Monitor buying guide (mega-thread)

Hey there.
Look, I’m pretty much a total novice when it comes to computer hardware, so I could really use some help here.
If I decide to use a TV as my main monitor—is that actually a smart move, or am I just asking for trouble? What are the real pros and cons?
And honestly, looking at the big picture, would I be better off just sticking with a laptop or a traditional desktop setup instead?

Depends on what you're actually trying to do. In principle, if you want a monitor, just use a monitor. A TV isn't a great choice for sitting right up in front of it.

Olivia Ramirez63 said:Hey there.
I’m pretty much a total tech novice—help me out here.
Using a TV as a monitor... does that actually have pros and cons?
Or would a laptop or a desktop be a better bet overall?

You’ve gotta let us know what you’re planning to do with it...

A TV works if you need a massive screen for multitasking without buying multiple monitors.

As for the laptop vs. desktop debate—it really comes down to mobility. Are you lugging it around, working from bed, or hitting the kitchen table? Or do you have a dedicated desk where you'll be hunkered down for eight-plus hours at a time?

Give us some specifics.🍿

Hey everyone!

I’m looking to pick up a new monitor and could really use some pointers—honestly, I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to all this tech stuff.
I’m aiming for at least a 2560x1440 resolution, and if I can find a curved one, that would be awesome!?
Size-wise, I need at least 27", and I'm guessing a 75Hz refresh rate should be plenty enough for what I need!?
I was thinking maybe an IPS panel might be better, but again, I don't know enough about this and haven't actually sat in front of an IPS versus a VN setup to see if there's even a noticeable difference in person.

Here’s what I’ve been eyeing so far:

Gaming, or just general use?

I’m running that 31.5" AOC right now. Honestly, it’s solid—great for gaming and even better for work.

That other one is curved and hits 144Hz, so you can't really compare them directly.
What kind of GPU are you rocking?

btw, pairing a VA panel with 144Hz isn't exactly the dream setup. VA is inherently "slower" than IPS, even if the contrast is better. My IPS is doing fine, but 75Hz isn't asking for much.

wiredotter14 said:Is this for gaming or something else?

Look, I'm rocking that 31.5" AOC right now and honestly? I'm loving it—both for gaming sessions and especially when I'm grinding through work.

But let's be real, that other one is a curved 144Hz beast, so you can't really compare them side-by-side like they're the same thing.
What kind of GPU are you running?

Btw, pairing a VA panel with 144Hz isn't exactly the "golden combo" since VA is inherently a bit "slower" than IPS—though you do get that better contrast. My IPS setup feels great, but hey, 75Hz isn't exactly asking for much from a monitor.

For me, I mostly need it for gaming, though I’m not really into those sweaty FPS or multiplayer titles—so I rarely even see more than 60fps, especially at 1440p. I've got an RX 5700 XT Red Devil.

I’d personally go with that 31.5" AOC. You aren't exactly gaining anything from the 144Hz refresh rate or a VA panel, and the 31.5" model is significantly cheaper.
Plus, a flat 31.5" screen looks perfectly fine to me. Honestly, 27" feels a bit too small once you start dealing with curvature, but hey, that’s just my take.
I definitely wouldn't pick up a curved monitor for work—it just feels off. Games are a different story, though.
In theory, VA panels are better for movies because of the contrast, but bigger is always better. 😁

Freesync will work on both options anyway.

Hey,

I'm looking to pull the trigger on a new PC for gaming and some graphic design work—Photoshop, Illustrator, that kind of thing. Budgeting around $1667(specs)
...
Can anyone suggest a decent monitor in the $1500-$$667 range?

Thanks in advance 🙂

So, I’ve been rocking this 27" Dell UltraSharp for a while now, and honestly? It’s pretty solid.
Been using it since $600 when I picked it up over at Best Buy.

What’s the verdict on this one?

Or maybe this?
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The New Guy, MytByte,

Thanks again for all the advice, everyone—after weighing everything, I ended up pulling the trigger on the Iiyam.

So far, I’m honestly loving it; the monitor is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. It even has these surprisingly decent speakers built-in, which caught me totally off guard!

Black Friday didn't end up being much of a lucky break for me, so I actually could have just grabbed it earlier—but hey, you can't exactly predict those things, right?

Jesse Ortiz4 said:I have this 27" model and the Dell UltraSharp monitor is doing just fine for me.
I've had it since $600 from Best Buy.

I actually own one myself and I’d definitely recommend it. It offers full rotation on all three axes, an IPS panel with 10-bit color per channel, and a complete range of ports from VGA to DisplayPort. On top of that, you get built-in speakers and a 2560x1440 resolution. Personally, I haven't run into any performance issues; the colors are surprisingly vibrant, and the factory calibration is quite solid.

Hey everyone,
I could really use some help picking out a new monitor... I'll mostly be using it for office work like crushing Excel spreadsheets and running AutoCAD, plus a little bit of Movie Maker stuff here and there, and obviously for bingeing series and movies when I'm off the clock.
My budget is pretty tight, ideally looking to stay under $333 (I know, sounds ridiculous, right?), though I can probably stretch myself to around 1200-1300 if it's absolutely necessary. $500 (That's my absolute ceiling if we're talking top-tier quality.)
Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can throw my way!

You can definitely snag a solid monitor for that kind of money.
Take this one I have, click; the reviews are excellent regarding image quality for this price range (though honestly, curvature doesn't make much sense on a 24" 1080p screen). It features a VA panel
.
When I picked mine up about two or three years ago, it was on sale for roughly $433 (down from 1500-$533), and they even threw in an extra 3 years of coverage after the initial warranty expired (so 5 years total). That makes it quite a bargain now.

You’ll also find plenty of other 24" monitors with IPS panels out there, though I’m not entirely sure what the user feedback looks like on those specifically.

To break it down: an IPS panel offers the most realistic colors and the best viewing angles, whereas a VA panel provides superior black levels and contrast.
Go with IPS if you're doing video or photo editing, but stick with VA for watching movies and series. Whatever you do, don't even look at a TN panel—it's not even the fastest option for gaming anymore, and it offers zero advantages since the image quality is just terrible.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! ��
In the meantime, my old monitor decided to kick the bucket on me (of course), so now I’m in this spot where I’d much rather just avoid ordering from some random online shop—I really don't feel like dragging out the misery of being without a screen any longer than I have to. I’m looking to grab something from either Links or Best Buy since there aren't many other options here in San Diego... (I checked Micro Center too, but they messaged me this morning saying they're out of stock on that last Acer, and anything else they actually have sitting in the back has to be shipped in from Chicago).

My old monitor finally kicked the bucket, so now I'm on the hunt for a new one with a built-in TV tuner. Not looking for anything for gaming; just something in the 24-27" range. I was thinking about an Apple, but I'm open to other brands. I had a Sony monitor TV once and it barely survived its own warranty period—constant glitches the whole time—so I'm honestly terrified of getting stuck with the same brand again.

northernmarlin79 said:Thanks for all the suggestions! 😊
In the meantime, my old monitor finally kicked the bucket, so I'm in a bit of a bind. I’d really rather avoid ordering from some random online store—I don't want to prolong my days without a screen! I need to find something at either Links or Best Buy (gaming and micro-tech stuff), since there aren't many other options here in San Diego... (I checked Micro Center, but they just told me this last Acer isn't in stock, and anything else they actually have would have to be shipped in from Chicago).

There are only two options at Links within your budget, but neither is available locally in San Diego (you'd have to wait for them to ship it from another branch anyway).

Based on specs and price, both look like solid choices.

@Zachary Martin4

Do you have a specific budget in mind?
Why not just pick up a smaller TV instead?

Timothy Kim60 said:So what's the budget look like?
Why not just grab a smaller TV and call it a day?

It's for work; I wouldn't touch a TV with a ten-foot pole. Everything I watch is from about 2m away, sitting at maybe 70-80 cm.
I was thinking of dropping up to $667.

You don't have much to work with here 🤷

https://www.google.com/search?q=tv+monitor+combo

Make sure you immediately weed out anything that doesn't support digital TV broadcasting.

Either you just hook up any monitor to a digital TV tuner