The 4 Best 5k Monitors - Summer 2023 Reviews

The best 5k monitor we've tested is the Apple Studio Display. It's a great monitor with a 27-inch screen and 5120x2880 resolution, and it's a great choice if you want to connect your Mac computer to it, as it's optimized for macOS. It has features you can only use with a Mac, like its exceptionally accurate sRGB picture mode. It also supports Thunderbolt 3 on one port, making it easy to connect your computer to it.

It has other features most monitors don't have, like a built-in webcam and microphone, which are great for video calls. It's available in different variants, as you can choose which stand or screen finish you want. There's one variant with a stand that only offers tilt adjustment, but you can get another variant with a height-adjustable stand. Additionally, you can get it without a stand altogether if you prefer mounting it. As for the screen finish, you can choose between glossy or matte screen coatings, and both have fantastic reflection handling.

There are other similar 5k monitors that we haven't tested, like the Apple Pro Display XDR, a higher-end and more expensive version of this monitor designed for professional content creators. The LG UltraFine 5k is another option with a 27-inch screen, but it can also be harder to find, and it doesn't have as many features as the Apple monitor.

If you need something versatile for productivity and you don't need a monitor optimized for macOS, consider the LG 40WP95C-W. It's a different type of 5k monitor from the Apple Studio Display because it has an ultrawide screen with a 5k2k resolution, meaning its pixel density is lower, but it offers more screen space. It still delivers incredibly sharp text, and with this extra screen real estate, you can easily open multiple windows simultaneously. It also has more video ports than the Apple monitor and supports a Picture-by-Picture mode, letting you view images from two sources simultaneously. It even supports Thunderbolt 4, allowing for higher bandwidth than the Apple monitor.

Even though it doesn't get as bright as the Apple monitor and has worse reflection handling, it's still fine if you want to use it in a room with a few lights, but it will struggle if you place it opposite a bright window. It also has a dedicated sRGB mode, and while it isn't as accurate as the one on the Apple monitor, it's still excellent, and you'll likely only need to calibrate the monitor if your work requires perfect colors.

If you find that the screen on the LG 40WP95C-W isn't wide enough for you, there's a class of 5k monitors with a 5120x1440 resolution known as super ultrawides. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is a massive 49-inch monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio, equivalent to placing two 27-inch, 1440p monitors side-by-side. It also has an aggressively curved screen that makes it easier to see things at the sides of the screen without turning your head too much, as the curvature brings the edges closer to you.

It's different from the LG and the Apple Studio Display, mainly designed as a gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate, variable refresh rate (VRR) support, and good motion handling. However, you can use it for a variety of uses as the large screen provides enough space to multitask, and the pixel density is still high enough that the text clarity is good. Luckily, it has good reflection handling and incredible peak brightness, which are great if you want to use it in a well-lit room. Even if you use it in a dark environment, it displays deep blacks, and the Mini LED local dimming feature helps improve the picture quality in dark scenes.

If you like the super ultrawide format of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 but want something for watching content in dark rooms with outstanding picture quality, check out the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95. While it has the same 49-inch screen and 5120x1440 resolution as the Neo G9, it's different in a few ways because it uses another panel type. Instead of the Mini LED backlighting on the Neo G9, it has a QD-OLED panel that displays perfect blacks without any blooming around bright objects, so it's fantastic in dark rooms.

While it doesn't get as bright with most content as the Neo G9, small highlights still stand out against the rest of the image, and the monitor also displays a wide range of bright and vivid colors. This means images look vibrant and realistic, which is ideal when you want to sit back and watch shows or movies. However, it's important to know that OLEDs like this risk permanent burn-in with exposure to the same static elements over time; even if you constantly have black bars on the side of the screen, it can be problematic. If that concerns you, it's better to stick with the Neo G9.