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The 6 Best Office Monitors - Winter 2019
Reviews
- Store-bought monitors; no cherry-picked units
- Retest after major updates
- Easily comparable results
- No ads; unbiased reviews
Whether you are shopping for your home office or to equip an entire company with monitors, there is a huge selection of monitors available. While most monitors will perform decently for business use, there is an entire subset of monitors specifically designed for an office. These monitors typically have more versatile stands, as they will be used by a variety of people with different needs. They are also usually larger, with higher resolutions screens, to make it easier to multitask.
We've reviewed 60 monitors and below are our recommendations for the best work monitors to purchase in 2019. See also our best Ultrawide monitors and our best 34 inch + monitors.
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Best Work Monitor: Dell U2718Q
Usage Ratings - Version 1.08.0OfficeScore components:- 16% Resolution and Size
- 15% Vertical Viewing Angle
- 12% Horizontal Viewing Angle
- 7% Ergonomics
- 7% Reflections
- 7% Gray Uniformity
- 6% Input Lag
- 5% SDR Color Gamut
- 5% SDR Color Volume
- 4% Black Uniformity
- 4% SDR Peak Brightness
- 4% Gradient
- 2% Motion Blur
- 2% Refresh Rate
- 2% Pre Calibration
- 1% Image Flicker
- 1% Curve radius
Score distribution:LCD Type: IPSWhat it is: Type of LCD technology used by the monitor.When it matters: Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.Variable Refresh Rate: NoWhat it is: Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.When it matters: Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.The Dell U2718Q is the best work monitor that we have reviewed so far. It has a great stand with very good ergonomics that can easily be adjusted to the most optimal viewing position, which is great if you are buying in bulk to equip an entire office. The wide viewing angles are great for sharing your work with other people.
The large, 27" screen and 4k resolution are great for multitasking. It supports Dell's Easy Arrange feature with the Dell Display Manager software, so you can create multiple virtual displays.
Although it supports HDR, there is little benefit to it as it doesn't support a wide color gamut and has disappointing HDR color volume. Like most IPS monitors, it isn't the best for a dark room. It has a mediocre contrast ratio and sub-par black uniformity.
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Cheaper Alternative: Dell U2518D
LCD Type: IPSWhat it is: Type of LCD technology used by the monitor.When it matters: Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.Variable Refresh Rate: NoWhat it is: Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.When it matters: Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.If the Dell U2718Q is too expensive for you, the Dell U2518D is a cheaper alternative. It has a very similar design to the U2718Q, with a nearly identical stand. It has a smaller, lower resolution screen that isn't quite as good for multitasking or design work where you need to see small details. Overall, though, it performs very similarly and even performs a bit better in HDR.
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Best UltraWide Work Monitor: Dell U3818DW
Usage Ratings - Version 1.08.1OfficeScore components:- 16% Resolution and Size
- 15% Vertical Viewing Angle
- 12% Horizontal Viewing Angle
- 7% Ergonomics
- 7% Reflections
- 7% Gray Uniformity
- 6% Input Lag
- 5% SDR Color Gamut
- 5% SDR Color Volume
- 4% Black Uniformity
- 4% SDR Peak Brightness
- 4% Gradient
- 2% Motion Blur
- 2% Refresh Rate
- 2% Pre Calibration
- 1% Image Flicker
- 1% Curve radius
Score distribution:LCD Type: IPSWhat it is: Type of LCD technology used by the monitor.When it matters: Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.Variable Refresh Rate: NoWhat it is: Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.When it matters: Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.If you want a wider monitor for easier multitasking, the Dell U3818DW is the best UltraWide work monitor we've reviewed so far. It is a great office monitor, with a massive 38" screen and impressive 3840x1600 resolution that is excellent for multitasking. It has excellent wide viewing angles, and the image is accurate right out of the box, which is great.
The U3818DW also features a unique set of connections that make it possible to use two computers on the monitor at once, with only one keyboard and mouse. This feature is incredibly useful for people working remotely that have a work and home PC, as you can work on both without having a second desk.
Unfortunately, it isn't as good for gaming or watching movies, as there is noticeable motion smearing caused by overshoot. It also doesn't look as good in a dark room. Overall, the U3818DW is a very good monitor with impressive screen real-estate that should please most people.
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Cheaper Alternative: Dell U3417W
LCD Type: IPSWhat it is: Type of LCD technology used by the monitor.When it matters: Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.Variable Refresh Rate: NoWhat it is: Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.When it matters: Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.If you like the Dell U3818DW, but are looking for something a bit smaller or cheaper, take a look at the Dell U3417W. It is a very good office monitor, with a 34", 3440x1440 screen that is almost as good as the U3818DW for multitasking. It has the same great picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes as the U3818DW, and it also has a DisplayPort out connection, so you can daisy-chain a second monitor, even if your computer only has one connection.
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Most Accurate Work Monitor: Acer Predator X27
Usage Ratings - Version 1.07.9OfficeScore components:- 16% Resolution and Size
- 15% Vertical Viewing Angle
- 12% Horizontal Viewing Angle
- 7% Ergonomics
- 7% Reflections
- 7% Gray Uniformity
- 6% Input Lag
- 5% SDR Color Gamut
- 5% SDR Color Volume
- 4% Black Uniformity
- 4% SDR Peak Brightness
- 4% Gradient
- 2% Motion Blur
- 2% Refresh Rate
- 2% Pre Calibration
- 1% Image Flicker
- 1% Curve radius
Score distribution:LCD Type: IPSWhat it is: Type of LCD technology used by the monitor.When it matters: Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.Variable Refresh Rate: G-SyncWhat it is: Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.When it matters: Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.If you need the most accurate colors possible, the best office monitor that we have reviewed so far is the Acer Predator X27. Unlike most monitors, the Predator X27 delivers nearly 100% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. It also has the widest HDR color gamut we have measured on any display so far, including TVs.
The 27" screen and 4k resolution are great for multitasking, and the stand has decent ergonomics that make it easier to adjust to an ideal viewing position. It has wide viewing angles and is extremely bright in HDR.
Unfortunately, it doesn't come cheap. It also isn't recommended for use in a dark room, as it has bad black uniformity and a mediocre contrast ratio.
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Cheaper Alternative: LG 32UD59-B
LCD Type: VAWhat it is: Type of LCD technology used by the monitor.When it matters: Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.Variable Refresh Rate: FreeSyncWhat it is: Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.When it matters: Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.If the Acer Predator X27 is too expensive for you, the LG 32UD59-B is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't perform as well as the X27, with a more limited coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, and it doesn't support HDR. The larger, 32" screen is great for multitasking or for seeing more of your project, and the stand doesn't swivel. The 32UD59 doesn't have as good viewing angles, but it performs better in a dark room.
Notable Mentions
- ASUS ROG PG279Q. Great office monitor, but not much improvement over the Dell U2718Q for the price. See our review
- LG 27UK650. Great work monitor, but the Dell U2718Q has a slightly more versatile stand. See our review
- LG 27UD68P-B. Good business monitor, but not much improvement over the Dell U2518D. See our review
- Dell UP2417H. Good budget monitor, but the 1080p resolution is limiting. See our review
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best business monitors 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 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.
