Connecting non Apple monitor to Macbook Pro

Question

I'm planning to buy standard 13-inch MacBook Pro (2017) without Touch Bar or Touch ID features; I plan to use this for basic computing task and web development/programming.

Does connecting a monitor to MacBook Pro via display adapter lower the refresh rate, or should I just find a non apple monitor that has thunderbolt port? I don't want to have to deal with any performance issues while coding and compiling or render images/graphics in Adobe CC.

I'm very new to the whole Mac ecosystem, so all advice is appreciated.

Answer 1

Does connecting a monitor to MacBook Pro via display adapter lower the refresh rate,

Not necessarily. It will only do so if you get an adapter/cable that doesn't conform to the latest specifications (i.e. it doesn't support 4K at 60Hz)

The best place to find what the MacBook Pro will support with respect to an external display is directly from Apple:

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:

• One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
• Up to two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors
• Up to two displays with 3840-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors

As for what monitor to get, the best advice is to get one that a) works with you and your workflow and b) has a DisplayPort/mini DisplayPort interface. This way, you don't have to convert from the DisplayPort signal that is natively on your MacBook Pro. All you will need is a USB-C to DisplayPort cable to connect

Answer 2

One comment - IIRC, that macbook only has 2 TB3 ports, so you'll need something that also allows for charging while connecting to 2 external monitors... for example, something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Paheven-Display-JellyFish-Mini-DisplayPort-Charging/dp/B079CBNK8M/