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How Can I Connect a Mac® M1/M2 to BenQ Monitors? [Updated]

Are BenQ monitors compatible with Apple Mac M1/M2?

2023/05/31

Since Apple began to incorporate their proprietary M1/M2 chip design into their products, we at BenQ have received a significant number of inquiries and questions concerning the compatibility of our monitors with these new M1 and M2 based apple products. People are wondered about connectivity between an M1 and M2 based Mac devices and their BenQ monitors and the different ways that can be accomplished. We're here to discuss the most frequently asked questions about connected your M1 and M2 based Mac devices to your favorite BenQ design or photo editing monitor.

 

If you'd like to explore available Mac monitors click here:

BenQ Mac Compatible Monitors

If you are unable to find an answer to your question and would like assistance with your BenQ product - please reach out to us at BenQ Support. Set up a quick live chat and get your questions answered right away.

 

Table of Contents
a man using a mac pro M1 connecting with a BenQ PD monitor for designer work

Do BenQ monitors work with Mac M1/M2?

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

BenQ has a series of monitors that support M1 and M2 based Mac Mini and MacBook Pro laptops, so you can select one of those to achieve the connectivity you need.

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Why is my BenQ monitor locked at 4K 30Hz/2K 60Hz or not showing 4K 60Hz/2K 144Hz when connected to a Mac M1/M2?

EW2780U

The new M1/M2 CPU platform from Apple may cause the resolution and refresh rate to be limited to 4K 30Hz when connected via USB-C. In order to fix this compatibility issue, new firmware was released for the monitor, so please make sure to update. Other connections such as DisplayPort and HDMI do not have this issue.  

EW3280U

Again, the resolution and refresh rate being limited to 4K 30Hz results from a compatibility issue limited to USB-C when connected to an M1 and M2 based device. A new firmware version is available to resolve this issue, which doesn't affect DisplayPort and HDMI.  

PD3220U/PD2720U/PD2725U

Apple M1/M2 devices with Thunderbolt 3/4 connections to monitors may exhibit a resolution and refresh rate lock to 4K 30Hz. Make sure you have MacOS 11.5 or a later version installed with all the newest updates to resolve this issue, which is caused by an out of date operating system version. 

EX2780Q

The new M1/M2 CPU platform from Apple may cause the resolution and refresh rate to be limited to QHD 60Hz when connected via DisplayPort and USB-C. In order to fix this compatibility issue, new firmware was released. Other connections such as HDMI do not have this issue. 

If there's any further question concerning this issue, please contact BenQ Support.

My BenQ monitor doesn’t support USB-C. Can it connect to an M1/M2 MacBook® via a Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB-C) to DisplayPort or HDMI adapter?

If your BenQ monitor uses HDMI, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort for video input, it will work with any properly-certified and made USB-C to DisplayPort or HDMI adapters. But in order to get the best experience, we suggest you buy Thunderbolt 3/4 (or USB-C Alt Mode) compatible monitors. BenQ cannot vouch for the quality or performance of third party adapters.

What cables provide the best performance for Mac M1/M2?

We recommend connecting your monitor directly to Mac M1/M2 via Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB-C) or HDMI to ensure the best performance. Make sure your monitors support either of these connection types.

Are Palette Master Ultimate (PMU) and Palette Master Element (PME) supported on Apple M1/M2

Yes, both the newly-released PMU and PME work on Apple M1/M2 devices via Rosetta 2. Download the latest PMU and PMEversions from our official site. 

Is Paper Color Sync (PCS) supported on Apple M1/M2?

We've released a new version of PCS to support the M1/M2 platform via Rosetta 2. Please download the latest version from the BenQ website.

Is Display Pilot supported on Apple M1/M2?

 

BenQ DesignVue PD series designer monitors currently support the Apple M1 and M2 based devices natively when using our Display Pilot software with version 1.0.9.5 or later. However, Some Mac devices cannot sync with our PD series monitors when using the HDMI port. Thus, we recommend connecting the monitor via the Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB-C) cable or USB-C to DisplayPort cable when using Display Pilot as part of your workflow.

The table below shows detailed information about the compatibility of DisplayPilot and different Mac devices. 

 

  Mac Mini MacBook Air MacBook Pro Mac Studio
 
Chip
Mac Mini
Intel
MacBook Air
M1
MacBook Pro
Intel
Mac Studio
M1/M2
TitleText
Intel
TitleText
M1/M2
TitleText
M1 Pro
TitleText
M1 Max
TitleText
M1 Max
TitleText
M1 Ultra
 
Display Pilot Compatibility
Mac Mini
using Thunderbolt 3/4/USB-C
MacBook Air
Y
MacBook Pro
Y
Mac Studio
Y
TitleText
Y
TitleText
Y
TitleText
Y
TitleText
Y
TitleText
Y
TitleText
Y
TitleText
Y
 
using HDMI
Mac Mini
N
MacBook Air
N
MacBook Pro
Y
Mac Studio
N
TitleText
Y
TitleText
N
TitleText
N
TitleText
N
TitleText
N
TitleText
N

Please download the latest version of Display Pilot and other drivers & software here: Download.

Do I need to use Rosetta or Rosetta 2 on Apple M1/M2 devices with support for BenQ software?

Display Pilot: When using the latest Display Pilot version, BenQ DesignVue PD series monitors natively support the Apple M1/M2 platform and do not require the installation of Rosetta virtualization and emulation software. 

 

PMU (Palette Master Ultimate), PME (Palette Master Element), and PCS (Paper Color Sync) all work on Apple M1/M2 devices via Rosetta 2. Please do install Rosetta 2 if you haven’t done so yet. Beyond enabling wider software compatibility, Rosetta 2 doesn’t affect usage or cause any conflicts. 

Mac® and MacBook® are trademarks of Apple Inc.

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