The 8 Best Computer Monitors - Summer 2020
Reviews

The best monitor we've tested so far is the LG 27UK650-W. This 27-inch monitor has a simple yet stylish design that fits into any setting. With a 4k resolution, it delivers detailed images, and the text looks incredibly sharp. The refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, but it supports FreeSync if you want to use it for gaming. Its IPS panel provides great viewing angles, so you can easily share content or your work with others.

This monitor has great out-of-the-box color accuracy. Its SDR color gamut is excellent, covering the sRGB color space almost entirely, and its coverage of Adobe RGB is good, which is good for professional photo editing. Its input lag is very low, and it has a fast response time, resulting in a responsive desktop experience and minimal motion blur in fast-moving scenes. It doesn't have much in terms of extra features, although the flicker-free backlight is a nice addition if you tend to stare at the screen for an extended period.

Unfortunately, while this monitor supports HDR, it can't display a wide color gamut. Like most monitors with an IPS panel, it has a rather low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray when viewed in the dark. However, if you're in a bright room, it gets bright enough to fight glare, and it has a matte finish that handles reflection decently well. Overall, this is a versatile monitor that most people should be happy with, making it the best monitor we've seen so far.

The best monitor for gaming that we've tested so far is the ASUS TUF VG27AQ. It has excellent gaming performance that should please most people. It also includes 1440p resolution, a high refresh rate, and an excellent stand that allows for a wide range of adjustments.

The VG27AQ offers wide viewing angles, which is what you expect from an IPS panel this monitor has. This is ideal for co-op gaming, but it comes at the cost of its low contrast ratio, so blacks appear closer to gray when viewing in the dark. Its native 144Hz refresh rate can easily be overclocked to 165Hz, and it supports FreeSync variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing. The high refresh rate helps this monitor achieve fast response times, resulting in clear motion, and there's a black frame insertion feature to help reduce motion blur. Also, the input lag is one of the lowest we've seen on a monitor so far, and although there's a bit more lag with VRR enabled, even the most serious of gamers should be happy with the responsive gaming performance.

Even though this monitor supports HDR10, it doesn't display a wide color gamut and can't get bright enough to bring out highlights in HDR. Unfortunately, it doesn't have many extra gaming features, like adding a virtual crosshair, but it does have built-in speakers. Overall, the ASUS is the best gaming monitor we've seen so far.

The best ultrawide office monitor we've tested so far is the Dell U3818DW. This 38-inch high-resolution monitor is great for multitasking, as there's enough room to have multiple windows opened side-by-side. It's slightly curved, which helps with visibility on the sides of the screen, and it also has an IPS panel that provides wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate no matter how close you sit.

This monitor is best used in an averagely-lit room. It handles reflections very well, but it can't get bright enough to overcome glare. Its color accuracy is excellent out of the box, and it has outstanding gradient performance, but sadly, there's no HDR support. Response time is fast, and input lag is low, but if you're looking to game on this monitor, it has a 60Hz panel and doesn't support any variable refresh rate technology. Another great feature for multitaskers is its picture-by-picture mode, which lets you display two sources simultaneously.

Unfortunately, dark room performance isn't the best due to its low contrast ratio, although this is expected of most IPS panels. However, it has four USB 3.0 ports, a USB-C input, built-in speakers, and a flicker-free backlight. Overall, if you're looking for an ultrawide office monitor that can help you be more productive, this one is a very good option.

The best budget monitor we've tested so far is the ASUS VG279Q. It's a good overall 144Hz, 1080p monitor with impressive gaming performance at a low price and it's a great choice for office use, too.

With an IPS panel, it has very wide viewing angles, which is ideal if you need to share your screen with others. It can get bright enough to combat glare in almost any room and it has good reflection handling. It has excellent color accuracy out-of-the-box, so unless you require extremely accurate colors, you won't need to get it calibrated. This monitor has an excellent response time at its max refresh rate, with almost no motion blur behind fast-moving objects. At 60Hz, it still has a good response, but there's a bit more motion blur. It has native FreeSync support for a tear-free gaming experience.

Unfortunately, it has mediocre native contrast and disappointing black uniformity, which is expected from an IPS monitor, so it's not ideal for dark room viewing. Luckily, it has built-in speakers, so you don't need an external setup if you want to watch movies on it. Overall, you can't go wrong with this monitor for its price, making it the best budget monitor.