Some office workers swear by having more than one computer monitor to boost their creativity. Others, on the other hand, believe it’s just a distraction disaster waiting to happen. For those working at home or on the go on their laptops, the debate is moot anyway since they are forced to use one and only one screen. There have been attempts to “fix” that situation, either with laptops with multiple screens or attachments that give laptops a hefty makeover. It’s easy enough to smirk at these attempts, especially because of how clunky and clumsy they can be, but one somewhat recent attempt does offer a bit of refinement and finesse to hopefully give mobile workers the productivity edge they’ve wished for.
To be honest, there is really no way that a laptop with screens hanging off its sides won’t look unusual, to put it kindly. At least not by our current standards that have been weaned for decades to accept that laptops have only one monitor in front of the user. The future might hold a different attitude, but until people get used to seeing multi-screen laptops, some people are going to be laughed at. Then again, users of this kind of accessory probably won’t care as much about other people’s opinions as long as they end up a wiz at work.
Xebec’s latest design for its Tri-Screen accessory is admittedly rather smart. One of the biggest hindrances to attaching more monitors to a laptop is how they need to take into account different laptop sizes and designs. To solve this puzzle, the Tri-Screen 2 borrows a design from smartphone game controllers that use elastics and telescopic mechanisms to accommodate different phone sizes. With this, the base attachment can grip almost any laptop screen size and doesn’t require screws, adhesives, or magnets.
Two 10.1-inch Full HD screens slide out of this module and independently connect to the laptop, which does mean that the laptop needs to have enough ports to support two external displays. A small built-in kickstand keeps the laptop’s screen from falling backward from the weight, another inherent problem for accessories that add heavy screens and frames to a thin laptop lid. In order to keep the assembly lighter, however, the Tri-Screen 2 doesn’t pack its own battery and instead sucks from the laptop, another consideration to keep in mind when using it away from a power outlet.
It is, of course, arguable whether such a design will get in the way rather than help your productivity, but it’s definitely more convenient than one of those portable monitors you’d have to set down on a table. The expanding base is definitely a nice touch to be able to accommodate more laptops, but it remains to be seen how durable that elastic material will be and what effects the pressure might have on the laptop lid’s integrity. Like with the laptop itself, it’s always a matter of weighing pros and cons, and those who will grab this Tri-Screen 2 better see plenty of Pros to use something like it.
Trends come and go, and some designs even return with a vengeance. That applies not only in the fashion world but in other industries as well, including interior and even office designs. In the not-so-distant past, cubicles were torn down to give way to open floor plans. That more social and more democratic design, however, also came with costs to focus and productivity, which has resulted in some offices bringing back those boxes that try to give you a small sanctuary in a storm of distractions. Rather than just confining space, however, cubicles also offer opportunities to personalize and optimize, and this new computer monitor takes that to heart in a rather novel way.
Desk space is always limited, whether you’re working in a cubicle, an office floor plan, or even at home. It can be even more limited, however, when those work dividers are involved because they put boundaries in three dimensions. That’s why some people have become a little bit more creative by utilizing the vertical space that these walls provide, but the desk space occupied by a computer monitor still takes a whole chunk out of what’s left.
The aptly named LG Libero 27MQ70QC monitor frees up that space so that your desk is actually left for things that you actually use rather than just look at. You can technically buy some mounting accessories for a plain computer monitor, but this LG screen comes with one built-in already. Plus, it does so in a rather innovative way so that you can actually use the monitor on your desk like normal if you no longer have any wall to hang it from.
The trick to the Libero is a folding stand that also acts as a handle that can hang on hooks over your cubicle or any wall, for that matter. That stand even lets you tilt the monitor forward or backward to your preferences and comfort. Everything about the Libero’s design revolves around this duality. For example, the included webcam is removable and has dedicated ports top and bottom so that it will always sit on the “top” of the monitor, regardless of the orientation.
The 27-inch LG Libero isn’t just all about this gimmick, though, and it has the trapping of a quality monitor you can expect from the brand. The original $500 price tag, however, might feel a bit too steep since you can MacGyver your own hanging monitor solution for so much less. That said, you do get the benefits of a product that was designed to be used in such configurations rather than having to struggle to make things work on your own.
The jury is still out, but many people already swear by having more than one monitor to boost their productivity. This is probably more applicable to people that need to have a lot of content displayed on the screen at the same time. These can be a mix of references, monitoring tools, communication applications, and the actual work that needs to be done. Given how much of today’s office and creative work revolves around those, that case is more common than not. Not everyone, however, might have enough desk space for a second monitor, especially if their desktop PC is already taking up space. Taking that into consideration, this kit tries to make use of that fact and turns your desktop’s towering case into a second monitor, albeit with a few critical requirements.
There are plenty of ultra-wide or ultra-large computer monitors these days, but many people already have a decently big screen on their desks. It could be more effective to add a second monitor rather than buying a new and bigger one, but some desks aren’t big enough to accommodate those. That’s especially true if the PC itself is standing right next to the monitor rather instead of being hidden from view, a setup that is quite common both in offices and in homes.
Motherboard manufacturer ASRock seems to have stumbled upon the idea of using the desktop PC case as a second screen to avoid having to put another monitor on your desk. The ASRock Side Panel Kit practically mounts a 13.3-inch display panel on the inside of that case. It might actually sound like an ingenious solution to save space, but the conditions needed to be met make it a little bit more trouble than it’s worth.
For one, your PC case must have transparent side panels because this screen doesn’t replace those panels and mounts from the inside rather than the outside. It also works with a specific motherboard feature that isn’t exactly widely available on many desktop computers. Of course, ASRock sells motherboards that meet the requirements, which is possibly a strategy to get interested buyers to also invest in one of those.
That said, while this ASRock Side Panel Kit does look useful and space efficient, its ergonomics might be questionable. Having a screen off to the side and perpendicular to your main monitor might strain your neck in the long run. It might be useful for almost static content that you rarely check, but you might as well just have a single monitor where you can switch to those apps from time to time instead.
There are tons of solid computer monitors available right now, which is great for anyone who needs a second screen for their home office setup or a special gaming monitor for their rig. Not to mention, display technology has evolved a lot in the past few years: OLED Flex, QD-OLED and built-in smart platforms have become more prevalent, and things like color accuracy, image quality, size and resolution have seen big improvements, too. Engadget can help you make sense of the computer monitor space and help you decide which monitors (or, at the very least, type of monitor) is right for you. Whether you’re a business user, a content creator, a multitasker or into competitive gaming, you have plenty of options to choose from and we’ve outline our top picks for the best monitors below.
Factors to consider
Panel type
The cheapest monitors are still TN (twisted nematic), which are strictly for gamers or office use. VA (vertical alignment) monitors are also relatively cheap, while offering good brightness and a high contrast ratio. However, content creators will find that IPS (in-plane switching) LCD displays deliver better color accuracy, picture quality and viewing angles.
If maximum brightness is important, a quantum dot LCD display is the way to go — those are typically found in larger displays. OLED monitors are now available and offer the best blacks and color reproduction, but they lack the brightness of LED or quantum dot displays. Plus, they cost a lot. The latest type of OLED monitor, called QD-OLED from Samsung, just came out in 2022. The most notable advantage is that it can get a lot brighter, with monitors shown at CES 2022 hitting up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness.
MiniLEDs are now widely used in high-end displays. They’re similar to quantum dot tech, but as the name suggests, it uses smaller LED diodes that are just 0.2mm in diameter. As such, manufacturers can pack in up to three times more LEDs with more local dimming zones, delivering deeper blacks and better contrast.
Screen size, resolution and display format
In this day and age, screen size rules. Where 24-inch displays used to be more or less standard (and can still be useful for basic computing), 27-, 32-, 34- and even 42-inch displays have become popular for entertainment, content creation and even gaming these days.
Nearly every monitor used to be 16:9, but it’s now possible to find 16:10 and other more exotic display shapes. On the gaming and entertainment side, we’re also seeing curved and ultrawide monitors with aspect ratios like 21:9. If you do decide to buy an ultrawide display, however, keep in mind that a 30-inch 21:9 model is the same height as a 24-inch monitor, so you might end up with a smaller display than you expected. As a rule of thumb, add 25 percent to the size of a 21:9 monitor to get the vertical height you’d expect from a model with a 16:9 aspect ratio.
A 4K monitor is nearly a must for content creators, and some folks are even going for 5K or all the way up to 8K. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll need a pretty powerful computer to drive all those sharp pixels. And 4K resolution should be paired with a screen size of 27 inches and up, or you won’t notice much difference between 1440p. At the same time, I wouldn’t get a model larger than 27 inches unless it’s 4K, as you’ll start to see pixelation if you’re working up close to the display.
One new category to consider is portable monitors designed to be carried and used with laptops. Those typically come in 1080p resolutions and sizes from 13-15 inches. They usually have a lightweight kickstand-type support that folds up to keep things compact.
Samsung
HDR
HDR is the buzzy monitor feature to have these days, as it adds vibrancy to entertainment and gaming – but be careful before jumping in. Some monitors that claim HDR on the marketing materials don’t even conform to a base standard. To be sure that a display at least meets minimum HDR specs, you’ll want to choose one with a DisplayHDR rating with each tier representing maximum brightness in nits.
However, the lowest DisplayHDR 400 and 500 tiers may disappoint you with a lack of brightness, washed out blacks and mediocre color reproduction. If you can afford it, the best monitor to choose is a model with DisplayHDR 600, 1000 or True Black 400, True Black 500 and True Black 600. The True Black settings are designed primarily for OLED models, with maximum black levels at .0005 nits.
Where televisions typically offer HDR10 and Dolby Vision or HDR10+, most PC monitors only support the HDR10 standard, other than a few (very expensive) models. That doesn’t matter much for content creation or gaming, but HDR streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other services won’t look quite as punchy. In addition, the best gaming monitors are usually the ones supporting HDR600 (and up), rather than content creation monitors – with a few exceptions.
Refresh rate
Refresh rate is a key feature, particularly on gaming monitors. A bare minimum nowadays is 60Hz, and 80Hz and higher refresh rates are much easier on the eyes. However, most 4K displays top out at 60Hz with some rare exceptions and the HDMI 2.0 spec only supports 4K at 60Hz, so you’d need at least DisplayPort 1.4 (4K at 120Hz) or HDMI 2.1. The latter is now available on a number of monitors, particularly gaming displays. However, it’s only supported on the latest NVIDIA RTX 3000- and 4000-series, AMD RX 6000-series GPUs.
Inputs
There are essentially three types of modern display inputs: Thunderbolt, DisplayPort and HDMI. Most monitors built for PCs come with the latter two, while a select few (typically built for Macs) will use Thunderbolt. To add to the confusion, USB-C ports may be Thunderbolt 3 and by extension, DisplayPort compatible, so you may need a USB-C to Thunderbolt or DisplayPort cable adapter depending on your display.
Color bit depth
Serious content creators should consider a more costly 10-bit monitor that can display billions of colors. If budget is an issue, you can go for an 8-bit panel that can fake billions of colors via dithering (often spec’d as “8-bit + FRC”). For entertainment or business purposes, a regular 8-bit monitor that can display millions of colors will be fine.
Color gamut
The other aspect of color is the gamut. That expresses the range of colors that can be reproduced and not just the number of colors. Most good monitors these days can cover the sRGB and Rec.709 gamuts (designed for photos and video respectively). For more demanding work, though, you’ll want one that can reproduce more demanding modern gamuts like AdobeRGB, DCI-P3 and Rec.2020 gamuts, which encompass a wider range of colors. The latter two are often used for film projection and HDR, respectively.
Console gaming
Both the Xbox Series X and Sony’s PS5 can handle 4K 120Hz HDR gaming, so if you’re into resolution over pure speed, you’ll want a monitor that can keep up and provide the best gaming experience possible. 4K resolution, HDR and at least 120Hz is the minimum starting point, but fortunately there are 27-inch displays with those specs starting at well under $1,000.
Pricing and parts shortages
Though the pandemic has eased, monitor supply is still a bit tighter than pre-pandemic levels due to supply and demand issues. To that end, you may have trouble finding monitors at Amazon, B&H or elsewhere for the suggested retail price point. For our guide below, we’re basing our picks on the MSRP, as long as the street price doesn’t exceed that by more than $25.
Best monitors under $200
Best monitors under $400
Best monitors under $500
Best monitors under $1,000
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-buy-a-monitor-143000069.html?src=rss
We live in a world populated by screens, from the computers we use at work to the phones we glue our faces to all day. If display manufacturers and tech companies are to be believed, things will only get better or worse in the future, depending on whose side you’re on. Displays, particularly touch-enabled screens, will litter our surroundings unless the metaverse becomes so prevalent that we’ll be seeing windows and popups everywhere through our AR glasses. Despite our dependence on display technologies, the screens that we rely on so much day in and day out can be harmful to our eyes in the long run. While we wait for the perfectly harmless screen technology, we can only try to minimize the damaging effects of these screens with other technologies, like this unconventional two-in-one monitor that attaches an eye-friendlier E-Ink screen on the side.
E-paper display or EPD technology, especially the kind sold by the E-Ink brand, has long been hailed for its less harmful effects on the eyes. That is why this kind of screen has been used on ebook readers that will often be used for hours on end. The technology does have critical drawbacks that make it unsuitable for “normal” uses, like displaying rich colors like photos, fast-changing content like videos, and more. That, of course, hasn’t stopped people from spending hours on end in front of computer monitors and phones, especially when their work depends on these displays.
E-Ink monitors do exist, but they can’t really be used for all kinds of content, as mentioned earlier. Rather than having to make people choose, Philips got the idea to provide both kinds of displays on the same monitor. Or, to be more precise, it has put two kinds of monitors side-by-side in one. The Philips 24B1D5600 has a 23.3-inch 2560×1440 LCD monitor that you can use for regular stuff, and attached to its right side is a 13.3-inch E INK Carta HD display. This design is based on an award-winning iF Design Award 2021 entry and is now making its way to the market to appeal to people who need to stare at screens for long stretches of time each day.
While an E-Ink display is great for reading ebooks, its purpose here isn’t exactly for leisure, though it can certainly be used that way, too. The idea is that you can put longer pieces of text on this slow-changing screen that you need to read, like documents or articles, while constantly changing content like videos, real-time graphs, and the like will occupy the main LCD screen. That way, you will be giving your eyes a bit of a break whenever you need to view more static content while still having access to YouTube or more productive sites.
The attached E-Ink display can apparently be tilted 45 degrees towards the viewer, which is a more ergonomic angle considering how far to the right it is. Unfortunately, it isn’t clear whether it can be removed and placed on the opposite side, which may be more comfortable for some people. The E-Ink display and the LCD screen are powered separately with separate cables, but you seldom need to charge the E-Ink side anyway.
Although there is still some debate about it, many advanced computer users swear by the benefits of having more than one monitor. Of course, it’s not easy for everyone to use multiple monitors, even if just two, because of various reasons. For some, the price of a second monitor could be prohibitive, especially if they actually need to get a new pair just to keep things balanced and symmetrical. For others, desk space is the bigger issue, given how two monitors double the footprint. Unfortunately, the majority of multi-monitor setups seem to glorify having multiple individual monitors, as if that was the only solution available. Thinking outside the box, two designers came up with a novel alternative that addresses those concerns and even manages to add a bit of fun to your desktop.
Depending on how you work, simply adding a second monitor can more than double your productivity by increasing the amount of information you can display at a glance. Monitors, however, are inherently designed to be used as a single piece, so chaining two or more together feels more like an afterthought. In addition to how much space they take up, dual monitor setups are often less ergonomic than a single monitor that has been positioned and angled properly.
It doesn’t have to be that way, of course, but few manufacturers have taken the time to really think about the problem. Sure, some have come up with ultra-wide monitors that are equivalent to two monitors side-by-side, but those don’t address the space and ergonomics problems. Geminos’ solution is genius in its simplicity, putting two monitors on top of each other with a very minimal gap between the two.
Of course, a monitor that is taller than it is wider is pretty unconventional, but even LG thinks it might actually be more ergonomic and more efficient. With an almost square aspect ratio, your eyes or your neck don’t have to travel in any direction too much to get to the content you need. Geminos is also completely adjustable, so the top screen can slide up and down while the bottom slides in and out to match your specific desk setup.
Technically speaking, Geminos is two 24-inch monitors that open and close like a book, which helps minimize the space it takes up whether it’s in use or folded down. It’s perfect for a minimalist desktop design and doesn’t compromise on the amount of content you can display. You might need some time getting used to the unconventional shape and position, but switching to more ergonomic products often has an adjustment period anyway.
Geminos isn’t just a stacked dual-monitor, though. It has a built-in 1080p webcam that makes short work of video meetings and virtual classes. There’s also a built-in docking station in the base for all your connectivity needs, including 100W USB-C passthrough charging. All you really need is a computer, a keyboard, and a mouse, and you’re on your way to increased productivity and better ergonomics. At only $699 ($499 if you’re fast enough), Geminos will not only turn your dual monitor plans into reality but also make it your most comfortable monitor setup ever.
If you’re going to add a second monitor to your desk setup, wouldn’t you prefer something large enough to handle your work?
While many designers extol the virtues of simplicity and minimalism, they might also be the first to admit wishing they had more than just one computer screen at times. The jury is still out on whether multiple monitors help or hamper productivity, especially if they offer more opportunities for distraction, but some digital workers just can’t get by with a single display. That’s especially true for creatives in many fields, including designers and artists that might use something like a Wacom Cintiq to create their masterpieces. ASUS has been making portable monitors in order to help increase workers’ output, but its newest might be its strangest one yet.
Almost all second monitors, portable or otherwise, come in sizes and forms that are meant to match your primary display. While those come in a wide range of sizes, they almost all have standard monitor aspect ratios, like 4:3, 16:10, or even the ultra-wide 21:9. In contrast, it’s difficult to group the ASUS ProArt Display PA147CDV with these because of its short but wide design.
The 14-inch screen has a resolution of 1920×550, giving it a super-duper ultra-wide 32:9 ratio. It’s more like a strip of screen rather than a full monitor, and its unconventional design hints at its purpose. It’s meant more as an extension of your tools rather than your content, like a palette or another keyboard instead of a canvas. Those who have seen ASUS’ ZenBook Pro DUO laptop might be familiar with both this design and this use case because this is exactly like that laptop’s second screen.
The ProArt Display does function like a Wacom tablet display, supporting both ten-finger touch and pen input. The latter uses Microsoft’s Pen 2.0 Protocol, so there are plenty of active pens you can use with it. The screen supports 100% of the Rec. 709 and sRGB color gamuts to give artists and designers accurate color spaces. That said, the screen’s odd size and ratio don’t exactly make it ideal for long periods of work, and the low vertical resolution won’t do your work justice.
Of course, the ProArt Display PA147CDV’s main function isn’t to be a Wacom replacement but to be your extended keyboard of sorts. Specialized software allows creators to quickly access the most-used or most important functions of apps like Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and others. For everything else, ASUS’s app lets you customize the controls for apps that aren’t directly supported. And, of course, you can also use it as a second screen for references or unrelated information like news or social media. This way, you can limit the visual area these things occupy, which can hopefully also reduce their distracting powers.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA147CDV has one other trick up its sleeve, a physical dial you can also map to specific actions, like changing brush sizes or scrubbing through a video timeline. This clearly marks this display as a tool for creatives but, unfortunately, also shows the device’s biggest design flaw. That dial is fixed on the left side of the device, which restricts it to a specific setup only. Left-handed people who use a stylus in their dominant hand won’t be able to easily use the dial as right-handed people.
The ProArt Display looks like an intriguing and novel new tool to empower designers, artists, engineers, editors, and all sorts of digital creatives, but also oddly snubs a good number of these people with its inflexible design. It would have been better if it were possible to change the position of the dial or change the orientation of the screen to accommodate left-handed workflows. It’s like being forced to use computer mice that have been designed for right-handed people only, without any consideration for the rest of the population. We won’t be seeing the ASUS ProArt Display PA147CDV until sometime this quarter, and hopefully, ASUS will have a better story to tell by then.
In things I didn’t know I needed and am still not convinced I do, there’s Monitree (monitor + tree), a modular system for growing vining plants around the perimeter of your computer monitor. You know, to liven up your workspace with some greenery. Alternatively, just buy a potted plant like a normal person.
Currently, an already-funded Kickstarter project, the Monitree system uses leakproof transparent tubes that mount to your monitor via double-sided tape and a full spectrum grow light, so you don’t have to open a window for your plant to grow. That’s a good thing, too, because I already boarded over them while prepping my apartment for the zombie apocalypse.
The Monitree includes everything you need to grow vining plants, like the recommended pohuehue (Muehlenbeckia complexa) or climbing fig (Ficus pumila), but the actual plants themselves. You’ll need to pick up those at a local nursery or floral shop. Or out of your neighbor’s yard, which is where I also go to get flowers for my wife.
A detachable multimonitor setup that reduces clutter on your desk – bringing the multitasking capability of a triple screen setup while having the flexibility of shifting back to a single screen setup without much hassle.
Multiple monitor setups are high on productivity for professionals while looking absolutely stunning in a geeky desk setup. Be it at the office or at home, a multi-monitor PC setup has become more or less a staple for anyone who has to sit in the front of the screen for an extended duration of time for focus-oriented tasks. A major chunk of users go for a dual monitor setup, while some even go all the way up to a three monitor setup. Just imagine gaming on that multiple arrays of screens for a more immersive experience.
Designer: Kester
So why am I delving so much in-depth into a multiple monitor setup, and its inherent advantages? Because there is a chinch in the armor when multiple monitor setup’s not so palpable disadvantage is brought to light. It takes up a lot of space, and if you need to decrease the number of monitors you’ll be working on (just on that odd occasion) the only option is to pick up the high res screen away from your desk. This leaves me with a question – why not have ultra-portable slim screen attachments that can fit the existing screen, as and when the need arises?
The Flux by Loughborough Design’s graduate student Kester, addresses my long-burning query for good. It is a bezel-less monitor with rounded corners that comes with the flexibility of adding modules, or I should say additional displays, to the main monitor and creating a customizable multi-monitor setup. While the user reaps the advantages of the traditional multiple screen setup, the disadvantage of eating up more space on the desk is simply not an issue with this concept design.
Those extra displays can be attached in a jiffy to the main screen to the left, right and the top – depending on the user’s needs. This idea is somewhat similar to the Compal Airttach laptop we came across last year, but the Flux is more about bringing flexibility to your desk setup. Any point in time if this concept meets fruition, I just want that large eye-sore stand to be slimmer and compact.
There are tons of solid computer monitors available right now, which is great for anyone who needs a second screen for their home office setup or a special gaming monitor for their rig. Not to mention, display technology has evolved a lot in the past few years: OLED Flex, QD-OLED and built-in smart platforms have become more prevalent, and things like color accuracy, image quality, size and resolution have seen big improvements, too. Engadget can help you make sense of the computer monitor space and help you decide which monitors (or, at the very least, type of monitor) is right for you. Whether you’re a business user, a content creator, a multitasker or into competitive gaming, you have plenty of options to choose from and we’ve outline our top picks for the best monitors below.
Factors to consider
Panel type
The cheapest monitors are still TN (twisted nematic), which are strictly for gamers or office use. VA (vertical alignment) monitors are also relatively cheap, while offering good brightness and a high contrast ratio. However, content creators will find that IPS (in-plane switching) LCD displays deliver better color accuracy, picture quality and viewing angles.
If maximum brightness is important, a quantum dot LCD display is the way to go — those are typically found in larger displays. OLED monitors are now available and offer the best blacks and color reproduction, but they lack the brightness of LED or quantum dot displays. Plus, they cost a lot. The latest type of OLED monitor, called QD-OLED from Samsung, just came out in 2022. The most notable advantage is that it can get a lot brighter, with monitors shown at CES 2022 hitting up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness.
MiniLEDs are now widely used in high-end displays. They’re similar to quantum dot tech, but as the name suggests, it uses smaller LED diodes that are just 0.2mm in diameter. As such, manufacturers can pack in up to three times more LEDs with more local dimming zones, delivering deeper blacks and better contrast.
Screen size, resolution and display format
In this day and age, screen size rules. Where 24-inch displays used to be more or less standard (and can still be useful for basic computing), 27-, 32-, 34- and even 42-inch displays have become popular for entertainment, content creation and even gaming these days.
Nearly every monitor used to be 16:9, but it’s now possible to find 16:10 and other more exotic display shapes. On the gaming and entertainment side, we’re also seeing curved and ultrawide monitors with aspect ratios like 21:9. If you do decide to buy an ultrawide display, however, keep in mind that a 30-inch 21:9 model is the same height as a 24-inch monitor, so you might end up with a smaller display than you expected. As a rule of thumb, add 25 percent to the size of a 21:9 monitor to get the vertical height you’d expect from a model with a 16:9 aspect ratio.
A 4K monitor is nearly a must for content creators, and some folks are even going for 5K or all the way up to 8K. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll need a pretty powerful computer to drive all those sharp pixels. And 4K resolution should be paired with a screen size of 27 inches and up, or you won’t notice much difference between 1440p. At the same time, I wouldn’t get a model larger than 27 inches unless it’s 4K, as you’ll start to see pixelation if you’re working up close to the display.
One new category to consider is portable monitors designed to be carried and used with laptops. Those typically come in 1080p resolutions and sizes from 13-15 inches. They usually have a lightweight kickstand-type support that folds up to keep things compact.
Samsung
HDR
HDR is the buzzy monitor feature to have these days, as it adds vibrancy to entertainment and gaming – but be careful before jumping in. Some monitors that claim HDR on the marketing materials don’t even conform to a base standard. To be sure that a display at least meets minimum HDR specs, you’ll want to choose one with a DisplayHDR rating with each tier representing maximum brightness in nits.
However, the lowest DisplayHDR 400 and 500 tiers may disappoint you with a lack of brightness, washed out blacks and mediocre color reproduction. If you can afford it, the best monitor to choose is a model with DisplayHDR 600, 1000 or True Black 400, True Black 500 and True Black 600. The True Black settings are designed primarily for OLED models, with maximum black levels at .0005 nits.
Where televisions typically offer HDR10 and Dolby Vision or HDR10+, most PC monitors only support the HDR10 standard, other than a few (very expensive) models. That doesn’t matter much for content creation or gaming, but HDR streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other services won’t look quite as punchy. In addition, the best gaming monitors are usually the ones supporting HDR600 (and up), rather than content creation monitors – with a few exceptions.
Refresh rate
Refresh rate is a key feature, particularly on gaming monitors. A bare minimum nowadays is 60Hz, and 80Hz and higher refresh rates are much easier on the eyes. However, most 4K displays top out at 60Hz with some rare exceptions and the HDMI 2.0 spec only supports 4K at 60Hz, so you’d need at least DisplayPort 1.4 (4K at 120Hz) or HDMI 2.1. The latter is now available on a number of monitors, particularly gaming displays. However, it’s only supported on the latest NVIDIA RTX 3000- and 4000-series, AMD RX 6000-series GPUs.
Inputs
There are essentially three types of modern display inputs: Thunderbolt, DisplayPort and HDMI. Most monitors built for PCs come with the latter two, while a select few (typically built for Macs) will use Thunderbolt. To add to the confusion, USB-C ports may be Thunderbolt 3 and by extension, DisplayPort compatible, so you may need a USB-C to Thunderbolt or DisplayPort cable adapter depending on your display.
Color bit depth
Serious content creators should consider a more costly 10-bit monitor that can display billions of colors. If budget is an issue, you can go for an 8-bit panel that can fake billions of colors via dithering (often spec’d as “8-bit + FRC”). For entertainment or business purposes, a regular 8-bit monitor that can display millions of colors will be fine.
Color gamut
The other aspect of color is the gamut. That expresses the range of colors that can be reproduced and not just the number of colors. Most good monitors these days can cover the sRGB and Rec.709 gamuts (designed for photos and video respectively). For more demanding work, though, you’ll want one that can reproduce more demanding modern gamuts like AdobeRGB, DCI-P3 and Rec.2020 gamuts, which encompass a wider range of colors. The latter two are often used for film projection and HDR, respectively.
Console gaming
Both the Xbox Series X and Sony’s PS5 can handle 4K 120Hz HDR gaming, so if you’re into resolution over pure speed, you’ll want a monitor that can keep up and provide the best gaming experience possible. 4K resolution, HDR and at least 120Hz is the minimum starting point, but fortunately there are 27-inch displays with those specs starting at well under $1,000.
Pricing and parts shortages
Though the pandemic has eased, monitor supply is still a bit tighter than pre-pandemic levels due to supply and demand issues. To that end, you may have trouble finding monitors at Amazon, B&H or elsewhere for the suggested retail price point. For our guide below, we’re basing our picks on the MSRP, as long as the street price doesn’t exceed that by more than $25.
Best monitors under $200
Best monitors under $400
Best monitors under $500
Best monitors under $1,000
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-buy-a-monitor-143000069.html?src=rss
