Best of4 min read
The best monitors for work, coding and creative jobs
Sharp 4K for text, one-cable USB-C for laptops, an ultrawide for coding and a calibrated screen for photos: the work monitors we recommend, and who each one suits.
By Setuplify Lab
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Our picks
Ranked in the order we would recommend them. Specs and prices come from each product page.
- 1$264.99Setuplify score: 8.4/10Check price(Affiliate link)
- 2
$439.99Setuplify score: 8.4/10Check price(Affiliate link) - 3
Dell 34 Plus USB-C Monitor S3425DW
Coding and multitasking with a laptop
$329.99Setuplify score: 8.2/10Check price(Affiliate link) - 4
Dell 32 Plus 4K Monitor S3225QS
A large 4K screen for office work, coding and films
$369.99Setuplify score: 7.9/10Check price(Affiliate link) - 5
Dell 24 Plus Monitor S2425HSM
Home office and student desks on a tight budget
$119.99Setuplify score: 7.2/10Check price(Affiliate link) - 6
$279Setuplify score: 7.8/10Check price(Affiliate link) - 7
$795.99Setuplify score: 8.5/10Check price(Affiliate link)
A work monitor is judged on different things than a gaming one. You stare at text for hours, you plug in a laptop every morning, and you want the cables to disappear. That makes three features count more than refresh rate: sharpness (how crisp text looks), connectivity (ideally one USB-C cable for video, charging and accessories) and ergonomics (a stand that puts the top of the screen at eye level).
Short version: the Dell 27 Plus S2725QC is the best work monitor for most laptop desks. The Dell UltraSharp U2724D suits a desktop PC or a Mac mini. The Dell 34 Plus S3425DW is the coder's ultrawide, and the ASUS ProArt PA278CV is the budget pick for photo and video work for the web.
How we picked
- Text first. Pixel density, contrast and anti-glare matter more than speed for office work. We favour 1440p at minimum on 27 inches.
- One cable when possible. For a laptop desk, USB-C with video and charging saves a dock and keeps the desk tidy. We flag every port that looks like USB-C but carries data only.
- Adjustable stands. Height adjustment is the minimum. Pivot is a bonus for reading code or long documents.
- Sold in both markets. Every pick here is available in the US and in France.
Best overall: Dell 27 Plus S2725QC
The Dell 27 Plus S2725QC turns a laptop into a desk setup with one cable. Its USB-C port carries video and up to 65 W of charging, and the monitor adds a small 5 Gbps hub with two USB-A ports and a USB-C port that powers accessories. The 4K IPS panel gives 163 pixels per inch at 27 inches, so text and photos look much sharper than on a 1440p screen of the same size.
It also runs at 120 Hz, which makes scrolling smoother, covers 99% sRGB, has two HDMI 2.1 ports and two 5 W speakers for calls. The white stand adjusts in height, tilt, swivel and pivot.
Dell Monitor
A white 27-inch 4K IPS monitor at 120 Hz with one-cable USB-C (65 W), two HDMI 2.1 ports and built-in speakers.
27"3840 × 2160120 Hz
Skip it if you use a large 16-inch workstation laptop: 65 W can be short for it. And if you want HDR, look elsewhere: 350 nits and no real HDR.
Best for a desktop PC: Dell UltraSharp U2724D
The Dell UltraSharp U2724D is the monitor we put on desks with a tower or a Mac mini. Its IPS Black panel has a 2000:1 native contrast, so text and dark interfaces look crisp, and it covers 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3. 120 Hz makes long documents scroll smoothly, and the 10 Gbps hub (three USB-A, one USB-C) is faster than on most office screens. A DisplayPort output can daisy-chain a second monitor.
Dell Monitor
A 27-inch 1440p IPS Black office monitor at 120 Hz, with a 10 Gbps USB hub and a fully adjustable stand.
27"2560 × 1440120 Hz
Skip it if you work from a laptop. The USB-C upstream port carries data only: it cannot charge a laptop or carry video, so you still need an HDMI or DisplayPort cable plus a charger.
Best for coding and multitasking: Dell 34 Plus S3425DW
At 3440 x 1440, the Dell 34 Plus S3425DW fits an editor, a browser and a terminal side by side without overlapping. It keeps the one-cable USB-C setup with 65 W charging, and picture-by-picture can split the screen between a work laptop and a personal PC. The 1800R curved VA panel has 3000:1 contrast and runs at 120 Hz with FreeSync Premium, so evening games feel smooth too.
Dell Monitor
A white 34-inch curved ultrawide at 3440 x 1440 and 120 Hz, with one-cable USB-C (65 W) and picture-by-picture.
34"3440 × 1440120 Hz
Skip it if you do precise colour work or fast gaming. VA panels can smear in dark, fast scenes, and 300 nits rules out real HDR. The stand also does not swivel.
Most space for the money: Dell 32 Plus S3225QS
If you want a bigger canvas without going ultrawide, the Dell 32 Plus S3225QS is a white 31.5-inch 4K screen at 120 Hz. At about 140 pixels per inch you can run it at 100% or 125% scaling and keep two full documents side by side. Its VA panel has 3000:1 contrast and 95% DCI-P3, and two HDMI 2.1 ports plus a DisplayPort all reach 4K at 120 Hz.
Dell Monitor
A white 32-inch 4K VA monitor at 120 Hz, with 95% DCI-P3, 3000:1 contrast, two HDMI 2.1 ports and 5 W speakers.
31.5"3840 × 2160120 Hz
Skip it if you work from a laptop: there is no USB-C and no USB hub, so you need an HDMI cable and the laptop's own charger. The stand adjusts in height and tilt only.
Best budget, and best for creators: ASUS ProArt PA278CV
The ASUS ProArt PA278CV is the most affordable pick here, and it is calibrated at the factory. ASUS checks each unit (Calman Verified, with a report in the box) and covers 100% sRGB, which suits web, photo and YouTube work. One USB-C cable carries video and up to 65 W, and a four-port USB-A hub keeps the keyboard, mouse and card reader on the monitor. The stand adjusts in height, tilt, swivel and pivot.
To keep colours accurate over time, pair it with a colorimeter such as the Calibrite Display Pro HL.
ASUS Monitor
A 27-inch 1440p IPS creator monitor with 100% sRGB, Calman Verified calibration and USB-C with 65 W charging.
27"2560 × 144075 Hz
Skip it if you grade HDR video or prepare files for print. It has no wide DCI-P3 or HDR coverage, runs at 75 Hz and its 1000:1 contrast gives greyish blacks in a dark room.
For work and play on one huge canvas: Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
If your desk is wide and you also game, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 G91SD is the equivalent of two 27-inch 1440p screens without a bezel in the middle. Picture-by-picture lets two computers share it. Keep in mind that OLED needs some care with static windows, and its USB-C port carries data only. Our OLED guide covers the care routine.
Which one for your setup?
- Laptop on the desk every day: Dell 27 Plus S2725QC, or the ProArt PA278CV on a tighter budget. Both charge the laptop over USB-C.
- Desktop PC or Mac mini: Dell UltraSharp U2724D. The Apple Mac mini (M6) drives up to three external displays, so you can add a second one later.
- Developers who live in split windows: Dell 34 Plus S3425DW.
- Photo and video for the web: ASUS ProArt PA278CV.
- The biggest 4K screen for the money: Dell 32 Plus S3225QS.
- Tighter budget: the Dell 24 Plus S2425HSM and the other picks in our cheap work monitors.
Not sure whether 4K is worth it at 27 inches? Our size and resolution guide answers it. If you game in the evening on the same screen, check our gaming monitor picks, and for the whole desk, our home office setup. Browse all monitors or plan the full desk in the Setup Builder.
Written by
Setuplify Lab, Editorial team
The Setuplify team builds, photographs and takes apart desk setups so you can pick parts with confidence.
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Questions people ask
Is a 4K monitor worth it for office work?
At 27 inches, yes, if you read a lot of text. A 27-inch 4K screen like the Dell 27 Plus S2725QC has 163 pixels per inch, so text looks much crisper than on 1440p. You will use display scaling, so you gain sharpness rather than extra space.
Can I charge my laptop through the monitor?
Only if its USB-C port supports video and power delivery. The Dell 27 Plus S2725QC, the Dell 34 Plus S3425DW and the ASUS ProArt PA278CV all deliver up to 65 W. The USB-C port on the Dell UltraSharp U2724D carries data only, so it cannot charge a laptop.
Is an ultrawide better than two monitors for programming?
Often, yes. A 34-inch 3440 x 1440 ultrawide like the Dell 34 Plus S3425DW fits three windows side by side with no bezel in the middle and needs only one cable. Two monitors still win if you want one screen in portrait for code or long documents.