10 Best Portable Monitor for Macbook Pro (June 2024)

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With the portable monitor, you can have the benefits of an external display on a Macbook Pro. The portable monitors give you a proper workstation experience without losing the essence of portability. If you are looking for the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro, we will provide you with some great recommendations to consider.

Initially, portable monitors were not that good but now, portable monitors are getting better and better. Portable monitors now come with large QHD displays, USB Type-C connectivity, IPS panels, slim portable design, metal build, and much-improved specifications and hardware quality. Moreover, the new generation of portable monitors also comes with an affordable price tag and even matches the aesthetics and design statement of the Macbook.

If you are a vlogger, video editor, music producer, student, or coder, and want to edit videos, edit music files, or write codes on the go, portable monitors are just perfect for you. Simply connect the external display via USB Type-C cable and you have an external display ready to use. Not just a Macbook, you can use these external display with any laptop.

See Also: How to Get More Storage on Macbook Pro?

10 Best Portable Monitors for Macbook Pro in 2024

Here is a quick tip.

MacBook Pro’s inbuilt retina display is a brilliant display that produces crispy sharp pictures with stunning colors. To get a similar viewing experience on the external display, consider getting Portable monitors with QHD 2K resolution and a display that covers a wide color gamut (98% DCI-P3) and high peak brightness.

If you are looking for monitors for iPad Pro for a complete desktop experience, here are the best monitors for iPad Pro.

All the portable monitor mentioned in this list comes with USB Type-C port and you don’t need to get an external adapter to connect it. So, without any further ado, let’s jump right onto the list of the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro.

1. LG Gram +View

LG finally launched their portable monitor that checks everything and makes it the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro. It has a sharp crispy display, IPS panel, USB Type-C connectivity, and an affordable price tag.

At first glance, you will see a 16-inch WQXGA 2560x1600p resolution, 60hz anti-glare display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. This portable monitor looks like an extension of the display and doesn’t look weird at all. The slim design with metal build quality looks premium and blends perfectly with MacBook’s display.

See Also: Best Large Screen Tablets

The picture quality of LG Gram+View looks absolutely sharp and crispy with all the detailing on the screen. The inclusion of an IPS panel made things much better. With 99% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, you will always see vibrant, bright colors. Talking about viewing angles, this portable monitor has 170° horizontal and vertical viewing angles which are good even for 2 people staring at the display from different angles.

LG Gram View+ supports both landscape and portrait orientation which makes it suitable for every kind of professional and creative work. Here are more vertical monitors which are also suitable for Macbook Pro.

Be it coding, video editing, photo editing, music production, animation, or writing notes while attending meetings, LG Gram+ View is ready for all. If you already own a music production laptop, LG Gram View+ would be a great display extension for playing instruments, mixing and much more.

For auto-rotating the display, you just need to install OnScreen software from LG’s website and the rest is handled by this portable monitor.

To keep the display safe from any sort of potential damage while carrying, LG provides a folio that protects the display when not in use and also acts as a stand while you are using it with Macbook.

You can even adjust the stand with 2 angles. This portable monitor weighs just 988gm with a Folio cover which makes it super lightweight and portable.

For connectivity, it comes with a 2x USB Type-C port on each side so that you can connect your Macbook on any side and you don’t need to buy any kind of adapter or connector. LG is even providing 1 DisplayPort cable (Type-C to Type-C) in the box which is a good gesture by LG.

If you are looking for a good-looking, practical, and the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro, LG Gram View+ is an easy recommendation.

Buy Now: Amazon

2. ASUS ZenScreen MB16AC

If you are specifically looking for Asus portable monitor for your Macbook Pro or any other laptop, Asus ZenScreen MB16AC is relevant to you. There is another Asus portable monitor in this list that comes with an OLED display. Do check out if you need an OLED portable monitor for Macbook Pro with superior color production and accuracy.

Coming back to ASUS ZenScreen MB16AC, it comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution display with a 60hz refresh rate and 5ms GtG response time. The display uses an IPS panel responsible for great colors, contrast ratio and wide viewing angles.

While LG Gram View+ has an aspect ratio of 16:10, Asus ZenScreen offers you a 16:9 Aspect ratio which is good but the viewing area definitely gets shrunk when compared to 16:10. Asus ZenScreen also offers you landscape and portrait orientation with Auto-Rotation.

The colors and picture quality on Asus ZenScreen are good enough for entertainment as well as for work. With a 60hz refresh rate and 5ms Response time, you will enjoy casual gameplay. The peak brightness of Asus ZenScreen is limited to 220nits which was 350nits in LG Gram View+ but you will enjoy the display in any indoor lighting condition.

See Also: Best Gaming Monitor for RTX 4090

Asus ZenScreen also comes with TUV Rheinland-certified flicker-free backlighting technology that really helps protect the eyes and minimizes eye strain to some extent. If you are someone who spends most of the time in front of the screen, this feature can help you in minimizing eye strain.

For connectivity, we have a 1x USB Type-C port. The port also supports a Type-A connection with a Type-A connector. You will get the USB Type-C to USB Type-A connector in the box.

For creative work, I would recommend LG Gram View+ with QHD 17-inch display. But for the price, the Asus ZenScreen MB16AC is a decent portable monitor for everyday use that comes with all the basic features. If you are looking for the best affordable portable monitor for Macbook Pro, you can definitely consider the Asus ZenScreen MB16AC.

Buy Now: Amazon

3. ViewSonic VG1655

While LG Gram View+ and Asus ZenScreen MB16AC come with just a USB Type-C connection, ViewSonic VG1655 will offer you multiple connectivity options. If you are looking cheap portable monitor for Macbook Pro or for a Windows Laptop, this is something you can consider.

Talking about the display, ViewSonic VG1655 comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution anti-glare display coupled with an IPS Panel. The peak brightness is limited to 250nits which is suitable for indoor usage only. While brightness is good enough for indoors, eyes might struggle to watch the screen in the direct sunlight.

See Also: Best Monitor for RTX 3090

You will not see many portable monitors with inbuilt speakers but ViewSonic VG1655 comes with 2×0.8watt speakers which are below average. It is just good for notification sound and flat music. Don’t expect much from these speakers.

Just like any other portable monitor, ViewSonic VG1655 also comes with a folio that protects the display when not in use and also acts as a stand. Both landscape and portrait orientations are supported on VG1655.

For connectivity, we have 2x USB Type-C ports, 1x HDMI Mini port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. If you are planning to connect more than 1 Macbook with a portable monitor, this is an ideal choice.

ViewSonic VG1655. is a value-for-money display for everyday, casual usage, writing codes, watching Youtube, and movies, or for screen expansion. This is not the best portable monitor for Macbooks in this list but considering the price, this is definitely the best cheap portable monitor for Macbooks. Also, when we say cheap, it means the price, not the quality.

Buy Now: Amazon

4. ASUS ProArt PA148CTV

Now if you are looking for a portable monitor with a touch screen and utmost color accuracy, there is nothing better than ASUS ProArt PA148CTV in terms of color accuracy and all-over display quality. Let’s talk more about it.

It comes with 14-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution touchscreen and a flicker-free display. The IPS panel on Asus ProArt produces rich colors and covers 100% sRGB color gamut that gives you color accuracy of Delta E < 2.

This is the epitome of color accuracy that the human eye can process with Calman Verified display, a standard certification for content creation display. It is a factory-calibrated portable monitor that is ready to use, out of the box.

See Also: Best Gaming Monitor for Call of Duty

Since it is a capacitive 10-point multitouch supporting touchscreen display, you will easily be able to interact with the display, especially if you are into graphic designing, photo editing, or any other professional work that requires color-related skills. This portable monitor also has a metal tripod socket to mount it on a tripod to get a full-fledged monitor experience.

For connectivity, it comes with a Micro HDMI port and dual USB Type-C ports. The good part is, that we also have a Mini HDMI to HDMI cable and USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable inside the box.

Overall, ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is a gorgeous-looking portable monitor that is made for content creation, photo editing, video editing, and other graphic-oriented tasks. If you are looking for the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro for such tasks, ASUS ProArt is good to go.

Buy Now: Amazon

5. Lenovo ThinkVision L15

Lenovo ThinkVision L15 is a sleek, good-looking portable monitor that is ready for Macbook Pro. It is a slightly better and improved version of ThinkVision M15.

This sleek 15.6” display offers Full HD resolution and an IPS panel, delivering vibrant colors and sharp visuals from any angle. Talking about viewing angles, the display has no color distortion up to 178 degrees.

The display covers a 45% NTSC color gamut and supports 16.7 million vibrant colors. With 250 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate, it ensures clear and smooth viewing even in any indoor lighting. However, the display is not bright enough for direct sunlight lighting conditions.

Moving on to connectivity, the 2x USB-C 3.1 ports provide seamless connectivity and power delivery, making it a perfect companion for your MacBook Pro. It can also act as a DisplayPort for connecting to laptops. The height-adjustable stand and flicker-free technology offer comfort and eye protection during extended use.

Also See: Best HDMI 2.1 Gaming Monitor

The stylish grey finish complements your MacBook Pro, making the Lenovo L15 the ideal portable monitor for professionals as well as for average day-to-day users. Its lightweight design weighs just 860gm and with 3 side narrow display, the viewing experience is immersive.

Buy Now: Amazon

6. ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHPE

The above-mentioned portable monitors are suitable for office work, video editing, photo editing, coding, app development, screen extension, etc but not suitable for gaming. Although Macbook users seldom play games but in case, if you want the best portable gaming monitor that you can use with Macbook Pro as well as with a gaming console, this portable monitor from Asus is just for you.

Asus Rog Strix XG17AHPE has a massive 17-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution display with a 240hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. The adaptive sync technology on this portable monitor makes sure you never get a choppy frame. Basically, Asus Rog Strix XG17AHPE has all the traits of a gaming monitor and is ready to give you the best gaming experience on the go.

The display comes with a peak brightness of 300nits and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage that produces stunning picture and crispy visuals. The thin bezels around the display not only looks good but also provide an immersive experience.

Asus even managed to insert a 7800mAh battery in this portable monitor that gives you power for 2 hours at a 240hz refresh rate.

See Also: Best Gaming Laptop under 2000

For connectivity, we have 2x USB Type, 1x Micro HDMI, 2x USB 3.0 and 1x 3.5mm headphone jack. Along with that, this portable monitor is also equipped with Dual 1W speakers which are just decent. In the box, you will get all the cables including USB Type-C to USB Type-A, HDMI to Micro HDMI cable & a power adapter.

Overall, ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHPE is a powerful portable monitor that can be used with multiple devices for gaming, work, creative work and much more. If you are looking for the best portable gaming monitor for Macbook Pro, there is nothing better than the Asus Rog Strix.

Buy Now: Amazon

7. ARZOPA Z1C

For the best & cheapest option, here is the super slim ARZOPA Z1C that boasts a massive 16.1-inch Full HD display covering 100% sRGB color gamut coverage. The thin bezels are a great addition and offer an immersive viewing experience while watching videos or playing video games.

The kickstand is a thoughtful idea that also spares more desk space and gives a clean, minimalist desk setup. There are 2 USB Type-C ports and 1 Mini HDMI port that let you connect to multiple devices including laptops, PC, Macbooks, PS5, Steam Deck and any possible device you might be using.

The all-metal body gives it a refreshed and premium look & feel. The built-in speakers are also provided which are decent but better than no speakers at all. Arzopa Z1C is a well-crafted portable monitor for MacBook Pro that checks all the basic features and with a super slim design, it also makes it an ultra-portable monitor you can use as a screen extension or on the go.

Buy Now: Amazon

8. ViewSonic VG1655

This VG1655, a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080p) IPS portable monitor from ViewSonic monitor delivers vibrant & crispy visuals without leaving a hole in your pocket. The refresh is 60hz and hence suitable only for working professionals, casual daily users but not specifically for gamers.

Say goodbye to cable clutter with USB 3.2 Type-C connectivity, which supports fast data, audio, and video transfer, along with 60W charging over a single cable. Apart from a dual USB Type-C port, we also have HDMI 1.4 mini, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and inbuilt dual speakers. All the required cables are also included in the box.

The VG1655 also comes with a detachable magnetic screen cover that doubles as a stand, allowing you to position the monitor in both portrait and landscape modes as per comfort. The metal case and aluminium stand not only looks premium but also provide a sturdy grip.

Considering the whole package, ViewSonic VG1655 is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for the best portable monitor for MacBook Pro in 2024 within an affordable price range.

Buy Now: Amazon

9. ViewSonic VX1755

Here we have another Viewsonic portable monitor which is ready for gaming as well. If you are looking for the best large portable external monitor for Macbook Pro with a high refresh rate, ViewSonic VX1755 is something you can take into consideration.

This portable monitor delivers a 17.2-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution display making it suitable for gaming, office presentations, and entertainment. The thin bezels also look premium and let you immerse into the visuals for a premium viewing experience.

What makes it apart from other portable monitors is a 144hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync for high-quality gaming performance on the go. You can expect nothing but smooth, tear-free gaming while you are traveling or playing on a portable gaming setup.

For connectivity, we have 2x USB Type-C ports, and Mini HDMI that can be used to connect a wide range of devices including laptops, Playstation, Xbox, Switch, Steam Deck, mobile phones and more.

Also See: Best RTX 4070Ti Gaming Monitors

The monitor can be used in both portrait and landscape orientation and with a built-in stand, it is super convenient to adjust the display as per the requirements. Although ViewSonic VX1755 comes with dual 0.8watt speakers but a pair of good headphones or TWS earbuds are suggested for an immersive experience.

If you are looking for an affordable gaming portable monitor and the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro, ViewSonic VX1755 makes complete sense.

Buy Now: Amazon

10. ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH OLED

Those who need an acute level of color accuracy, and vibrance in the picture quality need to consider the Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH portable monitor for Macbook Pro. It comes with an OLED display and has the color accuracy of Delta E < 2 color difference. For gaming, here we have full fledged OLED monitors which are now available in 27-inch 1440p resolution.

Let’s talk about the most important thing about the portable monitor and that is its display. Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution OLED display with a 60hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. With HDR 10 support, the peak brightness goes all the way to 400 nits. You can easily use this display in both indoor and outdoor lighting conditions.

The display of MQ16AH covers 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and has the color accuracy of Delta E <2. That means, the colors produced on this display are of a superior level and the human eye cannot see the color difference more than that. You will experience the best color accuracy on this portable monitor. The contrast ratio is also brilliant on Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH. It can go to pitch black in darker movie or gaming scenes and looks stunning to the eyes.

If you are into photo editing, video editing, color grading, or anything that is related to colors on your Macbook Pro, simply go for it. There is no other portable external monitor for Macbook Pro with such color production and accuracy.

You also get a Built-in proximity sensor that dims the brightness according to your lighting condition which is not only good for your eyes but also saves the monitor’s battery.

ASUS Smart Case is very flexible with the positioning of this portable monitor. You can adjust the display as you want and with a 1/4″ Tripod Socket, you can even mount a tripod on this portable monitor and use it as a proper monitor with a stand.

For connectivity, we have 2x USB Type-C ports, 1x Mini HDMI port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. We also have a Mini HDMI to HDMI braided cable, a USB Type-C to USB Type-A braided cable and you will also get a USB Type-C to A adapter right in the box.

Overall, the Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH is one of the best portable monitors for Macbook Pro that comes with a brilliant display and color production.

Buy Now: Amazon

Best Portable External Monitor for Macbook Pro: Final Words

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All the above-mentioned portable monitors come with a USB Type-C port that is natively supported by all kinds of Macbooks. You don’t need to connect any adapter or extra cable for connectivity. If you want a large portable monitor for a Macbook, LG Gram View+ is just brilliant for that. With QHD resolution on a 17-inch display, things do get a lot better.

For the best color accuracy and production, Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH is the one for you. Apart from that, for gaming, we have ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHPE which is a super good portable monitor for gaming on a Macbook Pro or any other laptop. We even added the best affordable portable monitors that just do the job and are suitable for Macbook Pro.

All the above-mentioned are the best portable monitors for Macbook Pro. You just need to pick one that fulfills your requirements and fits best in the budget.