The 8 Best Monitors - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best monitor we've tested is the Gigabyte M32U. It's a versatile option that's great for both gaming and office use. While it isn't the absolute best for either usage, it at least provides a well-rounded experience no matter how you'll use it. With a 32-inch screen, there's plenty of space to multitask, and thanks to the 4k resolution and high pixel density, text is extremely sharp and easy to read. It offers extra features for productivity, like a USB hub with three USB-A ports and a USB-C input that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode. It lets you display an image from a compatible laptop, but with only 15W of power delivery, it isn't enough to charge laptops.

It delivers good picture quality and has amazing accuracy before calibration, making images look life-like and realistic. It also gets bright enough to fight glare in a well-lit room, and the reflection handling is good, so visibility isn't an issue. If you prefer something smaller, check out the Gigabyte M28U, which is similar and costs less but has worse ergonomics and doesn't get as bright.

If you want a mid-range monitor or don't need any gaming features, check out the Dell U2723QE. It's a 4k monitor like the Gigabyte M32U but with a smaller screen. However, if you want a 32-inch screen size, the Dell U3223QE is a similar model with a bigger screen, but it costs more, and colors are undersaturated in HDR. Whichever size you get, Dell offers many productivity features on both models, which is great if you're looking for something strictly for office use.

Five USB-A ports let you connect external devices, and it also has three USB-C ports that each serve different purposes. One supports DisplayPort Alt Mode to connect your laptop, and another is for the KVM switch to control multiple devices with the same keyboard and mouse. If you don't think you'll use those USB ports, other options cost less and offer the same 4k resolution. The Dell S2722QC has a smaller USB hub, while the Dell S2721QS is a budget option without USB ports.

If you want a budget-friendly monitor, plenty of options, like the Gigabyte M27Q, offer good value. There are trade-offs for cheaper monitors, and the main difference between this and the Dell U2723QE is that the Gigabyte has a lower 1440p resolution. While that means text doesn't look as sharp due to the lower pixel density, the text clarity is still decent. It has some extra features, like a USB hub with a USB-C port. It's good if you want to quickly connect a laptop, but your laptop won't charge while you're using it because it's limited to only 10W of power delivery.

It has good picture quality thanks to its sRGB mode, resulting in excellent accuracy before calibration, and it displays a wide range of colors in both SDR and HDR. Its wide viewing angles make it a great choice if you constantly need to share your screen with someone else. It also has more gaming features than the Dell, as it has a higher 170Hz refresh rate, meaning it's a good overall monitor that's both impressive for gaming and productivity.

The ASUS VG246H is a good alternative to the Gigabyte M27Q if you want a simple and cheap monitor. As you go down in price categories, you'll have to sacrifice the size and resolution, which is the case with the ASUS. It has a smaller 24-inch screen and a lower 1080p resolution than the Gigabyte, but it still offers good office performance with decent text clarity. Despite its low cost, it also has an sRGB mode that results in great accuracy before calibration.

Another advantage this monitor has over other cheaper models is its remarkable ergonomics. You can adjust the screen in various ways, including rotating it into portrait mode. It also has wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides, which is important if you need to share your screen with someone else. Unfortunately, it's limited in gaming features as it has a 75Hz refresh rate, so if you're a gamer and want a cheaper monitor for productivity and gaming, the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx is a good alternative, but it costs more.

There are other, better options if you're a PC gamer and want a monitor to take full advantage of your gaming setup. If you're interested, the best gaming monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. It has a 175Hz refresh rate with a near-instantaneous response time, so motion is incredibly clear. It also has native G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) support, which is great if you have an NVIDIA graphics card. The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is nearly the same monitor that costs a bit less but has native FreeSync VRR support instead; it can't take full advantage of NVIDIA graphics cards.

Its QD-OLED panel delivers incredibly deep blacks in dark rooms with no distracting blooming, making it an excellent choice for dark room gaming. However, there are a few drawbacks because OLEDs risk permanent burn-in. If that's a concern, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is a good alternative. It's a 4k, 32-inch monitor that gets much brighter thanks to its Mini LED backlighting, but it doesn't deliver the same perfect black levels. Luckily, it's even better for console gaming than the Dell as it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, meaning it's fully compatible with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

If you want a high-end gaming monitor but aren't necessarily a fan of ultrawide screens like the Dell Alienware AW3423DW, look into the LG 27GR95QE-B. With a smaller 27-inch screen, you won't see as much of your game at once, and while it uses an OLED panel to display perfect blacks, it doesn't get as bright as the Dell, but this doesn't make a difference unless you want the best picture quality to go alongside fantastic gaming performance. Luckily, it offers an even higher 240Hz refresh rate than the Dell, meaning you can play games at a high frame rate without issue.

Thanks to its fast response time, motion looks smooth with high-frame-rate signals, but it has some overshoot with lower-frame-rate signals. It also has VRR support to reduce screen tearing, and its low input lag provides a responsive gaming experience. If you find that the 240Hz refresh rate isn't high enough for your gaming needs, there are some 360Hz monitors you can get for less, like the Dell Alienware AW2523HF. However, it has a lower 1080p resolution and worse picture quality, so get it if you're only after the high refresh rate.

If you don't need excellent picture quality, there are mid-range options with LED-backlight LCD panels and 240Hz refresh rates, like the Dell Alienware AW2723DF or the Gigabyte M27Q X. However, you can also save more money by getting a lower mid-range model like the LG 32GP850-B. It's a step down from the LG 27GR95QE-B in a few ways, which is what you have to expect for a cheaper monitor. It can't display the same deep blacks as it doesn't have an OLED panel and has a lower 180Hz refresh rate, but it's still an excellent gaming monitor.

It has incredible motion handling without much blur or any visible overshoot with fast-moving objects, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. It also has FreeSync VRR support to reduce screen tearing, and it's G-SYNC compatible if you want to use it with an NVIDIA graphics card. While its 32-inch screen size and 1440p resolution result in lower pixel density than the 27GR95QE-B, the image clarity is still decent. If you prefer something smaller, the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B offers nearly the same performance, so you can get whichever size you want.

If you're getting into PC gaming and want the best PC monitor at a low cost, check out the ViewSonic XG2431. It's different from the LG 32GP850-B because it has a smaller screen and lower resolution, which is what you have to expect for a budget-friendly display. However, it has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, which is great if you're a competitive gamer and want to play games at a high frame rate. The smaller screen size is also beneficial if you have limited desk space.

What makes this monitor better than other budget-friendly displays for gaming is its remarkable motion handling across its entire refresh rate range. It has a customizable backlight strobing feature where you can adjust the flicker to your liking, which is a neat feature that even more expensive options don't have. It has low input lag for a responsive feel and native FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. If you find that its 1080p resolution doesn't deliver sharp images and you prefer something with a higher resolution, the HP X27q is a good 1440p budget gaming monitor. However, it has worse motion handling.