These seven 4K displays are the cream o’ the crop

Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB

Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB

Source: Windows Central

Best 4K PC Monitors Windows Central 2019

While 1080p and 1440p monitors are still popular options for a lot of gamers, 4K UHD displays are catching on in the professional and casual ranks thanks to a way better picture, dropping prices, and better hardware inside our PCs. For most people who need a quality multipurpose 4K monitor, HP’s Z27 is a great pick, while the ASUS PB287Q is a more affordable option. Those who need a 4K monitor for specialized design tasks can check out what BenQ and Dell have to offer, while Acer and LG bring quality options with a focus on 4K gaming. These are our picks for the best 4K PC monitors available today.

Black Friday is a great time to find awesome deals on 4K monitors, and you’re in the right spot to hone in on some of those deep discounts. We expect to see sales on some of the hardware rounded up here, and in any case, you still see the best of the best. We’re keeping our buyer’s guides updated leading up to Black Friday, and our deals team is working hard to find the best deals out there.

Best Overall — HP Z27

HP Z27

HP Z27

Source: HP

HP’s Z27 is a great general-purpose pick for most people, thanks to a beautiful slim build with adjustable stand, wide viewing angles up to about 178 degrees from the IPS panel, and USB-C connectivity alongside the usual DisplayPort and HDMI. It also has three built-in USB-A 3.0 ports for connecting desktop accessories.

It has superb color and contrast for a vivid 4K picture, and it has a 60 Hz refresh rate and an eight-millisecond response time for smooth visuals no matter what you’re working on. For some added peace of mind, the Z27 comes with HP’s Zero Bright Dots warranty, which will replace your monitor if there’s one full-pixel defect. If you need a 4K display for general purposes, this one should be considered first.

Pros

  • Thin bezel
  • Sleek design
  • USB-C connectivity
  • Adjustable stand
  • Strong warranty

Cons

  • No FreeSync or G-Sync
  • Relatively costly

Best Overall

HP Z27

Best monitor for more people

With USB-C connectivity, slim bezel, and a beautiful 4K picture, HP’s Z27 is no doubt the best pick for most people.

Best Value — ASUS PB287Q

ASUS PB287Q

ASUS PB287Q

Source: ASUS

A lot of budget monitors cheap out on the stand, but the ASUS PB287Q maintains the ability to adjust tilt, pivot, swivel, and height so you can set things up how you’d like. The base is also relatively compact to take up less space on your desk, and the monitor itself isn’t as chunky as some other budget picks.

The 28-inch 4K display has a one-millisecond response time and a 60 Hz refresh rate for an overall smooth picture, and 10-bit color delivers satisfying visuals. The PB287Q includes HDMI and DisplayPort connections, and you get a three-year warranty for a bit of extra buying comfort. If you don’t want to spend more than $350 on a big 4K display, this should be your first pick.

Pros

  • A lot of display for price
  • Adjustable stand
  • Three-year warranty
  • One-millisecond response time
  • HDMI and DisplayPort

Cons

  • Thicker bezel
  • No FreeSync or G-Sync

Best Value

ASUS PB287Q

Save money on this 28-inch display

The ASUS PB287Q brings a quality picture and ergonomic stand for less than you’ll pay elsewhere.

Best Pro Features — BenQ PD3200U

BenQ PD3200U

BenQ PD3200U

Source: BenQ

Any design and development professionals out there looking for a relatively affordable 32-inch monitor should take note of BenQ’s PD3200U. It’s designed from the start to handle your creative side, with preset modes for specialized software and perfect color reproduction in the sRGB and Rec. 709 color gamuts.

The IPS panel offers wide viewing angles and it has a four-millisecond response time for a smooth picture. The stand is fully adjustable for height, pivot, swivel, and tilt, giving you the freedom to set up your desk how you’d like, and there are plenty of ports — including HDMI, DisplayPort, and an SD card reader — for connecting your devices.

Pros

  • Beautiful 32-inch picture
  • Designed for professional work
  • Fully adjustable stand
  • Plenty of ports
  • More affordable than other pro monitors

Cons

  • No HDR10 support
  • No G-Sync or FreeSync

Best Pro Features

BenQ PD3200U

Outstanding pro monitor for more people

BenQ’s 32-inch PD3200U offers dedicated design modes, precise color calibration in sRGB and Rec. 709 gamuts, and a 4K picture.

Best Upgrade — Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q

Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q

Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q

Source: Dell

Dell’s UltraSharp line of monitors is the go-to for many people who want quality hardware and plenty of features. The UP2718Q has a 27-inch 4K display with HDR10 support, and thanks to Dell’s PremierColor tech, it hits the standards for AdobeRGB, sRGB, Rec. 709, DCI-P3, and Rec. 2020 color gamuts. If you need a monitor for design and multimedia work, this is a top pick.

The UP2718Q brings a six-millisecond response time and 60 Hz refresh rate for smooth picture, and it has superb contrast. The stand adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot so that you can get things set up exactly how you want, and it has HDMI, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort connections.

Pros

  • Unbelievable 4K picture
  • Spot-on factory calibration
  • Adjustable stand
  • HDR10 support
  • Plenty of ports

Cons

  • Very expensive
  • No FreeSync or G-Sync

Best Upgrade

Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q

A great upgrade pick if you can afford it

Dell’s UltraSharp UP2718Q brings unreal color and contrast, ergonomic stand, and HDR10 support.

Best G-Sync — Acer Predator XB271HK

Acer Predator XB271HL

Acer Predator XB271HL

Source: Acer

Those with a beefy NVIDIA graphics card (GPU) capable of 4K gaming are likely looking for a monitor that features NVIDIA’s G-Sync technology, which reduces screen tearing for an overall better gaming experience. If that sounds like you, Acer’s Predator XB271HK 27-inch 4K monitor should be on your short list.

It has a four-millisecond response time and 60 Hz refresh rate, the IPS panel has wide viewing angles, and the stand is fully adjustable so that you can get your battle station set up without any obstacles. Connect with HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2, and take advantage of four USB-A 3.0 ports for extra connectivity.

Pros

  • G-Sync compatible
  • Beautiful IPS panel
  • Sleek, aggressive design
  • Adjustable display
  • Plenty of ports

Cons

  • Pricey if not used for gaming
  • Built-in speakers are so-so

Best G-Sync

Acer Predator XB271HK

For those with NVIDIA hardware

If you have the GPU to handle 4K gaming, Acer’s Predator XB271HK is an awesome display with stellar features.

Best FreeSync — LG 27UD68-W

LG 27UD68W

LG 27UD68W

Source: LG

If you’re a fan of Team Red and have a powerful AMD GPU capable of a quality 4K gaming experience, you’ll want to check out LG’s 27-inch 27UD68-W monitor. It’s compatible with AMD FreeSync for reduced tearing and overall better gaming experience, plus it brings a five-millisecond response time and 60 Hz refresh rate.

The IPS panel hits 99 percent sRGB color reproduction for a vivid picture, and it’s all contained in a frame with almost no bezel. The stand is small but balanced, taking up less room on your desk, and you can connect with HDMI or DisplayPort.

Pros

  • Compatible with AMD FreeSync
  • Aggressive price
  • Slim bezel
  • Vivid picture
  • Overall attractive design

Cons

  • No height, swivel, or pivot adjustment
  • No built-in USB ports

Best FreeSync

LG 27UD68-W

Best for those with an AMD GPU

Gaming on a 4K display, especially with AMD FreeSync keeping the picture smooth, is a worthwhile experience on LG’s 27UD68-W.

Best Versatility: Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB

Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB

Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB

Source: Windows Central

The 43-inch Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB is a monitor to buy if you split your time as a console and PC gamer. It’s too big to sit in front of at a desk (at least for most people), but it will be right at home in a living room hooked up to an Xbox One X or PC. It has a 4K resolution with 60Hz refresh rate, and it’s compliant with HDR10 for an overall ridiculous picture. At 1,000 nits maximum brightness, you should have no issues seeing your games clearly.

It sits on a streamlined stand but also has 200x200mm VESA mounts if you’d like to hang it for extra space-saving. Ports are a bit limited, especially for anyone with multiple consoles and inputs. You get a single HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, and USB-C. Chalk it up to the display sitting somewhere between the world of PC monitor and classic TV. Ultimately, if you want an incredible picture for gaming, this is an awesome option.

Pros

  • Outstanding image quality
  • Supports all features of flagship consoles
  • Unique blend of TV and monitor capabilities
  • Sturdy TV-style hardware

Cons

  • One HDMI port
  • Better alternatives available for general entertainment

Best Versatility

Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB

An absolute unit

The 32-inch Philips Momentum brings 4K picture with HDR10, 60Hz refresh rate, and 4ms response time.

Bottom line

HP’s Z27 has a feature set that will satisfy the most people who just need a great monitor for everyday computing. It comes with an outstanding warranty to protect against a faulty picture, helping with the relatively high price. It has an IPS panel for wide viewing angles, USB-C connectivity offers modern solutions — backed up by DisplayPort and HDMI — and there are three USB-A 3.0 for desktop accessories. The 60Hz refresh rate and 8ms response time makes for a smooth picture, and the color is stellar. Just a few words of warning — once you upgrade to 4K, you’ll never want to go back.

How to find the best Black Friday deals on 4K monitors

4K monitors are almost always more expensive than their lower-res kin, so many people wait for a great deal to take the plunge. What better time than Black Friday to find a deep sale? But don’t just jump on the first discount you see; there are some things to keep in mind while shopping. Do you plan on gaming? Make sure your PC’s hardware can handle smooth framerates at 4K. Also, decide what type of games you’ll mostly play, as enormous 4K displays aren’t exactly great for competitive first-person shooters. They’re just too big to see all the action on the screen. If you’re interested in design and development work, you’ll likely pay more for premium features, but they’ll be worth it in the long run. Just need a quality 4K display for everyday work? HP’s Z27 is an outstanding option.

We expect to see some savings on the monitors in this collection, but if not, you’re still looking at the best of the best. HP, Dell, BenQ, ASUS, and Philips are long-time favorites, and they’re generally a good buy as long as you know exactly what you need.

Our deals team is working tirelessly to bring you the best savings on 4K monitors this Black Friday, so be sure to check back regularly. Windows Central is the go-to place for Black Friday deals this year.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

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