There are some excellent monitors on the market today, but monitor can be overwhelming trying to decide which is best for your particular needs. So let’s talk about size, resolution, portability, performance, graphics, ports, refresh rate, response time, and ease of use. When you have so many options to consider, it’s helpful to have some basic criteria to help narrow the field down to the top choices. So let’s dive into those factors one by one
Size
How big is your desktop space? Are you a full-on tabletop gamer with a 60″ monitor? Or do you just want a small, light monitor that you can easily carry around in a backpack? Some monitors come in sizes that are fairly large and heavy. If this describes you, we recommend taking a look at large, high-quality monitors such as the BenQ HM3 and HP LP2900 (reviewed here). Both monitors are extremely affordable and are perfect for desktop usage. However, if you’re looking for something that’s compact and light, you should check out the BenQ HM. The Best monitor for reading text requires a large screen so you can read your docs without zooming or scrolling.
Portability and Resolution
If you’re going to be carrying your monitor around a lot, make sure it’s as portable as possible. For a great all-around monitor resolution, go with 1920×1080, which is the standard resolution used by most TVs today. At this resolution, you’ll be able to display all of your games, videos, and music in high quality. Another benefit of 1080p is that it’s the default resolution for Xbox One and PS4 (although some older games may use different resolutions). 1080p is also the native resolution of many streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Hulu, and Vudu. So if you plan on using your monitor for gaming and streaming, go with 1080p or a slightly higher resolution. The best monitor for Nintendo switch can also be used for reading text.
Refresh rate
The higher the refresh rate, the more frames it will show per second. The higher the frame rate, the smoother the image. Unfortunately, not all monitors are built to handle higher frame rates, so it’s a good idea to research which monitor has the highest refresh rate before choosing it. For best results, we recommend the BenQ HM2730 monitor. It has a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which is the standard for today’s monitors.
Graphics
The higher the refresh rate, the more frames it will show per second. The higher the frame rate, the smoother the image. Unfortunately, not all monitors are built to handle higher frame rates, so it’s a good idea to research which monitor has the highest refresh rate before choosing it. For best results, we recommend the BenQ HM2730 monitor. It has a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which is the standard for today’s monitors. The best monitor for long working hours can also be used for reading text.
Ports
Ports: Are you using your monitor for video streaming? A lot of monitors have HDMI ports for connecting to a TV or projector. Some monitors also feature VGA and DisplayPort ports for connecting to older computers, laptops, game consoles, and streaming devices such as Roku and Fire TV. It’s also a good idea to make sure that the ports are covered so they don’t catch on anything. A number of monitors have USB-C ports that allow you to charge and connect to a wide range of electronic devices. This is a great convenience, but it can be tricky to know whether or not your monitor has a USB-C port.
Bottom Line
If you’re watching streaming videos or playing games, make sure that your monitor is fast enough to play without skipping frames. Otherwise, you’ll miss key moments in the video or game. Some older monitors have a lower refresh rate than newer monitors, so check out the specifications before you make a final decision. Response Time: Response time refers to the time it takes for your monitor to change from the on to off or off to on state. Higher response times mean that the monitor switches faster. It’s important to have a fast monitor so that you don’t see any stuttering or blurring when you’re playing games or watching videos. It’s not necessary to have a superfast monitor, but if you’re looking for the best performance, a minimum of 1 ms is recommended. The best monitor for WOW can be used for reading documents.
