BenQ 4K Monitors for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (2024)

FAQs

Are BenQ monitors compatible with Mac? ›

Do BenQ monitors work with Mac M1/M2/M3? Yes. We strongly recommend connecting BenQ monitors to Mac M1/M2/M3 directly via HDMI or Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB-C) in order to maintain consistent performance.

To connect the display, you need to use the USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 cables BenQ offers or purchase an Apple Thunderbolt cable at the Apple Store.

Supports two displays in any one of these configurations: Two displays up to 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt. One display up to 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, and one display up to 4K at 144Hz over HDMI.

Supports four external displays in any one of these configurations: Four displays up to 6K at 60Hz (or 4K at 144Hz) over Thunderbolt. Three displays up to 6K at 60Hz (or 4K at 144Hz) over Thunderbolt in port group 1, and one display up to 8K at 60Hz (or 4K at 240Hz) over HDMI in port group 2.

Monitors with Thunderbolt support are optimal for Mac computers that support Thunderbolt, too. It provides higher bandwidth and more power than a typical USB-C connection using DisplayPort Alt Mode, but you can still use your Mac computer with any USB-C monitor.

Although most monitors work with your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, some offer a few advantages. Monitors with USB-C ports make it easy to charge your laptop and display an image with the same cable, and while most support DisplayPort Alt Mode, some have the more powerful Thunderbolt, which the MacBook also supports.

Faulty cables (or the wrong cables). Power-saving options in a MacBook preventing it from running an external monitor. Outdated drivers or software for docks. Incorrect settings in your Mac's Display settings, including brightness and resolution.

In Safari on a Mac with the latest version of macOS, compatible content may play in up to 4K HDR. In the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge on a Mac, Windows PC, or Android, compatible content will play in up to 1080p (HD).

Most users find 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) uncomfortable, as the icons and fonts are too small for them. That's why Apple has scaling set up so that even though the image looks like Full HD (1920 x 1080), the monitor receives a 4K quality signal.

Does the MacBook Air have 4K? ›

Video Support

Up to two external 4K displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors.

On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Displays in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) Press and hold the Option key to make the Detect Displays button appear in place of the Night Shift button, then click Detect Displays.

Apple Silicon and Multi-Display Support

For users of the M1, M2, or M3 Pro or Max series chips, there's support for connecting between two or four external monitors through Type-C and HDMI connections. For the standard M1 and M2 chips without any suffix, the connectivity is restricted to just one external monitor.

On MacOS, navigate to System Settings > Displays. From here click Arrange/Arrangement and then uncheck Mirror Displays.

Although most monitors work with your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, some offer a few advantages. Monitors with USB-C ports make it easy to charge your laptop and display an image with the same cable, and while most support DisplayPort Alt Mode, some have the more powerful Thunderbolt, which the MacBook also supports.

The short answer is almost any, with an adapter to connect your Mac's port to the monitor (e.g. you might need a USB-C to HDMI cable). However, with any screen under 4k resolution the issue will be text quality.

It is important to check the ports on your MacBook to determine whether you need an adapter – the MacBook M1 Pro 16” has a built-in Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) port, while the MacBook Air 13” has a Thunderbolt 3 port. This can present an issue if your external monitor only supports a USB-A cable.

Use your display's power cable to connect the display to power. or HDMI port. Different ports might look similar, so it's important to identify the port correctly. If the video cable requires a port that your Mac doesn't have, you might be able to use an adapter with the video cable.