display for mac mini

It's not a silver bullet reply I'm afraid. But more general advice.

For a screen of that size you want a native resolution of 1920x1080 as a minimum if you're going to be reading on it a lot. I'd also consider a matt coated screen rather than glossy.

Next is a trip to you're local store to try a few. Big stores aren't ideal conditions but it will give you a 'feel' for what works for you and what doesn't.

Once you have a shortlist feel free to post back here if you want more specific info on those you've tried

Thanks Mrplow for your suggestion.

Don't know your budget but will assume lower end.

1. Lenovo Thinkvision 22''

You will need this Mini Displayport to Displayportcable

2. Acer 22''

You will need this DVI to HDMI cable

The Lenovo is a more sophisticated monitor overall. You will note both of these monitors require adaptors. Why? They are older 16:10 resolution monitors. 16:10 provides more horizontal pixels, which means more space for your text and documents. Ideally, you would get 1920x1200 (or higher) but the few monitors that exist at these resolutions are quite expensive!

If you desire to go with a standard 16:9 1080p monitor (overall the resolution is higher than the two above) you can have your pick of the litter and prices range from lower than the Acer I have linked here to more expensive than the Lenovo I have linked.

16:10 is also the resolution used by most MacBooks save the 11'' Macbook Air. I think it looks better on a computer display and one of my great complaints about monitor tech is that everyone transitioned to using the same 16:9 displays that televisions have.

Thanks for that, Algus. Budget is not the major concern. I am ready to spend a few extra bucks than buying a monitor that will be a pain to look at. I read somewhere that IPS monitors put less strain on the eyes. Is that correct?

The second post on this thread has one of the best write-ups on IPS/eye strain/etc that I have ever read. The short answer is: basically, yes.

If you are willing to go up to a 24'' monitor, there are lots of good 1920x1200 choices. I love this Asus 24''. It supports HDMI natively so you don't need an adapter. It's an IPS display with a great contrast ratio (basically colors are more vivid on it). Very good monitor for the money.

Thanks indeed. I did read that write up on IPS panels.
What do you think of the below-mentioned monitors? Anyone familiar with these? I hope I am not too demanding with my questions.
1. AOC 21.5 inch LED Backlit LCD - i2267Fwh Monitor
2. Dell S2240L 21.5 inch LED Backlit LCD Monitor
3. Viewsonic 21.5 inch LED Backlit LCD - VX2270s Monitor

The first one has the best contrast ratio, so it should provide the most vivid color reproduction of the three. The smaller you go on your monitor, the further your resolution will take you for PPI (pixels per inch...basically smaller screens need less pixels to achieve what Apple terms "retina" display) so text on a 21.5'' 1080p monitor can potentially be more vivid than on say the 22'' and 24'' monitors I linked.

Two areas to check to gauge the performance of a monitor are response time (lower is better) and Dynamic Contrast Ratio (higher is better). Brightness also matters to some but for me I find most monitors tend to provide enough brightness. I suppose it depend on your eyes.

Many of these low-end 21.5'' screens are fairly reflective or do not otherwise have antiglare coating. I've bought from Photodon before to deal with that. Adding your own antiglare film isn't very difficult and can make or break a monitor depending on how much glare you're getting. They also sell monitor cleaning supplies and other maintenance tools.