Best Non-Apple Monitor for Reading and Writing Text with an M4 Mac mini?

Find yourself a 4K display, there MANY to select from. Determined the features you want including display size and then shop on Amazon.There is no BEST, there are choices because everyone has different needs. You have stated part of your needs, however they need more thought on your part. Once you have an idea of what you want then you can shop for it.

FWIW, I have found that LG 4K displays are quite sharp in text display. I have used mine at different "looks like" resolutions and all seem to render text quite sharp. I currently use 3008x1692 which for me gives a good trade off desktop real estate and text size and the text is quite crisp.

Apple sales a 27" Studio Display and a 32" Pro Display XDR

Displays - Apple

The price goes up if they are special ordered with Nano-texture glass, stand or vesa options.

How is the 27" MSI MAG2724Q connected to the Mac mini..?

I would test a short high speed 8K USB-C to DisplayPort 1.4 cable.

for example > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NVV76FH/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?

Or optionally get and test a short ultra high speed HDMI 2.1 cable.

for example > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HXPZ1PQ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?

If a better cable doesn't help with that 27" MSI MAG2724Q display...?

You will need that cable for one of the 4K displays that you're going to compare side by side at BestBuy.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?st=4k+27%22+displays&_dyncharset=UTF-8&_dynSessConf=&id=pcat17071&type=page&sc=Global&cp=1&nrp=&sp=&qp=&list=n&af=true&iht=y&usc=All+Categories&ks=960&keys=keys

Tom Wetzel wrote:

Thank you for this, but am I mistaken in my assumption that I need to see how the displays work specifically with a Mac? If so, wouldn't the displays at Best Buy be inadequate? At least in my area, all the displays are running either in isolation or off of Windows machines. I thought I had read that Macs in recent years render text differently than Windows-based computers.

Do not go to Best Buy to compare Mac vs PC or Apple Retina vs Aftermarket displays

Go to Best Buy to compare the clarity and panel finish (matte or clear) of different displays.

The 27" Apple Studio Display is $2700+, but there are now some third-party 27" 5K (5120x2880) pixels that have, at times, gone for as little as $800 – $950 street price. Third-party vendors that have or soon will have 27" 5K monitors include LG, Samsung, BenQ, Asis, and ViewSonic.

If you can settle for a 27" 4K monitor, you might be able to find one with an IPS panel and near-100% coverage of sRGB for as little as $300 – $350. There are more third-party 27" 4K monitors at assorted price levels than you can shake a stick at.

In any case, since human eyes are sensitive to physical size, you will probably want to run a 27" monitor in Retina "like 2560x1440" mode (4K or 5K monitor), or in native 2560x1440 mode (2560x1440 monitor). When running a display in that Retina mode, the Mac draws on an internal 5120x2880 (5K) canvas, then scales the contents of the canvas to fit the actual resolution of the display.

“The 27" Apple Studio Display is $2700+”

Where in the world do you live that this monitor is going for $2700?

It’s only about 6 weeks from your post and where I live this monitor goes for $2000 CAD at the Apple Store.

In American dollars that works out to about $1460 US with todays exchange rate.

Not really. Your link is for $US - and with all the most expensive options it still is only $2300 US - not the $2700+ like the poster indicated.

Also, with all the most expensive options in $CAD it still comes to $2900 CAD. And taking one option off doesn’t bring it down to $2700+. Next step down is $2500 CAD (option combination).

So this must mean the poster might be in New Zealand or Australia - Certainly not Canada/US.

And the purpose of the post is to highlight for others who may read this since it’s about a comparison for non Apple monitors - and the two extra options for the Apple that only increase the cost is the stand style and Nano texture glass - Two options that one does not see(majority of non Apple monitors) for comparing prices.

So it’s not a good idea to use maxed out Apple prices that include those options.

Also the poster used 2700+ , the plus implies it could go higher - which as already stated can’t possibly be the US/CAN.

So the question still stands - what country or what source does this price come from. ( For the benefit of other readers who come across this thread

Tom,

For a given display, look at its technical specs and particularly the pixel pitch (mm) which is a good indication of text sharpness. My 32-in LG 32UN880-B has a pixel pitch of 0.18159 x 0.18159 mm and accordingly, at its 4K(3840 x 2160) resolution, the text is razor sharp since it is also an anti-glare, UltraFine display.

I am using it with an M4 Mac Mini Pro (14c20g) with 64 GB RAM and a 1TB internal drive.

WWWH2O wrote:

“The 27" Apple Studio Display is $2700+”

Where in the world do you live that this monitor is going for $2700?

That was a typo.

I meant to type $1600+. I am a touch-typist. If you look at where the number keys are on a regular keyboard, you'll see that the "2" and "7" keys are one key to the right of the "1" and "6" keys, respectively.

Thus an error in finger placement could lead to accidentally typing 27 where one meant to type 16. Because the Forum software does not allow editing posts more than a few minutes old, I cannot go back and fix the typo "in place" now.

You're welcome.

Maybe ask around for a sales associate that has a little more display knowledge.