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The best 27-inch monitor is Acer’s SB270 Bbix. Its “ultrathin” SB0 line emerged as our top pick due to its “zero-frame” design, slim profile, wide viewing angles, and Vision Care feature. It’s also considered as one of the best budget gaming monitors with its 1-millisecond response time, 75-hertz refresh rate, and AMD Radeon FreeSync support.
To determine the best 27-inch gaming monitor, we examined 24 of the best products and scrutinized them according to resolution and display options, panel type, design, adjustability, eye care solutions, connectivity options, refresh rate, and gaming capabilities such as the response time (input lag), picture quality, color accuracy and more. Read on to discover other top-quality monitors in the market.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Touted as one of the best 27-inch gaming monitors in the mid-budget category, this Acer unit gives you a quick 1ms response time, 75hz refresh rate, and AMD Free-Sync technology. Belonging to Acer’s SB0 ultrathin line, you get a model that sports a very modern look with its thin bezels and profile. Although, for a monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, check out the Acer Nitro XV273K.
Read Full Review: Acer SB270 Bbix 27
Like some of the finest 22-inch monitors, this Acer monitor is highly recommended for gamers with AMD graphics card-equipped devices. The AMD Freesync technology support allows you to experience a tear and ghosting-free gaming experience while enjoying the unit’s low response time, 178-degree viewing angles, and borderless frame. As you’ll read in our buying guide, a low response time translates to quick and therefore fluid color and image transitions – a feature that the best gaming monitors definitely need. Its VisionCare technology even includes a low dimming feature that reduces brightness to 15% and BlueLightShield adjusts colors to decrease your exposure to harmful, sometimes headache-inducing blue light.
Related: Check out the best 24-inch monitors you can buy today!
This monitor, whose profile is only 1.34″ thick, features an IPS (in-plane switching) panel, which is known for its best color and viewing angles. This LCD monitor features a VGA port for older graphic card users and a port for the still widely used HDMI cables. The device also has a slot for headphones or speakers. For a monitor that will fulfill all of your gaming needs, consider the best 4k gaming monitor instead.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This budget-friendly ViewSonic’s anti-glare coating and SuperClear® IPS Panel technology make images and colors appear sharp and vivid on screen. It’s also great for multi-screen setups as f this model features a frameless bezel combined with its blue light filter and flicker-free technology.
Although, if you want to have 100% focus on your game without external light interference, you’ll want a monitor with a screen shade. Learn more about this with our Acer Predator monitor review.
Read Full Review: Viewsonic VA2759
Similar to the Acer VG271U model, Viewsonic’s SuperClear IPS technology offers accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles through its SuperClear IPS technology. You can further enhance the way you view your videos or images by using the monitor’s ViewMode feature, which allows you to choose from a variety of presets, including “web,” “text,” “movie,” and “game.” Its dual 2-watt speakers provide audio support when viewing your shows, films, and games.
Related: If you like what you’ve read so far, you may want to learn about the best 120hz gaming monitors.
Its blue light filter and flicker-free technology reduce or eliminate any possible eye strain that comes with prolonged time in front of the monitor. The screen also features a power-conserving Eco Mode that’s made possible with the built-in LED backlighting. The monitor is VESA compatible (100 x 100 mm). If you’re shopping on a budget, you may want to also look at the best cheap monitor.
But, a cheaper display isn’t always better. In fact, it’s a great idea to compare 24 vs 27-inch monitors on features and benefits before settling on a price.
Award: Best Everyday Monitor
WHY WE LIKE IT: This HP monitor provides accurate color reproduction by matching screen and printer colors through its My Display software making it a great monitor for photo editing if you’re a photographer and/or artist. Its edge-to-edge display and ultra-slim profile make for comfortable viewing while its LED-backlighting and ENERGY-STAR power-saving feature ensures that efficient lighting comes at a reasonable cost.
Read Full Review: HP Backlit Monitor T3M88AA ABA
View and print images with high color accuracy through this HP unit, whose HP Enhance+ technology prevents picture overexposure. Moreover, the brand’s My Display Software allows you to adjust the settings of your monitor so that colored images on your screen will render equally well on print. You can also set the layout of your desktop with this app. This 0.25-inch (6.6mm)-thick IPS screen has a power-saving mode so you can do your projects for extended periods without overworking the device. Meanwhile, its bezel-less frame, LED backlight, and anti-glare/low-haze surface help ensure you won’t overburden your eyes during prolonged use, making this great for work like the best monitor for graphic design.
This monitor has 2 HDMI ports with HDCP support and 1 VGA slot. It’s lightweight and slim, making it easy to move between workspaces. If photography isn’t your passion, take a look at the best monitor for video editing instead.
Award: Best Curved Monitor
WHY WE LIKE IT: Stay engrossed in your movie-watching, image-editing, or gaming with this Samsung 1800R curved screen with Active Crystal Color technology. Its Eye Saver Mode, Eco-Saving Plus feature, VESA compatibility, and FreeSync support give you a versatile, wide-angle screen with good colors and fantastic image quality.
Read Full Review: Samsung LC27F398FWNXZA
As a VA (vertical alignment, which does not directly correlate to a vertical computer monitor) panel, this Samsung model has a high contrast ratio that results in good image quality and is highly valuable for doing color-critical jobs and viewing movies. Samsung’s Active Crystal Color feature further improves brightness and contrast. Meanwhile, this curved monitor has a mainstream 1800R curvature rating that gives you a greater field of view and cinematic experience.
Casual gamers who don’t mind playing with a refresh rate of 72hz and 4ms response time will enjoy the ultra-wide, high picture quality of this monitor. You can reduce any ghosting or smudging effects by adjusting its response time setting. Its Eco Saving Plus, Eye Saver Mode, and Flicker-Free technology also makes viewing power-efficient and easy on the eyes. This screen comes with an HDMI and Display Port and audio/headphone outputs. If you’re a die-hard console player and looking for a monitor to run your favorite games, take a look at the best gaming monitor for the PS4.
Award: Best for Business
WHY WE LIKE IT: This Dell model’s Display Manager, which allows you to tile applications for more productive multitasking, and the rotate feature, which lets you go on vertical view for coding and space-saving measures, makes this unit the best 27-inch monitor for work. Its thin bezels, viewing angles, and eye protection also help boost your performance and viewing pleasure.
Read Full Review: Dell 27 Monitor P2719H
Focus better and improve your work output with this Dell product, an IPS panel that offers vibrant colors from any viewing angle and multi-tasking assistance with its Easy Arrange app-organizing feature under its Display Manager. You can work long hours on this monitor with its combined anti-glare feature and power-conserving ENERGY-Star certification. It also offers good ergonomics with its pivot, tilt, and height adjustments.
It has two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 downstream ports, the most number of USB connectors in this buying guide. It also features HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA ports. If you’d like to consider a bigger monitor than 27 inches, check out our guide to finding the best 32 inch monitor.
Award: Best AMVA+ Monitor
WHY WE LIKE IT: This Advanced Multi-domain Vertical Alignment Plus (AMVA+) panel reduces color washout and provides you an extra high contrast ratio. A winner of Japan’s 2012 Good Design Award and Germany’s 2013 iF Design Award, this ASUS monitor with built-in stereo speakers makes a terrific viewing, image editing, and office device due to its QuickFit Virtual Scale, eye care features, HDR Support and extensive connectivity.
Read Full Review: ASUS VN279Q
This AMVA+ ASUS Full HD screen is excellent for work and entertainment due to its narrow (0.8-cm/0.3-inch) frame, wide viewing angles, and picture quality-enhancing features, helping its visual performance compete with the best HDR monitor. Its VividPixel Technology also gives you crisp images by muting noise and improving sharpness. Meanwhile, you can adjust your viewing mode from standard to night view, theater, or game with its Splendid Video Intelligence Technology. This ASUS model also helps you better visualize how small or large an image on your screen will be on a printed page when you activate its QuickFit Virtual Scale.
This VESA-wall mount (100 x 100 mm)-equipped ASUS product has dual two-watt speakers and HDMI/MHL, D-Sub, and DisplayPort slots. If you’re an Apple fan and want to transfer a Mac interface onto a non-Mac monitor, consider the best monitor for Mac Mini.
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Award: Best TN Panel
WHY WE LIKE IT: This BenQ monitor has everything for every user: superfast response time for gamers, the reader-friendly ePaper mode for researchers and office-based professionals, and Brightness Intelligence Technology for movie buffs.
On the gaming side, this BenQ monitor has a 1ms response time and up to 75hz response rate. Its speed is typical of twisted nematic (TN) panels that gamers love. helping you perform with precision due to the absence of tearing or broken frames perfect for an immersive gaming experience. Meanwhile, Brightness Intelligence Technology automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness when it detects ambient light in the room. Moreover, the monitor’s green and red filters help color-challenged viewers distinguish colors better. Of note, this unit comes with built-in speakers with a headphone jack and audio line as well as several ports: HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA for your full multimedia enjoyment.
On the business side, its ePaper Mode gives your display an Amazon Kindle look, making documents and reports easier to read. Completing the package of eye-friendly features is BenQ’s Eye Care technology which offers zero flickering and low blue light. If you need a monitor with a bit more speed, check out the best 144 Hz gaming monitor.
The 27” monitors in this buying guide are available in 1920 x 1080 pixels, also referred to as full high-definition resolution, similar to what you’d find with the top-rated 1080p gaming monitors. Although many computers of this size already come in higher resolutions, a full HD 27” screen is a practical option for those saving up for 4K. We featured monitors from every panel and screen type to widen your range of choices and enlighten you about the strengths and weaknesses of each. We also looked at affordable options to find the best budget monitor available.
We also made sure that these full HD units have gamer-friendly features, good refresh rates, and wide viewing angles so that even non-competitive play becomes immersive through ghosting/tear-free capabilities. Finally, we looked for products that offer as much versatility as possible in terms of tilt, height, and rotate adjustments as well as input connectivity.
Some say that 1080p is already "good news" with so many higher resolution screens being sold online. Nevertheless, 1080p is still the basic standard. It's good enough in terms of performance and affordability. HD and PS3 movies and YouTube videos render well on full HD monitors, but for reading documents, a 24" screen with a 1080p resolution might be a better fit. A more expensive 1440p unit would also be more advisable for image editors, graphic designers, and photographers.
The aspect ratio of a monitor is the proportional relationship between the width and height of the display and is expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. Since 2016, most computer monitors use widescreen displays with an aspect ratio of 16:9.
The contrast on a display refers to the intensity of black as a color on the screen. The higher the contrast, the deeper or darker the blacks. This is an essential part of picture quality and a feature that the best monitor would offer.
A graphics card is a piece of computer hardware responsible for rendering images on your monitor. It does this by converting data into a signal your monitor can understand.
FreeSync is an adaptive synchronization technology, for liquid-crystal displays, that delivers dynamic refresh rates and significantly reduces or eliminates visual distortions that distract from the viewing experience. It's a particularly important feature for any video-editing or gaming monitor as it reduces input latency, screen tearing, and stuttering during gaming or video playback.
NVIDIA G-Sync is similar to FreeSync technology and aims to deliver the smoothest and fastest gaming experience possible. This performance is achieved by synchronizing display refresh rates to the GPU in your GeForce GTX-powered PC, eliminating screen tearing and minimizing display stutter and input lag. The clear difference between Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync is how they handle graphics cards that produce a higher frame rate than a monitor is designed for. G-Sync locks the frame rate to the monitor's upper limit, while FreeSync will allow the graphics card to produce a higher frame rate. To determine whether a monitor is compatible with G-Sync or FreeSync, simply check out the specifications online. For instance, a quick search on Google shows the Asus Rog Swift is integrated with G-Sync. In contrast, the Dell Ultrasharp 27" Monitor is integrated with neither and therefore a less suitable gaming choice.
