For many buyers, the first consideration will be the price above all else. While high-end displays will often be priced at $1,000 or higher, you can still find plenty of decent mid-range monitors for less than half that price. Business users will often benefit from features like built-in USB hubs that allow peripherals to be connected to the monitor instead of the PC tower, and power-usage profiles that help companies manage their electricity costs across an entire computer-using staff.
For anyone working with photo and video, clear and accurate images are a must. To get truer colors, most photographers and graphic designers opt for a monitor with In-Plane Switching (IPS), a technology which offers clearer detail and a wider color gamut. Larger monitors also provide wide canvases for the digital artist to work on, or to display their work.
Gamers and home-theater enthusiasts will want a monitor that does more than offer bright colors and sharp details—they also need a display that can handle the fast moving images of games and movies without blurring and smearing across the screen. For these users, we recommend finding a monitor with a faster response rate, which is the time (measured in milliseconds) it takes for a pixel to transition from one color to another or to transition from black to white. You may also want to find a display that goes beyond the two-dimensional—3D capable displays offer an immersive aspect to games and films that normal displays cannot match.
FEATURED IN THIS ROUNDUP:
Asus VG278H
$699 list
The Asus VG278H has everything you need to enjoy realistic 3D gaming right out of the box. It may be a bit pricey and lack USB ports, but this 27-inch gaming monitor offers a lot of bang for your buck in terms of performance and features. Read the full review ››
$699 list
The Asus VG278H has everything you need to enjoy realistic 3D gaming right out of the box. It may be a bit pricey and lack USB ports, but this 27-inch gaming monitor offers a lot of bang for your buck in terms of performance and features. Read the full review ››
Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421
$199.99 list
The Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 portable 14-inch monitor is a great travel companion for users requiring more screen real estate while on the road. Read the full review ››
$199.99 list
The Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 portable 14-inch monitor is a great travel companion for users requiring more screen real estate while on the road. Read the full review ››
Asus PA246Q
$499 list
The Asus PA246Q is a 24-inch IPS monitor that delivers professional grade performance and a robust feature set at a reasonable price. Read the full review ››
$499 list
The Asus PA246Q is a 24-inch IPS monitor that delivers professional grade performance and a robust feature set at a reasonable price. Read the full review ››
Lenovo LS2421p Wide
$219.99 direct
The Lenovo LS2421p Wide is an affordable 23.6-inch monitor that delivers solid color and text performance without using much power. Read the full review ››
$219.99 direct
The Lenovo LS2421p Wide is an affordable 23.6-inch monitor that delivers solid color and text performance without using much power. Read the full review ››
Viewsonic VX2753mh
$349.99 list
The ViewSonic VX2753mh is an energy efficient 27-inch display that delivers great all around performance for a reasonable price. Read the full review ››
$349.99 list
The ViewSonic VX2753mh is an energy efficient 27-inch display that delivers great all around performance for a reasonable price. Read the full review ››
Apple Thunderbolt Display
$999 direct
The 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display delivers solid picture and audio quality in a stylish aluminum cabinet, but it doesn't come cheap. Read the full review ››
$999 direct
The 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display delivers solid picture and audio quality in a stylish aluminum cabinet, but it doesn't come cheap. Read the full review ››
NEC MultiSync PA301W
$2,299 list
The NEC MultiSync PA301W is a professional grade 30-inch display offering excellent color and grayscale performance at a premium price. Read the full review ››
$2,299 list
The NEC MultiSync PA301W is a professional grade 30-inch display offering excellent color and grayscale performance at a premium price. Read the full review ››
NEC MultiSync EA273WM
$499 list
The NEC MultiSync EA273WM is a slim 27-inch business monitor offering a robust feature set and vibrant colors. It'll save you money on your electric bill, but you'll pay a bit more at the register. Read the full review ››
$499 list
The NEC MultiSync EA273WM is a slim 27-inch business monitor offering a robust feature set and vibrant colors. It'll save you money on your electric bill, but you'll pay a bit more at the register. Read the full review ››
