Best 4K monitors 2020: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays
The best 4K monitor is fast becoming an essential part of every PC setup. More and more content is coming in higher quality resolutions, and users are getting more powerful desktop PCs capable of multitasking processor-hungry tasks. And, a 4K display is just the ticket to satisfy both demands.
It’s important to invest in the best monitors to see movies and games in their best possible light. More than that, the best 4K monitors offer more screen real estate, which means more space for easier multitasking or a more seamless creative workflow. And, because they’re cheaper now than ever before – even more affordable than a 4K TV, they’re no longer some out-of-reach fairytale reserved only for gamers and creatives.
Whether you’re spending a lot of time gaming, doing a lot of digital multitasking or taking on 3D design and video editing, consider getting the best 4K monitor that suits your needs. Including some of the best USB-C monitors, here are our top picks.
‘Paper Color Sync’ needs refining to be truly useful
Pro-level displays are no longer the premium priced, inaccessible purchase they started out to be. At least as far as the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue is concerned. This 32-inch 4K photo monitor is up a step or two in terms of both performance and usability, featuring an incredibly wide color gamut of 99% of the Adobe RGB color space and 95% of DCI-P3. If you’re in the cinematography or photography sphere, that’s exactly what you need. And, that’s on top of all the other features this monitor boasts. This is among the best 4K monitors for photo editing you’ll find, and the best part is you’re getting it for cheaper than all others.
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.
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 color 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.
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 color accurate, has plenty of desktop real estate, and will comfortably fit in any office environment.
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 | Color support: 1.07 billion
Affordable large panel
Great connectivity
Requires some color 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 color performance. Plus, with two DisplayPorts and two HDMI ports, there’s plenty of connectivity on offer.
Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is a 4K gaming monitor with HDR and the kind of color support you see in professional displays. (Image Credit: Asus)
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 color 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.
ViewSonic XG2700-4K boasts amazing picture quality, quick response time, accurate color performance and multiple ports. (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 | Color support: 1.07 billion
Accurate color 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 color 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.
The AOC U2879VF has a 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 144Hz for a low price. (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 | Color support: 1.07 billion
4K gaming at 144fps
Fastest 1ms response time
Narrow viewing angles
IPS displays may offer better viewing angles and color 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 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 color performance, this AMD FreeSync enabled monitor is for you.
If you need the tech, it’s definitely there in the Acer Predator X27. (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 | Color 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.
The LG 43UD79-B's features will more than make up for its flaws. (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 | Color 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, color-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
The RTX 4090 might be the most power-hungry PC component ever
While we're still waiting for Nvidia to actually release the RTX 3090 Ti it announced during CES 2022, we're starting to see some rumors peeking their heads around the corner. And right now, it looks like the RTX 4090 might be one of the most power-hungry graphics cards of all time.
These leaks come from known Twitter hardware leakers @greymon55 and @kopite7kimi. The former suggests that Lovelace, the architecture behind Nvidia's next-gen graphics cards, will be out in September 2022, and will have a TGP up to 850W. @kopite7kimi replied to this, saying this is just a rumor and that they heard up to 800W for the RTX 4090 instead. But whether the next-generation flagship is 800W or 850W, that's going to make for an extremely power-hungry graphics card.
Now, September 2022 is still 7 months away at this point, but this is when we'd expect to start hearing juicy rumors about Nvidia's next graphics cards. But, at this point, it's important to take everything you hear with a giant heap of salt. Nothing has been confirmed by Nvidia, and it'll probably be a while before we hear anything solid from Team Green.
Besides, even the rumors are going to massively shift before any actual information surfaces.
I am not clear at the moment whether one model has three TGP ranges or whether it has three models but the TGP number of the AD102 is 450W-650W-850W, of course this is not the final specification and there may be some deviation.February 23, 2022
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That's just a rumor. I've heard 450/600/800W for 80/80Ti/90 before. But everything is not confirmed.February 23, 2022
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Analysis: hold on, how much power?
It should be obvious, but a 850W TGP for a single piece of hardware is an extremely high requirement. Right now, the most power-hungry consumer GPU is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, and even that graphics card has a TGP of just 350W. If the RTX 4090 does have that steep of a power requirement, it would require an absolutely immense power supply.
With the RTX 3090, Nvidia recommends a PC power supply no less than 750W, and that's with a 350W TGP. If Nvidia were to increase the power budget of the RTX 4090 to 850W, it's likely that you're going to need a massive 1,200W power supply or more in order to even drive it. That's a beefier power supply than I use in my lab.
The folks over at Wccftech posit that the new cards would be using PCIe 5.0 in order to drive that much power, and even posted screenshots of some power cables that would provide up to 600W each to the GPU. However, these have yet to be proven to be real, and even if they were, requiring that to drive a new graphics card would be problematic to say the least.
It reminds me of the months leading up to the RTX 3080 announcement, when everyone was worried that they'd have to upgrade their power supplies in order to upgrade their graphics card. Eventually that rumor got dismissed when Nvidia bundled in an adapter for its funky new power connector and every other aftermarket GPU manufacturer didn't even bother with it.
I really don't think Nvidia is going to release a graphics card with this high of a power requirement. The company would be alienating thousands of customers with existing power supplies. Not to mention that it would come with a huge environmental impact, as not only would more graphics cards be manufactured, but it would create a ton of waste in used power supplies, and would massively increase the amount of juice gaming PCs use.
Plus, there are going to be plenty of PC gamers that want the latest graphics cards, but won't be able to use something that's exclusively using PCIe 5.0 tech. After all, the only platform where that's supported is Intel Alder Lake, and that further limits the market for these graphics cards.
I don't want to count anything out, but there's a reason you can install an RTX 3080 into pretty much any gaming PC with a PCIe slot.
