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Need a new monitor to liven up your computer setup? We reviewed the top monitors of 2022 to help you have the perfect work or gaming experience. A new monitor can help revitalize your work or gaming setup. And if you’re shopping for one for your workspace, it’s likely to make you feel more motivated and engaged when completing your daily tasks. If you’re still using an outdated monitor, it can slow down your pace and diminish your experience. When you invest in a reliable monitor, you’ll notice a change in your productivity. Since monitors are versatile and can be used for much more than just work, if you’re a gamer, a high-quality monitor will help you enjoy your games more with better graphics and a larger screen.
In order to help you sort through all the available models on the market, we reviewed the top monitors of 2022. Throughout this detailed buying guide, we covered information on how to effectively shop for and use your new monitor, including important factors to consider as well as performance and maintenance tips.
Top Picks
Best overall: Sceptre 20” Ultra-Thin LED Monitor
This monitor is perfect for everyone, whether you intend to use it for work, art, entertainment or gaming.
The high-quality LED resolution allows you to view graphics in crystal clear quality. It is ultra thin and wall mountable, so the monitor will take up minimal to no space on your desk depending on how you choose to set it up.
This is a great monitor for gaming because of the quick refresh rate and response time, so you won’t have to worry about lag at critical moments. It also has eye care technology that protects your eyes from the blue light emitted from most screens. You can even enjoy movies and music without a headset because of the built-in speakers that provide impressive sound quality. It features sufficient ports, including two HDMI, VGA, audio in and audio out. Each box includes the monitor, base, power cord, HDMI cable and user manual.
Key features:
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Has built-in speakers
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75Hz refresh rate
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20-inch LED screen
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Low blue light
Runner-up: HP Monitor 23.8” Display
HP is known for its top-quality monitors and other computer accessories. This one lives up to that standard and is great for both work and play.
It has an ultra-thin screen that not only looks sleek but offers an adjustable tilted viewing angle. The screen also boasts a three-sided micro-edge display for an ultra-wide viewing experience. This ultra-slim monitor takes up less space while still giving you the best quality graphics for gaming and other entertainment.
This product also has a low blue light mode which helps protect your eyes, as well as built-in speakers with good sound quality. It features DisplayPort and HDMI ports, a VGA port and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Key features:
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Sleek and angled 23.8-inch screen
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75Hz refresh rate
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Built-in speakers have crisp audio
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Height and tilt adjustment
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Low blue light mode included
Perfect for gaming: LG 27” Ultragear Gaming Monitor
If you’re a serious gamer, you know the difference a high-quality monitor can make.
This LG monitor is the perfect pick for gamers since it provides excellent graphics, a fast refresh rate, 1ms response time and an ergonomic, eye-catching design. The display has vibrant colors and a black stabilizer to enhance vision, even in dark and shadowy settings.
Between its refresh rate and several sync technologies, you won’t have to worry about lag or stuttering during the most demanding gameplay. The screen boasts an ultra-thin bezel for maximum viewing, while the monitor has tilt, height and pivot adjustment to suit your preferences. It includes accessories such as a DisplayPort cable, HDMI cable and USB 3.0 Upstream cable as well as the corresponding ports (two for HDMI).
Key features:
Aesthetically appealing: Dell Alienware 27” Monitor With FHD
This is another great pick for all the gamers out there who want to improve their gaming setup. Not only does this monitor look good, but it performs incredibly well.
With a top of the line refresh rate and 1ms response time, you don’t have to worry about lag or graphics issues. The screen is also large enough for you to enjoy the crisp visuals provided by the FHD resolution.
This monitor also offers customization and adjustability options, making it a great aesthetic upgrade to any setup. It has RGB lighting that can be easily personalized according to your preference or each game. You can easily adjust the height, tilt and pivot of this monitor however you like. It also has sufficient easy-to-access ports and is shipped with a display port cable. Finally, this monitor includes the Dell Premium Panel Guarantee for a free panel replacement during the limited hardware warranty period.
Key features:
Honorable mention: Samsung 49” Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor
This is the ultimate gaming monitor, boasting a massive 49-inch screen to help you view every detail.
A favorite of professional gamers, the ultra-wide curved screen helps reduce eye strain as the curve better matches the curve of the human eye than traditional monitors. Besides being so large, the monitor is very aesthetically pleasing and will make any gaming setup look truly epic.
The QLED technology gives you vibrant colors and allows you to play games with high pixel quality. Not only do you get more color depth, but you can see every detail clearly. The ultra-fast refresh rate and 1ms response time will help you no-scope precisely and accurately or experience no lag during stressful boss fights. It features several ports for DisplayPort, HDMI and USB. The only downside is the high price, however, there is no other monitor quite like this on the market.
Key features:
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49-inch curved screen with 32:9 aspect ratio
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Ultra-fast 240Hz refresh rate
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NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync technology
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QLED technology and HDR 1000 gives crystal clear visuals
Finding your next monitor: A buyer’s guide
Whether you’re a gaming enthusiast or someone who’s new to the world of gaming, there’s no doubt that a good monitor will enhance your experience. If you need more information on choosing and caring for a gaming monitor, this buying guide will help.
Factors to consider when choosing a monitor
Like with any other product, there are essential factors that you should consider before buying a monitor. Below, we cover them in detail.
Size
If you’re looking to upgrade your setup, you should start by asking yourself what size monitor works best for you. It doesn’t necessarily matter if your new monitor is bigger or smaller since it all depends on preference. If you’re someone who prefers a bigger monitor, you can get ones that include up to 49-inch screens.
These monitors give you a huge display of any game that you are playing and often have curved screens that are both aesthetically pleasing and better for your eyes. But if you prefer a more traditional monitor, or even several smaller monitors, you can find those with equally good graphics.
Refresh rate
A monitor’s refresh rate is a crucial factor when it comes to having the best reaction time in any game. This determines how many times per second the display shares a new, updated image, based on communication between the monitor and your computer’s CPU and GPU.
Refresh rates range from 60Hz to 240Hz. For gamers, the higher the refresh rate the better, though 75Hz can still provide an ideal gaming experience.
Response time
No one likes laggy graphics, especially when you’re in the middle of an intense boss fight. To avoid this problem, you should check the response rate on a monitor before you purchase it. This refers to how quickly your monitor shifts from one color to another.
A good response time will help you get precise clicks each time. Look for a monitor with a response time of 1ms for the best gaming experience.
RGB lighting
As with size, this is another factor that mostly depends on your preference. RGB lighting is trendy among gamers as it adds color and style to your setup, so you can find a lot of gaming equipment that includes it. You can get everything from keyboards to headphones with RGB lighting.
If you’re a fan of RGB, you should check whether the monitor you want includes it or not. Most monitors come with plenty of pre-sets that you can change according to your mood and preference.
Resolution
Resolution is the number of pixels that a monitor screen contains. A higher resolution may give you a much clearer image. One of the most common and preferred gaming monitor resolutions is 1080p.
How to upgrade your monitor’s performance for gaming
If you want your monitor to give its best performance while you’re gaming, all you need to do is head to the settings and make a few small adjustments. To start off, you need to calibrate your monitor to find the brightness and color that you are comfortable with. Calibrating your monitor can also help lessen the strain on your eyes.
You can also change the resolution of your monitor by using the settings on your monitor. The higher resolution you have, the clearer the image will be. You can easily find the resolution settings on the control panel on your monitor.
Another small step you can take to improve your gaming sessions is to sit a couple of inches away from your monitor. This is because the closer you sit, the more your eyes will feel strained after a couple of hours. Tired eyes can make it harder for you to focus on your game, so make sure to keep an appropriate distance between you and your monitor.
You can also change the gamma settings on your monitor, which will help brighten or darken the screen according to what you like. These settings can be accessed using the advanced settings option on your monitor. Use the color management tab to make your adjustments.
Lastly, if your monitor features RGB lighting, you can adjust the settings on your monitor to make it look more aesthetically pleasing. You can even make themes to match the games you are playing.
All these little tweaks can go a long way toward making your gaming experience better and more fun.
Cleaning your monitor
With lots of use, your gaming monitor can become dirty over time. Especially if you’re someone that spends long hours gaming or eats at their gaming desk. If you find your gaming monitor becoming a bit dirty, there’s an easy way to clean it.
The first step is to switch everything off and unplug the devices to make sure you stay safe. Use a damp cloth to clean the screen of your monitor and all the accessories. You can also use a small brush to clean your keyboard.
After using the damp cloth, you can also use some disinfecting spray to keep your gaming rig clean. Once everything has dried, you can plug your monitor back in.
Monitor FAQ
Q: Why does the refresh rate matter in a monitor?
A: If you’re using your monitor for gaming, the refresh rate plays a huge role. This refers to the number of frames that show per second. A higher refresh rate allows you to get more precise clicks, especially while playing shooting games.
Q: Can I only use my monitor for gaming?
A: No, your monitor has so many other uses than just gaming! A great screen resolution and speakers can make it really enjoyable for you to watch your favorite movies or videos. Gaming monitors are very versatile and can also be used for your daily work.
Most gaming monitors also have ports for you to connect your drawing tablet so you can make fabulous art.
Q: Is a gaming monitor better for gaming than a TV?
A: In many ways, a gaming monitor does work better than a TV. One of the reasons why is because it has better image resolution than a TV, so you get a much better gaming experience. The colors on a gaming monitor tend to be more vibrant as well.