# Best Computer Monitors: the stierproducts tier list - Source: https://stierproducts.com/categories/computer-monitors - Last researched: 2026-08-17T21:13:56.977Z - Products ranked: 17 - Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology - Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 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. General-purpose desktop monitors; high-refresh gaming panels belong to Gaming Monitors. ## Summary The Dell UltraSharp U2725QE is the best computer monitor for most people. It is the only S tier product on our Computer Monitors board, ranked across independent research runs over current expert reviews. It pairs Wirecutter's favourite 4K panel with a 3-year advance-exchange warranty and a Thunderbolt 4 hub that keeps working through several PC upgrades. The A tier runner-up is the Dell UltraSharp U3225QE, the same monitor at 32 inches. If you want 4K on a tight budget, pick the Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC). If you want a sharp 5K screen with a proper warranty, pick the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV. Avoid the LG 27UP850-W, the Dell S3221QS, the Samsung 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor (M80D) and the Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM), all in F tier. ## Ranking | Rank | Product | Brand | Tier | LP | Outlets | Verdict | Page | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Dell UltraSharp U2725QE | Dell | S | 980 | 18 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u2725qe | | 2 | Dell UltraSharp U3225QE | Dell | A | 775 | 18 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u3225qe | | 3 | ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV | ASUS | B | 619 | 13 | The sensible 5K choice with a real warranty and matte finish that ages well; a year of clean field reports would move it up. | https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa27jcv | | 4 | Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC) | Dell | B | 616 | 47 | WIRED's top overall pick and unbeatable value, but the consumer-line warranty and lighter stand are real ownership compromises versus UltraSharp. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-27-plus-4k-s2725qc | | 5 | ASUS ProArt Display PA278CGV | ASUS | B | 605 | 9 | Wirecutter's best 27-incher with a 3-year warranty at a midrange price; the best ownership-per-dollar on this board. | https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa278cgv | | 6 | ASUS ProArt Display PA32QCV | ASUS | B | 604 | 30 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa32qcv | | 7 | Dell UltraSharp U4025QW | Dell | B | 592 | 48 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u4025qw | | 8 | ASUS ProArt Display PA278CFRV | ASUS | B | 558 | 3 | Calibrated creator color and 100Hz at a mid-range price; ranked below the PA278CGV mainly because that model adds 144Hz for a modest premium. | https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa278cfrv | | 9 | BenQ GW2486TC | BenQ | C | 487 | 9 | The smartest budget buy: 100Hz, USB-C with 65W charging, and a real stand, only held back by 1080p at 24 inches. | https://stierproducts.com/products/benq-gw2486tc | | 10 | ASUS ProArt Display PA32UCXR | ASUS | C | 484 | 8 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/asus-proart-display-pa32ucxr | | 11 | Dell UltraSharp U2724DE | Dell | C | 454 | 18 | A Thunderbolt docking masterpiece, but you pay a substantial premium for ports over the PA278CGV, which only pays off for single-cable laptop users. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-ultrasharp-u2724de | | 12 | Apple Studio Display (2022) | Apple | C | 452 | 59 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/apple-studio-display-2022 | | 13 | BenQ RD280U | BenQ | D | 253 | 14 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/benq-rd280u | | 14 | LG 27UP850-W | LG | F | 97 | 2 | Coasting on a 2021 reputation; the Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC) beats it on spec, freshness, and usually price. | https://stierproducts.com/products/lg-27up850-w | | 15 | Dell S3221QS | Dell | F | 69 | 3 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-s3221qs | | 16 | Samsung 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor (M80D) | Samsung | F | 0 | 2 | Overhyped smart features that will rot in three years wrapped around an ordinary panel; buy any dumb, well-warrantied pick above instead. | https://stierproducts.com/products/samsung-smart-monitor-m8-m80d | | 17 | Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM) | Dell | F | 0 | 9 | 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. | https://stierproducts.com/products/dell-27-plus-s2725hsm | ## Flagged as ones to avoid These entered one or more research runs as a product buyers cross-shop but should not buy, rather than as a pick. - ASUS ProArt Display PA32UCXR (#10, C tier): flagged by 1 of 5 runs. - Apple Studio Display (2022) (#12, C tier): flagged by 1 of 8 runs. - LG 27UP850-W (#14, F tier): flagged by 4 of 9 runs. - Dell S3221QS (#15, F tier): flagged by 1 of 7 runs. - Samsung 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor (M80D) (#16, F tier): flagged by 2 of 7 runs. - Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM) (#17, F tier): flagged by 3 of 5 runs. ## Frequently asked questions ### What size computer monitor should I get? 27 inches is the safe size for a desk: it fits 4K or 1440p at a comfortable text size and most of our top picks are 27-inch panels. Go to 32 inches only if you sit a little further back or want more room for side-by-side windows. On our board the Dell UltraSharp U3225QE is the 32-inch version of the top pick and loses only on price-to-value. A 40-inch ultrawide like the Dell UltraSharp U4025QW replaces two monitors, but it is heavy, costly and a bigger single point of failure if it ever needs replacing. ### Is 1080p enough for a 27-inch monitor? No, not for work. 1080p stretched across 27 inches gives visibly fuzzy text, which is why the Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM) sits in F tier on our board. At 27 inches you want 1440p as a minimum and 4K if you read a lot of text. 1080p is fine at 24 inches, which is why the BenQ GW2486TC still earns a place as a budget or secondary screen. ### Which monitor brand is the most reliable? Dell's UltraSharp line has the best ownership record on our board. The Dell UltraSharp U2725QE and Dell UltraSharp U3225QE carry a 3-year Premium Panel Exchange warranty with advance replacement and zero-bright-pixel coverage, backed by enterprise-grade support. ASUS ProArt monitors also carry 3-year warranties, but reviewers found ASUS support logistics a step behind Dell's advance-exchange process. BenQ gives a solid 3-year warranty with a smaller support network. ### How long does a computer monitor last? A good IPS monitor should serve for five years or more, and the monitors at the top of our board were picked with that lifespan in mind. The IPS Black panels in the Dell UltraSharp U2725QE and its siblings have no burn-in risk, and the built-in Thunderbolt hub stays useful across several computer upgrades. The parts that age fastest are software and fashion: the Samsung 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor (M80D) relies on streaming apps that will be abandoned long before its panel wears out. ### Should I buy an OLED computer monitor? Not for general desktop use. Static toolbars, taskbars and document windows sit in the same place for hours, which is the worst case for OLED burn-in. Every monitor on our board uses IPS, VA or mini-LED, and the ASUS ProArt Display PA32UCXR gets reference-grade HDR from mini-LED with no burn-in exposure at all. OLED makes more sense on our Gaming Monitors board, where the content moves. ### Do I need USB-C or Thunderbolt on a monitor? If you use a laptop, yes. One cable carries video, data and charging, so the monitor becomes a dock. The Dell UltraSharp U2725QE has a Thunderbolt 4 hub and the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CGV delivers 90W over USB-C, enough for most laptops. The Dell UltraSharp U2724DE is the fullest dock on the board, but you pay a substantial premium for those ports, which only pays off if single-cable docking is your daily habit. Desktop PC users can skip the feature and save the money. ### How do I clean a computer monitor? Turn the monitor off and wipe the screen with a dry microfibre cloth. For marks that will not shift, dampen the cloth lightly with distilled water, never spray liquid onto the panel. Do not use window cleaner, alcohol or paper towels, which can strip anti-glare coatings and scratch the surface. The matte finish on the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV was chosen partly because it ages better than glossy glass in real offices. ### What should I check in a monitor warranty? Three things: the length, whether they ship a replacement before you return the faulty unit, and the dead-pixel policy. Dell UltraSharp monitors give 3 years with advance exchange and a zero-bright-pixel promise, which is the benchmark on our board. The Apple Studio Display (2022) offers only a 1-year standard warranty on a flagship-priced panel, and that gap is the main reason it sits in C tier. The Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QC) is great value but its consumer-line warranty is shorter than UltraSharp's. ### Are smart monitors worth it? No. Built-in apps, remotes and forced account logins are the parts of a monitor that age worst, and the Samsung 32-inch M8 Smart Monitor (M80D) wraps them around an ordinary 60Hz VA panel while costing as much as a Dell UltraSharp U2725QE. A monitor should outlive its software. Buy a well-warrantied screen and plug in a streaming stick if you want TV apps. ## Tier meanings - 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. ## How to read this - 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. - LP is the product's points on this category's ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories. - Outlets is how many distinct outlets are cited for that placement. The per-product page lists each citation, and shows which of their links were fetched and confirmed before publishing. - Nothing is hidden: every product the research placed is on this board.