The 5 Best Monitors For Photo And Video Editing - Winter 2023 Reviews

The best monitor for photo editing and video editing that we've tested is the Dell U3223QE. It's a good 4k monitor that focuses on content creation and productivity. It has a dedicated sRGB mode that limits the colors to the standard sRGB space used in most web content, resulting in remarkable color accuracy, meaning you won't have to get it calibrated unless you need perfect colors. The 4k resolution is great for editing because it allows you to see more detail at once, and the 32-inch screen is big enough to open multiple windows at the same time.

Connecting to it is also easy as it has a massive USB hub with five USB-A ports and three USB-C ports. One of the USB-C ports supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 90W of power delivery, so you can display an image from your laptop and charge it simultaneously, even if it requires a lot of power. It works without issue with macOS devices, but if you want a dedicated Apple device to take full advantage of a MacBook or Mac Mini, then consider the Apple Studio Display, which has a higher 5k resolution, but it costs more and doesn't support HDR like this monitor.

Should you want a bigger display to have more space to multitask, then the LG 40WP95C-W is a great alternative. Although it doesn't get as bright as the Dell U3223QE and isn't ideal to use in a well-lit room, the wider screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio makes it the best monitor for video editing if you want to see more of your video timeline at once without scrolling. It has a 5120x2160 resolution, which is the equivalent of a 4k screen like on the Dell but with more horizontal pixels, so the pixel density is similar and the text clarity is fantastic.

What makes this monitor so great for media creation is that it has excellent accuracy before calibration so you won't have to calibrate it unless you need a perfect white balance because there are some issues with the white balance. It also displays a wide range of colors in SDR and HDR, and it has great coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in some photo editing. If you need to edit videos in HDR, it also has fantastic gradient handling so you won't see any banding with shades of similar colors.

If you aren't a fan of the ultrawide format of the LG 40WP95C-W and you want something cheaper than the Dell U3223QE, then check out an upper mid-range monitor like the Gigabyte M32U. It has the same 32-inch, 4k screen as the Dell but it isn't as good for content creators because it has a smaller USB hub with fewer features. While it has one USB-C input that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, it only has 15W of power delivery, and not 90W like on the Dell, so although it can keep your laptop's battery going while you're using it, it isn't powerful enough to continuously charge it.

The M32U has a few features for photo and video editors like an sRGB mode that has excellent accuracy before calibration, and it has a fantastic SDR color gamut. The 4k resolution also delivers sharp images, and it's a good choice if you often need to share your screen with someone else as it has wide viewing angles and good ergonomics. If you find the 32-inch screen too big, the Gigabyte M28U is a similar and smaller monitor, but it doesn't get as bright and has worse ergonomics.

If you want something cheaper or find that the Gigabyte M32U is too big, then the Dell S2722QC is the best monitor for photo editing and video editing in the mid-range category. While it also has a 4k resolution for sharp images, it doesn't have a dedicated sRGB picture mode, meaning it has worse out-of-the-box accuracy, and you'll need to get it calibrated if your work requires perfectly accurate colors, but that's what you have to expect for getting something cheaper. That said, the accuracy is still decent without any calibration. While it has fewer USB-A inputs, it still has one USB-C input with DisplayPort Alt Mode and 65W of power delivery to connect your laptop.

It's a great choice if you need to use your monitor in a bright room because it has great peak brightness, enough to fight glare, and the reflection handling is good. It has wide viewing angles if you need to share your work with someone next to you so they see the same image, and the excellent ergonomics make it easy to share your screen as you can swivel it or rotate it into portrait mode if you need to use it in a vertical orientation.

Should you be looking for something on a budget, then check out the Dell S2721QS. It's very similar to the Dell S2722QC with the main difference being that it doesn't have a USB hub like the S2722QC, which is why it's cheaper. This is disappointing if you often need to connect a laptop via USB-C or you want extra USB-A ports, but if you're on a tight budget and need a great monitor for media creation, this is a great choice. Like the S2722QC, it delivers sharp images and text thanks to its 4k resolution, and the 27-inch screen is big enough to open two windows next to each other.

It doesn't have a dedicated sRGB picture mode either, so some colors are oversaturated, but the overall color accuracy before calibration is still decent, and it displays a wide range of colors in SDR. It also supports HDR, but its HDR color gamut is only decent so if you need a monitor for HDR video editing, it's better to go for one of the higher-end displays. Despite being a budget model, it still has impressive ergonomics like the S2722QC, letting you easily adjust the screen to your liking.