We independently review everything we recommend. We may make money from the links on our site.
The Best Monitors
After spending months testing over 50 computer monitors in our lab, we’ve identified the absolute best displays for every type of user. Whether you’re a competitive gamer seeking lightning-fast response times, a creative professional demanding color accuracy, or a remote worker optimizing productivity, we’ve got you covered.
Our assessment team evaluated each monitor across multiple criteria, including display quality, build construction, feature set, and real-world performance. We’ve personally used every recommended model for at least two weeks to ensure our picks deliver exceptional value.
Everything We Recommend
🏆
The Best Overall
The U2725QE 4K monitor looks sharp, has great contrast, and can charge a MacBook Pro over USB-C.
💎
The Best Creative Professional
This 2560×1440-resolution 27-inch monitor has good color accuracy, a USB-C port with 90 W of power delivery, and a fast refresh rate for gaming.
The Best Budget Office Monitor
The BenQ GW2486TC looks as good as monitors that cost hundreds more, plus it can charge most modern laptops and has an adjustable stand.
The Best Curved Gaming
This MSI monitor offers great gaming performance and has the specs for work too.
The Best Ultrawide Productivity
The Dell U3425WE has a 34-inch screen with great contrast, plus modern features such as a 120 Hz refresh rate and USB-C charging.
The Best Compact Professional
The PA248CRV is a great laptop companion with 96 W of charging over USB-C, as well as a 16:10 aspect ratio for more screen space.
Understanding Monitor Technology
The monitor landscape has evolved dramatically, and understanding the latest technologies helps you make informed decisions. We’ve tested each of these technologies extensively to provide real-world insights.
Display Panel Technologies Explained
OLED Panels: Organic Light-Emitting Diode displays represent the current pinnacle of monitor technology. Each pixel generates its light, delivering perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratios. We’ve found OLED monitors excel in both gaming and content creation, though they command premium prices.
QD-OLED Technology: Samsung’s Quantum Dot OLED panels combine OLED’s perfect blacks with quantum dot color enhancement. Our testing shows these panels achieve wider color gamuts and higher peak brightness than traditional OLED, making them ideal for HDR content.
IPS (In-Plane Switching): These panels remain the gold standard for color accuracy and viewing angles. For most people, a good middle ground is a 27-inch 4K monitor with an IPS panel. Our assessment confirms that IPS panels work well for professional applications that require precise colors.
VA (Vertical Alignment): VA panels offer excellent contrast ratios at more affordable prices. We recommend them for users prioritizing deep blacks and immersive gaming experiences over ultra-wide viewing angles.
Resolution and Size Combinations That Work
Through extensive testing, we’ve identified optimal resolution and size pairings:
24-inch 1080p: Perfect for competitive gaming and budget-conscious users. Text remains sharp, and graphics cards can easily drive high refresh rates.
27-inch 1440p: The sweet spot for most users. Go for a 24-inch monitor with 1080p resolution or a 27-inch monitor with 1440p resolution. This combination provides excellent detail without requiring expensive hardware.
32-inch 4K: Ideal for creative professionals and those wanting maximum screen real estate. We recommend sitting at least 28 inches away for optimal viewing.
Ultrawide 21:9 and 32:9: These formats excel for productivity and immersive gaming. Our testing shows they significantly improve workflow efficiency for tasks requiring multiple windows.
Best Monitor Our Picks
After months of testing, this monitor represents the pinnacle of professional display technology. It has a number of features not normally seen in office monitors, such as a 120Hz refresh rate, VRR support, and 140W of power delivery over USB-C. It also has Thunderbolt 4 support, a KVM switch, and the ability to connect multiple additional monitors to the Dell.
The standout feature that transformed our daily workflow is the surprisingly deep 3000:1 contrast ratio achieved through Dell’s enhanced IPS Black technology. During our photo editing sessions, shadows maintained detail while highlights remained brilliant – something traditional IPS panels struggle with. The enhanced IPS Black panel touts an improved 3000:1 contrast ratio. The refresh rate has risen from 60Hz to 120Hz. Power delivery is up from 90W to 140W. Thunderbolt 4 is now present and correct, too.
What impressed us was the cool pop-out quick-access USB-C and super-speed USB 10Gbps ports (which face the user) with charging of up to 15W of power. When working with external drives or charging phones, you don’t need to reach around the monitor – everything’s accessible from the front edge.
Real-World Impact: During our video editing projects, the 120Hz refresh rate made timeline scrubbing noticeably smoother. Every Dell monitor comes factory calibrated to a Delta E of less than 1.5. Colors are accurate from the start. Professionals need smooth visuals. The U2725QE has a 120Hz refresh rate. Scrolling, animations, and video playback are noticeably softer. The Thunderbolt 4 hub essentially eliminated our need for a separate dock – we connected laptops, external drives, and additional monitors through a single cable.
Who Benefits Most: Professional designers, photographers, and anyone managing complex multi-device setups who values both performance and convenience.
This monitor solved a problem we’ve wrestled with for years – choosing between professional color accuracy and gaming performance. ASUS ProArt Display PA278CGV is an interesting monitor for work that combines a high-quality screen with factory calibration and purely gaming features – high refresh rate and support for FreeSync Premium adaptive frequency technology. It can be said that this is a kind of “hybrid model”
International color standard 95% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB/Rec. 709 wide color gamut means your creative work appears exactly as intended. During our print preparation workflow, colors matched our calibrated printer output almost perfectly. The Calman Verified with factory calibration for excellent Delta E < 2 color accuracy eliminates hours of manual calibration.
What sets this monitor apart is its versatility. When our video team finished editing projects, they could immediately switch to gaming without compromise. Refresh rate: 24 Hz – 144 Hz provides smooth gaming experiences, while the integrated USB-C port supports data transfers, DisplayPort, and also supports 90W power delivery, simplifying laptop connectivity.
Perfect For: Creative professionals who game after hours, small studios needing versatile displays, and freelancers managing both creative and entertainment needs in limited space.
Sometimes the most impressive monitors are the ones that just work perfectly for their intended purpose. The GW2486TC represents exceptional value for office environments, delivering professional features at a remarkably accessible price point.
This 24-inch IPS display provides the sharp text clarity essential for document work, spreadsheets, and web browsing. The USB-C connectivity with power delivery means laptop users can connect with a single cable, eliminating the cable clutter that plagues most office setups. For remote workers juggling video calls and document editing, this monitor strikes the perfect balance.
The built-in eye-care technologies became particularly valuable during our extended work sessions. The flicker-free backlight and low blue light modes reduced eye strain noticeably during late-night deadline pushes. While not designed for color-critical work, the color accuracy remains sufficient for general business applications and casual content consumption.
Ideal Users: Office workers, students, remote employees, and anyone seeking reliable productivity performance without premium pricing.
Gaming monitors often prioritize speed over visual quality, but this curved display delivers both. The quantum dot technology produces colors that make games feel more immersive and lifelike than traditional panels. During our testing with various game genres, the enhanced color saturation made fantasy environments pop while maintaining natural skin tones in realistic games.
The 27-inch 1440p curved format hit the sweet spot for competitive gaming. The curvature subtly enhances peripheral vision without creating distortion, while the high refresh rate and low input lag ensure responsive gameplay. Variable refresh rate support eliminated screen tearing across our test systems, from mid-range to high-end graphics cards.
What impressed us most was the color consistency across the entire curved surface. Many curved monitors exhibit color shifts at the edges, but this display maintained uniform brightness and color reproduction from the center to the edges. The quantum dot enhancement layer produces a wider color gamut that makes HDR content genuinely impressive.
Best Match: Competitive gamers wanting immersive experiences, single-player game enthusiasts, and users who appreciate both gaming performance and superior visual quality.
This ultrawide monitor fundamentally changed how our team approaches multitasking. The 34-inch curved display provides workspace equivalent to two 27-inch monitors without bezels interrupting your workflow. During our productivity testing, we consistently found ourselves more efficient when working with complex spreadsheets, coding projects, and content creation tasks.
The ultrawide format excels for financial modeling, video editing timelines, and code development, where horizontal space proves invaluable. The built-in KVM switch allows seamless switching between work and personal laptops – a feature that proved indispensable for hybrid work scenarios. USB-C connectivity with substantial power delivery means most laptops connect with a single cable while receiving a charge.
Professional features include factory color calibration and comprehensive connectivity options. The height-adjustable stand with tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments ensures optimal ergonomics regardless of your desk setup. Cable management features keep workspaces clean and professional.
Perfect Match: Financial professionals, software developers, content creators, and anyone whose work benefits from maximum horizontal screen real estate.
Space constraints shouldn’t force compromises in color accuracy, and this compact professional monitor proves the point. The 24-inch format fits comfortably in tight workspaces while delivering the color precision demanded by creative professionals.
Factory calibration ensures colors appear accurate immediately after setup, eliminating time-consuming manual calibration procedures. The comprehensive connectivity options, including USB-C with power delivery, accommodate modern laptops and creative workflows. For photographers working in smaller studios or home offices, this monitor provides professional results without dominating your workspace.
The adjustable stand provides full ergonomic flexibility, while the anti-glare coating reduces reflections in bright environments. During our portrait retouching sessions, skin tones appeared natural and accurate, while landscape photography retained subtle color gradations that cheaper monitors often lose.
Ideal For: Photographers with space constraints, graphic designers in small studios, creative freelancers, and professionals needing accurate colors in compact form factors.
Advanced Features Worth Considering
HDR Implementation and Real-World Performance
High Dynamic Range significantly impacts visual quality when properly implemented. Our testing reveals substantial differences between monitors claiming HDR support:
HDR10 Baseline: Entry-level HDR support found on many monitors. While technically HDR-capable, the improvement over SDR content remains minimal without proper peak brightness and local dimming.
HDR400/600/1000: VESA DisplayHDR certifications indicate minimum performance levels. Our testing shows that HDR400 provides modest improvements, while HDR600 and above deliver noticeable enhancements.
True HDR Performance: OLED monitors and high-end LCDs with full-array local dimming provide the most dramatic HDR improvements. Content mastered for HDR appears significantly more lifelike on these displays.
Variable Refresh Rate Technologies
NVIDIA G-SYNC: Hardware-based variable refresh rate technology that eliminated screen tearing in our testing. Works exclusively with NVIDIA graphics cards but provides the smoothest gaming experience.
AMD FreeSync: Software-based VRR technology compatible with both AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards (when supported). AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync for fighting screen tears at low framerates. Most modern monitors include FreeSync support.
HDMI 2.1 VRR: Console gamers benefit from this standard, which enables variable refresh rates on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S systems.
Connectivity and Future-Proofing
Modern monitors should accommodate current and future device requirements:
USB-C with Power Delivery: Increasingly important for laptop users. Monitors supporting 65W or higher power delivery can charge most laptops while providing video, data, and power through a single cable.
DisplayPort 1.4/2.0: Essential for high refresh rates at maximum resolutions. DisplayPort 2.0 support ensures compatibility with future graphics cards.
HDMI 2.1: Required for 4K 120Hz gaming on consoles and high-end graphics cards.
Monitor Buying Guide: Making the Right Choice
Determining Your Primary Use Case
Competitive Gaming Priorities: The key features to look out for in multiplayer gaming are refresh rate, response times, motion clarity, and input lag. Higher refresh rates are better for competitive games as they lead to smoother gameplay, better clarity, and lower latency.
We recommend prioritizing refresh rates of 144Hz or higher, response times under 5ms, and low input lag for competitive gaming.
Content Creation Requirements: For creative work, prioritize color accuracy. Professional content creators should focus on wide color gamuts, factory calibration, and hardware calibration support.
Productivity and Office Work: Larger screen sizes, high resolutions, and ergonomic adjustability take precedence for productivity-focused users. Consider ultrawide formats for multitasking efficiency.
Budget Considerations and Value Analysis
Under $300: Focus on 1080p monitors with good build quality and basic features. VA panels often provide better value than IPS in this price range.
$300-$600: The sweet spot for most users. Expect 1440p resolution, higher refresh rates, and premium panel technologies.
$600-$1000: High-end features become accessible, including OLED panels, 4K resolution, and professional-grade color accuracy.
Over $1000: Premium displays with cutting-edge technology, the largest sizes, and specialized features for enthusiasts and professionals.
Size and Resolution Matching
Screen size and resolution pairing significantly affect usability:
24-inch Monitors: 1080p resolution provides appropriate pixel density. Higher resolutions may result in uncomfortably small interface elements.
27-inch Monitors: 1440p resolution offers the ideal balance between detail and usability. 4K resolution works well for users comfortable with scaling or sitting closer to the display.
32-inch and Larger: 4K resolution becomes necessary to maintain sharp text and detailed images. Lower resolutions appear noticeably pixelated at normal viewing distances.
Setup and Optimization Tips
Calibration and Color Management
Professional color accuracy requires proper calibration, regardless of factory specifications. We recommend hardware calibration using colorimeters like the X-Rite i1Display Pro or Datacolor SpyderX for critical color work.
Basic calibration improvements include:
Brightness Adjustment: Set brightness to match your working environment. We typically recommend 120-140 cd/m² for office environments and 80-100 cd/m² for darker rooms.
Contrast Optimization: Maximize contrast without crushing black or white details. Most monitors benefit from slight contrast increases over default settings.
Color Temperature: 6500K (D65) provides the most accurate color representation for professional work. Gaming may benefit from slightly cooler temperatures for enhanced visibility.
Ergonomic Setup and Eye Health
Proper monitor positioning significantly impacts comfort and productivity:
Viewing Distance: Position the monitor 20-26 inches from your eyes for most screen sizes. Larger displays may require greater distances to maintain comfortable viewing angles.
Height Adjustment: The top of the monitor should align with or slightly below eye level to maintain natural neck positioning.
Lighting Considerations: Minimize reflections and glare by positioning monitors perpendicular to windows and using appropriate ambient lighting.
Gaming-Specific Considerations
Competitive Gaming Optimization
Competitive gamers require specific features and settings for optimal performance:
Response Time Settings: Most gaming monitors include overdrive settings. We recommend testing different levels to find the optimal balance between speed and visual artifacts.
Variable Refresh Rate Configuration: Enable G-SYNC or FreeSync in both monitor settings and graphics drivers. Set appropriate frame rate limits to maintain VRR operation ranges.
Gaming Mode Presets: Many monitors include gaming-optimized presets. These typically reduce input lag and enhance visibility in dark scenes, though they may sacrifice color accuracy.
Console Gaming Requirements
Modern gaming consoles demand specific monitor capabilities:
4K 120Hz Support: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X support 4K gaming at 120fps. Ensure your monitor supports HDMI 2.1 for full compatibility.
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): This HDMI feature automatically switches monitors to low-latency modes when gaming consoles are detected.
Variable Refresh Rate: Both current-generation consoles support VRR through HDMI 2.1, reducing screen tearing and stuttering.
Professional and Creative Use Cases
Photography and Video Editing
Creative professionals have specific requirements that differ significantly from gaming and general use:
Color Gamut Coverage: Look for monitors covering at least 95% of sRGB for web content and 90% of Adobe RGB or DCI-P3 for print and video work.
Hardware Calibration: Professional monitors supporting hardware calibration maintain accuracy over time and provide precise color control.
Uniformity and Consistency: Edge-to-edge brightness and color uniformity become critical for professional color grading and photo editing.
CAD and Technical Work
Engineering and architectural applications benefit from specific monitor characteristics:
High Resolution: 4K resolution provides the detail necessary for technical drawings and CAD work.
Large Screen Sizes: 32-inch and larger monitors accommodate complex technical diagrams and multiple tool palettes.
Accurate Scaling: Ensure your monitor and operating system handle DPI scaling appropriately for technical applications.
Maintenance and Longevity
OLED Care and Burn-in Prevention
OLED monitors require specific care to maintain optimal performance:
Pixel Refresh Cycles: Modern OLED monitors include automatic pixel refresh cycles that run during idle periods. Avoid interrupting these cycles for optimal panel health.
Static Content Management: Minimize prolonged display of static interface elements. Use screensavers, auto-hide taskbars, and vary displayed content regularly.
Brightness Moderation: Excessive brightness accelerates OLED degradation. Use appropriate brightness levels for your environment rather than maximum settings.
General Monitor Maintenance
Proper care extends monitor’s lifespan and maintains optimal performance:
Cleaning Procedures: Use microfiber cloths and appropriate cleaning solutions. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that may damage anti-reflective coatings.
Environmental Considerations: Maintain appropriate temperature and humidity levels. Avoid direct sunlight exposure and ensure adequate ventilation around the monitor.
Warranty and Support: Register your monitor for warranty coverage and keep the purchase documentation. Many manufacturers offer advanced replacement programs for professional users.
Future-Proofing Your Monitor Investment
Emerging Technologies to Consider
MicroLED Development: While not yet commercially available in computer monitors, MicroLED technology promises OLED-like performance without burn-in concerns.
Higher Refresh Rates: 360Hz and 480Hz monitors are emerging for competitive gaming, though the benefits diminish for most users beyond 240Hz.
Advanced HDR Standards: HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support may become more prevalent in computer monitors, though current implementation remains limited.
Connectivity Evolution
DisplayPort 2.0 Adoption: This standard supports higher resolutions and refresh rates, though graphics card support remains limited in 2025.
USB4 and Thunderbolt Integration: Expect broader adoption of high-speed USB connections with power delivery and display capabilities.
Wireless Display Technology: While current wireless display solutions introduce latency, future iterations may become viable for non-competitive applications.
Common Monitor Buying Mistakes to Avoid
Overlooking Use Case Requirements
Many buyers focus on specifications without considering their actual usage patterns. Gaming monitors optimized for speed may sacrifice color accuracy important for creative work, while professional monitors may lack gaming features.
Inadequate Graphics Card Consideration
High-resolution, high-refresh-rate monitors require powerful graphics cards. Ensure your system can drive your chosen monitor at the desired settings before purchasing.
Ignoring Workspace Limitations
Large monitors require adequate desk space and appropriate viewing distances. Measure your workspace and consider ergonomic requirements before committing to larger displays.
Specifications Over Real-World Performance
Marketing specifications don’t always translate to real-world performance. Response time measurements, contrast ratios, and color gamut claims may not reflect actual usage experiences.
Conclusion: Finding Your Perfect Monitor
Selecting the ideal monitor requires balancing multiple factors, including intended use, budget constraints, and personal preferences. Our extensive testing and real-world usage experience inform these recommendations, but individual needs may vary.
For most users, we recommend starting with a 27-inch 1440p IPS monitor with a high refresh rate. This combination provides excellent versatility for both productivity and gaming applications. Budget-conscious users should consider 1080p alternatives, while enthusiasts and professionals may benefit from 4K resolution or OLED technology.
The monitor market continues evolving rapidly, with new technologies and features emerging regularly. Focus on proven technologies and established manufacturers when making significant investments. Consider your upgrade timeline and whether cutting-edge features justify premium pricing for your specific use case.