{
  "category": {
    "slug": "computer-monitors",
    "name": "Computer Monitors",
    "description": "General-purpose desktop monitors; high-refresh gaming panels belong to Gaming Monitors."
  },
  "url": "https://stierproducts.com/categories/computer-monitors",
  "markdown": "https://stierproducts.com/categories/computer-monitors.md",
  "updated": "2026-08-17T21:13:56.977Z",
  "productsRanked": 17,
  "summary": "On the stierproducts computer monitors board, Dell UltraSharp U2725QE ranks #1 in S tier, ahead of Dell UltraSharp U3225QE (#2, A tier) and ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV (#3, B tier). The board ranks 17 computer monitors from S (best) to F (avoid), last researched 17 Aug 2026, drawing on 310 outlet citations across the board. Placed in the bottom tiers as ones to avoid: BenQ RD280U, LG 27UP850-W, Dell S3221QS, and 2 others.",
  "method": {
    "summary": "Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.",
    "url": "https://stierproducts.com/methodology"
  },
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
    "terms": "https://stierproducts.com/license",
    "covers": [
      "text",
      "rankings",
      "tiers",
      "lp",
      "verdicts",
      "pros",
      "cons"
    ],
    "excludes": [
      "images"
    ],
    "imageRights": "Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence."
  },
  "tierMeanings": {
    "S": "Exceptional. Finishes top run after run; capped at 3 slots per category.",
    "A": "Excellent. Strongly recommended, beaten only by the very best.",
    "B": "Good. A solid choice with real caveats worth knowing.",
    "C": "Fair. Acceptable in the right situation, outclassed at its price.",
    "D": "Weak. Hard to recommend when better options cost similar money.",
    "F": "Avoid. The evidence points you elsewhere."
  },
  "products": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "tier": "S",
      "lp": 980,
      "name": "Dell UltraSharp U2725QE",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-ultrasharp-u2725qe",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u2725qe",
      "verdict": "The total package: Wirecutter's favorite 4K monitor wrapped in a 3-year advance-exchange panel warranty and enterprise support. Nothing in this category is safer to live with for five years.",
      "pros": [
        "Wirecutter's favorite 4K monitor: quality, color-accurate display",
        "3-year Premium Panel Exchange with advance replacement and zero-bright-pixel coverage",
        "120Hz IPS Black panel with no burn-in risk",
        "Thunderbolt 4 hub charges a laptop over USB-C and stays useful through multiple PC upgrade cycles",
        "UltraSharp line's enterprise support reputation"
      ],
      "citations": 22,
      "distinctOutlets": 18,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-ultrasharp-u2725qe.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "tier": "A",
      "lp": 775,
      "name": "Dell UltraSharp U3225QE",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-ultrasharp-u3225qe",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u3225qe",
      "verdict": "Identical ownership virtues at 32 inches, losing the top spot only on price-to-value and early QC reports of unit-to-unit uniformity variance.",
      "pros": [
        "Same IPS Black panel tech as the top pick, with no burn-in risk",
        "Same 3-year Premium Panel Exchange advance-replacement warranty",
        "Same Thunderbolt hub for long-term docking usefulness",
        "RTINGS' testing of the UltraSharp line shows excellent factory calibration and uniformity"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Worse price-to-value than its 27-inch sibling",
        "Early QC reports of unit-to-unit uniformity variance"
      ],
      "citations": 21,
      "distinctOutlets": 18,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-ultrasharp-u3225qe.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "tier": "B",
      "lp": 619,
      "name": "ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV",
      "brand": "ASUS",
      "slug": "asus-proart-display-pa27jcv",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa27jcv",
      "verdict": "The sensible 5K choice with a real warranty and matte finish that ages well; a year of clean field reports would move it up.",
      "pros": [
        "27-inch 5K panel aimed squarely at Apple Studio Display cross-shoppers",
        "3-year ProArt warranty",
        "Hardware calibration support",
        "Anti-glare finish that will age better than glossy glass in real offices"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Field record still short; a year of clean reports would move it up"
      ],
      "citations": 13,
      "distinctOutlets": 13,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/asus-proart-display-pa27jcv.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "tier": "B",
      "lp": 616,
      "name": "Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC)",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-27-plus-4k-s2725qc",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-27-plus-4k-s2725qc",
      "verdict": "WIRED's top overall pick and unbeatable value, but the consumer-line warranty and lighter stand are real ownership compromises versus UltraSharp.",
      "pros": [
        "WIRED's top monitor pick overall after weeks of testing",
        "Remarkable value: 4K IPS at a budget price",
        "120Hz refresh rate",
        "USB-C connectivity"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Consumer Plus line carries a shorter warranty than UltraSharp",
        "Lighter stand than UltraSharp"
      ],
      "citations": 60,
      "distinctOutlets": 47,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-27-plus-4k-s2725qc.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "tier": "B",
      "lp": 605,
      "name": "ASUS ProArt Display PA278CGV",
      "brand": "ASUS",
      "slug": "asus-proart-display-pa278cgv",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa278cgv",
      "verdict": "Wirecutter's best 27-incher with a 3-year warranty at a midrange price; the best ownership-per-dollar on this board.",
      "pros": [
        "Wirecutter's top 27-inch pick: best all-around combination of picture quality, ports, and price",
        "Fully adjustable stand",
        "1440p at 144Hz",
        "USB-C with 90W power delivery",
        "3-year ProArt warranty at a midrange price"
      ],
      "citations": 9,
      "distinctOutlets": 9,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/asus-proart-display-pa278cgv.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "tier": "B",
      "lp": 604,
      "name": "ASUS ProArt Display PA32QCV",
      "brand": "ASUS",
      "slug": "asus-proart-display-pa32qcv",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa32qcv",
      "verdict": "A spectacular 6K spec with the right warranty, but brand-new and unproven in the field, which is a real risk over years of ownership.",
      "pros": [
        "Stunning 6K 32-inch spec sheet",
        "Thunderbolt connectivity",
        "Hardware calibration",
        "3-year ProArt warranty"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Brand new, with an unproven long-term QC record"
      ],
      "citations": 37,
      "distinctOutlets": 30,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/asus-proart-display-pa32qcv.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "tier": "B",
      "lp": 592,
      "name": "Dell UltraSharp U4025QW",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-ultrasharp-u4025qw",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u4025qw",
      "verdict": "The best big-format productivity monitor to own, with the same warranty and hub longevity; ranked third because its size and price narrow its audience and a curved 40-inch panel is a bigger single point of failure to ship and replace.",
      "pros": [
        "40-inch 5K2K curved productivity flagship at 120Hz with IPS Black panel",
        "Thunderbolt and integrated hub treated by reviewers as the reference workhorse ultrawide",
        "Same 3-year advance-exchange warranty",
        "Built like enterprise equipment because it is"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Heavy and expensive",
        "Size and price narrow its audience",
        "A curved 40-inch panel is a bigger single point of failure to ship and replace"
      ],
      "citations": 58,
      "distinctOutlets": 48,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-ultrasharp-u4025qw.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "tier": "B",
      "lp": 558,
      "name": "ASUS ProArt Display PA278CFRV",
      "brand": "ASUS",
      "slug": "asus-proart-display-pa278cfrv",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa278cfrv",
      "verdict": "Calibrated creator color and 100Hz at a mid-range price; ranked below the PA278CGV mainly because that model adds 144Hz for a modest premium.",
      "pros": [
        "Strong factory color accuracy at a mid-range price",
        "100Hz refresh",
        "Daisy-chainable USB-C",
        "Lux meter for ambient calibration",
        "One of the cheapest genuinely color-trustworthy panels"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Only 100Hz where the PA278CGV offers 144Hz for a modest premium"
      ],
      "citations": 3,
      "distinctOutlets": 3,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/asus-proart-display-pa278cfrv.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 9,
      "tier": "C",
      "lp": 487,
      "name": "BenQ GW2486TC",
      "brand": "BenQ",
      "slug": "benq-gw2486tc",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/benq-gw2486tc",
      "verdict": "The smartest budget buy: 100Hz, USB-C with 65W charging, and a real stand, only held back by 1080p at 24 inches.",
      "pros": [
        "Budget price",
        "100Hz refresh",
        "USB-C with 65W power delivery",
        "Full ergonomic stand",
        "Sensible secondary screen or tight-budget option"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Only 1080p at 24 inches"
      ],
      "citations": 12,
      "distinctOutlets": 9,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/benq-gw2486tc.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 10,
      "tier": "C",
      "lp": 484,
      "name": "ASUS ProArt Display PA32UCXR",
      "brand": "ASUS",
      "slug": "asus-proart-display-pa32ucxr",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa32ucxr",
      "verdict": "Mini-LED gives reference-grade HDR with zero burn-in anxiety and a 3-year zero-bright-dot warranty; below the Dells only because ASUS's support logistics are a step behind Dell's advance-exchange machine.",
      "pros": [
        "32-inch 4K mini-LED flagship with 2304 local dimming zones",
        "True hardware calibration",
        "No burn-in exposure, with mini-LED's longevity advantage over OLED",
        "3-year warranty including a zero-bright-dot policy"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "ASUS support logistics are a step behind Dell's advance-exchange machine"
      ],
      "citations": 8,
      "distinctOutlets": 8,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "flaggedToAvoid": {
        "runs": 1,
        "ofRuns": 5
      },
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/asus-proart-display-pa32ucxr.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 11,
      "tier": "C",
      "lp": 454,
      "name": "Dell UltraSharp U2724DE",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-ultrasharp-u2724de",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u2724de",
      "verdict": "A Thunderbolt docking masterpiece, but you pay a substantial premium for ports over the PA278CGV, which only pays off for single-cable laptop users.",
      "pros": [
        "27-inch 1440p IPS Black panel",
        "Full Thunderbolt 4 dock with daisy-chaining",
        "120Hz",
        "Superb single-cable desk hub"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "A substantial connectivity premium over the PA278CGV for the same panel class"
      ],
      "citations": 19,
      "distinctOutlets": 18,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-ultrasharp-u2724de.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 12,
      "tier": "C",
      "lp": 452,
      "name": "Apple Studio Display (2022)",
      "brand": "Apple",
      "slug": "apple-studio-display-2022",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/apple-studio-display-2022",
      "verdict": "Superb build and decade-long OS support, but a 1-year warranty on a flagship-priced panel and four years without a hardware revision hold it here.",
      "pros": [
        "Exceptional aluminum build",
        "Reference-quality 5K panel",
        "Will receive macOS support for a decade",
        "Early webcam firmware debacle was fixed, to Apple's credit"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Only a 1-year standard warranty on a flagship-priced panel",
        "No height adjustment without the costly stand upgrade",
        "Hardware unrevised since launch four years ago"
      ],
      "citations": 105,
      "distinctOutlets": 59,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "flaggedToAvoid": {
        "runs": 1,
        "ofRuns": 8
      },
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/apple-studio-display-2022.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 13,
      "tier": "D",
      "lp": 253,
      "name": "BenQ RD280U",
      "brand": "BenQ",
      "slug": "benq-rd280u",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/benq-rd280u",
      "verdict": "A well-built niche tool with a 3-year warranty; last among picks only because its 3:2 niche and modest brand support network limit its broad appeal.",
      "pros": [
        "28-inch 3:2 aspect is a genuinely useful niche for programming and text-heavy work",
        "BenQ's solid 3-year warranty",
        "Conservative IPS engineering with no exotic failure modes",
        "Should age gracefully"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "3:2 niche limits broad appeal",
        "Modest brand support network"
      ],
      "citations": 15,
      "distinctOutlets": 14,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/benq-rd280u.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 14,
      "tier": "F",
      "lp": 97,
      "name": "LG 27UP850-W",
      "brand": "LG",
      "slug": "lg-27up850-w",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/lg-27up850-w",
      "verdict": "Coasting on a 2021 reputation; the Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC) beats it on spec, freshness, and usually price.",
      "pros": [
        "4K IPS panel from an established, widely sold line"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "2021-era design coasting on a reputation built half a decade ago",
        "Mediocre contrast",
        "HDR400 that amounts to nothing",
        "Outclassed by the cheaper Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC), which adds 120Hz and USB-C"
      ],
      "citations": 2,
      "distinctOutlets": 2,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "flaggedToAvoid": {
        "runs": 4,
        "ofRuns": 9
      },
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/lg-27up850-w.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 15,
      "tier": "F",
      "lp": 69,
      "name": "Dell S3221QS",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-s3221qs",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-s3221qs",
      "verdict": "A big 32-inch 4K screen at a mid-range price is great value, though the 60Hz VA panel and fixed stand keep it below the more versatile 27-inchers.",
      "pros": [
        "32-inch curved 4K screen at a mid-range price",
        "Strong contrast for movies and office work",
        "Mainstream budget-big-screen recommendation"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "60Hz refresh",
        "Basic fixed stand"
      ],
      "citations": 3,
      "distinctOutlets": 3,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "flaggedToAvoid": {
        "runs": 1,
        "ofRuns": 7
      },
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-s3221qs.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 16,
      "tier": "F",
      "lp": 0,
      "name": "Samsung 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor (M80D)",
      "brand": "Samsung",
      "slug": "samsung-smart-monitor-m8-m80d",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/samsung-smart-monitor-m8-m80d",
      "verdict": "Overhyped smart features that will rot in three years wrapped around an ordinary panel; buy any dumb, well-warrantied pick above instead.",
      "pros": [
        "Built-in Tizen apps, remote, and streaming features for buyers who want TV-like functionality"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "Smart features are exactly the parts that age worst: abandoned apps, slowing UI, forced account logins",
        "Underlying panel is a merely adequate 60Hz VA",
        "Costs as much as a Dell UltraSharp U2725QE",
        "A monitor should outlive its software; this one's software is the product"
      ],
      "citations": 2,
      "distinctOutlets": 2,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "flaggedToAvoid": {
        "runs": 2,
        "ofRuns": 7
      },
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/samsung-smart-monitor-m8-m80d.webp"
    },
    {
      "rank": 17,
      "tier": "F",
      "lp": 0,
      "name": "Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM)",
      "brand": "Dell",
      "slug": "dell-27-plus-s2725hsm",
      "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-27-plus-s2725hsm",
      "verdict": "1080p at 27 inches is a false economy for a productivity monitor, and its own 4K sibling embarrasses it; the weakest ownership proposition on the board.",
      "pros": [
        "Hits a low shelf price"
      ],
      "cons": [
        "1080p stretched across 27 inches means visibly fuzzy text for productivity work",
        "Dell's own 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC) costs modestly more and is WIRED's top overall pick",
        "Exists to hit a shelf price, not to be lived with for five years"
      ],
      "citations": 9,
      "distinctOutlets": 9,
      "thinlySourced": false,
      "flaggedToAvoid": {
        "runs": 3,
        "ofRuns": 5
      },
      "image": "https://stierproducts.com/images/products/dell-27-plus-s2725hsm.webp"
    }
  ]
}