BEST OVERALL

DELL U2415 ULTRASHARP

You might know Dell as a computer manufacturer, and yes, they do have their own line of monitors (obviously). What is rather surprising is that the Ultrasharp series is actually pretty good given the price point – Just do a “Dell ultrasharp review” search online. These monitors produce sharp crisp images as the name implies, they are just perfect for working with text and code.

LG 34WK650 OR 34WK500

LG is known for their quality panels, and this 34″ ultrawide is not an exception – Crisp colors, good overall performance. Take note though, this is not a curved screen. But for you guys who want dual monitors, you can consider this ultrawide as an alternative. The price of this is just about the same as 2 decent monitors.

ALIENWARE AW3418DW

Alienware is Dell’s gaming brand, and this one has quite a lot of display muscles. A gorgeous curved ultrawide screen, fast response, and stunning refresh rate. It does cost quite a bit, but it will definitely satisfy the demanding folks.

ASUS DESIGNO MX27UC

Ever since the rise of popularity in gaming, Asus has been working hard on creating better monitors. The Desgino series is not specifically for gaming, but more for the professionals who want image quality. This 4K monitor has plenty to boot – Sleek design, good response time, crisp images, good speakers, and insane 1.07B colors. It even has a built-in blue light reduction, good for programmers who stare at the screens for extended periods.

SAMSUNG CF391 SERIES

Looking for a curved screen that will not break the piggy bank? Although this Sammy is only full HD (1920 x 1080), it has a very respectable 4ms response time, and it does dish out some good quality images.

ASUS PROART SERIES

Here, we have yet another ASUS series on the list. This one is the ProArt, and as you can guess from the name – It is specially made for artists, and professionals who are demanding on the image quality. They can get pretty pricey on the higher-end, but you can rest assured that it comes with quality.

BEST PORTABLE

ASUS MB169B

Need a portable screen extension for your laptop? Extra space for coding? Check this ASUS out – A 15.6″ portable screen that is USB powered, in full HD, and just about the size of a tablet. Take note of the slow response time though… This one is not for gaming, but more for casual uses.

AOC I1659FWUX

This contender from AOC has an actual screen size of 15.6″, even though it is marketed as 16″. But it is in full HD, has a speedy 5ms response time, and uses USB-C. An overall mighty decent travel companion.

BEST BUDGET MONITORS

SCEPTRE MONITORS

I am not going to add any particular models here, as Sceptre pretty much produces a lot of budget monitors. While they are not the best performing monitors in the market, you can be sure that they don’t cause your eyes to bleed. An overall mighty good choice for people who are on a tight budget.

VIOTEK MONITORS

Viotek is another brand that I will recommend for budget monitors. Again, they are not the best in the market, but still decently good.

DELL P2214H

From good old reliable Dell again. If you want a decently good monitor and love reading code in the portrait orientation – This one is for you. Will not burn a big hole in your wallet too.

SCREEN SIZE & ASPECT RATIO

One does not simply buy a tiny screen and struggle with coding on it. When it comes to screen sizes, there are only 2 things that you should know – The screen size and aspect ratio. For those who do not know:

• Screen sizes are usually measured in inches, and that is diagonally across.
• As for the aspect ratio, it is simply the ratio of the width and height.

RESOLUTION

Not at monitors are made to be the same, and some are better than the others. The resolution is one of the most basic specifications, and it is the number of pixels on the screen – People will generally say “more pixels is better”, but the resolution is only one of the many considerations.

VIEWING ANGLE

The viewing angle is probably one of the more confusing specifications, and it mostly applies to LCD/LED screens only. Basically, if you try to look at the screen from the extreme sides or top/bottom, the image starts to get funky and washed out.

Thankfully, this is not-so-bad on the modern-day display panels. You might spot some color changes on the extreme ends, but it is otherwise not such a big deal… Unless you love to use the monitor on the extreme angles.

BRIGHTNESS, COLOR DEPTH, CONTRAST

If you are into image quality these are the specs that you should be paying special attention to.

• Brightness – Actually not really that important, unless you like to work under the sun or something… As long as the monitor is bright enough to match your working environment, it is good enough. Usually measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m2) or nit – Both the higher the brighter.
• Color Depth – The color depth determines how many shades of grey color the monitor is capable of displaying. The deeper the color depth the merrier. Usually measured in bits or the exact number of colors.
• Contrast Ratio – The difference between the darkest black and brightest white. Technically, the higher the better. But take note that some crazy companies false market theirs as having 1000000:1 contrast ratio while some only have 1000:1. The key is to use your own eyes and see if you like the image quality.

RESPONSE TIME & FRAME RATE

The response time and frame rate determine how fast the monitor can “change images”. Monitors with slow response time and frame rate will suffer from what we call “ghosting”, where images start to be perceived as blur by our brains… Not good for action movies and games. It is recommended to get monitors that are capable of:

• A response time of 5ms or less.
• A frame rate of 60 FPS or more.

ARE CURVED MONITORS BETTER FOR PROGRAMMING?

Well, truthfully, curved monitors are supposedly only better at panoramic movies and games. But that said, there are no scientific studies done on whether curved monitors are good nor bad for programming. Guess it is pretty much a matter of your own personal preference.

DO WE REALLY NEED MULTIPLE MONITORS?

Personally, I find an ultrawide monitor to be good enough. Using half side of the screen for coding, and the other half for reference… But everyone has a different habit, and who knows, maybe there are code ninjas here who can code, do research, eat, drink, listen to music, play games, and watch videos all at the same time – That, you need multiple monitors. It’s all up to you and your own needs.

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