Monitor Buying Guide

General Guidelines

1. Get the largest monitor you can, within your budget and space constraints.
2. Try to get resolution in the 4,000 pixel range.
3. If aesthetics are important to you, get a nice design. You'll be looking at it a lot.
4. Make sure the monitor input connections match the output connections on your computer.

User Categories

Most users fall into one of three broad categories:

1. Gamers, who need fast refresh rates and response times for smooth gaming action. Gamers should also purchase a monitor that uses the image-enhancement platform that matches their graphics card brand: FreeSync for AMD and G-Sync for Nvidia.
2. Professionals, who place a premium on color accuracy. The ability to store color profiles on the monitor is also a plus.
3. General users (including engineers and developers), who have less specific needs but often make good use of larger monitors and higher contrast.

Specifications

Below are some guidelines on monitor specifications - what they mean, and how important they are to each of the above categories.

Resolution (All Users)

The larger the numbers, the better the picture. Resolution is expressed in two numbers which indicate the viewing length x width in pixels. Today, 1920 x 1080 (also known as full HD) is the minimum you should get. You will get sharper images from pixels in the 2000 to 4000 range.

Response Time (Gamers)

Shorter response times are better. This tells you how many milliseconds it takes a pixel to change from either black to white, or from one shade of gray to another. Longer times can result in motion blurring, which can be very annoying (and potentially adverse to your character) when gaming. A good response time is 5ms and the fastest monitors can achieve up to 1ms. Gamers should combine shortest response time with highest refresh rate (see below) they can find.

Refresh Rates (Gamers)

Bigger numbers are better here. This number indicates how many times per second your monitor updates with new information. The measurements are in hertz (Hz), or cycles per second. If you are gaming, you should aim for a minimum of 75Hz, with many gaming monitors offering in the neighborhood of 144Hz. Gamers should also combine fastest refresh rate with the lowest response time (see above) they can find. Non-gamers should aim for a minimum refresh rate of 60Hz.

Color (Professionals)

For accuracy, you will need a color gamut larger than sRGB and the ability to set color temperature (either on the monitor or through software). Storing color profiles in the monitor is an additional optimal feature, but will cost more money.

Contrast (General Use)

Contrast is arguably the top measure of image quality. A monitor with a large dynamic contrast range will have a more realistic and 3D-like image.

Panel Technology (All Users)

There are three different panel technologies prevalent today. Each has variations that offer different advantages, like faster response, better viewing angles, lower power usage, and more.

1. Twisted Nematic (TN) - Best for gaming. This technology has the fastest response times, highest refresh rates, and minimal motion blur. It is also the least expensive. Conversely, it has the worst color and viewing angles.
2. Vertical Alignment (VA) - Best for general use. This technology has the longest response times, but can have higher refresh rates. It has the best contrast and image depth. Color and viewing angles are middle-of-the-road. Pricing is moderate.
3. In-Plane Switching (IPS) - Best for professional. This technology has middle-of-the-road response times, but slow refresh rates. It has the best color and viewing angles, but is also the most expensive.

Curved vs. Non-Curved (All)

This is a highly personal preference, with many different opinions. Curved monitors are supposed to more closely simulate the curved manner in which your eyeballs view the world, but some people do not see a difference. Some may even find it annoying. Most curved monitors have wide screen ratios, making monitors under 30" somewhat questionable. This can drive up the price. Check one out personally before buying. If you do not see a noticeable difference, then avoid paying more for one.

Warranty and Support (All)

Support can be highly variable, depending upon who you get on the phone on a particular day and how the company changes it's support process over time. Be sure to check and compare prospective vendors for return policies, who pays return shipping, restocking fees, and dead-pixel policies.

Final Thoughts

Check out the prospective monitor(s) in person at a couple of your local computer stores. There is no substituted for "eyes on target" to determine whether what you are considering meets your specific and unique requirements. Many things that you may love, or may annoy you, will not be listed in the marketing specifications. You will be looking upon this monitor for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of hours. It is work the investment of some time up front to make a good personal choice.

Don't make the mistake of using a flat screen television for your monitor, even if the cost is cheaper, or the size is larger. Televisions are meant to be viewed from a distance, and computer monitors are designed for closer work. In some cases however, such as gaming from your couch, hooking your computer to a flat screen television may make sense.

If you are using Windows 10 and a touchscreen, be sure to consider the arms-length distance you will need between you and your monitor.

If you are short on work space, consider purchasing a monitor with build in features, like speakers, USB hubs/slots, memory card slots and picture-in-picture to run two PCs at once.