contrast ratio for lcd monitors price

If the games you play and movies you watch on your best computer display, HDR monitor, or HDTV seem a bit washed-out or not as detailed as they should despite high resolutions and high-end settings, you might want to look into adjusting your contrast ratio.

Contrast ratio (which we’ll refer to here sometimes as “CR” is defined by the range between the luminance (brightness) of the brightest white and the darkest black that any given monitor or tv can display. More technically speaking, luminance is a number used to measure the intensity of light present on any given surface, as expressed in candelas per square meter (ced/m²)- more commonly referred to as “nits.” The contrast ratio of a display is determined by measuring the luminance of white and black and then calculating the ratio between the two extremes. If you’re conscious about your eye health, check out our guide on the best monitor settings for eyes.

It’s particularly noticeable in dark scenes in a game or video, where shades of black will be a prominent part of the image, but it makes a huge overall difference in image quality and sense of detail and depth regardless of the image, and it’s a concept a lot of people aren’t aware of. Luckily, Windows, macOS, and most modern displays all offer plenty of calibration options to ensure that you’re getting the best contrast ratio possible for your system, like the quality contrast you can see on an HDR computer monitor.

Contrast ratio is generally expressed in product descriptions of most HDTVs computer displays using the default value of 1000:1- that is, a range of approximately 999 nits between the blackest black and most luminous white a display can generate at default settings. Here, default settings would be defined as brightness= 50, contrast= 50, and gamma (if offered) = 50- both in the native display window, with high contrast mode set to off if using Windows 10.

In terms of CR numbers, the higher, the better, so it’s good to look for numbers of anywhere from a fairly standard 1000:1 to an exceptional 3000:1. There is, however, a caveat here- if a product is described as having a contrast ratio higherthan 3000:1, it’s most likely purely a marketing gimmick, and not really a noticeable or effective ratio.

As ever, though, you should trust your own eyes before anything else. If you happen to be shopping for a new television or display in-store, take the time to check the contrast ratio between products, and test settings while you’re at it. Due diligence in this regard will pay off.

Lastly, a factor many don’t consider when purchasing a new display is ambient light– or the light in a room or space falling directly on the display. This will have a real impact on your perception of contrast and is something you should consider when hunting for a new monitor or HDTV. If you want to learn about more monitor setting guides, check out how to fix input lag on a monitor.

A monitor is a display device that interprets the graphical output signal from your computer’s graphics card and displays it on the screen. There are many types of monitors with different features. If you look at various tests and expert and customer opinion, you will conclude that the best choice depends only on your needs and preferences.

OLED is short for “Organic Light Emitting Diode“. This type of monitor is made of organic material (such as plastic, wood, carbon and polymers), that is used to convert electric current into light. It can be thinner or lighter with a higher contrast ratio than LCDs. Tests have shown that these monitors are the best for watching movies.

LED stands for ‘Light Emitting Diode’. This type is the latest innovation on the market. These types of monitors are panel displays that use light-emitting diodes for backlighting on the screen.

LCD is short for ‘Liquid Crystal Display’. This monitor is made of liquid crystals. It is the most used monitor worldwide. It requires less space, consumes less electricity, and in expert opinion produces less heat than an old CRT monitor.

PDP stands for Plasma monitor panel. These monitors are made of Plasma technology. This technology is one of the latest types of computer monitor technology. According to expert opinions and various tests, compared to LCDs this type of display offers  superior performance time, a much wider viewing angle and a good response.

Monitors are very important compliments to computer units, regardless of whether they are used for work, leisure in general or gaming in particular. In either situation, it is important to take into consideration a few important criteria before making a final purchase. In this section, we leave you with one last set of criteria to evaluate in any product you choose.

This particular aspect will determine and highly influence which model you choose. For this reason, it is important to be clear about the use you plan to make of your monitor. Do you want it for a generic or specific use? If, for example, you work in photo or video editing, you should have a screen that most accurately reflects colors.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a screen to help you immerse in the world of gaming, various tests have shown that there will be other parameters you must consider. For instance, the monitor you choose should have a good dynamic contrast ratio and a high refresh rate. For film and series lovers, a monitor with good resolution will be important.

This may seem trivial, but keep in mind that the monitor you choose will be featured prominently wherever you choose to set it up. For this reason, it would be good for it to have an appealing design that fits in harmoniously in the environment it exists in. Colour and shape will be part of this consideration, however, thickness will likely play a more important role.

The thickness of your screen will be one of the main aspects to determine how much space it takes up. Fortunately, there are increasingly thinner models appearing on the market. Furthermore, you shouldn’t overlook the design of the edges of the screen. Manufacturers today keep making them smaller and smaller. This is a plus if, for example, you want to use several monitors together.

The resolution of a monitor, an aspect we described in one of the previous sections, is not a characteristic that should be overlooked. More important than the numbers of this spec, will be to find a balance between this value and the size of the monitor. The majority of monitors today, come with a resolution of at least 1920 x 1080 – Full HD.

Of course, you’ll be able to find monitors with higher resolutions, especially considering that the use of the 4K, i.e. 3840 x 1440, is becoming more and more popular. In order to enjoy the full benefits of these high resolutions, make sure to get a monitor that is at least 24”. Remember that the resolution you need is related to how you will use the screen.

In addition to the connection between the monitor and the computer, you can also look at other connections on the device. Audio output can be of use if you want to connect speakers to your computer. Some monitors have two HDMI ports, in the event that you want to connect another device to it, such as a Chromecast stick.

There is a wide variety of monitor sizes on the market. This parameter, alongside resolution, is going to be the main factor to influence the cost of the monitor. For this reason, we must first consider where we wish to place the screen. Will it be on a desk or attached to a wall? Monitors can be over 40” in size, so make sure you have space for the product you choose.

As for how stable the monitor will be, this will largely depend on the type of mount and support it has. An interesting feature for some users is that the mounting height can be adjusted. There is also the possibility of tilting it forward or backward. Even though in most cases, the mount is an accessory that is purchased separately, ideally you should choose a monitor that includes it.

Response time is particularly important with fast-moving images. If the monitor has a low response time, it will blur and distort fast-moving images and sudden movements. For gamers, this is a particularly important feature. When watching movies, it will also determine the quality of the experience. The top monitor models can reach a 1 ms response time.

Simply put, the resolution of a monitor is the number of pixels that a screen has the ability to represent. In the product selection of this article, you may have noticed that when we described the monitors and their quality, we wrote down two figures. These two figures, for example, 1920 x 1080, refer to the pixels the monitor is able to represent.

Let’s take these numbers, for example, 1920 would be the number of pixels that the monitor represents vertically. As you may have guessed, 1080 refers to vertical pixels the monitor can represent. Therefore, in the case of the LG monitor, the numbers varied most from the rest. Its resolution is 3840 x 2160 because it has a more panoramic display than the other models.

The aspect ratio of a monitor is the ratio between the height and width of a monitor. This parameter is closely linked to the resolution component we mentioned above. With the wide selection of products available, you’ll find that there are also many different aspect ratios, however, the most common one is 16:9.

To explain a little more, a Full HD screen, i.e. 1920 x 1080 pixels, would have this aspect ratio. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of proportions. In other words, for every 9 vertical pixels, there are 16 horizontal pixels. Another aspect ratio, increasingly used, is 21:9; this is a more panoramic ratio.

It is important to note that the aspect ratio does not affect image quality. For instance, let’s consider a screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution and another with 7680 x 4320. Both have a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, the second would have a higher image quality. Keep in mind that a 4:3 aspect ratio was popular years ago, but is now in decline.

The contrast ratio of a monitor is the difference between the brightest pixel and the darkest pixel. For example, a 1000:1 monitor contrast ratio means that the whitest pixel is a thousand times brighter than the darkest pixel. A higher proportion of these numbers will result in more contrasting and sharper images. It should be noted that there are two types of contrast ratio: static and dynamic.

In the first one, all the brightness of the screen changes at the same time. It is most ideal for working with still images. With dynamic contrast ratio (DCR) on the other hand, the brightness automatically adjusts as the video plays, to make the dark areas darker and the light spots brighter. This aspect heavily influences image detail and quality.

Making sure to buy a quality product, even at a restricted budget is very important. Why you may ask, keep in mind that through this piece of tech you will visualize all the activities you carry out with our computer. So whether you’re looking for a monitor for leisure or work, make sure to get the monitor that best suits your needs and budget.

When shopping around, you’ll find monitors that have great specifications. However, the larger monitor may not necessarily be the right one for you and your needs. Keep an eye out for when the resolution it offers is not commensurate with its size. As you can see, it will be important to carefully evaluate the product you choose before making the final purchase.

IPS stands for in-plane switching, a type of LED display panel technology. IPS panels are characterized as having the best color and viewing angles among the other main types of display panels. IPS displays incorporate a series of liquid crystals which work to prevent light leaking.

Simply put, an IPS monitor is an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) with a back layer of LED bulbs. IPS-type panels are particularly suitable for images showing rapid movement. This technology prevents distortions, whether in a video game or a movie. However, keep in mind that IPS panels are also the most expensive ones on the market today.

As a first step, try using the calibration settings we recommend (provided we have reviewed your monitor). This will get good, basic contrast - meaning no additional contrast-enhancing settings - and with no loss of detail in dark portions of the image. You can find this information in the "Post Calibration" section of the review.

Contrast:Adjusting this will let you affect how much contrast the monitor has. We list a recommended setting with all of our reviews, but it"s almost always fine to just set this to the maximum. On rare occasions, gamma might be affected, leading to a loss of detail in highlights.

Local Dimming: The local dimming feature dims the backlight behind darker portions of the screen. It can deepen contrast, and it"s worth using when implemented well. It can introduce issues like light blooming off of light objects within dark areas, and when done especially poorly, can dim the entire image. We discuss local dimming in more detail here.

Backlight settings have a very minor impact on contrast, and so you should set it to whatever looks best in your viewing space. With LED Monitors, both white and black will become about equally brighter or dimmer when the backlight is adjusted, preserving the ratio of light to dark. With OLED monitors, adjusting the OLED light only increases the peak brightness; blacks are still perfectly black.

One frequently asked question is which is more important, a panel"s native contrast or contrast with local dimming? It"s a good question. The answer is a bit complicated, but basically, it depends. Unlike TVs, most monitors don"t have a local dimming feature. The few that do, generally speaking, don"t work very well. They usually have very small zone counts, and the algorithms can"t keep up with fast-paced motion, so the leading edge of a bright object in a dark scene ends up looking darker than the rest, and there"s a trail of light behind it.

Because of these issues with local dimming, it"s almost always more important to look at the native capabilities of a monitor instead of the contrast ratio with local dimming. Because most monitors have poor local dimming features, there"s usually not that much of a difference between the native contrast of the panel and the contrast with local dimming when tested with a checkerboard pattern. In fact, of the 23 monitors with local dimming that we"ve tested on our latest test bench, only 4 of them can improve contrast by 10% or more with our test pattern through local dimming.

There are different ways to measure contrast. We measure contrast with a checkerboard pattern and take the average black level from four squares, but some other review sites measure it differently, which can lead to a difference in posted numbers. Some of the other methods we"ve seen websites use include:

Full On/Off: Some websites measure the contrast using a full white screen, and a full black screen. This is generally considered a less accurate way to measure contrast, and it isn"t very realistic. Contrast measurements with local dimming tend to appear much better with this measurement technique, as it"s easy for any monitor with local dimming to turn the entire screen off at once.

Small Samples: Similar to the full-screen method, but instead of large slides, contrast is measured using small slides that only cover part of the screen. This method isn"t ideal either, as imperfect uniformity can significantly skew the results.

ANSI Checkerboard: The most generally accepted way to measure contrast; a checkerboard pattern very similar to ours is used, but with an asymmetric test pattern. The ANSI method measures the output in all 16 squares and averages the values for the white and black squares. It usually produces very similar results to our own.

Because of differences in measurement techniques, equipment used, and even differences between units, it"s extremely common for different websites to report different contrast measurements.

Monitors use different display technologies, each with advantages and disadvantages. Knowing which type of panel is used in your monitor can already give you a good indication of what to expect in terms of contrast ratio:

OLED: Very few OLED monitors exist, but they essentially have perfect contrast, as each pixel is self-emissive, the black level of black pixels is essentially zero.

Even within the same panel types, it"s normal for the contrast to vary a bit between units, even of the same model, due to manufacturing tolerances. Manufacturers used to provide the typical contrast ratio for each monitor, but recently, some brands, including LG, have started listing the minimum contrast ratio you could get. For IPS and TN panels, this difference usually isn"t very significant, and most people shouldn"t worry about it, but for VA panels, the variance between individual units and measurement techniques can be significant. For example, the LG 32GN600-B is advertised to have a typical contrast ratio of 3000:1, but according to LG, it could be as low as 1800:1 for some units. We measured a contrast ratio of 3248:1, almost double the minimum contrast for that model.

A monitor’s contrast ratio indicates the depth of blacks – a higher contrast ratio means deeper blacks – and, by extension, better picture quality. It’s a very important part of picture quality, so if you want something that looks good (particularly in a dark room), be sure to get a monitor that has good contrast.

There are a few things that can be done to improve contrast, but there are limits. As a good first step, look to our recommended picture settings (listed with every review), as those can help you get a good baseline. From there, you can enable or disable a few different settings that might help deepen blacks. Just remember that some of those settings will have other consequences on picture quality.

Nothing beats the vertical alignment panels and super vertical alignment panels in contrast ratios regarding the display technology and probably the panel types.

The vertical alignment panels have liquid crystals aligned naturally to the glass, ensuring a more comprehensive contrast ratio range. These panels also have minimum light leakage; meaning prevents the backlights from reaching the deepest blacks. Its whites have better clarity and are uniform.

The display brightness determines the contest ratio integrity in the real action. It counters the surrounding lights" effect on the display. Calibrate the backlight luminance settings to match the display contrast calibration.

To enjoy the best contrast ratio experience, consider a monitor with high brightness levels of up to 5,000 nits. The high luminance counters the effect of ambient lighting.

Glare and reflection of light to the screen affect contrast ratio. When ambient light hits the screen surface, it reflects into your eyes, disrupting your vision. A monitor with an anti-glare coating addresses the glare and reflection issues effectively. Also, ensure your room has minimum ambient and natural light striking the screen directly.

Ambient light from the surroundings directed towards the monitor affects the contrast ratio. This light strikes the screen, scattering in all directions. The reflected light then strikes the eyes of the monitor used. This condition results in unclear image display due to lowered contrast quality.

Acer recently announced a 24-inch flat panel monitor with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. It’s called the G24 and it’s “designed to entice PC gamers.” The monitor’s burnt orange design is meant to dovetail with Acer’s new line of Predator gaming desktops.

Acer introduces the world’s first LCD monitor, the G24, that supports up to 50000:1 in contrast ratio. Designed to entice PC gamers, the G24 is dressed-to-thrill in an extreme contrast of orange-black colors and sleek contours, and supports high-definition (HD) graphics for intense gaming entertainment.

The eye-catching exterior of the G24 with solid angled surfaces makes an immediate impression, while satisfying PC gamers’ needs and imagination. For a complete gaming package, the G24 and the Aspire Predator desktop PC are both painted with uncompromising metallic copper and feature deeply carved line design elements. Blue rays of light emanate from the power button of the LCD and desktop to exude a polished, powerful look.

Staying at the forefront of technology, the G24 includes Acer Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM), and is the world’s first LCD monitor supporting up to 50000:1 for outstanding contrast ratio. Acer ACM produces dramatic improvement in gradation and detail, especially for dimmer and brighter scenes, resulting in stunning picture quality. Acer ACM also enables the G24 to use less power and save energy.

The 24" 1920 x 1200 resolution widescreen G24 is designed for graphics-intensive, win-or-lose moments of today’s fastest HD games and multimedia applications. Featuring the Acer OD (overdrive) technology that significantly improves gray-to-gray levels by reducing deviation in transition time, the rapid response time (up to 2 ms) permits immersive 3D graphics and video display. Users simply connect the G24 to Blue-ray Disc™ consoles or DVD players for an awesome cinematic experience!

Supporting the latest technology standards, the G24 is optimized for Windows Vista® operating system and supports HDMI™[1] for instant connectivity to DVD players, set-top boxes and HD game consoles. Further, Acer Empowering Technology permits full access to display settings at a single button; Acer eColor Management enables color parameter adjustments with great simplicity; while Acer eDisplay Management allows powerful color enhancement and features smart display rotation software.

The Acer G24 complies with the stricter standard of Energy Star EPA Tier 2 criteria for power-efficient design. All Acer LCD monitors comply with the WEEE Directive for environmental product recycling for a greener environment.

Acer recently announced a 24-inch flat panel monitor with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. It’s called the G24 and it’s “designed to entice PC gamers.” The monitor’s burnt orange design is meant to dovetail with Acer’s new line of Predator gaming desktops.

Acer introduces the world’s first LCD monitor, the G24, that supports up to 50000:1 in contrast ratio. Designed to entice PC gamers, the G24 is dressed-to-thrill in an extreme contrast of orange-black colors and sleek contours, and supports high-definition (HD) graphics for intense gaming entertainment.

The eye-catching exterior of the G24 with solid angled surfaces makes an immediate impression, while satisfying PC gamers’ needs and imagination. For a complete gaming package, the G24 and the Aspire Predator desktop PC are both painted with uncompromising metallic copper and feature deeply carved line design elements. Blue rays of light emanate from the power button of the LCD and desktop to exude a polished, powerful look.

Staying at the forefront of technology, the G24 includes Acer Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM), and is the world’s first LCD monitor supporting up to 50000:1 for outstanding contrast ratio. Acer ACM produces dramatic improvement in gradation and detail, especially for dimmer and brighter scenes, resulting in stunning picture quality. Acer ACM also enables the G24 to use less power and save energy.

The 24" 1920 x 1200 resolution widescreen G24 is designed for graphics-intensive, win-or-lose moments of today’s fastest HD games and multimedia applications. Featuring the Acer OD (overdrive) technology that significantly improves gray-to-gray levels by reducing deviation in transition time, the rapid response time (up to 2 ms) permits immersive 3D graphics and video display. Users simply connect the G24 to Blue-ray Disc™ consoles or DVD players for an awesome cinematic experience!

Supporting the latest technology standards, the G24 is optimized for Windows Vista® operating system and supports HDMI™[1] for instant connectivity to DVD players, set-top boxes and HD game consoles. Further, Acer Empowering Technology permits full access to display settings at a single button; Acer eColor Management enables color parameter adjustments with great simplicity; while Acer eDisplay Management allows powerful color enhancement and features smart display rotation software.

The Acer G24 complies with the stricter standard of Energy Star EPA Tier 2 criteria for power-efficient design. All Acer LCD monitors comply with the WEEE Directive for environmental product recycling for a greener environment.

If you’re searching for a new TV or monitor, you’ve probably come across the term “contrast ratio” in marketing materials and reviews online. So what exactly does contrast ratio mean and what does a “good” contrast ratio look like?

Contrast ratio is a term that’s used to measure the difference between the maximum and minimum brightness of a display. It’s the difference between the whitest possible white and the darkest possible black. It’s measured by displaying a black-and-white checkerboard pattern like the one below and comparing the values.

Since it’s a ratio, the contrast ratio of a display is shown as a number like 1000:1. When a display has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, it means that a full-field white image will be 1000 times brighter than a black one. The larger the number, the more capable the display is of producing a natural-looking image.

The contrast ratio of a display is highly dependent on the underlying technology. OLED screens have a highly marketable “infinite” contrast ratio, while the best-in-class LCDs from the likes of Samsung exceed 7000:1. Contrast ratio is perceived as one of the most important aspects of image quality, so aim for a higher number if you can.

The contrast ratio usually says a lot about the black levels of a display. How dark a display can get ultimately depends on what type of display it is.

LED-lit LCD televisions and monitors must shine a bright light through the thin-film-transistor (TFT) layer of a display to produce an image. When displaying black, the display does its best to block out as much of this light as possible. With older LCD technology, this often results in poor black reproduction. Blacks appear as washed-out grays, or they may have areas of the screen where light more easily passes through, resulting in poor uniformity.

Compare this with self-emissive display technologies like OLED, which attain a theoretically “infinite” contrast ratio. Since the pixels can be switched off completely, the display can output pure blacks right next to bright whites. This is what makes OLED displays so desirable, although they’re not without their own drawbacks.

LCD isn’t a complete bust in this department, with newer Mini-LED displays delivering algorithm-controlled backlight dimming. This allows LCD technology to get much closer to the inky blacks of an OLED by varying light levels over the surface of the display. Unfortunately, these displays still suffer from issues like ghosting and black crush.

When shopping for a computer monitor, you"re bombarded with specifications like native resolution and response time, but one of the more misunderstood monitor features is contrast ratio. As with many things, bigger is generally better when it comes to contrast ratio, although it is only one factor to consider when purchasing a monitor -- and manufacturers sometimes use confusing terms like "dynamic contrast ratio" to make things more confusing. Still, if having a huge contrast range is tops on your priority list, there are some numbers to look for.

What Contrast Ratio Means Simply put, the contrast ratio of a monitor is the the measured difference between the darkest blacks and the brightest whites a display is capable of producing. This is expressed in ratio form, such as "4000:1" and is read as "four thousand to one." The larger the first number, the higher the contrast ratio of the monitor and the more difference there is between pure black and pure white.

Why Contrast Ratio Is Important With a wider range between black and white, a monitor is capable of deeper, richer colors with more visible details in shadows and highlights. This is particularly important if the monitor is being used for photo or video editing, graphic design, watching movies or even playing video games. Essentially, any application where being able to detect small differences in color and brightness will benefit from a higher contrast ratio.

Manufacturer Claims and Measurement Irregularities Unfortunately, there is no industry standard for measuring contrast ratio, so it"s entirely possible for two different monitors to have identical published specifications while actually appearing rather different from each other. Still, while the measurements cannot be considered scientific or consistent from monitor to monitor, they provide a basic baseline for comparison while visually inspecting the picture on two different displays.

Highest Available With the advent of local-dimming LED backlit monitors, manufacturers list both the dynamic contrast ratio as well as the static contrast ratio. LED monitors can actually shut off the backlight in the portions of the monitor that have a pure black area, leading to contrast ratio measurements that can top 50,000,000:1. The static contrast ratio, which is a more realistic measurement of monitor contrast performance, is the measurement of the difference between blacks and whites with the backlight at its lowest possible setting while remaining powered on. Higher-end monitors can have a static contrast ratio up to 3000:1, giving a large dynamic range.

Working from home has become the new normal for many people, so finding the best computer monitor is more important than ever. After all, you want to see the best visual quality from your coworkers" best webcams, right? And while many PC components are still enduring depressing shortages, performing a screen upgrade is one of the most accessible and most impactful changes you can make to your gaming rig at the moment.

Why you can trust Tom"s HardwareOur expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.What’s your monitor’s purpose?If it’s gaming, you’ll generally want something with a high refresh rate (ideally 100Hz or more), low response time and AMD FreeSyncor Nvidia G-Sync for fighting screen tears at low framerates. For general use, look for high contrast, and for creative work prioritize color accuracy.What resolution do you want? More pixels means a sharper image. No one should be buying anything under 1080p/FHD (1920 x 1080) these days. But if your budget can handle it, 4K is as sharp as it gets at a reasonable price. Many gamers find 1440p/QHD (2560 x 1440) a good compromise between price and high-refresh-rate performance.Contrast and color.We consider contrast the most important factor in image quality, with 1,000:1 being solid. Color errors are particularly important avoid for content creators, and anything with a Delta E (dE) greater than 3 may show visible errors.Panel tech:When it comes to image quality, TN< IPS< VA. VA monitors typically still have better contrast than even the best IPS panels, although IPS panels are also known to be very colorful.What size do you want?These days, 24-inches is on the small side and 27 inches is mainstream, while 32-inches is a good large size for those on a budget. Anything bigger than 43 inches probably won’t fit on a regular desktop. For portable monitors, stay in the 17-inch range or under. Anything bigger isn"t really all that portable.sRGB or DCI-P3? In most cases, you’ll either be getting a monitor made for the sRGBcolor space or the more colorful DCI-P3 one. Technically, Windows, the web and non-HDR games and video all use sRGB, but if you want an extra colorful screen, an accurate DCI-P3 monitor is more appropriate.

Before we get into our primary list of picks, here is an amazing deal on one of our favorite tested monitors below. Sure, it"s more of a TV than a monitor, but it"s hard to pass up a big OLED screen for $600 (after an admittedly annoying $200 mail-in rebate).

This excellent 48-inch 4K OLED monitor/TV with 120Hz Refresh Rate, 1ms (GTG) Response Time, HDMI 2.1, and support for FreeSync Premium has had an amazing $900 cut from its original price.

Earning a 5-star rating from Tom"s Hardware, the Samsung Odyssey G7 32-inch is the best computer monitor. For gamers, it boasts the strongest curve currently available, 1000R, for incredible immersion, along with speedy gaming numbers. The 240Hz monitor has a 1ms (GTG) response time and put up a 5ms response time score in our testing, beating some 165Hz screens by 2ms. In addition, benchmarking showed input lag at 20ms, a full 6 to 10ms faster than some 165Hz screens we’ve tested, including the Dell S3220DGF also on this page.

This is also a strong work monitor. Its 32-inch panel offers plenty of height for productivity, like working on long spreadsheets in a way that’s easier than on a 32-inch ultrawide. And at a 2 to 3-foot viewing distance, we don"t have any distortion issues with that dramatic curve. Just be sure to bring your own audio because, despite the price, there are no speakers here.

The Dell S3222DGM is the best gaming monitor for many gamers. This follow-up to the highly-rated S3220DGF(opens in new tab) boasts a 32-inch VA(opens in new tab) panel, QHD resolution and 165 Hz refresh rate with Adaptive-Sync(opens in new tab) support. Other perks in its favor are 85 percent coverage of DCI-P3 and a display curve with an 1800mm radius.

However, Dell really knocks it out of the park with the S3222DGM"s contrast ratio(opens in new tab). VA panels are known for their excellent contrast, but the S3222DGM is rated at an impressive 3,000:1, easily blowing away IPS competitors. But our sample managed to better that figure by a third, coming in at 4,000:1 in instrumented tests.

This 32-inch monitor offers plenty of vertical screen real estate without the need for scrolling and 1440p resolution(opens in new tab), the current sweet spot between image quality and gaming performance. And while the S3222DGM is targeted primarily at gamers, we found that it is also great for general productivity and anything in between.

While the S3222DGM lacks HDR(opens in new tab) support, its excellent contrast doesn"t detract from that missing "bullet point" and its overall performance is hard to beat at this price point. Throw in Dell"s usual solid build quality, and this represents a great monitor for enthusiasts looking to build out a mid to high-budget gaming PC.

With a 1ms (GTG) response time and 144Hz refresh rate, the LG 27GN950-B is the best computer monitor for 4K gaming. If you’ve got the graphics card, ideally one of the best graphics cards, you need to handle 144 frames per second (fps) at 4K; this monitor will ensure that power doesn’t go to waste. In our testing, the monitor showed a 7ms response time, keeping up with pricier 4K, 144Hz screens, like the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ, and even beating some when it came to input lag. Plus, FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync Compatibility will fight screen tears for those times when framerates drop below 48 fps.

Although VA panels are known for their high contrast, this IPS monitor can hold its own, hitting 1,034.7 before calibration and 8,475.3:1 with HDR, based on our benchmarks. Those who want the most accurate color may find the sRGB mode too saturated, but the 27GN950-B proved accurate when it came to the more colorful DCI-P3 space.

eSports players and hopefuls rely on the fastest peripherals available to attenuate the delay between deciding on in-game action and when that action happens on screen. 360 Hz is the fastest refresh rate PC monitors have today, and the MSI Oculux NXG253R is the fastest of them all. Yes, the NXG253R is the fastest display we’ve ever tested, making it the best computer monitor for eSports you can buy.

The NXG253R outperformed other 360 Hz monitors by 1-3ms (depending on the rival screen) in our absolute input lag test. It also matched all its 360 Hz rivals in our response time test with a 3ms score. The monitor also fights screen tears down to a 1 Hz refresh rate with G-Sync and includes the Nvidia Reflex latency analyzer to help fine-tune your eSports performance further.

If you want an affordable screen with many pixels, the Samsung UR59C is the best budget 4K monitor for you. The VA panel delivers contrast (2590.5:1 after calibration), making everything from photos to videos to games look better. This is clearly not a high-end gaming monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate, 4ms (GTG) response, and noFreeSync or G-Sync. But casual gamers can make do, thanks to the combination of high pixel density and high contrast, keeping games looking realistic.

Curves are generally more effective on ultrawide screens, but the UR59C’s 1500R curvature was effective and beneficial for this 32-incher, such as when multitasking with multiple windows. And if you don’t mind calibrating, you can get rid of the UR59C pesky color errors, which, unfortunately, were visible out of the box. Our calibration settings reduced the error from 4.3dE to 0.9dE.

Making HDR pop over SDR is all about contrast, and for the ultimate contrast, there’s nothing better than OLED. The Aorus FO48U’s massive OLED panel not only delivers immeasurably high contrast, but we recorded 107.7% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space and near-flawless grayscale tracking. As a result, you get a rich image that’s also accurate out of the box. However, it’s not as bright as a premium LCD (399 nits with HDR, according to our testing).

Aorus’ OLED monitor is fit for high-speed HDR gaming on both PCs and consoles, thanks to DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression (DSC) and HDMI 2.1, respectively. The monitor held its own against 120Hz and 144Hz rivals in our speed tests, only falling 4ms behind its OLED gaming rival, the Alienware AW5520QF. Unfortunately, you don’t get Dolby Vision or support for the 50p and 24p TV formats, but the monitor has two 15W speakers and one 20w speaker for outstanding audio quality.

Asus has gone all out with the ProArt PA32UCG, combining 1152 dimming zones in its full-array Mini-LED backlight. A quantum dot film covers a considerable color gamut, almost 78% of Rec.2020. And it is the brightest monitor we’ve ever tested at over 1700 nits peak. To that, it adds precise out-of-box accuracy for every color mode in use today. Though it includes many calibration options and a bundled colorimeter, it’s ready for work or play, with no tweaking necessary.

A lot of us are finding ourselves working in tight spaces these days. If you’re looking to add another screen to your space, the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 is the best portable monitor. Its most standout feature is a critical one: a reliable, strong kickstand that’s easy to use, thanks to two flip-out feet. While many portable monitors are stuck with flimsy sleeves that double as stands, you can intuitively prop up the ThinkVision M14 at a -5 to 90-degree tilt or even in portrait mode. Unfortunately, its travel case isn’t as tough.

According to our benchmarks, with 244 nits max brightness and 98% coverage of the sRGB color space, the ThinkVision M14 is perfect for surfing the web or watching a movie in SDR. USB-C connectivity, meanwhile, means it won’t run out of battery when plugged into a laptop. It can also deliver as much as 65W of power to a device if plugged into a wall adapter. But those whose PC or device, such as a Raspberry Pi, doesn’t have a USB-C port with DisplayPort 1.2 Alt Mode and USB PD 2.0 or better will be out of luck.

However, the XG17AHPE is as expensive as it is unique. In fact, you can buy a much larger desktop-sized monitor with the same amount of speed for cheaper than this, over $400 17.3-incher. And the origami-style cover Asus includes isn’t sufficient for protecting this expensive piece of hardware or providing a reliable stand.

Image quality, whether enjoying SDR or HDR, is also impressive. Contrast is an impressive 4,463 but can go higher with a variable backlight and hit 52,141:1 with HDR.

If you want something a little smaller and cheaper, theAlienware AW5520QF is excellent and offers even higher contrast with its OLED panel but is much dimmer than the Omen X 65 Emperium.Round up of today"s best deals

tossed around for computer displays. If you didn"t know before, contrast ratio is simply the difference between the darkest blacks and the brightest whites a given display can produce.

Typically, computer displays have a contrast ratio of about 1000:1. However with DCR, you"ll see numbers like 4000:1, 10,000:1, and higher. Basically, it"s just a way for Company A to proclaim, "Don"t buy Company B"s monitor because it has a much lower DCR than our monitor." Since more and more vendors have been pushing this, I want to delve further into how they"re getting these numbers. I also covered this topic in less detail (but with a sexy voice thrown in) in podcast.

Before a monitor is released to the public it goes through a bunch of testing in the vendor"s own lab. These tests produce the specs that the vendor will then publish with the release. Specs like maximum brightness, pixel pitch, pixel response time, contrast ratio, and dynamic contrast ratio are all determined in the vendor"s own lab.

When testing normal contrast ratio, vendors use a device that measures light to determine how much light is emanating from a display while it"s showing both a completely black and a completely white screen. They then take each number, do a bit of math, and come up with the contrast ratio.

Now, aside from a relatively low number of LCDs that use newer LED backlighting technology, all LCDs have a lamp built in to their screens. When you turn your brightness setting down, you"re actually just dimming the lamp in the back. When the vendors dim the backlight to get the contrast ratio score, they dim it to a point, but do not turn it off. When they test to get the readings for DCR, however, they turn on the DCR feature and put up a black screen. When the video signal is black or near black, this triggers the backlight to go into standby mode.

Once this is triggered, the darkness of the black level increases by a factor of 10 or more. At this point the vendor takes its reading for the dark screen and compares it with the white screen reading it got before. Since this new dark screen level is so dark, it increases the contrast ratio. The problem is that the screen only gets this dark when the video signal is black or near black--not very useful when you"re watching a movie, or playing a game, or doing pretty much anything. The primary reason for including this feature is that the contrast ratio goes from 1000:1 to 10,000:1, and even 20,000:1 for computer displays and even higher for televisions.

When vendors push DCR as a spec for LCDs that use LED backlighting technology, however, it may be more appropriate. Direct contrast ratio works differently here than with lamp-based LCDs. When a portion of an image in a movie is relatively dark, the LEDs in that local area of the screen are dimmed. This occurs on a frame-by-frame basis and lowers the black level in that dark area only. Unfortunately, this implementation has its weaknesses, as well, as there can be some noticeable visual glitches in the areas that darken.

So, after the testing is done, the vendor publishes its super-high number, and Joe Consumer (not you, of course, loyal reader, but someone else) goes into the local Best Buy, looking to get a new monitor for his 5-year-old Compaq desktop that was handed down to him by his younger, more tech-savvy brother. He looks at the specs and sees that monitor A has a 10,000:1 DCR, while monitor B has a contrast ratio of 1000:1. Well, bigger numbers mean better, right? So, he goes for the display with DCR. And that"s fine if A does everything else you want it to do.

If a display looks good with the type of content you plan to use on it, has the connections you want, is the right size and price, then by all means get it. Don"t get it, however, just because of some spec that means jack when you"re actually using the display (or has not been implemented well enough for the glitches not to distract, as is the case with LED-based DCR).

Unlike CRT monitors, LCD monitors display information well at only the resolution they are designed for, which is known as the native resolution. Digital displays address each individual pixel using a fixed matrix of horizontal and vertical dots. If you change the resolution settings, the LCD scales the image and the quality suffers. Native resolutions are typically:

When you look at an LCD monitor from an angle, the image can look dimmer or even disappear. Colors can also be misrepresented. To compensate for this problem, LCD monitor makers have designed wider viewing angles. (Do not confuse this with a widescreen display, which means the display is physically wider.) Manufacturers give a measure of viewing angle in degrees (a greater number of degrees is better). In general, look for between 120 and 170 degrees. Because manufacturers measure viewing angles differently, the best way to evaluate it is to test the display yourself. Check the angle from the top and bottom as well as the sides, bearing in mind how you will typically use the display.

This is a measurement of the amount of light the LCD monitor produces. It is given in nits or one candelas per square meter (cd/m2). One nit is equal to one cd/m2. Typical brightness ratings range from 250 to 350 cd/m2 for monitors that perform general-purpose tasks. For displaying movies, a brighter luminance rating such as 500 cd/m2 is desirable.

The contrast ratio rates the degree of difference of an LCD monitor"s ability to produce bright whites and the dark blacks. The figure is usually expressed as a ratio, for example, 500:1. Typically, contrast ratios range from 450:1 to 600:1, and they can be rated as high as 1000:1. Ratios more than 600:1, however, provide little improvement over lower ratios.

Unlike CRT monitors, LCD monitors have much more flexibility for positioning the screen the way you want it. LCD monitors can swivel, tilt up and down, and even rotate from landscape (with the horizontal plane longer than the vertical plane) to portrait mode (with the vertical plane longer than the horizontal plane). In addition, because they are lightweight and thin, most LCD monitors have built-in brackets for wall or arm mounting.

Besides the basic features, some LCD monitors have other conveniences such as integrated speakers, built-in Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports and anti-theft locks.

Contrast ratio - The difference in light intensity between white and black on an LCD display is called contrast ratio. The higher the contrast ratio, the easier it is to see details.

Ghosting - An effect of slower response times that cause blurring of images on an LCD monitor, it"s also known as latency. The effect is caused by voltage temporarily leaking from energized elements to neighboring, non-energized elements on the display.

Luminance - Also known as brightness, it is the level of light emitted by an LCD display. Luminance is measured in nits or candelas per square meter (cd/m2). One nit is equal to one cd/m2.

Stuck pixels - A pixel that is stuck either "on" or "off", meaning that it is always illuminated, unlit, or stuck on one color regardless of the image the LCD monitor displays can also be called a dead pixel.

Aspect ratio is the relationship of the width of a video image compared to its height. The two most common aspect ratios are4:3, also known as 1.33:1 or fullscreen, and 16:9, also known as 1.78:1 or widescreen. (Larger aspect ratio formats are used in the motion picture industry.)

All the older TV’s and computer monitors you grew up with had the squarish 4:3 shape– 33% wider than it was high. These are often referred to as square monitors.  4:3 LCD monitors can display analog video signals that conform to NTSC and PAL standards. They are not capable of displaying HD (high-definition) video.

The 4:3 aspect ratio dates back to 1917, when the Society of Motion Picture Engineers adopted it as the standard format for film. In the 1930’s, the television industry adopted the same 4:3 standard. But in the mid-1950’s, the motion picture industry began developing several widescreen formats to improve their decreasing audience numbers. Television broadcasting stayed with the 4:3 standard, until the recent move to HDTV and 16:9 widescreen.

16:9 is the native aspect ratio of most high-definition widescreen LCD monitors and TV’s (16:9 and 16:10 are very similar). It is 78% wider than it is tall, and fully one-third wider than a 4:3 screen. 16:9 widescreen monitors are ideally suited to display HD video signals. Some models can also display SD (standard definition) video signals, but this will require some compromises, as you will read below.

Nearly all experts agree that in order to display optimal video images, it is critical to match the aspect ratio of the monitor to the aspect ratio of the camera (or other incoming video source). Below is a example of a 16:9 image on a 16:9 widescreen lcd monitor:

However, many cameras in the industrial, commercial, security, and law enforcement industries still utilize 4:3 CCD or CMOS imagers. Therefore, to display clear, undistorted video images, it is important to utilize monitors with the same 4:3 aspect ratio to match the cameras. Failure to do so will result in distorted images, as shown below.

Unfortunately, despite the continued widespread use of 4:3 cameras, LCD monitors with a 4:3 aspect ratio are getting harder and harder to find. Many manufacturers have abandoned them in favor of the newer 16:9 widescreens. TRU-Vu Monitors still offers a complete line of industrial-grade 4:3 aspect ratio LCD monitors. These range in size from 5.5″ to 19″ screens. They are available with standard, waterproof, steel or open frame enclosures. They can be touch screen,  sunlight readable, medical-grade, or optically bonded.

16:9 widescreen LCD monitors are the ideal complement to 16:9 format HD cameras. These are increasingly used in video conferencing, broadcast and medical applications. They display superb, distortion-free, high-definition images. TRU-Vu Monitors offers these in 7″, 10.1″, 13.3″, 15.6″, 17.3″, 18.5″ and 21.5″ to 65” LCD screen sizes, in standard, touch screen, sunlight readable, medical-grade, optically bonded and open frame configurations.

You must avoid video images which are stretched, chopped, squeezed, shrunk or distorted. Be sure to choose a LCD monitor with the correct aspect ratio (4:3 aspect ratio or 16:9 aspect ratio) that matches your camera or other incoming video signal.

Create beautiful, outstanding photos and videos with a color accurate monitor from Wireless 1. Models such as the ASUS ProART series provide high-definition color accurate monitors for creative industries.

Be the best you can be at work with a business-grade monitor. Many come with eye-protection features that allow the users to be able to work for extended periods of time without too much straight to their eyes. Some provide support forsplit-screen which allow users to have different sections of their screen for different work applications. Wireless 1 has a vast range of business monitors from BenQ to Samsung.

From professional gaming companies like ASUS or MSI, Wireless 1 has a large range of gaming monitors that provide very high refresh rates which allows you to have increased frames per-second in any game ensuring you have a very smooth experience and faster reactions. Couple that with G-Sync or FreeSync features which you can find on most gaming monitors, users will have the ultimate experience.