5 Best Office Monitors

1. Best Pick: Dell U2718Q

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

One of the best 4K monitors, the Dell U2718Q is an outstanding display for office use and productivity, featuring good picture quality and great ergonomics. Like other UltraSharp monitors, it’s designed for professional and business use. While it normally sells for around $400-500, you can get it for just around $350 during a sale.

Design

A 27-inch display, the U2718Q is an IPS monitor with a professional design that will look good in a typical office setting, featuring thin bezels and a simple back panel. It has a well-built chassis with good build quality, as expected from a Dell monitor. The screen has an anti-glare coating, which reduces glare when using the monitor in a bright room.

There are no built-in speakers on this unit, which might disappoint some of you. For controls, there is a set of buttons at the bottom of the monitor, on the right side. While not as intuitive as the joystick control featured in LG monitors, the buttons are easy to use, with good tactile feedback. The on-screen display (OSD) itself is also well implemented, featuring an organized layout.

Connectivity

The U2718Q offers an impressive list of connection options. For video input, it has one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, and one Mini DisplayPort, all of which can support 4K at 60 Hz. In addition, it has an audio port and a USB hub with fast charging support. Of the four USB downstream ports, two of which are located on the left side for quick access; the other two are down-firing at the back, along with all the other connection ports.

Stand

The default stand, which has a simple rectangular base, supports the monitor well and features a round hole for cable management. It has great ergonomics, offering height adjustment, swivel, tilt, and pivot options. You can easily remove the stand if you want a wall-mounted setup or a different monitor stand. The monitor has a 100 x 100 mm VESA mount interface, which is the most common VESA mount pattern seen in monitors.

Performance

The U2718Q is an outstanding monitor for office work and productivity. It’s great for multitasking, with its large screen and high resolution allowing for easy management of multiple windows. It has decent out-of-box color accuracy and good viewing angles. You can use it for photo editing, content writing, computer-aided design (CAD) software, and web development, among others. But for color-critical work, you’ll need to color-calibrate the monitor first.

You can also use this monitor as a central screen in a multi-monitor setup. Since it has thin bezels at all sides, it makes for a more aesthetically pleasing setup with thinner black borders between the monitors, regardless of the screen orientation. It weighs less than 10 pounds without the stand, which makes it easy to mount to a multi-monitor arm/stand.

On the flip side, this Dell monitor has a subpar contrast ratio, with budget VA monitors easily beating it on that front. And while it supports HDR content, the HDR performance is unimpressive, which can also be said for many HDR monitors currently out.

Verdict

Overall, the U2718Q is one of the best office monitors on the market. It has good overall picture quality and includes multiple connection ports for versatility. If you are shopping for a productivity monitor that also works well for regular gaming, this product is also a suitable option. While it has no notable gaming features, it has a good response time and a low input lag, which is beneficial in gaming.

2. Best Budget: HP VH240a

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Editor’s Rating: 3.8/5

The HP VH240a is our recommended product if you want a budget monitor for office use. It’s an IPS monitor with a 1080p resolution and a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, which is good enough for non-gaming use. It sells for just around $100, which makes it a lot more affordable than our other top picks in this guide.

Design

Featuring thin bezels at the top and sides, this 24-inch HP monitor has a plain design and will not look out of place in an office setting. The all-black chassis has a good build quality and features a VESA mounting interface at the back for wall mounting. The screen has an anti-glare coating, which is beneficial when using the monitor in a bright room.

The monitor has clickable buttons at the bottom for OSD control, located on the right side similar to that of most non-LG monitors. Unlike our top pick, this HP monitor has built-in speakers, which is notable for a budget product, but the sound quality is mediocre.

Connectivity

Of the products listed here, the VH240a has the fewest number of connection ports, only offering one HDMI port and one VGA port, with not a single USB port in sight. There is no DisplayPort, which is actually a common thing among budget monitors. The input ports are down-firing on the back panel, below the VESA mount interface.

Stand

Cheap monitors selling for less than $150 usually feature a fixed stand with tilt as the only adjustment option. That’s not the case here, though. The default stand has decent ergonomics, offering height and tilt adjustment options. The stand, which has built-in cable management in the form of a small hole, is also easy to remove if you want to switch to a third-party monitor stand.

Performance

While not as versatile as our other top picks, the VH240a is a good monitor for office work and general use, with decent overall picture quality for a budget model. It has good viewing angles and decent brightness, and its 1080p resolution looks good on the small screen. You can use it for general office work. But for professional photo editing, graphics design, and other similar kinds of work, this monitor is not an ideal option.

Since it has a smaller footprint compared to larger monitors, this HP monitor is more suitable if you have limited desk space. It’s also great for a multi-monitor setup, especially if you want a more aesthetically pleasing setup with minimal borders. Considering its limitations, this monitor is best used as a secondary or auxiliary unit in a multi-monitor setup designed for productivity.

Verdict

The VH240a is a great budget office monitor overall, offering good value for the money. Although it has a shorter list of features compared to our other top picks, it can get the job done and is more than good enough for general office applications. It has decent picture quality, comes with an adjustable stand, and features a VESA mounting interface, which is sometimes omitted in budget monitors.

3. Best Value: ViewSonic VP2768

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Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5

A QHD monitor, the ViewSonic VP2768 is an excellent display for office work, offering a nice balance between screen size and resolution. It has a lot of connection ports – including a DisplayPort Out for daisy chaining – and comes with a fully adjustable stand. You can get this product for around $400, with the price usually dropping to around $350 during a sale.

Design

Like Dell UltraSharp monitors, this 27-inch IPS monitor has a professional look, featuring a minimalist design with thin bezels and a clean back panel. It has a good build quality, with well-secured components from top to bottom. It will look good in a typical office environment, with its anti-glare screen coating allowing it to work well in a bright room.

For controls, the monitor has a set of physical buttons located at the back, instead of under the bottom bezel, which is the common setup for most monitors. The buttons are responsive and don’t feel cheaply implemented, but on the other hand, the OSD itself could be improved. There are no integrated speakers on this monitor, which isn’t exactly a big deal considering monitor speakers tend to be awful.

Connectivity

The VP2768 has excellent connectivity, featuring multiple input options for versatility. It has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, one Mini DisplayPort, one DisplayPort Out, one audio out, and four USB downstream ports – all of which are down-firing at the back, below where the stand connects to back panel.

The Mini DisplayPort is useful if you want to connect the monitor to a laptop or notebook that supports that input option. On the other hand, the DisplayPort Out – which is not commonly seen in monitors – is great if you want to build a daisy-chained multi-monitor setup, a setup where only one unit is directly connected to the computer.

Stand

Offering full adjustment options, the default stand is rigid and easily supports the monitor, with no major wobbling issues. It has a simple rectangular base and features basic cable management for tidier cabling. If you want to switch to a wall mount or a different monitor stand, there is a 100 x 100 mm VESA mounting interface at the back of the monitor.

Performance

The VP2768 is an excellent monitor for productivity, offering good screen real estate for easy management of multiple open windows. The 1440p resolution is perfectly fine on the 27-inch screen while the standard 60 Hz refresh rate is more than enough for non-gaming use. Unlike our budget pick, this monitor is more versatile and more suitable for photo editing and other color-critical work.

The overall picture quality is good, with excellent color accuracy, wide viewing angles, and good brightness, with the former being the most important aspect in color-critical work. On the flip side, the contrast ratio is not that great, which isn’t surprising considering the IPS panel.

Since it has a DisplayPort Out, the VP2768 can be used as the primary or intermediary monitor in a daisy-chained multi-monitor setup. You can pair it with either another QHD monitor or a pair of 1080p monitors, provided the refresh rates of the other monitors is also 60 Hz.

Verdict

All in all, the VP2768 is a fantastic monitor for office work. It’s a versatile monitor that works well for different types of work, whether as a standalone unit or as a member of a multi-monitor setup. It has good picture quality, with superb color accuracy and wide viewing angles, and boasts an impressive list of connection options. If you prefer a smaller display, ViewSonic also offers a 24-inch variant, which is around $100-150 cheaper. The smaller version offers similar performance and connectivity options, but it has a lower resolution.

4. Dell U3417W

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

One of the best 34-inch monitors, the Dell U3417W is the best option if you want an ultrawide display for office work and productivity. It’s much better for multitasking than regular 16:9 monitors, featuring a wide screen space for easy management of multiple open windows. It has a 3440 x 1440 resolution, which translates to a good pixel density on a 34-inch ultrawide display.

Design

An IPS monitor, the U3417W is a curved ultrawide monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate and a 21:9 aspect ratio, featuring the same professional design as other UltraSharp monitors. The screen, which has an anti-glare coating, has a curve radius of 1900R, which means the curvature is more pronounced.

The U3417W has a well-built chassis that looks thick when viewed from the side because of the screen’s sharp curvature. This means it will stick out more when mounted on the wall, and speaking of wall mounting, the VESA mounting interface at the back is the common 100 x 100 mm VESA pattern.

For controls, the monitor has a set of physical buttons at the bottom, similar to most other Dell monitors (including the gaming-focused ones). Although some of you might find them too small, the control buttons are responsive and easy to use. The U3417W also includes a pair of built-in speakers, and unlike most monitor speakers, they are actually decent-sounding, which is a nice bonus.

Connectivity

The U3417W has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and one Mini DisplayPort for video input, all of which are down-firing at the rear. In addition, it has one DisplayPort Out for daisy chaining, one audio out for headphones, and a USB hub with fast charging support. Of the four USB downstream ports, two of which are located on the monitor’s left side for quick access; the other pair is at the rear, along with all the other connection ports.

With the DisplayPort Out, the U3417W can be used as the primary or intermediary monitor in a daisy chain setup – a multi-monitor setup where only one monitor is directly connected to the PC. You can pair it with a smaller 1080p monitor, but keep in mind that you’ll need a large desk for such a setup, considering ultrawide monitors take up more desk space than regular monitors.

Stand

The monitor stand is not that different from the default stand of other Dell office monitors, featuring a simple base and a round hole for cable management. It attaches to the central area of the back panel, with a convenient quick-release button. Unlike with some ultrawide monitors, the stand has decent ergonomics, with options to adjust the height, tilt, and swivel. But like other ultrawide displays, there is no option to rotate to portrait mode.

Performance

Featuring good out-of-box color accuracy, the U3417W is an outstanding monitor for office work and productivity. It’s great for multitasking, with its generous screen space allowing for easy management of three or four open windows. The ultrawide screen is especially beneficial for stock trading and if your work requires you to constantly look at references in different tabs.

Regarding the overall picture quality, this Dell professional monitor is good. It has excellent color accuracy once color-calibrated, wide viewing angles, and good brightness. It works well in a bright room, thanks to its good reflection handling. On the other hand, it has a low contrast ratio, which is a common issue among IPS monitors.

Like the Dell U2718Q, the U3417W is also a good option if you are shopping for a productivity monitor for home use and want a unit that works well for gaming. Although not loaded with attractive gaming features, it’s good enough for regular gaming, featuring a fast response time for an IPS panel and a good input lag.

Verdict

If you want an ultrawide monitor for office use, the U3417W is the best option on the market. It’s an all-around unit that’s great for multitasking. It has good picture quality and offers lots of connection options and an easily adjustable stand. If the 34-inch screen is still not enough for you, check out the larger and more expensive Dell U3818DW, which features a 38-inch curved ultrawide screen and a higher 3840 x 1600 resolution.

5. BenQ PD3200U

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The BenQ PD3200U is a recommended product if you want a display larger than 30 inches but don’t want an ultrawide monitor. It’s an IPS monitor with a 4K resolution, a 60 Hz refresh rate, and a regular 16:9 aspect ratio. Of the products in this guide, this BenQ unit is the most expensive, usually selling for around $700-800, which makes it more expensive than the ultrawide Dell U3417W.

Design

A 32-inch display, the PD3200U is a professional monitor with a functional design, featuring an anti-glare screen coating for glare reduction in a bright room. While they are not super-thin, the bezels look good and are not distracting. The controls are front-facing on the bottom bezel and are easy to use, but instead of physical buttons, they are touch-sensitive. There is a 100 x 100 mm VESA mount interface at the back of the monitor.

The PD3200U also includes a customizable, hockey puck-like remote control that connects using a mini USB cable. You can use it to quickly switch between different presets, which is much more convenient than manually going through the OSD to change the settings. The PD3200U also features a couple of built-in speakers, but they are not that great.

Connectivity

For video input, this BenQ monitor has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and one Mini DisplayPort, all of which can support a 4K resolution at 60 Hz. Similar to the Dell D3218HN, the input ports are side-facing on the back panel, instead of down-firing.

There is also a separate connections hub at the back, accessible from the right side. It’s composed of an SD card slot, a pair of USB downstream ports, and a headphones port, with the former being the most notable since not many monitors include one. The other half of the USB hub is down-firing at the rear, along with the audio in port and the mini USB port for the remote control puck.

Stand

The default stand, which has a dedicated dock for the control puck, supports the monitor well and offers full adjustment options, including tilt and swivel. It has a cable management hole in the lower section and a convenient carrying handle at the top. You can easily remove the stand if you want to mount the monitor to a wall mount or a different monitor stand.

Performance

The PD3200U is a great monitor for office work and productivity, with its large screen and high resolution making it an ideal display for multitasking. You can connect it to two different computers at the same time and control everything using a single keyboard and mouse. It’s a recommended monitor for photo editing, computer-aided design (CAD) software, video editing, web development, and graphics design, among others.

The overall picture quality is great. The PD3200U boasts excellent color accuracy, wide viewing angles, and good brightness. It has good reflection handling, which is beneficial when using it in a bright room. And with the customizable control puck, you can easily change to a setting more suitable for your current task.

Verdict

Overall, the PD3200U is one of the best office monitors currently out on the market. It has excellent color accuracy, features a fully adjustable stand, and comes with a customizable control puck for easy switching between different picture settings. If you can afford to spend around $700-800 on a large 4K monitor, check out this BenQ product.