The best monitors for work and gaming in 2023

Do you need a new display for work or gaming? These are the best monitors money can buy in 2023
Choosing the best monitor for your needs has become immensely important now that so many of us are working from home. The thing is, monitors aren't the most straightforward product: there’s a huge range of different models out there, and no two are quite alike in image quality, specifications, features or price. On top of this, most have impossibly confusing names and many are quite hard to tell apart. In other words: there's loads to consider and – given the cash you'll be spending – not a lot of room for error.
Don't panic: we've got the answers. To help you decide which monitor is best for you, we’ve scoured through our extensive repertoire of reviews to select the best budget, mid-range and high-end office and gaming monitors you can buy. Read on for our favourite monitors of the year, as well as a detailed buying guide designed to help demystify the world of consumer displays.
Best monitor: At a glance
- Best home office monitor: Philips 243B9H | Buy now
- Best-value monitor: AOC Q27P2CA | Buy now
- Best cheap 4K monitor: AOC U2790PQU | Buy now
- Best cheap ultrawide monitor: LG UltraWide Ergo 34WN780 | Buy now
How to choose the best monitor for you
What monitor size and resolution should I buy?
Full HD: A resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. In the office space, these are generally the cheapest and are available in 24in to 27in sizes.
WQHD: A resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. The sweet spot for office and gaming, WHQD monitors are available at a huge range of prices and usually measure between 27in-32in.
UHD: A resolution of 3,840 x 2,160. Normally not very cheap (although sub-£400 models do exist). These monitors also tend to come in 27in to 32in sizes.
Ultrawide: Most commonly a resolution of 3,440 x 1,440, although 5,120 x 1,440 and 2,560 x 1,080 variants also exist. These are usually more expensive but the 21:9 aspect ratio gives you tonnes of screen real estate.
For gamers, the resolution you choose will be tied to the power of your gaming console or PC, but normal office users shouldn't worry about this. For you, price is the most important consideration here, followed by the amount of room you have at home, followed by the amount of space you need on your screen.
We usually recommend 27in WQHD monitors as a great starting point both in terms of price and performance.
READ NEXT: The best budget monitors to buy
What panel type should I buy?
A monitor's panel – that is, the screen – will perform differently depending on the type of technology used. IPS panels are the most common kind: these have great colours, viewing angles and response times but generally have mediocre contrast. VA panels are cheaper than IPS and have worse viewing angles, response times and colours, but they're known for great contrast. TN panels are uncommon these days: they're cheap, super responsive and have good viewing angles but have poor colours and contrast.
Don't limit yourself to a single panel type; the gaps between each type are always shrinking. We list this information so that you know what to expect from the monitor you choose.
READ NEXT: The best gaming monitors to buy
What refresh rate do I need?
The refresh rate is described as a number in hertz (Hz), where the number is how many times your monitor refreshes per second. The higher the number, the smoother all movements (such as scrolling down a page, moving your cursor or moving your camera in-game) will look.
You should expect any monitor you buy to have at least a 60Hz refresh rate. Some push that figure as high as 144Hz, 240Hz or even 360Hz: these are chiefly aimed at gamers, and you’ll need a powerful graphics card for your gaming PC to cope.
READ NEXT: The best 1440p monitors to buy
What extras should I look for?
Stand: A good stand will provide height adjustment, left and right swivel, forwards and backwards tilt and possibly rotation into portrait orientation. It's worth spending a bit more on a good stand if you can – your back, neck and eyes will thank you.
Ports: Monitors offer more than just HDMI or DP ports. Some come with USB-A hubs for your keyboard/mouse, while others support USB-C for charging a connected laptop. Obviously, the more the merrier, but your budget will dictate how many extras you can afford.
READ NEXT: The best cheap gaming monitors to buy
The best monitors you can buy in 2023
1. Philips 243B9H: Best home office monitor
Price: £290 | Buy now from Amazon || Size: 24in | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
The Philips 243B9H is a cracking productivity monitor with a small 1080p panel, a flexible stand, a built-in webcam and an appealing price. It also has a USB-C port that supports file transfers, video transmission and charging, which means the 243B9H is one of the more affordable ways to enjoy the benefits of USB-C.
The panel is great for the price, producing 90% of the sRGB colour gamut with low colour variance and an impressive contrast ratio of 1,230:1 when tested in default mode. The peak luminance is decent, too, and the colour temperature in default mode hit 6600K, which means virtually no red/blue tint. It uses IPS technology, so viewing angles are strong, and response times are decent at 4ms grey-to-grey (G2G). Pair that with a 75Hz refresh rate and you’ve got a halfway decent budget gaming monitor.
The stand pivots, swivels and tilts, and it also offers 150mm of height adjustment, so you’re well equipped to deal with posture problems. And the pop-up 2MP Windows Hello webcam is a lovely bonus in this remote-working age. The webcam won’t win any awards, and the speakers aren’t much to shout about either, but at this price it’s very hard to find any other faults.
Read our full Philips 243B9H review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1; Other ports: 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 75Hz
2. Samsung Odyssey G7 (C27G75T/C32G75T): Best gaming monitor
Price: £470 | Buy now from Samsung || Size: 27/32in | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440
The Samsung Odyssey G7 broke new ground for gaming monitors. It was the first to feature a dramatic 1000R curvature, which pulls you right into the action when gaming, and it was the first VA panelled screen to have a 1ms grey-to-grey (G2G) response time, ensuring fast, largely blur-free gaming. With a high refresh rate of 240Hz and support for the HDR600 standard it’s among the best monitors you can buy from a colour performance perspective as well.
We tested the 32in Odyssey G7 but it’s also available in 27in for £550, and that's the model that offers most bang for your buck. The resolution isn’t 4K, but at 2,560 x 1,440 it strikes a good balance between sharpness and mitigating the performance impact higher-resolution displays inevitably have on gaming performance.
Overall, the Odyssey G7 does more than enough to earn its place as the undisputed king of gaming monitors. It’s a classy gaming monitor with brilliant image quality and incredibly slick gaming credentials.
Read our full Samsung Odyssey G7 review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: VA; Video inputs: 2 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 240Hz
3. BenQ GL2780: Best budget monitor
Price: £170 | Buy now from Amazon || Size: 27in | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Buying a cheap monitor can be a minefield, but there’s no problem whatsoever with the BenQ GL2780. Despite the fact that it uses a TN panel, the image quality is second to none at this price. Colour accuracy and contrast are spot on and, although the resolution isn’t the sharpest, 1080p is still fine for most purposes as long as you don’t sit too close.
The GL2780 also has some seriously handy extra features, including an automatic brightness mode and blue light reduction for those who experience eye strain, and it has lots and lots of inputs: HDMI, DVI-D, D-SUB and DisplayPort; the only thing missing is USB-C. With a refresh rate up to 75Hz it also makes for a decent budget gaming monitor.
Add built-in speakers and sturdy build quality and you have a product that’s simply stunningly good value. If you’re after a big monitor for working at home, look no further than the BenQ GL2780.
Read our full BenQ GL2780 review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: TN; Video inputs: 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI 1.4, DVI-D, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 2 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 75Hz
4. Gigabyte G27QC: Best-value gaming monitor
Price: £315 | Buy now from Box || Size: 27in | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440
As cheap 1440p gaming monitors go, the Gigabyte G27QC is something of a veteran. This 165Hz VA monitor was one of the first to adopt that magical combination of panel tech, resolution and frame rate, and it manages to outshine many others to this day.
While the 1500R curvature, 165Hz refresh rate and high-contrast VA panel are definitely the headline act here, this incredibly effective specs combo is supported by an excellent selection of additional features. The stand supports 110mm of height adjustment and 20 degrees of backwards tilt, which is a touch more than most monitors in this price range. In a similarly generous manner, the G27QC packs a two-port USB hub onto the port panel alongside the usual HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports – all of this is flanked by a pair of built-in speakers, too.
This monitor supports HDR10 decoding but has no official DisplayHDR rating; with a peak luminance in both SDR and HDR of around 320cd/m² and a contrast ratio of 3,100:1, however, you’ll be plenty satisfied with the vibrant, impactful image the G27QC produces. In our tests the G27QC produced 117% of the sRGB colour gamut and an admirable 83% of the DCI-P3 gamut, and it did so without exceeding a Delta E of 3.
As this is a VA panel, ghosting is a definite issue, so we’d suggest that e-sports fanatics look elsewhere. If you’re a casual gamer with a small budget and big expectations, however, the G27QC won’t disappoint.
Read our full Gigabyte G27QC review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: VA; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 165Hz
5. AOC Q27P2CA: Best-value monitor
Price: £300 | Buy now from Laptops Direct || Size: 27in | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440
The AOC Q27P2CA is our favourite 1440p monitor, and for good reason. This 27in IPS office monitor packs a shedload of features into its matte black frame. The stand provides all of the necessary adjustment options, including 150mm of height adjustment, portrait mode support and 180 degrees of swivel. AOC takes a similarly committed approach to ports: the Q27P2CA has four USB-A ports (two easily accessible on the side of the monitor) for your peripherals and a USB-C port for delivering up to 65W of power and carrying a video signal simultaneously. If you work on a laptop with very few ports, the Q27P2CA is a great choice.
This monitor continued to deliver when we put it through our in-house tests. Out of the box the Q27PCA is colour-accurate, bright and punchy, with particularly strong results in sRGB mode and good brightness and contrast for an office monitor. Like many such monitors, the Q27P2CA has a 75Hz refresh rate and a 4ms response time, and it’s Nvidia G-Sync compatible, too. It’s not for hardcore gamers, but casual players won’t be too disappointed.
If you’re after a monitor that provides an unbeatable ratio of features to price, the Q27P2CA is a fine choice.
Read our full AOC Q27P2CA review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 2 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1; Other ports: 4 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 75Hz
6. LG Gram Plus View: Best portable monitor
Price: £299 | Buy now from LG || Size: 16in | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,600
The LG Gram Plus View is a gorgeous portable monitor. Although it's best used alongside one of LG's latest Gram 16/17 laptops, the Plus View is a great choice for anyone looking to expand their screen real estate in style.
The Plus View has a 16in IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. It's only got two ports - one USB-C port on either side - and just a brightness adjustment rocker by way of buttons. The case doubles as a stand and attaches magnetically to the rear of the panel.
Don't be fooled by this simplicity, however: the Plus View performs exceptionally well, delivering crisp visuals, stunning colours and remarkably good accuracy. If you're spending any time on Photoshop, the Plus View is a convenient way to give yourself more space to work - and it's great for working at a cramped desk, too.
Read our full LG Gram Plus View review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 2 x USB-C 3.0; Other ports: None; Speakers: None; Refresh rate: 60Hz
7. Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ: Best 4K gaming monitor
Price: £850 | Buy now from Currys || Size: 32in | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
The Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ is a beefy 32in 4K gaming monitor built for PC and next-gen consoles. It's got two HDMI 2.1 ports to enable 4K at 120Hz with variable refresh rate (VRR) support on PS5 and Xbox Series X, although its actual maximum refresh rate is 144Hz. It also supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and is Nvidia G-Sync compatible. Throw in a DisplayHDR 600 certification with 16 local dimming zones and you're looking at a ridiculously capable gaming monitor.
In practice, the Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ is something to behold. It topped out at 614cd/m² with HDR enabled: the segmented backlight and wide gamut panel helped to produce pretty convincing high dynamic range content. This is a punchy, colour-accurate monitor with good response times, great viewing angles and very little motion blur.
It's also quite a practical monitor. I'm not overly fond of the OSD controls, yes, but there's no arguing with the versatile stand and four-port USB-A hub. This is an indication that you're getting relatively good value for money – although of course, it's still hard to ignore the price. Assuming you can afford it, however, the PG32UQ is a great monitor for next-gen gamers and PC fans alike.
Read our full Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 2 x HDMI 2.1; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 144Hz
8. AOC U2790PQU: Best budget 4K monitor
Price: £352 | Buy now from Amazon || Size: 27in | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
If you’re looking for a 4K 27in IPS screen and have a budget of around £300, we’re happy to recommend the AOC U2790PQU. In spite of the low price, it manages to hold onto a few crucial features for heavy users, lessening the number of sacrifices you’ll make in the process of saving money.
For example, the AOC U2790PQU offers just as many adjustment options as its more expensive rivals. The three key benefits here are 130mm of height adjustment, 90 degrees of swivel and support for portrait mode – that’s more than you’ll find on most budget monitors. Anecdotally, the stand is sturdy enough to prevent wobble when accessing the on-screen display, something that’s also a rarity among budget panels.
Provided you switch the AOC from default to sRGB mode, you can expect good image quality, with strong colour reproduction and a low Delta E. Contrast is less impressive at 869:1, but peak brightness is more so at 465cd/m². In other words, this is a fine monitor for office use, but perhaps not for professionals.
At its core, though, the AOC U2790PQU is impressive simply because it packs 3,840 x 2,160 pixels into a remarkably classy 27in frame at a price that cannot be ignored. There are compromises, but they have been thoughtfully picked so as to not detract from the overall user experience.
Read our full AOC U2790PQU review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 75Hz
9. LG UltraWide Ergo 34WN780: Best budget ultrawide monitor
Price: £490 | Buy now from Amazon || Size: 34in | Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440
With a shedload of features and top-notch performance at a price that will make you double-take, the LG UltraWide QHD IPS HDR Monitor Ergo (LG UltraWide Ergo to you and me) is one seriously appealing ultrawide monitor.
Chief among these appealing features is the ergonomic arm mount that comes in lieu of a normal stand. This obviously means you can swivel, pivot, tilt, extend, retract, raise and lower the monitor in a superlatively flexible manner. If you lack desk space but still want a 3,440 x 1,440 monitor for office duties, the UltraWide Ergo is your best option.
Office duties are probably the only thing you’ll be using the Ergo for, but that’s not to say it isn’t a strong performer. We measured 98% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut with a Delta E colour variance score of just 0.8, meaning any inaccuracies are imperceptible. A 5ms response time and max refresh rate of just 75Hz don’t bode well for gamers, but the Ergo does at least support AMD FreeSync.
Connectivity is standard for the price, with two HDMI 2 ports, 1 DP 1.4 port and a two-port USB-A 3 hub for your peripherals. The lack of USB-C is the only truly glaring omission here: otherwise, the UltraWide Ergo is a phenomenal monitor for anyone in need of a flexible monitor for heavy-duty workloads.
Read our full LG UltraWide Ergo review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 2 x HDMI 2.0; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: Yes; Refresh rate: 75Hz
10. Dell UltraSharp U2720Q: Best 4K monitor
Price: £677 | Buy now from Amazon || Size: 27in | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
Are you after a practical, colour-accurate screen that minimises the cable nest beneath your desk? This 27in 4K screen fits the bill, and it does so at an RRP that, while not exactly cheap, certainly belies its feature set and performance. It’s not the most exciting monitor on the planet, but with a vast number of useful features and a gorgeous IPS panel, it’s quietly impressive.
The Dell UltraSharp U2720Q boasts a hearty selection of ports, with DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 inputs sitting adjacent to an eye-popping two USB-C 3.0 ports (one downstream, one upstream). It also has a three-port USB-A 3.0 hub for peripherals, one of which delivers up to 2A of power. The OSD is navigated via four small buttons mounted at the bottom of the screen. We prefer joysticks on the whole but found that we had zero difficulties navigating the user interface – the function of each button is clearly labelled and contextually specific, which helps a great deal. Our only issue was that the monitor wobbled a tad on its stand each time we pressed a button.
This is also one seriously adjustable monitor. On top of the usual 130mm of height adjustment and 90 degrees of rotation, the UltraSharp can also pivot 45 degrees from left to right, making it easier to adjust for odd viewing angles.
Top all this off with some stellar results in our various benchmarking tests and you’ve got yourself a great all-rounder.
Read our full Dell UltraSharp U2720Q review for details
Other key specs – Screen technology: IPS; Video inputs: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x USB-C 3.0 (upstream); Other ports: 1 x USB-C 3.0 (downstream), 3 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Speakers: No; Refresh rate: 75Hz