With cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) long since replaced by flat panels, the key panel types used in desktop displays are twisted nematic (TN), in-plane switching (IPS) and iterations such as Fast IPS, vertical alignment (VA), and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) plus variations such as QD-OLED. (Credit: Joseph Maldonado) Computer monitors come in variety of sizes, from 12-inch portable displays (the smallest we’ve reviewed) up to 65-inch panels that bridge the gap between monitors and TVs. Between the two extremes, though, we group most desktop displays into two general categories: business monitors, and entertainment monitors. The Dell 27 S2721HGF may have just a middle-range screen size (27 inches on the diagonal) for a gaming-oriented panel, but it includes many of the other elements that gamers seek, including a graceful curve, at a great price. A VA panel with 1080p resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, it is both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync compatible. It serves up very good gaming performance for the money, and showed very little ghosting or screen tearing during our testing. Who It’s For Multiplatform gamers looking for a high-performance 32-inch gaming monitor for 4K at 144Hz gaming will find a lot to appreciate about the M32UC from Gigabyte. With a respectable amount of ports and other useful features, along with snappy pixel response time and great color gamut coverage, this is a great looking monitor with satisfying performance. If you’re in the cinematography or photography sphere, that’s exactly what you need. To test this monitor’s performance, we ran software-based calibration using the SpyderX Elite colorimeter. And, its scores for color gamut, tone response, white point uniformity, contrast, luminance uniformity, color uniformity and color accuracy were excellent.

Don’t limit yourself to a single panel type; the gaps between each type are always shrinking. We list this information so that you know what to expect from the monitor you choose.Don’t be fooled by this simplicity, however: the Plus View performs exceptionally well, delivering crisp visuals, stunning colours and remarkably good accuracy. If you’re spending any time on Photoshop, the Plus View is a convenient way to give yourself more space to work – and it’s great for working at a cramped desk, too. If you're just a typical PC gamer looking for the best image quality, getting a 4K monitor with 144Hz refresh is going to make your games look fantastic. If you're an esports competitor (or want to be someday), then the only thing that matters is pixel response and refresh rate. Even a 1080p resolution is acceptable so long as it has at least 1ms pixel response or lower. The refresh on 1080p monitors can go as high as 360Hz or even higher with the very latest monitors coming onto the market.

Touch-screen desktop displays have gained some traction, but mostly in vertical markets. You'll pay a bit more for touch technology, but it's worth it if you care about the Windows touch experience. Look for a model equipped with a stand that lets you position the panel so it's almost parallel with your desktop if you need that kind of interaction. (Some touch models are designed without a stand, meant to be integrated into a specific environment with a custom stand or mounting arm.) (Credit: Zlata Ivleva) The 49-inch display size, 5,120 x 1,440 resolution, and 32:9 aspect ratio may sound absolutely ridiculous on paper, but after seeing it in person,we're convinced. With its impressively wide display and vibrant colors combined with its 1800Rcurvature, it's a dream and absolutely immersive to game on. Like most of its ilk, the 24mh has a 1080p IPS panel, not a 4K UHD one, but it makes up for that with impressive sRGB coverage and a contrast ratio well above its rating. It has a pair of built-in 2-watt speakers—not exactly high-fidelity, but many budget monitors don't include speakers at all. Who It’s For Among the best brands in this regard are Dell, Alienware, BenQ, Acer, LG, Samsung, HP, Lenovo, and Asus, but they are by no means the only ones. Which monitor quality is best?

Apple Pro Display XDR

The E27m G4 is a great choice for anyone involved in videoconferencing—and who isn't, these days? It's especially good if you have problems being heard or seen in teleconferences. (Personally, my next monitor is likely to be a conferencing model such as this one to ensure that I am well seen and heard, and that my colleagues are, too.) It's a fine general-purpose office monitor as well. If you're cramped for space, HP has the 1080p HP E24m G4 FHD USB-C Conferencing Monitor, which has all the teleconferencing features of its larger sibling. The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 is an outstanding ultrawide monitor and a great choice for gamers looking to invest in a large-screen curved OLED panel. It provides good value for its not-insignificant price. Its eye-catching design and modestly curved 34-inch screen with a gorgeous color range, high brightness, and great contrast make it easy to overlook some of the display's minor issues, such as its slightly longer-than-ideal input lag. The panel is great for the price, producing 90% of the sRGB colour gamut with low colour variance and an impressive contrast ratio of 1,230:1 when tested in default mode. The peak luminance is decent, too, and the colour temperature in default mode hit 6600K, which means virtually no red/blue tint. It uses IPS technology, so viewing angles are strong, and response times are decent at 4ms grey-to-grey (G2G). Pair that with a 75Hz refresh rate and you’ve got a halfway decent budget gaming monitor. Color accuracy is the other aspect of color, which lets us measure how closely a monitor can reproduce a given shade. This is presented as a Delta-E rating, which indicates the level of deviation from perfect. Zero is a perfect score, while higher numbers indicate lower accuracy. This category includes a wide variety of monitor types. They can be small-screen, energy-conscious "green" models for everyday office use. Or they can be high-end, high-priced, 32-inch and larger professional-grade displays that use indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) or advanced high-performance in-plane switching (AH-IPS) panel technology and cater to graphics professionals who require a high degree of color and grayscale accuracy. (Credit: Zlata Ivleva)