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The 5 Best Vertical Monitors - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best Vertical Monitors

Using a monitor in a vertical orientation can be helpful if you have a multi-monitor setup, like if you want to use one screen vertically next to your main display. Most monitors on the market aren't specifically designed for use in a vertical orientation; instead, they have stands that allow the screen to rotate vertically. Although you can use pretty much any monitor in a vertical orientation with a proper mount, for this article, we only consider displays that can rotate vertically with the proprietary stand, ensuring you don't have to worry about any extra expenses.

Besides whether or not the stand can rotate into portrait mode, other factors must be considered to ensure you get good performance for what you need. Thinking about your budget is a good place to start, as there are options available at different price points. Having a high resolution for sharp text clarity is also important, but remember that text clarity in portrait mode isn't as sharp as in a landscape orientation. That said, the difference is hard to tell unless you really look for it.

We've bought and tested more than 300 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best monitors for vertical use. Also, see our recommendations for the best office monitors, the best monitors for dual setup, and the best portable monitors.


  1. Best Vertical Monitor

    The best vertical monitor that we've tested is the Dell U2723QE. It has everything you'd want in a vertical monitor, as its stand allows you to rotate the screen into portrait mode either clockwise or counterclockwise, which is useful as you can choose which side you want its inputs to face. It also offers all other common ergonomic adjustments, including swivel, height, and tilt adjustments. Its wide viewing angles are great as you'll see a consistent image from the sides, which is ideal if you aren't directly facing the monitor.

    It's an impressive office monitor with a high 4k resolution that results in sharp text clarity. It also has some productivity features thanks to its massive USB hub with five USB-A ports and three USB-C ports. One of the USB-C ports supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 90W of power delivery, so you can easily connect your laptop and charge it using a single cable. It even has a KVM switch, which makes it easy to use the same keyboard and mouse with two different computers connected to the monitor. It also has a DisplayPort output, meaning you can daisy chain another monitor with a single cable connecting the two displays.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range Vertical Monitor

    If you don't need all of the high-end features of the Dell U2723QE, then look into the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV, which you can usually find for less. It's a premium 4k monitor like the Dell but lacks a few features, which is the main trade-off of getting this monitor. It doesn't have a KVM switch, which isn't ideal if you need to connect two different computers to the computer, and it has a smaller USB hub than the Dell. That said, it still has three USB-A ports and two USB-C ports, and because one of them supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, you can easily connect to a compatible laptop. It also has a DisplayPort output for daisy chaining.

    Besides those differences, it has everything you'd want in a vertical monitor, like a versatile stand that allows you to adjust the screen into portrait orientation in either direction. It also offers other common ergonomic adjustments, and combined with its wide viewing angles, you won't have any issues sharing your screen with someone else. Its 4k resolution helps deliver sharp images, and it's also excellent for content creators as it has different picture modes, each meant for working with various color spaces.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range Vertical Monitor

    If you find the Dell U2723QE or the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV too expensive and out of your price range, consider a mid-range option like the Dell S2722QC. It's a lower-end model compared to the U2723QE that often goes on sale and offers excellent value for its price and performance. It has the same 27-inch screen size and 4k resolution as the U2723QE and the ASUS but has fewer features. The main difference is that it has a smaller USB hub with only two USB-A ports and a USB-C port, and it doesn't support daisy chaining either, so you can't connect a second display directly to this one.

    Another difference is that this monitor has worse color accuracy than the U2723QE and the ASUS, but it's still fine if you need something for everyday office use. Besides the difference in features, the S2722QC is an excellent productivity monitor that you can rotate into a vertical orientation in either direction, and its stand offers excellent ergonomics. It's also great to use in a well-lit office as it easily gets bright enough to fight glare and has good reflection handling, so visibility isn't an issue.

    See our review

  4. Best Budget Vertical Monitor

    If you're looking for the best monitor for vertical use and are on a budget, consider the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV. Although the Dell S2722QC often goes on sale, the ASUS is cheaper most of the time. It has a lower 1440p resolution than the Dell, which means that text doesn't look as sharp, but the text clarity is still decent. On the plus side, it's easy to adjust into a vertical orientation as it has an extremely ergonomic stand and rotates into portrait mode in either direction. It even supports daisy chaining through a DisplayPort output, which is great if you want to directly connect a second monitor.

    It has a few extra features, like a virtual grid alignment that makes it easier to align the monitor next to another display. It has a USB hub with four USB ports and an additional USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 65W of power delivery, so you can easily connect to a laptop. If you don't need all these features, consider the cheaper ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV, which doesn't have a USB-C input or a DisplayPort output but performs similarly.

    See our review

  5. Best Cheap Vertical Monitor

    If you want a simple and cheap monitor to use as a vertical display, the ASUS VG246H is a great choice. As it's a cheap display, it has a smaller screen and lower 1080p resolution than the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV, but it's still a good option if you don't need the biggest screen and just need something simple. Unlike most cheap displays, it has remarkable ergonomics with a versatile stand that rotates into portrait mode in either direction, making it a great choice to use as a vertical monitor.

    Luckily, it has wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides, which is great if you need to use it on the side, like if it's next to your main display and you aren't viewing it from directly in front. It also has a dedicated sRGB mode that results in good image accuracy, but you'll still need to calibrate it if your work requires perfectly accurate colors. While it has good reflection handling, it doesn't get very bright, so it's best to avoid placing it opposite a bright window.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx: The Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is a great monitor that offers better picture quality than the Dell U2723QE thanks to its Mini LED backlighting, but it doesn't support daisy chaining or a KVM switch. See our review
  • Dell S2721QS: The Dell S2721QS is a budget-friendly 4k monitor with better text clarity than the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV, but it doesn't have as many extra features like daisy chaining or a USB hub. See our review
  • Dell U3223QE: The Dell U3223QE is a bigger alternative to the Dell U2723QE with many of the same features, but some people may find the 32-inch screen too big to use in portrait mode. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 13, 2024: Added the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range' monitor to give another option and for consistency with other recommendations; added the Dell S2721QS to Notable Mentions.

  2. Dec 12, 2023: Replaced the INNOCN 27M2V and the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx with the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx and the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV in Notable Mentions because of availability.

  3. Oct 13, 2023: Removed the espresso Display 15 Touch as the 'Best Portable' option because it doesn't fit into the scope of what people need as a vertical monitor; added the INNOCN 27M2V to Notable Mentions.

  4. Aug 16, 2023: Added the espresso Display 15 Touch as 'Best Portable Vertical Monitor' to give another option with something that you can easily use vertically; replaced the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV with the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV because it has a few more features like a USB-C port; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.

  5. Jun 21, 2023: Added the Dell U2723QE back in as the 'Best Vertical Monitor' because it has more features than the Dell S2722QC, and renamed the S2722QC as the 'Best Mid-Range Vertical Monitor'; removed the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B and the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV because there are better options for less, and replaced the Dell S2721QS with the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV because it has a USB hub; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.

All Reviews

Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best portrait monitors 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.