Best Monitor Brands: Your Ultimate Buying Guide

Choosing the right monitor can be challenging, with so many brands and models available. When buying a monitor, it's important to consider factors like reliability, warranty coverage, compatibility, and future needs. While no single monitor fits everyone's needs, some brands and models stand out for their quality, performance, and versatility.

Some of the most well-known monitor brands include Dell, Alienware, Samsung, LG, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, MSI, Gigabyte, and ViewSonic. These brands offer a range of displays, from basic office monitors to high-end gaming and creative professional monitors.

When deciding which monitor to buy, it's essential to consider your specific needs and budget. For example, gamers typically prioritise high refresh rates and response times, while creative professionals require accurate colour reproduction and high resolutions.

Additionally, factors such as screen size, resolution, and connectivity options should be considered to ensure the monitor suits your setup and intended use.

Let's explore some of the best options available from the brands mentioned above.

Dell monitors for work and play

Dell offers a wide range of monitors suited for different needs, but they all tend to excel when it comes to quality and reliability. Its UltraSharp lineup includes some of the best monitors you can buy for creative design and productivity; while they're definitely on the pricier side, the high colour accuracy and sharpness may justify the price tag for content creators. Dell also offers many more affordable options for everyday use, including its C-series video conferencing monitors with built-in webcams alongside standard 4K displays that offer great bang for your buck.

The UltraSharp PremierColor range is designed for creators, with tools for colour-critical tasks. Dell's UltraSharp monitors are crafted with innovative design and technology for ultimate performance. Dell's P Series monitors are reliable and packed with features designed to boost productivity. The E Series monitors are affordable and help drive business efficiency, and the C Series is purposely built for world-class collaboration. Dell's S and P Series lineups are designed for the home and office, and the higher-end UltraSharp lineup usually has more productivity features.

Dell's Alienware lineup includes the best Dell gaming monitors with a variety of models. These include high refresh rate monitors meant for esports gamers and premium displays with QD-OLED panels. While in the past, their gaming monitors didn't offer as much value versus the competition, they tend to provide the best bang for your buck now and even have some good budget gaming options.

Dell's monitors come with a 3-year Advanced Exchange Service, so that if a replacement becomes necessary, it will be shipped to you the next business day during your 3-year Limited Hardware Warranty. Dell also consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction, thanks in part to its good warranty coverage and Premium Panel Exchange program that guarantees a free replacement monitor if even one bright pixel defect is found during the warranty period.

Dell's monitor buying guide can also help you make an informed decision.

Samsung monitors for gaming

Samsung is a well-known brand in the world of monitors, offering a wide range of options for gamers. The company's Odyssey lineup of gaming monitors is particularly popular and offers many advanced features. Here are some of the top Samsung monitors for gaming:

Samsung Odyssey G9

The Samsung Odyssey G9 is a premium gaming monitor that offers a stunning 49" screen with a 1000R curve and Dual QHD resolution. It provides full peripheral vision with maximum detail, thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. The VESA DisplayHDR 1000 brings enhanced brightness and contrast, while features like CoreSync and CoreLighting+ enhance the space around the screen with ambient lighting. The ergonomic stand allows for height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, ensuring a comfortable gaming experience.

Samsung Odyssey G8

The Odyssey G8 is another impressive gaming monitor from Samsung, available in both 32" and 34" variants. The 32" model boasts a 4K UHD resolution, while the 34" model offers an Ultra-WQHD display. Both feature fast response times, high refresh rates, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for smooth, tear-free gameplay. The G8 also includes OLED Safeguard+ technology, which helps prevent burn-in, and Glare-Free technology to reduce glare from external light sources. The ergonomic stand and sleek metal design ensure a stylish and comfortable gaming experience.

Samsung Odyssey G50D

The Samsung Odyssey G50D is a 32" QHD IPS monitor with a fast 180Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time, eliminating lag and providing ultra-smooth gaming performance. It features AMD FreeSync technology, which keeps the monitor and graphics card refresh rate in sync, and VESA Display HDR 400 for enhanced clarity and dynamic contrast. The ergonomic stand allows for height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, and the Eye Saver mode helps reduce eye strain during extended gaming sessions.

Samsung Odyssey G3

For those seeking a more affordable option, the Samsung Odyssey G3 is a solid choice. This 27" LED monitor offers a 165Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay. It supports AMD FreeSync Premium for tear-free visuals and includes a dedicated Game Mode for easy configuration. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of the higher-end models, the G3 delivers excellent performance at a more budget-friendly price point.

Samsung's gaming monitors offer a range of features and specifications to meet different needs and budgets. It's important to research and compare models to find the one that best suits your specific requirements.

LG monitors for gaming and productivity

LG is a well-known South Korean brand in the world of electronics, manufacturing a wide range of products, including monitors. Their monitors come in various sizes, from small 24-inch models to large 48-inch screens, including OLED displays, and are available at different price points. While they have a diverse range of gaming-oriented monitors, some are also versatile for different uses. They also have dedicated office and content creation monitors, but their productivity options are more limited compared to some competitors.

UltraGear Gaming Monitors

LG's UltraGear™ monitors are ideal for competitive gamers or passionate creatives. They offer high refresh rates of up to 240Hz, faster than 1ms, ensuring you can keep up with the latest games and trends. With AMD Radeon™ FreeSync™ 2 technology, you can bid farewell to screen tearing, and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology minimises stutter and input lag for smoother transitions. The UltraGear™ monitors come in various sizes, including curved gaming monitors with a 21:9 aspect ratio for an immersive panoramic gaming experience.

UltraWide Monitors

LG's UltraWide monitors are perfect for those seeking a large panoramic view and multi-screen functionality for enhanced productivity. The 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratios provide ample space for designers, photographers, gamers, and video editors to work with.

UltraFine Monitors

The UltraFine™ collection includes stunning IPS and HDR monitors for incredible clarity. The Thunderbolt™ 4K monitors are compatible with both Mac and Windows devices, ensuring versatility.

Smart Monitors

LG's Smart Monitors, such as the 32" 4K UHD Smart Monitor, come with WebOS, allowing you to access streaming content without connecting to a computer. You can easily watch your favourite shows or tune into LG Channels with just a few clicks.

Lifestyle Monitors

LG's Lifestyle Monitors redefine the traditional desktop setup with portable or customisable options. The 16" LG gram +view IPS Portable Monitor is a great choice for those seeking portability, while the DualUp monitor offers the flexibility to view projects from any angle.

Key Considerations

When choosing an LG monitor, consider the size that best fits your space. Additionally, look for monitors with the right ports, such as HDMI, Thunderbolt™, USB Type-C, and USB, to ensure easy connectivity with your devices. The screen's display resolution is also crucial—LG offers 4K, QHD, and Full HD resolutions suitable for streaming, gaming, creating, and editing.

Comparison with Other Brands

LG offers a wide selection of displays, from high-end to budget-friendly options, and is particularly renowned for its gaming monitors. Their monitors typically provide superior motion handling compared to competitors. LG is also an industry leader in OLED gaming monitors, delivering better picture quality and motion handling than LED-backlit LCD monitors. However, their lower-cost models may have a lower contrast ratio, and they have yet to introduce QD-OLED monitors.

When compared to Dell, LG has a wider selection of models, including 4K LED-backlit gaming displays. On the other hand, Dell's monitors usually offer superior ergonomics and more office-oriented features. Samsung, another competitor, offers similar high-end gaming monitors with advanced features and OLED panels. However, Samsung monitors sometimes experience firmware issues, which are less common on LG monitors.

Acer monitors for gaming and office work

Acer offers a wide range of monitors for gaming and office work. Its standard displays are highly popular as an affordable option that delivers good value for businesses. This makes them a solid choice for home office workers who just need something to write reports in Word or crunch numbers in Excel.

At the other end of the spectrum, Acer's Predator series is considered by many to be among the best gaming monitors you can buy. For less serious gamers, Acer's Nitro brand delivers more affordable models that still provide fast enough refresh rates to satisfy most gaming needs.

Acer also leverages its gaming expertise in its ConceptD series, which are geared toward graphic designers but blur the lines a bit with specs that many gamers would be thrilled with. They don't come cheap, but they're a good pick for graphics artists or animators who like to game on the side.

Some of the best Acer monitors for gaming include:

• Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx
• Nitro XV275U P3biipx
• Nitro KG1 Gaming Monitor
• Nitro VG0 Gaming Monitor
• Nitro XF3 Gaming Monitor
• Predator XB273U GXbmiipuzx
• Predator XB272
• Predator XB253Q GWbmiiprzx
• Predator XB323QK Nbmiiphzx

Some of the best Acer monitors for office work include:

• B247Y
• B248Y
• BE240Y
• BE249Y
• BE270K
• BE247Q
• BE247U
• BE247UQ
• BE270K

ASUS monitors for gaming and creative professionals

ASUS, also known as ASUSTeK, is a Taiwanese company that manufactures a wide range of displays, from gaming monitors to content creator-focused monitors with accurate colours. Their monitors come in various sizes, including large monitors, ultrawide displays, and portable monitors. While they are a reliable brand, especially for gaming monitors, some of their high-end options tend to be more expensive than the competition.

ASUS has two main gaming monitor lineups: the premium Republic of Gamers (ROG) and the more affordable TUF Gaming series. Their high-end products generally offer fantastic gaming performance with smooth motion handling. Some of their high-end displays even include productivity-focused features like a KVM switch and high power delivery via USB-C.

The ROG Swift series is the most advanced, bristling with numerous game-changing innovations. The ROG Strix series is an entry-level alternative to the ROG monitors, offering a carefully selected set of high-end gaming features at palatable prices.

ASUS also has a good amount of options for competitive esports gaming, like those with high refresh rates. They even have some monitors with native G-SYNC support, which you may prefer if you have an NVIDIA graphics card.

For content creators, the ProArt series includes a variety of monitors aimed at creatives working in everything from photography and filmmaking to architecture and engineering. This lineup encompasses both high-end professional monitors that can compete with Apple's best studio displays and more affordable options that still deliver good colour accuracy for photo editing and animation. The ProArt displays feature ASUS Smart HDR Technology, leading industry colour accuracy, factory pre-calibration, wide colour gamuts, and rich connectivity.

For those seeking a portable monitor, the ZenScreen series is compact and versatile, easy to set up anywhere, and can be used in various scenarios.

Frequently asked questions