The monitor is the component you spend the most time in contact with, yet it is often chosen by looking only at the inches and the price. A good monitor makes everyday work more pleasant and less tiring, and it outlasts almost every other component: it's worth thinking it through. There are five main variables: panel type, resolution relative to size, refresh rate, connections and ergonomics.
Panel types
| Type | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| IPS | accurate colours, good viewing angles | shallower black, slight glow in dark scenes |
| VA | high contrast, deep blacks | narrower viewing angles, possible smearing in dark transitions |
| TN | fast response times, cheap | poor colours and viewing angles |
| OLED | perfect black, very high contrast, instant response | price, risk of image retention with static elements |
For office work, programming and photography, IPS remains the most balanced choice. VA is interesting for films and games in dim rooms. OLED offers the best image quality, but with static interfaces, such as taskbars and fixed windows kept on screen for many hours, it should be used with some care: manufacturers build in protection features that shift the image slightly and refresh the panel. Ignoring them is not a good idea.
Resolution and size go together
What determines sharpness is pixel density, that is, how many pixels fit in one inch. At the same resolution, a larger screen looks less defined.
Practical guidance for a typical desk distance:
- 24 inches: Full HD (1920×1080) is acceptable, 1440p is sharper;
- 27 inches: 1440p (2560×1440) is the sweet spot; 4K gives very crisp text, with system scaling enabled;
- 32 inches: 4K (3840×2160) becomes almost necessary.
With 4K on 27 inches, the operating system enlarges the interface and text to keep them readable: you don't gain space over 1440p, you gain sharpness. Also bear in mind that 4K, in games, requires a much more powerful graphics card.
Refresh rate
The refresh rate, in hertz, indicates how many times per second the image is redrawn. Standard monitors run at 60 Hz; gaming ones at 144 Hz and above. The difference is noticeable not only in games: mouse movement and page scrolling also look smoother.
Two things to know:
- to take advantage of a high refresh rate, the graphics card must produce enough frames, and the cable and port must support it;
- variable refresh rate technologies (Adaptive Sync, FreeSync, G-Sync) synchronise the monitor with the graphics card and eliminate tearing without adding lag. They are useful even on monitors not specifically meant for gaming.
After connecting a high-refresh monitor, check in the system's display settings that the rate really is the maximum: it often stays at 60 Hz.
HDR: beware of the labels
Many monitors claim HDR support, but quality varies enormously. A panel with modest peak brightness and no zoned backlighting accepts the HDR signal, but the result can be worse than normal mode: washed-out colours, a dull image. Certifications such as VESA DisplayHDR, followed by a number indicating peak brightness, help gauge the real level. For convincing HDR you need very dense zoned backlighting or an OLED.
Connections
- DisplayPort: the reference standard for computers, supporting high resolutions and refresh rates, and daisy-chaining several monitors where provided.
- HDMI: universal, found on TVs and consoles. Recent versions also support 4K at high refresh rates, but you need to check which version both the monitor's port and the graphics card's port have.
- USB-C with DisplayPort: very convenient with laptops, because a single cable carries video, data and often charging too.
On PCs with a dedicated graphics card, the cable must go into the graphics card, not the motherboard outputs: it's a more common mistake than it seems.
Ergonomics
An excellent monitor on a poor stand is a bad purchase. Look for height adjustment, tilt and ideally swivel. The top edge of the screen should be roughly at eye level, at about an arm's length away. If the stand doesn't adjust, check for a VESA mount on the back, which lets you fit a desk arm.
Reflections matter too: a matte surface is preferable in bright rooms; glossy ones make colours more vivid but reflect windows and lamps.
Before buying
In my work I recommend starting from the main use and only then looking at the price. Someone who spends the day on documents and code benefits more from a well-adjustable 27-inch 1440p IPS monitor than from a very high refresh gaming panel.
In short
- IPS for balance, VA for contrast, OLED for top quality with some caution.
- Choose the resolution according to size: pixel density is what counts.
- A high refresh rate improves smoothness even outside games; check it's active.
- HDR is only worth it with adequate brightness and backlighting.
- An adjustable stand or VESA mount is as essential as the panel.
