Looking for the best 4K monitor you can afford? You’ve come to the right place. With 4K video now in most camera phones, in 4K games, and even 4K movies, this incredibly high resolution is now becoming commonplace. There’s a lot of 4K monitors to choose from, but whether you’re looking for the best curved or ultra wide 4K monitor, a 4K display for gaming, design or image editing, or just a stunning 4K display for your home, we’ve got you covered here.
- Best 4k Monitor For 2018 Macbook Pro
- Best 4k Monitor For Macbook Pro 2018
- Best Gaming 4k Monitors 2018
- Best 4k Monitor 2018 For Mac
It helps that 4K displays are much cheaper than they used to be. On the high street, you can find 4K TVs for around the same price that a standard HD screen cost only a few years ago. And for PCs, 4K displays are cheaper than ever. We’ve found the best cheap 4K monitor deals elsewhere, if you’re looking for a great 4K screen that won’t break the bank.
So what’s the best 4K monitor right now? If you remove price from the equation, it's the Eizo ColorEdge CG319X, thanks to its outstanding colour accuracy and built-in hardware calibration tool. However, our top recommendation is the Dell UltraSharp U3219Q, which is an excellent 4K monitor – and a little easier on your wallet.
When it comes to choosing the right display, precise colour accuracy and ultra-vivid picture quality remain coveted features for designers. Although you won’t be disappointed by the image quality on an entry-level 4K display, you’ll need to aim slightly higher to get a screen that offers full coverage of the AdobeRGB or DCI-P3 colour space. (You'll want to invest in the best monitor calibrator as well.)
If you’re looking for great 4K colour accuracy but you really don’t want to shell out for the most high-end 32-inch displays, we’re suggesting, smaller 27-inch displays that are generally more affordable. Download quickbooks desktop 2018 for mac. The Philips Brilliance 272P7VPTKEB is outstanding value at around $500 for excellent image quality. If image editing is your thing, be sure to take a look at our round up of the best monitors for photo editing too.
Best Mac monitors & displays 2018. Our recommendations for the best monitor for your Mac in 2018. Option for home or business users who don't want to pay a fortune for a 4K or 5K monitor. If you're after a mid-range 4K monitor that ups the image quality and provides plenty of features, without costing an exorbitant amount, then Acer’s S277HK is the best mid-range 4K monitor out there. With a 1,000,000,000:1 contrast ratio, a colour gamut of 1.07 billion and a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, the Acer S277HK excels at image quality. Top 10 Best 4K Monitors for Mac in 2018. The price range for 4K monitors is falling down from last few months due to release of few incredible 5K monitors. But you can avail great response from these 4K monitors to meet your routine office, gaming or graphic design needs.
Award Winning Monitor for Photographers: Winner of the TPA Award (Best Photo Monitor), not a 4k monitor like our #1 pick, but also good! The BenQ 27 inch 2K Photographer Monitor (SW2700PT), 2560×1440 QHD, 99% Adobe RGB, 100%; The BenQ SW2700PT is a 27” monitor powered by IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology. It has a display resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (109 ppi) and a contrast ratio of 1000:1. LG also makes a smaller 21.5-inch 4K monitor, and we're big fans. This bad boy has the same ports as its big brother, as well as the built-in speakers, minus the camera and microphone.
When you first gaze at any of these screens, you’ll know where that money went. There’s a visible improvement in colour quality, black levels and brightness with a high-end, colour accurate display, which makes them absolutely superb for working with images or video, and many for gaming too. Read on for our recommendations for the best 4K monitors out there.
The best 4K monitors on Amazon Prime Day
You're no doubt aware that Amazon Prime Day is currently happening, and there are some great deals on 4K monitors rolling in. So if you've been unsure as to what 4K monitor to buy, then a sweet discount might be just the thing to sway you. Here are some of the 4K monitor deal highlights (sign up to Amazon Prime here).
Samsung S32R75032' The Space UHD 4K monitor: Was £439 now £299.99 @Amazon
Save £140: With its 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 resolution, this monitor provides high-quality visuals and also saves space in your studio as it fits neatly on your desk. And at less than £300, it's a bargain.
DEAL EXPIRES: 16 July 11.59pm
Save £140: With its 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 resolution, this monitor provides high-quality visuals and also saves space in your studio as it fits neatly on your desk. And at less than £300, it's a bargain.
DEAL EXPIRES: 16 July 11.59pm
Best 4k Monitor For 2018 Macbook Pro
Philips BDM4350UC/00 43-Inch Brilliance 4K Ultra HD LCD Display Monitor: Was £491.49 now £413.24 @Amazon
Save £78.25: This 43-inch monitor from Phillips has a 4K UHD 2160p resolution and is optimised for fine image and colour quality. You can also show four systems on it. Get 16% off today.
DEAL EXPIRES: 16 July 11.59pm
Save £78.25: This 43-inch monitor from Phillips has a 4K UHD 2160p resolution and is optimised for fine image and colour quality. You can also show four systems on it. Get 16% off today.
DEAL EXPIRES: 16 July 11.59pm
The best 4K monitors right now
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01. Dell Ultrasharp U3219Q
Pro features for under a grand put this 4K monitor top of our list
Screen size: 32-inch | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel tech: IPS | Inputs: 1x HDMI, 1x Displayport | USB: 4 x USB 3.0, 1x USB Type C
Thin 6mm bezel
.. but not quite 100% AdobeRGB
Dell has a long history of offering high quality displays, and each year its newest models raise the bar for image quality and features. The Dell UltraSharp U3219Q is the company's 2019 flagship 4K 32-inch screen – and we love it. It offers full sRGB and Rec. 709 coverage, with 95% DCI-P3 and great colour uniformity, making it a great choice for pro designers and creatives. Best of all, it isn’t quite the wallet buster that some high-end screens are. Although it lacks the built-in colour calibrator you get with some screens – like the eye-wateringly expensive Eizo ColorEdge CG319X below – the U3219Q's overall build is extremely high quality, with a modern design, matt IPS panel finish, 6mm thin bezels and USB-C. If you need pro features, superb colour accuracy and don't have a spare four grand, this is the best 4K monitor you can buy right now.
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02. Eizo ColorEdge CG319X
The best 4K monitor you can buy – with a pro price tag to match
Screen size: 31.1-inch | Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 2 x DisplayPort, 2 x HDMI, | USB: 3 x USB 3.0
Outstanding colour accuracy
Includes monitor hood
The Eizo ColorEdge CG319X is undoubtedly the connoisseur’s choice in high-quality displays. Eizo displays are a very familiar sight in professional video and photography studios – and this 31-inch 4K monitor, with a 10-bit display and 24-bit colour look-up table, represents a big upgrade over its predecessor. The CG319X also boasts one feature that sets it apart from all competing high-end 4K screens. Unlike other 4K monitors, the CG318-4K has a 4096 x 2160 resolution. This reflects the different, slightly taller 4K standard used in digital video production, compared with the 3840 x 2160 resolution used in most computer displays. All of this monitor's features come together to produce a jaw-dropping image, making your creative work shine. Oh, and there's a built-in calibration tool to constantly keep your colours as accurate as possible, which pops across the screen every time it's powered on, along with a bundled monitor hood. If money is no object, the Eizo ColorEdge CG319X is the best 4K monitor you can buy right now
03. Phillips Brilliance 272P7VPTKEB
This 4K monitor has great image quality at a very attractive price point
Screen size: 27-inch | Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 2 x DisplayPort, 1x Mini-DP, 1 x HDMI, 1x VGA | USB: 3 x USB 3.0
Excellent image
Fiddly OSD controls
Compared with some of the pricey high-end colour accurate screens, the Phillips Brilliance 272P7VPTKEB (catchy name, we know) is an excellent alternative, as it’s great value for money and can serve up an excellent image. It’s a 27-inch IPS panel with measured 99% sRGB and 73% AdobeRGB coverage, a thin-bezel design and a few extras such as a pop-up webcam that works when the built-in USB hub is connected. It’s not really aimed at graphic designers – the colour presets are given terms like 'office' and 'movie' rather than 'sRGB' and 'DCI-P3' and the fiddly underside buttons make it tricky to flick through on-screen menu options. And although the image quality isn’t as high-end as it gets, with a Delta-E under 2, rather than under 1, and a 270-nit measured brightness, this screen still looks very impressive and won’t disappoint.
04. BenQ SW271
A fantastic 4K monitor for all kinds of image editing
Screen size: 27-inch | Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 2 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, | USB: 2 x USB 3.0, 1x USB-C
Fantastic image quality
Might be too small for some
BenQ already has a strong portfolio of gaming and general-purpose 4K displays of different sizes, all featuring the company’s trademark “puck’ - a wired remote control that sits in the base and makes it much easier to flip through colour settings and presets than constant fiddling with on-screen controls. The SW271 is a 27-inch IPS 4K display with a 10-bit HDR panel and a 14-bit LUT, aimed squarely at photography and graphic design use. The headline features for graphics work are 99% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB coverage and a whole range of colour settings to choose, including a gamma range from 1.6 to 2.6, numerous calibration modes and excellent brightness and contrast levels that really offer a up a sumptuous picture.
Thin surrounding bezels, a flexible stand that tilts, rotates and swivels, and a reasonably generous set of display inputs with picture-in-picture modes rounds off this premium offering from BenQ.
05. Lenovo ThinkVision P32u
Full Adobe RGB coverage makes this Lenovo worth a look
Screen size: 32-inch | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x Thunderbolt 3 | USB: 4 x USB 3.0, 1 x Thunderbolt 3
Thunderbolt 3
Whenever Lenovo launches a Think-branded product, you can expect high quality, which is exactly what you get from its designer-focused ThinkVision display. An excellent design, plenty of ports and great picture quality make the premium Lenovo ThinkVision P32U worth its high asking price. 100% AdobeRGB coverage is enough to compete with top-end screens, and it has Thunderbolt 3, which lets you connect and charge laptops from a single port. This professional-grade 4K monitor isn't cheap, but it certainly is impressive.
06. BenQ PD3200U
A brilliant 4K monitor for video editing and 3D work
Screen size: 32-inch | Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 1 x DisplayPort, 1x Mini-DP, 1 x HDMI, | USB: 4 x USB 3.0
4K resolution
Design may seem dull to some
The BenQ PD3200U's screen size and resolution make it a great choice for designers and creators. It isn't the cheapest model in our guide (for that, scroll down to the Iiyama at number 07) but it's a more affordable option for pro creatives than the other options so far. So what's so good about it? Well, the screen is a hefty 32-inches, which makes working with 4K images and videos much more comfortable. 3D designers will be grateful for the inclusion of a CAD/CAM mode, and everyone else will appreciate the factory-calibrated colour accuracy and Rec. 709 adherence.
07. Philips Brilliance BDM4065UC
The best big 4K monitor right now
Screen size: 40-inch | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: VA | Inputs: 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 1 x VGA | USB: 4 x USB 3.0
Just huge
Can use Windows desktop at 4K with normal DPI settings
High power consumption
The Philips Brilliance BDM4065UC is an incredible display – but do you really want a 40-inch panel? Based on VA-IPS panel technology, it offers extremely good contrast, with 300 cd/m2 brightness. Its menu is controlled with a small joystick at the back and it also offers a four-way picture-in-picture (PIP) mode, allowing you to allocate a quarter of the screen to each video input. On such a large 4K screen, each connected device will have its own 1920 x 1080 screen area – perfect for seeing your designs in Illustrator CC or working on your 3D art on one machine while looking up reference images on another device on the same screen, for example.
08. Viewsonic VP2785-4K
This 4K monitor has a bright picture and great contrast
Screen size: 27-inch | Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 1 x DisplayPort, 1x Mini-DP, 2 x HDMI | USB: 3 x USB 3.0, 1x USB-C
Excellent picture quality
Fiddly to put together
Viewsonic has a few colour accurate displays on the market, and the VP2785-4K is the most high-end model in its catalogue, a 27-inch 4K IPS screen, sporting 100% srGB and quoted 99% AdobeRGB coverage. It’s a bit fiddly to put together, requiring a screwdriver to attach the panel to the stand, but the overall design is extremely svelte, with a thin and light build, near edge-to-edge screen, and only a small bezel at the bottom that accommodates touch-sensitive controls. With a 14-bit LUT, 700:1 contrast ratio and 375-nit brightness, the picture quality of the VP2785-4K won’t disappoint, although it doesn’t quite deliver the same eye-popping colours of the most high-end 4K displays money can buy.
09. Asus ProArt PA32UC-K
One of the best 4K screens on the market
Screen size: 32-inch | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: IPS | Inputs: 4 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x Thunderbolt 3 | USB: 2 x USB 3.0 Type A, 1x USB 3.0 Type C
Full AdobeRGB coverage
Thunderbolt 3
Best 4k Monitor For Macbook Pro 2018
Asus has updated its flagship ProArt 4K display, the ProArt PA32UC-K, with a more premium appearance, 10-bit colour, a whole new set of inputs (including Thunderbolt 3), much higher 1000-nit brightness and even better accuracy, now using a 14-bit look-up table (LUT). Hardware support for colour calibrators is now included out of the box and accuracy can hit 100% sRGB, 99.5% Adobe RGB, 95% DCI-P3 and 85% Rec.20. All very impressive, but it comes at a high price. That said, with a feature list and image quality that now puts it up there with the most high-end screens The PA32UC-4K is more competitively priced than first appears. This is one of the best 4K monitors you can buy.
10. Iiyama B2888UHSU
One of the best cheap 4K monitors you can buy
Screen size: 28-inch | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: TN | Inputs: 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI | USB: 4 x USB 3.0
Very affordable 4K display
Narrow viewing angles with TN panel
Iiyama's 28-inch B2888UHSU is a lot more reasonably priced than many of the options we've presented in this buying guide. It uses a TN panel with a 1ms response time, and although the viewing angles aren't quite as wide as you'll find with an IPS display, there are plenty of small extras that make the B2888UHSU a really good buy. It has plenty of inputs, too, plus a fully adjustable stand, and a picture-in-picture mode, so you can use two devices simultaneously with this monitor.
11. Samsung U28E590D
This slick 28-inch 4K monitor boasts a dazzling 8.3 billion pixels
Screen size: 28-inch | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Panel technology: TN | Inputs: 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI | USB: None
4K display
Slightly reduced viewing angles
The U28E590D is a slick 28-inch 4K monitor with a beautiful design and a whopping 8.3 billion pixels. DisplayPort 1.2 gives you fluid 60Hz 4K, while everything is detailed and clear thanks to a brightness of 370cd/m. Picture settings can be tweaked using the on-screen menu, or you can sit back and enable its Dynamic Contrast mode to do the heavy lifting. There's also very smart port placement, so you won't have to bend around the back to connect any cables or peripherals. Best macbook pro cases 13 inch.
The best monitors for creatives
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What is 4K resolution?
4K, also known as Ultra HD, refers to the high-definition resolution 3840 x 2160 pixels, which is four times the 1920 x 1080 pixels found in a full HD TV. Those extra pixels are particularly appealing for creatives and gamers who want the best colour accuracy and detail from their displays.
Related articles:
- After a new round of testing, the 4K HP Z27 is our new pick for the best 27-inch monitor.
- After a new round of testing, the 4K HP Z27 is our new pick for the best 27-inch monitor.If you don’t want (or can’t use) 4K, get the HP Z27n G2. And if you need a cheaper 4K monitor, we recommend the Acer KA270HK.
Your guide
- Andrew Cunningham
Most people buying a 27-inch monitor should get the HP Z27. It’s color accurate, it has a 4K screen, it offers plenty of useful ports, and it can charge a USB-C laptop. 4K monitors no longer cost much more than good non-4K monitors, and they also look a lot better and work with most modern computers. But if you have an older computer that can’t use a 4K monitor, if you have apps that don’t scale well, or if you want to save (a little) money, HP’s Z27n G2 is your best option.
Our pick
HP Z27
The HP Z27 offers great color accuracy, an ergonomic stand, a variety of useful ports—including a USB-C port with DisplayPort and 65 W power delivery—and a three-year warranty.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $544.
The HP Z27 has an ergonomic stand that you can adjust for height as well as tilt, swivel, and pivot, and HP’s three-year warranty and dead-pixel policy are about as good as you can get with any monitor. It also has a USB-C port that can carry the display signal, USB data, and up to 65 W of power over a single cable, more than enough to charge most 13- and 15-inch laptops; it’s a great option if you’re trying to eliminate cable clutter.
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Also great
HP Z27n G2
If your hardware or software can’t use a 4K monitor, the Z27n G2 is a 2560×1440 model with good color accuracy, an adjustable stand, and a port selection that’s almost as good as on the 4K Z27.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $351.
The 2560×1440 (QHD) resolution of the HP Z27n G2 isn’t as sharp as a 4K screen, but this monitor is cheaper, and it’s just as color accurate as our top pick. It also has a nearly identical adjustable stand, three-year warranty, and dead-pixel policy, and it will work great with older computers or apps that can’t scale to 4K. Its USB-C ports don’t put out enough power to charge a laptop, and its default sRGB color preset has image-retention problems, but its Neutral color preset doesn’t have the same issues and is more than accurate enough for most people.
Everything we recommend
Our pick
HP Z27
The HP Z27 offers great color accuracy, an ergonomic stand, a variety of useful ports—including a USB-C port with DisplayPort and 65 W power delivery—and a three-year warranty.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $544.
Also great
HP Z27n G2
If your hardware or software can’t use a 4K monitor, the Z27n G2 is a 2560×1440 model with good color accuracy, an adjustable stand, and a port selection that’s almost as good as on the 4K Z27.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $351.
Why you should trust us
Andrew Cunningham spent more than six years testing, reviewing, and otherwise writing about PCs, Macs, and other gadgets for AnandTech and Ars Technica. He has been building, upgrading, and fixing PCs for more than 15 years, and he spent five of those years in IT departments buying and repairing laptops and desktops as well as helping people buy the best tech for their needs.
Our monitor guides benefit from the expert advice of Wirecutter senior staff writer Chris Heinonen—AnandTech’s former monitor guru and the guy a number of other reviewers go to for display-testing advice. He helped us figure out the best hardware and software to use for our testing, and he designed the evaluation process.
Who this is for
If you have room for it on your desk, a 27-inch monitor is an ideal size. If you use lots of apps at once and have good eyesight, a 27-inch monitor fits a lot more information than smaller screens do. If you have poor eyesight, you can scale up the size of text and images and still have a usable amount of desktop space.
Most people buying a new monitor for a computer or graphics card made in 2015 or later should buy a 4K monitor. They make text and images look much sharper, they’re not much more expensive than their non-4K counterparts, they’re much easier to set up and use than before, and operating systems and applications have (mostly) adapted to scale up to the higher resolution. Our full guide to 4K monitors has even more picks for people who need larger, smaller, or higher-resolution screens.
If you have an older computer that doesn’t support DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0, or if you rely on one or more apps that you know don’t scale well on a 4K screen, you should consider a 2560×1440 monitor (also known as a Quad HD or QHD monitor) instead. These monitors aren’t as sharp as 4K screens, but they are often a little cheaper, and it’s still easy to find models with plenty of ports, excellent adjustable stands, and great picture quality.
Neither type of 27-inch monitor is the best fit for everyone. If you don’t have enough space on your desk for a model of this size, one of our 24-inch monitor picks might be better. If you’re a gamer and you want a smoother frame rate and a more responsive screen, we have gaming monitor recommendations for either AMD or Nvidia graphics cards. And if you work with lots of big spreadsheets or databases (or multiple apps side by side) and you don’t want a multi-monitor setup—either because you don’t have the space for them or you want one large, continuous workspace—read our guide to ultrawide monitors.
Best Gaming 4k Monitors 2018
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Best 4k Monitor 2018 For Mac
The Best Monitors
We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing monitors of all shapes and sizes to find the best one for any need (or budget).