5 Best 27-Inch Monitors of 2019

1. Best Pick: Acer Predator X27

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

If you want the best of the best and can spend around $1,800 on a monitor, the Acer Predator X27 is the best option currently on the market. It’s an extremely expensive product loaded with features, including G-Sync and HDR. It’s got a 4K resolution and a 120 Hz standard refresh rate, the latter of which is notable since almost all 4K monitors on the market are limited to 60 Hz.

Design

An IPS monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the X27 has a subtler design compared to other gaming monitors under the Acer Predator brand, featuring an all-black chassis with narrow bezels and a set of removable blinders for glare reduction. The chassis is quite thick, which means it will stick out more when mounted on the wall. The monitor has built-in speakers, but they are not as good as external speakers and headphones, especially concerning the bass output.

For menu control, this Acer monitor has a small joystick at the back, on the lower-left corner, with a set of clickable function buttons positioned vertically above it. While the control scheme is user-friendly, the joystick and buttons are not easy to access when the blinders are attached. If you want to mount the monitor to a wall mount or a different stand, there is a VESA mounting interface at the back, but you’ll need to use the supplied VESA mount adapter.

Connectivity

One of the more notable downsides of G-Sync monitors is their limited input options, and the X27 is no exception, only offering one DisplayPort and one HDMI port for input, with the G-Sync feature limited to the former. You can use this monitor for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X gaming since the lone HDMI port supports a 4K resolution at 60 Hz. The input ports are down-facing at the rear, along with the analog audio out port.

The X27 also features a USB hub composed of four USB 3.0 downstream ports, one of which supports fast charging, which is convenient. The four USB ports are separated into two pairs, with one pair on the monitor’s left edge for quick access and one pair outward-facing at the back.

Stand

The monitor stand is well built, easily supporting the monitor with no major wobbling issues. It has basic cable management in the bottom section and a carrying handle at the top, which is useful when moving the monitor to a different location.

Regarding adjustment options, the stand is decent but not on par with the Dell professional monitors in this guide. You can adjust the height and tilt and swivel the screen, but you can’t rotate the screen to a portrait orientation, which might disappoint some of you. If you want a more flexible setup, you’ll need to mount the monitor to a third-party stand with better ergonomics.

Performance

The X27 is an outstanding all-around monitor that works great for gaming, office work, and general use, featuring wide viewing angles and excellent color accuracy. Once fully calibrated, the monitor boasts near-perfect coverage for both Adobe RGB and sRGB color spaces, which is great for color-critical work such as photo editing and graphics design. Whether the monitor is operating in standard mode or HDR mode, the peak brightness is great, most especially for the latter.

One of the few certified DisplayHDR 1000 monitors – the highest level in the HDR standard created by VESA – the X27 offers good performance in HDR mode. It can display a wider range of colors and can get extremely bright, easily reaching 1000 nits peak brightness. The contrast ratio is not that great, though, especially compared to VA monitors.

For gaming, this 4K monitor is excellent, whether you game on PC or consoles. It has a fast response time and a good input lag even when running in 4K resolution. As mentioned, the standard refresh rate is 120 Hz, which translates to increased smoothness in gaming, but if that’s still not good enough for you, there is an option to overclock to 144 Hz. The monitor is most suitable for graphically intensive games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. If you game on PC with G-Sync enabled, the monitor output stays smooth even when the graphics card output is erratic.

Verdict

If money is not an issue for you, the X27 is the best 27-inch monitor that you can get right now, most especially if you want an all-around unit that works great for gaming and productivity. It’s an absolute beast, offering a tantalizing list of features. The picture quality is great while the gaming performance is excellent.

2. Best Budget: Dell P2719H

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Editor’s Rating: 3.8/5

If you want a budget-friendly product, there are a number of options out there, many of which feature an IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 (FHD) resolution. Out of all of them, the Dell P2719H is the best option, featuring a fully adjustable stand and a USB hub – a pair of features not usually associated with budget monitors. You can get it for just around $200-250, with the price sometimes dipping below $200 during a sale.

Design

Like other Dell P-Series and UltraSharp monitors, the P2719H has a professional design, featuring a minimalist chassis that’s notably thinner compared to our top pick. The screen, which has an anti-glare coating, is surrounded by thin bezels at the top and sides, with the company logo sitting in the middle of the thicker bottom bezel. There is a 100 x 100 mm VESA mounting interface at the back, positioned in the central area.

The control buttons are located on the bottom-right of the monitor, on the underside, which is a common setup for most Dell monitors. They are easy to use and produce good tactile feedback when pressed, although some of you might find them too small. The on-screen display (OSD) is similarly well implemented, featuring an organized layout with lots of options.

Connectivity

For video input, this Dell monitor has one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, and one VGA port, the latter of which is useful if you want to connect to older computers. All input ports are down-facing at the rear, along with a pair of USB down ports and the accompanying upstream port. There is another pair of USB ports conveniently placed on the monitor’s left edge. Unlike most monitors, there is no analog audio out on this unit.

Stand

One of the best aspects of Dell professional monitors is their great stand design, and that also extends to this particular model. Featuring a simple flat base with a relatively small footprint, the monitor stand is sturdy and offers full adjustment options.

You can adjust the height, tilt, swivel, and pivot to portrait mode, with good adjustment ranges for the former three, especially regarding the swivel range. There is a round hole in the stand for basic cable management and a quick-release button just below where the stand connects to the monitor – both are common features among Dell office monitors.

Performance

The P2719H is a professional monitor that works great for general office work, including typing and editing spreadsheets. The color accuracy is good while the viewing angles are great, the latter of which is a staple for IPS monitors. The peak brightness is decent as well, which, combined with the anti-glare screen coating, allows the monitor to work well in a bright room.

While the large screen is good for multitasking, some of you might find the low pixel density – which is due to the common 1920 x 1080 resolution – disappointing, especially if you sit very close to the screen. On a related note, this monitor is not the most suitable for photo editing since the 1080p resolution is a limiting factor.

Since it has thin bezels, this monitor is great for a multi-monitor setup, with its common 100 x 100 mm VESA mounting interface and quick-release stand allowing for easy integration into a multi-monitor arm or wall mount. You can’t use it as a primary or intermediary monitor in a daisy chain setup, though, since it lacks a DisplayPort Out.

Verdict

Overall, the P2719H is a great product and is a much better option than all those cheap 27-inch IPS monitors selling for less than $200. It has good picture quality, comes with a fully adjustable stand, and offers good connectivity, with the latter two aspects easily separating it from most other budget options.

3. Best Value: LG 27UK650-W

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The LG 27UK650-W is a well-rounded 4K monitor that works great for productivity, watching movies, and gaming on both PC and consoles. It has AMD FreeSync technology, supports HDR content, and offers multiple input options. You can get it for around $400-450, which is a more than reasonable price point considering what the monitor brings to the table.

Design

An IPS monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate, this LG unit has a minimalist design similar to that of most other LG monitors, featuring thin bezels at three sides and a clean back panel. There is a 100 x 100 mm VESA mounting interface at the back and a small joystick at the bottom for menu control. The screen has an anti-glare coating, which reduces glare when using the monitor in a bright room.

Although the monitor is mostly made of plastic, the build quality is good. There are no speakers on this monitor, which is not really a deal-breaker since monitor speakers tend to sound poor and are not suitable for both gaming and watching movies.

Connectivity

Compared to our budget pick, the 27UK650-W is slightly inferior regarding connectivity, but only because there is no USB hub. For video input, it has one DisplayPort and two HDMI ports, all of which support a 4K resolution with a 60 Hz refresh rate.

Since the HDMI ports support the full refresh rate when running in 4K resolution, this display is suitable for both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X consoles. All input ports are outward-facing at the back, along with the analog audio out port, which makes them easy to access even when the monitor is in a wall-mounted setup.

Stand

The monitor stand is similar to the stand of most LG monitors, featuring a crescent-shaped base with a wide footprint. It supports the monitor well, features basic cable management, and offers decent ergonomics, with options to tilt, pivot, and adjust the height. You can’t swivel the screen, though. If you want a more flexible setup, you’ll need to mount the monitor to a fully adjustable third-party monitor arm or wall mount.

Performance

The 27UK650-W is a superb all-around monitor with excellent color accuracy, good viewing angles, and good peak brightness. You can use it for different kinds of work and applications, including photo editing, graphics design, computer-aided design (CAD) software, research, and content writing, among other things. It’s great for multitasking with multiple windows open at the same time, thanks to the large screen and high resolution.

On the other hand, the monitor has a subpar contrast ratio, which is a common issue among IPS monitors regardless of the price range. Furthermore, the HDR performance is unimpressive, especially compared to our top pick. While it supports HDR content, the monitor is not fully equipped to properly display HDR content. You can think of it as an entry-level HDR monitor, which can be said for other HDR monitors selling for less than $1,000.

Featuring a fast response time and a low input lag, the 27UK650-W is a brilliant monitor for gaming on both PC and consoles. It’s great for single-player games with gorgeous or stylish visuals, such as Final Fantasy XV and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The monitor also features FreeSync, which synchronizes the monitor refresh rate to the graphics card output – an especially beneficial feature when playing graphically intensive games. Moreover, FreeSync is supported over both DisplayPort and HDMI inputs, which is good news if you game on Xbox One X.

Verdict

In all, the 27UK650-W is a fantastic monitor that offers excellent value for the money, boasting great picture quality and good gaming performance. It has a 4K resolution, which is great for regular gaming, media consumption, and art-related work, and comes with an adjustable stand. If our top pick is way out of your budget range but you still prefer an all-around 4K monitor, go for this LG product instead.

4. Dell U2717D

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Editor’s Rating: 4/5

One of the best monitors for daisy chaining, the Dell U2717D is a professional monitor designed for productivity, featuring a 1440p (QHD) resolution and a fully adjustable stand for easy screen position adjustments. You can get it for just around $350, which makes it significantly more affordable than all those 27-inch QHD IPS monitors built for gaming.

Design

An IPS display, the U2717D is not that different from our budget pick and other UltraSharp monitors regarding design. It has a minimalist profile, with thin bezels all around and a plain back panel. The screen has an anti-glare coating for glare reduction. For menu control, there is a set of physical buttons located on the bottom-right corner of the monitor. They are easy to use but are not as intuitive as the control scheme of the LG 27UK650-W.

The monitor has a 100 x 100 mm VESA mounting interface at the back, which is useful if you plan to mount the monitor to a wall mount to save desk space. Like most other Dell office monitors, there are no internal speakers on this unit. As expected from a Dell product, the U2717D has a good build quality and doesn’t feel cheap despite the plastic parts.

Connectivity

Of the best 27-inch monitors in this guide, the U2717D offers the most connection options, featuring one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, one Mini DisplayPort, one DisplayPort Out, one audio out, and four USB 3.0 down ports. The USB ports are separated into two pairs: one pair is located on the monitor’s left edge for quick access while the other pair is down-firing at the rear, along with all the other connection ports.

The Mini DisplayPort is for connecting the monitor to a compatible laptop. The DisplayPort Out is for daisy chaining multiple monitors, which makes for a clutter-free multi-monitor setup where only one monitor is directly connected to the computer.

Stand

Like with our budget pick, the monitor stand is sturdy and offers full adjustment options, with similar adjustment ranges. You can adjust the height, tilt, swivel, and pivot to portrait mode, the latter of which is beneficial for coding and reading long documents. The stand has the familiar cable management hole typically seen in Dell monitors. If you want to remove the stand for wall mounting, there is a quick-release button right below where the stand connects to the monitor.

Performance

The U2717D is best used for productivity and works great in a typical office setting with lots of light sources, thanks to the anti-glare screen coating and the good brightness rating. It has excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles, with the former being most beneficial in photo editing, graphics design, and other color-critical work. The monitor has a higher resolution than the Dell P2719H, which translates to more detailed images and sharper texts.

If you are building a multi-monitor setup, the U2717D is a recommended monitor. It has thin bezels at the sides, which is great if you care about aesthetics. More importantly, it has a DisplayPort Out, which allows it to be a primary or intermediary monitor in a daisy-chained multi-monitor setup. You can pair it with another 1440p monitor or with a couple of 1080p monitors, provided the refresh rates of all units involved is 60 Hz.

For gaming, the U2717D is not the most ideal option. If you mostly play story-driven or slow-paced games and care more about picture quality than fast response times and high refresh rates, this monitor is decent enough. But if you mostly play fast-paced games or are into competitive gaming, there are much better options out there.

Verdict

Overall, the U2717D is a recommended product if you are in the market for a 27-inch QHD monitor with an IPS panel. It’s great for productivity, especially if you like to work with multiple open windows at the same time. While not as versatile as the Acer Predator X27 and the LG 27UK650-W, the U2717D gets the job done and is perfect for office use, especially if you are going for a multi-monitor setup.

5. Samsung C27HG70

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Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5

The Samsung C27HG70 is the best option if you want a 27-inch VA monitor suitable for gaming, watching movies, and productivity. It has a QHD resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate, which is the highest non-overlocked refresh rate among the monitors in this guide. You can get this monitor for around $450-500, which makes it more expensive than the Dell U2717D.

Design

The C27HG70 is unique among the monitors on this list, featuring a curved screen with a curve radius of 1800R, which means the curvature is more pronounced. It has narrow bezels at all sides and includes a cool lighting system at the back. While the monitor has a VESA mounting interface (100 x 100 mm), you can’t mount it to a wall mount or monitor arm just like any other monitor. You need to use the included VESA mount adapter since the monitor has a different mounting interface.

Like the Acer Predator X27, this Samsung monitor features a small joystick for menu control, similarly located at the back and accessible from the right if you are sitting in front of the screen. Compared to the regular menu buttons seen in most monitors, the joystick is more intuitive and makes for faster menu navigation.

Connectivity

For input, the C27HG70 has two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort, all of which are down-facing at the rear. Additionally, the monitor has one audio out, one mic in, and two USB 3.0 down ports – all of them are in the same location as the video input ports. One of the USB ports also supports fast charging, which is convenient.

Stand

The stand has a different design compared to most monitor stands. It looks a lot like a monitor arm, with the joint in the middle section translating to a different height adjustment. The stand, which has cable management, has a Y-shaped base and takes up more desk space than most monitor stands. If you have a small desk or simply don’t like the stand design, you can always switch to a third-party monitor stand or arm.

Regarding ergonomics, the stand is decent. It offers full adjustment options, including tilt and swivel, but the adjustment ranges are not that great. The two Dell monitors above are much better on that front, offering a significantly better swivel range.

Performance

Although it’s clearly marketed for gaming, the C27HG70 is also a great display for productivity and watching movies – the large screen and QHD resolution are beneficial for the former while the high contrast ratio is great for the latter. The monitor has good color accuracy out of the box and boasts near-perfect coverage for the sRGB color space once fully calibrated. On the other hand, the viewing angles are inferior compared to IPS monitors.

Like our top pick, this Samsung product is a certified VESA DisplayHDR monitor, but the classification is lower. It falls under the DisplayHDR 600 classification, which is the mid-range classification in the VESA HDR standard. While it supports a wider color range and features a high contrast ratio, it can’t get as bright as the Acer Predator X27 when in HDR mode, so the overall HDR performance is only decent at best.

For gaming, the C27HG70 is an excellent monitor, especially if you love to play open-world RPGs and survival horror games. It has a fast response time – which is notable for a VA monitor – and a low input lag even when in HDR mode. This monitor also features FreeSync technology, with an effective range of 48-144 Hz when connected via DisplayPort. When the monitor is connected using an HDMI cable, the max refresh rate with FreeSync drops to 100 Hz, translating to a narrower FreeSync range.

Sadly, the monitor’s curved screen doesn’t really make for a very immersive experience when gaming, even though the curvature is on the aggressive side. This is due to the screen size and aspect ratio of the monitor. If you really want a more immersive experience when gaming, go for a curved ultrawide monitor instead.

Verdict

All in all, the C27HG70 is one of the best 27-inch monitors on the market. It’s great for all-around use, offering good picture quality and great gaming performance. If you want a QHD monitor that’s more inclined toward entertainment than the Dell U2717D, get this product instead.