Best monitors 2026: Top picks for gaming, 4K, HDR, and more

Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE – Best monitor overall

Who should buy the Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE?

Dell’s Ultrasharp U2724DE is an incredibly versatile monitor that will satisfy most users. It’s great for home office productivity, good for gaming, and can handle more serious content creation workflows, like photo and video editing. 

The U2724DE has an IPS Black panel that roughly doubles the monitor’s contrast ratio (compared to other IPS monitors). It can’t beat a more expensive OLED or Mini-LED panel, but it’s still alluring. It also lacks the burn-in worries of OLED which, although unlikely to occur in mixed use, might become an issue if you spend all day working in Excel and plan to keep your monitor for as long as possible.

Dell pairs the IPS Black panel with an enhanced 120Hz refresh rate. Upping the refresh rate greatly improves motion clarity and makes the U2724DE a viable display for gamers. That’s a big deal. It means you can buy one monitor for both work and play. 

The U2724DE goes all-in on connectivity. Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, DisplayPort-in and -out, and HDMI are present. It even has a 2.5G Ethernet port. These features are ideal if you plan to connect a laptop over USB-C, as the U2724DE will greatly expand the laptop’s connectivity. 

Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE: Further considerations

Resolution is the only notable downside. The U2724DE is a 1440p monitor, while many competitors in its price bracket offer 4K. This is often the trade-off made to hit monitor’s 120Hz refresh rate. For 4K goodness see the Dell U3225QE below. Just know that it’s almost 50 percent more expensive.

Acer Vero B247Y G – Best budget monitor

Who should buy the Acer Vero B247Y G?

Value shoppers who want a good-quality, versatile monitor at a budget price will be pleased with the Acer Vero B247Y G. This 24-inch 1080p IPS monitor stands out with its surprising 120Hz refresh rate and Adaptive Sync support, making it suitable for both productivity and PC gaming. It also provides great image quality for a budget display, with above-average scores in contrast ratio and brightness, as well as good color performance.

Build quality exceeds expectations, too, with a fully ergonomic stand that offers height, tilt, swivel, and even pivot adjustments—a rarity in budget displays. The monitor’s clear on-screen menu system provides easy access to various image settings, while the inclusion of both modern (HDMI, DisplayPort) and legacy (VGA) connections ensures compatibility with a wide range of devices.

Acer Vero B247Y G: Further considerations

Though it’s possible to find a less expensive 24-inch 1080p monitor, the Vero B247Y G justifies its slightly higher price through quality-of-life improvements, and it still manages to limbo under $150 when discounted (which it often is). It’s hard to find a more well-rounded budget monitor.

Pixio PX248 Wave – Best budget gaming monitor

Who should buy the Pixio PX248 Wave?

This is a great budget monitor for gamers who want more than a no-frills display. The Pixio PX248 Wave distinguishes itself from other budget options with a colorful, stylish design, and solid motion performance, for an enticing price of $159.99.

Pixio offers this monitor in four colorways: black, white, blue, and pink. The latter two are rather special, as only a handful of monitors — like the more expensive Samsung M8 Smart Monitor — offer similarly out-of-the-box colors. The stand matches the monitor’s colorway, and Pixio even offers an optional color-coordinated monitor arm for those who want to go all-in on a particular desktop vibe.

The monitor’s 24-inch Fast IPS display boasts a 200Hz refresh rate that delivers fluid motion. Image quality is reasonable, too, as the PX248 Wave delivers respectable color accuracy and coverage, making it suitable for both gaming and casual content creation. It has built-in speakers, too.

Pixio PX248 Wave: Further considerations

Despite its visual appeal, the PX248 Wave sticks to the basics with connectivity, which includes HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4. USB connectivity isn’t available. The included stand is also basic, as it only adjusts for tilt, and the menu controls could be more user-friendly.

Most competitors at this price point have a similar display panel wrapped in a more generic black, gray, or charcoal case. Pixio’s PX248 Wave manages to match them in image quality and beat them on looks, yet it stays on a budget.

MSI MPG 272URX – Best gaming monitor

Who should buy the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED?

For anyone who wants a high-performance gaming monitor, the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED should be at the top of your list.

This 26.5-inch display delivers stunning 4K resolution with an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate in a cutting-edge OLED panel. It’s an excellent choice for gamers who want both visual clarity and fluid motion. With its 240Hz refresh rate, the MSI delivers fast-paced gaming yet maintains the deep contrast and vibrant colors that OLED monitors are known for. It also supports Adaptive Sync for smooth frame pacing.

MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED: Further considerations

The QD-OLED panel offers excellent contrast and color accuracy, which makes it a solid pick for creative professionals and anyone who enjoys watching HDR movies. Connectivity is also generous, with HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1a, and USB-C inputs, as well as 98 watts of USB Power Delivery for charging laptops or tablets. The design is a bit plain, but the stand is sturdy and fully adjustable, which is far more important.

The MSI MPG 272URX is more expensive than 1440p OLED alternatives, which can be found for under $800. But if 4K clarity and a fluid 240Hz refresh rate are what you’re after, this monitor is worth the investment.

MSI MPG 341CQR – Best ultrawide monitor

Who should buy the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36?

The MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is the ultrawide monitor for shoppers who don’t want to sacrifice image quality or versatility. Its 5th-generation Samsung tandem QD-OLED panel delivers effectively infinite contrast, a wide color gamut spanning 100 percent sRGB and 98 percent DCI-P3, and excellent color accuracy, making it a serious contender for creative work as well as gaming. Its 360Hz refresh rate delivers great motion clarity, and the monitor’s VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification provides solid real-world HDR performance.

Connectivity is a strength. A USB-C port with 98 watts of Power Delivery means you can drive the display and charge a MacBook or thin-and-light Windows laptop through a single cable—a feature that’s still not guaranteed on gaming monitors.

The price also works in the monitor’s favor. At $899.99, the MPG 341CQR sits just under the $1,000 mark, which makes it a good value given its excellent image quality and extensive feature set.

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36: Further considerations

Pixel density is the major trade-off you accept with any 34-inch 1440p ultrawide. At roughly 110 pixels per inch, the MPG 341CQR is noticeably softer than a 27-inch 4K panel. It’s not a dealbreaker for most uses, but if sharpness matters you’ll need to stick to a widescreen panel. The monitor also ships without speakers, so budget for external audio.

Dell Ultrasharp U3225QE – Best 4K monitor

Who should buy the Dell U3225QE?

This is a great choice for professionals who want a top-of-the-line home office monitor. The U3225QE has it all: a sharp 31.5-inch 4K IPS Black panel with excellent color accuracy and an above-average contrast ratio for a productivity monitor. The 120Hz refresh rate enhances responsiveness, making tasks like scrolling through documents and multitasking smoother. The ergonomic stand provides height, tilt, swivel, and portrait mode adjustments, and the anti-glare coating ensures comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions.

In addition to all that, the U3225QE’s mitigates the need for external docks and adapters, with generous connectivity. It features Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports with 140W of Power Delivery—enough to charge most laptops—along with HDMI, DisplayPort, and a secondary DisplayPort for daisy-chaining multiple monitors. A built-in 2.5Gbps Ethernet port ensures a fast and stable wired network connection, a rare feature among monitors. It also offers six USB-A ports, a pop-out USB hub with quick-access USB-C and USB-A ports, and KVM switch functionality for seamless switching between two connected PCs.

Dell U3225QE: Further considerations

While it lacks built-in speakers and its HDR performance is limited, the U3225QE’s extensive connectivity and high-quality display make it a standout choice for professionals who need a central hub for their workspace.

Want a smaller version of this monitor? Check out the Dell Ultrasharp U2725QE. It has a similar 4K IPS Black display panel and Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C connectivity.

Asus ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV – Best 5K monitor

Who should buy the ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV?

The ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV is perfect for content creators, programmers, designers, and anyone who values ultra-sharp image quality and accurate colors for productivity work.

With a true 5K resolution (5120×2880) on a 27-inch panel, the ProArt Display 5K packs an incredibly crisp 218 pixels per inch. That’s much sharper than 5K ultrawides and nearly matches Apple’s Pro Display XDR. Text is crisp and hi-res photos look lifelike.

The ProArt Display 5K’s color performance and brightness solidify its position. The monitor covers 100 percent of both sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, plus 91 percent of AdobeRGB, making it ideal for content creation. Its impressive 578-nit brightness ensures excellent visibility in any lighting condition, too.

ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV: Further considerations

Most compelling is the PA27JCV’s unmatched value proposition. At $800, it’s the most affordable true 5K monitor available as of early 2025. While it has some limitations, like a 60Hz refresh rate and modest contrast ratio, these are minor tradeoffs. It delivers super-sharp 5K resolution, professional-grade color performance, and outstanding value.

Asus ProArt PA32QCV – Best 6K monitor

Who should buy the Asus ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV?

If you want a 32-inch 6K monitor that delivers exceptional sharpness and strong color performance without the sky-high prices usually attached to this resolution, the ProArt PA32QCV is an easy recommendation.

It’s ideal for professionals, prosumers, and creatives—especially Mac users—who need precise visuals, solid brightness, and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity with 96 watts of power delivery. While it doesn’t claim the very top spot in every technical category, particularly in contrast and HDR performance, its combination of resolution, usability, and value is unmatched.

The ProArt also benefits from attractive design, a highly functional ergonomic stand, and a wide range of options that provide precise monitor adjustment. These features make it easy to tune and calibrate the monitor to fit your needs.

Asus ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV: Further considerations

Shoppers who want additional features should know there are other 6K monitors that provide more connectivity or higher-end capabilities.

Dell’s UltraSharp U3224KB, for example, offers an IPS Black panel, integrated 4K webcam, Ethernet, and more powerful Thunderbolt 4 power delivery, making it a great fit for heavy collaboration workflows. MacBook users may also want to look at Apple’s Pro Display XDR, which offers unmatched HDR brightness and contrast alongside its impeccable build quality.

There’s a big problem with these alternatives, though: They’re outrageously expensive. The Dell U3224KB is currently $2,800 and the Apple Pro Display XDR starts at $5,000. Most people who want 6K resolution will be better off buying the PA32QCV and keeping the extra cash in their wallet.

Viewsonic ColorPro VP16 OLED – Best portable monitor

Who should buy the Viewsonic VP16-OLED?

If you want a monitor that you can easily transport for content creation work, the Viewsonic VP16-OLED will fill that role with aplomb. This impressive monitor combines a class-leading image quality with a unique and useful stand.

The VP16-OLED has a 15.6-inch OLED panel with 1080p resolution. It delivers outstanding image quality, scoring top marks in color accuracy, gamut, and contrast. The VP16-OLED’s performance is superior to many full-sized OLED monitors—and completely smashes portable competitors. This makes the VP16-OLED ideal for photographers, videographers, and other content creators. 

The monitor has a versatile stand. It can be used as a kickstand, as is true of most portable monitors, or expand to hold the monitor upright. The stand includes two USB-C ports, either of which can be used to provide power and video input to the monitor. It also offers a micro-HDMI port for use with devices that lack USB-C.

Viewsonic VP16-OLED: Further considerations

Viewsonic bundles the monitor with several cable types and a USB-C power brick, so you don’t have to buy additional adapter cables or accessories. 

There’s just one problem: It’s expensive. The Viewsonic VP16-OLED retails at $399.99, more than double the price of a basic 1080p portable monitor. That’s tough to justify if you just need a second monitor to display Slack and Twitter, but it’s a worthwhile upgrade if you care about image quality.

BenQ RD280U – Best monitor for coding

Who should buy the BenQ RD280U?

The BenQ RD280U is the best monitor for coders thanks to its unusual 3:2 aspect ratio, which is much taller than a conventional widescreen. The extra height is great for viewing more lines of code simultaneously and reduces the need for constant scrolling back or forth. 

Beyond its unique aspect ratio, the RD280U’s image quality is ideal for long coding sessions. The monitor’s IPS panel delivers excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles, ensuring code remains clear and legible from any position. The 28-inch display panel has a crisp 3840×2560 resolution, which helps to render small fonts. It also has a matte finish that reduces glare, making it ideal for various lighting conditions.

BenQ RD280U: Further considerations

The monitor has a MoonHalo ambient light and an automatic night mode, both designed to reduce eye strain during extended use — a crucial consideration for programmers who often work long hours. Connectivity is another strong suit of the RD280U, with a versatile array of ports including USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts of USB Power Delivery. Programmers can easily connect and charge a laptop.

Priced at $599.99, the BenQ RD280U is relatively expensive for a monitor of its size, but its long list of unique features makes it an easy recommendation for coders. The added cost is justified by the fact no competitor offers the same features at any price.

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