Dave Gershgorn is a writer covering monitors, laptops, and tablets. He is a certified display calibrator through the Imaging Science Foundation.
Whether you’re buying a first or second monitor for your desktop computer or buying a big screen to use with your laptop at home, a good monitor is a wise investment. There’s no single monitor that will work best for everyone, but our monitor guides cover all different sizes, uses, and prices, from basic, 24-inch budget models to big 4K screens to high-refresh-rate gaming monitors. Here we discuss the best ones you can buy as well as what you might need them for.
Choosing a monitor
- Best picture quality
If you watch 4K content or work with high-resolution media, 4K monitors are for you.
- Practical size
Generally, 27-inch monitors offer the right balance of size and price for most people.
- Bigger and better
Ultrawide monitors are good alternatives to dual displays for gamers or multitaskers.
- Small and affordable
If you’re low on desk space, or you just don’t want to spend a ton, 24-inch monitors will do the trick.
The research
- Best picture quality: 4K monitor
- Ideal for work and play: 27-inch monitor
- The most affordable option: 24-inch budget monitor
- Best for most gamers: 27-inch monitor with fast refresh rate
- For getting work done on the go: A portable monitor
- A very big screen: 32-inch OLED 4K monitor
- Good for multitaskers: An ultrawide monitor
- For smaller spaces: A 24-inch monitor
- If you need more
Best picture quality: 4K monitor
Top pick
The U2723QE looks sharp, has great contrast, and can charge a MacBook Pro over USB-C.
Who this is for: Great 4K monitors make text sharper and show more detail in images. And they can give you extra desktop space so you can fit more stuff on your screen at once.
Why we like it: The Dell U2723QE uses a new display technology called IPS Black, which gives much better contrast than monitors we’ve recommended in the past. You’ll notice more detail in shadows when watching dimly lit shows, and colors will look vibrant and rich. This new screen is the centerpiece of the monitor, but it also has all the features we look for in a general-purpose monitor: a USB-C port with 90W of power, so your laptop will charge while it’s plugged in through the single cable, and a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) feature to automatically switch your peripherals between computers (if you hook up more than one to the monitor).
Flaws but not dealbreakers: We think the U2723QE is a fantastic monitor, but we would suggest calibrating it before undertaking color-critical work.
Learn more in our full review of the best 4K monitors.
Ideal for work and play: 27-inch monitor
Top pick
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.
Who this is for: This size and resolution make for a great all-purpose monitor that doesn’t cost as much as a 4K display. A 27-inch monitor has significantly more screen space than a 24-inch model but takes up less space on a desk than a 32-inch display.
Why we like it: We’ve recommended Asus’s ProArt line of monitors for years because they’re sharp, accurate, and affordable. The Asus ProArt Display PA278CGV adds a 144 Hz refresh rate, which makes it a pretty good gaming monitor, too. With a USB hub and a KVM switch, this display can automatically swap peripherals between inputs, such as for a work laptop and a home PC. The USB-C port can deliver 90 W of power, which is enough to keep most laptops charged up. This monitor also has a three-year warranty with a good dead-pixel policy.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The stand on the PA278CGV is a bit more wobbly than the stand on previous models in the line. We didn’t notice it while typing, but when we pressed buttons or adjusted the display, the stand felt less sturdy than those of its predecessors.
Learn more in our full review of the best 27-inch monitors.
The most affordable option: 24-inch budget monitor
Budget pick
The BenQ GW2486TC looks as good as monitors that cost hundreds more, plus it can charge most modern laptops and has an adjustable stand.
Who this is for: This is for anyone who has limited desk space, prefers a smaller screen, or has less than $200 to spend. A 24-inch monitor is a lot bigger than even the largest laptop screen, but it takes up much less room on your desk than a 27-inch or larger monitor.
Why we like it: The BenQ GW2486TC is a 24-inch, 1080p monitor with a USB-C port capable of 65 W of charging, making it a great budget option for those who need a basic monitor to connect to their laptop. It also has features we rarely see on monitors this inexpensive, such as an adjustable stand, a 100 Hz refresh rate, and an outbound DisplayPort to daisy-chain another compatible monitor.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Computers determine how big to make text and images based on a display’s resolution, and higher-resolution monitors can fit more on the screen without sacrificing detail. If you’re used to a higher-resolution 1440p or 4K computer monitor, text and other on-screen elements might seem big on this 1080p model, and multitasking will be a little more difficult. But that holds true for all 24-inch 1080p monitors, not just this one.
Learn more in our full review of the best budget monitors.
Best for most gamers: 27-inch monitor with fast refresh rate
Top pick
This MSI monitor offers great gaming performance and has the specs for work too.
Who this is for: Gamers who want a monitor with a high refresh rate, and have a PC graphics card or console powerful enough to output 1440p video at 180 Hz (or close to it), should like this monitor. A 1440p resolution offers a noticeable upgrade over 1080p but doesn’t require as beefy of a graphics card in comparison with 4K gaming monitors.
Why we like it: The MSI MAG 274QRF QD E2 shows natural colors and sharp motion, and we found ourselves coming back to game on it again and again during testing. It has our preferred 1440p resolution and reaches 430 nits of brightness, so it’s great for even a sunny room.It also has a USB-C port with 65 W of power delivery, which makes this a compelling monitor for work and play in a home office. (This wasn’t part of our testing criteria.)
Flaws but not dealbreakers: We strongly recommend changing the 274QRF QD E2’s color temperature to Customization, without making any changes to the RGB values. The monitor’s Normal color temperature is ever so slightly red, an effect that is most noticeable on white backgrounds like web pages and text documents.
Learn more in our guide to the best gaming monitors.
For getting work done on the go: A portable monitor
Top pick
This portable monitor offers impressive image quality for the price and is also good for gaming.
Who this is for: Portable monitors can be helpful if you commonly work on a laptop away from an office, such as in coffee shops, coworking spaces, or hotel rooms. If you already have a set workspace, you would get more value from other monitors on this page.
Why we like it: The Arzopa Z1FC surprised us with its image and build quality, especially for its low price. We almost couldn’t believe it, so we ordered two more to make sure we didn’t just get a good unit. But all three monitors exhibited the same good color accuracy and gaming performance, even at a 144 Hz refresh rate. It has both USB-C and Mini HDMI connections, and it works well with game systems such as the Valve Steam Deck and the Sony PlayStation 5.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: A different Arzopa portable monitor that we bought arrived with an issue that caused it to emit a noticeable whine when powered on. Arzopa quickly replaced the monitor when we went through normal customer support channels, so we feel a bit more confident in saying that even if you get a lemon, the company will make it right.
Learn more in our full review of the best portable monitors.
A very big screen: 32-inch OLED 4K monitor
Upgrade pick
Asus’s 31.5-inch OLED monitor offers superb contrast and color, a 240 Hz refresh rate for gaming, and 90 W USB-C charging.
Who this is for: This is a large, expensive monitor for people who want the best image quality and gaming performance and are willing to pay for new technology. But it looks terrific and comes with a good warranty.
Why we like it: The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is one of the first large 4K OLED computer monitors available, and it offers a significant jump in contrast and general image quality over IPS monitors. In OLED displays, individual pixels can turn on and off, creating much darker shadows and black tones compared with IPS displays, which use a backlight to illuminate an image from behind. Aside from a truly great display, the PG32UCDM also gives you a USB-C port with 90 W of power delivery, a USB hub and KVM switch, and the ability to control it via software.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The PG32UCDM is expensive. It’s one of the first 4K OLED monitors to become widely available, so you’re paying a premium for a new technology.
Also, the ability to control the monitor’s settings through an app—and even assign hotkeys for certain settings—is a nice feature, but the one setting that you can’t control via software or hotkey is the monitor’s input, which is arguably the most important setting. Asus says it will fix this oversight in a software update in coming months.
Learn more in our full review of the best 4K monitors.
Good for multitaskers: An ultrawide monitor
Top pick
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.
Who this is for: A dual-monitor setup is usually the best option if you want to have a bunch of app windows open at once. But an ultrawide model might be a better choice if you need a ton of unbroken horizontal space or don’t want monitor bezels in between windows.
Why we like it: The Dell UltraSharp U3425WE stands out due to its IPS Black screen, which helps it produce better contrast than the competition and previous ultrawide picks. Its 34-inch screen can fit up to three windows side by side, and it has a USB-C port with 90 W of power delivery, plus HDMI and DisplayPort connections for PCs. The U3425WE also has a laundry list of useful features, such as the ability to daisy-chain another monitor (without your having to connect it directly to your computer), split its screen between inputs, or alter its brightness based on ambient light. It has a 120 Hz refresh rate for smoother animations or light gaming.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: You’ll have to use DisplayPort or USB-C if you want the 120 Hz refresh rate, as the monitor’s older HDMI 2.0 ports can’t handle all that data.
Learn more in our full review of the best ultrawide monitors.
For smaller spaces: A 24-inch monitor
Top pick
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.
Who this is for: Those with smaller desks, especially in bright or sunny rooms where our budget pick would be washed out, should choose this monitor. It’s also a better option if your laptop doesn’t have USB-A ports, or if you want to keep peripherals like a webcam, keyboard, and mouse attached to your monitor.
Why we like it: The Asus ProArt PA248CRV is as full-featured as any of our other picks, with 96 W USB-C charging and a USB hub for laptops with limited ports. It also makes up for its smaller size with a taller, 16:10 aspect ratio, which is noticeable on a smaller monitor like this.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: It has only a 1080p resolution, but we think Windows and macOS look fine at that resolution on monitors 24 inches and under. We also think 1080p 24-inch monitors are best for simple work that requires one or two windows, since multitasking can sometimes feel cramped in this amount of space.
Learn more in our full review of the best 24-inch monitors.
If you need more
We look for monitors with adjustable stands to accommodate the widest range of postures and desk setups. But if you need an even-more-adjustable mount for your monitor to achieve better ergonomics, we recommend picking up a monitor arm. All of our monitor picks are VESA-compatible and will work with our monitor-arm picks.
This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Caitlin McGarry.
Meet your guide
Dave Gershgorn
I am based in Seattle and responsible for Wirecutter’s computer monitor coverage, as well as all our guides to Apple laptops and desktops. I also review higher-powered laptops, such as business laptops and laptops for photo and video editing. Plus, I write our reviews for all-in-one computers, ergonomic keyboards, and home 3D printers. If it has a screen, sits on a desk, and isn’t a basic Windows ultrabook, I’m usually the person to try it out.
Further reading
The Best Budget Monitors
by Dave Gershgorn
We researched and tested cheap monitors and found an option that is good enough for most people.
The Best Monitor Arms
by Melanie Pinola
We researched and tested more than a dozen monitor arms and stands to find the best options to raise your screen and free up space on your desk.
The Best Ultrawide Monitors
by Dave Gershgorn
If you need two monitors worth of screen real estate but don’t have the desk space for them, an ultrawide monitor is a great solution.
The Best Baby Monitors
by Kerry Davis McGuinness
Local-video? Wi-Fi? Hybrid? Audio-only? The best baby monitor for you depends on your needs and preferences. We have picks in all four categories.
