13 Best Reviewed Computer Monitors (2024): Budget, OLED, 4K

Let’s go over a few important points. Some of these features may be more important for certain uses—for example, gamers often care more about high frame rates than office workers—but they’re all good to have.

• Solution: The larger the monitor, the more it will benefit from higher resolutions. That will allow you to have application windows that take up less space but are still readable. Most monitors today are usually 1080p, 1440p (2K), or 4K.
• Refresh rate: This means how many times the display can refresh the image per second, measured in hertz (or Hz). A higher refresh rate makes the action in games look smoother because you see more information. For productivity, 60 Hz is more than enough, but gamers will generally want a panel that can hit 120 or 144 Hz. You’ll need a powerful enough computer that can maintain a high frame rate to use these high refresh rates, and you usually have to turn this feature on in your operating system’s display settings.
• Panel type: Monitors usually have a type of LCD (liquid-crystal display) panel. The three most popular options—twisted nematic (TN), vertical alignment (VA), and in-plane switching (IPS)—are all different types of LCD panels, and all use TFT (thin-film-transistor) technology as well. Each is popular for different reasons: IPS for color, VA for contrast, and TN for speed with high refresh rates and response times. IPS has become more popular due to its increased refresh speed. OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels are also gaining momentum in computer monitors. In this case, each pixel turns on and off, meaning you can get truer blacks and brighter colors, though often at the expense of brightness. You have to think about what is most important to you (big color? small form factor? big brightness?) to choose the best type of panel for your needs.
• Nvidia G-Sync/AMD FreeSync support: Gamer-specific terms, these two features allow monitors to adjust their frame rates based on the games they play. This reduces screen tearing without affecting performance. G-Sync is made by Nvidia and FreeSync is from AMD, and while FreeSync monitors can generally work with most modern Nvidia graphics cards, G-Sync doesn’t work with AMD cards, so make sure everything you have is compatible when you buy.
• HDR support: This isn’t essential for productivity, but if you watch a lot of media or play games, it’s nice to have. As with TVs, HDR dramatically expands the range of colors the screen can reproduce, resulting in clearer images. Content still has to support HDR, but most sources do these days so it’s often worth setting up.
• Port availability: An important but easy to see feature is what kind of ports the monitor has for connecting your devices. Most usually come with one or two HDMI inputs, and a DisplayPort input, which will cover most needs, but it’s always a good idea to check what your setup needs. Check out our Best of USB Hubs and Docks guide if you need to expand your computer’s port options.
• Built-in KVM switch: A KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) switch is a device that helps you easily switch your monitor, keyboard, and mouse between two different computers or source inputs (such as a gaming console). If you have a single setup of both a work and personal computer, or a computer and gaming console, having a KVM switch built into the monitor means you can easily switch everything between your two devices without needing an external KVM switch.

Once you have a monitor, you need a way to set it up in your workspace. Here are a few different accessories and options to choose from.

• Stands: Most monitors come with a stand, and the flexibility of these steps can go a long way in reducing neck strain and/or back pain. Convenient stands allow you to adjust the height, tilt, and rotation of the screen to position it where you need it.
• Mounting brackets: When using monitor arms, the type of mount used by the monitor is important. Most monitors use the VESA standard. You should check the size and type of mount on the equipment you have before purchasing.
• Speakers: Most monitors come with built-in speakers, but I wouldn’t put much stock in them. They usually sound poor and don’t make much noise. You’re best off getting a set of dedicated speakers. Check out our guide to the best speakers.