Monitors

Monitor Buying Guide 2026

Monitor Buying Guide 2026: Use, Size, Technology

Decide quickly – which monitor is right for you?

• Use first: Office, home office, gaming, graphics or touch – each category below explains its particular features
• Always choose resolution together with the diagonal: 4K on 24 inches offers little benefit, while Full HD on 32 inches will look coarse
• Refresh rate: 60 Hz is sufficient for office work; from 100 Hz, mouse cursors, scrolling and window movements become visibly smoother
• Panel: IPS for color accuracy, VA for contrast, OLED for maximum black levels
• Connections: USB-C saves cables, DisplayPort supports the highest resolutions and refresh rates

Anyone looking for a PC monitor for a clearly defined purpose will reach their goal fastest by starting with the use. If you are still weighing your options, work through the sections in order: first use, then size and resolution, followed by form factor, features and technology.

Which monitor is right for your use?

The fastest way is to start with the application. Each of these categories explains the particular features of its use:

Resolution and size go together

A resolution is neither good nor bad on its own: what matters is how many pixels fit across the diagonal. The same resolution will look fine on a small screen and coarse on a large one.

Rule of thumb: If you work a lot with text, choose the higher resolution instead of the larger diagonal if in doubt. A sharp 27-inch monitor is more pleasant in everyday use than a coarse 32-inch monitor.

Wide formats have their own resolution names: UWQHD (3440 × 1440) and 5K2K (5120 × 2160) at 21:9, DQHD (5120 × 1440) and Dual-4K (7680 × 2160) at 32:9. We explain what lies behind them in the 21:9 Ultrawide Monitors and the 32:9 Monitors.

Which aspect ratio is right for your work?

The aspect ratio determines how much space is available side by side. It is independent of the diagonal and resolution: a 16:9 monitor can display Full HD (1920 × 1080), WQHD (2560 × 1440), or 4K (3840 × 2160).

Curved, very large, or exceptionally sharp?

Three more axes that can be freely combined with use and format:

• Curved or flat: The curvature brings the edges closer to the eye, which becomes noticeable from 32 inches → Curved Monitors
• From 38 inches: Diagonals where the screen determines the workspace → Monitors from 38 inches
• 4K with 3840 × 2160: the most common high resolution in the classic format → 4K Ultra HD

Features: USB-C and Docking

One axis that runs perpendicular to use and format: Should a single cable to the laptop be sufficient? A docking-capable screen transmits video, charging power via Power Delivery (USB-PD), and everything connected to the monitor. Which connections must support this and which charging power fits which laptop is explained in the USB-C and Docking Monitor Buying Guide.

How many screens should there be?

The form factor answers how wide a device is. The number is decided by a different question: whether your content can share a common area or should remain separate.

A continuous area plays to its strengths when you can freely place windows side by side and stretch them across the full width, with one cable and one mount. How far that goes is explained above in the two ultrawide formats.

Two devices are the right choice when two applications are to remain permanently separated in full screen, when one of the two screens is to be placed vertically, or when the devices need to be positioned differently. The fact that two computers are involved does not speak for two screens in itself: devices with two image sources and keyboard switching operate both systems on one surface.

A vertically mounted monitor as a second device is common in software development, editing, and accounting. Rotated by 90 degrees, a 24-inch monitor shows an A4 page in original size, a 27-inch monitor shows two pages one below the other. When programming, correspondingly more lines of code fit on the screen at once, and long lines run through instead of wrapping. The main monitor remains landscape next to it for terminal, research, and communication. How the screen gets into this position is explained further down under mounting.

Panel Technology: IPS, VA, and OLED

The panel is the screen layer itself and determines color reproduction, contrast, and viewing angles. Three types are relevant today:

• IPS delivers the most stable colors and viewing angles. Even when viewed from the side, the image remains color-accurate. This pays off twice: in image editing and office work in a team, where several people look at the same screen, and in portrait monitor mode, where the side viewing angle becomes the image height and the image remains uniform across the entire rotated area.
• VA offers the highest contrast of the three LCD types; black appears deeper. Popular in curved models and for entertainment. With very fast dark image changes, slight smearing can occur depending on the model.
• OLED lights up each pixel itself and also switches it off completely. This results in perfect blacks and very short switching times. The strongest choice for games and media. If the image content remains unchanged for hours, you should leave the device's protection functions active.

You can still find the older TN design in entry-level devices. It switches quickly, but visibly loses color when viewed from the side.

Refresh Rate and Response Time

Both values describe speed, but different aspects.

The refresh rate in Hertz indicates how often the screen builds a new image per second. 60 Hz is completely sufficient for office work. The jump to 100 or 120 Hz makes even moving the mouse cursor noticeably smoother. Values from 144 Hz are aimed at gamers who play fast titles.

The response time in milliseconds indicates how quickly a pixel changes its color. The shorter, the fewer motion blur effects. For office work, the value practically plays no role; for competitive games, it does.

In addition, there is the synchronization between the graphics card and the screen, known as FreeSync or G-Sync. It prevents an image from looking horizontally torn (tearing) when the frame rate fluctuates. If you game, you should pay attention to this; read the details in the Gaming Monitor Buying Guide.

Connections: which for what

• HDMI is the most common connection and is present in almost every device. For high resolutions at a high refresh rate, a current version is required.
• DisplayPort carries the highest bandwidth in every generation and is therefore the preferred connection on the desktop PC for high resolutions with a high refresh rate. The plug also locks mechanically and does not slip out when the screen is moved – a noticeable advantage on monitor arms.
• USB-C transmits video, data, and charging power over a single cable. For laptop workstations, it is the most practical way, provided the connection actually delivers video and power.
• Thunderbolt is the more powerful variant of this and can additionally daisy-chain multiple devices (Daisy-Chain).
• Network can be found on some docking models if you want to connect to the network via cable.
• VGA and DVI are older analog and digital connections. You will still encounter them on legacy devices; they no longer play a role in new setups.

Important with USB-C: Not every connection of this design also transmits a video signal. The key is that video transmission, charging power, and data connection come together.

Brightness, Viewing Angle, and Eye Comfort

The brightness is specified in candelas per square meter. Around 250 to 300 cd/m² is sufficient for normal office spaces. At bright window workstations and with devices with a glossy surface, it may be higher.

The viewing angle describes from what side angle colors and contrast visibly drop off. It is greatest with IPS panels, which matters as soon as several people look at the screen or you place it off-center.

For long working hours, it is worth looking at two features. Flicker-free means that the backlight operates with a constant light flow instead of being regulated by rapid switching on and off; the image appears calmer over hours. An activatable blue light filter shifts the color temperature to a warmer tone, which many people find more pleasant in the evening. Equally important, but often overlooked: a height-adjustable mount, so that the top edge sits roughly at eye level.

Stand, Monitor Arm, or Wall Mount?

How the screen gets onto the table determines ergonomics and free surface area. These options are available:

• The included stand is sufficient for most setups. Make sure whether it can be adjusted in height, because the top edge should sit roughly at eye level.
• A monitor arm on the tabletop gives you back the surface area and allows height, tilt, and distance to be freely adjusted. For large and wide devices, this is often the more pleasant solution because you can place the screen further back.
• A wall mount is an option if the screen permanently remains in a fixed position. Suitable VESA mounts can be found in the TV and Display Mounts.
• For operation in portrait mode, many stands come with a pivot function that rotates the panel by 90 degrees; in individual cases, we are happy to check this for your desired model in advance. Otherwise, a VESA mount handles the rotation. Pay attention to sufficient vertical adjustment range so that the top edge of the rotated screen remains at eye level.

Two values determine the selection. The VESA mount describes the hole spacing on the back. Nine out of ten monitors in our assortment follow the 100 × 100 millimeter dimension, very large devices sometimes offer 200 × 200 additionally. You can therefore generally assume that a standard mount fits; the few devices without a VESA mount are indicated in the data sheet. What is more important is the load capacity: a 27-inch monitor rarely weighs more than 6 kilograms, wide models around 34 inches are around 8 to 11, very large ones reach around 18 kilograms. Choose the mount generously, especially with curved screens, whose center of gravity is further forward.

Because the right mount depends on the model, desk, and sitting position, we are happy to clarify this with you in individual cases.

Additional Features That Make the Difference

• USB hub in the monitor: Keyboard, mouse, and storage media are plugged into the screen instead of the computer. Together with video transmission and charging power over the same cable, the screen thus replaces the docking station at the workstation; what matters here is explained above in the section on features.
• Integrated webcam and microphone: practical for video conferences, saves accessories on the table.
• Two image sources and KVM switching: Two terms that are often confused. Picture-by-Picture determines what you see: Two computers appear side by side on the same surface. KVM determines what you work with: One keyboard and one mouse operate both systems, switched by pressing a button. Both together result in a full-fledged double workstation. How this can be used on a very wide surface is shown by the 32:9 Monitors; what it is worth for office workstations, the Business Monitors.
• Speakers: built into many devices, sufficient for system sounds and video conferences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What types of monitors are there?

They can be distinguished by use (office, gaming, graphics, touch), by form factor (classic 16:9, wide as 21:9 or 32:9, flat or curved), and by panel technology (IPS, VA, OLED). The three axes are independent of each other: A gaming monitor can, for example, be curved and have an IPS panel.

Which panel is the best?

There is no best, only a suitable one. IPS for color accuracy and viewing angles, VA for high contrast, OLED for perfect blacks and highest speed. For most workstations, IPS is the safe choice.

Which resolution do I need?

That depends on the diagonal. Up to 24 inches, Full HD is sufficient; at 27 to 32 inches, WQHD makes sense; from 32 inches, 4K. Anyone who reads and writes a lot should rather opt for the higher resolution than the larger diagonal.

How many Hertz are sensible?

For office work, 60 Hz is sufficient. 100 to 120 Hz makes the mouse cursor and window movements look significantly smoother. From 144 Hz, it becomes interesting for fast games.

How bright should a monitor be?

250 to 300 cd/m² cover normal office spaces. At bright workstations with windows behind you or with glossy surfaces, higher values are more pleasant.

Can I place a monitor vertically?

Yes. Many stands come with a pivot function for this, otherwise a VESA mount handles the 90-degree rotation; whether your desired model includes it, we are happy to check in advance in individual cases. This is especially useful for a second screen for code, documents, and long tables. For the panel, it is best to opt for IPS, because in portrait mode the side viewing angle becomes the image height.

What is the difference between a monitor and a display?

Colloquially, a display is any display: on the smartphone, on the washing machine, in the car. In the industry and in our assortment, the term is more narrowly defined. A display is a large-format display device that shows content for several people, runs continuously, and often comes with its own operating system along with central management – in the meeting room, in the classroom, in the shop window. A monitor, on the other hand, belongs at a workstation: one computer, one person, arm's length distance. The diagonals overlap significantly, and the transitions are fluid. What matters is who stands in front of it and how long the device runs. Which category fits your purpose, we are happy to tell you; the selection can be found in the Display Area.

Tell us what you work with, how large your desk is, and whether a notebook should be connected. We will tell you the panel, resolution, and connections that suit this – and the devices that come with both.

Useful for the conversation are: dimensions of your desk, notebook or PC model, the programs you use simultaneously, and whether a screen should be placed vertically.

Contact + request personal advice →