The best computer monitors we tested:
Best?computer monitor: Dell UltraSharp U2723QE
Best large-screen computer monitor: Samsung M80C
Who hasn’t wasted precious time trying to find that one spreadsheet buried beneath 15 other open applications on an oh-so-small laptop screen? That tiny display is great when you’re on the go, but at your desk, a full-size monitor lets you multitask without having to constantly rearrange your work — and the best monitors look great too.
We’ve been testing computer monitors for years, and we think that nowadays a 4K model makes the most sense. Prices have come down, most laptops support 4K and the format gives you a better choice of resolution and real estate. If you’re on a tighter budget, then there are plenty of traditional HD monitors still out there. And if you’re looking for action, check out our separate review of the best gaming monitors.
But whatever your needs, we’ve got some great monitor recommendations to upgrade your home office.
Dell’s well-built, versatile UltraSharp U2723QE monitor is an all-around powerhouse, with a wide color gamut, respectable brightness levels and extra-strong contrast that can make any content look great.
This big-screen monitor does a bit more than your typical display. In addition to being a simply solid monitor for use with your computer, it has an operating system of its own that lets you use it more like a TV. It even has decent speakers to serve in that role.
Best?computer monitor: Dell UltraSharp U2723QE
$497 $489 at Amazon and $580 at Dell
If you want to get your hands on a truly exceptional monitor, then the Dell UltraSharp is it. This monitor fits neatly into two key categories, leading the field for 27-inch monitors and 4K monitors, making it what would have been our top pick in either category and therefore our top overall pick. The Dell UltraSharp U2723QE delivers a stunning picture with exceedingly fine detail. It starts off especially strong with a wide color gamut coverage (100% of sRGB, 88% of Adobe RGB and 98% of DCI-P3). That color is fairly accurate too.
The Dell UltraSharp U2723QE is also reasonably bright. By default, it sits at just 183 nits, but if you dial it up to 100% brightness, it can reach 415.9 nits. Combine that with its anti-glare finish, and it’s easy to see what’s on the screen in most conditions. Enabling HDR can take it even further, reaching just over 470 nits. Brightness sometimes comes with a cost to contrast, but not for this monitor, which had a respectable 1620:1 contrast ratio out of the box and jumped up to a 1720:1 ratio when set to 100% brightness. All that is to say it’s a gorgeous display.
Dell also makes it a capable monitor. The Dell UltraSharp U2723QE has a great assortment of ports, with HDMI, DisplayPort and USB-C inputs. There’s also a DisplayPort output for daisy-chaining monitors. Two USB-C ports support 15W Power Delivery (PD) charging, while a third offers 90W PD charging and DisplayPort capability. There’s even an Ethernet port. And the whole thing sits on a high-quality stand that’s sturdy, offers helpful cable management and provides flexibility for the monitor’s position. With such broad capabilities and appeal, this is an easy winner for most users unless you’re shopping on an extra-tight budget and don’t have much need of exceptional image quality, in which case you may make due with the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522 detailed further on.
Best large-screen computer monitor: Samsung M80C
$700 $400 at Samsung and Best Buy
Samsung was on to something when it introduced its smart monitors, and the Samsung M80C is the latest iteration. Not only is this a great 4K display, but it’s also an exceptionally versatile monitor. The key to what makes the Samsung M80C stand out is that it has its own operating system built in, much like a Samsung TV. It can download streaming apps like Hulu and Prime Video, and it has fairly loud speakers to boot. The speakers can sound a little boxed in, but they’re substantially better than the speakers on any of the other monitors tested here, and plenty of monitors don’t even include speakers. You can control the monitor with a little remote as well, which proves easier than most built-in monitor controls.
The Samsung M80C has a good-looking display too. It has decent color accuracy and coverage with 100% of the sRGB color space, though it comes up just shy of 90% for Adobe RGB and DCI-P3. It makes up for that with the second-best contrast ratio we measured, offering a 3470:1 ratio at default settings, which sees brightness max out at 196.8 nits. Bumping up the brightness to 100% sees it reach 448.5 nits and boost contrast to 3950:1. HDR performance is nearly the same. That contrast is strong for a vertical alingnment (VA) panel, though the monitor exhibits some of the classic ghosting trails behind moving objects on-screen that VA panels generally suffer from.
Samsung has made the Samsung M80C a fairly gorgeous piece of hardware as well. It sits on a stand more akin to an iMac’s than most of the other monitors I tested. The stand offers decent vertical adjustment, though it’s limited otherwise and a little less stable than others. The ultra-thin design of the Samsung M80C relies on an external power brick. The monitor also has few ports, with just one HDMI input and one USB-C input with 65W PD charging. It includes two USB-A ports to serve as a hub at least.
How we tested
We set up each monitor following the manufacturer’s instructions and evaluated the capabilities of each monitor, beginning with default settings.
Build
- Quality: Our evaluation took into account each monitor’s build quality, the stability and flexibility of the stand, the availability and quality of any built-in speakers and any extra features.
- Warranty: We looked into each monitor’s included warranties.
Capabilities
- Presets: We took measurements of the monitor’s out-of-the-box default settings, as well as with the monitor’s brightness set to its maximum level.
- Brightness: We also measured HDR brightness levels with a full-screen white image and a 10% window (one that fills only 10% of the screen with white).
- Visual aspects: We ran a series of tests with a SpyderX Elite colorimeter that can measure crucial monitor aspects like color gamut, brightness, contrast, color temperature and color accuracy.
- User experience: We paid close attention to the overall image quality, noting refresh rates and latency.
Other computer monitors we tested
BenQ PD3220U
$1,000 $990 at Amazon
The BenQ PD3220U is a big, well-built 4K monitor that from all outward appearances would rival the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE while providing an even bigger picture — but in our testing, it came up short. While the monitor provides a respectably wide color gamut, covering all of the sRGB color space and 92% of the DCI-P3 color space, it’s not enough to keep up with the wider coverage of Dell’s monitor, which costs about half as much. Even the Monoprice CrystalPro 44522 put forward better results.
Brightness was also lacking on the BenQ PD3220U, peaking under 200 nits by default and failing to exceed 300 nits with adjusted settings. That, paired with a consistently paltry contrast ratio, made viewing all sorts of content on the monitor unpleasant. By default, the contrast ratio was a terrible 130:1. Overall, it was just a surprisingly disappointing display panel, and that’s not something that can be remedied with an assortment of USB ports and a quality stand.
Monoprice CrystalPro 44522
No longer unavailable at Monoprice
This budget 4K monitor had some tremendous qualities, including broad color gamut and accuracy, as well as respectable brightness. These might have made it a true threat to the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE if it weren’t for the fact that the Monoprice CrystalPro had very elevated black levels and a relatively poor 580:1 contrast ratio, and that didn’t improve when maxing out the brightness. As contrast plays a big role in clarity and visual appeal, this level is simply too low to recommend.
Asus ProArt Display PA328CGV
$570 $519 at Amazon
Asus’ ProArt Display PA328CGV was a serious contender to the Samsung M80C. It offered strong color gamut, great color accuracy, wonderful brightness levels and a good assortment of ports. But at the size, its 1440p resolution comes through as a little bit soft. Its contrast ratio also failed to hit the 1000:1 mark that should be a minimum. And when comparing it to Samsung’s option, the ProArt Display PA328CGV felt like a less well-rounded package.
Asus ProArt Display PA279CRV
$469 $419 at Amazon
The Asus ProArt Display PA279CRV is a strong runner-up to the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE. For some users, it may even be the better choice. Of all the monitors we tested, it had the best color gamut, hitting 100% of sRGB and 99% of both the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. It was also extremely accurate, with no color exceeding a dE of 3 in testing at either default brightness or max brightness (as long as EnergyStar mode is disabled).
For those doing work where color accuracy is critical, this gives it the edge over Dell’s option. The Asus ProArt PA279CRV even has a similar variety of ports. But where it falls short is in contrast, managing to hit only a 1000:1 ratio when brightness is maxed. It falls well shy of Dell in this regard and in overall brightness, which most users will notice more than color accuracy — enough of a difference that we would recommend the Dell model for the majority of users.
Samsung ViewFinity CJ79
From $415 at Amazon
The 34-inch ultrawide Samsung ViewFinity CJ79 has a slight curvature that isn’t just a gimmick; it gave us a more immersive experience than standard ultrawides, plus the CJ79 has an articulating stand, allowing you to set it at the best angle for you.
All content shines on the CJ79. We didn’t experience any blurriness or fuzziness with text from any angle. Colors were truly able to pop with photo edits, reading and watching videos. The refresh rate here can keep up with action movies and gaming alike at 100Hz paired with a 4-millisecond response time. Thanks to those two specifications, the CJ79 was the best monitor for gaming that we tested. Gamers, take note here: It performed great with titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator, Call of Duty and Fortnite. And in those, we didn’t experience any screen tearing or blipping, which can not only hamper the viewing experience but also cost you a game.
The CJ79 provides a one-cable connection experience for Macs and PCs with USB-C. You also get an additional two USB-C ports on the back, along with an HDMI and display port.
Dell UltraSharp U2724D
$390 at Dell
The UltraSharp U2724D is a bit long in the tooth, but it delivers a vibrant and sharp image, thanks to its 4K resolution. The 27-inch display truly stretches to the edges, so you get a tremendous amount of screen real estate for the relatively small footprint.
It also has great color accuracy and supports an extensive color gamut. The latter is key for photo or video editing, and the UltraSharp U2724D performed well in our testing. For example, in side-by-side photo editing tests, the images depicted on the UltraSharp U2724D were very close to the original source. With its refresh rate of 60Hz, we wouldn’t suggest this for competitive gaming, but it’s a fine choice for casual gaming when you need a break from productivity.
A USB-C port delivers power at up to 90W — plenty to charge a Mac or PC. That USB-C port sits next to an HDMI port, two display ports, an audio jack, an Ethernet port and two USB-A ports. In other words, it can act as a full hub of ports for your laptop.
Dell UltraSharp U2421E
$370 at Dell
At just under $400, this 24-inch UltraSharp isn’t far behind our two higher-end picks. It has both a similar build and design to the 27-inch UltraSharp, but this 24-inch variant keeps slim bezels, provides plenty of ports and knocks the resolution down to HD at just 1920 x 1200. At this price point, though, it should really be packing a 4K display.
LG UltraFine 24MD4KLB-B
$1,297 $997 at B&H Photo Video
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem exclusively, then there can be a case made for the 21.5-inch 4K UltraFine from LG. It’s a one-stop solution for expanding your Mac via a USB-C port while also providing power and an additional set of USB-C ports on the back. You don’t get much customization from the actual monitor, though, with no physical buttons for control or even a power button. It’s also pretty expensive at $799 for such a small screen.
Samsung Odyssey G9
$1,300 $900 at Samsung
The Odyssey G9 is really designed and built as a gaming monitor, with a price tag to match an expensive gaming PC. The 49-inch display features a more pronounced curve over the CJ79 and is very immersive, providing a tremendous experience for gaming with a 240Hz refresh rate at just a 1-millisecond response time. We didn’t love the color accuracy of the similar G8 (which we looked at in our gaming monitor-specific testing), but that may not be the most important consideration for the gamers likely to be most interested in this sort of display. So, if you want to go big, the G9 is worth a look.
