5k monitors are a niche category of monitors with 5120 horizontal pixels. They come in various shapes and sizes with different vertical resolutions, and the market for each type of 5k monitor is different. The most common type has a 5120x2880 resolution, ideal for macOS due to its high 220 PPI pixel density. However, if you aren't a macOS user, you can also consider ultrawide 5120x1440 or 5k2k monitors, which are useful for both work and play, although these models are less common.
Choosing the right 5k monitor depends on your usage and budget. It's important to remember that most 5k monitors are costly, so you should be prepared to spend more than you would on a lower-resolution monitor. There are other factors you may want to consider, like the monitor's brightness, color accuracy, and reflection handling, if you want good performance.
We've bought and tested more than 390 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best 5k monitors that we've tested. See our recommendations for the best monitors for video editing, the best monitors for photo editing, and the best work monitors.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best 5k Monitor
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate120 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution5120 x 2880The best 5k monitor we've tested is the Apple Studio Display XDR. It's a high-end 27-inch monitor with fantastic picture quality. It uses Mini LED backlighting with 2,304 dimming zones and a great local dimming feature. It provides premium picture quality with deep blacks next to bright highlights and minimal haloing around bright objects. It also comes with an accurate sRGB mode that you'd only need to calibrate for perfect white balance. It includes picture modes for other color spaces as well, and displays a wide range of vivid colors. This makes it a fantastic choice if you edit content in SDR or HDR. Plus, images are sharp thanks to its high pixel density.
As this is an Apple product, it takes full advantage of Macs, like a Mac mini or a MacBook. It comes with Thunderbolt 5 support and 140W of power delivery, so it keeps a MacBook fully charged while you're using it. You can also access its settings and most of its features with a macOS device, like its sRGB mode. You can even get it with different screen coatings, as you can choose between the standard glossy coating or the matte Nano-texture coating. Regardless, visibility isn't an issue as it gets bright enough to fight glare.
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Best Mid-Range 5k Monitor
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate60 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution5120 x 2880As the Apple Studio Display XDR is expensive, it may be out of your price range if you don't need the highest-end display for content creation. If that's the case, check out the lower-end Apple Studio Display 2026 instead. As a more cost-friendly alternative to the Studio Display XDR, there are some notable trade-offs. It doesn't support HDR at all and lacks Mini LED backlighting, so its picture quality is worse, which is something to consider if you edit content in HDR. However, its SDR picture quality is still good as its sRGB mode is extremely accurate, even more so than on the Studio Display XDR. You won't need to calibrate it, even if you're a photo editor.
It includes many of the same perks as the higher-end model, including Thunderbolt 5, but it has lower 96W of power delivery. It also has a lower 60Hz refresh rate, so scrolling through webpages and documents isn't as smooth. Regardless, it's a solid monitor that delivers sharp text and gets bright. Plus, like the Studio Display XDR, it's available with different coatings, so you can choose whether you want a glossy or matte screen finish.
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Best Budget 5k Monitor
OfficeEditingSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate60 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution5120 x 2880Although entry-level 5k monitors aren't cheap, there are a handful that cost less than the Apple Studio Display 2026, like the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV. It's another 5k, 27-inch model that competes directly with the Apple monitor, with a few notable differences. Although it supports HDR, it's not an upgrade in picture quality as it has a limited local dimming feature and a low contrast ratio with blacks that look gray. It also gets as bright as the Apple monitor, so it fights glare well. Plus, it comes with a matte LuxPixel screen coating that effectively reduces glare really well, at the cost of added haze. Unlike the Apple monitor, it isn't available with a glossy coating.
Besides that, it's accurate before calibration, but there are some issues you may want to fix with a full calibration. It also displays a wide range of colors. Plus, it comes with a bigger USB hub that includes a KVM switch, making it easy to switch between devices and use the same devices on both. Although it doesn't support Thunderbolt, it supports DisplayPort Alt Mode instead and provides 85W of power to charge a laptop.
Notable Mentions
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LG 45GX950A-B:
The LG 45GX950A-B is a 45-inch, 5k2k monitor that's geared towards gaming. It's something to consider over the Apple Studio Display XDR if you're a gamer and want such a big screen. However, it has lower pixel density, so text isn't as sharp, and it lacks Thunderbolt support.
See our review
Recent Updates
Apr 27, 2026:
We removed the Dell U4025QW, the Apple Studio Display 2022, and the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95, as they're hard to find. We added the Apple Studio Display XDR and the Apple Studio Display 2026 to their respective categories.
Feb 06, 2026:
We verified that all the monitors are available for purchase, and we updated the text for clarity throughout.
Nov 14, 2025:
We moved the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV from the Notable Mentions section to a new 'Best Affordable 5k Monitor' category to give another option.
May 30, 2025:
We replaced the ViewFinity S90PC S27C900P with the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV and the LG 45GX950A-B in the Notable Mentions to better reflect the current 5k monitor market.
Feb 19, 2025:
We introduced a new format to the article and updated the text to reflect these changes.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we believe are the best 5k monitors currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our 5k monitor reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.