The Best 4K Monitors of 2023

While many 4K gaming monitors can either cost upwards of $700 or stick with a basic 60Hz refresh rate, the Gigabyte M28U puts out a 4K/144Hz image signal and sometimes, can be found as low as $450 on sale. It’s not just a high resolution on offer, though: the M28U also has a wide color gamut that it displays accurately, with rich colors that make HDR content look great. The M28U’s peak brightness with HDR enabled isn’t mind-blowing at just 453 nits, but affordable monitors are rarely able to offer much in this regard.

The sharp visuals of 4K are just half of what the Gigabyte M28U delivers. With a 144Hz refresh rate, gameplay appears smooth and FreeSync Premium Pro can prevent screen tearing. Even some fast monitors have pixel response times that lag behind, leaving blurry ghosting trails behind moving imagery, but the Gigabyte M28U’s pixels largely keep up with the action, making for exceptionally clear visuals, for the price.

There are competent challengers in the market of 1440p gaming monitors as well as 4K gaming TVs, but as far as 4K monitors go, the Gigabyte M28U stands out as a strong value option that tops the competition.

Read our full review of the Gigabyte M28U.

The Dell S2721QS is a 27-inch 4K monitor with an IPS panel. It has a 60Hz refresh rate, supports HDR, and is among the least expensive 4K monitors available.

Despite its price, the S2721QS provides great image quality in a wide range of content. It has a high maximum brightness, superb sharpness, and good overall color performance. Its contrast ratio is near the top of IPS panels, so it looks better in dark scenes than most similar monitors.

The monitor supports HDR input but it’s only “HDR Ready” instead of VESA DisplayHDR certified. That’s a bit surprising because, in our tests, it performed better than some monitors that are certified. Don’t get too excited, however. While it can add vibrance to HDR content, it’s only a modest improvement over SDR.

Unfortunately, this monitor doesn’t support adaptive sync, which will probably disappoint gamers who prefer smooth, fast-paced gameplay. It’s still a great choice for games with a slower pace, such as strategy or simulation titles.

This is a sleek, modern monitor that looks great on a desk and feels sturdy despite the low price. It ships with a quality stand that can adjust for height, tilt, swivel, and even rotate 90 degrees.

The BenQ PD3220U is a 32-inch 4K monitor designed for professional use. It has a 60Hz refresh rate, supports HDR, and uses an IPS panel. It also has a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port with power delivery that can charge a compatible laptop. The monitor’s additional USB-A ports make it useful as a USB hub.

As the name implies, the PD3220U is similar to the smaller PD2725U. It shares the smaller model’s top-tier color accuracy, very wide color gamut, and excellent sharpness, all of which make it a great monitor for professional content creation.

However, the larger PD3220U suffers a lackluster contrast ratio that falls behind most competitors. This hurts the monitor’s depth and realism when using it for entertainment.

The monitor supports HDR but at only 250 nits is nowhere near bright enough to properly display HDR content. You’re better off sticking with SDR.

This monitor is simple but handsome and feels expensive when handled. It has a stand that adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel, but it can’t pivot due to its size.

Asus’ ROG Swift PG32UQX has cutting-edge technology that represents the future of computer monitors. It is a 32-inch 4K monitor with a mini-LED backlight that includes 1,152 individual dimming zones, each of which can turn on or off independently. It’s VESA DisplayHDR 1400 certified and has an IPS panel.

The monitor has great color accuracy and a very wide color gamut, traits that are obvious in movies and games but also useful for content creators. The mini-LED backlight offers the best contrast ratio of any we tested.

Motion clarity is strong, too, thanks to the 144Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync support. That’s good news for gamers, who are the monitor’s target audience. On the downside, it lacks HDMI 2.1. It can still handle 4K/120Hz when connected to the Xbox Series X, but not with the PlayStation 5.

HDR performance is where this monitor leaps ahead of the pack. It has a maximum peak brightness of over 1400 nits and its sustained brightness was the second-highest of any monitor we tested. It also beats many HDR televisions. HDR content is so vivid you’ll all but feel the heat of on-screen explosions.

Build quality is outstanding. The monitor feels luxurious, with a robust, sturdy, wide stand that adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel. But it’s also so large and heavy that you may have trouble finding space for it on a small desk.

The P32UQX has just one serious problem: price. You could purchase three of our top picks, the Acer XV282K KV, for the price of Asus’ ROG Swift P32UQX. That’s hard to justify, but those willing to open their wallets will enjoy an unparalleled visual experience.

Content creators should take note of the Asus ProArt PA32UCX-PK, which also has mini-LED technology. It trades a high refresh rate and adaptive sync for extra connectivity and even better color accuracy. We were not able to test it for this guide, however.

The Asus ROG Strix XG43UQ is a 43-inch 4K monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and a VA panel. It is VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified.

Since the ROG Strix XG43UQ is much larger than a typical 4K monitor, it can be used as an HDTV replacement in a small room or studio apartment. Asus leans into this and the monitor has not one but two HDMI 2.1 ports that can handle 4K/120Hz gameplay from an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. It’s even compatible with AMD FreeSync.

The monitor’s VA panel provides an outstanding contrast ratio, good color performance, and a wide color gamut. Movies and games tend to look great on this monitor, but vibrant and bright content stands out the most.

This monitor’s extremely high maximum brightness can deliver a serious punch in HDR content. However, it lacks a mini-LED backlight like that found in the Asus ROG Swift PG32UX, so HDR content can struggle when very bright objects are placed against a dark background.

Although similar in size to a small television, the XG43UQ will remind you that it’s a monitor. It has obvious bezels and is thicker than many HDTVs. The wide stand is more stable than many televisions but lacks the adjustment you might expect from a monitor; it can only adjust for tilt.

The Samsung S80A is a 27-inch 4K monitor with an IPS panel. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and does not support adaptive sync. A 32-inch model is also available, but we only tested the 27-inch version.

This monitor’s highlight is its excellent color gamut and good color accuracy. Though not the best we tested in these areas, its overall performance was outstanding given the S80A’s mid-range price. The monitor also has a solid contrast ratio for an IPS panel. These traits make it a great choice for content creators and creative professionals on a budget, as the S80A’s image is slightly more accurate and realistic than the Dell S2721QS.

Samsung’s monitor falls short in brightness. This leads to lackluster HDR performance. You won’t see the punchy, vibrant image expected of HDR content.

The S80A, like Dell’s S2721QS, does not cater to gamers. It has a standard 60Hz refresh rate and does not support AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync.

Build quality is average for the price. The S80A’s stand is a bit less sturdy than that of competitors and the basic, matte black design could be more attractive. It strikes back with connectivity, however, as it provides multiple USB-A ports and a USB-C connectivity.

The Asus VP28UQG is a 28-inch 4K monitor with a TN panel. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and supports AMD FreeSync. At the time of this writing, this was the least expensive option available.

Low pricing comes at the cost of everything else. The VP28UQG scored poorly in all our objective test metrics including brightness, contrast ratio, color gamut, and color accuracy. Its color performance was especially lackluster and significantly decreased image quality. Colorful photos, movies, and games look dull and unrealistic. The viewing angles were extremely bad, too. Simply moving a few inches in your chair can cause a noticeable shift in colors.

The build quality is disappointing. The monitor looks fine but feels light and cheap in hand. It has a disappointing stand that only adjusts for tilt and isn’t tall enough to place the monitor at a comfortable viewing angle. The stand is wobbly and the screw used to secure it did not seem properly seated, which made it difficult to tighten.

Asus’ pricing can make the VP28UQG seem attractive, and this monitor is currently a top seller on Amazon, but we recommend that you skip it without hesitation.