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You're here to find the best monitor for your setup, whether that be to extend your workspace for productivity or to give your gaming PC the visuals it deserves. With years of testing the latest monitors under our belts, my team of display experts and I are also here to help you make the right choice.
It's an exciting time for monitors, with 4K resolution (and higher) becoming easier to grab for less, and high refresh rates well over 120Hz becoming the norm. From 5K OLED displays and ultrawide curved screens to budget-friendly 1080p monitors, we've tested them all — using professional-grade equipment to benchmark colors, HDR brightness, response times and more.
From bang-for-your-buck 1080p flat displays to ultrawide 4K curved screens that are wicked for PC gaming, I've tested my fair share of brilliant monitors over the years. Whether you're in need of a simple but exemplary display for work or require all the details of OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate, there's always a monitor out there that will suit your fancy. And my team of monitor experts and I have chosen the best of them.
The best monitors you can buy today
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The best monitor overall
The MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 takes everything anyone could want in a gaming monitor and puts it all, quite literally, on display for all to admire. Even beyond playing the latest games in all their glory, this curved, QD-OLED monitor excels as a visual treat for productivity and entertainment. That's why we've crowned it as the best around.
So, what's so good about it? There's the 34-inch (3440 x 1440) curved QD-OLED panel with rich colors and deep blacks, a super-high 360Hz refresh rate for buttery smooth visuals and a wicked-fast 0.03ms response time for virtually blur-free, sharp images. Whatever is shown on this screen, expect your eyes to be showered in high-level visual details.
The X36 goes a step further with its useful ports, including a USB-C 98W with Power Delivery (PD) to charge up your devices, along with AI features that are actually handy to use, like the AI Care Sensor that automatically turns off the display when it doesn't identify a human presence.
Being made for fast-paced competitive shooters like Counter-Strike and stunning AAA games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and creative work for photo and video editing is outstanding, and you can bet its curved, ultrawide panel is a champion for productivity, like navigating around annoyingly long spreadsheets. It even has multiple display modes, FPS, RPG, RTS and even AdobeRGB for the creatives.
Aside from its being on the dim side (OLEDs tend to be), and being pricey (but we've seen it drop to under $900, so catch it with a discount), the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is the best monitor you can grab right now.
- Read our full MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 review
The best value monitor
The Alienware AW2726DM is exactly that value-first purchase we need right now, especially with nearly every other kind of device skyrocketing in price (thanks, RAM crisis). At $349, it's hard to believe what this monitor doesn't offer for the money, especially since even buying two of these will still be more affordable than our current top pick.
With its 27-inch (2560 x 1440) OLED panel rocking a 240Hz refresh rate and incredibly low 0.03ms response time, this has "gaming" written all over it. These specs suit both competitive shooters and single-player epics, with smooth, accurate visuals and sharp image quality to boot.
But the same can be said for productivity and entertainment, too. In our tests, it showed impressive results in color gamut coverage and accuracy, going above the 100% target for both sRGB and DCI-P3. So, expect rich colors, clear details and deep blacks on this OLED panel.
There are some drawbacks, with brightness being quite low (181 nits for SDR, 342 nits for HDR), and there is a lack of RGB lighting. But really, that RGB glow won't be hugely missed, and it's typical for OLED displays to have low brightness overall. For all the perks it offers at its price, I'd say this is a premium monitor in disguise, and well worth putting in your shopping cart.
- Read our full Alienware AW2726DM review
The best 1080p monitor
There's really not a whole lot to complain about when it comes to the Alienware AW2525HM, not when this ultra-sleek, 25-inch 1080p monitor with a 320Hz refresh rate is just under $250 (and even less during a sale).
Yes, a 320Hz refresh rate to buttery smooth visuals in highly competitive games, but also a 0.5ms response time, fantastic color accuracy, exceptional brightness and even HDR. All wrapped up in a compact, minimalist design that fits right on a gaming desk as well as an office setting. That's the best of both worlds.
Although it doesn't arrive with any built-in speakers, and its HDR is weak, that doesn't take away from the major perks any gamer who enjoys fast-paced multiplayer games and single-player hits will gain. It's a simple, 1080p screen, but it's one of the finest ones out there for the money.
- Read our full Alienware AW2525HM review
The best 2K monitor
The Alienware AW2725D is a mid-range powerhouse, and the little sibling of the Alienware AW2752Q — one of our favorite 4K monitors. This is the 1440p QHD variant, which has its advantages. Firstly, it’s cheaper, but its lower resolution also allows a faster refresh rate than its 4K brother, and better brightness figures in our lab tests.
QHD still looks super sharp and detailed at 27 inches, and the QD-OLED panel is gorgeous, with bags of contrast and vivid color. In fact, this monitor performed extremely well in our color accuracy and gamut coverage, making it an excellent choice for gamers who also need a production display.
The AW2725D is mainly about gaming, though, which is where it excels. In testing, its fast 280Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms GTG response time resulted in buttery smooth gameplay with no motion blur or ghosting in fast-paced titles.
Our only issues with this monitor were its lack of speakers and relatively few USB ports, but those aren’t major. If you’re looking for your first mid-range monitor and/or an upgrade from a budget display, the Alienware AW2725D is a killer.
- Read our full Alienware AW2725D review
The best 4K monitor
The MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED is a powerhouse 4K display that bridges the gap between productivity and enthusiast gaming, provided you can stomach the premium price tag. It's slick with the incredibly thin design and generous port selection, and for any gamer looking for high-end visuals, this won't disappoint.
This monitor is a stunner. During our testing, the QD-OLED panel with its high 4L (3840 x 2160) resolution delivered breathtaking visuals, making games pop with vibrant color and deep contrast, while the blistering 240Hz refresh rate provided an incredibly fluid experience on PC. Usability also gets high marks here; the included stand is significantly sturdier than what we often see from competitors, and MSI earns bonus points for including mounting hardware right in the box, giving you immediate flexibility.
For anyone with a high-end gaming PC capable of driving this resolution and refresh rate, the MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED is an easy recommendation that showcases your rig's full potential.
- Read our full MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED review
The best 5K monitor
Yes, 5K monitors are out in the wild, and that's music to the ears of creative professionals. For an exceptional display that any photographer, videographer, graphic designer or game designer would want on their desk, the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S is it.
As you might expect, this higher-resolution monitor sports plenty of editing and productivity-oriented features a creative could want (it's in the name, after all), meaning exceptional detail and colors no matter what's on display. That's thanks to its suitably sized 27-inch 5K (5120 x 2880) IPS panel, with a 21:9 aspect ratio for that ultrawide effect.
During our tests, it actually scored higher in both sRGB (104%) and DCI P3 (98%) color gamuts, meaning this screen will show off rich, accurate colors. What's more, that beats the Apple Studio Display XDR in DCI P3, and that says a lot considering that's $400 more. You don't have to take our word for its high level of detail, either, as its Pantone and Pantone SkinTone certified, and Calman Verified (that's what's used to test TVs).
Along with a range of editing features, like sRGB, Display P3, DCI P3, Rec.709, HDR and Darkroom color modes, and a DualView mode to display pictures side-by-side, you can be sure this 5K monitor can simplify workflows. Plus, it comes with Hotkey Puck accessory! It's just a shame there's no AdobeRGB mode, and it's still quite pricey at over $1,000. Still, if you're looking to put 5K quality productivity to good use, the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S will satisfy.
- Read our full BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S review
The best monitor for Macs
The "pixel sharpener" is what Apple calls its game-changing Studio Display XDR, and it's fittingly named for all the welcome upgrades we've been waiting for. Do expect to pay a premium for it, but this is no doubt Apple's ultimate display for creative professionals.
Featuring a 27-inch 5K (5120 x 2880) Mini-LED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate (finally) and a whopping 2,000 nits of brightness, the Studio Display XDR presents smoother visuals, richer colors and deeper blacks on a screen that's as bright as you want. From editing images to watching shows (and even playing games with that fast refresh rate), it really is a sight to behold.
But there's plenty more going on. With its tilt and height-adjustable stand (or VESA mount adapter), Thunderbolt 5 port boasting 120GB/s data transfer rate and 140W passthrough charging, 12MP Center Stage camera (powered by an A19 Pro chip, believe it or not), upgraded six internal speakers and the ability to daisy-chain multiple Studio Display XDR monitors or external SSDs, the Studio Display XDR is a visually stunning workhorse for pros.
Now, about that price. The Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299 and $3,599 for nano-texture glass, making it one of the most expensive monitors around. Thankfully, that's cheaper than the previous Pro Display XDR, but this is still a major investment. It's a shame there isn't a second upstream port for those with a multi-Mac setup, too. At the very least, the standard (and updated) Studio Display from $1,599 is still a great option for Mac owners.
For the best monitor Apple has to offer, though, the Studio Display XDR is it.
- Read our full Apple Studio Display XDR review
The best monitor for creatives
The BenQ PD3226G is an unassuming 31-inch monitor. It may look like your average premium 4K display (and a very good-looking one at that), but it's actually a productivity beast for creative professionals, who also like a side of gaming.
For a (somewhat) reasonable $1,099, this 4K (3840 x 2160) editing monitor features stunning visuals with amazingly strong color accuracy, covering 147% sRGB gamut, 104% DCI P3 gamut and reaching a 0.16 Delta-E score (less is better). That's a boon for creatives, so expect true-to-life colors no matter the task.
What also makes this a high-end display is its range of modes, from sRGB to HDR, and even custom display modes that allow you to set color levels to how you want. There's even CAD/CAM for product designers and a Darkroom mode for photographers, and with its included controller pad accessory and built-in KVM switch, this machine is made for productivity. Also handy are the two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one 90W upstream), DisplayPort 1.4 port, HDMI 2.1 port and more.
It isn't perfect, as its 267 max nits and 252 nits of brightness in HDR are quite low compared to the competition, while there are some minor contrast issues. But as a lovely monitor that offers huge help to your productivity workflow, and even doubles as a monitor for gaming, the BenQ PD3226G is a winner.
- Read our full BenQ PD3226G review
The best dual-resolution monitor
With its stunning 45-inch curved OLED panel, the LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B ranks among the most impressive ultrawide curved monitors out there right now. It excels at creating an immersive gaming experience for nearly any PC game you throw at it, further enhanced by colors that practically leap off the screen.
Switching between its dual display modes is straightforward, and impressively, its curved design also lends itself well to productivity. Yes, its price is a significant investment and its brightness doesn't exactly shine (typical for an OLED), but the monitor's phenomenal picture quality and compelling dual resolution/refresh rate options (5K/165Hz and 2K/330Hz) will satisfy anyone who picks this visual stunner up.
It's an excellent high-end option for PS5, Xbox or PC, and for those seeking a versatile display that can handle work and even serve as a TV, you'll be hard-pressed to find a finer monitor offering you the choice of two resolutions.
- Read our full LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B review
The best ultrawide monitor
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is an ultrawide monitor that instantly grabs your attention thanks to its stupendous size. This was the first-ever 49-inch OLED gaming monitor, and even years after its initial release, it's easily still one of the most immersive panels around.
Yes, it's pretty pricey. Yet I often see it retail for as low as $900 in sales. While that’s still a lot of cash, the almost ridiculous amount of screen real estate you’re getting for that investment makes the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 a no-brainer purchase for fans of the 32:9 aspect ratio that can afford it.
If you have the money to spare, you're getting a feature-rich monitor with 1,800R curvature to give you wrap-around vision that makes it instantly effortless to lose yourself in the modern PC games. This Samsung's super-speedy 0.03ms response time and 240Hz refresh rate also ensure it's the ideal monitor for fans of first-person shooter games.
There's so much to admire here with the sheer class and craft Samsung has clearly put into making this incredible OLED super-ultrawide. Providing you have the funds (and desk space), you should pick one up immediately if you love 32:9 ultrawide screens.
- Read our full Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 review
Also tested
Looking for even more options? Here at Tom's Guide, we have many monitors arrive at our desks, ready to be tested. Just because a few of them don't make our hand-picked list doesn't mean they aren't worth your attention. Check our all the other monitors we've set our eyes on.
Frequently asked questions
How to choose the best monitor?
Before we get into it all, there are a bunch of monitors out there with ever-confusing model names (does the "LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B" mean that there's an "-A" version? I've checked, and apparently not). But there are a few key details to pay attention to for any monitor, and some specific advice for certain specialized uses.
Size: A larger monitor is generally a better purchase simply because it offers the most visual real estate, which is better for both full-screen media consumption and split-screen multitasking. Higher resolution is also better, since it allows better detail and lets you see more information in the same screen size. That old phrase "bigger is better" applies to both here, and we recommend opting for larger screens and higher resolution whenever possible.
Response time: If you care about playing the latest games under the most optimal conditions, you'll want to look for a monitor with low response time. This measures how long it takes for the display to respond to what you're doing, and it's typically expressed as a measurement (in milliseconds) of how long it takes a pixel on the display to go from one color to another and back again.
Unless you're planning to play games that demand quick reflexes or pinpoint accuracy, you really don't need to worry about response time. In general, anything under 10ms is good, though for gaming, under 5ms is better. Many gaming monitors promise response times as low as 1ms, which is about as good as you can hope for.
Refresh rate: Refresh rate measures how many times per second your monitor is able to draw a new image. It's measured in Hertz, and again, if you're not planning on doing a lot of intense gaming, you probably don't need to worry about this very much. Most monitors achieve refresh rates of 60Hz or less, and that's plenty for watching videos or getting work done. However, if you want to play games at higher than 60 frames per second, or you're planning on working with video at framerates higher than 60 fps, you'll want a monitor with higher refresh rates. 120Hz is good, 144Hz is better, and there are now plenty more monitors that offer refresh rates of 240Hz or higher.
What to look for in a gaming monitor?
Gaming has its own unique concerns. When the difference between victory and defeat can come down to split-second timing, you can't afford long lag times. If you want one of the best gaming monitors, we recommend finding a display that offers response times of 10 milliseconds or less.
Smoother gameplay is also part of what you pay for in a gaming monitor, so pay attention to what frame-syncing technology a monitor supports. AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync both allow the monitor and the graphics card to coordinate the refresh rate of the screen with the output of the GPU.
But they approach this problem in slightly different ways, and a given monitor will likely provide support for only one or the other format. If your gaming rig uses Nvidia cards, you'll want a G-Sync capable monitor, while AMD-based systems will play nicely with a FreeSync display.
For a secondary monitor to use on the road, you'll want something that's small enough to carry with your laptop, and simple enough to set up and use within moments. For this, we recommend choosing one with a USB-C port for connectivity, as that allows the monitor to use a single cable for both video signal and power.
While the basic advice of "bigger is better" does still have some application here, it's also worth considering how well a portable monitor matches the size of your laptop display, since a larger display panel will have different dimensions than your laptop, and may not fit as easily into your backpack or laptop bag.
How we test the best monitors
When seeking out the best monitors, we test every display we review with our Klein K 10-A colorimeter, paired with testing software. We use this high-quality scope to measure the display's brightness levels, color gamut and color accuracy.
Brightness is measured in nits, or candela per square metre (cd/m2). More nits means a higher brightness, which translates into a clearer picture, brighter colors and usually a more realistic-looking image. For basic monitors, we expect a display backlight to produce between 200 and 300 nits of brightness, though HDR (high dynamic range) displays will often exceed that with a higher maximum brightness. However, brightness alone doesn't make for a great display, since some monitors will wash out colors or offer inconsistent backlight that varies in some portions of the display panel.
HDR also presents its own testing challenges, as new capabilities and standards allow a monitor to offer higher peak luminance than our standard tests will register. When in doubt, read an individual review for a discussion of these issues and how an individual product will handle each.
Color is the other big concern for displays. Monitors that produce more colors have a larger color gamut, as measured under the sRGB or P3 color standards. This is presented as a percentage, with higher percentages indicating more colors.
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.
We also test a display's response time, using a Leo Bodnar input lag tester. This device measures how long it takes a signal to travel from a source device to the monitor and show up on the display. Measured in milliseconds, this number is most useful for gamers and anyone who needs immediate onscreen feedback from any input.
Finally, every monitor we test is also used for web browsing, streaming video and gaming, as well as the writing of the review itself. Our anecdotal testing will often allow us to note the quirks of a display that lab testing might miss, whether it's difficulty in scaling content or issues with backlight or color reproduction.
