The 5 Best 4k Monitors - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best 4k monitor we've tested is the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. It's extremely capable for a number of uses, including office work, gaming, and content consumption. It displays vibrant colors in both SDR and HDR, and it gets extremely bright in HDR, so highlights truly pop. Its 4k resolution and 27-inch screen display very crisp text, and its outstanding ergonomics and wide viewing angles ensure the screen looks consistent and is right where you want it to be, whether for yourself or another person next to you.

It also works extremely well for gaming. It has a high refresh rate of 160Hz for a smooth feel, fast-moving objects look crisp at the monitor's maximum refresh rate, and it has low input lag at higher refresh rates, providing a responsive gaming experience. It also has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so gaming consoles work extremely well with it. If you're looking for more of a gaming-focused monitor and don't mind paying more, consider the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85, which has a 240Hz maximum refresh rate and a 32-inch screen. However, it also has substantially worse ergonomics and viewing angles and far worse HDR brightness.

If you don't need the best performance and are looking for something that costs less, consider the Gigabyte M27U. It has worse color performance than the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, particularly with darker colors, so it's not as good for editing content with lots of darker shades or playing games with lots of darker scenes. It also has substantially worse peak HDR brightness, so highlights don't pop as much. However, it still performs well overall. Additionally, it features a KVM switch, allowing you to quickly switch between two computers and use the same keyboard and mouse connected to the monitor. It also works well for gaming, as its 160Hz refresh rate and low input lag provide a smooth and responsive feel, and fast-moving objects look fairly crisp.

It's also an effective choice for productivity and editing work, as text is very sharp, and it gets bright enough to fight glare. If you're looking for a larger monitor in this price range, consider the Gigabyte M32U. It has a KVM switch like the M27U and displays more vivid HDR colors, though it costs considerably more.

If you don't need the gaming features and versatility of the Gigabyte M27U, then the Dell U2723QE is a great option at a lower cost. It's different from the Gigabyte as it's mainly designed with productivity and content creation in mind, so it has a lower 60Hz refresh rate and doesn't even support variable refresh rate. However, you'll be happy with its office performance, and it has an even larger USB hub than the Gigabyte. It has five USB-A ports and three USB-C ports, each supporting different features.

One of the USB-C inputs supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 90W of power delivery, so you can easily connect a laptop to display an image from it and charge it using a single cable. Like the Gigabyte, it has a KVM switch to control different devices with the same keyboard and mouse. Besides that, it easily gets bright enough to fight glare, which is ideal for most well-lit office spaces. However, it doesn't handle reflections well. If you want something with better reflection handling, consider the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV, which is similar but has worse contrast and lacks a KVM switch.

If you prefer saving money by getting a less feature-rich 4k monitor that still performs very well, check out the Dell S2722QC. It's a step-down model from the Dell U2723QE that's also excellent for productivity, but it has fewer features, as it lacks a KVM switch and has a smaller USB hub. While its only USB-C port also supports DisplayPort Alt Mode to connect a compatible laptop easily, it only delivers 65W, which isn't enough to charge power-hungry laptops while you're using them.

Besides those differences in features, it's a great monitor if you constantly need to share your screen with someone else because it swivels and has a wide range of height and tilt adjustments. Its wide viewing angles also ensure that the image remains consistent from the sides. It gets bright and handles reflections well, so you won't have any issues using it in a bright environment. While it doesn't have a dedicated sRGB mode and colors are oversaturated, the accuracy before calibration is still decent enough for everyday use. This monitor periodically goes on sale and can sometimes be close in price to our budget pick, the Dell S2721QS. If you can find it for the same price as the S2721QS, then it's a better choice.

If you're looking for the best budget 4k monitor, there are some good options you can choose from, like the Dell S2721QS. It's a step-down model from the Dell S2722QC, with the main difference being that it lacks a USB hub, so you can't connect any peripherals directly to the monitor. Still, if your laptop or desktop computer has enough USB ports to connect all your devices, you can save money by getting this monitor instead. Besides the difference in features, it's a very similar monitor to the S2722QC as it also gets bright, has wide viewing angles, and delivers sharp text thanks to its high pixel density.

The S2721QS also features a DisplayPort input, which the S2722QC doesn't have. It's great if your computer only has a DisplayPort output, as you can easily connect to it. If you want a 4k monitor with more connectivity options, including a USB hub, the Dell S3221QS is also a good choice. However, it costs more than the S2721QS and has worse viewing angles, so it's harder for other people to see your screen if you're trying to share your work with people next to you.