Best 4K monitors 2024: ideal Ultra HD displays with HDR and top specs

So you're in the market for the best 4K monitor out there in 2024, and we can certainly help you in your search: we're going to outline the very best options you've got to choose from at the moment in plenty of detail, just like the 4K resolution on these displays.

If you're a serious gamer then you might be better off checking out our best gaming monitors and best curved gaming monitor guides for something with an ultra-high refresh rate and immersive experience. Or, if you’re solely an Apple user we’ve also got a guide to the best monitors for MacBook Pro to ensure you get the right screen for your needs.

Want to know what’s best for your 4K monitor? Find out if it should be USB-C, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt or HDMI. Right now though, we're concentrating on the best 4K monitors for any purpose, so let's dive in and get you sorted. 

Best 4K monitors 2024: The top 3

The best premium 4K monitor is the LG 27GP950-B. With HDMI 2.1 you can get variable refresh rate support, so everything runs silky smooth on this 27-inch 144Hz panel.

The best 4K monitor for most people is the Dell U2723QE. With a host of desirable features (such as acting as a USB-C Hub) and a great price point, this 27-incher sits in the sweet spot that'll be ideal for many buyers. 

The best affordable 4K monitor is the AOC U27P2CA. If you want the resolution but don't want to pay big bucks for the pleasure then this is a great choice,  although it's not ideal for gaming.

If you're looking for a 27-inch 4K gaming monitor then you can't do much better than the LG 27GP950-B. It comes with a stunning list of top-end specs – such as HDMI 2.1 and a 144Hz refresh rate, so it's ideal for gamers – which adds up to a screen experience that's simply one of the best you can buy.

There really aren't many negatives to talk about at all. The local dimming is far from perfect, and it would be nice if the base rotated, but that's us nitpicking really. 

Read our full LG 27GP950-B gaming monitor review to find out all the details about this superb 4K monitor.

The Dell Ultrasharp 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitor U2723QE (to give its full and rather extensive name!) is the "do-it-all 4K monitor". It combines an excellent 27-inch panel with the features of a USB-C hub, so is ideal for acting as a laptop screen whilst providing it with power.

Missing, however, are features like the faster Thunderbolt connection standard and speakers. And if you're a serious gamer then you might be better off with a faster refresh rate option, as it's 60Hz here, but that's fine for most users.

Read our Dell Ultrasharp 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitor U2723QE review for a full overview on this 4K monitor. 

The AOC U27P2CA isn't quite as versatile as some of the other monitors in this list, but it's a great choice for a home office setup where you need it to be rock solid in terms of its computing and colour output. It also comes in at a very reasonable price point, which always helps.

It's a compact 27-inch monitor that offers a lot of flexibility in terms of how you can tilt it and adjust its height – if you don't have much physical space to work with it's ideal. We also like its understated, no-nonsense looks, which are plain enough to fit in just about everywhere.

With a 60Hz refresh rate and 4ms latency, this isn't a great choice for gaming, but that's the only real drawback. Besides the resolution that earns it a place in this list of the best 4K monitors, the AOC U27P2CA also offers plenty of connectivity options, decent brightness and contrast, and integrated speakers – so you can watch videos and listen to music without the aid of any other sound output.

Best 4K monitors 2024: The best of the rest

Isn't it a thing of beauty? Apple's own Studio Display is an undeniable looker, complete with 5K resolution Retina Display that's sensational. Its only downside real here is that it's 60Hz max, there's no faster refresh rate. But as the best monitor for Apple users it's an obvious high-end pick.

The design will look at home in any Mac setup, so it's a perfect match, plus there are four USB-C ports to the rear, one of which is Thunderbolt and capable of 96W charging – so you can easily charge a modern MacBook through it, no extra power cable required. 

As we said in our Apple Studio Display review: "far more than just a monitor, this stunning 5K display with a 12MP webcam, 6-speaker surround and a Thunderbolt port ... is a great choice for MacBook Pro users". It costs a fair bit too, of course, so that's something to consider. 

This 4K monitor has a different take: called a  'Smart Monitor with Streaming TV' by Samsung, the M8 comes with a camera included and lots of smart features like built-in apps. So not only do you get a great picture, it's a bit like having a smart TV rather than straightforward monitor. 

As a result, however, you'll need the space for it because it's large, and there aren't as many ports here as with some of the competition. Not that you need the volume: with USB-C you can power a laptop from the screen, keeping everything neat and tidy. 

If you're thinking about buying a 32-inch 4K monitor then be sure to read our full Samsung M8 review. 

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 comes from a long line of impressive Samsung monitors under the Odyssey umbrella, and while it's primarily aimed at gamers, this is a screen that works very well for other tasks too. No matter what you hook the Odyssey Neo G7 up to, it'll perform well.

You don't actually have to hook it up to anything though: the monitor comes with its own on-board software and selection of streaming apps, powered by Samsung's own Tizen OS. You can quite easily stream movies, music and more to this screen independently of having a console or computer connected.

In terms of the raw specs, the 144Hz maximum refresh rate, the Mini-LED tech, the support for DisplayHDR 600 technology, and the compatibility with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro are some of the reasons this is an appealing device. As it's Samsung it's well built, and it's priced quite reasonably too.

As we note in our full Philips Brilliance 329P1H review, this is a great 4K monitor for professionals, delivering a 32-inch Ultra HD IPS panel with integrated webcam, Windows Hello integration, and USB-C connectivity.

The screen itself is very accurate and it comes with highly adjustable stand, too, meaning it can be easily adjusted to all desks and preferences. That integrated webcam is no token afterthought, either, delivering Full HD 1080p video recording.

In terms of ports it delivers a brace of HDMI 2.0 and a Thunderbolt 1.4. Adjustability sits at 180mm of height adjustment, with the display gliding smoothly up and down, plus 90 degrees of pivot, 180 degrees of swivel and tilting from -5 to +25 degrees.

There's no HDR on this panel, though, and you don't get any gamer-focused high refresh rates either, but if you want a 4K monitor for work, general use and streaming video content, the Philips is a great choice.

If you're after a monitor with a very specific set of skills, the BenQ PD3220U might be for you. This is not an ultra resposive monitor to play games on but instead a slower paced more relaxed monitor to help you work in comfort, especially if you are a creative or designer. 

Whatever monitor position works for you, the BenQ probably has it covered. You're able to adjust its height, swivel it around, tilt it up and down, and even use it portrait by rotating 90 degrees.

With HDR10, 100 per cent sRGB, 100 per cent Rec.709 and 95 per cent P3 colour gamut coverage, this is a monitor for those who need access to a huge range of colours and who will likely be staring at the screen for most of the day. 

We wouldn't say the BenQ EW3280U is the best monitor in any one particular area, but what it does do is offer something for creatives, gamers, casual users and professionals for a very reasonable price – it's perfect if you want your 4K display to wear a lot of different hats through the week.

The HDRi that is on board the BenQ EW3280U isn't technically an officially recognised HDR standard – rather it's BenQ's take on the same technology – but it does the job of keeping both light and dark areas of the screen in view. There's minimal ghosting, and the high resolution looks bright, vivid and sharp whether you're looking at a game or a movie.

And a word about the sound too: with speakers either side and on the back, you get audio that's a cut above what you might expect for something at this size and at this price. Coming from BenQ, you are of course also getting the reliability and the solid build quality that the manufacturer is known for.

How to choose the best 4K monitor for you

It's really important to do your research when choosing the best 4K monitor for you. From refresh rates to adaptive-sync capabilities, be sure you know exactly what these features are and whether they'll influence your decision before you make it. A little research goes a long way when investing in new tech.

To this end, below our list of top 4K monitors we've included some advice that should help you narrow down and determine what UHD screens you should be looking for, and ensure you land a panel that you'll be impressed with.

The natural successor to 1080p screens and televisions is of course 4K, which is also marketed as Ultra HD (UHD). There are four times as many pixels, which means four times as much detail.

Movies look good at 1080p, but in 4K the picture really gets to that breathtaking level – and as long as your PC can handle the processing demands, playing games on a 4K display is an amazing experience, too.

When choosing a monitor, you need to take into consideration factors such as colour gamut and response time, the latter being a reflection on how good the panel will be for gaming (the faster the better). 

You also – naturally – need to work out which panel size you need: 27-inch displays are the sweet spot for us, although you can get some cracking deals on larger displays, too. 

Who makes the best 4K monitors?

There are loads of quality 4K monitor makers in business today producing panels at both the budget and premium ends of the market. Naturally, certain manufacturers tend to lean toward different pricing brackets and features, but almost all will offer something for most usage cases.

The best 4K monitor makers, from T3's experience of reviewing and ranking 4K monitors are:

Samsung, Dell, Philips, Acer, HP, BenQ, LG

These makers have shown T3 over the years that with stylish panels, excellent build quality and advanced panel tech and features, in almost all circumstances when they introduce a new Ultra HD monitor then it's going to be a good one.

4K monitor or 4K TV: which should you buy?

Now that's a very good question. First off you really need to decide what you're buying a screen for. If it's work or creative/graphic design tasks only then we'd say a 4K monitor is absolutely the way you should go. You've got a wide range of affordable UHD panels to choose from which, while they may not have fancy features, will deliver you the resolution and color accuracy you require.

If you're looking for a panel that can also be used for good amounts of entertainment usage, though, such as streaming 4K, HDR movies off Netflix or Disney Plus, and/or gaming, then while a 4K monitor can be a good choice, you may actually be better off plumping for a 4K TV with gaming/PC functionality.

You only have to take one look, for example, at the best gaming TVs to see that today's best offerings come with loads of gaming-focussed features like 120Hz refresh rates, low response times and HDR, while the best 4K TVs deliver color accuracy and vibrancy that is off the chart.

Basically, the line between 4K monitor and 4K TV has blurred over the past few years, especially as larger monitor options come into play.

• Best computer speakers: give your PC or Mac a serious audio upgrade

How we test the best 4K monitors

Testing the best 4K monitors is a multiple-stage process. Firstly we determine just how easy the monitor is to set up and then calibrate. If a monitor has loads of fiddly screws, a heavy and awkward stand or an awkward assemble process then we'll find out.

Next, we power the monitor up and explore its screen settings and on-board menu system. Here we're seeing what sorts of picture modes are available, as well as just what customisation options it delivers in terms of image tweaking. We're also judging just how easy it is to access and navigate these menus.

Next we focus on the monitor's image quality across a variety of applications, ranging from web browsing and document work, to photo editing in Photoshop and watching movies and TV shows on streaming services like Netflix, and on to gaming. We're looking out for things like colour accuracy, color space, HDR performance, brightness, refresh rate, response times and more besides.

We then move on to judging the panel's connectivity options, as well as any other features or accessories it may come with. Following that we finally then compare it rival monitors that offer similar performance or retail in a similar price range.

Finally, we then bestow a star score on the 4K monitor and, if the monitor has scored highly, then consider it for inclusion in our best 4K monitors buying guides.

• Want a great portable computer to go with a 4K monitor? These are the best lightweight laptops