With the portable monitor, users 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 are looking for the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro, we are going to give you some really great recommendations.
Initially, portable monitors were not that good but now, portable monitors are getting better and better. Now, portable monitors come with large QHD displays, USB Type-C connectivity, IPS panels, slim portable design, metal build and whatnot. Moreover, the new generation of portable monitors also comes with an affordable price tag and even matches the aesthetics 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 plug in a USB Type-C cable with a portable monitor and you have an external display on Macbook Pro. Also, you can use these portable monitors with any laptop.
See Also: How to Get More Storage on Macbook Pro?
10 Best Portable Monitor for Macbook Pro in 2023
MacBook Pro is a powerful laptop that also comes with the best display. To get the best viewing experience on an external display, consider getting Portable monitors with QHD resolution. If you are looking for monitors for iPad Pro for a complete desktop experience, here are the best monitors for iPad Pro.
The below-mentioned portable monitors come with a USB Type-C port so that you can connect them to a Macbook without any connectors and adapters.
So, without any further ado, let’s jump right onto the list of the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro.
Table of Content
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. The software will also provide other extra features to give you an even better experience.
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.
Overall, LG Gram View+ is a complete package. It comes with a large 16-inch high-resolution anti-glare display, 2x USB Type-C ports, wide color gamut coverage, lightweight slim design. 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
Asus is a big brand when it comes to monitors, gaming monitors, and other peripherals. 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 15.6 inches 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. You can even use this Asus portable monitor for gaming. With a 60hz refresh rate and 5ms Response time, you will enjoy casual gameplay but this display is not suitable for competitive gaming. The peak brightness of Asus ZenScreen is limited to 220nits which was 350nits in LG Gram View+ but you will enjoy the display in the 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.
Along with the connector, you will also get a USB Type-C cable and an Asus ZenScreen Pen. Don’t get excited with the pen, it is a regular pen you can use to write on paper, and don’t use it on this portable monitor’s screen but you can definitely use this pen as a monitor’s stand without folio.
For creative work, I would recommend LG Gram View+ with QHD 17 inch display. But for the price, 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 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 15.6 inches Full HD 1920x1080p resolution anti-glare display coupled with IPS Panel. The peak brightness is limited to 250nits which is suitable for indoor usage only. For outdoors, you will struggle to see the display because of low brightness. For indoors, the display is good enough. It is an 8-bit display that can process 16.2 million colors.
See Also: Best Monitor for RTX 3090
You will not see many portable monitors with inbuilt speakers but ViewSonic VG1655 does come 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.
For everyday, casual usage, writing codes, and emails, or for screen expansion, you can consider ViewSonic VG1655. 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 touchscreen portable monitor with utmost color accuracy, there is nothing that can beat 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. This is a Calman Verified display which is a standard certification for content creation display. It is a factory-calibrated portable monitor which 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 so that you can mount it on a tripod to get full 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 PA148CTV is good to go.
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5. Lenovo ThinkVision M14
Lenovo ThinkVision M14 is a fully loaded portable monitor that gives you the best value for money. Both Lenovo ThinkVision M14 and ASUS ZenScreen MB16AC lie in the same price segment but things get a lot better when we compare both portable monitors.
First, let’s talk about the display. Lenovo ThinkVision M14 comes with a 14-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution IPS widescreen display with a 60hz refresh rate and 4ms response time. With a 14-inch screen size and Full HD resolution, the picture quality on this portable monitor is much better than other 15.6-inch displays.
See Also: Best 10 inch Tablets for Gaming, Work & Everyday use
The pixel density makes all the difference here. The picture quality is sharper, crispier, and more detailed. If you need crisp, sharp picture quality, go for Lenovo ThinkVision M14 but if you want a big display, you can consider ASUS ZenScreen MB16AC.
Apart from great picture quality, the colors also look better on the Lenovo ThinkVision M14. The 8-bit display on ThinkVision M14 produces a wide range of colors. With 72% NTSC color gamut coverage, you will get to see bright, vibrant, and vivid colors. If you are looking for the best portable monitor for video editing, and photo editing on Macbook Pro, this portable monitor is ready for that. With a peak brightness of 300 nits, the display looks brighter and is suitable for outdoor lighting conditions as well.
The slim design and 14-inch size of the M14 make it ultra-portable and you can carry it in your backpack along with Macbook Pro. Also, it doesn’t take up much space on the desk.
The built-in stand of this portable monitor holds all the connectivity ports and buttons for controlling brightness and a blue light filter. For connectivity, it comes with 2x USB 3.1 Type-C ports that also support DisplayPort 1.2. Along with that, it also has a Kensington lock slot.
Also See: Best HDMI 2.1 Gaming Monitor
Overall, Lenovo ThinkVision M14 is a well-balanced package that offers you great value for money. If you are looking for the best Lenovo portable monitor for your Macbook Pro, Lenovo ThinkVision M14 is an easy recommendation. It natively supports a USB Type-C connection and comes with a slim lightweight design great display with vibrant colors that you can use for photo editing, video editing, and other creative, professional work.
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 don’t play games on it but in case, if you want the best portable gaming monitor that you can want to use with Macbook Pro as well as with a gaming console, this portable monitor from Asus is just for you.
Asus Rog Strix XG17AHPE comes with a massive 17-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution display with a 240hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. Along with that, we have adaptive sync technology on this portable monitor. Basically, Asus Rog Strix XG17AHPE has all the attributes of a gaming monitor and is ready to give you the best gaming experience on the go. The best 17 inch laptops have a similar experience to ASUS ROG Strix.
The display comes with a peak brightness of 300nits and with 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, you are going to see some really great colors even in outdoor lighting conditions. The thin bezels around the display look good and give it a premium feel.
Not just the hardware, but the build quality of the Asus Rog Strix portable monitor is also sturdy. The slim and lightweight design not only looks good but also adds to portability. Despite having a 17-inch display, this portable monitor doesn’t look bulky at all. Asus even managed to insert a 7800mAh battery in this portable monitor that gives you power for 2 hours at a 240hz refresh rate. You can connect this portable monitor to a PC, gaming console, laptop, Macbook, tablet and any other device.
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. MSI Optix MAG162V
If you just need an extra display for your Macbook and looking for a slim-designed portable monitor for Macbook Pro, here is MSI Optix MAG162V for you.
It features a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution IPS display that is very good in terms of display quality. The colors look good, the picture quality looks sharp and crispy. It comes with a 60hz refresh rate which is just decent. Although it comes with the game mode it is not a gaming portable monitor and doesn’t expect any good gaming experience out of this.
The build quality of MSI Optix MAG162V is pretty impressive. It comes with a slim design which is just 5.5mm thick and weighs 0.9kg. There are built-in speakers on MSI Optix MAG162V which are good for notification sound and I would suggest using external speakers or headphones with this portable monitor. Yes, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack on this portable monitor.
For connectivity, it uses a USB Type-C port which is good for Macbook users and it also supports a Mini HDMI port. Overall, MSI Optix MAG162V is a good, everyday portable monitor that you can use for web surfing, and watching videos. If you are looking for the best cheap portable monitor for Macbook Pro without compromising much, MSI Optix MAG162V is good to go.
Buy Now: Amazon
8. Lepow Z1 Portable Monitor
When it comes to affordable portable monitors, Lepow is a pretty popular name in this niche. Lepow has a huge lineup of portable monitors that give you great value for money. They are well-built, balanced portable monitors in an affordable price range.
Talking about the display, it comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution display coupled with an IPS panel. The colors on Lepow Z1 look stunning with good detailing in the picture. Whether it is work or entertainment, Lepow Z1 always gives you a great immersive display experience. This portable monitor is well suited for Macbook Pro as well.
There are USB Type-C ports and Mini HDMI ports for connectivity that you can use to connect Macbooks, Laptops, tablets, PC, consoles and whatnot. Carrying Lepow Z1 is even easier. It weighs just 798gm which makes it super portable. Along with that, Lepow Z1 also comes with inbuilt speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
In the box, you will get a Mini HDMI to HDMI Cable, Type-C to Type-C Cable that you can use to connect to a Macbook Pro, a Type-C to USB-A Cable, a smart cover, a power adapter and a screen protector.
Overall, Lepow Z1 is a great package for its price. It is slim, lightweight, produces good picture quality, compatible with multiple devices. We have better portable monitors for Macbook Pro on the list but if you have a limited budget and looking for the best external monitor for Macbook Pro in an affordable price range, you can definitely consider Lepow Z1.
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-screen portable external monitor for Macbook Pro with a high refresh rate, ViewSonic VX1755 is something you can take into consideration.
With a 17.2-inch Full HD 1920x1080p resolution display, everything looks pretty good on it. Be it games, office presentations, movies, YouTube, Netflix, or any other thing, everything looks crispy, sharp, and big. The thin bezels also look premium and give an immersive experience. The color calibration on ViewSonic VX1755 is pretty good. The IPS panel is capable of processing really great colors that can be used for photo editing as well. It is also an 8-bit display that can handle 16.7 million colors.
The brightness is limited to 250nits and is not that impressive but if you are going to use it in the indoor lighting condition, you are good to go.
If you are planning to use this portable monitor with a MacBook Pro as well as with a gaming PC, you can definitely use it for both purposes. With a 144hz refresh rate, the gaming experience on ViewSonic VX1755 is going to be smooth and responsive. Along with that, this portable monitor also comes with AMD FreeSync technology that makes sure you don’t get to see any sort of screen tearing while playing high-motion games.
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. For connectivity, we have a USB Type-C port, a Mini HDMI 2.0 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Although ViewSonic VX1755 comes with dual 0.8watt speakers but a pair of good headphones or TWS earbuds are suggested for an immersive experience.
ViewSonic VX1755 is a great package for its price but I wish Viewsonic had equipped a QHD resolution panel instead of a Full HD panel. But for the price, it is something we can negotiate with. If you are looking affordable gaming portable monitor and the best portable monitor for Macbook Pro, ViewSonic VX1755 makes complete sense in that.
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 (explained below). For gaming, here we have the best 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. Here is how to watch HDR content on external monitor using Macbook.
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 do 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. This feature is very practical in daily usage.
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. In the box, we get all the cables for connectivity. We 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. You can even connect this portable monitor to gaming consoles, gaming PC, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. If you want the best color production and the best viewing experience, Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH is an easy recommendation.
Buy Now: Amazon
Best Portable External Monitor for Macbook Pro: Final Words
MacBook Pro is a great laptop for office work, creative work, music production, research and much more. There are endless possibilities with Macbook Pro but there are times when we want one more display. With above mentioned portable monitors, you can extend your MacBook’s display and lift your productivity to great heights. You can also use these portable monitors to read chats and interact with your audience during LIVE streams on Twitch, and Youtube.
See Also: Best Laptop for LIVE Streaming
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 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 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 fits best your requirements and budget.
2 comments
Dear Jayant, Manual for LG Gram +View says “OnScreen Control” is available for Windows only – why do you say this is possible in a MacBook Pro review? Any suggestions, or do I have to return the monitor? Thank you. Iain
I don’t think you need to return the monitor because everything is controllable right from your Macbook.