The 8 Best Computer Monitors - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best monitor we've tested so far is the LG 27UK650-W. It's a very good 4k monitor that delivers great resolution and impressive performance in most uses for the price. It has a very fast response time so fast motion looks crisp with almost no blur, the input lag is remarkably low, and the 4k resolution will display every little detail of your game (or work) on its 27 inch screen. It can get quite bright and you shouldn't have issues placing it any room as it can also handle reflections well. You can easily share your work with a colleague or host a co-op gaming session with a friend as you'll both enjoy the same accurate image thanks to the monitor's wide viewing angles.

Unfortunately, just like most IPS monitors, blacks look gray in a dark room, so this monitor isn't a great option for those who play games in a dark room.

Overall, although there are monitors that deliver better performance in certain aspects, this one is an excellent choice given its price and characteristics.

The ASUS TUF VG27AQ is the best gaming monitor that we've tested so far. Although this monitor doesn't have tons of extra features, it gets all the basics right to give you an incredible gaming experience. It uses an IPS panel that has exceptionally low response time, and combined with its optional black frame insertion (BFI) feature, it results in a crisp picture with very little blur during fast-moving scenes. It has a 144Hz refresh rate that can be factory overclocked to 165Hz, and it supports FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) to reduce screen tearing. If you have a recent 10- or 20- series NVIDIA graphics card, it's compatible with G-SYNC as well. Input lag is remarkably low, and its 1440p resolution delivers a detailed picture without overtaxing your computer. This monitor supports HDR, but its performance is limited by its mediocre peak brightness and lack of wide color gamut.

Unfortunately, this monitor isn't suited for dark room gaming, as it has a rather low contrast ratio and its black uniformity is unremarkable, which results in blacks that look more like gray. However, that's to be expected of most IPS monitors. Color accuracy is decent out of the box, and it has a flicker-free backlight to help reduce eye strain for those long gaming sessions. This monitor also has decent viewing angles for those who like to play co-op games, and it has an excellent stand that lets you easily adjust the monitor to your optimal viewing position.

On the whole, this is a superb gaming monitor that should please even the most hardcore gamers.

The best ultrawide office monitor we've tested so far is the Dell U3818DW. The 38 inch screen offers plenty of real estate space for multitasking and the 4k resolution delivers clear and crisp images. It uses an IPS panel to generate good viewing angles, so the image quality won't go down if you sit up close or share your screen with co-workers. Unfortunately, like most IPS panels, the contrast ratio is mediocre and the black uniformity is poor, but this shouldn't be a problem unless you're watching dark scenes in dark rooms.

This monitor has amazing out-of-box color accuracy, so you shouldn't need to get it calibrated. It also has an excellent SDR color gamut, covering nearly all of the sRGB color space used in most content, but the limited Adobe RGB color space coverage might not be good enough for some photo editors. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR content, but if you're going to use it for office work, you'll be happy with the great gray uniformity, so the solid colors on a web page will be uniform across the screen.

Overall, this monitor offers plenty of screen space for when you work and it's the best ultrawide office monitor we've tested so far.

The Dell P2417H is the best budget monitor that we've tested. It's a decent monitor for most uses, with great ergonomics, wide viewing angles, and decent overall picture quality. The fast response time and low input lag make this a decent gaming monitor; however, the 60Hz refresh rate may disappoint more serious gamers.

This monitor has mediocre peak brightness, so although it has good reflection handling, glare might be an issue in a bright room. It has a good selection of inputs, so you shouldn't have any issues connecting your devices, even older analog devices, and it has a built-in USB hub, which is usually only found on more expensive models.

Overall, the Dell is a decent monitor for most uses. It has a few flaws, though, so it isn't ideal for everyone.