The U2720Q (also sold as the U2720QM, with an HDMI cable instead of a DisplayPort cable) is one of the most color-accurate monitors we’ve ever tested—when using its sRGB color preset, accuracy is nearly perfect. Its contrast is excellent, its stand is flexible and adjustable, and it has a USB hub and a USB-C port that can provide up to 90 W of power—better than any of the other 27-inch models we tested, enough power to charge a 15- or 16-inch MacBook Pro at or very near full speed. A slim border all the way around the screen makes the monitor look more modern and reduces the amount of space between screens in a multi-monitor setup. The three-year warranty plus the Premium Panel Guarantee, which covers the monitor if it has even one bright-subpixel defect, are also excellent.


Runner-up HP Z27 Almost as good The Z27 is usually a little cheaper than the Dell U2720Q, but it’s not quite as good. It’s a fine choice if the U2720Q is out of stock, or if you can get it for significantly less than $500. Buying Options $540 from HP

The HP Z27 (not to be confused with the non-4K Z27n) is a good runner-up option if the Dell U2720Q is out of stock or too expensive. Its color isn’t as accurate as the U2720Q and its contrast ratio isn’t as good, which means blacks in photos and videos won’t look as dark as they do on the Dell. But its overall image quality is still excellent, and its adjustable stand lifts, tilts, pivots, and swivels, just like the U2720Q’s. It has the same number and type of USB ports in its USB hub, and its USB-C port can provide up to 65 W of power to a laptop, enough for most 13-inch models and larger laptops without dedicated graphics processors. And like Dell, HP offers a three-year warranty with a zero-bright-subpixel guarantee.

Budget pick Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q Just the basics The Asus VG289Q handles the basics better than any other 4K monitor in this price range, but it doesn’t have the USB-C ports or USB hubs of more expensive models, and its color isn’t particularly accurate. Buying Options $371 from Amazon

The Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q is sold as a gaming monitor, which means the physical design isn’t going to be for everyone—it’s chunkier, more angular, and has a TUF GAMING logo prominently on the back of the stand. But it’s the best 4K monitor you can get for less than $400, and it doesn’t have any of the image retention or compatibility issues we noticed with other budget monitors we tested. It’s missing the USB-C port and USB hub of our pricier picks, and its color accuracy falls firmly into the “not bad, but not great” category. But you still get a nice-looking display panel with good contrast, and a quality stand that can tilt up and down, raise and lower the monitor, swivel from side to side, and pivot 90 degrees. And because it is a gaming monitor, you get a few extra game-centric features like FreeSync.

Upgrade pick Dell UltraSharp U3219Q A 32-inch 4K monitor The Dell U3219Q is more expensive than 27-inch monitors, but it has good color accuracy and USB-C connectivity, and it offers a larger display and a built-in KVM feature that lets you use it with two computers at the same time. Buying Options $840 from Dell

If you want a larger screen or a monitor you can use with two computers at the same time, we recommend the 32-inch Dell UltraSharp U3219Q. Its color accuracy is comparable to our top picks, and it has plenty of ports, including a USB-C port that can receive the video signal, provide a data connection between your computer and the monitor’s USB 3.0 ports, and charge your laptop at up to 90 W. The U3219Q also has rare features such as a built-in KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) feature and picture-by-picture mode, which allow you to use a single keyboard and mouse to control two computers and even view both on screen simultaneously. The U3219Q usually costs around $300 more than our 27-inch picks and takes up significantly more space, but if you want to fit more on your screen at once or you’re running a two-computer setup, it’s an excellent choice.

Also great Philips Brilliance 272P7VUBNB A great cheap option, but not for MacBooks This Philips monitor costs less than our main picks and still includes features like USB-C and a USB hub, but in our testing it only worked properly with Windows PCs and some Mac desktops, not with MacBooks. Buying Options $362 from Amazon

The Philips Brilliance 272P7VUBNB is great for the price, but with one major caveat. For a little less than $400, you get good picture quality, 65 W USB-C charging (enough for most 13-inch laptops), a USB hub, a good stand, and even a built-in gigabit Ethernet port. If you’re using a Windows PC, you might consider it instead of our budget pick. If you use a MacBook, however, you should avoid this pick. In our testing, we weren’t able to get this display to run at a 60 Hz refresh rate when connected to a recent MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and the 30 Hz refresh rate will look jerky and stuttery by comparison. Windows laptops work fine, and Mac desktops (like iMacs) with dedicated graphics will also work fine. Mac laptop owners should steer clear, though.