Best cheap gaming monitor deals today

Gaming monitor deals

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(Image credit: Future - Jorge Jimenez)

1. p: x (HD)
2. p: x (QHD)
3. 4K: x (UHD)
4. Ultrawide: x (WQHD), x (WFHD)
5. OLED: QD-OLED, WOLED
6. UK monitor deals: All the best panels on sale

There are plenty of cheap gaming monitor deals around at any one point; we would know, we're constantly updating this page with them. Whether you're looking to upgrade to a higher resolution because you've just bagged a shiny new graphics card or adding a second panel to your home office desk, there's usually a lot on offer at discount prices.

If you've picked up one of the best graphics cards, you must ensure your monitor can deliver its optimum resolution with a decent frame rate. Otherwise, you're not taking advantage of your fancy GPU's graphical potential and forcing an unnecessary bottleneck.

For the discerning competitive gamer, it's all about frame rate. Resolution be damned! Thankfully we've spotted gaming monitors with refresh rates up to 270Hz on offer lately, and 144Hz now seems to be the standard minimum.

We've compiled a list of all the best cheap gaming monitor deals we've found, using our years of panel testing expertise to guide us, and we've organized them by resolution below. You can also see how they compare against some of the best gaming monitors. Those top screens don't always go on sale, but the ones listed here can offer a good alternative if you want to save a buck. And rest assured; we will let you know if they get a discount.

p

Acer KC242Y | 23.8-inch | p | 100Hz | VA | FreeSync | $117.99 $89.99 at Amazon (save $28)
Ok, so it's pretty small, and a VA panel. But honestly, for this money and from a well-known and trusted manufacturer, with AMD FreeSync and a 100Hz refresh rate? A pretty good deal if you ask us. This would make an excellent second monitor, or a pretty quick main monitor in a pinch if you're building on a very tight budget.

Price check: Best Buy $89.99

ASRock Phantom Gaming | 27-inch | p | 165Hz | IPS | FreeSync | $179.99 $109.77 at Newegg (save $70.22)
ASRock has become a favorite of ours around here over busy shopping periods. These screens always seem to be on offer, and from the one we've used (read our review) they're good value for the money, too. You can't really complain with this 165Hz panel for just under $100.

Acer Nitro KC241Y | 23.8-inch | p | 165Hz | VA | FreeSync | $172.99 $109.99 at Amazon (save $63)
Why do monitor model names need to be so confusing? It's an eternal mystery. But if you can decode this Acer, you'll find it's a cracking deal. A 165Hz gaming monitor for just $89.99. Yes, it's VA, but at this price point, something's gotta give.

Price check: Newegg $175.99

Acer Nitro XF243Y | 23.8-inch | p | 180Hz | IPS | FreeSync | $199.99 $109.99 at Best Buy (save $90)
If you reckon IPS rather than VA tech is essential for a proper gaming panel, do not despair. This 180Hz Acer monitor rocks IPSm panel tech for a whisker over $100. Sure, it's only p and 24 inches. But if you're looking for maximum speed for minimum money, this is an excellent deal.

Price check: Amazon $109.99

ASRock Phantom Gaming | 27-inch | p | 165Hz | IPS | FreeSync | $179.99 $109.77 at Newegg (save $70.22)
ASRock has become a favorite of ours around here over busy shopping periods. These screens always seem to be on offer, and from the one we've used (read our review) they're good value for the money, too. You can't really complain with this 165Hz panel for just under $100.

Gigabyte GF27F | 27-inch | p | 165Hz | IPS | FreeSync Premium | $209.99 $149.99 at Newegg (save $60)
It's not the fastest p monitor out there nor is it the most stylish, but for the money, you're getting a fantastic budget gaming monitor. 165Hz variable refresh rate, 130% sRGB color gamut, and multiple input options sweeten the deal very nicely.

Price check: Amazon $149.99

Acer Nitro | 27-inch | p | 240Hz | VA | | Curved | FreeSync | $191.99 at Amazon
If you're desperate for a super-high refresh rate on a budget, then this Acer Nitro screen should fit the bill. It's not very bright, rated at just 250 nits, but it's a good size, is a VA panel and sports a full 240Hz refresh rate for a rather tasty price tag.

p

Acer Nitro ED270U | p | VA | FreeSync Premium | 170 Hz | $249.99 $149.99 at Newegg (save $100)
This is one of the best deals on a p gaming monitor we've seen so far. A respectable brand and a respectable spec, although it might be worth holding out for an IPS panel. Still, a good price on a great little screen.

Price check: Amazon $169.99

ASRock Phantom PG27Q15R2A | 27-inch | 165Hz | p | VA | FreeSync Premium | $239.99 $153.77 at Newegg (save $86.22 after rebate)
ASRock's gaming monitors are always so darned cheap&#;we love them for that. This p panel offers resolution and a rapid refresh rate for a potent PC gaming combo, though the built-in Wi-Fi antenna helps it stand out from the crowd. That's hardly essential, but could come in use for some.

Price check: Amazon $229

Acer Nitro VG271U M3bmiipx | 27-inch | 180 Hz | p | IPS | $269.99 $159.99 at Newegg (save $110)
Prime Day might technically be over but there are still cracking new deals rolling in that continue to surprise us. This Acer Nitro one in particular stands out because it's a sub-$160 high refresh rate IPS monitor, which means you're getting super fast response times compared to similarly priced VA panels. It only reaches 250 nits brightness, though, which isn't the highest.

Price check: Amazon $199.99

Gigabyte GS27QC | 27-inch | 170Hz OC | p | VA | $229.99 $174.99 at Newegg (save $55)
Less than $200 for a decent p 170Hz monitor from a proper brand like Gigabyte? What's not to like? Some would argue the VA panel, but it is rated at 1ms, albeit MPRT not GtG. The 250 nits brightness is modest, too, and the stand isn't height adjustable. Still, the panel sports 4,000:1 static contrast, which is excellent.

Price check: Amazon $174.99

Samsung Odyssey G5 G55C | 27-inch | 165Hz | p | VA | $249 $199.99 at Walmart (save $49.01)
This monitor was already a great deal at its previous $216 Amazon price. Now, for $200 at Walmart, it's a steal. Samsung has form when it comes to getting VA panels to achieve good response. Put simply, Samsung VA panels are the quickest.

Price check: Amazon $208.53| Newegg $219.99

Gigabyte G27Q | 27-inch | 144Hz | p | IPS | $249.99 $199.99 at Newegg (save $50)
$220 for a proper p high refresh IPS gaming monitor from a decent brand is a great deal. It's also HDR 400 certified, so plenty punchy, has a proper adjustable stand and doesn't look at all cheap. Very appealing all round.

Price check: Walmart $199.99

Acer Nitro XV271U M3bmiiprx | 27-inch | 180Hz | p | 0.5 ms G2G resposne | IPS | $289.99 $199.99 at Amazon (save $90)

This Acer monitor is a steal for all you prospective competitive gamers, hitting a high refresh rate and low response time sweet spot (0.5-1 ms gray-to-gray). It's the same price as the Odyssey G5 below but is better for those of you who prefer an IPS panel to a VA.

Price check: Newegg $280.99

LG UltraGear OLED | 27-inch | p | 240Hz | G-Sync Compatible | $999.99 $599.99 at Newegg (save $400)
Err, how much for a p panel?! Still, this is an OLED unit, and about as cheap as the tech currently comes, as the price has seriously tumbled on this LG model. They make for seriously gorgeous screens. Admittedly this one is a little dim overall (as we found in our LG UltraGear 27GR95QE-B review) but it's still absolutely stunning in a shady spot.

Price check: Best Buy $999.99 | Amazon $635.99

4K

Gigabyte M28U | 28-inch | 4K | 144Hz | IPS | $599.99 $399.99 at Newegg (save $200)
Here's a monitor we really rate from our Gigabyte M28U review. We actually loved this package for its blend of speed and resolution, even at its original $650 price tag. At this tantalizingly cheap price, it's that much better.

Price check: Amazon $399.99

Samsung Odyssey G70B | 28-inch | 4K | 144 Hz | IPS |  $449.99 $399.99 at Amazon (Save $50)
28 inches might be small for a 4K monitor, but do not for a second let that put you off, because this thing's 28-inch screen will have a tighter pixel pitch and will look seriously sharp. It's also a high refresh rate IPS panel, too, so the colors will be on-point. The 400 cd/m² max brightness isn't stellar, but as this isn't a HDR screen I wouldn't worry about that, either. Not when you're paying this sort of cash for it.

Price check: Walmart $449.99 | Best Buy $426.99

MSI G321CU | 32-inch | 4K | 144Hz | VA |
$415.68 at Newegg
Sub $500 4K 32-inch high refresh monitors have remained frustratingly rare. But here's one at Newegg from MSI for under $420! Arguably, 4K makes more sense in the larger 32-inch format than, say, 27 inches. Inevitably, this is a VA not IPS model. But it's still rated at 1ms so the response should be at least reasonable. 

Price check: Amazon $419.99

Dough Spectrum One Glossy | 27 inch | 4K | 144Hz | IPS | FreeSync Premium Pro | G-Sync compatible | $699.99 $499.99 at B&H Photo (save $200)
First thing to say about this screen is that you don't get a stand as standard, so to speak. You have to spend another $100 if you don't already have a monitor arm you use. It's also worth stating there have been issues with Dough (previously known as Eve) fulfilling orders itself. This deal is specifically via B&H Photo, though, so you know the stock is in hand and ready to go. The final thing to say is that this monitor is glorious, and I'm a huge fan. It was also a $1,100 screen when it first came out, and is actually a pretty good HDR panel with its DisplayHDR 600 rating.

Gigabyte M32UC | 32-inch | 4K | 144Hz | VA | FreeSync Premium Pro | $629.99 $499.99 at Amazon (save $130)
Here's our pick for the best budget 4K gaming monitor, but now it's even cheaper. That's a deal we can't pass up. It's a gloriously simple panel with a no-frills look paired with a speedy refresh of up to 144Hz and a handy USB hub. Our Jacob uses this panel daily, and he's had no complaints with it so far.

Price check: Newegg $499.99 | Best Buy $499.99

Gigabyte M32U | 32-inch | 4K | 144Hz | IPS | FreeSync | $729.99 $524.99 at B&H (save $205)
The flat version of Gigabyte's M32U isn't only flatter, it also comes with a lovely IPS panel. That's why it's also a touch more expensive, but if you won't get outta bed for anything less than IPS, this is a fair price for a monitor with HDMI 2.1 and a USB hub.

Price check: Newegg $524.99

LG UltraGear | 32-inch | IPS | 144Hz | 4K | FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible | $599.99 $524.99 at Amazon (save $73.26)
You can pick up a cheaper VA 32-inch 4K screen above, but this is a fully gorgeous IPS panel and is dearer for it. With G-Sync and FreeSync support, you will always net smooth frames on this UltraGear&#;providing your GPU is up to the task. We're big fans of LG monitors, and this is a good 'un.

Price check: Best Buy $529.99

Samsung Odyssey Ark 2nd gen | 55-inch | 4K | Freesync | $2,999.99 $1,799.99 at Amazon (save $1,200)
Do you need the Ark? Probably not, but damned if it isn't at least worth a look nonetheless. This screen offers something few others do, probably for good reason. It's absolutely massive, curved out the wazoo, ready for HDR to the extreme, built with Mini LED tech, and runs at 165Hz. It's something different, and that's why it bears mentioning that it's pretty much always on sale.

Price check: Best Buy $1,799.99 | Walmart $1,799.99

Ultrawide

Acer Gaming XV340CK PBMIIPPHZX | 34-inch | x | 144Hz | IPS | $299.99 $249.99 at Newegg (save $50)
An older model, but it checks out. The combination of 34-inch ultrawide, 3,440 by 1,440 resolution, 144Hz and an IPS panel is pretty sweet for just $239.99, especially the IPS bit. The catch? Well, it tops at 250 nits, which is adequate but no more. But it's still a very nice deal.

LG UltraGear 34GP63A-B | 34-inch | 160Hz | x | VA | $399.99 $249.99 at Amazon (save $150)
At $306 this LG ultrawide is a genuine bargain. By comparison, Alienware's fancy QD-OLED 34-inch panel is around $800 even on sale. This LG matches its size, resolution, aspect ratio and refresh rate for less than one third of the price, although of course it is a VA panel, not an OLED. It's also not the brightest gaming monitor ever, but it is a very good deal.

Price check: LG $249.99

MSI MAG342CQPV Curved Gaming | 34-inch | x | 100Hz | VA | $253.46 at Amazon
This is a great deal on a slightly lower-spec ultrawide. You can expect a full ultrawide resolution, with plenty of vertical pixel space, thanks to that p resolution and 1ms response times for gaming. The only thing is this monitor will max out at 100Hz. That's still plenty quick enough for gaming, and as a way to save some money and still get that proper ultrawide experience, we do like this MSI a lot.

Price check: Newegg $255.99

MSI MAG342CQR Curved Gaming | 34-inch | x | 144Hz | VA | $299.99 $284.11 at Amazon (save $15.88)
At first glance, this looks like a dead reinger for the MSI ultrawide we already have listed. But this one ups the refresh to 144Hz from 100Hz and the brightness from 250 nits to 300 nits. In both cases, that lifts this screen from slightly skanky to much more acceptable all round. Oh, and it's slightly cheaper. It's still VA, of course, but it's an awful lot of screen for $250.

Price check: Newegg $402

Samsung Odyssey G5 | 34-inch VA | x | 250 nits |1ms MPRT | $549.99 $299.99 at Best Buy (save $250)
34-inch ultrawide p gaming remains one of our firm favourites. It's a great compromise between lots of detail and decent frame rates. This Samsung panel gives you all that with 3,440 by 1,440 pixels, 165Hz refresh and 1ms response. It's not the brightest at 250 nits. But if you can live with that, it's an awful lot of monitor for the money.

Price check: Amazon $315.78

ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R3A | 34-inch | 165Hz | VA | $459.99 $341.77 at Newegg (save $118.22 after rebate)
High refresh 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitors are arguably the sweet spot in terms of size, resolution and ergonomics. So, it's great to see one with decent specs for a reasonable price. As we discovered in our review, this ASRock is a very nice overall monitor for the money.

GIGABYTE M34WQ | 34-inch | 144Hz | IPS | $449.99 $389.99 at Newegg (save $60)
Gigabyte make some of our favorite gaming monitors, and as ultrawides go, this one's a bit of a peach. That IPS panel is plenty fast with a 144Hz refresh rate, and it's got plenty of ports for all sorts of connection possibilities. A 400 nits brightness rating is pretty great for this sort of price, too.

Price check: Amazon $389.99 | Walmart $389.99

OLED

LG UltraGear OLED | 27-inch | p | 240Hz | G-Sync Compatible | $999.99 $599.99 at Newegg (save $400)
Err, how much for a p panel?! Still, this is an OLED unit, and about as cheap as the tech currently comes, as the price has seriously tumbled on this LG model. They make for seriously gorgeous screens. Admittedly this one is a little dim overall (as we found in our LG UltraGear 27GR95QE-B review) but it's still absolutely stunning in a shady spot.

Price check: Best Buy $999.99 | Amazon $635.99

Alienware 34 AWDWF OLED | 34-inch | x | 165Hz  $699.99 at Dell
This is the lowest price yet for Alienware's segment defining OLED monitor. Sure, it's still a lot of money and this is now quite an old model. But, in truth, Samsung's QD-OLED panel tech hasn't moved on much since this first-gen model was released. In short, this glossy-panelled beauty is still a scorcher.

Price check: Amazon $899.99

LG UltraGear 34GS95QE | 34-inch | 240Hz | x | OLED | $1,299.99 $796.99 at Amazon (save $503)
With a 240 Hz refresh rate, this 34-inch curved ultrawide OLED monitor has AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync support. It's plenty smooth and fast, too, when it comes to action. Plus that panel looks lush, although the HDR could be better. Not quite everything, this display, but damned close to it, and a great deal at this price.

Price check: Newegg $799.99

Gigabyte Aorus CO49DQ | 49-inch | 144Hz | x | OLED | $1,099.99 $899.99 at Amazon (save $200)
It's not been around for long but the Aorus CO49DQ already has a decent discount, and it's a lot of monitor for the money as we found in our review. Those rocking the RTX might be better off with the higher refresh rate of the Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC, but the rest of us can take advantage of this very wide, very pretty looking panel for a bit less.

Price check: Newegg $899.99

Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC OLED | 49-inch | 240Hz | x | OLED | $1,599.99 $999.99 at Amazon (Prime Exclusive, save $600)
Samsung's hot new silly-wide OLED monitor has barely even been released, but it's already on sale. At 49 inches and sporting Samsung's QD-OLED tech, it doesn't look bad value next to all those $1,000-plus 34-inch ultrawide OLED, does it? Jeremy was, shall we say rather impressed in his review, and I reckon it looks like it was taken right off the set of a sci-fi film. Beautiful stuff.

Price check: Best Buy $1,079.99

Check out our dedicated channel for the latest PC hardware deals.

UK monitor deals

Cooler Master GM238-FFS | 24-inch | p | 144Hz | IPS | £144.95 £119.99 at Overclockers (save £24.96)
It's not big, and it certainly isn't from a name we normally associate with gaming monitors, but if space is at a premium and you just want a good, little p display for your desk, this 24-incher has a lot going for it. For a start it's a fast IPS panel, so you get the good colours and a 0.5ms response time, and it will deliver a 144Hz refresh rate, too.

ASRock Phantom PG27FF1A | 27-inch | p | IPS | 165Hz | £178.99 £127.99 at Scan (save £51)
It's pretty wild what you can get these days for a relatively small sum of money. This is a 27-inch monitor for roughly the same price as some of the smaller 24-inch panels below, and it still rocks an IPS display, 1ms response time, and a 165Hz refresh rate. Fantastic for gaming on a budget.

Price check: Overclockers £129.95

AOC 27G2SPAE/BK | 27-inch | p | IPS | 165Hz | Overclockers £154.96
Not the fastest, nor the fanciest 27-inch p you can get, but you're still getting plenty of monitor for the money. That IPS 165Hz panel offers Freesync Premium variable refresh rate and it's G-Sync Compatible, too. Perfect for PC or console gaming on a budget.

AOC Q27G2S/EU | 27-inch | p | IPS | 165Hz | £224.97 at Amazon
Besides this monitor's significant bezels, there's a lot to like here. It's a bit old fashioned looking, but all the important specs are here: p, 165Hz, FreeSync compatible. It's in a sweet spot for gaming and it's made by a manufacturer we trust with budget screens.

MSI PRO MP341CQ | x | VA | 100Hz | FreeSync | £329.99 £218.99 at Overclockers (save £111)
Treat yourself to an ultrawide image with this MSI monitor for a surprisingly low sum. It's not necessarily the quickest screen around, but 100Hz is a big step up over 60Hz that you will actually notice. Also it's a frame rate within reach for more mainstream graphics cards&#;the bump to ultrawide increases pixel counts and thus GPU demand shoots up too.

ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R2B | 34-inch | 165Hz | x | VA | £418.99 £328.99 at Scan (save £90)
You can't beat a high-refresh 34-inch ultrawide gaming panel in terms of bang for buck and ASRock gives you that particular bang for less buck than ever. As we found in our review, this 1ms 165Hz VA panel has no major weaknesses and makes for a really nice overall package for the money.

Alienware 34 AWDWF | 34-inch | 165Hz | QD-OLED | £929.99 £649.33 at Amazon (save£280.66)
Alienware's fancy QD-OLED panel is one of our all time favourite displays, and while this is still a lot of money for any monitor, even with a discount, you won't do much better than this for the cash. It's simply stunning. You can read our Alienware QD-OLED review for more.

Samsung Odyssey G7 | 28-inch | 4K | 144Hz | IPS | £649.99 £444.97 at Amazon (save £205.02)
Samsung rarely makes a duff monitor and this one ticks all of the right boxes for a high resolution, high refresh rate model. It uses an IPS panel so the contrast ratio isn't great; in HDR mode, pure black regions will look somewhat grey at times. It does sport two HDMI 2.1 ports for a spot of console goodness, though.

Price check: Ebuyer £599.99 | Overclockers £599.99

Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC OLED | 49-inch | 240Hz | x | OLED | £1,399.99 £1,175 at Amazon (save £224.99)
Samsung's silly-wide OLED monitor has only been around for a year, but you can now get it for quite a bit off. At 49 inches and sporting Samsung's QD-OLED tech this is a monitor straight out of a science fiction film, but it could well be gracing your desk at some point very soon. And our Jeremy loved it in his review. Cool hey?

Want more information on 27 Inch Curved Computer Supplier? Feel free to contact us.

Gaming monitor FAQ

Should I go for an IPS, TN or VA panel?

We would always recommend an IPS panel over TN. The clarity of image, viewing angle, and color reproduction are far superior to the cheaper technology, but you'll often find a faster TN for cheaper. The other alternative, less expensive than IPS and better than TN, is VA tech. The colors aren't quite so hot, but the contrast performance is impressive.

Should I go for a FreeSync or G-Sync monitor?

In general, FreeSync monitors will be cheaper. It used to be the case that they would only work in combination with an AMD GPU. The same went for G-Sync monitors and Nvidia GPUs. However, it is possible to find G-Sync-compatible FreeSync monitors if you intend to spend less.

Should I buy a HDR monitor?

With a High Dynamic Range monitor, you can take advantage of the ever-growing list of games and apps with HDR support. It offers more vibrant colors and greater contrast but will slightly increase the price. Windows' native HDR function also leaves much to be desired, and you may have to fiddle with the settings to get HDR looking like it should.

What aspect ratio should I go for?

Today's movies and games are best enjoyed in a widescreen format at a 16:9 aspect ratio or above. In 4:3, those cinematic moments will look stunted with black strips along the top and bottom. There are a host of minute variations on each ratio, but at the end of the day choosing between these depends entirely on your personal preference. 

And the very far-out option, if you have a little extra cash to blow, is ultra-wide aspect ratios like 21:9 and 32:9 and their variants. These will provide a much more immersive, encompassing experience. Or literally, encompass yourself with a curved monitor, up to you. 

Jargon buster - gaming monitor terminology

Refresh Rate (Hz)
The speed at which the screen refreshes. For example, 144Hz means the display refreshes 144 times a second. The higher the number, the smoother the screen will appear when you play games. 

V-Sync
Graphics tech synchronizes a game's framerate with your monitor's refresh rate to help prevent screen tearing by syncing your GPU frame rate to the display's maximum refresh rate. Turn V-Sync on in your games for a smoother experience, but you'll lose information, so turn it off for fast-paced shooters (and live with the tearing). Useful if you have an older model display that can't keep up with a new GPU.

G-Sync
Nvidia's frame synching tech that works with Nvidia GPUs. It basically allows the monitor to sync up with the GPU. It does by showing a new frame as soon as the GPU has one ready.

FreeSync
AMD's take on frame synching uses a similar technique as G-Sync, with the biggest difference being that it uses DisplayPort's Adaptive-Sync technology which doesn't cost monitor manufacturers anything.

Ghosting
When movement on your display leaves behind a trail of pixels when watching a movie or playing a game, this is often a result of a monitor having slow response times. 

Response Time
The amount of time it takes a pixel to transition to a new color and back. Often referenced as G2G or Grey-to-Grey. Slow response times can lead to ghosting. A suitable range for a gaming monitor is between 1-4 milliseconds.

TN Panels
Twisted-nematic is the most common (and cheapest) gaming panel. TN panels tend to have poorer viewing angles and color reproduction but have higher refresh rates and response times. 

IPS
In-plane switching, panels offer the best contrast and color despite having weaker blacks. IPS panels tend to be more expensive and have higher response times. 

VA
Vertical Alignment panels provide good viewing angles and have better contrast than even IPS but are still slower than TN panels. They are often a compromise between a TN and IPS panel. 

HDR
High Dynamic Range. HDR provides a wider color range than normal SDR panels and offers increased brightness. The result is more vivid colors, deeper blacks, and a brighter picture. 

Peak Brightness
This refers to the maximum brightness of a monitor or television and is measured in nits.

Ultrawide
Shorthand for monitors with aspect wider aspect ratios like 32:9 or 21:9

Resolution
The number of pixels that make up a monitor's display, measured by height and width. For example: x (aka p), x (2K), and x (4K).

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The Verge guide to working from home

The shift to remote work has sent millions scrambling to improve their home office. There are many ways to do this, but the most important upgrade is the most obvious: the monitor. 

A monitor is key. You&#;ll use it hour after hour, day after day, year after year. Monitors even have the audacity to resist obsolescence, so the monitor you buy today might be the one you&#;re still using in a decade. (My editor and I both have decade-old Dell U monitors that are still going strong.)

It&#;s an important decision, but not a difficult one, as there are dozens of great monitors to choose from. This guide will help you pick the best for your home office.

The sweet spot

I&#;ve reviewed monitors and laptop displays for over a decade. While different monitors suit different owners, I believe the ideal home office monitor has a 27-inch screen and 4K resolution. It uses an IPS panel, reaches a brightness of at least 250 nits, and can display 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut. Around back you&#;ll find a USB-C port that can deliver enough power to charge a laptop, along with HDMI and DisplayPort, plus an ergonomic stand that can adjust for height and attaches to a VESA mount.

For $550, LG&#;s 27UP850-W is a 27-inch 4K IPS monitor that can also provide 96W of power to a USB-C connected laptop. Image: LG

Finding a monitor that ticks most of these boxes won&#;t be too difficult. LG&#;s UltraFine line, Dell&#;s USB-C hub monitors, BenQ&#;s PDU and PDU, and HP&#;s U28 can check them all. Only the price may be higher than you hope; snagging any of the above will cost at least $450. 

But like I said, different monitors suit different owners. These monitors are ideal for work, but they&#;re expensive. They also lack features you&#;ll crave when it&#;s time to clock out and fire up a round of Valorant. This guide will help you navigate the monitor world&#;s many caveats and find one that&#;s a fit for you.

Size: 27-inch is best for most

A monitor&#;s most important trait is its most basic: the size. 

Most standard-width monitors come in one of three sizes: 24-inch, 27-inch, and 32-inch. Bigger is not necessarily better. A large display may look more impressive, but I find it uncomfortable when placed close to my eyes. There are also practical considerations like perceived pixel density. A big monitor will look fuzzier than a smaller monitor of the same resolution unless you move it further away &#; which isn&#;t always an option.

That&#;s why a 27-inch monitor is my go-to recommendation. It&#;s large enough to look impressive on a typical home office desk but isn&#;t excessive. In my experience, 32-inch monitors should be reserved for unusually large and deep desks, or corner setups where it&#;s possible to position the display around four feet away from your face. This is especially true for 32-inch monitors with a resolution below 4K, which look grainy to me at a distance of three feet.

The HP 24mh is a decent entry-level 24-inch p monitor for $175. Image: HP

For the same reasons, 24-inch monitors work better if you have a small, slim desk (say, around 24 inches deep or less) or otherwise bring the monitor closer to your face. A 24-inch monitor may sound small, but it&#;ll look reasonably large because it&#;s so close. They&#;re also a great way to save money. You can buy a decent all-around monitor like the HP 24mh for less than $200. It won&#;t wow you, but it works in a pinch. 

You can be creative with size if you mount a VESA-compatible monitor to an arm, as this will let you move it to your preference (including the proper ergonomic height). If you&#;re just doing it to move a large monitor farther away, though, give it a second thought. Why spend more for a larger monitor, and a monitor arm to position it farther away, instead of buying a smaller display to start? 

If you&#;re looking to stretch more screen across your field of view for multitasking, you might consider an ultrawide monitor instead. There, I think the choice is clear: go for a 34-incher. 

Smaller models lack vertical space. A 29-inch ultrawide has less vertical display space than a 24-inch widescreen. Larger models generally have the opposite problem. Many are too big for a typical home office desk, not only because of their screen size, but because of the large stands used to stabilize them (some are several feet wide). You might need to rearrange your desk around a 38-inch or 43-inch monitor or add a top-tier monitor arm to make it work.

What about super-ultrawides, like the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 series? These monitors can offer a commanding view and are a good alternative to a double or triple monitor setup but, like big ultrawides, you&#;ll need to build your setup around it. 

You might need to rearrange your entire desk around a super-ultrawide like the Samsung Odyssey G9. Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

Resolution: 4K is great, p is practical

Resolution is key. A higher resolution means more pixels, and more pixels means a sharper, crisper image. More pixels also adds flexibility. You can use scaling features in Windows and MacOS to increase content size for readability, or crank it down to show more content at once. 

4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) looks fantastic and is widely available on 27-inch and 32-inch displays. It&#;s not that expensive, either. Budget 4K 27-inch monitors like the Dell SQS can get you 4K for $350 or less.

The Dell SQS is a solid budget pick for a 27-inch 4K IPS monitor at under $350. A USB-C version costs a good bit more. Image: Dell

With that said, settling for p (2,560 x 1,440) can save money. It&#;s a bit disappointing on a 32-inch display, unless you move it far away, but it&#;s workable. A 27-inch p display can look reasonably sharp and is a good choice if you personally don&#;t care about having the sharpest picture possible.

You should probably avoid p (1,920 x 1,080) in a 27-inch or 32-inch monitor, however. It will look grainy and pixelated. Small fonts and interface elements (such as buttons) can become difficult to see. 

Twenty-four-inch monitors are a different story; 4K is rare, and p is often the premium option. In fact, most monitors of this size are p. It&#;s not ideal but it&#;s acceptable, as decreasing size increases pixel density. A 24-inch p monitor is noticeably sharper than a 27-inch p monitor. 

Want a 34-inch ultrawide? Look for 3,440 x 1,440 resolution. This leads to a pixel density nearly identical to a 27-inch p monitor (about 109 pixels per inch). A handful of super-budget ultrawides use 2,560 x 1,080 resolution which, like p on a large monitor, isn&#;t pleasant. LG&#;s 5K Ultrawide line is the sole option if you want 4K-equivalent pixel density in a 34-inch ultrawide, but you&#;ll typically pay $1,500 or more. LG&#;s well-reviewed 38-inch with 3,840 x 1,600 resolution costs even more at $1,600 and, though it might offer more screen, is equal in pixel density to a 3,440 x 1,440 ultrawide.

Super-ultrawides also don&#;t offer much choice. All 49-inch super-ultrawides I&#;m aware of use the same 5,120 x 1,440 resolution which, again, roughly equals the pixel density of a p 27-inch display. 

Connectivity: USB-C is excellent but expensive 

Most monitors have HDMI and DisplayPort. There&#;s no great reason to prefer one over the other for remote work. The huge majority of monitors sold today offer both, so the port you use will likely come down to what&#;s available on your PC. 

This LG monitor has four video inputs, from top left to bottom left: Thunderbolt / USB-C, DisplayPort, and a pair of HDMIs. Image: LG

What about HDMI 2.1? It&#;s not necessary for remote work, and productivity monitors with HDMI 2.1 aren&#;t yet a thing. Be warned that HDMI 2.1 could get messy in due to the standard&#;s lax certification. It&#;s key only if you want to connect a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X game console.

If you&#;ve got extra cash to spend, the galaxy-brain move is to ignore HDMI and DisplayPort entirely and leap to USB-C and/or Thunderbolt. USB-C and Thunderbolt are great because they allow a single-cable solution for modern laptops that support the standard. You can plug in the laptop and charge it from the monitor while sending video to the monitor simultaneously. The best USB-C monitors even act as a hub with multiple extra ports like USB-A, USB-C, and ethernet. 

The underside of this 27-inch Dell USB-C Hub Monitor is bristling with connectivity, much of it accessible via a single USB-C cable that also provides 90W of charging. Image: Dell

Just make sure you check the fine print. Look for USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and Power Delivery, or Thunderbolt with Power Delivery (the standard has DisplayPort baked in). Those sorts of USB-C ports aren&#;t exactly uncommon on laptops: even the modest ThinkPad E545 I bought a few years back includes them.

But you&#;ll also need to make sure the monitor you buy provides enough electricity. Power Delivery currently maxes out at 100 watts, so even the most powerful monitors can&#;t fully power laptops like a top-spec Razer Blade or high-end MacBook Pro 16, but a monitor that delivers 60 watts or even 45 watts might be enough if you have a thin-and-light laptop like a Dell XPS 13 or MacBook Air. The higher the better, but if the USB-C monitor doesn&#;t deliver as much power as your laptop&#;s power brick, your battery might only charge when it&#;s idle or even powered off. 

USB-C monitors are also expensive. The benefits often add several hundred dollars to the price when compared to an otherwise similar monitor that lacks USB-C. It&#;s worth the money, though: in , I purchased a Viewsonic VG-2K for a sweet one-cable connection to USB-C capable laptops, and find it ideal for swiftly connecting my laptop to a larger screen. 

Ergonomics: The height has it  

Any monitor worth your attention will have a stand that at least adjusts for height, usually along a range from 100 to 150 millimeters. Sure, you can stack it on books or buy a plastic riser, but that&#;s added hassle and clutter.

Many monitors also adjust for tilt and swivel, and some pivot 90 degrees into portrait orientation. That can be particularly handy when a monitor is used as a second display. For example, you could swivel a monitor to directly face you while doing detailed work, like editing a photo, and swing it away when it&#;s just displaying Slack or Discord. Tilt is similar but on the vertical axis, and especially handy if you have a standing desk, as you may need to tilt the monitor up while the desk is standing.

The $129 Fully Jarvis Monitor Arm is a well-reviewed arm with a 15-year warranty. Image: Fully

But if your monitor doesn&#;t have enough range of motion, or you want to free up space on your desk, you could instead add a VESA-compatible monitor arm to get it off the ground. Look for monitors with a 100mm x 100mm VESA spacing pattern. This is an extremely common feature found in all but the most affordable monitors, and you only need to worry about the 100mm spacing pattern. Others exist, but are relevant to other types of displays (like televisions). 

A monitor arm is rarely a necessity, but it&#;s great for multi-monitor setups that place secondary displays around and above your main monitor, or for positioning an especially large and bulky monitor. Unfortunately, monitor arms can also be a bit expensive. A basic monitor arm off Amazon can run $30 to $50, but I&#;ve been burnt on their quality in the past. A good arm like those from Jarvis or Ergotron will start around $130.

Larger, heavier monitors will need a beefier, more expensive arm: the model Ergotron recommends for the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is currently $379 (and, at the time I wrote this, sold out!)

Color accuracy and gamut

Color accuracy is critical to image quality. An inaccurate monitor will look unnatural, flat, and dull, with strange swings in quality depending on what you&#;re viewing and the precise colors that are inaccurate (it&#;s common for monitors to be less accurate in blue or cyan than other colors, for example). A monitor with terrible color will disappoint you every time you sit down to use it. 

The good news? Accuracy is low-key the greatest advancement in monitors over the last decade. Noticeably inaccurate displays were common when I began testing monitors well over a decade ago. Today, most midrange monitors have reasonable accuracy straight out of the box. 

If color is key for work, you probably already know you can buy a calibration tool like this $160 Spyder. Image: Datacolor

Still, there is a difference between midrange and premium monitors. Those who want great color accuracy should look for a &#;factory calibrated&#; monitor, which typically includes a calibration report in the box. This doesn&#;t guarantee color accuracy is perfect, but it at least shows the company put the monitor through an extra layer of quality assurance. Also check reviewers to see if the monitor lives up to its claims.

Color gamut, which describes the spectrum of colors a monitor can display, is also good enough on most monitors. The majority of content on a computer targets a color gamut called sRGB. Modern monitors display at least 95 percent of this gamut, and many display it all. Other gamuts also exist. DCI-P3 is the most advertised, though you may see Rec.709 or Adobe RGB as well. These gamuts are important if your work requires them, though if that&#;s the case, I&#;m guessing you know that. As with color accuracy, buyers concerned about gamut should read reviews to verify a monitor lives up to its claims.

Brightness and HDR: 250 nits or bust

Odds are your home office has some form of light control, whether it&#;s shades or simply a room that&#;s naturally a bit dim. The ideal brightness will vary based on the lighting in your home office, but a monitor&#;s brightness rarely needs to exceed 200 nits. In fact, most monitor calibration tools (like a SpyderX Elite I use) have a built-in luminance sensor used to recommend a brightness based on ambient light. I&#;ve never seen it recommend more than 200 nits.

That&#;s not a big ask, but budget monitors can&#;t always manage it, so be careful if you&#;re shopping on a tight budget. Manufacturers also tend to choose a best-case scenario when quoting brightness, so the listed brightness may not always be available. Buy a monitor that promises a maximum brightness of at least 250 nits (aka cd/m2). 

Why would you want a brighter monitor? Well, if you&#;re viewing SDR content, there&#;s no particular reason (aside from using a monitor in a very, very bright room which, though rare, does happen). Viewing SDR content at a high brightness (say, 300 nits or more) might look nice at a glance, but can cause image quality issues like disappointing dark levels and reduced overall contrast. 

High Dynamic Range, aka HDR, is a different story. This standard supports a way higher range of luminosity than SDR. HDR10, the most common standard, technically allows for a peak brightness up to 10,000 nits. Brightness does matter for HDR because the content includes additional luminance data that only HDR-compatible displays can show. 

If you are looking for an HDR monitor, DisplayHDR certification labels could help, but know that &#;peak luminance&#; means &#;a tiny region on screen can get that bright,&#; and DisplayHDR 400 is barely HDR at all. Screenshot by Sean Hollister / The Verge

However, HDR is a bit of a minefield on the PC and can be counterproductive for work. Turning on HDR in Windows will often block a number of monitor controls you may need, including brightness, color gamut, and color temperature settings. The resulting image can appear eye-searingly bright and you&#;ll have less leeway to adjust it to your preferences. 

Also, most content viewed in Windows or MacOS is not designed for HDR. You can still view it, but the result will be less accurate than if you stuck with SDR.

Entertainment and gaming is where HDR redeems itself. Most streaming platforms now offer a method for viewing HDR content on a PC and many new 3D games include HDR support. Windows 11 even has an auto-HDR feature that can add HDR to games that don&#;t officially support it. This makes HDR a nice addition to a monitor that you&#;ll use for work and play &#; though I&#;d recommend leaving HDR off until you clock out.

Panel type: IPS rules the office

Nearly all monitors sold today use an LCD panel based on one of three technologies: twisted nematic (TN), in-plane switching (IPS), and vertical alignment (VA). 

The least expensive monitors often use a TN panel. Avoid them. TN panel monitors will display an image, but that&#;s about it. They look achingly dull next to IPS and have astoundingly bad viewing angles. 

Here&#;s a rough sense of how colors can shift off-angle with a TN panel, from an earlier Verge review. Photo by James Bareham / The Verge and Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

A majority of monitors use IPS. Monitors based on IPS have very accurate color and can support a wide color gamut at a reasonable price. IPS struggles with dark scenes, however, because it can&#;t achieve a convincing shade of black. This is the dreaded &#;IPS glow&#; you may have heard of, which can look unappealing when watching movies or playing games. However, gamers still enjoy IPS monitors because some IPS panels have low response times and very high refresh rates. 

What about VA? This panel type has the best contrast ratio and dark scene performance of the three, which makes VA a great go-to choice for entertainment and gaming. This is especially true of high-quality, modern VA panels, which have mostly solved the color accuracy and motion smearing issues of some past VA monitors. 

The choice between IPS and VA has no clear answer, as both have their perks. When it comes to work, though, you may find the choice is made for you. A huge majority of productivity monitors use an IPS panel. VA is an option, but you&#;ll want to lean your search toward gaming monitors if you crave the high contrast a quality VA panel can provide. 

Refresh rate: Higher is better, but there&#;s a compromise

AMD and Nvidia have successfully convinced gamers that a 360Hz monitor is ideal. But what if your day includes more Excel than Counter-Strike? You might still see some benefits from a refresh rate higher than the traditional 60Hz. 

Gaming is often the reason to buy a monitor with an enhanced refresh rate. Higher refresh rates lead to smoother, more fluid motion and reduces input lag. That said, the benefits of refresh rate are not restricted to games. Higher rates make motion feel more fluid on the desktop as well, which is why Apple&#;s newest MacBook Pro 14 and 16, and many Windows laptops, now offer a refresh rate of 120Hz or more.

I feel it&#;s nice to have, but far down on the list of features you need to consider. Also, you probably shouldn&#;t pay extra for a 75Hz monitor &#; it&#;s not much gain over 60Hz. 

High-refresh gaming displays aren&#;t especially expensive, with 24-inch, 144Hz models sold for as little as $200. But you&#;ll typically trade something away for refresh rate: that $200 monitor might use an iffy TN panel (rather than IPS or VA) or feature a low resolution. It&#;s possible to snag a 4K display for a reasonable sum, or one with a high refresh rate, but going for 4K at 144Hz means looking at monitors that cost as much as big televisions. 

Also, USB-C with Power Delivery is rarely found in gaming monitors, and I haven&#;t seen a USB-C gaming monitor that doubles as a USB-C hub. That could be an issue if your work setup involves a lot of wired peripherals. 

Mini LED and OLED

Nearly all monitors sold today use an LCD panel with an LED backlight behind it, a tried-and-true setup that has existed for decades. 

Mini LED adds a twist. The fundamentals remain similar, but the backlight is divided into hundreds of zones that can turn on and off independently. This allows extra brightness but also convincing contrast in shadowy scenes. Mini LED is also outstanding for HDR movies and games, where its class-leading brightness provides an edge.

OLED? It flips the table, using an array of organic elements that create their own light. This provides pixel-level lighting control for truly unparalleled contrast you have to see to believe. OLED is also susceptible to burn-in, though there are ways to mitigate it from affecting a display prematurely.

We tried a 48-inch OLED TV as a monitor this past year with mixed results. Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

Neither of these are necessary for working from home, and you&#;ll likely have to spend thousands to snag a monitor with either tech. Alternatively, you could buy a television with Mini LED or OLED technology, but televisions still have their downsides as monitors.

If you demand the very best from a monitor, however, I recommend Mini LED. OLED&#;s burn-in worries are legitimate on the PC which, compared to a television, will display static images more frequently. Mini LED can&#;t match OLED&#;s contrast, but it&#;s still a major upgrade over a backlit LCD screen. There&#;s also the emerging category of quantum dot OLED (QD-OLED) screens, but manufacturers haven&#;t announced prices for those yet.

What about monitors with built-in webcams?

Do not buy a monitor with a built-in webcam. 

Webcams are small, easy to move, and can be used with multiple devices. Attaching a webcam to a monitor removes these perks. It also means you can&#;t upgrade your webcam in the future; you&#;ll have to replace the entire monitor. 

Our webcam guide has several recommendations. Most are less than $100. 

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