In recent years, we saw the rise in popularity of the jobs you can do from home. By far, the most popular of them is graphic designing or photo editing. It’s the job that you can easily work from home and earn some serious money.
By default, you will require some serious hardware to do it properly. Apart from a decent PC setup, you will need a bright and clear monitor for it. That is why we have decided to ease your search for a good monitor with the list of the best monitors for photo editing.
Our best monitor for photo editing is BenQ MOBIUS EX2710. We believe it is truly the best monitor in terms of image quality, brightness, and performance. Apart from photo editing, this monitor is ideal even for gaming, watching movies, and doing your everyday activities.
The 10 Best Monitors for Photo Editing Under $500:
Here is our list of the best monitors for photo editing under $500, currently available for sale online:
1. BenQ MOBIUZ EX2710 27 Inch
| Size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Refresh rate | 144hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 1ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Grey, Red |
BenQ solidified itself as one of the giants in the field of displays overall. Every one of our lists can’t go without some BenQ product of it. Finally, it was time for them to win the title of the best monitor in some of our categories.
MOBIUZ is marketed as a gaming monitor, but we think that it is far more than just that. While we were impressed with its capabilities as the gaming monitor, this display excelled in the field of photo editing. Its beautiful IPS panel will provide you with the crystal-sharp image that will make your every photo look even better.
In terms of other specs, it is more than enough even for some serious gaming, not just photo editing. It is not a very big monitor, but we believe that is an advantage. MOBIUZ will fit your work desk easily and will provide you with the years and years of usage.
2. ViewSonic VP2468 Professional 24 Inch
| Size | 24 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 7ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black |
ViewSonic VP2468 is the monitor specifically designed for graphic design and photo editing in mind. If you want to invest in a good monitor but you do not have much money at your disposal at the moment, this product is for you.
ViewSonic provides an elegant and stylish solution that packs solid hardware under the hood. This display will fit any desk and will blend beautifully. But, the image quality is the star of the show here.
For this price, you will get more than you originally thought. The image is sharp and bright, ideal for photo editing. While it is still an IPS, image quality drops in games. Its refresh rate and response time don’t exactly cater to gamers. It is not bad by any means, but it is the only flaw we could think of.
3. Asus ProArt Display PA248QV 24.1 Inch
| Size | 24.1 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1200 |
| Refresh rate | 75hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 7ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black and Grey |
This particular model comes in two different versions: the 24.1-inch version and the 27-inch version. We recommend the first version. Graphic designers and editors are always close to their monitors and are not always sitting back in the comfort of their chairs, so they do not require big resolutions and displays.
The Asus ProArt display is one of the best deals on this list. The beautiful IPS panel that is a standard in the photo editor business is beautiful, crisp, and always gets the job done. The display supports a 75hz refresh rate and has a solid 7ms response time. These specs will be enough for every graphic designer out there and are even good for some casual gaming.
To conclude this, the Asus ProArt Display is the professional monitor masked as the budget-friendly option. If you wanted to compromise with the money but did not want to lose much quality, this monitor is for you.
4. Acer SB220Q bi 21.5 Inches
| Size | 21.5 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Refresh rate | 75hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 4ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black |
There is a reason why Acer SB220Q bi is one of the best-selling monitors of today. It is a sub $100 monitor with the specs you won’t even consider at this price. And it has a nice IPA display with pretty good image quality.
Surely, it won’t perform better than our other models on the list, but it is a nice budget pick. The 4ms response time is a nice addition, and the refresh rate of 75hz is an impressive addition.
Acer SB220Q is not the monitor for some serious photo editing, but if you need a nice model for your office, or if you just want a nice budget pick, seriously consider this option.
5. Dell UltraSharp U2419H
| Size | 24 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 8ms Normal Mode, 5ms Fast Mode |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black |
If you see the specs on our chart, Dell UltraSharp U2419H won’t impress you immediately. However, Dell excels in the colors department, which is the most important aspect if you want to do photo editing and graphic designing.
This monitor is an extremely affordable display that outputs a clear, bright, and beautiful image with a great color range and quality. Dell UltraSharp is an ideal choice for photo editors on the budget. IPA display provides a good image with optimal viewing angles.
While definitely not a gaming monitor, Dell UltraSharp U2419H will serve you great as the monitor for photo editing, graphic design, or for watching a movie.
6. LG 27UL500-W
| Size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 5ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Grey |
With the LG monitors you know you have made the right decision. Their products always come factory calibrated out of the box and are always top-notch quality.
The new LG 27UL500-W is no exception. This monitor is made for the photo editors in mind. View angles are impressive and it supports 98% of the color gamut. Response time and resolution can satisfy even the needs of gamers.
The only nitpick we could find is the bad support for HDR. HDR can look a bit muddy on this monitor, but overall, LG provided us with another excellent product.
7. BenQ SW2700PT
| Size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | 2560×1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 5ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black |
For the past few years, BenQ has become one of the leading providers of monitors. Being considered lower class monitors for a long time has changed when they brought to the table the SW2700PT.
In the provider range, you would expect a 4K resolution. The most important factor in a monitor modeled for photo editing is getting your colors to be right and having additional features that will satisfy your professional needs.
Excellent quality and variations of top knock features put this monitor at the top.
8. Acer ProDesigner PE320QK
| Size | 31.5 inches |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 4ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black |
Can A 32-inch 4K monitor be a dream come true? If you are a designer, photo editor, or just want a well-balanced monitor they can offer you on-the-mark features, this monitor is for you.
Acer ProDesigner brings you not only great quality but builds in AMD and FreeSync, which conveys frame rates from 30 to 60 Hz. That means that there is almost no lag.
The bottom line is if you want a semi-professional monitor that provides you Ultra HD resolutions with an IPS panel that provides above-average image quality and viewing angles.
It is not without any flaws, but it delivers what you paid for and it is a safe and tempting choice when leaning towards a high-end choice.
9. Eizo ColorEdge CG319X
| Size | 31.1 inches |
| Resolution | 4096 x 2160 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 9ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black |
Eizo ColorEdge CG319X is certainly the most impressive product on our list. You can easily confuse this monitor as just another expensive 4K monitor, but Eizo is more than that.
First, this display is ideal for photo editing, graphic design, and all similar tasks. It supports multiple color spaces, HDR for programs for video and photo editing, and has excellent viewing angles.
The fact that this display supports 99 percent of the colors included in Adobe RGB color space is impressive. It even has HDR variants of them.
Other specs under the hood are just the icing on the cake. 4K Resolution crystal clear IPS panel are a nice addition, but we would like a faster response time and a higher refresh rate. While we understand this is not a monitor that needs fast FPS, for this price we expected a little bit more. But in terms of photo editing, this the best you can get.
10. MSI Prestige PS341WU
| Size | 34 inches |
| Resolution | 5120 x 2160 |
| Refresh rate | 60hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response TIme | 8ms |
| MBR | AMD Freesync |
| Color | Black and White |
MSI is the best to know as the graphics card manufacturer. However, they also offer other types of hardware, including monitors. If you can’t believe they can make a good monitor, just look at this beauty.
You will need a new work desk if you want this monitor. The gigantic 34-inch monitor along with 5120×2160 resolution will eat the space at your desk. However, that price is small to pay for this display.
While it has some form of HDR signal, it does not have a proper form of HDR. What it has, however, is 98% colors of the DCI-P3 color gamut, plus 100 percent of sRGB. With all these specs, MSI Prestige easily enters the upper echelon of the best monitors for photo editing.
Things To Consider When Buying A Monitor For Photo Editing
Most people are used to buying gaming or office monitors. They often see the specs such as refresh rate, response time, g-sync and think that these specs also matter for photo editing.
While you should not ignore these specs, there are many more factors that come into play when you want to choose the best monitor for photo editing. We have made a short buying guide to help you choose the optimal display for you.
Panel Type
Panel technology is one of the most important factors of a good monitor for photo editing. The answer is crystal clear: The IPA panels are the best panels for photo editing. But, why is that?
IPA panels are ideal for this task because they offer superior viewing angles and color grading than their VA and TN counterparts. With these characteristics, they are the best panel type for photo editing.
However, an IPA display technology comes with its fair share of disadvantages. The most important of them is the IPA Glow, which makes the display glow while displaying dark colors in the subdued light. While the more expensive models don’t have this problem, cheaper monitors surely have them.
Color Depth
Color depth is the number of colors that the monitor can display. If the display can output more colors, the transition between colors will be more smooth.
There are numerous types to display a color depth. The most common of them are 6-bit color, 8-bit color, and in the expensive monitors, 10-bit color. The most obvious choice is 10-bit; however, they are very rare and very expensive.
You should target the 8-bit if you can afford it. 6-bit color is enough, but it can lead to a color banding. It is the common issue in which colors become pixelated.
Keep in mind that laptop screens usually use 6-bit colors. You should generally ignore laptops if you want to edit photos because they usually use TN monitors which are not the best for photo editing.
Resolution
Many people consider resolution the most important factor that comes into play when you are choosing a new monitor. 1080p, 1440p and 4K are the most common options.
For photo editing, even the basic 1080p resolution is just fine. You will be sitting right in front of the monitor for this job, and you won’t need big 4K monitors. However, if you have the resources to go for the expensive 4K and 1440p, go for them, as they generate a bit better image by a slight margin.
If you plan to buy a 24-inch monitor, a 1080p resolution will be enough for you. The categories before are way more important than this.
Final Thoughts
Buying a monitor for graphic designing and photo editing is a little bit different. There are numerous other things to consider apart from your standard resolution, refresh rate, response time, price, and size.
You should choose carefully your next monitor. It will not be for your entertainment, but your work. We believe you should consider investing a little bit more cash because it will pay off in the long run.
We hope that we have helped you make the right choice with our list of the best monitor for photo editing.
This article was last updated on February 1, 2022 .
