Unexpectedly, this year’s M4 Mac mini has outshined all Macs, even the iPhone 16. With innovative appearance, compact and exquisite design; the base model now comes with 16GB of memory, while the M4 chip excels in performance and energy consumption control; the price is affordable, with certain regional subsidies or educational discounts, it can be as low as 3500+; and using the Mac mini to upgrade to a 2TB hard drive is more reassuring than doing it with a MacBook.
Compared to other Macs, the biggest advantage of the Mac mini is that you can choose your own monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc., allowing for a customized experience. However, this also poses the biggest problem for the Mac mini: how to choose a suitable monitor that can closely match the display quality of a MacBook or iMac?
The keyboard and touchpad are not an issue, as directly opting for Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad keeps costs manageable, especially since many second-hand accessories in excellent condition can keep the total cost of both below a thousand. But when it comes to monitors, Apple’s standards are simply too high. Apart from the expensive Studio Display, it is challenging to find a monitor that matches the quality while being reasonably priced, so if you compare it to Apple monitors, you will almost always be dissatisfied and have to compromise.
Redmi 27-inch 4K Monitor
The Redmi 27-inch 4K monitor, released at a price of 2249, is a product that backstabs several old users of the Xiaomi 27-inch 4K monitor in several aspects. After its release, a Type-C version with 90W reverse charging was also launched. Now, with an official price of 1499, it can even be snagged for 1300+ during the Double Eleven shopping festival on JD.com. While it may not be the best, its affordability is hard to ignore. The budget-friendly Lei Jun has released a budget monitor, paired with the budget-friendly M4 Mac mini, giving a sense of us poor folks enjoying real red wine and real steak at home.
Looking at the specifications, the Redmi 4K monitor seems to perform excellently:
It features a 3840 × 2160 ultra-high-definition resolution 27-inch IPS panel, 163 ppi (pixel density), 100% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, ΔE<1 (2) professional-grade color accuracy, 6ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate, 1200:1 contrast ratio, and 350 nits (cd/m2) brightness.
Equipped with a multifunctional Type-C port supporting 65W or 90W reverse charging, it connects with one cable, expanding the Mac’s USB-A ports, and has an HDMI 2.0 port (advertised as HDMI 2.1, but actually HDMI 2.1 TMDS, with bandwidth equivalent to the original HDMI 2.0).
The adjustable stand supports height adjustment, portrait mode, left and right rotation, and wall mounting.
However, unfortunately, I have to tell you a fact. Except for the specifications of Apple’s official monitors, which can be trusted, most third-party monitors only show the maximum specifications, so just take a look.
So how does the Redmi 4K monitor perform in reality?
In terms of pixel density, 163 ppi is barely acceptable, but there is a significant difference compared to Apple’s retina displays, which have 218 ppi. (Tip: No matter how big the screen is, you can directly know the display’s fineness by looking at the PPI value, which is a parameter that compares screen size and native resolution.)
The Redmi 4K monitor is indeed a cost-effective choice for office document processing and programming, as the 4K monitor will receive native HiDPI support from macOS, resulting in fine text presentation. However, for photo editing and design work, it falls short, especially when working in Display P3 or even higher Rec. 2020 color spaces, where it cannot meet the demands.
In terms of gaming, it can manage, but the performance for audio-visual content is poor, lacking the basic HDR 400 display effect. When playing HDR videos, both brightness performance and color mapping are insufficient.
Therefore, I recommend the Redmi 4K monitor for users who do a lot of text processing, but you should note that its anti-reflective effect is average, making it unsuitable for use in bright environments near windows. If you don’t play AAA titles, connecting a Nintendo Switch for gaming is still feasible.
BenQ MA270U / MA320U
“Opening the box reveals Apple colors,” is the selling point of these two BenQ monitors. The 27-inch BenQ MA270U and 32-inch BenQ MA320U are specifically tuned color products for Mac users, primarily focusing on convenience, providing plug-and-play ease for novice users without the need for calibration.
BenQ has been a manufacturer of M-Book color modes for a long time, and the launch of a dedicated series shows its emphasis on Mac users.
The BenQ MA270U has similar parameters to the Redmi 4K: 3840 × 2160 ultra-high-definition resolution 27-inch IPS panel, 163 ppi (pixel density), 99% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, 5 ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate, 1200:1 contrast ratio, but it has a peak brightness of 400 nits, capable of displaying HDR content at an entry-level.
The 32-inch BenQ MA320U has the same 4K resolution, but the pixel density drops to 140 ppi, resulting in reduced display quality. However, the overall visual experience is not bad, with peak brightness increased to 600 nits, making it more suitable for users focused on HDR audio-visual content.
Both monitors use a nano-matte screen, which changes the direction of reflected and scattered light on the surface, providing better performance than Apple’s monitor’s nano-textured glass panel.
In terms of connectivity, both monitors come with a multifunctional Type-C port supporting 90W reverse charging, connecting with one cable, and expanding one USB Type-C downstream port (USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps, power charging 15W), and two USB Type-A downstream ports (USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps, power charging 7.5W), essentially acting as a well-equipped Mac docking station. They also have two HDMI 2.0 ports, allowing for simultaneous connection of other display devices, which offers some advantages over the Apple Studio Display.
The adjustable stand supports height adjustment, portrait mode, left and right rotation, and wall mounting.
The built-in dual speaker system can replace the common cheap desktop speakers, completely replacing the Mac mini’s poor audio.
BenQ has also developed a unique Display Pilot2 program for Mac, which allows control of the brightness and volume of both the MacBook and external displays using an Apple keyboard.
In reality, the display performance of these two monitors is indeed closer to Apple’s own monitors. If the Redmi 4K can suffice as a monitor for the Mac mini, then when used as an extended screen for the MacBook, these two BenQ monitors will undoubtedly provide better color consistency.
In addition to everyday office work, programming, and text processing, the BenQ MA270U can handle image processing, design work, and SDR video editing. For Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and other audio-visual entertainment needs, the MA320U is more suitable. Gaming is also limited by the 60Hz refresh rate, so consider accordingly.
Currently, the new product promotional price can save over 200.
23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K Monitor
Model 24md4kl-b.
This is the first monitor developed in collaboration between Apple and LG, with Apple providing color calibration and functional support. Initially priced at over 5000, there are fewer new products available for sale now, and buying at the current price is not cost-effective, especially since it uses older technology. However, if you can find a reliable product through second-hand channels for 3000+, it can still be considered as an option.
It is important to note: second-hand purchases carry risks and should be approached with caution.
The 23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K monitor features a 3840 x 2160 4K resolution (185 ppi), P3 wide color gamut (DCI-P3 98%), and 500 nits brightness, along with built-in stereo speakers and a response time of 14ms.
The monitor is equipped with two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, providing up to 85W of charging power for Mac laptops or iPads; it also has three USB-C ports that can be used as downstream USB-C ports (5Gbps) to connect other devices and accessories. In terms of connectivity, it is geared towards high-end devices, as you can only connect devices with Type-C interfaces to the monitor.
The stand only supports tilt and height adjustment.
The monitor is natively supported by Apple, allowing control of brightness and volume using the keyboard. Using this monitor, you won’t have to worry about color matching and display quality, making it the first choice for design work and those pursuing native Mac colors. However, I have seen many second-hand products with edge display issues, so careful selection is still necessary.
27-inch LG UltraFine 5K Monitor
Model 27MD5KL-B.
This monitor features a resolution of 5120 x 2880, 218 PPI, P3 wide color gamut (DCI-P3 99%), and 500 nits brightness, along with built-in stereo speakers and a camera, with a response time of 14ms.
The stand only supports tilt and height adjustment.
You can use it just like the Apple Studio Display, but it doesn’t look as aesthetically pleasing. Initially priced at over 8000, when Apple released the Studio Display, this product was taken off the website, which feels a bit like burning bridges.
The 27-inch LG UltraFine 5K monitor is very close to the performance of the Studio Display, and it comes at a lower price. However, Apple has eliminated the possibility for Mac mini users to choose a mid-range native display.
The second-hand price is around 5000, so choose carefully.
Both LG monitors have new stock prices that have exceeded their original launch prices, leaving only second-hand options. However, there are many uncertainties with second-hand monitors, including counterfeit products, older models with uncertain longevity, and those that can only be traded locally, making it hard to manage. If you can find reliable options, you may consider them; otherwise, it’s better to choose the Redmi 4K or BenQ MA series.
Finally, if you choose the Mac solely for design and photo editing work that relies on basic color accuracy and color gamut, without needing high brightness support, looking back at the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro might be a better choice than the Mac mini, as the base model second-hand is only around 4000+, and its basic performance is not bad. Moreover, trading a second-hand MacBook is generally easier than a monitor. What do you think?
I never expected the MacBook Pro would become a buy-a-monitor-get-a-computer deal.
