Computer monitors come in variety of sizes, from 12-inch portable displays (the smallest we’ve reviewed) up to 65-inch panels that bridge the gap between monitors and TVs. Between the two extremes, though, we group most desktop displays into two general categories: business monitors, and entertainment monitors.
Business (aka productivity) monitors include professional monitors with high (usually 4K) native resolution and image quality geared to graphic artists, photographers, and videographers. Also in this class: general-purpose workaday monitors, and home-office monitors. The latter may be equipped with videoconferencing features and/or a port selection that makes them a good substitute for a laptop’s docking station. Entertainment panels, meanwhile, comprise the vast range of gaming monitors, as well as some for content creation and consumption. (The lines can get fuzzy among these panels.)
We've outlined below our top picks among home and office monitors we've tested. Read on for our labs-tested favorites, followed by the buying basics you should know when buying a monitor. Also note: At the very end of this article is a detailed spec breakout of our top choices.
Ready to get started shopping? Regardless of the type of monitor you're eyeing, some general factors are worth considering. Here's a rundown of key areas to keep in mind.
What Are the Price Ranges for Different Monitor Types?
Monitor prices depend on the target audience, screen size, and the features of the display. You can pick up a no-frills 22-inch or 23-inch display for $100 or less, but don't expect such a monitor to provide niceties such as a wide variety of ports and a height-adjustable stand. Even so, such panels today do feature LED backlighting, draw little power, and are often bright enough for everyday applications. Performance is adequate for most entertainment or basic business and productivity purposes, but not well suited to tasks where color accuracy is key.
(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)At the other end of the spectrum are high-end monitors geared toward graphic design professionals and photographers. Most of these are 27-inch to 38-inch panels that support 4K resolution (usually 3,840 by 2,160 pixels), capable of displaying four times the resolution of a typical full HD or 1080p (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) monitor. Moreover, they offer such features as highly adjustable stands, a range of ports including HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, and USB (often including USB-C), and a wealth of advanced image settings, sometimes including color calibration hardware and software.
(Credit: Molly Flores)You can expect to pay $1,000 or more for a fully loaded, high-performance 4K or ultra-high-definition (UHD) monitor. Top-of-the-line professional monitors, some packing up to 6K resolution (around 6,000 horizontal pixels), generally cost between $2,000 and $6,000.
If you're serious about PC or console gaming, you can find gaming monitors at just about every price point you can imagine. A few budget models go as low as $99, while ultra-premium offerings come closer than ever to merging the worlds of "gaming monitor" and "HDTV." Of all the display categories, gaming monitors encompass the broadest spectrum of prices and feature sets, all serving slightly different markets.
Bottom line? Be prepared to pay for extras, but don't overspend on features you'll never use.
What Size Monitor Do I Need?
Desktop computer monitors generally fall between 19 and 43 inches measured diagonally, although users with extra-large desks can choose among ultrawide displays in sizes up to 49 inches. Some displays are smaller than 19 inches; they're either specialty panels (such as those intended for use with a Raspberry Pi) or USB-connected portable displays meant to be carried alongside laptops.
While it's always nice to have as large a viewing area as possible, a jumbo monitor may not be practical given your desktop-space constraints. Besides, the bigger the screen, the more you can expect to pay. A 24-inch monitor is a good choice if you wish to view multipage documents or watch streaming video but have limited desk space and a tight budget. But there's nothing like watching a movie or playing a game on a big screen, so if you have room on your desk, a 27-inch or 32-inch display delivers a superior viewing experience for a reasonable price. If space is not an issue, consider a massive curved monitor to bring a true movie-theater experience to your desktop.
(Credit: Molly Flores)If you're looking to replace a dual-monitor setup with a single display, check out one of the ultrawide models. These are available in panel sizes ranging from 29 to 49 inches in both curved and flat varieties, feature aspect ratios of 21:9 or 32:9 instead of the familiar 16:9, and come in a variety of resolutions including 4K/UHD and Wide Quad High-Definition (WQHD, or 2,560 by 1,440 pixels). Some of these are built for productivity apps, while others are gaming-oriented. (More on the latter later.)
Do I Need a Low Pixel Response Rate?
Measured in milliseconds (ms), pixel response rate is the time it takes for a display pixel to change from black to white (black-to-white response time) or to transition from one shade of gray to another (gray-to-gray response time). The faster the pixel response rate, the better the monitor will be at displaying video without showing artifacts such as ghosting or blurring of moving images. Monitors with a fast 1ms gray-to-gray response are ideal for gaming, but even monitors rated at a 6ms gray-to-gray pixel response can show games without much blurring or ghosting.
Most users won't notice input lag, which is the time it takes for the display to react to a command, but hardcore gamers consider it a key factor and typically seek out the fastest models (lowest lag time) available. The fastest monitor we've seen has an input lag of less than a millisecond, but for everyday apps, you can get by with 20ms to 25ms before lag becomes a noticeable problem.
Which Monitor Resolution and Aspect Ratio Is Best for What I Do?
These two factors are always intertwined but carry different considerations.
Resolution
A monitor's native resolution is the maximum number of pixels it can display, both horizontally and vertically. For example, a monitor with a 1,920-by-1,080-pixel native resolution shows 1,920 pixels across the width of the screen and 1,080 from top to bottom. The higher the resolution, the more information can be displayed on the screen.
These days, many monitors in the 22-to-27-inch range have a native resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels and are referred to as full HD or 1080p displays. You'll also see plenty of displays from 24 to 32 inches that offer WQHD (2,560-by-1,440-pixel or 1440p) native resolution. Stepping up to a UHD or 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) monitor usually means a 27-inch or larger screen, although we've seen a few 24-inch models. UHD monitors are ideal for viewing highly detailed images or looking at multiple pages in a tiled or side-by-side format.
(Credit: Molly Flores)Aspect Ratio
The best aspect ratio for your monitor depends on how you intend to use it most. For digital content creators, a 16:10 ratio might be preferable (offering a bit extra vertical space for toolbars and such). But the 16:9 aspect ratio of 1080p and 4K screens is by far the most common among desktop monitors, though that dominance has been chipped away in recent years by the ultrawide formats.
(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)As ultrawide panels with 21:9 aspect ratios have reached the top of the wish lists of both gamers (especially simulation gamers) and productivity users, monitor manufacturers have responded in kind, and what used to be a fringe aspect ratio is becoming increasingly popular, Ultrawide monitors are impressive in their own right, but for people who want the ultimate productivity panel or an immersive gaming experience unlike any other, a 32:9 monitor might be the way to go. Still, these super-wide panels are causing even old-school enthusiasts to ask themselves, "How wide is too wide?"
Which Major Features Should I Look for in a Monitor?
If you have to share a display with a coworker or family member, consider a model with an ergonomic stand that lets you position the screen for your most comfortable viewing angle. A fully adjustable stand offers tilt, swivel, and height adjustments, and lets you pivot or rotate the screen between landscape and portrait (horizontal and vertical) orientation. If you tend to attach and detach USB devices often, look for a monitor with built-in USB ports. Ideally, at least two of these ports will be mounted on the side of the cabinet, making it easy to plug in flash drives and other USB peripherals.
(Credit: Molly Flores)Many monitors come with built-in speakers that are adequate for everyday use but lack the volume and bass response to satisfy music aficionados and gamers. If audio output is important, look for speakers with a minimum rating of 2 watts per speaker. As a general rule, the higher the power rating, the more volume you can expect, so if you want a monitor with a little extra audio pop, check the specs. Some monitors lack speakers altogether, but you can add external speakers that may give you better sound than typical monitor speakers.
Finally, glossy-surfaced screens can provide very bright, crisp colors, but they may also be too reflective for some users. If possible, compare a glossy screen to a matte screen before you buy to decide which works best for you.
Do I Need High Dynamic Range (HDR)?
Many monitors come with a feature known as high dynamic range or HDR, which can drastically boost the vividness and contrast of a display depending on the rating. Here's how the rating system (established by VESA) breaks out :
HDR has been creeping into more and more PC gaming and content creation monitors over the past few years. While we've found that many of them would be better off not including it at all, the HDR adoption rate in monitors resembles that of HDR televisions starting in 2017. Theoretically, once similar panel-scale economics kick in, monitors with higher HDR ratings could also come down in price.
Until then, if HDR matters to you, we recommend buying monitors only with an HDR 600 rating or above to give you an experience comparable to that of a modern HDR-rated TV. An HDR certification will always add to a monitor's MSRP, so unless you really want the feature and are ready to pay for a proper rating, that money could be better saved for upgrades to your PC or added features such as a higher refresh rate for a gaming display.
What Are the Different Kinds of Monitor Panels?
With cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) long since replaced by flat panels, the key panel types used in desktop displays are twisted nematic (TN), in-plane switching (IPS) and iterations such as Fast IPS, vertical alignment (VA), and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) plus variations such as QD-OLED.
Until not long ago, most desktop displays used TN technology. It's the least expensive panel type to manufacture and it offers superior motion-handling performance. But affordable IPS monitors are out in force; today's 27-inch IPS displays start at under $150 and offer very good color quality and wide viewing angles. VA monitors also offer robust colors, but their viewing angles, though wider than those of a typical TN panel, aren't quite as broad as IPS technology offers.
Most recently, we've seen a growing trend of what's colloquially called Fast IPS (or Rapid IPS or Nano IPS). These displays combine the vivid colors of IPS tech with the fast pixel response times and low input lag of TN and VA displays. They offer the best of both worlds.
Today, you'd be hard-pressed to find a desktop monitor that doesn't deliver at least full HD resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio). Graphic design pros who demand a high degree of image detail should be looking further up the resolution stack for a WQHD or UHD/4K display, except in the case of small-screen or portable monitors. As important as the sheer number of pixels is the pixel density, or how closely the pixels are packed together. For professional monitors, we recommend a pixel density of greater than 100 pixels per inch (ppi).
(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)We're now seeing monitors that make use of quantum dot technology to offer superior color accuracy, an increased color gamut, and higher peak brightness than you can get with current panel technologies. Another newer technology, Mini LED, uses thousands of tiny light-emitting diodes arranged in a matrix, brightened and dimmed in small groups as the video signal changes. In addition, desktop (and a few portable) monitor vendors are following a growing number of laptop makers in adopting organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, which offers ultra-high contrast, super-fast pixel response, and true blacks. (Black OLED pixels are literally turned off, with no backlight bleeding through behind them.)
(Credit: Molly Flores)As mentioned, for laptop users who require dual-screen capabilities a portable monitor might be a better fit than a full-size desktop panel. These lightweight devices use your PC's USB port (most recent models employ USB-C) as their source for power and in some cases the video signal as well. (Others support HDMI input.) They're ideal for small-office presentations and for extending your laptop's screen real estate, and their slim profiles make them easy to travel with. For less than $200, you can get a 15-inch model that will let you double your viewing area while on the road. (See how we test monitors.)
Monitor Ports and Cables: Picking the Right Interface
Next up: how you'll actually connect your new monitor to your computer or other device. This equation is anything but simple, and often leads to confused buyers spending more than they need on marketing mumbo-jumbo.
For most monitors released in the last five years or so, HDMI is the dominant interface that is used to connect a desktop or laptop PC, streaming device, or gaming console. While both monitors and devices compatible with the rival DisplayPort spec are plentiful, HDMI is the cable and port type that you can depend on to most likely get you hooked up, even if you don't know what the available ports look like on the back of, say, an Xbox. Monitor and device manufacturers have moved away from the antique VGA and DVI standards, which are still seen on the occasional budget business panel or projector but can't display the higher resolutions and refresh rates we've grown accustomed to.
Let's pause for more about refresh rate. It means the number of times per second the screen is redrawn, measured in hertz or cycles per second, and is a key factor in interface choice. Until recently, most monitors topped out at 60Hz, and their default bundled cables were up to the task. But with gaming monitors now routinely pushing 144Hz or even 360Hz, and many non-gaming panels able to go above 60Hz, paying attention to the different flavors of HDMI and DisplayPort is more important than ever.
In brief, HDMI 1.4a, 1.4b, 2.0a, and 2.0b will get you at least a 1080p signal at 30Hz. Cables and inputs that work with these standards are not hard to find; you'd have better luck digging a pre-1.4a HDMI cable out of a bin at your local computer salvage shop than from the shelves of any electronics store. This in-depth guide to HDMI flavors by our TV-reviewing colleague Will Greenwald should help to clear things up on cable compatibility, while those interested in using a version of DisplayPort should keep reading here.
(Credit: Molly Flores)DisplayPort 1.4a and 1.4b are commonly used in DisplayPort monitors, and they're supported by the largest number of graphics cards and streaming devices. PC gamers and discriminating users who appreciate high refresh rates rely on them for their high bandwidth, as the more bandwidth a cable supports the more pixels it can deliver at a higher refresh rate. DisplayPort 1.4a and 1.4b are capable of transmitting today's popular video resolutions (1080p, 1440p, and 4K), at up to 165Hz for 4K and a whopping 390Hz for 1080p. By contrast, HDMI 2.0b maxes out at 60Hz for 4K. HDMI 2.1, a standard frequently found in newer graphics cards, gaming consoles, monitors, and TVs, supports 4K at 120Hz.
Some newer monitors have DisplayPort 2.0 ports, which support 8K resolution at a staggering 240Hz,16K with HDR at 60Hz, and 10K without HDR at 80Hz. The recently introduced DisplayPort 2.1 is largely the same as DisplayPort 2.0 but with the addition of USB4 compatibility.
Finally, there's something called DisplayPort over USB Alternate Mode, most commonly seen in laptops that lack DisplayPort or HDMI connectors. This video-transfer method is most commonly found in a configuration of a USB-C cable that connects a computer to a USB-compatible monitor. This method currently maxes out at 60Hz/8K, though as with the other cable standards we've mentioned, we expect those numbers to climb in the future.
(Credit: Molly Flores)Before we close out this section, a quick note on Display Stream Compression (DSC). We won't bore you with the cable-by-cable mathematics of it all, but just know that DSC allows for higher refresh rates without losing visual quality. The main thing is just to keep an eye out for DSC on your next monitor, as it's always better to have the feature than not (and it doesn't add much cost). It's primarily a feature of gaming monitors for now, but you can expect to see it added to creative and productivity displays when 8K resolution becomes more common.
In short (or long, depending on the cable): Cable length, version, output source, input port, and your monitor's refresh rate can all affect the interface that's right for your needs. Check the specs on any panel you're looking at for support for the resolution, refresh rate, and interface you intend to use, make sure the cable you need is bundled, and if you'll be working or playing at high resolutions and refresh rates on HDMI, hit up the HDMI guide referenced above.
What Are the Main Categories of Monitor?
You can classify most monitors into five categories, all of which target different audiences: Budget, Business/Professional, Touch Screen, General Use/Multimedia, and Gaming. Prices vary within each category, depending on the screen size, the panel technology used, and extra features.
Budget Monitors
If you're looking for a basic monitor for viewing emails, surfing the web, and displaying office applications, there's no reason to overspend on a screen with features you'll never use. Budget displays are usually no-frills models that lack niceties such as USB ports, card readers, and built-in webcams. Some cheaper models use TN panel technology and are not known for their performance, particularly when it comes to motion handling and grayscale accuracy. That said, IPS panels have become common in the budget zone at each screen size.
Don't expect much in the way of flexibility. Most budget displays are supported by a rigid stand that may provide tilt but probably won't offer height and pivot adjustments. As with nearly all displays, costs will rise along with panel size. You can buy a simple 24-inch panel for $100 or less, while budget 27-inch screens are available for less than $150.
Business/Professional Monitors
This category includes a wide variety of monitor types. They can be small-screen, energy-conscious "green" models for everyday office use. Or they can be high-end, high-priced, 32-inch and larger professional-grade displays that use indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) or advanced high-performance in-plane switching (AH-IPS) panel technology and cater to graphics professionals who require a high degree of color and grayscale accuracy.
(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)Business monitors usually offer ergonomic stands that can be adjusted for maximum comfort. Often, they'll offer pivot adjustability, which lets you rotate the screen 90 degrees for viewing in portrait mode. Look for a monitor with an auto-rotate feature that flips the image for you when you change the orientation. Other business-centric features include a generous (three- or four-year) warranty with an overnight exchange service, built-in USB ports, and an aggressive recycling program.
A fully loaded model with a high-end panel is going to cost plenty, but for photographers and other graphics pros, it's money well spent. At the other end of the price spectrum are no-frills, energy-efficient monitors; they don't offer much in the way of features, but their low power draw can help businesses save money through reduced energy costs. (For more, check out our guide to the best business monitors.)
Touch-Screen Monitors
Touch-screen desktop displays have gained some traction, but mostly in vertical markets. You'll pay a bit more for touch technology, but it's worth it if you care about the Windows touch experience. Look for a model equipped with a stand that lets you position the panel so it's almost parallel with your desktop if you need that kind of interaction. (Some touch models are designed without a stand, meant to be integrated into a specific environment with a custom stand or mounting arm.)
(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)More common than true desktop touch screens, though, are portable touch-screen monitors, both for general-purpose use and for graphic artists. (See our guide to portable monitors.)
General Use/Multimedia Monitors
Multimedia displays typically offer a nice selection of features to help you create and view home photo and video projects. A good panel of this kind will usually provide a variety of connectivity options, primary among them HDMI and DisplayPort. Robust entertainment models will also include audio connections. At least two USB ports should be available, preferably mounted on the side of the cabinet for easy access; a USB Type-C port that lets you, say, charge a laptop from your monitor while permitting two-way data transfer is another big plus.
(Credit: Molly Flores)The monitor may also have built-in speakers. On a good multimedia panel, they should be a cut above the typical low-powered versions found on most monitors. As mentioned earlier, if audio output is a deciding factor, look for displays with speakers rated at 2 watts or better.
Less common multimedia bells and whistles to look out for include a built-in memory card reader, which makes it easy to view photos and video directly from your digital camera, or a built-in webcam for video chats and for taking quick stills and videos that are easy to email. These are uncommon, however. (If you're a serious photographer, check out our picks in the lists above and below this article for photography-friendly displays.)
Gaming Monitors
Displays for gaming require fast response times in order to display moving images without producing motion errors or artifacts. Panels with slower response times may produce blurring of fast-moving images, which can be distracting during gameplay. The flaw may not be so noticeable on smaller displays, but when you're gaming on a 27-inch or larger screen, you'll want to keep blurring to a minimum. Look for a panel with a response time of no more than 5ms (black-to-white) or 2ms (gray-to-gray).
(Credit: Molly Flores)High-end gaming monitors may offer support for Nvidia's G-Sync or AMD's FreeSync and FreeSync 2 technologies that synchronize your monitor and graphics card to reduce screen-tearing artifacts and provide an ultra-smooth gaming experience, but your computer will need a compatible dedicated GPU to take advantage of that functionality.
Most gaming monitor vendors now offer displays that feature refresh rates above the 60Hz norm. (Indeed, some recent general-purpose, non-gaming monitors offer 75Hz or higher.) They're geared toward esports aficionados or serious competitive gamers who demand the highest number of frames per second available. (Depending on the games you play, you may need a high-end graphics card to see the benefits of a high-refresh display; see our guide to the best graphics cards.) These high-refresh monitors are offered in various refresh intervals ranging from 75Hz to more than 500Hz, with 144Hz and 165Hz being the most common flavors for gaming panels. These monitors usually support AMD FreeSync (more common) or Nvidia G-Sync (less common and more expensive), as well. A subclass of G-Sync monitor, called G-Sync Compatible, doesn't have the full Nvidia G-Sync circuitry inside but is validated for solid variable refresh rate performance to deal with fluctuating frame rates smoothly. (Their appeal? They are generally cheaper than full G-Sync equivalents.)
(Credit: Molly Flores)Because audio is a big part of the immersive gaming experience, if you don't have a desktop speaker set already, consider a display with a decent speaker system, though most in-monitor speakers are middling at best. Alternately, a jack mounted on the side or front of the cabinet for plugging in a gaming headset is practical if you tend to go the contained-sound route. A monitor with a USB hub to plug in several controllers is also desirable. (For much more, check out our guide to the best gaming monitors.)
Should I Get a 4K Monitor?
4K or UHD monitors aren't just for gamers. In fact, many prospective owners of 4K monitors are video editors or users who like to have multiple application windows open side by side without adding a second monitor. If that's you, you don't need to look for a panel with lightning-quick response times, but you should pay attention to color gamut, contrast ratios, and size.
(Credit: Molly Flores)A 27-inch 4K monitor (starting around $300) will generally let you fit three full-size browser or program windows side by side. Any smaller than that, and the monitor won't be as useful for multitasking.
Gamers, on the other hand, who are 4K-minded will want to look for a larger display compatible with fast response times and FreeSync or G-Sync if their PC uses a graphics card that supports one or the other, since a higher resolution makes screen tearing even more distracting. Gaming at 4K takes a very powerful video card, however. (See our guide to the best graphics cards for 4K gaming.) 4K gaming displays also start around $350, but they can range well north of $1,000 for 32-inch or larger models with GPU adaptive sync and IPS technology. Given the high prices and scarcity of 4K-appropriate gaming cards these days, 1080p or 1440p is a much more realistic gaming resolution for most folks.
So, What Is the Best Monitor to Buy?
Whatever your needs or budget, there's a monitor out there that's right for you. Below, check out detailed specs on the current best displays we've tested across the usage cases we've discussed, at various price levels.
