lcd monitors with speakers free sample

The main thing to look for when looking at the speakers built into a monitor is the wattage. Some monitors with built in speakers are, quite frankly, terrible. Most of them come with 2-watt speakers which might be able to project enough volume for your operating system sounds, but if you are expecting to watch a movie or listen to music with them you will be sorely disappointed.

You want to find speakers that have a higher number of watts. Something closer to 5 or higher would be better, but that isn’t always possible and it shouldn’t be more important to you than the specifications of the monitor itself. There isn’t much point in getting a monitor with great speakers if you aren’t going to be able to see what you are working on or enjoy entertaining yourself, now is there?

Unfortunately, monitors just don’t come with specialized speakers that will please the audiophile in you. Finding speakers that are merely adequate for most purposes will be an achievement. Do not expect to find monitors with speakers that have a rich sound quality and a thumping bass, because you are just going to disappoint yourself.

Monitor speakers are often just an afterthought tacked on at the end of production so that the marketers can say their monitor has another feature. Your job, and the one I’ve done for you here, is to find the monitors where that isn’t the case. You want to find a monitor that had attention paid to their speakers, ones that were chosen for functionality rather than a cheap price point.

Convenience is the number one benefit of having a computer monitor with speakers. Having the speakers already built into your monitor helps in several areas including cable management, workstation efficiency, and aesthetic.

When you are setting up your computer at your workstation you are inevitably going to have a lot of cables going every which way, all over the place, and it will likely look like a disorganized mess by the time you are done with cables hanging everywhere. If you have a monitor with built in speakers then that is a few more cables that you don’t have to worry about organizing.

Your desk is where the majority of your work is going to get done. Making sure things are neat and organized is an essential task in getting the most productivity and efficiency out of your work area. Speakers are a hassle that you will have to constantly deal with. Unless you have a computer monitor with built in speakers, then you have all of that extra space to work with and you don’t have to have them taking up space that could be better used by something else.

Finally, aesthetics. Everyone enjoys their things looking good. There’s a certain sense of pride that comes when someone sees something you put together and comments positively on it. The same thing is true for your workstation. If impressing other people doesn’t do it for you then do it for yourself. You work hard, you deserve to have a place to work that is pleasing to the eye. Speakers tend to be big and bulky, but if they are built into the monitor then they are heard and not seen.

If you have speakers built into your monitor then you are placing the burden of image quality and sound solely upon the shoulders of your monitor. If a monitor is developed with this in mind then it will likely suffer from a jack of all trades, master of none, kind of quality. The more emphasis is placed on one side of the equation, the less attention will be paid to the other which essentially means that the better the sound quality is, the worse the image quality will be.

The only way to get around this problem is to spend exorbitant amounts of money to get a monitor that has it all, and nobody wants to do that. It would certainly be much cheaper to just buy external speakers at that point. No, the idea here is to find something that is going to be affordable, while also performing to an acceptable standard of quality in both areas.

You can certainly find a gaming monitor with speakers but they will usually be the kind that just have them tacked on as a marketing ploy. Fortunately, if you are a gamer you shouldn’t have to worry too much about speakers since you are likely to already have a headset that you use while playing them.

With that in mind, there are certainly options out there that will have acceptable quality for serving as a backup or temporary audio option in the interim while you find something better. It is unlikely that you will find phenomenal speakers on a good gaming monitor, however, because the really good ones will assume that you are pairing them with an equally good headset.

If you find a monitor that sounds like it has everything you could ever want, with all the bells and whistles, for a cheap price then you should do yourself the favor of researching the product yourself to ensure that it is what it says it is.

Most computer monitors range from 19� to 29�, but larger screens of 40� to 55� are also increasingly popular. Additionally, 60� to 90� monitors are perfect for the boardroom or classroom interaction. It really depends on how you�re using your computer. If it�s just for emailing and word processing, a smaller screen should be sufficient. But if you�re using your computer for designing, gaming or for viewing movies, a larger screen may be a better choice.

LED (Light- Emitting Diode) monitors essentially the same as LCD monitors � the only difference is in the backlighting technology. LCD monitors use fluorescent lamps to light the display, while LED monitors use the more energy-efficient light-emitting diodes. LED monitors use up to 40% less energy and contain no mercury, making them a more environmentally friendly choice. They may also help reduce eye strain, which is important if you spend a lot of time in front of your computer.

LED monitors tend to be more expensive than LCDs. But when selecting a computer monitor, it�s best to go with the highest quality and largest size that fits your budget.

Choosing the perfect computer monitor can be tough, so that"s why we"re here to help. Watch our video and learn how to pick out the perfect one. We"ll go over three different monitors for PC builds ranging from basic to high performance.

All desktops require an external monitor to function. Computer monitors, like PCs, come in all shapes and sizes. Finding the perfect PC monitor can help take your computer experience to the next level. Whether you are looking for a high resolution external monitor to make your home office more ergonomic or you want a premium option to make gaming more robust, Micro Center has the computer monitor you need to boost productivity and enjoyment when you are using your computer.

Gaming monitors are specialized displays designed to have the lowest response times possible to stay ahead of the competition. PC monitors for office use may have slower response times but are more affordable and capable of performing general use tasks to improve productivity, viewing angles, and more.

At Micro Center, we proudly offer the best monitors for gamers, creatives, and more to help boost connectivity and the viewing experience with your Apple or PC computer. Discover your new high def LED, IPS, or LCD monitor here.

Resolution is important to choosing a monitor for gaming or enjoying streaming media with the best picture. Go for a 4K ultra high definition (4K UHD) or 8K monitor if you want the best resolution possible. With more than 8 million pixels, a UHD monitor will undoubtedly enhance the visuals of any gaming or video streaming experience. Ultrawide monitors are also great for creating cinematic viewing angles and making you feel like you’re in the theatre.

Additionally, gaming monitors have features that make them work better with your gaming PC. For example, the Nvidia G Sync or AMD FreeSync are used in some gaming monitors to provide a smoother refresh rate to make gameplay smoother and more enjoyable overall. Our selection of FreeSync and G Sync compatible monitors will help you maximize performance of your Nvidia or AMD graphics card.

Computer monitors are available from all the name brands such as Acer, Samsung, Dell, HP, and ASUS. Dell monitors are a popular choice among many offices and professionals because of their wide range of screen sizes and features. No matter if you are looking for a comfortable widescreen option for your home office or a gaming monitor with special features from Nvidia and AMD, Micro Center has the HD monitor you need!

The Asus ProArt PA248CNV blends a sharp 1080p display with features such as 90-watt USB-C charging, a USB hub, and a sturdy stand for less than $300. The monitor also impressed us with its grayscale accuracy, as its shades of white and gray weren’t noticeably tinged with red, green, or blue.

We previously recommended an older version of this display, the Asus ProArt PA247CV, as a top pick in this guide. Both monitors are fantastic, but the newer PA248CNV offers a larger, more accurate display and a higher charging wattage for only around $40 more, an extra expense that we think is worth paying. If the PA248CNV is out of stock or has jumped in price when you’re shopping, or if you don’t have a high-powered laptop that requires 90 W charging, we recommend getting the PA247CV instead.

That said, the PA248CNV is an especially good monitor for a wide swath of laptop owners. It has a USB-C port with 90 W of charging output, which can charge most laptops at a normal rate, even some higher-powered laptops like the Dell XPS 15 and MacBook Pro. The PA248CNV also has a USB hub with four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, perfect for connecting more devices to a laptop over the USB-C connection. (We like these ports for adding accessories such as webcams and wireless mouse dongles.)

We also like the ProArt PA248CNV’s stand, which is sturdy and fully adjustable. You can tilt or swivel the monitor, lift it up or push it down, and rotate it into portrait mode. A small clip on the back of the stand helps with cable management, as well.

Like all of our picks in this guide, the PA248CNV is a 24-inch IPS display. We measured a contrast ratio of 1017:1, which makes images with variation between light and dark look realistic and vibrant. The monitor can reach 300 nits of brightness, about the threshold for getting a good-looking picture in a typical office with some sunlight.

This monitor has accurate-enough color for most uses, especially for those writing documents, making presentations, and doing other office work. This is where the grayscale accuracy factors in—when you’re staring at a blank page wondering how to start that paragraph, at least you won’t be noticing a strange red tint that sends you down a Google rabbit hole and further delays that project you were supposed to turn in last week. Luckily, this display is exceptionally color-accurate, even better than our previous Asus ProArt pick. It even rivals our upgrade pick in some areas, though the Dell monitor still wins out for creatives because it offers more adjustability in calibrating the display in professional settings. The table below outlines the color accuracy of this monitor in comparison with our other picks.

The ProArt PA248CNV also has a few extra features that are nice, such as a 75 Hz display with FreeSync. This makes the monitor marginally better for casual gaming, as movement and animations seem smoother than on a typical 60 Hz display. If you’re gaming online or playing more competitively, you should choose a display with at least 144 Hz.

Asus covers the PA248CNV with its Zero Bright Dot policy: The company will swap out your monitor if any stuck bright pixels appear on the display during the three-year warranty period. One of the best warranties in the industry, this policy helps guard against one of the most annoying monitor defects.

If you’ve been reading our other monitor guides lately, you might notice that this is the 24-inch version of the top pick in our guide to the best 27-inch monitors. Although many home-use displays under $500 have fallen short of their advertised color accuracy, contrast, and brightness in our tests, we’ve found that the ProArt line often lives up to its claims (or at least gets much closer than the competition). It also prioritizes features that are essential, such as USB-C charging for laptop owners and sturdy, adjustable stands.

We generally like this monitor and haven’t found issues with it. However, as we mention in our How we picked and tested section, if you’re planning on using this monitor as your main work display, you might want to consider a higher-resolution 27-inch monitor. (Our top pick in our guide to the best 27-inch monitors is just a larger, higher-resolution version of this same monitor.) On that kind of monitor, you have more screen space, and text is a bit sharper and easier to read. But if you’re already working on a 1080p laptop screen or monitor and satisfied with the image quality, that’s great! The Asus ProArt PA248CNV will be a quality replacement or upgrade.

* Offers subject to change, not combinable with all other offers, while supplies last. Dell may impose a purchase quantity limit (for example, 5 units per order). Taxes, shipping, and other fees apply. Free shipping offer valid only in Continental U.S. (excludes Alaska and P.O. Box addresses). Offer not valid for Resellers. Dell reserves the right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors.

* Rewards 3% back excludes taxes and shipping. Rewards are issued to your online Dell Rewards Account (available via your Dell.com My Account) typically within 30 business days after your order’s ship date. Rewards expire in 90 days (except where prohibited by law). “Current rewards balance” amount may not reflect the most recent transactions. Check Dell.com My Account for your most up-to-date reward balance. Total rewards earned may not exceed $2,000 within a 3-month period. Outlet purchases do not qualify for rewards. Expedited Delivery not available on certain TVs, monitors, batteries and adapters, and is available in Continental (except Alaska) U.S. only. Other exceptions apply. Not valid for resellers and/or online auctions. Offers and rewards subject to change without notice, not combinable with all other offers. See Dell.com/rewardsfaq. $50 in bonus rewards for Dell Rewards Members who open a new Dell Preferred Account (DPA), or Dell Business Credit (DBC) account on or after 8/10/2022. $50 bonus rewards typically issued within 30 business days after DPA or DBC open date.

Dell Coupon Offer:Offer valid 12/9/2022 - 1/5/2023 7:00AM CST. Coupon is valid with select other offers but not with other coupons. Coupon is valid on select order codes. One-time use only. Offer does not apply to, and is not available with, systems or items purchased through refurbished items or spare parts. Purchase limit of one item per order. Not valid for resellers and/or online auctions. Dell reserves the right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors.

*Expedited Delivery: * Expedited Delivery not available on certain TVs, monitors, batteries and adapters, and is available in Continental (except Alaska) U.S. only. Other exceptions apply. Not valid for resellers and/or online auctions. Offers subject to change, not combinable with all other offers. See Dell.com/rewardsfaq.

* Offers subject to change, not combinable with all other offers, while supplies last. Dell may impose a purchase quantity limit (for example, 5 units per order). Taxes, shipping, and other fees apply. Free shipping offer valid only in Continental U.S. (excludes Alaska and P.O. Box addresses). Offer not valid for Resellers. Dell reserves the right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors.

* Rewards 3% back excludes taxes and shipping. Rewards are issued to your online Dell Rewards Account (available via your Dell.com My Account) typically within 30 business days after your order’s ship date. Rewards expire in 90 days (except where prohibited by law). “Current rewards balance” amount may not reflect the most recent transactions. Check Dell.com My Account for your most up-to-date reward balance. Total rewards earned may not exceed $2,000 within a 3-month period. Outlet purchases do not qualify for rewards. Expedited Delivery not available on certain TVs, monitors, batteries and adapters, and is available in Continental (except Alaska) U.S. only. Other exceptions apply. Not valid for resellers and/or online auctions. Offers and rewards subject to change without notice, not combinable with all other offers. See Dell.com/rewardsfaq. $50 in bonus rewards for Dell Rewards Members who open a new Dell Preferred Account (DPA), or Dell Business Credit (DBC) account on or after 8/10/2022. $50 bonus rewards typically issued within 30 business days after DPA or DBC open date.

Dell Coupon Offer:Offer valid 12/9/2022 - 1/5/2023 7:00AM CST. Coupon is valid with select other offers but not with other coupons. Coupon is valid on select order codes. One-time use only. Offer does not apply to, and is not available with, systems or items purchased through refurbished items or spare parts. Purchase limit of one item per order. Not valid for resellers and/or online auctions. Dell reserves the right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors.

*Expedited Delivery: * Expedited Delivery not available on certain TVs, monitors, batteries and adapters, and is available in Continental (except Alaska) U.S. only. Other exceptions apply. Not valid for resellers and/or online auctions. Offers subject to change, not combinable with all other offers. See Dell.com/rewardsfaq.

Studio monitors are speakers designed to reproduce the full frequency range of audio sources without coloring the sound. While many speakers are designed primarily to enhance the bass and treble frequencies, making drums and cymbals sound louder and vocals sound clearer, "full range" speakers attempt to give a more accurate reproduction of the source material. Noise in the signal gets added by the electronics powering the speakers, so studio monitors have very high quality electronics with as little noise as possible. They also are designed with the goal of being as non-reactive as possible to the sound. Some speaker designs can make a subwoofer sound ten times louder or a quiet sound completely inaudible just by their design.Monitors are also designed to be placed a certain distance from the listener with the ideal distance being 2 to 4 feet. If they are placed too close or too far away, the sound will be different and the volume will need to be adjusted for optimum quality. The advantage of speakers like these is that you can play your mixes exactly how they will sound on every consumer speaker, whether it"s a car stereo, boombox, home surround sound, or even a tin can.

Here"s a scenario that you"ve probably experienced in your music production career. You make a track, and after listening to a couple of reference songs, you try to get your work to sound as close as possible to the reference material. During this process, you use the cheap speakers that stand on your desk or, perish the thought, your laptop speakers. Your logic here is that if you can get your mix to sound as good as the commercial reference tracks, then it doesn"t matter what speakers you use (we"ve all made this mistake before). The horror starts when you play the finished mix on your phone and realize that everything sounds as if you haven’t spent any time on mixing at all. The hi-hats are too sharp and pierce the ear; the snares are too thin, and the bass is either overpowering or non-existent. Meanwhile, on the very same phone, the reference tracks sound perfectly fine. Well, guess what? You just got tricked by those speakers on your table. If you want to never fall into this pitfall again, you will definitely need a pair of studio monitors to mix your tracks.

Studio monitors are speakers designed specifically for recording artists and audio engineers to listen to music and audio mixes. They sound much different than regular speakers, which are often also called "stereo" or "hi-fi" speakers.

Besides giving a much truer reproduction of the original sound, studio monitors use a different type of speaker that is much better at playing low-frequency sounds, such as those made by a bass guitar or kick drum.Most consumer speakers struggle to reproduce low-frequency sounds, which is why they sound muddy or boom excessively. In contrast, good studio monitors produce very accurate bass sounds, so that recording artists and audio engineers can hear exactly what is in the mix and make mixing decisions accordingly. The best speakers in this regard are "active" speakers, which have an electronic amplifier built into each speaker cabinet.

Most consumer speakers are designed to make the music sound more pleasant to the human ear in an average listening environment. Often the speakers add their own color to the music and make it sound better than it is. If you want to get a bit more technical, consumer speakers have built-in EQ profiles where specific frequencies are boosted for reasons known only to the makers of the speakers. As a result, when you switch to a different device with another custom EQ profile or maybe no profile at all, your track will sound completely different too. It would be quite impractical and very time consuming if the only way to make sure your mix is right was to test it on a multitude of different sound systems. Wouldn"t it make more sense to own a pair of speakers that sound neutral and add no color? Luckily for us, this is precisely the reason why studio monitors exist.

Studio monitors allow you to hear everything that"s wrong with your mix because they have a flat frequency response. While consumer speakers mask the errors, studio monitors reproduce the sound exactly how it is without any coloration. If you can get your mix to sound right on your studio monitors, chances are quite high that it will be just as good on any other system as well. That"s not to say that testing your final mix in different environments won"t be necessary. You"ll still want to listen to the finished track in the car or on your friend"s home stereo speakers, but overall you"ll spend a lot less time fine-tuning things because the foundation of your mix will be solid.

So far, we"ve only talked about studio monitors in the context of mixing, but they are also needed for mastering. Sometimes mastering studios will use the same monitors as mixing engineers, but more often than not, their equipment will be a lot more expensive and much bigger in size. Not all studio monitors are made equal, and generally, mastering studios want the best monitors money can buy. The job of a mastering engineer is to make a client"s track sound amazing both on typical home stereo systems as well as on massive PA systems used at concert arenas and outdoor festivals. Especially for mastering, it"s important to be able to pick up rumble in areas as low as 20Hz. For that reason, the best mastering engineers work in state of the art rooms with huge and ultra-expensive monitors that make it possible to hear low-end issues that you"d never think existed. In short, studio monitors used for mastering are on a whole different level, and skilled engineers who have access to such fantastic equipment are always in demand.

Mixing on studio monitors is a good start, but you should also always consider the room you are working in. Sometimes mixing in a space that is less than optimal sonically can lead to bad mixes even if you"re using quality studio monitors. Not everyone is ready to treat their room acoustically, and that"s why many producers resort to mixing on headphones as a shortcut. Studio headphones indeed eliminate the room as a source of coloration, but they can introduce a set of new problems of their own:

Despite the advertisements, headphones do struggle with the representation of low-end frequencies. Even if you can hear the bass on your studio headphones, you still can"t feel it, which is just as important. Experienced mixing engineers can deduce how the track will sound on speakers by listening to the mix on headphones, but it isn"t easy to accomplish as a beginner.

The best solution is to use both studio monitors and headphones. A pair of quality studio monitors is all you need if you mix in an acoustically treated room.  In all the other cases, it"s beneficial to reference your track on headphones as well. Not only will you have an additional layer of quality control that will improve the balance of your mix, but you will also be able to hear pops and clicks that would"ve been hard to notice otherwise.

Buying studio monitors is a big decision because they"ll become the number one output for all your mixes. You"ll have to invest some time to get to know your monitors thoroughly and learn how their sound translates to other systems. Moreover, the purchase will be quite expensive since a pair of budget monitors will cost you around $500. You must understand that every recommendation you see online is subjective and almost always based on personal taste. The only way to find the studio monitors that are the right fit for you is to try a lot of them. Ensuring that the store where you"ll buy your monitors from has an accommodating return policy is crucial. Usually, stores accept returns if the monitors are in constant rotation, but it"s still a good idea to inform yourself about the details before making the purchase.

To get the most out of your studio monitors, you need to treat your room acoustically as much as possible. Many beginner producers focus too much on the equipment and neglect their mixing environment entirely. That"s a big oversight because your room is just as important as your monitors. It"s not for nothing that professional recording studios spend thousands of dollars on acoustic treatment. Of course, it doesn"t mean that you"ll have to invest the same amount. You can treat your room DIY style for as little as 50 bucks by building some frames from a batch of stone wool and covering them with cloths. This solution will provide enough insulation to control for bass frequencies and won"t break the bank. If you want to get the most out of your studio monitors, it"s essential to mix in a room that"s working with you and not against you, so don"t skip this step.

Staying on the subject of mixing environments, make sure that the size of the studio monitors fits your room. There"s a widespread belief in the producer community that you should always go for the biggest speakers you can afford. The thought behind it is that big monitors have big cones capable of a more accurate bass response. There"s undoubtedly some truth to that statement, but you should always take into account your mixing space. If you are working in a small or even tiny room, then the traditional 8-inch near-field monitors will be simply too big. They will put out too much sound and overwhelm you. The truth is you can buy 5-6 inch speakers and work on them for years without ever looking back. The sound output will be manageable, and the range of frequency response will be decent enough for you to get a good feel for what"s happening in your mix.

Before deciding what studio monitors to buy, you should figure out your budget first. Checking out the setups of professional studios can easily lull you into the belief that you need expensive monitors that cost thousands of dollars, and that"s simply not true. We"re living in exciting times, with many companies making quality speakers for almost any budget. The downside is that having so many options can lead to choice overload.  It"s vital to know how much you can spend because it"ll be a lot easier to make a decision. Below, you"ll find a selection of studio monitors in the $500 to $700 price range. It isn"t the rock bottom, and you could find cheaper alternatives, but the most popular monitors tend to be priced in this segment.

If you want to go for a brand that has established itself in the music industry and is the darling of many professional mixing engineers, then Yamaha should be your choice. It all started with the famous Yamaha NS10 monitors that became the standard in the recording community. The Yamaha HS8 is the latest rendition that stays true to its roots with the black box and white cone design. This monitor has a frequency range between 38Hz and 30KHz and a built-in amp that will provide you with plenty of headroom. The sound of Yamaha HS8 is extremely flat and accurate. On these monitors, you"ll be able to hear even the smallest changes in compression and effects. The 8-inch woofer is enough to feel the low-end, but if you want to go for smaller monitors due to room constraints, then consider the HS7 or HS5 versions that carry the size of the woofer in their names. A pair of Yamaha HS8s will cost you around $700, which is very reasonable for the quality you"ll get. Overall, these monitors sound very transparent, look great, and offer fantastic value for the price.

The JBL 308P MKII monitors are regarded by many as the budget king in the near-field monitor sector.  Two monitors for a stereo setup will run you close to $500. The JBLs look unassuming except for the Image Control Waveguide that surrounds the tweeter. It makes the monitors look quite plasticky, but this is the same design that the JBL M2 Master Reference monitors use, and a pair of those costs almost $23,000. The purpose of the waveguide is to enhance the stereo imaging, and it does so successfully. The effect isn"t noticeable if you sit too close to the monitors, but at a distance of 5-6 feet, you"ll feel like you"re right in the middle of the music no matter where you"re in the room. Other than the waveguide, the JBLs are pretty similar to the Yamaha HS8s. They sound nearly as flat and have a good bass response. Some would even say they are more pleasant to listen to because they offer a bit more detail in the higher frequencies. However, a common complaint about the JBL 308P MKII monitors is the audible hiss when no sound is played. If you find yourself being annoyed by it, consider other options.

KRK is another brand that’s been making studio monitors for a long time. The KRK Rokit monitors have been traditionally very popular among EDM producers and DJs. If you’re a fan of Flume or Skrillex, then it’s not unlikely that one of your favorite tracks was produced on these black and yellow speakers. Despite their popularity, the KRK Rokits used to get a fair share of negative feedback from the mixing community. Many people found previous editions of these monitors too bass-heavy and muddy. However, with the Rokit 8 G4 version, KRK improved many areas for which their monitors were criticized in the past.

Both the woofer and the soft dome tweeter have been redesigned, and the sound has vastly improved compared to the older generations. The mid-range no longer sounds mashed, the top end is crisp, and the bass is a lot less boomy. It seems that KRK listened to the user feedback and created monitors that are much more balanced across the full frequency spectrum.

Another significant improvement is the LCD screen on the back of the monitors, which allows you to choose from 25 different graphic EQ settings. Now you can tweak how flat the profile is until you find what sounds best for your ears. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a smartphone app that can suggest EQ presets based on your room acoustics.

It would be a mistake to overlook the new KRK Rokit 8 monitors because of the shortcomings of the previous generations. The G4s have a lot of things going for them, cost around $600 for the pair, and could be the hidden gem in this price bracket.

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.

Just know that to get the last $200 off, you"ll have to deal with an old-school rebate (where you have to mail in the original UPC). Other features include 10-bit color / 98% DCI-P3 / 130% sRGB, and a KVM feature with USB Type-C to control multiple devices. Check out our Aorus FO48U review to see why we gave it our Editor"s choice award.

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.

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.

With a 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms (GTG) response time, and even FreeSync, the Asus ROG XG17AHPE stands high above the competition and easily snags the best portable gaming monitor crown.

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.

The HP Omen X 65 Emperium is the best computer monitor to replace your living room TV. First, it’s massive. It also comes with a remote and powerful audio that’ll fill your space, thanks to four 4-inch woofers, two 1-inch tweeters and a pair of passive radiators. The inclusion of Nvidia Shield means access to the apps you’d want on a smart TV, including Netflix and YouTube, plus access to hundreds of free games.

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

Designed for intense, fast-paced games, ASUS VG246H is a 23.8” Full HD gaming IPS display with an ultra-fast 1ms (MPRT) response time and 75Hz refresh rate to give you super-smooth gameplay. Features FreeSync technology to eliminate screen tearing and choppy frame rate.

Built for the perfect console gaming experience, the 24” ASUS VG245H Full HD gaming monitor features an ultra-fast 1ms response time and 75Hz refresh rate. It also has Instant Input Technology for lag-free experience along with two low input lag HDMI ports, so you can enjoy super smooth visuals, and keep it hooked up to two devices. In addition, AMD FreeSync™ technology helps eliminate image tearing for fast gameplay over HDMI input for smooth gameplay.

Input lag is the time delay between pressing a button on your controller or keyboard and seeing its effects onscreen. High input lag will cause a slower connection giving you trouble keeping up with the fast-paced action.

Input lag on an LCD monitor is typically much lower than a TV, and ASUS VG245H features GameFast Input Technology to further minimize input lag. This technology provides much faster motion delivery so you"ll always be up to speed with in-game action at the precise timing you need to respond as quickly as is needed.

ASUS VG245H boasts a 1ms response time so all your fast-paced gaming action will be rendered smoothly without smearing, ghosting and motion blur. You"ll be able to react and respond quickly to what you see onscreen — a definite advantage in the gaming arena.

The new Philips gaming display has quick access OSD fine tuned for gamers, offering you multiple options. "FPS" mode (First person shooting) improves dark themes in games, allowing you to see hidden objects in dark areas. "Racing" mode adapts display with fastest response time, high color, along with image adjustments. "RTS" mode (Real time strategy) has a special SmartFrame mode which enables highlighting of specific area and allows for size and image adjustments. Gamer 1 and Gamer 2 enable you to save personal customized settings based on different games, ensuring best performance.