A monitor might not always seem like the most necessary thing. If you’re working on a laptop, you might already feel like you’ve got a good enough display. You might spend most of your time gaming on a 4K TV. With those two displays already available, a monitor can come across as pointless, but there’s actually a fair bit of value to get out of a decent monitor, and you won’t have to spend too much.There’s a wide variety of affordable monitors, and our top picks all offer at least a Full HD picture to ensure clarity for your work or games. The big perk is that most also deliver much more screen real estate than a laptop display, and it doesn’t take long to get a feel for how much smoother your work can go when you have the space to spread out multiple windows without shrinking text to illegible levels. They also can have an edge over TVs, with a tendency toward fast response times and better handling of fine print (think all the black text on white backgrounds). If you’ve got a lot of work to do, these perks can make a monitor absolutely worth having around, and our budget picks will make it easy to find one that gets the job done affordably.TL;DR These are the Best Budget Monitors:
1. Dell UltraSharp U2415
Best Budget Monitor
Screen size: 24.1″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 1,920 x 1,200 Panel type: IPS Brightness: 300cd/m2 Refresh rate: 60Hz Response time: 6ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 Color support: 8-bit (6-bit + FRC) Inputs: 2 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x mini DisplayPort, 1 x DisplayPort Weight: 18.41 pounds Size: 21″ x 15.9″ x 8.07″
The Dell UltraSharp U2415 is a staple monitor in offices and homes all around the world. Its not surprising considering that it’s one of the best all-around monitors with good brightness, contrast, and color. Best of all, every one of these screens are color calibrated at Dells factories so youll get the same picture if you decide to go for a multi-monitor setup.
The monitors Full HD (1,920 x 1,200) resolution looks sharp enough given its 24-inch screen size. That said, the 16:10 aspect ratio gives you just a little more vertical real estate so you can see your webpages, emails, documents or what have you at a glance.
2. Asus EyeCare VZ249HE
Ultra Cheap Monitor
Screen size: 23.8″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 Panel type: IPS Brightness: 250cd/m2 Refresh rate: 60Hz Response time: 5ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 Color support: 8-bit (6-bit + FRC) Inputs: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x D-sub Weight: 6.39 pounds Size: 21.3″ x 15.4″ x 8.31″
If youre looking for something truly cheap and still good, look no further than the Asus EyeCare VZ249HE. This $180 monitor features a decently sized 24-inch screen and a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution in a slim, slim-bezel design. Better yet it utilizes an IPS panel so you get wide viewing angles and great color reproduction too.
The EyeCare in this monitors name refers to the four levels of blue light reduction it features. Essentially you can set the monitor to produce increasing levels of warm light depending. Level 1 and 2 are good for viewing web pages and media in a well ambient lighting situation. Meanwhile, youll want to bump up to level 3 and 4 if youre looking at documents all day or working in a dimly lit situation.
3. Samsung 27-inch Space Monitor
Best Budget 1440p Monitor
Screen size: 27″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 Panel type: VA Brightness: 250cd/m2 Refresh rate: 144Hz Response time: 4ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 Color support: 8-bit (6-bit + FRC) Inputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort Weight: 12.79 pounds Size: 24.20″ x 28.75″ x 4.55″
The Samsung 27-inch Space Monitor (SR75) is an incredible display that not only gives you a larger screen for a budget price but also an integrated monitor arm. The coolest thing about it is by far its space-saving design. Rather than utilizing a base with large feet, this display comes on a stand that clips to the back of your desk. Meanwhile, the monitor arm that lets you change how close it sits from you as well as its height.
The monitor itself is no slouch either. For starters, youre getting a large 27-inch screen and a sharp QHD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution. The IPS panel on this monitor also comes with a surprisingly fast 144Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time, which makes it a little more gaming-capable than the other displays on this list.
4. Philips P-Line 272P7VUBNB
Best Budget 4K Monitor
Screen size: 27″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 Panel type: IPS Brightness: 350cd/m2 Refresh Rate: 60Hz Response time: 4ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 Color support: 1.07b, 8-bit (6-bit + FRC) Inputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x USB-C Weight: 16.9 pounds Size: 24.2″ x 21.6″ x 10.1″
The Philips 272P7VUBNB is one of the few monitors that let you max out your screen resolution without breaking the bank. This 27-inch monitor features an IPS panel with a 4K resolution and the ability to produce 1.07 billion colors. Its peak brightness only sits at 350-nits so it’s not a true HDR monitor but we have an option below if thats what youre looking for.
One other thing thats great about the Philips 272P7VUBNB is it comes with a built-in USB-C docking station. So if you have a laptop equipped with a USB-C port, you can plug in a single cable to carry the video signal, connect any USB peripherals you have connected to the monitor and power your laptop all at the same time. Note that the USB-C port can only supply up to 65W of power, so it can only recharge devices like Ultrabooks and Chromebooks.
5. AOC 27G2 Gaming Monitor
Best Budget Gaming Monitor
Screen size: 27″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 Panel type: IPS FreeSync, G-Sync Compatible Brightness: 250cd/m2 Refresh rate: 144Hz Response time: 1ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 Color support: 118% sRGB, 88% Adobe RGB Inputs: 2 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x D-Sub 3.0 Weight: 11.98 pounds Size: 24.11″ x 15.57″ x 8.95″
A lot of gaming equipment can be on the expensive side, but there are the occasional gems that land at a budget price. That’s the case with the AOC 27G2. This gaming monitor gives you an excellent 27 inches of screen, which is plenty to play on, and it uses an IPS panel rather than a cheaper TN panel. It’s limited to a 1080p resolution and isn’t the brightest at 250 nits, but that’s definitely acceptable for gaming if you can avoid sunlight shining directly on your screen.That 1080p resolution will also be easier for your system to drive, which means you can take better advantage of the 144Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming. And, if you’re not always hitting 144 frames per second, FreeSync or G-Sync can keep your games looking good. As a nice bonus, this affordable monitor even has a fairly adjustable stand with a slot for routing your cables.
6. Monoprice CrystalPro
Best Budget HDR Monitor
Screen size: 27″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 Panel type: IPS Brightness: 400cd/m2 HDR Compatibility: DisplayHDR 400 Refresh rate: 60Hz Response time: 4ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,300:1 Color support: 1.07b, 10-bit (8-bit + FRC) Inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2 Weight: 15.9 pounds Size: 24.3″ x 21.7″ x 7.3″
Believe it or not, you can actually break into HDR on a budget. Monoprice’s CrystalPro monitor offers up a 4K UHD display at 27 inches, giving you a super sharp image, and it turns things up with DisplayHDR 400 certification. That means it’ll hit a peak brightness of 400 nits.
Color is another key feature here, as this monitor can display a 10-bit color depth (albeit using FRC). It covers 100% of the sRGB color space, so you’ll get rich colors when watching content or editing photos. And, as this monitor uses an IPS panel, you can count on the image to remain consist even when viewing it from off angles. To get the best color out of this monitor, you may have to run some color calibration first.
7. LG UltraWide 34WL750-B
Best Budget Ultrawide Monitor
Screen size: 34″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440 Panel type: IPS, AMD FreeSync Brightness: 430cd/m2 HDR Compatibility: HDR10 Refresh rate: 60Hz Response time: 5ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 Color support: 1.07b, 10-bit (8-bit + FRC) Inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2 Weight: 16.76 pounds Size: 32.5″ x 18.1″ x 8.58″
The LG UltraWide 34WL750-B sits right on the cusp of our self-imposed $500 budget but its all so worth it. This 34-inch ultrawide monitor sports a 21:9 monitor for the largest amount of screen real-estate on this list. Of course it doesnt hurt that the monitor sports a sharp 3440 x 1440 resolution that gives you plenty of room to work and play.
It also happens to meet the HDR10 spec with a color depth of 1.07 billion and a peak brightness of 430-nits. You can also use this monitor as a USB-C hub for any laptops or smartphones you plug into it.
8. Viotek LinQ Touch
Best Budget Portable Monitor
Screen size: 15.6″ Aspect ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 Panel type: IPS, AMD FreeSync Brightness: 250cd/m2 Refresh rate: 60Hz Response time: 4ms Viewing angle: 178(H)/178(V) Inputs: 1 x Mini HDMI, 2 x USB-C Weight: 1.43 pounds Size: 13.9″ x 8.8″ x 0.37″
The Viotek LinQ Touch is the perfect portable monitor if youre looking for a second screen you can tow along with your laptop. It might only weigh 1.7 pounds and measure less than a half-inch thick, but its a sizable 15.6-inch touchscreen you can take on the go.
The 15-inch IPS panel sports a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and youll be able to use all 10 of your fingers on its capacitive touchscreen. The monitor also comes with a pair of integrated speakers, FreeSync support, and a magnetic folding leather cover that doubles as a stand.
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
