Best monitor 2019: the top 10 monitors and displays we’ve reviewed

While the best monitors aren’t going to boost up your computer, they will definitely make your computing experience so much better since they make everything easier to see and read, boosting productivity. And although there are many pricey displays out there, many of the best monitors are affordable. This means that whatever your budget it, you can find a cost effective screen that are easy on your eyes. 

With high pixel density, quick refresh rates and many different sizes of panel, it’s never been easier to find the best monitor to match your needs and budget. Whether you're looking for a gaming monitor to keep up with the best gaming PCs, or you just bought a MacBook Air and you need one of the best USB-C monitors as a secondary display, you’ve come to the right spot.

We put together a list of the best monitors 2019, so that it’s even easier for your to find the ideal one. You can trust our picks, as we’ve tested and reviewed them all ourselves.

1. BenQ PD3200U

Screen size: 32-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: sRGB 100% | Weight: 8.5kg

Now that the best PCs can handle 4K easier than ever before, the best 4K monitors are everywhere. That’s why BenQ rolled out the PD3200U, a massive 32-inch Ultra HD display, as part of its Designer Monitor range. 3D designers especially love this display, thanks to the factory-calibrated color accuracy and CAD/CAM mode. Marketed to creatives and professionals, BenQ has designed, seemingly by mistake, a panel that gamers can get behind as well, making it one of the best monitors all-around – so long as they can find a room for it on their desks.

Read the full review: BenQ PD3200U

2. AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition

Screen size: 35-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 2,500:1: | Color support: sRGB 100% | Weight: 26 pounds

While the AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition is a gaming monitor through and through, it’s one of the best monitors if you’re looking for an ultra-wide display. With its excellent color support, strong contrast ratio and lightning fast 120Hz refresh rate, everything you do on your PC will look better and feel faster. It’s on the pricey side, but this ultra wide monitor can significantly boost productivity, making it totally worth the steep price tag. As long as you have the hardware to drive it, it’s one of the best monitors money can buy.

Read the full review: AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition 

3. Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ

Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 600 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 50,000:1 | Color support: Adobe RGB 99% | Weight: 28 pounds

If you’ve been looking for one of the best monitors, and you’re ready to just throw your hands up and buy the most expensive monitor you can find, you’re in luck. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ combines so many high end features that it almost seems over-the-top. It doesn’t just boast a 4K UHD display at 144Hz, but it’s also rocking Nvidia G-Sync and HDR. This is simply the best monitor on the market, but it will also cost an arm and a leg. If you’re playing games, doing photo and video editing work, or even just general desktop work, you can’t go wrong with this monitor, as long as you have the cash to shell out.

Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ 

4. Acer Predator X34

Screen size: 34-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3440 x 1440 Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms G2G (grey-to-grey) | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 100 million:1 | Colour support: SRGB 100% | Weight: 9.9kg

When you’re growing weary of the same old 16:9 aspect ratio, nothing hits the spot like a cinematic 21:9 display. It’s not the best for watching Netflix or YouTube, but the Acer Predator X34 is an excellent example of what an ultra-wide monitor can do. Boasting an attractive aluminum bezel and polygonal stand that resembles a bird’s foot, this massive 34-inch monitor is a wonder to behold. More importantly, armed with Nvidia’s G-Sync tech, you won’t require V-Sync stressing out your graphics card. The Acer Predator X34 does all the heavy lifting for you. This is about as immersive as a gaming monitor gets, and one of the best monitors to buy this 2019.

Read the full review: Acer Predator X34

5. Asus Designo Curve MX38VC

Screen size: 37.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 1,600 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 5ms G2G (grey-to-grey) | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: 1.07 million colors | Weight: 9.9kg

Ultrawide monitors are nothing new: they’ve constantly made it on folks’ the best monitors list for a few years now, in fact. These wide monitors are lifesavers when it comes to productivity, and they’re only getting more popular than ever. The Asus Designo Curve MX38VC, however, takes it to another level. Not only does this monitor have a massive 3,840 x 1,600 resolution, but with USB-C compatibility and a Qi wireless charger built into the base, it’s going to be a workplace companion you won’t be able to live without. It’s a tad pricey, and doesn’t feature HDR, but that’s a worthy sacrifice, especially for professionals.

Read the full review: Asus Designo Curve MX38VC 

6. Dell UltraSharp UP3218K

Screen size: 32-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 7,680 x 4,320 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 6ms | Viewing angle: N/A | Contrast ratio: 1,300:1 | Color support: sRGB 100% | Weight: 8.5kg

We don’t often run into technology that’s so far ahead of the curve that we’re left dumbfounded, which is why the Dell UltraSharp UP3218K has impressed us even more. Finding one of the best monitors that can reach the raw beauty this one does should be next to impossible. It’s not just the resolution, either. Dell went so far as to make sure that the build quality and color reproduction are the best in the business as well. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is aimed at professionals, obviously, so if that sounds like it’s up your alley, it’s probably the best monitor you’ll ever find.

Read the full review: Dell UltraSharp UP3218K 

• This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the BenQ PD3200U 

7. BenQ EX3203R

Screen size: 31.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 4ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 3,000:1 | Color support: DCI-P3 90% | Weight: 13.4kg

If you’re looking for an excellent 1440p monitor with HDR for multimedia and gaming, then the BenQ EX3203R might be ideal for you. One of the best monitors this 2019, this one’s notable as it brings in a ton of high-end features in a product that is extremely affordable. Sure, 32 inches might sound like a bit much for a monitor, but the 1800R curvature on this BenQ panel means that it’s easy to use, both for productivity, as well as for immersion in your games and media.

Read the full review: BenQ EX203R 

• This product is only available in the US at the time of writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Acer S277HK  

8. Alienware 25

Screen size: 24.5-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 1ms | Viewing angle: 170/160 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: sRGB 119% | Weight: 11.7kg

If you’re on a limited budget, then it might break the bank – like any Alienware product would. Still, Dell’s 25-inch gaming monitor will all but eliminate screen tearing, and whether you have an AMD Radeon VII or an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080, there’s a configuration for you. With G-Sync or FreeSync doing some of the heavy lifting from the GPU that would otherwise be spent on VSync, the Alienware 25’s 120Hz refresh rate may actually be viable. The 1ms response time? Well, that’s just the cherry on top.

Read the full review: Alienware 25 

9. BenQ Zowie XL2540

Screen size: 24-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Response time: 1ms | Viewing angle: 170/160 | Contrast ratio: 1000:1 | Color support: NTSC 72% | Weight: 7.5kg

It might be unbelievable, but the BenQ Zowie XL2540 is every bit the gaming monitor that the Asus Predator X34 is. While it may not seem it from the outside looking in, it does its job incredibly well too, giving up dazzling lighting effects for a zippy 240Hz refresh rate and nigh-instantaneous 1ms response time. There’s no G-Sync or FreeSync, as this monitor assumes you already have a rig that’s plenty capable of eliminating screen tears without any help. Instead, this monitor keeps it simple by supplying you with lots of visual presets, an “S Switch” control pod for managing those presets and a pair of adjustable light screens.

Read the full review: BenQ Zowie XL2540

10. MSI Optix MPG341CQR

Screen size: 34-inch | Aspect ratio: 21:9 | Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440 | Brightness: 400 nits | Refresh rate: 144Hz | Response time: 1ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 3000:1 | Color support: sRGB 105% | Weight: 21.16 pounds

If you’re looking for a gaming monitor with a super-wide 1440p resolution, incredibly fast response time of 1ms, a viewing angle of 178 degrees and a fast refresh rate, then the MSI Optix MPG341CQR is something you must consider. If not for those, then perhaps for the fact that MSI has opted to use a VA panel, as opposed to IPS, giving it more contrast and punchier colors. A few bonuses are on hand, as well: snazzy “Mystic Light” RGD LEDs, USB-C connectivity, an integrated camera and a competitive price.

Read the full review: MSI Optix MPG341CQR

Gabe Carey, Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article

Image Credits: TechRadar