5 Best Thin Bezel Monitors of 2019

1. Best Pick: Dell U2718Q

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

If money is not a big issue for you, the Dell U2718Q is the best frameless monitor that you can buy today. It’s a 27-inch monitor with a native 4K resolution, boasting a fast response time, great picture quality, and HDR support. It’s an all-around monitor that works well for regular office work, graphic design, media consumption, and even gaming.

An IPS monitor, the U2718Q has a clean, professional design that’s right in line with the other models in the Dell UltraSharp series. It has very thin borders and comes with a rigid stand with a medium-sized footprint. The stand has a flat base (which allows you to place small things on it to save desk space) and a small hole for cable management.

The back panel is as professional-looking as the front side, with none of those fancy aesthetics and lighting system found in gaming monitors. The input options include a DisplayPort, an HDMI, a Mini DisplayPort, an audio out, and four USB 3.0 ports. Of the four USB ports, two can be used for fast-charging, which is convenient. Additionally, the four USB ports are divided into two, with one pair located at the panel edge and positioned sideward for quick access.

One of the more under-appreciated aspects about the U2718Q is its excellent ergonomics. You can swivel and tilt the screen as well as adjust the height. You can also switch it to portrait mode, and unlike with cheap TN monitors, switching it to portrait mode won’t significantly compromise the picture quality. The U2718Q is easy to adjust, with no need to apply a lot of force to get it in the most convenient position.

The U2718Q has excellent color reproduction and viewing angles, courtesy of its IPS panel. It works great for editing documents, watching movies, photo editing, gaming, programming, and internet surfing, among other applications, with its native 3840 x 2160 resolution and 27-inch screen making it a recommended monitor for multitasking. However, the U2718Q is not great in a dark room, so make sure to work in a well-lit area.

While the U2718Q’s very low input lag makes it ideal for gaming, some gamers will be disappointed by its standard 60 Hz refresh rate and lack of variable refresh rate support. Considering its specs, the U2718Q is most ideal for RPGs and open-world games that look gorgeous in 4K resolution. For fast-paced competitive multiplayer games like Overwatch and PUBG, you might want to consider cheap 144 Hz monitors instead.

All in all, this bezel-less Dell monitor is an outstanding product. It has great picture quality, very low input lag, an easy-to-use on-screen display, and multiple input ports. It’s expensive, sure, but you definitely get what you pay for. If you can spend $500 on a frameless monitor, the U2718Q is the best option on the market.

2. Best Budget: Acer R240HY

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Editor’s Rating: 4/5

The Acer R240HY is the perfect option for those who can’t afford to spend too much on a borderless monitor. It sells for just around $130, making it the cheapest in this guide. But as with other budget monitors, the R240HY comes with notable limits, especially with regard to the features, so don’t expect too much.

The R240HY is a 24-inch IPS monitor with a very basic design that certainly won’t impress a lot of people. It has super-thin borders on three sides and comes with an all-black finish. It’s got a decently built stand with a ring-shaped base. While the stand itself is decent enough, the R240HY has some stability issues due to its lightweight frame. More specifically, the screen wobbles when you are pressing the function buttons at the bottom, so make sure to hold it for support.

There is nothing remarkable about the R240HY’s back panel. It’s as straightforward as the entire monitor, featuring a clutter-free design with easily accessible input ports. Compared to the Dell U2718Q, the R240HY has fewer connection ports, only offering an HDMI, a DVI, and a VGA, with not a single USB port in sight, which might disappoint some of you. The fact that it lacks a DisplayPort is also notable.

Unlike with our top pick, the R240HY’s input ports are easier to access due to their outward positioning at the back. But on the flip side, you won’t be able to position this monitor too close to the wall because of the cable positioning. Additionally, the R240HY is also not wall-mountable out of the box since it has no VESA mount.

The R240HY is very easy to set up at the onset. It has a simple on-screen menu with a bunch of adjustment options. But while the menu is easy enough to understand, the control buttons can be a little annoying. They feel flimsy, not to mention they are not clearly marked, so you need to do a bit of trial-and-error at the onset to determine which is which.

What makes the R240HY stand out among other budget monitors in the same price range is its good color reproduction and wide viewing angles. It has good picture quality, with the ability to produce accurate and vivid colors. It’s good for both media consumption and office work and also fares decently when used for casual gaming. It has a low input lag and a fast response time, making it a solid option for fast-paced games.

While not the most impressive in terms of specs and features, the R240HY is a good monitor for the price. It’s reliable and easy to use, has good color reproduction, and doesn’t require a powerful, high-end graphics card to produce the best results. Best of all, it sells for less than $150, making it an appealing option for those with a tight budget.

3. Best Value: LG 27UK650-W

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

LG offers some of the best monitors on the market, from ultrawide monitors to gaming monitors with an extremely fast response time. For those looking for a good LG monitor with very thin borders, the 27UK650-W is a great option. It’s an IPS monitor with a 27-inch screen and a 4K resolution, just like the Dell U2718Q.

Compared to Dell’s offering, the 27UK650-W is relatively more affordable, selling for around $400. It has about the same picture quality but has fewer connection options and a slightly more limited stand adjustability. If our top pick is too expensive for you, go for the 27UK650-W, which similarly works well for different applications, such as office work, gaming, and media consumption.

The 27UK650-W has a professional design, featuring a clean frame with a white back panel. It comes with a fairly sturdy stand with a curved base and a small ring near the bottom for easy cable management. Unlike our budget pick, this LG monitor is VESA compatible, which allows you to switch to a wall-mounted setup to save desk space.

Concerning ergonomics, the 27UK650-W is decent, with options to adjust the height, tilt the screen, and switch to portrait mode. You can’t swivel the screen from side to side, though, which means you need to move the stand itself if you want to rotate the screen. On the bright side, adjusting the screen position is easy, allowing for quick adjustments anytime.

As mentioned, the 27UK650-W has fewer connection options compared to the Dell U2718Q. It has a pair of HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, and an audio out. All ports are at the back, positioned outward for easy access. LG did not include a single USB 3.0 port on this monitor, much less a USB port for fast-charging. This will definitely disappoint some of you, especially considering the 27UK650-W sells for about $400.

While not as eye-catching as other products, the 27UK650-W is a well-built monitor. It has a minimalist profile with a stable stand that supports the monitor well and comes with an intuitive joystick control for navigating the on-screen menu, similar to many other LG monitors.

The 27UK650-W has excellent picture quality and wide viewing angles, both of which aren’t surprising considering it’s got an IPS panel. It has HDR support and boasts a large screen with a native 4K resolution, making it ideal for multitasking. It’s great for web development, graphics design, video editing, and watching movies, and has a fast response time.

For gaming, this LG monitor has pros and cons. On one hand, it has a low input lag, and its superb resolution means you get to see more detail, which is great for games with gorgeous visuals, such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Far Cry 5. On the other hand, it has a 60 Hz standard refresh rate, which won’t be enough for hardcore gamers.

Overall, the 27UK650-W is an excellent frameless monitor that offers good long-term value, especially for non-gaming use. It’s got an intuitive menu control, AMD FreeSync support, good viewing angles, and great picture quality. It’s the second-best product in this guide, right behind our top pick.

4. LG 24MP88HV-S

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Editor’s Rating: 3.9/5

The LG 24MP88HV-S is another solid option if you can’t spend too much on the best bezel-less monitors. It’s one of LG’s less heralded monitors because of its rather pedestrian features, but for a multi-monitor setup, it’s one of the better options.

A 24-inch monitor with an IPS panel, the 24MP88HV-S has a much more attractive design than our other budget option here. It has a sleek-looking frame with a white and silver finish and boasts extremely thin borders all around. As with many other LG monitors, it’s got a curved stand with a wide footprint. The stand isn’t the most stable, so don’t be surprised to encounter wobbling issues with this LG monitor. Additionally, the stand has very limited adjustability, with no option to adjust the height.

Unlike most budget monitors, the 24MP88HV-S has an integrated audio system, but don’t expect too much, as the speakers are probably decent at best. This isn’t exactly surprising considering monitor speakers are not known for their sound quality. For gaming and watching movies, it’s best to use external speakers or headphones for a much better audio experience.

Like the Acer R240HY, the 24MP88HV-S has a very basic back panel design, with all the connection ports neatly lined up in an outward position for easy access. It’s got limited input options, however, only offering a pair of HDMI and a VGA for the main inputs; there’s no DisplayPort and USB hub, which is disappointing.

As with other IPS monitors, the 24MP88HV-S boasts far better picture quality and viewing angles than TN monitors in the same price range. It’s good for office work and internet surfing, with its Reader Mode helping reduce eye fatigue during extended use. It’s also a decent monitor for gaming, featuring a low input lag and a fast response time. But for hardcore gamers and those who mainly play competitive multiplayer games, this IPS monitor isn’t recommended; there are far better options on the market.

The 24MP88HV-S can output in split-screen, which makes multitasking easier. However, some might find its 24-inch screen and native 1920 x 1080 resolution to be inadequate for that. If you want more suitable monitors for multitasking, consider looking into the best ultrawide monitors – a category in which LG is one of the best.

In all, this frameless LG monitor is a solid budget option. It’s got good picture quality, comes with built-in speakers, and is VESA compatible. If the Acer R240HY isn’t to your liking, consider the 24MP88HV-S instead. It’s a bit more expensive, but you can always wait for it to go on sale.

5. Asus MX27AQ

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Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5

The Asus MX27AQ is a 27-inch monitor with an IPS panel and a native 2560 x 1440 resolution, featuring multiple input options and good picture quality. It’s about the same price as our best value pick here, selling for just under $400. It offers good value for the price and works well for both gaming and non-gaming use.

A well-built monitor, the MX27AQ has a straightforward design, featuring a very thin bezel, a clean back panel, and a sturdy stand with a ring-shaped base. The stand has a small footprint and easily supports the monitor. The control buttons are on the bottom edge, with the power button being the only clearly marked button, which can make navigating the menu confusing at the onset.

The MX27AQ offers very limited screen position adjustment options. For one, you can’t adjust the monitor height, which is a turn-off for some people. If you want to increase the height, you’ll need to use books to give it a boost. Moreover, the MX27AQ is not VESA compatible out of the box, so you can’t just switch to a wall-mounted setup.

The MX27AQ’s back panel is pretty basic, with all the input ports located near the bottom, close to the stand mount. It has multiple HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, and a headphone port. Like almost all the other products mentioned here, the MX27AQ doesn’t come with a USB hub, which means you can’t use it for other peripherals. The lack of a USB hub is disappointing, especially considering the price.

Like the budget LG monitor above, this Asus monitor has integrated speakers, which allows you to save desk space. The audio system, which features SonicMaster technology, is fairly decent and should be good enough for listening to music while doing office work. But for activities like watching movies and gaming, external speakers are much better options.

It’s easy to set up the MX27AQ out of the box. It’s got good color accuracy in its default configuration, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time getting the settings right before you can finally use it. It has a simple, easy-to-use on-screen menu, but as mentioned, the unmarked control buttons can make the navigation a bit confusing in the beginning.

Considering it has an IPS panel, it’s not surprising that the MX27AQ has good color reproduction and wide viewing angles. It’s got great picture quality, with its 2560 x 1440 resolution making images more detailed. We recommend it for photo editing, web development, and general office work, among other non-gaming activities. It has a large screen, which makes multitasking easier.

The MX27AQ is also good for gaming. It has a low input lag and a fast response time. You can see more detail in games, thanks to its high native resolution. However, for competitive multiplayer games, you might want to look elsewhere, as this monitor isn’t the most ideal. Check out cheap 144 Hz monitors if you want a much smoother performance during fast-paced multiplayer games.

Wrapping up, the MX27AQ is a good IPS monitor for both gaming and non-gaming use. It’s one of the best thin bezel monitors under $400, featuring good color reproduction, wide viewing angles, and multiple input options.