It’s time again to update your Monitor Best Buy guide on Tweakers. We’ve tested dozens of new monitors in recent months, for which I’ve also been able to read a number of extensive reviews and reports. At BBG we evaluate: Which monitors are the best to buy?
As always, this buying guide is organized by topic. We’ll first look for the best monitor under €250, followed by the best gaming monitor up to a maximum of €350. Third, we look at the ultra-wide product category, which are displays that have a wider aspect ratio than traditional 16:9 displays. We particularly focus on affordable 34-inch and 35-inch models with an LCD panel. What’s new about this BBG is that we’ve created a separate category for OLED displays. After years of promise, a few more of these types of monitors are finally showing up in 2023. They’re also now available in panel sizes like 27 inches and 34 inches, which you can probably put on your desk. Previous OLED displays were often too large or too small.
Compared with traditional LCD displays, OLED displays have the advantages of much higher contrast, better viewing angles and faster response times, but at the same time they have lower brightness and the risk of screen burn-in. The choice of panel sizes and resolutions is still limited, and although prices will fall by hundreds of euros over the course of 2023, you’ll still have to spend close to €1,000 on even a small OLED display. So it’s not necessarily the best option for everyone, which is why it’s included as a separate category.
Each category is divided into several subcategories, within which we have one Best Buy option To elect. The general recommendation is a monitor whose characteristics are likely to be most satisfactory for the average user, but of course every person is different and this gives rise to different alternatives, for example with a different panel size, a different resolution or a different purpose of use. A complete overview of all recommendations and alternatives is in the table above. Be sure to read the text for each category if you have specific desires; There you will find more options that may be interesting as well. Do you have any suggestions for monitors you’d like to see in a future Best Buy guide? Please let us know in the comments.
Test method
We measure brightness, contrast and color rendition using the Spectracal C6 colorimeter, which we profile using JETI Rent Spectraval 1501-Spectral radiometer. Measurements are made using Displays an image Kalman color calibration software. Most of the monitors at BBG have been tested according to our latest testing methods. We measure the screen right out of the box, and set the brightness for color measurements to a value as close as possible to 150 cd/m². Additionally, we adjust the display for color spaces such as sRGB and, if appropriate, Display P3 and AdobeRGB. We make adjustments to gamma and color temperature if necessary. In the old testing procedure, we didn’t do this and looked at any available sRGB or Adobe RGB modes without adjustments.
HDR measurement remains the same and we still measure response times with the LeCroy Waverunner 6100 image sensor and oscilloscope. Gaming monitors, that is, monitors with a refresh rate of 120 Hz or higher, were subjected to more extensive testing for two years, in which the speed is determined and twenty transitions are exceeded. We measure input lag using a Leo Bodnar tester. To determine viewing angles, we measure residual brightness and color shift at a 45-degree angle compared to the vertical measurement. To measure uniformity, we look at the ratio between brightness at fifteen measurement points, measured on a completely white screen and a completely black screen. We also determine the relative color differences along the edges compared to the center. Finally, we measure the power consumption of the display, both at maximum brightness and at a constant brightness of 150 cd/m².