Whether you create content, consume it, or are into gaming, a 4K monitor can offer incredibly sharp and detailed visuals. So, if you are ready for your 4K upgrade, our handpicked recommendations are a great place to start.

What to Look For in a 4K Monitor in 2023

A monitor purchase can be tricky, given the sheer number of options on the market. While nailing down the resolution does help, there are several other factors to consider in order to narrow down your choices.

You can start by deciding how you are going to use the monitor. Will you primarily use it for gaming, office work, or both? This is important because, while a faster display refresh rate can deliver a fluid gaming experience, it’s not crucial for office work. If you create content, color accuracy, gamut, and color space coverage play a significant role in the monitor you need. Similarly, if your monitor is used for binging the latest TV series or watching movies, contrast ratio and HDR performance can impact the picture quality.

Monitor screen size is another important detail. While 27-inch and 32-inch models are among the most popular, you will also find 42-inch and 48-inch sizes. Depending on how far back you sit, the space available on your desk, and your budget, you need to pick the right monitor size for your needs.

In other features, you will want to check the port selection to ensure a simple and seamless setup that doesn’t require adapters. The included stand’s viewing angles, peak brightness, and ergonomics are also crucial.

These are some of the most important factors to remember while shopping for a 4K display. But if you want more help, our guide on how to pick the right monitor will undoubtedly come in handy.

The MSI MAG323UPF is a great all-around performer well suited for gaming and work. A 160Hz refresh rate, fast response time, and an IPS panel work well with any game, including fast-paced esports titles. Smooth motion, a large, 32-inch panel combined with 4K native resolution, and a KVM switch allowing you to easily switch between two PCs hooked to the same monitor are great for productivity, especially if you have separate gaming and workstation machines.

95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color range makes the MSI MAG323UPF pretty solid for color-critical work, with vibrant colors also augmenting the gaming experience and content consumption. Videos, particularly 4K ones, look great on this monitor due to vivid colors and a very high maximum brightness that can reach north of 550 nits.

Gaming-friendly features include support for G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro to eliminate screen tearing. The stand offers a full range of features, including pretty generous height adjustment as well as tilt, swivel, and pivot.

Aside from the KVM switch, this monitor also packs one DisplayPort 1.4, one USB-C port with 90W USB PD and DP alt mode, and two HDMI 2.1 ports. You’ve also got three USB-A 2.0 ports and a single USB 2.0 Type-B connector for establishing the USB hub connection. While having a USB hub is always a plus, offering USB 3.1 ports would’ve been even better.

Dual HDMI 2.1 ports make the MSI MAG323UPF an excellent choice for gamers who own a PC and a PS5 or an Xbox Series X/S. The presence of a Type-C port that supports 90W PD and DP alt mode means you can use the monitor to easily connect and charge laptops like MacBooks.

Downsides here include poor HDR support despite the HDR600 label found on the spec list, USB 2.0 ports on the back, and an average contrast ratio, which is an issue with most IPS monitors.

If a 32-inch panel is too large for your needs, check out the GIGABYTE M27U, which offers the same specs with an even faster response time. If you’re looking for something even more massive, our picks for the best 4K gaming monitor and the best 4K 120Hz monitor below should suit your needs.

MSI MAG323UPF

Best 4K Monitor Overall

$650 $700 Save $50

Our pick for the best 4K monitor, the MSI MAG323UPF, is a versatile all-rounder well-suited for gaming and work. The massive 32-inch panel features a 160Hz refresh rate, impressive max brightness, excellent pixel response time, and vibrant colors. 

If you don’t have the budget for the Gigabyte M32U, Dell’s S2721QS is a good but affordable 4K monitor you can buy. Featuring a 27-inch panel, it’s primarily designed for office use and sports a clean and minimalist look. You get plenty of screen real estate for multitasking, the text looks crisp, and the IPS panel ensures the viewing angles are good.

The presence of an IPS panel also means the Dell monitor can deliver excellent color fidelity. While the color accuracy is decent out of the box, you can significantly improve it after calibration. In addition, there is complete coverage of sRGB and good coverage of Adobe RGB.

The S2721QS’s adjustable stand excels in ergonomics, and all standard adjustments are available, including tilt, rotate, and swivel. You can also mount it using VESA holes.

Connectivity options are limited to essentials, but you still get two HDMI 2.0, one DP 1.2 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Unfortunately, there is no USB-C port for a single cable connection with your laptop for power and video.

In terms of gaming, while the monitor offers low input lag and VRR support, the display tops out at 60Hz, and there are no HDMI 2.1 ports. HDR performance is another aspect of the monitor that is slightly underwhelming.

Because of the relatively low peak brightness, the Dell monitor can’t offer impactful HDR performance—but you’ll be happy to know it gets plenty bright for SDR content and can counter glare in rooms with a lot of ambient light.

Dell S2721QS

Best Budget 4K Monitor

$240 $330 Save $90

The Dell S2721QS offers the best bang for the buck among 4K monitors. It has an IPS panel for wide viewing angles and good color accuracy. And you get an ergonomic stand.

If you’re in the market for a quality gaming monitor sporting a usual PC monitor size —27” to 32”—and don’t care much about HDR, each of our picks, aside from the budget and 4K 120Hz ones, offers a fantastic gaming experience. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7, our best 4K curved monitor choice, also comes with a superb HDR experience.

But if you want the absolute best image quality married with stunning HDR—LG C3’s max HDR brightness surpasses 800 nits—and the lowest pixel response time you can get, the LG C3 is where it’s at. Now, while this isn’t a gaming monitor but a TV, the C3 can play the role of a 4K gaming monitor quite successfully, as long as you don’t plan on using it as a workhorse.

The 42-inch OLED evo panel gives you the best HDR experience on the market, although the SDR brightness isn’t that great. And while OLEDs are prone to burn-in, LG has equipped the C3 with a slew of tools and features that should keep the panel from developing permanent image retention.

The C3 comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports, all of them supporting FreeSync and G-Sync. You can hook up your PC as well as two consoles and leave another HDMI port free for extra video input, allowing you to have a complete entertainment system sitting on your PC desk and get the best experience when gaming and watching videos.

On the flip side, the LG C3 doesn’t come with many PC monitor-specific features. Its stand is as basic as they come, and the SDR max brightness is quite low. But the best-in-class gaming and content consumption experience on offer here, combined with an excellent price, is worth it, as long as you don’t plan on using it for work-related purposes.

It’s also worth noting that if you’d like to get a normal-sized 4K OLED gaming monitor and you find the 42-inch diagonal unacceptable for one reason or another, I advise you to wait until early 2024 when a slew of 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitors from multiple big-name PC monitor brands is set to arrive.

LG C3 Series Class OLED Evo Smart TV

Best 4K Gaming Monitor

The LG C3 42-inch OLED TV is the best 4K OLED gaming monitor you can get. While it isn’t your regular PC monitor, it offers ultimate image quality, a superb HDR experience, and comes with support for FreeSync and G-Sync. 

There aren’t a lot of 4K monitors that come with a native 120Hz refresh rate. So you can either go for a 144Hz monitor or the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U. While the F048U is an excellent monitor with impressive picture quality, its 48-inch size may be too big for some. But size aside, this Gigabyte monitor has a lot to like.

It uses an OLED panel, which is great for viewing angles, picture quality, black levels, and contrast ratio. But unlike our recommendation for the best gaming monitor, the Gigabyte monitor is built to be used as a computer monitor. It comes with a DisplayPort, a built-in USB hub to connect your peripherals, and a USB-C port that supports DP Alt mode. Of course, you also get two HDMI 2.1 ports. As a bonus, there is a built-in KVM switch as well.

Gamers will like the monitor’s low input lag, fast response time, and VRR support. Its large screen also delivers an immersive experience. However, you may have to sit slightly away from the screen to truly appreciate it.

In other highlights, it has full coverage of sRGB and excellent coverage of Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. Color accuracy is also decent. But the monitor doesn’t get very bright in both SDR and HDR.

Since the FO48U is built like a TV, it doesn’t feature an ergonomic stand. So you can’t adjust the height, tilt, swivel, or even orientation out of the box. But there are VEGA mounting holes. Lastly, like other OLED displays, it’s also susceptible to burn-in.

Gigabyte AORUS FO48U

Best 4K 120Hz Monitor

$902 $1152 Save $250

Gigabyte AORUS FO48U’s OLED panel delivers stunning picture quality, wide viewing angles, and fast response time. It’s also chockful of connectivity options.

Best 4K 144Hz Monitor: GIGABYTE M28U

Like the MSI MAG323UPF, the GIGABYTE M28U is a brilliant all-around 4K IPS monitor catering both to gamers and productivity-oriented users. 144Hz refresh rate, excellent pixel response time, a KVM switch, dual HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, and competitive pricing make the M28U one of the best 4K monitors on the market.

You can game on it with a PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X/S and get a tear-free experience thanks to the FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync support. You can also use it with multiple PCs, thanks to the presence of a KVM switch. Macs also work great with the M28U since you’ve got a USB-C port with DP alt support. The monitor is also suited for color-critical work thanks to its wide color gamut panel. There’s also a USB hub here with three USB-A 3.0 ports.

Regarding image quality, pixel response time is pretty fast, while the ~1200:1 contrast ratio is mediocre but pretty good for an IPS panel. Max SDR brightness that tops out at a little over 300 nits is fine for all environments sans extremely bright rooms, with the only major knock here being the lack of proper HDR support. If HDR is high on your list of desired features, check our picks for the best 4K gaming monitor, 4K 120Hz monitor, or 4K curved monitor.

If you’re looking for something just a tad smaller but with the same specs and a similar price, the GIGABYTE M27U is virtually the same monitor as the M28U, with the added benefit of having a 160Hz refresh rate.

Gigabyte M28U

Best 4K 144Hz Monitor

$450 $600 Save $150

Those in the market for a 4K 144Hz monitor should definitely check the GIGABYTE M28U. This is a capable 4K 144Hz IPS monitor made for gaming and productivity. It fills all the checkboxes aside from HDR and is available at an excellent price. 

Curved monitors are great for an immersive experience, and if you want a 4K curved monitor, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is the best option. It has a 32-inch 165Hz screen and VRR support for high refresh rate gaming.

As it uses a VA-type panel, the monitor has an excellent native contrast ratio, which is significantly enhanced by using Mini-LED backlighting and full-array local dimming. So you get deep blacks, which, combined with quantum dot technology, result in impressive picture quality.

In terms of design, the Samsung monitor has a gamer aesthetic and comes with RGB zone lighting. Ergonomics are also strong as you can tilt, swivel, and rotate the screen. Plus, there is scope for a decent amount of height adjustment.

The screen’s curvature is aggressive at 1000R, but this also means the edges of the screen are always comfortably in your field of view despite the monitor’s otherwise large screen size.

Samsung has packed many connectivity options into the S32BG75. You get two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, a built-in USB hub, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Another area where the Samsung monitor shines is the screen brightness. It gets plenty bright in both SDR and HDR. Unfortunately, not everything is fantastic, as there is some black crush and blooming on the monitor, and it has narrow viewing angles.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75

Best 4K Curved Monitor

$698 $1300 Save $602

From a 1000R curvature to a 165Hz screen, there is a lot to like about Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75.

FAQ

Are 4K monitors worth it?

As 4K monitors have become more affordable, they are definitely worth picking over their lower-resolution counterparts as they deliver crisper visuals and more screen real estate for multitasking. They are also future-proof, but if you are just browsing the web, using Office apps, and making video calls, a 1440p or full-HD monitor is likely sufficient for you. But you can try one in a store to get a better idea.

What is the resolution of a 4K monitor?

All 4K monitors have a vertical resolution of 2160p, but their horizontal resolution can differ based on their screen aspect ratio. For example, a 16:9 4K monitor has a 3,840×2,160 pixels resolution, whereas a 21:9 4K monitor comes with a 5,120×2,160 pixels resolution. However, the latter resolution is sometimes also marketed as 5K2K.

Can a 4K monitor run 1440p?

A 4K monitor can run at the 1440p resolution. You can change the resolution of your monitor by going to display settings on your system.

How do I know if my monitor is 4K?

There are a few ways to check if your monitor is 4K. If you use Windows, right-click on Desktop and select “Display Settings.” Next, select the drop-down in “Display resolution.” If one of the listed resolutions is 3840 x 2160p or anything by 2160p, you have a 4K monitor. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Displays in the sidebar. Now, you can see the listed resolution. Alternatively, you can check the monitor specifications online to see its resolution.

Do I need a 4K monitor for photo editing?

While you don’t necessarily need a 4K monitor for photo editing, it gives you more screen space to open multiple windows, and you’ll be able to see more detail at once. But, of course, color accuracy is far more critical.

Do I want a 4K monitor for gaming?

If you have a sufficiently powerful gaming rig or the latest-generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony, you can get a 4K monitor. But otherwise, a 1440p monitor, at least in 2023, offers a much better value for money.