While 4k TVs have been easily available for many years, 4k monitors have only recently started growing in popularity. Whether you're looking for a better multitasking experience for work or a more immersive gaming experience, 4k monitors have a lot to offer. They have also recently started to drop in price as 4k becomes more popular and accessible, and computers and graphics cards have improved, allowing you to reach a 4k resolution with high frame rates easily. Choosing the right monitor for your needs depends on your usage and budget, and there's no perfect solution for everyone.
We've bought and tested more than 265 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best monitors with a 4k native resolution available to buy. Check out our picks for the best 4k gaming monitors, the best 4k HDR monitors, and the best 4k 144Hz monitors.
The best 4k monitor we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. It's an excellent overall 32-inch monitor that's remarkable for different uses. It offers features for gaming, watching movies, or simply browsing the web, so consider this if you want the best all-around performance. It delivers excellent picture quality thanks to its Mini LED backlighting that provides a decent full-array local dimming feature, which means it displays deep blacks next to bright highlights, and there's minimal blooming. It makes it a great choice for dark room viewing, and even in well-lit rooms, it easily gets bright enough to fight glare.
Although it has narrow viewing angles that don't make it ideal for sharing the screen with others, it has a curved screen that helps bring the edges within your field of vision so that it doesn't look washed out at the sides. It also has great ergonomics that make it easy to adjust to your ideal viewing position. If you want to use it for gaming, it has an incredibly fast 240Hz refresh rate that makes it future-proof, but if that isn't important to you, then you can consider the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75, which costs less but has a lower 165Hz refresh rate.
If you find the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 too expensive but still want a 4k monitor that's versatile for different uses, check out the Gigabyte M32U. While you don't get the same excellent picture quality because it has lower contrast and lacks Mini LED backlighting, you still get the same gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. This lets you take full advantage of the PS5 or Xbox Series X if you game with those consoles. It also has an impressive array of additional features, making it a great choice for work use, especially if you need a monitor for productivity and multitasking.
It has a built-in KVM switch that lets you control two devices with the same keyboard and mouse, which is great if you work with a laptop and desktop at the same time. It also has a USB-C port with support for DisplayPort Alt Mode that lets you display an image from a compatible laptop and charge it at the same time, but it's limited to 15W of power delivery. If you find the 32-inch screen too big, there's a smaller variant known as the Gigabyte M28U, with slightly worse ergonomics and a dimmer screen, so the M32U is better overall.
If you aren't a gamer and want to save money by getting a 4k monitor with many features, then a mid-range option like the Dell U2723QE is a great choice. As it's targeted only for productivity, you don't get the same gaming features as the Gigabyte M32U, as it lacks a high refresh rate or HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so if you're into competitive gaming, it's best to stick with the Gigabyte. However, the Dell is packed with tons of features that make it ideal for productivity, especially if you need to connect a desktop and laptop. It has Picture-by-Picture and Picture-and-Picture modes, as well as five USB-A ports and three USB-C ports, including one USB-C port that acts as the KVM switch.
It has incredible ergonomics, so you can easily place it in an ideal viewing position and share your screen with a colleague or client. It's also an excellent monitor for content creators, with a remarkable SDR color gamut and excellent accuracy before calibration. Although it has a smaller 27-inch screen than the Gigabyte, it's still big enough to open two windows next to each other. You can also get the larger 32-inch Dell U3223QE, but it costs more for little difference in performance.
If you don't need all the extra features and the massive USB hub of the Dell U2723QE, and you're looking for the best budget 4k monitor, consider the Dell S2722QC. As it's a lower-end model in Dell's productivity lineup, it has fewer USB ports and features as it doesn't have a KVM switch, but it still supports DisplayPort Alt Mode on its only USB-C input if you want to connect your laptop. The USB-C port supports 65W of power delivery, less than the 90W on the U2723QE, but still enough to keep your laptop's battery alive while you're working. You can often find the S2722QC on sale at a budget-friendly price, but if it isn't on sale, the Dell S2721QS is another low-cost option that doesn't have any USB-C ports but still delivers the same great picture quality and performance.
Despite being a cheaper monitor, the S2722QC has better reflection handling than the U2723QE and great peak brightness, so if you use this monitor in a well-lit room, it's the better choice. While it doesn't have a dedicated sRGB mode like the U2723QE either, which isn't ideal if your work requires accurate colors, the color accuracy is still decent enough for everyday use.
Mar 02, 2023: Removed the Dell S2721QS and renamed the Dell S2722QC as the 'Best Budget 4k Monitor' because it went down in price; added the Dell S3221QS to Notable Mentions.
Jan 03, 2023: Verified that the monitors are still available and updated the text for clarity; added the Cooler Master Tempest GP27U to Notable Mentions.
Nov 25, 2022: Added the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 as the 'Best 4k Monitor' to better reflect the 4k market, and renamed the Gigabyte M32U, Dell U2723QE, and Dell S2722QC to reflect their market position.
Sep 26, 2022: Restructured article to reflect user needs; renamed the Dell U2723QE as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range' monitor and the Dell S2722QC as the 'Best Mid-Range Monitor'; removed the LG 48 C1 OLED and replaced the LG 32UL500-W with the Dell S2721QS because it's better; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.
Jul 11, 2022: Restructured the article to better match how users are searching for monitors. Added the LG 32UL500-W as the 'Best Budget 4k Monitor' and removed some out-of-date Notable Mentions that are no longer relevant.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors with a 4k resolution that are currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people, in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is 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.