These 4K monitors render sharper and crispier content, and they are now affordable, thankfully. With IPS displays, you get the added advantage of better color reproduction and color accuracy, not to mention, a wider viewing angle. Furthermore, a 4K IPS monitor also doubles up an entertainment unit. If you are lucky enough you might find one with support for HDCP 2.2, and that will let you stream 4K content from streaming services directly. Cool, right? So if you are looking to update your screen to a 4K IPS screen, here are our best recommendations. Let’s have a look.
1. ViewSonic VX2776 Frameless Widescreen IPS Monitor
One of the primary highlights of this monitor is its slim and sleek looks. And the bezel-less display adds a premium look to the monitor. When it comes to the connectivity ports, it bundles HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, and VGA inputs. HDMI 2.0 brings several interesting features like support for higher bandwidth. The supported systems can transfer data up to 18Gbps as compared to the 10.2Gbps speed in HDMI 1.4. Plus, you can also enjoy dual video streams. The picture quality has been rated to be pretty good, with the display being bright. The colors are pretty much accurate although the saturation is a little towards the lower end. And with the VX2776 displaying 99% sRGB and 77% Adobe RGB you can do some light video editing or color-related work (Check our best monitors recommendations for photo editing). Reviewers who have bought this 4K IPS monitor are happy with their purchase, with users liking it for its picture quality, screen quality, and durability. However, the OSD buttons at the underside of the monitor can turn out to be a tad difficult to press. Do note that the ViewSonic VX2776 doesn’t support VESA mounts. While you can tilt the monitor forward and backward, there’s no option to adjust the height.
2. AOC U2790VQ UHD Frameless Monitor
The picture quality is above-par, considering the price. It displays 99% sRGB and 90% NTSC color gamut coverage. That is further coupled with great clarity and flexible viewing angles. Like its counterpart above, the connectivity options are reasonable with DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2. 0, and HDMI 1.4 ports. Last but not least, it supports a 60Hz refresh rate. The crisp picture quality means that you will enjoy watching movies on this 4K display as much as you will love working on it. Do note that you won’t get to explore FreeSync or variable refresh rate with this monitor. Even though it comes with VESA mount holes, it takes a bit more effort to fix it to a monitor arm.
3. LG 27UL500-W UHD IPS Monitor
Radeon FreeSync technology ensures that you get a smoother and stutter-free action on gaming, provided that your PC’s graphics card supports it. Do note that the refresh rate of the LG 27UL500-W is 60Hz. When it comes to IPS displays, LG has always been a front runner and this monitor is not different. The picture quality is excellent. And with this monitor covering 98% sRGB, you can even consider it to do some light editing work as well. Reviewers like the LG 27UL500-W for its solid build and picture quality. Do note that it doesn’t come with onboard buttons like the above products. Instead, there’s a joystick-like switch at the back panel. The good news is that there’s an app named On-Screen Control that lets you tweak the color and contrast from the front-end. As noted earlier, this 4K IPS monitor comes with a 100 x 100 VESA bolt pattern, which means you can easily mount it in a compatible monitor arm.
4. Philips 276E8VJSB 4K UHD IPS Monitor
The 276E8VJSB’s highlights don’t end there. The pixel density of 163 PPI means that text and images would have greater clarity. On top of it, it comes with a 10-bit color depth (8-bit + 2-bit FRC) and displays ~109% of the sRGB color gamut. With these specs, you will get the desired picture output without the images appearing too vivid or saturated, as per the folks at Display Ninja. The ability to produce the full sRGB gamut also makes it a great entry-level monitor for work related to photo editing and video editing. For connectivity, this 4K IPS monitor packs two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, and a handy 3.5mm audio output. This monitor doesn’t have hardware keys for managing the settings. Instead, the OSD is controlled by a joystick located at the back of the panel. It may not be as flexible as the one available from other models mentioned above. Also, the lack of VESA mount support in the Philips 276E8VJSB might discourage some folks looking to mount it on a monitor arm.
5. Dell P2415Q Ultra HD Monitor
For one, the color-calibration is spot-on, meaning you can use it not only for editing work but also for watching movies and playing casual games. At the same time, it covers 98% of the sRGB color gamut. Sure, it may not appear as big as the 27-inch models on the list, but this model makes up for it with better pixel density and other features. When it comes to the connection, the P2415Q packs four USB 3.0 ports apart from the standard HDMI and DisplayPort. The Dell P2415Q has seen pretty much great reviews and quite a few users have spoken highly of its screen quality and brightness. And yes, it’s VESA mount compatible.
Crisp as a Wafer!
If you can extend your budget by a few more dollars, you can also check out the BenQ EW2780U 27-Inch 4K Monitor with HDR. This one is popular for having a bright panel and for producing accurate colors. And to top that, it has a refresh rate of 144Hz, enough to satiate your gaming needs. Even though the above monitors pack a punch for the price, they do have a few shortcomings. For one, affordable monitors tend to skip on features like FreeSync or higher refresh rates, meaning you can’t utilize it for high-end gaming. Plus, the lack of HDR might make you miss out on color details and the play of light and dark. Also, check out the response time and VESA mount support before you hit the Buy button. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
