Setups with two or more monitors provide a great deal of freedom, making it much easier to multitask. When shopping for monitors for a dual setup, you'll want to look for great ergonomics to easily adjust the screen, and it's also beneficial to get a display that supports daisy chaining so you can directly connect it to another monitor. If you get monitors that don't support daisy chaining, you need to connect two HDMI or DisplayPort cables directly from your computer, so you need to make sure your computer has two video ports in that scenario.
We've bought and tested over 275 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best monitors to buy for a dual setup. See our recommendations for the best work monitors and the best vertical monitors, and if you prefer one larger display for multitasking, check out the best ultrawide monitors.
The Dell U2723QE is the best monitor for dual setup we've tested. The 27-inch screen offers more space for multitasking, especially if you place two side-by-side, and its 4k resolution helps deliver sharp text. It has remarkable ergonomics, meaning it's easy to adjust to your ideal viewing position. Also, it's an impressive office monitor with many connectivity options, including a DisplayPort output, meaning you can send a signal to a secondary monitor even if your computer only has one video output.
If you need to connect multiple devices to your dual monitor setup, this display is also a great choice, as it has a KVM switch. You can connect your mouse and keyboard directly to the monitor and control both devices. Its 90W of power delivery on one of the USB-C ports is also enough to keep your laptop's battery going while you work. In terms of picture quality, it displays a wide range of colors with excellent accuracy, and even though it has disappointing reflection handling, it gets bright enough to fight glare if you want to use it in a well-lit room.
If you don't need all the extra features and prefer getting something in the mid-range price category, check out the Dell S2722QC. It's a lower-end model compared to the Dell U2723QE that costs less, and the main trade-off is that it has fewer features. It has a smaller USB hub and doesn't have a KVM switch, so you can't easily switch between two devices and use the same keyboard and mouse. It doesn't support daisy chaining like the U2723QE, so you must connect your video cables directly from your PC to the monitors.
Besides that, it's still an excellent productivity monitor because it has a 27-inch screen with a 4k resolution. It produces remarkable text clarity, and you can read fine text without issues. Although it has worse accuracy than the U2723QE, it's still decent enough that you'll only have to worry about it if your work requires perfectly accurate colors. Luckily, its reflection handling is even better than on the U2723QE, and combined with its great SDR peak brightness, you won't have issues using it in a bright room.
If you're looking for the best secondary monitor on a budget, consider the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV. It has a lower 1440p resolution than the 4k resolution of the Dell S2722QC, meaning text isn't as sharp, but that's the sacrifice you need to make for something cheaper. Unlike the S2722QC, this monitor supports daisy chaining, meaning you can easily connect a second monitor, and it has a USB-C input that makes it easy to connect a laptop and charge it using a single cable.
It has outstanding ergonomics as you can swivel it 45 degrees in each direction and even rotate it into portrait mode, making it easy to adjust next to another display. It has remarkable image accuracy before calibration, so you don't need to calibrate it for accurate colors. However, it doesn't support HDR, so if that's important to you, the Dell UltraSharp U2520D is another 1440p option that supports HDR and daisy chaining, but it has a slightly smaller screen.
If you're looking for the best secondary monitor for cheap, check out the ASUS VG246H. There are some trade-offs you need to make by getting something cheaper than the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV, like the fact that it doesn't have a DisplayPort output, so you need to make sure your PC has two video outputs if you want to use two of these monitors. It also has a lower 1080p resolution than the PA278CV, which means that text doesn't look as sharp, but the text clarity is still decent on this monitor. Fortunately, its smaller 24-inch screen makes it easier to fit two monitors next to each other if you have a small desk.
Besides that, it offers good office performance for its cost as it has remarkable ergonomics, letting you easily adjust the screen how you want. It's also good if you want to use it in a moderately-lit room thanks to its good reflection handling and decent peak brightness. However, if you want something even brighter, the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx is another good cheap option, but it costs a bit more than the ASUS.
May 29, 2023: Removed the Dell S2721QS and renamed the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV as the 'Best Budget Monitor' because it dropped in price.
Mar 30, 2023: Added the Dell S2722QC as the 'Best Mid-Range Monitor' to give another option; added the Dell U3223QE and the LG 27MN60T-W to Notable Mentions.
Jan 27, 2023: Restructured the article to reflect office-oriented monitors regardless of their size; replaced the Dell UltraSharp U2520D with the Dell U2723QE because it's better overall; added the Dell S2721QS and removed the LG 24GL600F; renamed the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV and the ASUS VG246H as the 'Best Mid-Range' and 'Best Cheap' monitors respectively; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.
Nov 29, 2022: Restructured article to use smaller monitors with a lower resolution; removed the Dell U2723QE and the Dell S2721QS because they're big 4k monitors; replaced the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV with the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV because it supports daisy chaining and renamed to 'Best Vertical Monitor'; added the LG 24GL600F; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.
Nov 10, 2022: Added the Dell UltraSharp U2520D to provide a smaller option to the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV and updated text for accuracy, including with Notable Mentions.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors for a dual setup 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.