The LG 27UK850 is a powerful workhorse that complements the 2018 Mac mini. Plus, because it's been around for a while, the monitor is now available at a price that's much more economical than before.

With four Thunderbolt 3 ports built-in, Mac mini (2018) supports an HDMI display along with two 4K displays or one 5K display.

Our pick

LG 27UK850

Internals suited for everyone, big and small.

The LG 27UK850 offers a 4K resolution, a plethora of ports, and excellent color reproduction in a slim-bezel design. If you're looking for a high-quality monitor to go with your new Apple device, this is the one to get.

Who should buy this

This LG monitor is most suited for gamers, photographers, graphic designers, and anyone who's looking for highly accurate color on their computer monitor. At the heart of this machine is its HDR Effect which transforms non-HDR content into high-quality videos that look like HDR thanks to a picture quality algorithm.

Thanks to the monitor's USB Type-C ports, you can view 4K video, transfer data, and charge your laptop or mobile device using the same cable, thereby reducing cord clutter.

Is it a good time to buy this monitor?

This monitor was first introduced in January 2018, which means it's no longer the 'coolest' kid on the block. It's because of this its price is starting to fall and should continue to do so in the coming months. Look to Amazon and LG for the best deals on LG monitors overall.

Reasons to buy

• AMD FreeSync Technology
• HDR10 compatible
• Virtually borderless
• Versatile design
• 24p cadence support

Reasons not to buy

• 60Hz refresh limit
• Image adjustments not possible in HDR mode
• Still pricey for many

Much to love

The LG 27UK850-W 27-inch IPS panel offers accurate, consistent, and vibrant colors for gamers and professionals alike. With its 4K UHD resolution, it provides over 8 million pixels with a high pixel density of 163 pixels per inch. Additionally, it supports 10-bit color depth using 8-Bit and FRC. With more than 99 percent coverage of the sRGB color gamut, the LG 27UK850 provides highly accurate color every time it's turned on.

For gamers, you can quickly optimize monitor settings to activate its Black Stabilizer tool for dark scenes. Meanwhile, it's Dynamic Action Sync feature offers smooth, fluid gaming action. The monitor isn't just suited for game consoles; users of streaming services and Blu-ray players should also be impressed.

As a professional display, the LG 27UK850 does an excellent job at its price point, as it offers both Ultra HD and HDR10. There are four different HDR modes, including HDR Vivid, HDR Standard, HDR Game, and HDR Cinema.

For gamers, you can quickly optimize monitor settings to activate its Black Stabilizer tool for dark scenes. Meanwhile, it's Dynamic Action Sync feature offers smooth, fluid gaming action.

The monitor itself features a satin-finished cast aluminum base with a plastic ArcLine upright with a metal core. It ships with cables for DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB-C, plus a power pack.

LG has been around for over two decades, and it has refined its craft and innovation over the last 10 years, creating display technology coveted and used by other display makers, like Samsung. LG provides premium quality without the platinum price tag you see in other brands. Its products are just as good, but far more affordable.

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Alternatives to the LG 27UK850

LG isn't the only game in town when it comes to monitors for your Mac mini. However, it's still a mighty force when it comes to alternatives to the LG 27UK850.

Go all in

LG UltraFine 5K Display

A powerhouse pick your Mac mini will love

A computer monitor to get if there's no budget and you want the very best.

Made for your Mac with Apple's help, this UltraFine model is a Thunderbolt 3 display that outputs up to 5K resolution. The product features one Thunderbolt 3 port, along with three USB-C ports for connecting additional accessories.

Proper eye care

ASUS Designo MX27UC

Offers reduced eye strain

An alternative not owned by LG, but one you'll appreciate anyway.

The ASUS Designo MX27UC is a near-bezel-less 4K USB-C display built with the company's Eye Care technology, which is meant to reduce eye strain. In addition to USB-C on the back, you've also got a couple of USB-A ports, an audio jack, an HDMI port, and a DisplayPort connection.

Value pick

ASUS ZenScreen

When portability is important, this is the one to consider.

While it's certainly meant to be more of a portable option, there's no real reason you can't use the 15-inch, 1080p ASUS ZenScreen at your desk, especially if you're looking to create a more compact setup. And if you ever decide to take your Mac mini with you somewhere, now you have a monitor that can easily come with you.

Bottom line

We're in love with the LG 27UK850, which we believe is the best monitor you can buy right now for the Mac mini. It provides plenty of impressive features at a suitable price.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Bryan M. Wolfe is a single dad who loves technology, especially anything new from Apple. Thanks for reading. @bryanmwolfe

Joseph Keller is a writer at iMore. He spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS, always trying to find new ways to work on his iPhone and iPad.

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Are you gonna be the very best?

Looking for a DVD drive for your Mac mini? Check these out

If you find yourself looking for a DVD drive for your Mac mini, here are a few options to consider.

By William Gallagher
Friday, December 07, 2018, 10:56 am PT (01:56 pm ET)

Apple neither supplies a monitor with your new Mac mini, nor presently makes one itself that you can use with it. However, plenty of other firms do. AppleInsider looks at displays, and what you need to know to make the right choice for you.


You've got a new 2018 Mac mini and you've plugged in a keyboard, a mouse or trackpad, maybe even a printer too. All you need now is a monitor.
But first, a word —this article is more about narrowing down a monitor choice for the general office user or home user. If precise color is what you need, that is another piece for another day.

First thoughts

Before you even consider what type of monitor you should buy, you need to examine whether you need one at all.
If you're planning to work at your Mac mini all the time, if it's to be your main machine, then you have to have a monitor. If you plan to use the Mac mini as a server and leave it on a shelf somewhere, then you don't. In either of those cases, the decision is easy.

Where it gets harder is when you think that you're going to be half and half. Maybe you expect to be using the Mac mini extensively on the two days a week you're in your office and the rest of the time it's just a server.
If that's the case, just buy yourself a monitor anyway. The inconvenience of borrowing one from another machine or somehow bringing one with you to the office is not worth it. Your time is more valuable than the cost of a display.

Except of course that you can use an iPad as your display on a Mac mini with software for a fair amount of casual use cases. Maybe you carry the iPad around with you most of the week and pop it on top of the Mac mini when you're in your office.
You could use that same iPad or any other device to remotely log in to the Mac mini and work that way from anywhere in the world. As great as that ability is, as much as we use it, it's best for short tasks. You wouldn't edit a Photoshop image over a remote connection.

Next, size

If you've decided you do need a monitor, you're going to need to think about the cost, the resolution and how it will physically connect to your Mac mini.
First, though, you need to choose a size and we're going to do that for you —we like the general size and area of the 27-inch monitor for your Mac mini —assuming you have the desk real estate. You can go smaller and get a 21.5-inch one, but today that feels cramped.

Or you could go far the other way and have a 34, 38- or 43-inch monitor which gently curves like it's going to tap you on the shoulder.
There's no denying that those are very appealing but before you even get to their sobering price, there is the fact that they're all around five times wider than your Mac mini. And Dell's U3818DW 38-inch model, for instance, is typically $969 so it costs more than your Mac mini.
The price isn't just about size, though. Samsung's new CJ79 costs $900 and is a 34-inch model but it comes with Thunderbolt 3 ports, HDMI, USB 3.0 and DisplayPort.
You could compromise and go for a 24-inch model such as the Dell UltraSharp U2415 which sells for around $210.

That has a smaller footprint and overall takes up less room than a wide, curved display but it is a compromise between screen real estate and space on your desk.
Like we said, the better compromise is 27-inches. You get that much more on the screen and the monitor doesn't take up that much more room. You do just need to forget that one of the very best 27-inch monitors comes with an iMac wrapped around it.
There is also the 27-inch BenQ PD2710QC for around $550 or the Asus Designo MX27UC for around $525.

Make a resolution

Today you can get monitors that display in 5K resolution, 4K resolution and sundry lesser ones you probably shouldn't think about buying new. You may be able to get a cheap deal on a display that's less than 4K it would take some effort and the savings wouldn't be great. Certainly not great enough to make up for the hours you'll spend staring at it.

Similarly, you could get an deal on a 5K display. Officially, Apple only sells one type of monitor and it doesn't make any. At the Apple Store and select third-party retailers, you will find the LG UltraFine 5K display, which retails for $1,299.99. As with all monitors, prices vary hugely but you can also get that same display on Amazon for less.
As a bonus, both of the LG monitors have the same DPI as your MacBook Pro does. The rest, with a 4K panel in about 27 inches comes in at around 165ppi. This is still pretty sharp and clear, but if you have a Retina MacBook Pro open next to it, you can tell the difference.
There is nothing wrong with spending money to get what you need. In fact, buying something inadequate for your work is far more of a waste of money. Nonetheless, if you are not totally certain that you need a 5K monitor, you don't, and it probably isn't worth the investment at this time.

What works

The Mac mini takes monitors with various different connectors and resolutions. You can get adaptors to make the machine take more types of connector but out of the box, it's ready for Thunderbolt 3 and anything you can connect through USB-C, meaning DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, and HDMI with an inexpensive cable.

There are many jobs where you need the fastest connection specification, the greatest color gamut and the widest screen. There are also many jobs where you'd like that. Yet for the majority of us doing the majority of work we do, all that matters is whether the monitor will work when you connect it to a 2018 Mac mini.
If the monitor is sold as Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, HDMI, or DisplayPort, you're in luck.
You're not exactly out of luck if the monitor needs a VGA connection, though, as you'd just need to buy an adapter. A VGA connection means a VGA monitor, though, and your Mac mini is capable of so much better.

Think of the future

Your Mac mini can't be upgraded very much. You can only add RAM and then only a certain amount. Your monitor, on the other hand, can't be upgraded at all.
It's true that you could eventually sideline it. You could buy a second or even third monitor and have one of those be your main display with the others to the side. The Mac mini can support up to three displays at a time if two of them are USB-C and the third is HDMI.
Take your time choosing the right display, though, and the combination of that plus the Mac mini is going to be superb. You make your choice and then you have to live with looking at it for many hours a day.
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