Need an affordable and reliable monitor for business and office-related work?
In this buying guide, you will find the best PC monitors for reading documents, productivity, spreadsheets, Excel and other similar tasks.
We’ve selected various options, so you can pick your best office monitor according to your budget and preference.
Additionally, you can visit our best photo and video editing monitors, best portable monitors, best USB-C monitors and best monitors for multi-display setups buyer’s guides for more specific selections.
Type | Monitor | Size | Resolution | Panel | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Budget Office Monitors | 15.6” | 1920x1080 | IPS | ||
24” | 1920x1080 | IPS | |||
27” | 2560x1440 | IPS | |||
29” | 2560x1080 | IPS | |||
Best Mid-Range Office Monitors | 32” | 2560x1440 | VA | ||
27” | 3840x2160 | IPS | |||
32” | 3840x2160 | VA | |||
34” | 3440x1440 | VA | |||
Best High-End Office Monitors | 38” | 3840x1600 | IPS | ||
43” | 3840x2160 | VA | |||
49” | 5120x1440 | VA |
Note that all monitors in this list have flicker-free backlights and integrated low-blue light filters. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about eye fatigue, headaches and eye strain caused by looking at the screen for extended periods.
But that’s not all, each display offers medium to high pixel density i.e., pixel-per-inch ratio, which will ensure you get plenty of screen space to work with as well as sharp and crisp picture quality.
As you can see, almost all monitors feature an IPS panel, meaning that you’ll get the widest viewing angles and the most accurate and consistent colors.
For more information on what specs to look out for, visit our comprehensive monitor buyer’s guide. As long as you stick to our guidelines, we guarantee that you’ll find the best computer monitor for your office-related tasks.
You can view our changelogs for this buying guide at the end of this article.
Best Budget Office Monitors
Looking for a cheap monitor that’s actually good and reliable? No problem, the following monitors offer remarkable value for the price and they are more than good enough for work.
The Pros:
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Crisp picture quality
The Cons:
- None
About The Monitor
The G-Story GSW56FM is a 15.6″ 1080p IPS portable monitor that’s powered via a USB-C port. It’s ideal as a secondary monitor for your laptop when you have to work on the go.
Image Quality
This portable monitor is based on an IPS panel with a peak brightness of 220-nits, a contrast ratio of 800:1, a pixel density of 141 PPI (pixels per inch), 60Hz, 178° viewing angles and 1080p resolution.
Overall, it’s the best portable monitor for the money as you get crystal-clear image quality with wide viewing angles and vibrant colors.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something similar, you can visit our best portable monitors buyer’s guide for more portable displays, including models with USB-C, HDMI, VGA, built-in batteries, modern designs, etc.
Design & Connectivity
The G-Story GSW56FM is quite lightweight, weighing only 1.54 lbs (700g). Additionally, it’s VESA mount compatible via a separate adapter.
Connectivity options include two USB-C ports, mini HDMI, micro USB, dual built-in speakers and a headphone jack.
Summary
On balance, the G-Story GSW56FM is the best budget portable work monitor; it offers the same picture quality as the more expensive models, as well as more features.
The Pros:
- Fully ergonomic design with thin bezels
- Good picture quality
The Cons:
- IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
About The Monitor
The HP 24mh is the best 24″ IPS 1080p 60Hz monitor for the money. Due to its ergonomic design, affordable price and very thin bezels, it’s also the best monitor for multi-display setups on a budget.
Image Quality
Based on an IPS panel with a 250-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, 178° degree viewing angles, 1080p resolution and 8-bit color depth, the HP 24mh monitor offers exceptional picture quality for the price.
In fact, at this price range, you won’t be able to find a monitor with better image quality and performance. For around $10 less, though, there’s the ASUS VA24DQ, which has a DisplayPort input that allows FreeSync to be used with compatible NVIDIA cards, but it doesn’t have an ergonomic stand.
Design & Connectivity
One of the main features of the HP 24mh is its ability to pivot its screen into portrait orientation which will certainly appeal to programmers and photographers.
Moreover, you can elevate its screen up to 100mm, tilt by -5°/23° or mount it using the 100 x 100mm VESA pattern. Connectivity options include DisplayPort, VGA and HDMI 1.4.
Alternatives
If you’re looking for something with a more attractive design, check out the LG 24MP88HV-S with 4-side ultra-thin bezels, but at a higher $200 price.
Keep in mind that the 22″ – 24″ 1080p 60Hz/75Hz budget monitors are heavily affected by component shortages, so their prices can fluctuate a lot. Here are some alternatives you might want to check out:
- ASUS VA24DQ – with DisplayPort and FreeSync up to 75Hz, allowing you to use VRR with compatible NVIDIA GPUs. However, it has a tilt-only stand
- Acer CB242Y – with a fully ergonomic stand (including 360° swivel) and FreeSync, but no DisplayPort input
- ASUS VA24EHE – tilt-only stand, no DP input, FreeSync up to 75Hz
- Philips 246E9QDSB – tilt-only stand, no DP input, 75x75mm VESA pattern, FreeSync up to 75Hz, wide color gamut
- Sceptre E248W-19203R – VA panel, tilt-only, no DP, FreeSync up to 75Hz
LG 27QN600
Best 27″ 1440p Monitor For Office Work & Light Gaming
Size: 27”
Resolution: 2560×1440
Panel: IPS
The Pros:
- High pixel density and consistent colors
- Plenty of gaming features
The Cons:
- Tilt-only stand
- IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
About The Monitor
The LG 27QN600 is the cheapest 27″ 1440p IPS monitor you can get, yet it offers excellent image quality with plenty of screen space, crisp details and vivid colors.
Image Quality
Here’s some useful advice: in case you want a 27″ business monitor, avoid 1080p displays as they offer a low pixel density and therefore limit your screen real estate.
On the other hand, 27″ 1440p monitors provide you with plenty of screen space and details without any scaling necessary thanks to their high pixel-per-inch ratio.
Additionally, the LG 27QN600 supports AMD FreeSync up to 75Hz for tear-free gameplay (48-75Hz VRR range).
It also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), but it can only accept the display of the HDR10 signal, it doesn’t have proper display capabilities for a noteworthy HDR viewing experience — as expected at this price range.
LG’s Dual Controller feature is supported as well, which allows you to connect two different PCs to the monitor and have control over both of them via the same keyboard/mouse.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor is tilt-only (-5°/20°), but you can mount the screen via the 100x100mm VESA pattern.
Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI ports and a headphone jack.
Alternatives
If you intend on playing games on your monitor, we recommend checking out the Acer XV272UV instead. It also has a 27″ 1440p IPS panel, but with a higher 165Hz refresh rate, and it’s only slightly more expensive.
The LG 27QN600 is also available as a 24″ and 32″ model, the LG 24QP500 and 32QN600 – both with 1440p resolution and excellent value for money. However, for office-related use, the 27″ version offers the best pixel density.
The Pros:
- Plenty of screen space
- Rich and precise colors
- Additional gaming features such as FreeSync and MBR up to 100Hz
The Cons:
- Tilt-only design
- IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
About The Monitor
The LG 29WQ600 is the best ultra-wide workstation monitor for the money.
Image Quality
Ultrawide monitors have an aspect ratio of 21:9 as opposed to regular 16:9 widescreen displays.
And what does this mean for you? It means that you get extra horizontal workspace, which is ideal for audio and video editing as you get a wider view of your timelines.
Additionally, the LG 29WQ600 has an IPS panel with 99% sRGB color gamut, which makes it adequate for amateurs and entry-level photographers/designers as well. Further, thanks to its 2560×1080 screen resolution, you get a decent pixel density of 96 PPI, which makes for sufficient workspace and detail clarity.
Features
Using the On-Screen Control feature, you can tweak most of the OSD (On-Screen Display) settings in a desktop application, including Screen Split, which allows you to split the screen in different layouts and snap application windows to the desired certain part of the screen.
Moreover, the LG 29WQ600 productivity monitor also offers lots of gaming features, including FreeSync, which provides a variable refresh rate up to 100Hz for a tearing-free gaming experience if you have a compatible graphics card.
Lastly, the monitor supports HDR10 though it is software-enabled only, so you don’t get a notable boost in image quality for HDR content, but you also don’t pay extra due to this feature. For more information, visit our HDR for monitors article.
Check out our full LG 29WQ600 review for more information.
Design & Connectivity
The LG 29WQ600 design consists of very thin bezels though there is a 1cm black border around the edge of the screen.
At first, the monitor may seem a bit odd as if it’s too wide for its height since it is as tall as a regular 23″ monitor, but you’ll quickly get used to it and cherish the extra horizontal screen space.
At the back of the monitor, you will find HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode), a headphone jack and dual 7W built-in speakers. Also, there’s a 100x100mm pattern for VESA mounting, but the design is tilt-only.
Best Mid-Range Office Monitors
Can you afford something a bit pricier? Then, the following models offer extra features and higher resolutions which can be beneficial for your work.
The Pros:
- Excellent value for the price
- High pixel density and accurate colors
The Cons:
- Tilt-only stand
- IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
About The Monitor
The Sceptre U275W-UPT is the most cost-efficient 4K monitor, yet it features an IPS panel with striking color quality and offers plenty of additional features.
Overall, it’s the best 4K monitor on a budget.
Image Quality
Based on an IPS panel with 10-bit color support, a 99% sRGB color gamut and 4K UHD resolution, the monitor delivers eye-catching details and sharpness thanks to its high pixel density of 163 PPI.
However, many will find that 27″-28″ monitors are too small for 4K UHD as you have to scale your interface for tiny items such as text to be easily readable.
In turn, this gives you sharper details at the cost of less screen space, which is why we don’t recommend 4K monitors for productivity — but for graphic designers and the like.
Besides having to sacrifice screen space for details by scaling, you may run into additional issues as certain applications have poor or no scaling support at all.
Unfortunately, there’s no AMD FreeSync support.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor is tilt-only, but the screen is VESA mount compatible (100x100mm). Connectivity options include two HDMI 1.4 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, DisplayPort 1.2, built-in speakers and a headphone jack.
Alternatives
In case the Sceptre U275W is not available, check out the Philips 278E1A, the Dell S2721QS (ergonomic stand) and LG’s 27UK580 (ergo stand) and other models.
For ~$330, you can also get the ASUS VG289Q with a slightly larger 28″ screen, wider 90% DCI-P3 color gamut, FreeSync support and an ergonomic stand.
For more 4K monitors, visit our dedicated best 4K monitor buyer’s guide.
The Pros:
- High contrast ratio and pixel density
- Built-in Smart features
- Rich connectivity options, including USB-C with 65W PD
- Affordable
The Cons:
- Tilt-only stand
About The Monitor
The Samsung 32M70A is one of the cheapest 32″ 4K monitors available, yet it offers some premium features such as Tizen OS and USB-C with 65W PD!
Image Quality
With a 32″ 4K monitor, you get even more screen space in comparison to 27″ 4K models as you don’t have to use scaling (some users might prefer 125%). So, you get plenty of screen real estate with sharp details and text!
The Samsung 32M70A monitor is based on a VA panel, providing you with a high 3,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks.
It has a peak brightness of 250-nits, meaning that it can get more than bright enough under normal lighting conditions, but if you’re in a room with plenty of light without any blinders, the screen might be too dark for you even at its highest brightness setting.
Further, the screen covers the basic sRGB color space for accurate and natural colors without over-saturation.
Features
Samsung’s M7 series smart monitors offer plenty of exclusive features, such as support for DeX, Microsoft 365 suite, AirPlay 2 and streaming applications, all of which you can access without using a PC. You also get a remote controller, so you can essentially use this monitor as a TV (just without the tuner).
While the monitor has a refresh rate of only 60Hz and no AMD FreeSync support, games will still look and run nicely (provided you have a good enough GPU) thanks to its high resolution and high contrast ratio.
There’s also an integrated sensor that can change the screen’s brightness according to ambient lighting via the ‘Adaptive Picture’ feature.
Design & Connectivity
The monitor has a tilt-only stand, but the screen is VESA mount compatible via the 100x100mm pattern.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 inputs, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 65W PD), two downstream USB 2.0 ports, dual built-in speakers, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi5 and Bixby voice assistant.
Alternatives
Now, even if you don’t need the Smart features and a USB-C port with PD, the Samsung 32M70A is still the most cost-effective 32″ 4K monitor you can buy!
Alternatively, you might consider the LG 32UL500 if it’s on sale for $300. It has FreeSync, a wide color gamut and a bit brighter screen.
While both the Samsung 32M70A and the LG 32UL500 are perfectly fine for office-related work and basic content creation, if you need professional-grade color accuracy and consistency, you should get a 32″ 4K IPS monitor, such as the LG 32UN650, though it’s more expensive (~$450).
The Pros:
- High contrast ratio and pixel density
- Plenty of features, including FreeSync up to 75Hz
- Inexpensive
The Cons:
- Tilt-only stand
About The Monitor
34″ 3440×1440 ultrawide monitors provide the perfect screen size/resolution ratio for productivity, and the Samsung S34J55W is the most cost-efficient model out there.
Image Quality
A 34″ 3440×1440 monitor is the same height as a 27″ display, and it offers a slightly higher pixel density (109.68 PPI) than a 27″ 1440p display (108.79), so scaling isn’t necessary. So, you can look at it as a 27″ 1440p monitor that’s ~33% wider.
The Samsung S34J55W monitor has a flat VA panel with a high 3,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks, the standard sRGB color gamut and a decent peak brightness of 300-nits.
The ultrawide aspect ratio provides you with extra horizontal screen space that’s especially useful for audio/video editing and multitasking with numerous spreadsheets and windows open.
Additionally, compatible games and movies shot at the 21:9 aspect ratio provide you with a more cinematic viewing experience with an extended field of view.
Features
The Samsung SJ55W supports AMD FreeSync up to 75Hz for tear-free gameplay, and a lot of users were able to overclock the monitor up to ~90Hz, though this will vary from unit to unit.
There’s an integrated sensor that adjusts brightness according to ambient lighting and Picture in Picture/Picture by Picture support.
Check out our full Samsung S34J55W review for more information.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor is sturdy while the bezels are reasonably thick. Ergonomics include tilt and VESA mount compatibility. Connectivity options include HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack.
Alternatives
If you have a laptop that supports USB-C PD and/or want a higher refresh rate, check out the Philips 346E2CUAE with 100Hz and USB-C 65W PD for ~$450.
In case you plan on doing color-critical work, you’ll need to invest in an IPS variant, such as the LG 34WL750, which goes for $300 – $400.
Another affordable ultrawide model worth considering is the Sceptre E345W-QUT with a 34″ 3440×1440 100Hz flat-screen IPS panel for $280.
Best High-End Office Monitors
Want the absolute best monitor for business? The following monitors are going to provide you with the latest features, as well as plenty of screen space and sharp details for a fair price.
LG 38WN75C
Best 38″ Value UltraWide Monitor For Productivity
Size: 38”
Resolution: 3840×1600
Panel: IPS
The Pros:
- Vivid and accurate colors
- Ergonomic design with plenty of connectivity options
The Cons:
- IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
About The Monitor
Want an even bigger ultrawide monitor with an even larger screen and better color reproduction? The LG 38WN75C is the cheapest 38″ ultrawide monitor you can get and it offers excellent image quality!
Image Quality
The LG 38WN75C is a 38″ ultrawide monitor with a screen resolution of 3840×1600 (UWQHD+) pixels. So, you’re getting the same pixel density as a 34″ 3440×1440 display offers, but a larger screen as well.
It covers the entire sRGB color space, has a decent peak brightness of 300-nits and a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1.
Features
Sadly, the monitor doesn’t support AMD FreeSync and it’s limited to 60Hz, but thanks to its quick response time and great image quality, video games will still look and run great, provided you have a powerful enough GPU.
The LG 38WN75C can also accept the HDR10 signal of compatible content, but it’s software-enabled only, so you won’t get a notable boost in picture quality.
Design & Connectivity
Turning to the connectivity, you’ll find DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports and a headphone jack.
The stand offers tilt and height adjustment up to 100mm, while the screen is VESA mount compatible (100x100mm) and has a 2300R curvature for added immersion.
Alternatives
If you want a 38″ monitor with more features, check out the ViewSonic VP3881a with USB-C, KVM, a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, FreeSync and more! However, it’s ~$400 more expensive.
There are also 34″ and 40″ ultrawide models with a higher 5120×2160 resolution, such as the MSI PS341WU and the LG 40WP95C, but they are a lot more expensive. We only recommend them if you need their premium features and/or wider color gamut for color-critical work.
The Pros:
- High contrast ratio and pixel density
- Built-in Smart features
- Rich connectivity options, including USB-C with 65W PD
- Affordable
The Cons:
- BGR subpixel layout
About The Monitor
The Samsung 43M70A is the most cost-efficient 43″ 4K monitor available for office work. However, for most people, a 43″ monitor is simply too big for basic office use.
Image Quality
Basically, with the Samsung 43M70A, you get four 22″ 1080p displays in a 2×2 grid!
But it gets better: 4K UHD looks incredibly sharp even on a 43″ screen with a pixel density of 103 pixels per inch, which means that no scaling is necessary.
The monitor has a VA panel with full sRGB gamut coverage, 10-bit color depth, a 300-nit peak brightness and a high contrast ratio of 5,000:1, so you can expect natural colors with deep blacks.
Keep in mind that all 43″ monitors use a BGR layout instead of the regular RGB. This makes the text appear a bit blurry at 100% scaling, but there are ways to alleviate this.
You get the same features as with the previously-mentioned 32″ Samsung M7 monitor, including DeX, TapView, Mirroring, AirPlay 2, Microsoft 365, streaming apps, Adaptive Picture, Bixby voice assistant, and more.
Design & Connectivity
As expected, the design is tilt-only but it’s VESA mount compatible with 200 x 200mm holes. There are also two 5W integrated speakers and a remote controller provided.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB type C port (DP 1.4 Alt Mode and 65W PD), three USB 2.0 downstream ports, WiFi and Bluetooth.
Alternatives
If you need a 43″ 4K monitor for color-critical work, you’ll need to invest ~$150 more for an IPS variant, such as the LG 43UN700.
Samsung S95UA
Best Value 32:9 Monitor For Office Work & Gaming
Size: 49”
Resolution: 5120×1440
Panel: VA
The Pros:
- High contrast ratio and pixel density
- Wide color gamut
- Plenty of features
- Ergonomic stand and rich connectivity options, including KVM, RJ45 and USB-C (90W PD)
The Cons:
- Moderate ghosting in darker scenes in fast-paced games
- Limited to 60Hz over USB-C
About The Monitor
Looking for an even wider display? The Samsung S49A950 is an excellent 32:9 ‘super’ ultrawide monitor for office-related work, content consumption, gaming and a lot more!
Even though it’s mostly gamers who are interested in this display due to its 120Hz refresh rate (over DisplayPort only), it’s actually one of the most cost-efficient 49″ 5120×1440 monitors overall.
Image Quality
Simply put: this monitor is equivalent to two 27″ 1440p monitors put side by side, but without the bezels in between them. Of course, just getting two 27″ QHD monitors would be much more affordable and you would get the same amount of screen real estate.
With the Samsung S95UA, you get a more seamless viewing experience, which is particularly useful for video editing as you get an excellent view of your timelines.
Panel-related specifications include a 400-nit peak brightness, a 3,000:1 static contrast ratio, 10-bit color depth and a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut.
Design & Connectivity
The stand is sturdy and versatile with up to 120mm height adjustment, -4°/17° tilt, +/- 15° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
Connectivity options DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, three downstream USB 3.0 ports, RJ45 and USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 90W PD), built-in speakers and an integrated KVM switch.
Alternatives
For gamers, we recommend getting the newer Samsung Odyssey G9 model with a higher 240Hz refresh rate, a faster 1ms GtG response time speed and a more aggressive 1000R curvature.
If you do color-critical work, you should get an IPS version, such as the LG 49WQ95C, but it’s more expensive.
Conclusion
Have you found your best PC monitor for office work? If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to ask us in the comments below.
Overall, we recommend the Sceptre U275W or the HP 24mh as the best monitors for dual setup (or multiple) when it comes to productivity on a budget.
In case you don’t want multiple monitors or if your work involves audio/video editing, ultrawide displays such as the Samsung S34J55W and the LG 38WN75C are outstanding workstation monitors that will certainly make your job both easier and more enjoyable.
Updates +
- March 23, 2023:
– Removed the BenQ EW3270ZL.
– Replaced the Philips 278E1A with the Sceptre U275W-UPT. - November 22, 2022:
– Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available. - September 24, 2022:
– Replaced the LG 29WP60G with the LG 29WQ600. - May 8, 2022:
– Replaced the Samsung CRG9 with the Samsung S95UA. - April 29, 2022:
– Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available. - February 18, 2022:
– Replaced the LG 32UN650 with Samsung 32M70A, the LG 43UN700 with Samsung 43M70A, the LG 34WN80C with Samsung S34J55W, and the LG 49WL95C with Samsung CRG9. These VA models are cheaper yet more than good enough for office use unless you’re dealing with color-critical work, in which case the mentioned LG’s IPS models are included as alternatives. - February 17, 2022:
– Replaced the LG 29WK600 with the newer 29WP60G model, and the ViewSonic VP3881 with the LG 38WN75C. - November 26, 2021:
– Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available.
– Replaced the AOC I1659FWUX with the G-Story GSW56FM. - April 15, 2021
– Added the new Dell C3422WE as a premium alternative to the LG 34WN80C. - February 17, 2021
– Replaced the ASUS PA278QV with the LG 27QN600.
– Removed the AOC Q3279VWFD8.
– Replaced the BenQ PD3200U with the LG 32UN650.
– Replaced the LG 43UD79 with the LG 43UN700.