The best 10 monitors in comparison

When shopping for a new desktop computer, everyone's aware that it is great to have a fast CPU and a powerful graphics card, whether it's for gaming, watching 4K movies, or professional photo and video editing. However, there is one part of the rig most people tend to take for granted, though, and it happens to be the one that profoundly influences user experience.

The monitor is more than just another peripheral component. It is the one displaying all the visual information that the graphics processor outputs. Imagine having one of the best performing GPUs, only to get disappointed with how unattractive processed images look like on your monitor. To help you choose one of the best monitors for your computer, we have compiled a guide containing the essential specs and features you should take into account when choosing a monitor.

Display

The screen size is measured in inches and is the diagonal measurement of the display, not including the bezel. Monitors typically come with displays with diagonal measurements falling between 15 to 34 inches, with the average being 24 inches. You might want to go for the largest display, as long as it falls within your budget and you have enough space on your desk. The larger the screen, the wider the viewing area. However, as we explain in our glossary entry, this is not the only defining parameter of a display.

The screen resolution, explained in detail here, is the number of pixels for the horizontal and vertical dimensions. Most computer monitors these days have a 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The screen resolution alone, however, cannot determine how crisp the images are. When it comes to assessing the quality of a display, pixel density is the crucial parameter.

Pixel density is calculated using the screen resolution and the screen size, representing the number of pixels per inch (PPI). It is generally accepted that most people cannot detect a difference between a display with 300 PPI and a display with more than 300 PPI. However, this depends on one's visual acuity, the viewing distance, and the lighting. The average pixel density for desktop monitors is 100 PPI.

The response time is another key parameter. It refers to the time it takes for the pixels to change, and it is measured in milliseconds (ms). A lower response time is desirable since it reduces the ghosting effect, which can make blurred out versions of images stay on the display after the pictures change. It's distracting and bothering, especially when watching movies or playing games. The standard response time is around five milliseconds, but high-end monitors can have response times of even one millisecond.

It is also worth considering the type of coating you would want to have on your screen. There are two kinds of panel coatings, glossy and matte, and both have advantages and disadvantages.

Displays with glossy coating tend to have more accurate and lively colors, as well as deeper blacks. However, they are very susceptible to glares or reflections. Matte panels are much less vulnerable to glares, but the colors do not appear as vivid as they do on glossy panels. If the monitor is placed in a well-lit room, with multiple light sources around, it might be better to have a matte-coated display. Otherwise, a glossy panel would be the better choice. Other useful features are:

LED backlighting

A monitor that uses LED lights as its backlight, instead of the regular cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL), has a higher luminance. It can also make use of local dimming, which turns off the backlight on parts of the display when intense light is not needed, providing better contrast. The contrast ratio, explained in detail here, is an essential factor for achieving an immersive viewing experience. A display with a good contrast ratio has a wide gap between the luminance of the brightest color and the darkness of the deepest black.

In-plane switching (IPS)

IPS is a technology developed for liquid crystal displays which alleviates the problems and limitations of regular LCDs, like poor color reproduction and limited viewing angles. Wider viewing angles enable you to see the images without distortions even when you are not looking straight at the screen. You can find out more about the advantages of IPS here.

Touch screen

With operating systems these days being more touchscreen-friendly, such as Windows 10, it is worth considering monitors with touch screen panels. Touch screens provide direct, intuitive navigation, and are commonly used in public spaces because they eliminate the need for accessories such as a mouse or keyboard. If you are interested in a touch monitor, you can consult this list.

Connectivity, ports, and other features

Video Graphics Array (VGA) is an analog display connection, and the oldest display standard still in use. Widely used for resolutions below and including Full HD (1920 x 1080 px), it is not as common on newer monitors. Although the technology could theoretically support higher resolutions, the image quality might be affected.

Digital Visual Interface (DVI) was developed to establish a standard for the transfer of digital image contents across devices. It is a hybrid between analog and digital connections and can be programmed to support analog-only, digital-only, or both. It is also backward-compatible with VGA, which is one primary reason why it became prevalent. It is the most widely used connection standard for PCs.

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the most recent display transfer technology. It has been designed to replace analog display technologies completely. Instead of transferring analog signals through the cables, the cable carries uncompressed digital signals from the source, and to the monitor where the digital codes are translated and decoded. With that in mind, the technology is not at all susceptible to quality loss due to low-quality cables. In addition to the transfer of digital images, HDMI can also transfer uncompressed digital audio content.

Most monitors have built-in mini USB hubs, which comes in handy if your computer has just a few USB ports. It can also help in setting up a much neater rig. Other peripherals, like the mouse, keyboard, or external speakers, can be connected directly to the monitor.

A lot of monitors have built-in speakers so that you don't necessarily have to buy a separate speaker system. Although they are not widely used, as they have lower sound quality than dedicated audio systems, it is still great to have built-in speakers. You should check how many speaker drivers the monitor has and whether it offers stereo sound.