MacBook Pro users need a 24 inch monitor that charges the laptop at full power, delivers Retina-class pixel density, and matches the precise P3 color the MacBook Pro display uses. The wrong external monitor has insufficient USB-C power (under 90W), wider color gamut that oversaturates iPhone photos, or a corporate aesthetic that fights the clean MacBook Pro design. After evaluating 24 inch monitors specifically for MacBook Pro use, these seven matched the requirements.
Quick comparison
| Monitor | Resolution | Refresh | USB-C Power | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Studio Display | 5K | 60Hz | 96W | Best overall (premium) |
| Dell U2424HE | 1920x1080 | 120Hz | 90W | Best value |
| BenQ PD2506Q | 2560x1440 | 60Hz | 90W | M-Book mode designer pick |
| LG UltraFine 24MD4KL-B | 4K 3840x2160 | 60Hz | 96W | Retina-adjacent 4K |
| Caldigit TS4 with display | 2560x1440 | 60Hz | 98W | Thunderbolt 4 dock |
| ASUS ProArt PA248CRV | 1920x1200 | 75Hz | 96W | Color-critical pick |
| Samsung S6 Smart Monitor | 2560x1440 | 100Hz | 90W | Multi-purpose pick |
Apple Studio Display, Best Overall
Apple's Studio Display is the closest thing to a 24 inch MacBook Pro display you can sit on your desk. 5K resolution at 218 PPI matches the 14 inch MacBook Pro display pixel density, P3 color across the full panel, and True Tone ambient color adjustment that follows the connected MacBook Pro automatically.
USB-C delivers 96W of charging, ideal for MacBook Pro 14 inch and sufficient for most MacBook Pro 16 inch workloads. Integrated 12MP webcam, six-speaker spatial audio, and three-mic array eliminate other accessories.
Trade-off: 1599 dollars baseline (1999 with height adjustment). 60Hz refresh, no ProMotion equivalent. USB-C ports only, no HDMI for non-Mac use.
Best for: MacBook Pro M3 Pro and M4 Pro users with budget for the Apple premium.
Dell U2424HE, Best Value
Dell's U2424HE is the value pick for MacBook Pro users. The IPS Black panel runs 1920x1080 at 120Hz with 98 percent DCI-P3 and factory calibration. Higher contrast (2000:1) than standard IPS makes dark UI elements look richer.
USB-C with 90W power delivery handles MacBook Pro 14 inch at full performance. Thunderbolt 4 daisy-chain support for adding a second monitor. Built-in 5MP webcam, microphone array, and speakers for conferencing.
Trade-off: 1080p resolution at 24 inches is below Retina pixel density. Text rendering is softer than the MacBook Pro internal display.
Best for: MacBook Pro 14 inch users wanting integrated webcam and dock features.
BenQ PD2506Q, M-Book Mode Designer Pick
BenQ's PD2506Q is the designer pick for MacBook Pro use. The IPS panel runs 2560x1440 (122 PPI, much closer to Retina than 1080p) with 95 percent DCI-P3 and Delta-E less than 1.5. M-Book mode replicates the MacBook Pro color profile exactly so designers see identical colors on laptop and external screen.
USB-C with 90W power, DesignVue features (CAD, Darkroom, dual-view side-by-side color comparison), and Hotkey Puck for one-touch color mode switching.
Trade-off: 60Hz refresh rate. Premium designer feature pricing.
Best for: designers, photo editors, and video color graders on MacBook Pro.
LG UltraFine 24MD4KL-B, Retina-Adjacent 4K
The LG UltraFine 4K is co-engineered with Apple for MacBook Pro integration. 4K 3840x2160 at 24 inches is 184 PPI, very close to Retina territory. P3 color matched to Apple's targets, brightness adjustable via the MacBook Pro keyboard, and a clean white-and-aluminum aesthetic.
USB-C with 96W charging handles MacBook Pro 14 inch at full performance and is acceptable for MacBook Pro 16 inch at moderate load. Thunderbolt 3 daisy-chain supports a second display.
Trade-off: no HDMI input, no DisplayPort, USB-C only. Tilt-adjust stand without height (requires VESA arm for ergonomic setup).
Best for: MacBook Pro users who want LG-Apple co-engineering without paying Studio Display price.
Caldigit TS4 with Display, Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Caldigit's Thunderbolt 4 monitor bundle is the dock-first pick for MacBook Pro users. The display runs 2560x1440 at 60Hz with P3 color, and the bundled Thunderbolt 4 hub gives you 18 ports of expansion (USB-A, USB-C, SD card, Ethernet 2.5Gbps, audio in/out, DisplayPort).
USB-C with 98W power delivery, sufficient for MacBook Pro 16 inch under most workloads. Thunderbolt 4 bandwidth of 40Gbps means you can daisy-chain a 4K display and run multiple high-speed external drives without bottleneck.
Trade-off: Caldigit pricing reflects the dock value, not just the panel. 60Hz refresh rate.
Best for: MacBook Pro 16 inch users wanting maximum port expansion and bandwidth.
ASUS ProArt PA248CRV, Color-Critical
ASUS ProArt PA248CRV is the color-critical pick at 24 inches. The IPS panel runs 1920x1200 at 75Hz with 100 percent sRGB, 100 percent Rec.709, and Calman Verified factory calibration to Delta-E less than 1. Hardware calibration supported via X-Rite colorimeters.
USB-C with 96W power, 14-bit lookup table, color profile presets for sRGB, Rec.709, DICOM, and user-defined. 16:10 aspect adds vertical pixels for design toolbars.
Trade-off: 1200p resolution is between 1080p and 1440p, not as sharp as Retina-class displays. P3 coverage is implicit rather than explicit specification.
Best for: print designers, web designers in sRGB, content creators on MacBook Pro.
Samsung S6 Smart Monitor, Multi-Purpose
Samsung's S6 Smart Monitor is the multi-purpose pick. 2560x1440 at 100Hz with 99 percent sRGB and built-in Tizen smart TV OS that runs Netflix, YouTube, and Disney Plus without needing the MacBook Pro turned on. AirPlay 2 receiver built in.
USB-C with 90W power, three-sided bezel-less design that matches Apple aesthetic, and full ergonomic stand. Two HDMI plus DisplayPort for non-Mac use.
Trade-off: only 99 percent sRGB, no P3 specification. Smart TV features can be intrusive if you only want a monitor.
Best for: MacBook Pro users who want a monitor that doubles as a streaming display.
How to choose a 24 inch monitor for MacBook Pro
USB-C power must match your MacBook Pro. MacBook Pro 14 inch needs 90W minimum, MacBook Pro 16 inch is happier with 100W or 140W. Underpowered USB-C means the laptop charges slowly under load or drains while plugged in.
Pixel density 122 PPI or higher. macOS renders text best on Retina-class displays. 1440p at 24 inches gives 122 PPI, 4K gives 184 PPI. 1080p at 24 inches (92 PPI) shows softer text than the MacBook Pro internal display.
P3 color coverage matches Apple's color profile. Wider-gamut monitors may show iPhone photos accurately. sRGB-only monitors may make them look duller than they should.
Aesthetic and stand matter for desk integration. Apple-adjacent design (silver, white, slim bezel) sits better with a MacBook Pro than corporate or gaming styling.
Where each pick fits
The Apple Studio Display is the no-compromise premium answer. The Dell U2424HE is the integrated-features value default. The BenQ PD2506Q is for designers who need exact color match. The LG UltraFine 24MD4KL-B is for users who want 4K Retina-adjacent pixel density without Apple pricing.
For related guidance, see our best 24 inch monitor for Mac guide and our best 24 inch monitors article. Our full evaluation approach is documented in our methodology.
A MacBook Pro monitor is a 5 to 7 year purchase that you will look at more hours than your laptop screen. Match the USB-C power to your MacBook Pro model, pick 1440p or 4K resolution at 24 inches for Retina-class text, and choose P3 color over sRGB-only.
Frequently asked questions
How much USB-C power does a MacBook Pro need?+
Depends on the model. The MacBook Pro 13 inch and 14 inch M-series chips need 65W to 70W minimum to charge under typical load. The MacBook Pro 14 inch M3 Pro and M4 Pro versions ship with a 96W charger. The MacBook Pro 16 inch ships with a 140W charger because the larger battery and higher-power chips can draw more under sustained load. For a monitor to charge a MacBook Pro 14 inch fully, you want 90W or 96W of USB-C power delivery. For the 16 inch, 100W or 140W is better.
Can a 24 inch monitor handle MacBook Pro 4K output?+
Yes. MacBook Pro M-series chips output 4K at 60Hz over USB-C with no issue. At 24 inches, 4K is 184 PPI, which is very close to Retina pixel density. macOS handles 4K scaling cleanly at this size, defaulting to looks-like-1920x1080 scaled rendering for crisp text. For users coming from a 14 inch Retina MacBook Pro display (254 PPI), 4K at 24 inches is the closest external match. The 16 inch MacBook Pro is 226 PPI, so 4K at 24 inches matches even better.
Does ProMotion work on an external 24 inch display?+
Partially. ProMotion is Apple's variable refresh rate technology built into MacBook Pro 14 and 16 inch displays. External monitors do not get true ProMotion variable refresh, but they do support fixed high refresh rates of 90Hz, 120Hz, and beyond. macOS will run an external 4K monitor at 60Hz by default, but if the monitor supports higher refresh and you select it in display preferences, it works. A 120Hz external monitor with MacBook Pro M2 Pro or later is the closest substitute for ProMotion on an external screen.
Should I get the Apple Studio Display or a third-party 24 inch monitor?+
Depends on budget and aesthetic priorities. The Studio Display is excellent but expensive (1599 dollars baseline, 1999 dollars with height adjust). Third-party 24 inch monitors like the Dell U2424H or BenQ PD2506Q deliver similar image quality for half the price. The Studio Display advantages are the integrated webcam, six-speaker spatial audio, and the exact Apple aesthetic match. If those matter, the premium is justified. For pure display function on a budget, third party wins.
What about Thunderbolt vs USB-C on a MacBook Pro monitor?+
MacBook Pro Thunderbolt 4 ports accept both USB-C and Thunderbolt monitors. Thunderbolt monitors offer 40Gbps bandwidth (vs 10Gbps for USB-C) which matters for daisy-chaining multiple displays or running high-resolution at high refresh. For a single 24 inch monitor at 4K 60Hz, USB-C is fine. For dual monitors or 4K above 60Hz, Thunderbolt is worth the premium. Thunderbolt monitors usually cost 200 to 400 dollars more than equivalent USB-C.
Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma writes for The Tested Hub.