Best Monitors For Productivity, Enthusiasts and Gamers

• Best Of
• Monitors

Best Monitors For Productivity, Enthusiasts and Gamers

Past June three, 2022

Not just are PCs increasingly more than powerful, but they're also becoming more popular -- ane of the many furnishings of the pandemic. In our latest update to TechSpot'south Best Monitors guide, nosotros've included several new 4K displays at various toll points.

There are top-level options for professionals, enthusiast products that are corking for both work and play, monitors designed purely for gaming, and some noteworthy budget options that come up with features once constitute only on expensive flagships.

• Best Overall
• Best for Enthusiasts
• Best Gaming Monitor
• Affordable 4K
• All-time Value / Budget

Best for Productivity and Work

Dell UltraSharp U3219Q 32"

Great | Differentiating Features
Factory calibrated colors and accuracy are fantastic. Congenital-in KVM. Pro features for a non-pro price.

Good | Nearly Have Information technology
Tiny bezels, USB type-C, multiple HDR profiles.

Boilerplate | Competitors May Be Improve
No speakers.

For an all-circular not bad monitor, it'due south generally accepted that a combination of a 32-inch size and 4K resolution hits the sweet spot. While that leaves enough of options, few offer the same mix of pro features, colour accurateness, build quality, and price as the Dell Ultrasharp U3219Q.

Dell'south experience in producing high-terminate displays is obvious in the Ultrasharp U3219Q. The 3840 x 2160 IPS console has been color calibrated at the factory to produce 99% sRGB color accuracy out of the box, as well as 95% DCI-P3 and 99% Rec. 709 color. The screen boasts 1.07 billion colors and a 1300:1 dissimilarity ratio, while the 400 nits of brightness help it to HDR 400 certification. You fifty-fifty get 4 HDR profiles for different uses: Desktop, Moving-picture show, Game, and Reference -- all of which make it platonic for professionals, content creators, photo editing, and multitasking.

Ports consist of a single DisplayPort one.4, four USB 3.0 slots, a single HDMI 2.0, and a USB Type-C that offers Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4 connectivity, and USB 2.0 data connectivity. The USB-C slot besides features up to xc watts of charging power, which is great for juicing compatible loftier-end laptops.

Other highlights include a built-in KVM that lets you connect and switch between two PCs while using one keyboard and mouse. It likewise comes with tiny bezels (6mm), has a low response time, and the minimalistic chassis is solid.

If you're afterward astonishing image quality in a large, 4K monitor that's groovy for work and amusement, the Dell Ultrasharp U3219Q is a perfect fit. As of writing, it's been reduced from its regular price of $1,049 to under $800 and comes with a three-year warranty and Premium Panel Guarantee.

Money-is-no-object alternatives

Professionals who work with visual media demand a monitor that offers unparalleled visuals and precise color accuracy. These are reserved for a handful of pro-level, very expensive monitors, only you get what you pay for.

In a category of its own with price tags starting at around $5,000, we have identified iii key contenders. Dell's new UltraSharp UP3221Q is the first 31.v-inch brandish to feature Mini LED-based full-area local dimming (FALD) backlighting with ii,048 zones, assuasive high brightness and excellent dissimilarity. The 1,000 cd/m2 peak HDR brightness ways it'due south VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified, and information technology supports 99.8% of the DCI-P3 color space, 83% of the BT2020 color gamut every bit well equally 93% of the Adobe RGB color space.

There are plenty of other pro-level features here: an integrated Calman Powered colorimeter, a picture-by-picture mode that can prove outputs from two separate sources simultaneously, each with their ain color space setup; and connectivity that includes DisplayPort one.4, two HDMI 2.0, two Thunderbolt 3, and two USB 3.1 ports.

Dell's UP3221Q will toll $4,999 when it arrives on November 5. That'south still cheaper than last year's winner, though - the yet great Eizo ColorEdge CG319X, which is priced around $5,700.

The culling, and likely the preferred selection for Apple users, is the Pro Display XDR. It comes with a higher resolution 6K resolution (6016 10 3384) instead of 4K, and the pinnacle effulgence hits one,600 nits, only the 576 dimming zones are a step down from the PremierColor'southward 2,048. Color accuracy is astonishing as expected. Exist prepared to add $i,000 if you lot want Apple tree's stand, $199 for a VESA mountain adapter, and some other $1,000 for the optional "nano-texture glass."

Best Enthusiast Monitor

Samsung Odyssey G9 49" Curved

Nifty | Differentiating Features
49-inches at 240Hz, swell HDR

Good | About Have It
AMD Freesync Premium Pro and Nvidia K-Sync support

Boilerplate | Competitors May Be Better
Some might discover it overwhelmingly big and pricey. Extra ports would have been nice. Might exist too curvy

The Odyssey G9 is super-ultrawide 49-inch (5120 x 1440) monitor with a 32:9 attribute ratio: the equivalent of two 27-inch 1440p displays adjacent to each other without the annoying bezel in the middle. This makes it a brilliant option for productivity tasks where having two total screens side-past-side tin be a godsend.

Our pick from terminal year in this section, the UltraSharp U4919DW, remains an amazing monitor, but it's been edged out past the Samsung Odyssey G9. The Odyssey differentiates itself from the Ultrasharp in a few areas. Samsung'due south product has a much more than aggressive, 1000R curve that is meant to immerse you lot in whatever's on the screen, though it's likely to be a divisive feature. Information technology besides covers 99.7% of the sRGB color gamut, 97% of the DCI-P3 space, and has cracking HDR operation. But the nearly notable comeback over its rival are the Odyssey's gaming-focused specs.

With an astonishing 240Hz, 10-bit VA panel with a 1ms response time, the Odyssey is just every bit proficient at running Doom Eternal equally it is displaying multiple spreadsheets -- providing yous've got a graphics card powerful enough to handle all those pixels. It also has AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and is G-Sync compatible, giving y'all buttery-shine on-screen action.

Ports consist of two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, one HDMI 2.0, and 2 USB 3.0 ports, which should be adequate for near users. With so many features, the Odyssey G9 isn't cheap at just under $1,500. You'll also need a very large and sturdy desk for information technology to sit on. But few monitors can match this brandish when information technology comes to work, entertainment, and gaming.

A standard-size culling that'due south cracking for gaming

Acer Nitro XV273K 4K / 144 Hz 27"

For enthusiasts with PCs that toll more than well-nigh used cars, a combination of 4K resolution and a high refresh charge per unit is a viable pick. Until recently this meant spending $two,000 on an Acer Predator X27 or ROG Swift PG278Q, but in that location are at present plenty of cheaper alternatives, including the Viotek GFI27QXA and Acer XB273K. We similar the Acer Nitro XV273K as it'south great for both work and play, and it's available for $899.

The 27-inch monitor is FreeSync rather than Chiliad-Sync, though that hardly matters since Nvidia started supporting its rival's adaptive sync tech. It also boasts first-class build quality, accurate DCI-P3 colour gamut, and many of the features found in more than expensive alternatives. The only real drawbacks are the lower-terminate DisplayHDR 400 certification and lack of full array local dimming backlight, pregnant you don't get a true HDR feel. If yous want super-polish 4K at under a 1000 this is an first-class selection.

Best Gaming Monitor

Samsung Odyssey G7

If you desire the all-time of the best at 1440p, yous should exist aiming for a 240Hz gaming monitor instead. A good number of products take been released in the last 18 months and they should all offer neat longevity and time to come proofing. Granted, they're more expensive than medium refresh rate options above, starting at around $650 for worthy options.

The Samsung Odyssey G7 in its 27-inch variant for $700 (discounted to $499 as of writing), has the fastest response times nosotros've ever tested on a 1440p monitor, which combined with its 240Hz refresh rate and variable overdrive leads to first-class motion clarity – not but at 240Hz, but across the unabridged refresh range. And then, because information technology's a VA panel, it too has great black levels and a loftier contrast ratio, making it well suited for gaming in a dark environs. Color quality is by and large impressive every bit a upshot, including a decent wide gamut.

The main downside to the Odyssey G7 is its aggressive 1000R bend, which is a divisive feature, you tend to either love or detest it, and I'm more than in the detest information technology camp. The curve limits its versatility – the Odyssey G7 is really only well suited for gaming; content cosmos and productivity suffers from bend-related baloney, the wide color gamut isn't equally wide every bit other options, and uniformity tin be mixed.

How about IPS high refresh options?

If those downsides sound abrasive to you, choosing an IPS panel instead might be the way to get. It volition be more versatile and perform very well. Nosotros've been recommending the Asus ROG Strix PG279QM for a while, which is a truly excellent monitor with class-leading IPS performance and outstanding mill calibration. However, at $900 nosotros do feel information technology's a chip expensive when a like culling, the Acer XB273UGX exists at merely $650. Nosotros haven't tested this Acer monitor yet, but it appears to use the same console and operation by all reports is still excellent. Then that'due south one to consider for sure.

Editor'southward note: Nosotros have a dedicated buying guide for the Best Gaming Monitors where we detail more than options for 1440p and 4K gaming at different toll segments, discuss esports, ultrawide gaming and budget options.

Over the past year, 1440p 240Hz monitors have come into their ain with many options available. We don't just have TN options anymore. Samsung'southward Odyssey G7 gives u.s. an first-class experience using a VA panel, while in that location are many new IPS options that also offering neat gaming operation in this new loftier refresh rate category.

For pure gamers, the Samsung Odyssey G7 is an extremely compelling option. Samsung'southward latest generation VA panels are mighty impressive, with class leading response time numbers. This display's tiptop functioning at 240Hz is 22% faster than any IPS alternative nosotros've tested, and thanks to variable overdrive, it maintains excellent results at whatever refresh charge per unit yous throw at it. Overshoot is kept to a minimum and despite being a VA console, dark level smearing is a non-effect. Throw in backlight strobing, and Samsung comfortably leads the pack in move clarity while gaming.

The Odyssey G7 is also an outstanding choice for gamers that play in the night. The VA panel delivers a dissimilarity ratio at least double that of IPS competitors, which helps deliver richer blacks and better shadows. This is complemented by low input lag and a decent build quality – just make sure you update to the latest firmware when you get it to resolve any flickering concerns.

The primary drawback to the Odyssey G7 is its versatility. While not a bad monitor for epitome quality, this display has a smaller gamut than its competitors, with an average DCI-P3 coverage of 89% and no working sRGB emulation manner. The aggressively curved 1000R console isn't for everyone, hurts viewing angles and can distort the epitome, which makes this display a poor choice for content cosmos. But for gamers, the Odyssey G7 is a great pick and it's bachelor in 2 sizes: 27" for $700 and 32" for $800, which is pretty fair for what information technology offers.

Meliorate for Creators

If you need a better balance between gaming and image quality, you lot should consider an IPS monitor instead. The Asus ROG Swift PG279QM is a 27-inch 1440p flat IPS monitor that used a new AU Optronics console that tops out at 240Hz. The feature set Asus offers is second to none and in my opinion this is an excellent alternative.

The PG279QM isn't as fast equally the Odyssey G7 in terms of response times, but it's among the fastest IPS monitors nosotros've tested with excellent movement clarity. Unfortunately, at that place is no backlight strobing support, however it balances this with outstanding color quality, probably the best mixture of features and performance I have ever seen.

This is an extremely wide gamut monitor, with 96% DCI-P3 coverage, 100% Adobe RGB coverage and over 80% Rec. 2022 in total, the widest yous can go from an LCD gaming monitor today. But it likewise features an elite implementation of an sRGB mode, reducing oversaturation when viewing standard content completely, and helping to deliver well in a higher place boilerplate factory scale, unmatched by its rivals. Information technology also uses a flat panel with fantabulous viewing angles, making it well suited to creative and productivity piece of work without distortion.

The PG279QM is hard to detect, information technology's often out of stock although it is a relatively new product, and it is expensive: $850, which is $150 more the same size Odyssey G7. It'south a great monitor but it's ane of those cases you have to pay for the best.

Another alternative that is more readily available is the Alienware AW2721D which uses an LG Nano IPS panel. It performs very well, certainly befitting of a high end product, but it is a step downwards from the Asus in most regards, whether we're talking response, color accuracy or wide gamut support; though information technology does have a better contrast ratio. The AW2721D isn't much cheaper in the US, usually going for $825, but in other regions similar Australia, you can find it for ~$600, which is a more compelling offer.

All-time Affordable 4K Monitor

LG 27UK650-W UHD 27"

Slap-up | Differentiating Features
Price, bully viewing angles.

Good | Nigh Take It
Plenty of gaming features, FreeSync.

Average | Competitors May Be Better
Merely 60Hz refresh, no VESA HDR certification.

Every twelvemonth sees lower-end 4K monitors get even cheaper. At this betoken, consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing feature-packed UHD screens priced anywhere between $300 - $400, only we like LG'southward 27UK650-W.

This monitor is an excellent all-rounder for those wanting a budget 4K monitor for a diverseness of use cases: gaming, content consumption, creation, etc. The 27-inch IPS panel boasts 99 percent coverage of the sRGB colour spectrum along with "HDR ten" support, though a superlative brightness of 450 nits (350 nits typical) means its high dynamic range isn't as practiced as other true HDR monitors (it isn't VESA HDR certified) merely that's non important to a lot of buyers.

While non advertised equally an out-and-out gaming monitor, the LG 27UK650-W has several credentials in this area to make information technology a viable option. It comes with FreeSync, supports Nvidia's G-Sync, and has a 5ms GtG fourth dimension. You as well get additional features such as a black stabilizer, an upscaling function, Dynamic Action Sync for reducing input lag further, and presets for gaming genres such as FPS and RTS titles.

Those willing to spend an actress $200, the like LG 27UK850 adds a USB Type-C port and VESA 400 certification. Wide viewing angles and a solid build round off the LG'southward 27UK650-Westward best elements, but the ~$300 - 350 price (depending on your choice of standard or adjustable stand) for such a great 4K all-rounder is its highlight.

Just as Adept

The budget 4K monitor market has go a crowded one equally mentioned earlier, with plenty of good options available to consumers. Another model nosotros like is the ViewSonic VX3211-4K, which shares many similar specs and features as LG's 27UK650-W, but comes in a 32-inch size.

Dell'south Ultrasharp U2718Q is certainly admired past reviewers and buyers as well, while those who prioritize gaming should check out the Asus MG28UQ.

Best Value Monitor

Acer XFA240 24"

Great | Differentiating Features
Brilliant all-rounder for under $200.

Good | Almost Have Information technology
144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, FreeSync, M-Sync compatible.

Average | Competitors May Be Amend
24 inches isn't big enough for everyone.

For virtually $200, in that location are enough of options available nether that price, only our favorite is the Acer XFA240. Acer'southward display offers an exceptional all-circular package for $198. Measuring 24 inches and featuring a 1920 10 1080 resolution, the monitor boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, FreeSync, and 1000-Sync compatibility. The TN panel besides features a 350-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:ane contrast ratio, and eight-scrap color depth (6-bit + 2-bit FRC).

One might imagine Acer saved money by giving the XFA240 a sub-par build, but you'd exist incorrect. The construction is sturdy with ergonomic adjustments and y'all get ii 2W born speakers, belying its upkeep nature -- you even get screws for the 100mm VESA mount.

Color accuracy isn't a weak point, either, as it's great directly out of the box and and then is the contrast, while ports are made upwards of a DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI one.4 with MHL, and Dual-Link DVI-D. 20-iv inches might not be enough for some, but the Acer XFA240'southward spec sheet and features are amazing for a sub-$200 monitor. If you're on a budget and want a display for work and play, this is a smashing pick.

Just as Good

AOC C24G1 24" Curved

Concluding year'due south winner in this category remains a pinnacle pick for those on a upkeep. Boasting a 1500R curve and a 1920 x 1080 resolution, information technology uses a VA rather than TN panel, bringing better color reproduction, contrast (3300:1), and viewing angles. Gamers not looking to spend a fortune will also capeesh the 4ms response time (1ms MPRT) and the inclusion of FreeSync. It's too Grand-Sync uniform. Connectivity comes via DisplayPort 1.2, 2 HDMI one.4 ports, i VGA port, and a headphone jack. No USB ports or speakers, sadly.

Going to 27 Inches

Samsung 27" SF354

While in that location are enough of 24-inch budget monitors available, choices are limited if yous want to up the size to 27 inches. But if you but must have those extra three inches, the Samsung 27" SF354 should acme your list.

The larger real estate does hateful a few compromises in other areas: the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, it's only got i HDMI and one VGA port, and it'due south not going to win awards for colour accuracy. But it does offering basic FreeSync and offers various modes. Information technology also features a 1920 x 1080 PLS display console, which is Samsung'southward version of IPS.

At ~$170 or less, it's great value for a monitor this size that's good for full general work, office, and home use. If you desire a cheap 27-inch screen that'southward more than gaming-focused, cheque out the Asus VG275Q, that gets you a 75Hz refresh rate, born speakers, dual HDMI ports, and FreeSync for $30 more.

Source: https://www.techspot.com/bestof/monitors/

Posted by: bryantpoesed.blogspot.com

Share this post