(Guide) Best 4K monitors 2019: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays

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Best 4K monitors 2019: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays

The best high-res monitors for everyone

Image Credit: TechRadar

 

For the longest time, 4K monitors were held as the golden ideal of computing, but nowadays, even some of the best 4K monitors are attainable for all. And, because of all the UHD content available in 2019, you’re going to want to jump on the 4K train, whether you’re playing the best PC games or just doing some general computing. And, just like any other monitor, the best 4K monitors are designed to provide users with a beautifully immersive – or productive – experience. 

 

There are so many more affordable 4K monitors out there these days, and because they’re much cheaper than a 4K TV, they’re incredibly popular. If you’re one of the many people on the market for a 4K monitor to meet your PC gaming needs while still keeping within a budget, we’re here to help you find the right one.

 

Keep an eye out for any Black Friday 2019 deals we'll be sharing with you when they come our way. Who knows? You might just take home the 4K monitor of your dreams at a bargain price.

The best 4K monitors at a glance

• LG 27UD88-W 
• Philips Brilliance 328P 
• LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL 
• BenQ PD2700U 
• Monoprice 27" 4K UHD 
• Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ 
• ViewSonic XG2700-4K 
• AOC U2879VF 
• Acer Predator X27 
• LG 43UD79-B

Image credit: LG

1. LG 27UD88-W

A beautiful screen, a beautiful price

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/m² | Response time: 5ms | Contrast ratio: 5M:1 | colour support: 99% sRGB

 + Affordable 

 + Beautiful picture 

 - No swivel on Y axis 

 

When you’re looking for the best 4K monitor, you want to find something that’s affordable, but also has fantastic picture quality. It’s a balance that’s pretty rare, but the LG 27UD88-W hits it out of the park. Not only does this panel cover 99% of the sRGB colour space, but it does so with an insane contrast ratio and a response time to display the best PC games as they should be seen. The best part? It does all this while maintaining a reasonable price tag. If you have the horsepower to drive the LG 27UD88-W, you should pick it up.

 

Read the full review: LG 27UD88-W 

Image credit: Philips

2. Philips Brilliance 328P

Just brilliant

Screen size: 31.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 300 cd/m² | Response time: 4ms | Contrast ratio: 3,000:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

 + Big, beautiful screen 

 + Affordable 

 - Middling HDR performance 

 

As both 4K panels and HDR technology become more ubiquitous, we’re starting to see more affordable monitors take on the market, and the Philips Brilliance 328P does just that. This 4K monitor combines a 4K VA panel with decent HDR performance at a price point that won’t force you to break open the piggy bank. Its brightness doesn’t quite reach its lofty HDR 600 rating, but at this price, it’s hard to complain. The Philips Brilliance 328P really is one of the best 4K monitors out there. 

 

Read the full review: Philips Brilliance 328P 

(Image credit: LG)

3. LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL

More than fine

Screen size: 24 inches | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Brightness: 540 cd/m² | Response time: 14ms | Contrast ratio: 1,200:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

+ Incredible colour accuracy

+ Bright and vivid

+ USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 compatibility

- Expensive

- Thick bezels

 

4K fans will find a lot to love in the LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL, especially if they’re photographers or videographers who need all that prime real estate and high resolution. From its 4K resolution and colour accuracy, to its plethora of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and buttonless design, this 4K display is the perfect match for your Mac or ultrabook. And, despite those bizarrely thick bezels and high price tag, this display might be hard to resist. 

 

Read the full review: LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL

 

Image Credit: BenQ

4. BenQ PD2700U

No frills, many pixels

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/m² | Response time: 5ms | Contrast ratio: 1,300:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

+ colour accurate display 

+ Plenty of desktop real estate 

- No USB Type-C 

 

If you’re on the market for one of the best 4K monitors for everyday computing and productivity, without all the fancy bells and whistles, you’ll want the BenQ PD2700U. This monitor doesn’t feature fancy Quantum Dot tech, or Adaptive Sync, it doesn’t even have USB-C input! But, when you get the BenQ PD2700U, you are getting a lot of pixels, which is all you really need. It’s not the cheapest 4K monitor on this list, but it’s colour accurate, has plenty of desktop real estate, and will comfortably fit in any office environment. 

 

Read the full review: BenQ PD2700U 

 

Image Credit: Monoprice

5. Monoprice 27" 4K UHD

One of the most affordable 4K monitors

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/m2 | Response time: 5 ms | Contrast ratio: 10,000,000:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

+ Affordable large panel

+ Great connectivity

- Requires some colour calibration

 

You may not have heard of Monoprice, but this brand is behind some of the most affordable monitors out there right now. Its Ultra-Slim Aluminum monitor, for example, is hailed for its sleek, ultra-thin bezel design and ultra-wide viewing angles at 178°. This monitor isn’t particularly feature-rich – there are no built-in speakers, for example – but its IPS panel allows for extremely sharp image, FreeSync tech reduces screen tearing and Monoprice’s Pixel Perfect Guarantee gives it vibrant colour performance. Plus, with two DisplayPorts and two HDMI ports, there’s plenty of connectivity on offer. 

 

Image Credit: Asus

6. Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ

The Cadillac of gaming monitors

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 1,000 cd/m2 (peak) | Response time: 4 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1, 5,000:1 (HDR) | colour support: 99% Adobe RGB

+ Otherworldly picture quality

+ G-sync

- Ludicrous price

 

While 4K monitors are becoming more and more common, even without particularly powerful hardware, we still run into the kind of monitor that changes everything. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is one of these. Asus has managed to craft a 4K gaming monitor with HDR and the kind of colour support you see in professional displays – and render that all at 144Hz with G-Sync no less. There are only a few monitors out there that packs as many features as this Asus screen, and that’s why it’s one of the best 4K monitors. But, keep in mind, you’re going to have to pay for something this advanced – and we mean pay.

 

Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ

 

Image Credit: ViewSonic

7. ViewSonic XG2700-4K

A true 4K gaming tool

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 5 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

+ Accurate colour performance

+ Quick response time

+ Amazing picture quality

- Limited screen brightness

 

If you’re looking for a 4K monitor for gaming, ViewSonic’s XG2700-4K is the perfect fit. It is not without quirks: the screen brightness could be higher, the red on black trim is an acquired taste, and it has no built-in speakers. On the other hand, you get amazing picture quality, quick response time, accurate colour performance, multiple ports, and a versatile stand for multiple viewing angle options. Its most notable feature is AMD FreeSync to prevent tearing and ensure that your games are running smoothly. Of course, the picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes are also helpful because who doesn’t multitask nowadays.

 

Image Credit: AOC

8. AOC U2879VF

The most affordable 4K monitor for gaming

Screen size: 28-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 1 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

+ 4K gaming at 144fps

+ Fastest 1ms response time 

- Narrow viewing angles

 

IPS displays may offer better viewing angles and colour representation, but a good TN panel makes for a much better gaming monitor, thanks to much faster response times, higher refresh rates and affordability. This is why the AOC U2879VF has a 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 144Hz refresh rate for a low price. If you can forgive the restricted viewing angles, the occasional flickering at 144Hz, the absence of a USB port, and the ho hum colour performance, this AMD FreeSync enabled monitor is for you.

 

Read the full review: AOC U2879 VF 

 

Image Credit: Acer

9. Acer Predator X27

4K, HDR and 144Hz? Oh my!

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 1,000 cd/m2 (peak) | Response time: 4 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | colour support: 16.7 million

+ Great HDR

+ High refresh rate

- Very expensive

 

If you have an absolute beast of a gaming computer – think two Nvidia RTX 2080 Tis in SLI – and you need a monitor that can keep up, you might want to take a look at the Acer Predator X27. Not only is it a 27-inch 4K monitor with HDR, but it also has a refresh rate of a whopping 144 Hz. If you have the horsepower, you can play games in 4K competitively without losing an edge to the person playing in 1080p. But, as you may expect from a spec sheet like this, it’s very expensive – but if you need the tech, it’s definitely there.

 

Read the full review: Acer Predator X27

 

Image Credit: LG

10. LG 43UD79-B

A hefty display with even heftier features

Screen size: 42.51-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/m2 | Response time: 5 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | colour support: 1.07 billion

+ Massive 42-inch panel

+ Multiple screen splitting options

- Tough to fit on small desks

- Very expensive

 

You’ll need a bigger desk with 43UD79-B’s hefty, 42-inch screen. Unfortunately this bigger than life screen might also be darker around the edges and a sluggish refresh rage. However, this 4K monitor’s other features will more than make up for its flaws. The screen split software, for one, allows for a range of screen configurations. This, coupled with its four HDMI inputs, a DisplayPort 1.2a port, and a USC-C port, will let you effortlessly run multiple devices at once. Along with its true IPS screen, colour-rich display, and FreeSync compatibility, you might just be getting a bargain.

• Looking for a more great gaming monitor? Check out our top picks
• Or set up your living room with one of the best 4K TVs on the market

 

 

Source: Best 4K monitors 2019: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays (TechRadar)