We spoke with technology experts about what makes a good computer monitor. We only picked NBC Select staff favorites and top-rated products with a four-star rating or higher, in line with expert guidance. Here’s what we kept in mind when sourcing products:
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The below options are either direct recommendations from NBC Select staff or top-rated picks. We’ve also included some specifications below each pick, including resolution, size and display type.
This anti-glare display is perfect for everyday professionals and has a 4.7-star rating from over 2,200 Amazon shoppers. It has a blue light filter, an adjustable stand and built-in speakers. It offers WQHD (2560 x 1440) resolution, four times more detailed than HD but less compared to 4K, according to Zilberman — it should be fine for editing documents, PDFs or photos. The monitor is also color-accurate and flicker-free, which should reduce eye fatigue, according to the brand. As for ports, you have both HDMI and USB connectivity available.
Resolution: 2560 x 1440 |Screen Size: 27-inches | Display Type: IPS
Picking a gaming monitor is tough since it depends a lot on your gaming PC. But Samsung’s Odyssey G7 is one of the best we’ve tried. At 32 inches, you get a large screen for immersive gameplay, a super-smooth 240Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-Sync to eliminate screen tearing and stutter, according to the brand. The QLED monitor also delivers deeper blacks and contrast and bright, even picture, according to Samsung. While it’s advertised as a gaming monitor, you can also use it for your everyday productivity tasks, like building work presentations or surfing the web.
Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440| Screen Size: 32-inches | Display Type: n/a
If you’re on a tighter budget, HP‘s 24mh gets you the best bang for your buck near the $100 mark. Unlike many of its competitors at this price point, its IPS display is attached to a height-adjustable stand, so you can position it to your eye level. It’s only 1080p, but that’s enough for an open browser window or two, and can’t be beat for the price. It also has built-in speakers and multiple ports including an HDMI and display port, in case you need to connect additional devices — plus, it has a 4.7-star rating from over 24,500 Amazon shoppers.
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 |Screen Size: 24-inches | Display Type: IPS
Acer is known for its gaming monitors and this one is NBC Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz’s favorite. “It has detailed 4K resolution and a super fast screen— playing games is immersive and smooth, even during fast-paced action scenes,” he says. He also likes its build, saying it’s “built like a tank.” There’s also an adjustable stand to move this monitor to your eye level
Resolution: 3840 x 2160 |Screen Size: 28-inches | Display Type: IPS
This Dell curved monitor has a wide aspect ratio, allowing this screen to fit multiple windows, or allow for an immersive cinematic experience. There’s AMD FreeSync Technology for smooth visuals and built-in dual speakers which deliver loud, room-filling sound, according to the brand. Like all the other monitors on our list, this one is also height- and tilt-adjustable. I’ve used this monitor before and liked that I could easily multitask on it all day long, without feeling any eye fatigue.
Resolution: 3440 x 1440|Screen Size: 34-inches | Display Type: IPS
There are a few crucial factors to consider when shopping for the best monitor for you.
Most desktop monitors range from 20 inches to 32 inches and you’ll need to consider which size is best for your space, says Whitson Gordon, senior manager of content marketing at Asus ROG. A larger monitor is going to make your work easier to see and provide an immersive experience for movies and games — but smaller monitors will fit better in cramped spaces, in our experience.
“A display’s resolution is the number of pixels it has on screen, usually denoted by horizontal pixels x vertical pixels (like 1920x1080, otherwise known as 1080p),” says Gordon.
You’ll find monitors from slightly below 1080p up to 3840x2160 (aka 4K) and above. “Most people will be just fine with 1080p and 1440p options — especially if the main use of the screen is work-related and doesn’t involve video editing or other high-function visual needs,” says Gordon. If you keep a lot of windows open at once or use your monitor for professional editing, a larger resolution will be preferable. You can also spring for two monitors (like me) if you’re used to multitasking.
You’ll find monitors with three basic display types:
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Nishka Dhawan is an associate commerce editor at NBC Select. She’s covered the tech space for more than three years and has written articles on IP ratings, phone cases and best practices for cleaning tech. For this article, she spoke to NBC Select staff and industry experts about their favorite computer monitors and what to keep in mind while shopping. She only used experts for shopping guidance, not product recommendations.
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