The 4 Best 4k HDR Monitors - Summer 2024 Reviews

The best HDR monitor with a 4k resolution that we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. It is one of the first 4k QD-OLED monitors available and has outstanding HDR performance. What makes this better than most other monitors is that its QD-OLED panel produces deep and inky blacks without any blooming, which is ideal for watching your favorite movies in dark rooms. It also gets bright enough for small highlights to stand out against the rest of the image, and it makes colors look very vivid. This outstanding picture quality even makes it a good alternative to getting a larger TV.

Unlike most monitors, it also supports Dolby Vision, which is a common HDR format, but you need to update it to the latest firmware to get the best compatibility with it. It also has an eARC port, making it ideal for connecting a compatible soundbar to enhance your multimedia experience, but like with Dolby Vision, it needs a firmware update to work properly.

If you don't need such a high-end monitor and prefer something you can usually find for a bit less, check out the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75. It's different from the Dell Alienware AW3225QF because it doesn't have a QD-OLED panel, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks and vivid colors, but that's the trade-off you need to make with any non-QD-OLED display. That said, it uses Mini LED backlighting that lets it get brighter with some highlights than on the Dell. It also has an excellent contrast ratio and decent local dimming feature, so it still displays deep blacks in dark rooms.

Like the Dell, it has a 32-inch, 4k screen that's big enough for you to sit back and enjoy your favorite movie. It's also a good choice if you tend to watch content in a bright room, as it easily gets bright enough to fight glare and has good reflection handling. However, if you want something with even better reflection handling, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 is also a good choice that performs similarly overall but costs more than the Neo G7.

If you find the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 too expensive for your budget, there are some good lower-cost options you can also consider. The Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is a great 4k HDR monitor that often goes on sale. It has Mini LED backlighting like the Samsung, but it has a smaller screen and a lower native contrast ratio. That said, it still has a decent local dimming feature with 576 dimming zones that help display deep blacks next to bright highlights, and while there's minimal blooming around bright objects, it still has some.

The main advantage of this monitor is its fantastic HDR brightness. Small highlights get bright enough to pop, and you won't have any issues in a well-lit room. It also displays a wide range of colors in HDR and makes them look vivid, with minimal tone mapping issues.

If you want something for 4k HDR use and you're on a budget, you're limiting yourself to the performance you'll get, but a few available options are decent, like the Dell S3221QS. It's a pretty big step down from the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, but this is what you have to expect for the 4k monitor market, and you need to pay more for proper HDR performance.

The biggest difference versus the Acer is that it doesn't have any local dimming feature, so while it has a great native contrast ratio, it doesn't have anything to further improve that. This means that small highlights don't pop against the rest of the image for a satisfying HDR experience, but it's still decent enough for an entry-level monitor. On the plus side, it displays a wide range of colors properly, and the 32-inch, 4k screen helps deliver detailed images. It also has good reflection handling, so any glare from external light sources isn't a problem.