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

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 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.

Yes. We strongly recommend connecting BenQ monitors to Mac M1/M2 directly via HDMI or Thunderbolt 3 (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.

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.  

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.  

Apple M1/M2 devices with Thunderbolt 3 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. 

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.

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 (or USB-C Alt Mode) compatible monitors. BenQ cannot vouch for the quality or performance of third party adapters.

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

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, there are two limitations in the scenarios listed below: 

1. 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 (USB-C) cable or USB-C to DisplayPort cable when using Display Pilot as part of your workflow.

2. Currently, some Mac devices can’t recognize two individual monitors with the same model name, as it will lead to the mismatch error on the Display Pilot. While we’re working on a possible solution, we suggest you use the monitor OSD menu or the Hotkey Puck to control each monitor as a workaround and not use the Display Pilot when connecting two monitors with the same model name. We will keep our customers informed once a solution becomes available.

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

* M1/M2 does not support multiple monitors

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

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. 

PME (Palette Master Element) and PCS (Paper Color Sync) both support M1/M2 devices via Rosetta 2, so users will need to install Rosetta 2 if not installed yet. This does not affect normal usage.