5 Best VA Monitors of 2019

1. BenQ EX3501R (Top Pick)

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

If you want an ultrawide VA monitor, check out the BenQ EX3501R, a 35-inch curved ultrawide monitor with a 3440 x 1440 native resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. Although it’s primarily marketed for gaming use, it’s also a great monitor for productivity and general use. Of the products in this guide, the EX3501R is the most expensive, which isn’t surprising considering the screen size and design.

This BenQ display is a well-designed unit, featuring thin bezels at the top and sides and a sturdy stand that easily supports the large screen. The screen has an anti-glare coating and a sharp curve radius of 1800R. The power and menu control buttons are all located at the bottom of the frame.

Regarding stand adjustability, the EX3501R is limited, but to be fair, most ultrawide monitors larger than 30 inches are in the same boat. You can only adjust the height and tilt the screen, with no option to swivel from side to side. So if you want to adjust the horizontal viewing angle, you’ll need to move the entire monitor, which is a hassle, especially considering the monitor’s weight.

For connectivity, this BenQ monitor offers a nice list of ports. It has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, one USB-C port, one audio port, and two USB 3.0 down ports. The USB-C port is an all-in-one port that supports power delivery, data transmission, and video input over a single cable, which is great if you want to connect the monitor to a laptop that supports USB-C. All connection ports are down-facing on the back panel. For cable management, the stand has a hole similar to the hole commonly seen in Dell monitors.

The EX3501R is a good monitor for productivity and general use. With the ultrawide screen and high resolution, you can easily multitask with several windows open at the same time. If you are a stock trader or someone whose work involves constantly checking references, you’ll love this monitor. It has good color accuracy and brightness and boasts excellent contrast. On the other hand, the viewing angles are not on par with IPS panels and the HDR performance is only decent at best.

Unsurprisingly, the EX3501R shines the most when used for pure gaming. It has a very high native refresh rate and features AMD FreeSync, which reduces screen-tearing when the frame rate is erratic during games. The monitor has a good response time and a low input lag that will please those who love to play fast-paced games.

For regular gaming, the EX3501R is a great monitor, with the high contrast translating to more vibrant images. If you mostly play games such as Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, you’ll love this BenQ VA monitor. If you are a big fan of survival horror games, then you’ll love this monitor even more.

If you can afford to spend over $700 on a VA monitor, you should definitely consider the EX3501R. It’s an all-around monitor that works well for productivity, gaming, and general use. It has good picture quality and offers a lot of connection options, with its USB-C port making it unique among the products in this guide to the best VA monitors.

2. Samsung C27HG70 (Best Value)

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5.0

The Samsung C27HG70 is the best VA monitor that you can get right now, especially if you want an all-around unit that works well for office work, gaming, and watching movies. You can get it for around $450-500, with the larger 32-inch version selling for a bit more.

A 27-inch display with a 1440p (QHD) resolution, this Samsung has an eye-catching design, featuring a curved screen, narrow bezels at all sides, and an arm-like stand. With the stand attached, the entire unit has a large footprint, mostly due to the stand, so make sure your desk is big enough. Without the stand, the monitor is relatively thin for a curved screen and will look good in a wall-mounted setup.

The stand, which has a Y-shaped base, offers full adjustability, with options to adjust the height, tilt, swivel, and pivot. The tilt and swivel ranges are not that wide, though, especially compared to the best monitors with a fully adjustable stand. Aside from the curved screen and unique stand, this Samsung display has another attention-grabbing feature: the cool lighting system on the back panel, which manifests in the ring around the stand mount.

Regarding connectivity, the C27HG70 is generous, featuring two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, one audio out, one mic in, and a couple of USB 3.0 ports with one port offering fast charging. All ports are down-facing on the back panel, secured by a plastic cover. AMD FreeSync is supported over both input options, but the range is not the same: 48-100 Hz for HDMI and 48-144 Hz for DisplayPort.

For navigating the on-screen display, the monitor has a small joystick, which is more intuitive than the usual clickable buttons seen in other monitors. Located on the back panel, the joystick is easy to use and makes going through the settings faster. The menu design is also good, featuring an organized structure and a good selection of options to choose from.

The C27HG70 is an excellent display for entertainment. It has a high contrast ratio, which is great for both gaming and watching movies, and features HDR support, with wide color gamut support. It has a fast response time, a low input lag, and adaptive sync tech – all of them are good news for gamers. If you love to play survival horror games like Alien: Isolation and the recently released Resident Evil 2 remake, you’ll love this VA monitor.

You can also use the C27HG70 for productivity or office work. It has good brightness and excellent color accuracy, with near-perfect coverage for the sRGB color space and great coverage for the DCI-P3 color space. The out-of-box colors are also great, but on the other hand, the viewing angles are limited, which isn’t surprising considering the panel tech.

Overall, the C27HG70 is a fantastic all-around VA monitor. The build quality is good while the picture quality is great, with outstanding color accuracy and high contrast. It supports HDR and FreeSync and features a sturdy stand with full adjustability. If you want a top-notch VA display for office work, games, and movies, this Samsung product is the best option.

3. AOC 24B1H (Best Budget)

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Editor’s Rating: 3.8/5.0

If you want to keep your costs to just around $100, check out the AOC 24B1H, a 24-inch 1080p (FHD) display released in late 2018. While not exactly rich in features, this budget screen is good enough for office work and general use, featuring good color reproduction for a low-end product.

The 24B1H has a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The entire unit has a minimalist design, featuring thin bezels at the top and sides, a simple back panel, and easy-to-use control buttons on the bottom-right corner, under the thicker bottom bezel. All connection ports are outward-facing at the back, which makes them easy to access even when the screen is placed close to the wall. For input, this monitor has one HDMI port and one VGA port. In addition, there is an analog audio port right next to the input ports if you want to connect your headphones.

Most budget displays come with a fixed stand with limited adjustment options, and this AOC product is no different. The stand only offers a tilt option, with a max backward tilt of 21.5 degrees. Sadly, you can’t mount the monitor to a flexible monitor arm since there is no VESA mounting interface at the back, which is a fairly common issue among budget displays. If you want to adjust the screen height, you can use a platform-style stand like the AmazonBasics Monitor Stand.

Overall, the 24B1H is a well-designed monitor with good build quality. Setting it up is easy and moving it to a different table is not that difficult, considering the unit is relatively lightweight even with the stand attached. If you want to build a low-cost multi-monitor setup, this AOC offering is also a good option due to its thin bezels. However, since the unit lacks a VESA mounting interface, you can’t mount it to a multi-monitor arm.

While not as versatile as our top pick, the 24B1H is a good monitor for productivity. It has flicker-free technology and anti-glare screen coating. It works well in a typical office environment, thanks to the decent brightness and the anti-glare coating. Compared to budget TN and IPS monitors in the same price range, the 24B1H has much better contrast, which translates to deeper blacks.

For general usage, the 24B1H is also a solid option, but don’t expect too much. It’s good for watching movies due to the high contrast ratio. For regular gaming, this budget monitor is acceptable enough, especially if you mostly play slow-paced games. But for fast-paced competitive games, we suggest that you check out cheap 144 Hz monitors instead.

All in all, the 24B1H is a good budget VA monitor for office work and general use. It has good color accuracy for a $100 display and features dual input options. It has a high contrast ratio, which can’t be said for TN and IPS monitors, and a good pixel density.

4. LG 32UD59-B

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Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5.0

Selling for just under $400, the LG 32UD59-B is a great option if you want a VA monitor larger than 30 inches for easy multitasking. You can use it for productivity and general use, with the LG split-screen software allowing for different multi-window setups. It has a very high pixel density, courtesy of the 4K resolution.

Regarding design, the 32UD59-B is very similar to many other LG displays, featuring a minimalist profile with thin bezels all around and a stable stand with a crescent base. The screen has an anti-glare coating, which helps in a bright environment. Unlike our budget pick, this monitor features a VESA mounting interface at the back, which is great if you want to mount it to a monitor arm.

Actually, we strongly suggest that you mount the 32UD59-B to a flexible monitor arm, as the default stand has poor ergonomics. You can only adjust the height and tilt the screen, with no option to swivel and pivot. The max backward tilt is 20 degrees, which is good, while the max height adjustment is around 4.7 inches.

Like most LG displays, this monitor features an intuitive joystick for navigating the menu. While some of you might find it awkward to use at first, the small joystick at the bottom allows for faster menu navigation. The menu layout is also good, featuring a well-designed structure with a nice selection of options to tinker with.

For input, the 32UD59-B has a pair of HDMI ports and one DisplayPort, all of which are compatible with the monitor’s AMD FreeSync feature. There are no USB 3.0 ports on this monitor, with the only accessory port being the analog audio port for your headphones. All ports are outward-facing on the back panel for easy access even when the monitor is wall-mounted.

Although the monitor is made of plastic, the build quality is good, with well-secured components and a sturdy stand that supports the monitor well. Like most monitors with narrow bezels, this LG display will look great in a multi-monitor setup. You can easily mount it to a multi-monitor arm; the stand is easy to detach, thanks to the quick-release mechanism.

The 32UD59-B is a great monitor for productivity, with the large screen and 4K resolution allowing for easy multitasking with several windows open at the same time. It’s got good picture quality, with high contrast, superb color accuracy, and decent brightness. It’s great for watching movies, with the high contrast allowing for more vibrant images. On the other hand, the viewing angles are narrow, so images will become less accurate as you move away from the center.

For regular gaming, this LG screen is also a good option, especially if you love to play survival horror games and open-world games with pretty graphics. It has a good response time for a VA monitor, a low input lag, and FreeSync support for reduced screen-tearing. You can use it for PC and console gaming, with all input ports allowing for 4K at 60 Hz output.

If you want a reasonably priced VA monitor with a 4K resolution, get the 32UD59-B. It offers great value for the money, especially if you want an all-around display for productivity, regular gaming, and media consumption. It has multiple input options, high pixel density, good out-of-box colors, and decent gaming performance.

5. Samsung C27F398

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Editor’s Rating: 3.9/5.0

A 27-inch display, the Samsung C27F398 is a recommended option if you want an affordable VA monitor with a larger screen and better gaming performance than the AOC 24B1H. Selling for almost double the price of our budget pick, this product has a curved screen with a 1080p resolution. It’s good for light office work, general use, and regular gaming.

Compared to the other Samsung monitor on this list, the C27F398 has a simpler design, with no fancy lighting system at the back and no sophisticated-looking stand. The bezels are narrow while the back panel is clean, with all the connection ports facing outward for easy access. The ports include one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, and one audio port. There are no USB ports on this monitor, which might disappoint some of you.

The stand supports the monitor well. But regarding adjustability, the stand is limited, only offering a tilt option. The good news is that, unlike our budget pick, you can mount this monitor to a flexible monitor arm, thanks to the VESA mounting interface at the back. The 75 x 75 mm VESA mount is uncovered since the stand connects to the screen at the bottom, right below the connection ports.

Just like the Samsung C27HG70, the C27F398 has a small joystick for menu navigation. The location of the joystick is also identical, which is on the bottom-left corner of the back panel (as seen from the back). With the intuitive control scheme, you can easily go through the internal menu to change some of the settings. The on-screen display is also well-designed, featuring a simple menu layout with a nice selection of options.

The C27F398 is a good monitor for office work and general use. It has good picture quality for the price, with excellent contrast, decent brightness, and good color accuracy. You can use it for content writing, editing spreadsheets, watching movies, and internet surfing, with its good reflection handling and decent brightness allowing it to work well in a bright room.

On the other hand, the monitor’s pixel density is on the low side because of the screen size and resolution. Moreover, the viewing angles are narrow and are not on the same level as IPS displays, so if you move away from the center of the screen, the images on the screen will become less accurate.

Compared to our budget pick above, the C27F398 offers better gaming performance. It has a good response time and low input lag and supports AMD FreeSync technology, which reduces screen-tearing when the frame rate is erratic. The standard refresh rate is 60 Hz. But when the adaptive sync tech is enabled, the max refresh rate automatically shoots up to 72 Hz. If you mostly play slow-paced or story-driven games, the C27F398 is a decent monitor. But for competitive gaming, we recommend looking at other products on the market.

Overall, the C27F398 is one of the best VA monitors selling for $200 or less, featuring good overall picture quality, multiple input options, and adaptive sync tech for gaming. If our budget pick is not your cup of tea, the C27F398 is a good alternative if you are in the market for an affordable VA display.