going to suggest that the lady who set me forth on this quest that this is the monitor she should get. My gosh, but it was a much longer "quest" than expected but learned a lot and saved it all to a folder for future reference should I again be asked.
 
I was hoping to post how this new monitor worked out for the senior lady for whom I was doing the research but when I presented her with the suggestion to purchase the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE from Best Buy, with a 15 day return policy, I learned that she was back in hospital again and uncertain when she would be back on her feet. Let me say again how very much I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to provide assistance in this search.
 
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Speed38 said:
I was hoping to post how this new monitor worked out for the senior lady for whom I was doing the research but when I presented her with the suggestion to purchase the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE from Best Buy, with a 15 day return policy, I learned that she was back in hospital again and uncertain when she would be back on her feet. Let me say again how very much I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to provide assistance in this search.
Click to expand...
Hopefully she is back in the monitor hunt before too long and you are armed with this good intel.

I'm considering monitor options for a Mac Mini and have found this thread very informative.
 
Speed38 said:
FYI - reading my RSS feeds today, I came across this:
Click to expand...
BenQ is a strongly reputable brand (with enough different monitors at enough different price points and enough online reviews to make trying to research and keep them straight a hassle). The fact there are quite a number of Mac user reviews of the BenQ line is reassuring. Compared to the mid-range Dell we've been discussing, the 2 differences that jump out at me are:

1.) The Dell U2732QE has an IPS Black panel that might have a bit better contrast, but I question how much someone would notice it.

2.) IIRC, this BenQ is compatible with Mac keyboard directions (I suspect like raising and lowering brightness), which would be convenient. Right now, the prices are pretty close. 400 Nit brightness should be fine; I think some other BenQ displays have had lower brightness, so I'm glad to see this.

I think either would be fine.
 
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drrich2 said:
You're likely going to pick one that supports USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode, which should not only let her MacBook Air send video to the monitor but may well charge the MacBook at the same time (the product descriptions will let you know whether the monitor offers charging via the USB-C port to the device).

You don't need a Thunderbolt monitor for what she's likely needing. You can run a USB-C cable from her MacBook Air's Thunderbolt ports to the monitor.
Click to expand...
I have a Dell 4k monitor S2722QC that’s priced very reasonably and supports USB C alt mode 1.4
Have been very impressed
 
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either u buy a run of the mill low end 4k ips for less than 500

or you spend the 1000 and buy the qd or woled monitor


buying a 500-700 led makes 0 sense in todays market.
 
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