In 2023, there’s more variety of Thunderbolt monitors than ever. While Apple is in the game again, its displays at $1,600-$5,000+ won’t be the right fit for everyone. Luckily there are some great choices that are more affordable from LG, BenQ, and more. Below we’ll cover the best Thunderbolt monitors for Mac as well as what you get with a Thunderbolt monitor vs a USB-C monitor.
Update 2/20/23: New options arriving in the months ahead: Samsung announced its first Thunderbolt 5K monitor (pictured above) which will compete with Apple’s Studio Display. And Dell detailed its first 6K monitor with Thunderbolt and IPS Black technology that may be an interesting Apple Pro Display XDR alternative.
We’re still waiting on launch and pricing details for Samsung’s ViewFinity S9 Monitor and Dell says its 6K UltraSharp Monitor will land in the first half of 2023 (price still unknown). We’ll update this guide as soon as we learn more.
Thunderbolt monitors vs USB-C monitors
Thunderbolt (3 and 4) use the same physical connector as USB-C which offers single-cable connectivity and charging for Macs with monitors. While Thunderbolt 4 is available, it’s more of a rebrand of Thunderbolt 3 with the same 40 Gbps bandwidth. That’s why you see all the companies below – even Apple with its Studio Display and Pro Display XDR – use Thunderbolt 3.
So what’s the difference between Thunderbolt and USB-C monitors? The primary difference for the end-user is the ability to daisy chain up to 6 devices with Thunderbolt at up to 40 Gbps speeds (connecting one peripheral directly to the next).
That’s faster than USB-C 3.1 and 3.2 and USB4 support hasn’t arrived in monitors at this point. Thunderbolt may also mean you can avoid a hub or dock. If those features are not a big deal, you can save a good amount of money by going for a USB-C display instead of a Thunderbolt monitor.
For reference, USB-C 3.1 gen 2 can support up to 10 Gbps and USB 3.2 supports up to 20 Gbps speeds.
However, keep in mind, many times other upgrades like panel resolution and size, I/O, and more go hand-in-hand with Thunderbolt and its greater bandwidth, hence the more expensive price. If you want to check out a look at USB-C monitors, check out our round-up:
But below we’ll focus specifically on Thunderbolt monitors for Mac.
Best Thunderbolt monitors for Mac
BenQ PD3220U
The 32-inch BenQ PD3220U features Thunderbolt, 4K resolution, 95% DCI-P3 color, 85W power delivery for MacBooks, a variety of professional modes, hotkey puck, solid metal stand, lots of I/O, and portrait orientation support.
It’s a strong contender to Apple’s Studio Display but with a larger panel and several hundred dollars cheaper.
Specs:
- 31.5-inch IPS panel
- 4K – 3840 x 2160 resolution
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- 60Hz refresh rate
- Brightness: 250 typical, 300 nits HDR peak
- 95% DCI-P3
- 100% sRGB
- HDR10
- Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports – 85W and 15W power delivery
- Daisy chain with Thunderbolt
- 2 x HDMI 2.0
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
- 3 x USB 3.1
- 1 x USB C
- 1 x USB B
- Headphone jack
- Slim bezels
- Landscape and portrait orientation support
- MSRP: $1,199
You can usually find the BenQ PD3220U at Amazon and BH Photo.
LG 32UL950-W
This is LG’s UltraFine 32-inch Thunderbolt monitor that includes a solid feature set like two Thunderbolt 3 ports plus two USB-A ports, slim bezels, support for portrait orientation, and more.
In his full review, my colleague Jeff Benjamin found he liked the design better than LG’s other UltraFine models with many of the same features.
The one downside here compared to the BenQ above is 60W power delivery for MacBooks. But it does feature a bit higher brightness.
Specs:
- 31.5-inch panel with nano IPS
- 4K – 3840 x 2160 resolution
- 60Hz refresh rate
- DCI-P3 98%
- 600 nits HDR peak brightness, 450 nits standard
- VESA DisplayHDR™ 600
- Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports (in x 1 (PD 60W) / out x 1)
- Daisy Chain with Thunderbolt
- 2 x USB-A
- DisplayPort 1.4
- HDMI 2.0
- 3.5mm headphone output
- MSRP: $1,299 but often available for less
The LG 32UL950-W can be found on Amazon as well as other retailers like BH Photo.
LG UltraFine 24 & 27-inch Displays
The $1,300 27-inch UltraFine display (reviewed) was really the only option on the market to support USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 at a full 5K resolution until the Apple Studio Display was released.
But interestingly, with bandwidth being used up for the higher resolution, the 27-inch model doesn’t feature downstream Thunderbolt ports for peripherals/daisy-chaining, just USB-C.
At almost half the price, the 24-inch 4K UltraFine (full review) is a compelling option for an Apple-endorsed display for those okay with the smaller size. With an MSRP of $700, it offers upstream and downstream Thunderbolt ports like the BenQ and LG 32UL950-W so you can daisy chain or get the full 40 Gbps speeds without having to use a separate dock.
LG 24-inch UltraFine Display
- 23.7-inch panel with nano IPS
- 4K – 3840 x 2160 resolution
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- Brightness: 540 nits maximum
- 60Hz refresh rate
- 98% DCI-P3
- 85W power delivery via Thunderbolt
- 2x Thunderbolt (1 upstream, 1 downstream up to 40 Gbps)
- 3x USB-C 3.1 gen 1 up to 5 Gbps
- MSRP $699
The LG 24-inch UltraFine display is available from Amazon, Apple, BH Photo, and more.
Apple Studio Display
Apple’s Studio Display arrived alongside the new Mac Studio and marks the return to prosumer monitors after letting LG’s UltraFine series serve as its official recommendation since 2016.
Starting at $1,599 – $300 above the LG UltraFine 5K – the Studio Display Thunderbolt monitor is aimed at those who value Apple’s refined (and metal) build quality.
While it has a range of benefits, the Studio Display doesn’t offer downstream Thunderbolt ports but has three USB 3.1 Gen 1 (10 Gbps) ports.
Specs:
- 27-inch panel
- 5K 5120 x 2880 resolution
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- 60Hz refresh rate
- 600 nits brightness
- P3 wide color support
- True Tone support
- 1x Thunderbolt 3 port with 96W power delivery
- 3x USB-C ports (3.1 gen 2 up to 10 Gbps)
- Built-in 12 MP ultra wide camera with Center Stage support
- 6-speaker system with Spatial Audio support
- Studio-quality 3-mic array
- Aluminum build
- Supports most reference modes as Pro Display XDR except HDR
- Price: $1599-$2,299 (depending on stand and screen finish)
Studio Display is available from Apple, Amazon, BH Photo, Best Buy, and more.
Apple Pro Display XDR
We won’t go into the full details of the Pro Display XDR. But the TL;DR is if you value the larger 32-inch screen, 6K resolution, metal build, variety of reference modes, and don’t mind paying $5,000+, it may be worth considering this over other Thunderbolt monitors.
Check out our detailed comparison along with more perspective on the Pro Display XD and Studio Display:
Compelling 32-inch USB-C budget option
If you’re willing to forgo Thunderbolt and some of the other high-end features the monitors above offer, an interesting new display is Samsung’s Smart Monitor M8.
The successor to the M7, the Smart Monitor M8 offers a compelling package for those that want a 4K resolution, USB-C, and a large 32-inch screen for $700 (usually on sale). It even features an iMac-like design with four color choices.
Specs:
- USB-C with up to 65W charging
- 4K 3840 x 2160 resolution
- 32-inch panel
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- 60Hz refresh rate
- HDR10 support
- Included magnetic SlimFit webcam with face tracking
- 400 nits brightness
- 99% sRGB
- 4ms response time
- Built-in 2.2 channel speakers
- Available in white, blue, green, and pink
- Slim bezels and overall slim design
- Doubles as a smart TV, with Apple TV+ built-in and AirPlay 2
- Price: MSRP $699-$729 (usually goes for less)
The Smart Monitor M8 is available direct from Samsung and Amazon.
Best Thunderbolt Monitors for Mac wrap-up
Hopefully, now you understand the differences between USB-C and Thunderbolt monitors along with the top options on the market – particularly if you don’t want to spend several thousand dollars on Apple’s displays.
And if you’ve realized you’d rather spend somewhere between $200-600 on a monitor, check out our round-up of affordable USB-C displays:
Thanks for reading our guide on the best Thunderbolt monitors for Mac!
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