4k monitors have grown in popularity in recent years as more models are available and easier to find than in the past. They deliver more details than lower-resolution displays, and 27- and 32-inch models have high enough pixel density for sharp text, making them ideal for work-related purposes. Besides that, they're versatile for different uses because some also include gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth that lets you take full advantage of current-gen gaming consoles and modern graphics cards.
Having a high resolution doesn't guarantee good performance, so when looking for a 4k display, it's important to consider whether the monitor's performance matches what you need it for. For example, it's important to have high brightness if you want to use it in a bright workspace, or a fast response time is beneficial for gaming. Also, think about your budget, as 4k monitors are available at a variety of price points. Higher-end models have premium features, while lower-end models are more basic and focus on productivity.
We've bought and tested more than 365 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best 4k monitors. Check out our picks for the best 4k gaming monitors, the best multimedia monitors, and the best 4k 144Hz monitors. If you want a higher resolution, then check out the best 5k monitors.
Quick Look
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, with units that we buy completely on our own, without any 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 and custom tools to measure various aspects with objective data-based results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance against the competition, and whether or not it's easy to find.
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Best 4k Monitor
Office8.4Editing8.2PC Gaming7.9Console Gaming8.5SDR Picture7.4HDR Picture7.6Brightness9.3Color Accuracy8.8Size32"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate144 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160The best 4k monitor we've tested is the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX. It's a premium 32-inch display with Mini LED backlighting. This helps the monitor display deep blacks next to bright highlights with its local dimming feature enabled, but it's not perfect, as there's haloing around bright objects. Regardless, it delivers an impactful HDR experience as it gets incredibly bright and displays a wide range of colors. It has good picture quality even in SDR thanks to its accurate sRGB mode, but it has a low contrast ratio if you don't use the local dimming feature.
It has some gaming features with a 144Hz refresh rate that's high enough for most gamers, unless you're a competitive gamer who craves high refresh rates. Its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth also allows the monitor to support most signals for gaming consoles, including 4k up to 120Hz. Gaming feels responsive thanks to its low input lag, and its response time is consistently fast across its refresh rate range, but there's still some blur with fast-moving objects. Besides gaming, the monitor is versatile for work thanks to its USB hub that includes DisplayPort Alt Mode and a KVM switch, and its 32-inch screen is big enough for multitasking.
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Best OLED 4k Monitor
Office8.3Editing9.3PC Gaming9.1Console Gaming9.4SDR Picture10HDR Picture9.4Brightness7.2Color Accuracy9.2Size27"Pixel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If you want a 4k monitor mainly for gaming and you're looking for the best overall performance, you should go for an OLED with its deep blacks and sharp motion. If you're interested in that, check out the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's a premium 27-inch, 240Hz QD-OLED monitor with much better picture quality than the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX. It displays perfect blacks in dark rooms with no haloing around bright objects, which gives it an advantage over the BenQ. Small highlights also stand out in HDR, though it isn't as bright overall as the BenQ. Additionally, it has fantastic motion handling with virtually no blur.
The main difference between the BenQ monitor and an OLED like the ASUS is that OLEDs risk burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time. This can be problematic if you're constantly (and only) using the monitor for work. If you're changing things up, including gaming, you would benefit from an OLED like the ASUS. It even has some productivity features, like a USB-C port and a KVM switch, making it easy to change sources, like if you have a work laptop and a gaming PC connected to the monitor.
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Best Upper Mid-Range 4k Monitor
Office8.5Editing7.9PC Gaming6.5Console Gaming7.9SDR Picture7.5HDR Picture6.2Brightness8.1Color Accuracy8.1Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate120 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160While the monitors we've recommended so far are premium displays, they cost a lot. If they're out of your budget but you still want premium features, look into the Dell U2725QE. If you can't find it through online retailers, you can get it directly from Dell. It's a 27-inch monitor like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, but the main difference is that it doesn't have an OLED panel, so it's a clear step-down in picture quality. Colors aren't as vivid, and it doesn't display the same deep blacks either. It has a decent native contrast ratio thanks to its IPS Black panel, but it has a terrible local dimming feature that actually makes the contrast ratio worse in HDR.
This is the trade-off you have to make for a lower-cost monitor, but it focuses on work features and not HDR picture quality. This is because it comes with a massive USB hub that includes five USB-A ports and five USB-C ports. It supports Thunderbolt 4 and 140W of power delivery, so you can connect even power-hungry laptops, like MacBooks, and charge them with one cable. It also has a KVM switch, allowing you to easily switch between devices and use the same peripherals on both.
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Best Mid-Range 4k Monitor
Office8.5Editing7.7PC Gaming6.2Console Gaming5.3SDR Picture6.9HDR Picture5.5Brightness7.3Color Accuracy8.9Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate60 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If the Dell U2725QE is too much out of your price range, you can save some money by getting a lower-end option, like the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV. Although it's another 27-inch monitor that's focused on productivity, there are some clear trade-offs versus the Dell. It has a smaller USB hub, so you can't connect as many devices to it, and it doesn't have a KVM switch or support Thunderbolt either. It also has lower power delivery over USB-C, but this only makes a difference if you have a really power-hungry laptop. It still has three USB ports and two USB-C ports, including DisplayPort Alt Mode to display a signal from a laptop.
It's a great monitor for work because of these features, and it still has some useful perks if you're a content creator. It has different picture modes for various color spaces that you may work with, including DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020. It displays a wide range of colors, and it's very accurate in its sRGB mode. However, it has limited overall picture quality because of its low contrast ratio and muted highlights, so it's not a good choice for editing HDR content.
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Best Budget 4k Monitor
Office8.4Editing7.9PC Gaming6.1Console Gaming7.3SDR Picture7.4HDR Picture4.9Brightness7.2Color Accuracy8.9Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate120 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If you're looking for the best budget 4k monitor, there are some good options you can choose from, like the Dell S2725QS. The biggest trade-off for getting this instead of the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV is that the Dell doesn't have a USB hub, so you can't connect devices directly to the monitor, and you have to make sure your computer has enough ports available. You can also look into the Dell S2725QC if you want an entry-level 4k monitor with a USB hub, but it usually costs more.
Regardless, the S2725QS has everything you'd need in a work monitor, like wide viewing angles and an extremely ergonomic stand that makes it easy to adjust. It even has a dedicated sRGB mode that's very accurate before any sort of calibration, but like the ASUS, it has limited picture quality in HDR because it doesn't display a wide range of colors.
Notable Mentions
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Dell U3225QE:
The Dell U3225QE is a larger alternative to the Dell U2725QE if you want a 32-inch display. It has most the same features and performs similarly, but the U3225QE costs more.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is bigger than the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM and is something to consider if you want a 32-inch, 4k OLED. It performs similarly, but it lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW2725Q:
The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a 27-inch QD-OLED that's cheaper than the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's a good choice if you find the ASUS too expensive, but this monitor has fewer features, as it lacks a KVM switch and DisplayPort Alt Mode.
See our review -
LG 27GR93U-B:
The LG 27GR93U-B is a mid-range monitor that's a gaming alternative to the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV. The LG has a higher refresh rate and better motion handling. However, it lacks office-dedicated features, like a USB-C port.
See our review -
Dell S3225QS:
The Dell S3225QS is an entry-level 32-inch, 4k monitor that's a bigger option than the Dell S2725QS. Like the S2725QS, it's rather basic in terms of features, but it provides the necessities for a productivity monitor. However, it has worse viewing angles and costs more than the S2725QS.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 01, 2025:
We replaced the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx with the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX because the Acer is hard to find now. We also added the Dell U2725QE as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range 4k Monitor' to give another option. Lastly, we replaced the Dell S2721QS with the newer Dell S2725QS. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED with the Dell U3225QE and we added the Dell S3225QS.
Apr 24, 2025:
We replaced the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM for consistency with other recommendations and because the ASUS has better text clarity. We moved the LG 27GR93U-B to the Notable Mentions because of a price increase. We also replaced the Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SD S32DG80 and the Gigabyte M27U with the 321URX and Dell Alienware AW2725Q in the Notable Mentions to better reflect the changes in the article and the current monitor market.
Feb 19, 2025:
We replaced the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 and the Dell U2723QE with the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED and the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV, respectively, for consistency with other articles, as the new monitors provide better value. We added the Samsung, ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM, and the Gigabyte M27U to the Notable Mentions. We introduced a new format to the article and updated the text to reflect these changes.
Dec 04, 2024:
Added the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 as the 'Best 4k OLED Monitor.' Replaced the Gigabyte M27U with the LG 27GR93U-B as the Gigabyte is harder to find. Removed the MSI MAG 274UPF as a Notable Mention as it's hard to find.
Sep 11, 2024: Replaced the Dell S2722QC with the Gigabyte M27U as the 'Best Lower Mid-Range' pick, as it has more vivid colors and much better motion handling. In the Notable Mentions, we added the MSI MAG 274UPF and replaced the Dell Alienware AW3225QF with the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best 4k displays that are 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 4k 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.