Whether you're a professional video editor or working on your first vlog, your monitor is an important piece of equipment. While you can use almost any display to edit your videos, getting something that makes your content look lifelike and realistic is beneficial. Various factors go into this, such as the range of colors it displays across different color spaces and its accuracy before and after calibration. Besides that, having a high contrast ratio helps provide deep blacks in dark rooms. Even having a wide viewing angle is beneficial, as the image remains consistent when viewing from the sides.
You also have to think about the content you're editing, such as whether you need good HDR performance. High-end monitors, like OLEDs, have the best picture quality with deep blacks, and Mini LED displays with good local dimming are also great choices as they get bright. However, the best options also tend to cost a lot, so you may need to spend a lot for the best performance, as there are trade-offs in picture quality with lower-end models. It's also important to consider the monitor's resolution, as a higher resolution helps deliver more detail and sharper images. You may want to think about the size you want, but that's more of a personal preference.
We've bought and tested more than 405 monitors, and below are our picks for the best monitors for video editing currently available for purchase. See our recommendations for the best monitors for photo editing, the best 4k monitors, and the best monitors for graphic design.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without 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, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best Monitor For Video Editing
EditingColor AccuracyHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate120 HzNative Resolution5120 x 2880sRGB Coverage xy%Adobe RGB Coverage xy%DCI-P3 Coverage xy%See all our test resultsRec. 2020 Coverage xy%The best monitor for video editing is the Apple Studio Display XDR. It's a high-end monitor ideal for serious content creators, offering a high 5k resolution for detailed videos. What sets it apart from the competition is its Mini LED backlighting with a strong local dimming feature that helps it display deep blacks alongside bright highlights, though there's some haloing around bright objects against dark backgrounds. It's at least a fantastic choice for editing content in HDR, as it displays a wide range of colors and makes them look vivid. It also gets extremely bright, so it fights glare well in bright spaces.
You can also get it in different variants, including the screen coating you want. Although its standard glossy coating results in clear images, you can choose the Nano-texture matte coating for improved reflection handling at the cost of hazier images. It also has productivity features, including Thunderbolt 5 support and 140W of power delivery, which is ideal if you work with a power-hungry laptop, like a MacBook. You may also want to consider the Apple Studio Display 2026 as a much cheaper alternative with Thunderbolt 5, but it lacks local dimming and has lower power delivery.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor For Video Editing
EditingColor AccuracyHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate330 HzNative Resolution5120 x 2880sRGB Coverage xy%Adobe RGB Coverage xy%DCI-P3 Coverage xy%See all our test resultsRec. 2020 Coverage xy%If the Apple Studio Display XDR is too expensive for your needs, consider cheaper alternatives, such as the LG 27GM950B-B. It has a 27-inch, 5k screen with detailed images like the Apple monitor, but there are a few notable trade-offs for the cheaper option. For example, the Apple gets much brighter, and it displays a wider range of colors in HDR. The Apple is also available with glossy and matte coatings, whereas the LG is only available with a matte coating, which produces hazier images. The advantage of this is that it handles reflections better than the glossy coating on the Apple monitor.
On the plus side, this monitor uses Mini LED backlighting with an effective local dimming feature that helps it display deep blacks against bright highlights. While its black levels aren't as deep as on the Apple monitor, it has less haloing around bright objects. It has features different from those of the Apple monitor, too. Instead of Thunderbolt 5 support, it supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, which is slower and offers a lower power delivery of 90W. You can still connect a laptop to the screen, though. You may also want to look into the BenQ MA270S if you want another 5k option with Thunderbolt support, but it's worse for HDR than the LG, as it lacks Mini LED backlighting.
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Best Mid-Range Monitor For Video Editing
EditingColor AccuracyHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440sRGB Coverage xy%Adobe RGB Coverage xy%DCI-P3 Coverage xy%See all our test resultsRec. 2020 Coverage xy%If you're on a tighter budget, you can consider lower-resolution options, like the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. The biggest difference between this monitor and the LG 27GM950B-B is its lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed and text isn't as sharp. It also has fewer productivity features, as it lacks DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C, so you'll need to connect your laptop via HDMI or DisplayPort. It isn't as bright as the LG, either, so it doesn't fight glare well in bright editing rooms.
Despite the trade-offs in resolution and features, this monitor actually has some advantages in picture quality over the LG. It has an OLED panel with deeper blacks and no haloing, which makes it the better choice if you want something for editing dark content in a dark room. It also displays a wide range of colors and is more accurate out of the box, with colors nearly as vivid as on the LG. Lastly, it has a glossy coating that results in clearer images than the LG, but it also has more mirror-like reflections.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Monitor For Video Editing
EditingColor AccuracyHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160sRGB Coverage xy%Adobe RGB Coverage xy%DCI-P3 Coverage xy%See all our test resultsRec. 2020 Coverage xy%If an OLED monitor is too expensive for you, the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx offers solid value, especially when it's on sale. The biggest downside of getting this over an OLED like the Dell Alienware AW2725DF is that it doesn't display the same deep blacks. Instead, it uses Mini LED backlighting with an okay local dimming feature, which helps improve black levels in HDR. However, it has more haloing around bright objects in dark scenes, and you can't use this local dimming in SDR. This means the SDR picture quality is worse, with blacks that look gray.
That said, the Acer actually has a few advantages over the Dell. For example, it has a higher 4k resolution for sharper images. It also gets much brighter, so it's the better choice if you need something for editing videos in bright rooms. Plus, the Acer has a few extra productivity features, including a KVM switch to use the same devices on different sources, and a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode and 90W of power delivery. This helps if you want to connect your video-editing laptop via USB-C.
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Best Budget Monitor For Video Editing
EditingColor AccuracyHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate200 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440sRGB Coverage xy%Adobe RGB Coverage xy%DCI-P3 Coverage xy%See all our test resultsRec. 2020 Coverage xy%If you're looking for a monitor for video editing and are on a tight budget, look into the KOORUI S2721PM. It's a versatile entry-level monitor with Mini LED backlighting, similar to the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. This means it displays deep blacks, which is ideal for video editing in dark rooms, and small highlights really pop. You can also use this local dimming feature in SDR, giving it an advantage over the Acer. Plus, its local dimming performs better than the Acer monitor's, with less haloing around bright objects against dark backgrounds.
Unfortunately, it has a lower 1440p resolution than the Acer, resulting in less detailed images. It also has fewer features, as it lacks a USB hub, so you can't connect any devices directly to the monitor. Besides that, it gets bright enough to fight glare even in bright rooms. It also displays a wide range of colors in HDR and has an accurate sRGB mode in SDR, so you'll only need to calibrate it if you need perfectly accurate colors in the sRGB color space.
Notable Mentions
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ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM is a high-end OLED with deeper blacks than the Apple Studio Display XDR. The ASUS also costs less, but it lacks Thunderbolt support and has a lower resolution, resulting in less detailed images.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix 5K XG27JCG:
The ASUS ROG Strix 5K XG27JCG is a 5k monitor that competes with the LG 27GM950B-B and often costs less. It delivers detailed images and has accurate colors. However, it doesn't have Mini LED backlighting, so it doesn't deliver the same deep blacks and bright highlights as the LG.
See our review -
Dell S3225QC:
The Dell S3225QC is an OLED that's in the same price range as the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. The S3225QC offers a higher 4k resolution for more detailed images and supports DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C. However, the S3225QC can be harder to find.
See our review -
ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV:
The ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV is a 4k monitor with picture modes for various color spaces, including DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020. It has better accuracy than the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. However, the ASUS is worse for HDR because its local dimming feature is terrible.
See our review -
AOC Q27G40XMN:
The AOC Q27G40XMN is a budget-friendly 1440p monitor with Mini LED backlighting. It's an alternative to the KOORUI S2721PM if you want a higher native contrast ratio for deeper blacks without local dimming. However, the AOC has a worse viewing angle, so the image looks washed out from the sides.
See our review
Recent Updates
Aug 25, 2026:
We replaced the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF, which has better colors. We also replaced the AOC Q27G40XMN with the KOORUI S2721PM as it has a wider viewing angle. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Dell S2725QS with the Q27G40XMN.
Jun 29, 2026:
We made several changes to reflect the current monitor market. We replaced the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM and the Dell Alienware AW2725DF with the Apple Studio Display XDR and the LG 27GM950B-B, which are brighter and have higher resolutions. We added the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q as the 'Best Mid-Range Monitor For Video Editing,' and we renamed the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx to the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Monitor For Video Editing.' In the Notable Mentions, we added the ASUS PG27UCDM and the ASUS ROG Strix 5K XG27JCG.
May 06, 2026:
In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG with the Apple Studio Display XDR.
Mar 18, 2026:
We removed the MSI G274QPF-QD and the Dell U4025QW from their respective categories because they're hard to find. We also replaced the Apple Studio Display 2022 and the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS with the Dell S3225QC in the Notable Mentions.
Feb 03, 2026:
We replaced the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF because the BenQ is hard to find. We also added the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx as the 'Best Mid-Range Monitor For Video Editing.' In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 40WP95C-W, and we added the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG and the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we consider the best monitors for video editing currently available in the United States, including the best 4k monitors for video editing. The rating is based on our review, visitor feedback, and price. For example, two monitors may perform the same, but the cheaper one will be recommended. We also consider availability, as we don't recommend a monitor that's hard to find.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's 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.