With many of us moving to work from home or hybrid situations, technology has become more important over the past few years. We've had to create new work setups at home or maybe needed to upgrade an old setup. In addition to one of the best PCs for working from home, you also might need a good monitor. Whether you have a desktop PC with no screen or you need a second display for your laptop, a great monitor can give you more space for work and create a more comfortable environment.

Of course, a monitor doesn't have to be just for work. There are some great gaming monitors out there, along with ones specifically for entertainment. Whether your goal is productivity or entertainment, here are the best monitors available.

• ASUS ProArt PA278CV 27-inch WQHD Monitor

  Best overall

  $309 at Amazon

• Dell UltraSharp U2723QE

  Best 4K monitor

  $585 at Dell

• BenQ EW3880R

  Best ultrawide

  $1000 at Amazon

• HP 24MH FHD monitor

  Best budget monitor

  $146 at Amazon

• Alienware QD-OLED AW3423DWF

  Best gaming monitor

  $1100 at Dell

• Samsung Odyssey G6 (G65B)

  Best high refresh rate monitor

  $550 at Samsung

• Asus TUF VG259QR

  Best budget gaming monitor

  $229 at Best Buy

• LG Gram +View

  Best portable monitor

  $347 at Amazon

While some people might need specific features, the Asus ProArt PA278CV is an excellent choice for almost anyone, offering a well-rounded set of capabilities at a very reasonable price.

For starters, this is a 27-inch monitor with Quad HD resolution, so it's more than sharp enough for office or entertainment use. It also has a 75Hz refresh rate to make motion look a little smoother. For color coverage, Asus touts 100% coverage of sRGB and Rec. 709, plus a color accuracy of Delta E < 2, which means colors will look great for regular office work, creative work, or watching videos. The screen can also hit 350 nits of brightness, so visibility should be good in most environments, even with bright lights. The monitor also has built-in speakers, which can save you some money on external ones or headphones.

As for ports, the Asus ProArt PA278CV supports DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, and USB Type-C, so it's versatile and ready for modern devices with USB-C outputs. It can even provide 65W of power to your laptop to keep it charged. Finally, the stand supports tilt, swivel, height, and pivot adjustments, so you have a lot of flexibility with how you want to use it. You can also switch to a VESA mount for even more control. For a little over $300, this monitor offers excellent value for just about anyone.

If you're looking for something with crisper image quality, the 4K Dell UltraSharp U2723QE delivers the goods in more ways than one. This is another 27-inch monitor (though a 32-inch version also exists), and on top of the 4K resolution, it uses recent IPS Black technology, providing twice the contrast ratio (2000:1) of a typical IPS panel without sacrificing the viewing angles IPS panels are known for. What's more, the screen covers 100% of sRGB and 98% of DCI-P3, it can reach up to 400 nits of brightness, and it even has basic HDR support with VESA DisplayHDR 400.

Connectivity is also phenomenal on the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE, with two full-size DisplayPort connections, one HDMI port, and a USB Type-C port that can be used for display input and even charge your laptop at up to 90W. The monitor also doubles as a USB hub with multiple USB ports (both Type-A and Type-C) and even Ethernet, enabling a clean single-cable connection to your laptop. The monitor also has a versatile stand, allowing you to adjust the height, tilt angle, swivel, and even pivot the screen to use it vertically.

The Dell UltraSharp U2723QE is a bit pricey, but you're getting a great 4K display, lots of connectivity, and a versatile stand, so it's hard to complain. You do miss out on built-in speakers, but if you have the budget for this kind of monitor, you're probably better off buying external speakers that will sound much better or using headphones. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a screen like this for office or at-home use.

Sometimes, a standard monitor doesn't have all the space you need to get work done efficiently, and an ultrawide monitor like the BenQ EW3880R is made exactly for that. It has a large 38-inch (37.5-inch, to be precise) panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio, giving you extra space to run your apps side-by-side. It also comes in a sharp 3840 x 1600 resolution, so everything looks sharp and clean while you're working, and the curved screen means it's easier for content to stay visible at the edges without moving your head. The monitor also covers 95% of DCI-P3, so the viewing experience is great, and the 300 nits of brightness should ensure good visibility in any indoor environment.

BenQ also went above and beyond to provide a good media experience, with a pair of 3W speakers plus an 8W subwoofer built into the monitor to deliver more powerful sound than many competing monitors. What's more, there are special modes for watching movies and videos the way creators intended, including support for 24 FPS video.

In terms of connectivity, you're getting a solid supply of ports, including HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB Type-C, which even supports 60W power delivery to a laptop. That lets you quickly set up with a single cable, especially because the monitor also has a couple of USB ports built-in to connect your peripherals. The stand supports height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, but you can't pivot the screen, which makes sense considering it wouldn't be very practical to rotate such a wide panel. The monitor also deserves praise for its looks, with a professional design that's a perfect fit for a workspace or home office, without looking too generic or boring.

We'd all love to have the fanciest monitors around, but not everyone can afford a premium experience, and if you're on a budget, you can still find great monitor options. Whether you just want a basic screen for your desktop or expand your workspace, the HP 24mh is a great starting point. It's a relatively basic 24-inch panel with Full HD resolution, but it does have an IPS panel with great viewing angles, and the 75Hz refresh rate makes everything appear much smoother on screen, which is nice to have on a budget monitor like this. What's more, it even has built-in stereo speakers, so you get a basic audio output without having to spend extra on more peripherals.

Connectivity on the HP 24mh isn't as impressive as more high-end laptops, but it does cover the basics, including both HDMI and DisplayPort. It also has a VGA port if you plan on using it with an old-school PC. The overall design isn't anything to write home about, but the stand does offer a good bit of flexibility, with both height and tilt adjustments, plus the ability to pivot the screen if you want to use it in portrait orientation. That's very rare for an affordable monitor like this one, and it adds a ton of value.

If all you want is a basic screen to give you more space for your apps or just to get started using your home computer, you can't go wrong with the HP 24mh. It has a $150 MSRP, which is already great, but we've also seen discounts on it in the past, so you can probably get it for even less.

If you want the best gaming experience, the Alienware AW3423DWF the way to do it. It may be a cheaper version of the regular AW3423DW, but it keeps everything that makes that monitor truly great, and it only removes unnecessary features to make for a palatable price tag. At $1,100, it's still not cheap, but you're getting a lot of monitor for the price.

Starting with the basics, this is a 34-inch monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio, and it has a sharp 3440 x 1440 resolution, which is great for gaming and productivity alike. It's also important to note this is a QD-OLED panel with up to a whopping 1,000 nits of brightness, so you get a fantastic HDR experience. It covers 99.9% of DCI-P3, too, so the visual experience is excellent overall.

Additionally, this monitor comes with a smooth 165Hz refresh rate, which is one of the downgrades compared to the standard AW3423DW model, which goes up to 175Hz. It also supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, whereas the more expensive model supports Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate. Whether those differences justify the extra $200 for the more expensive model is up to you, but we'd argue the cheaper model offers more value.

As for connectivity, the Alienware AW3423DWF is packing a solid supply of ports, including two DisplayPort 1.4 ports and one HDMI 2.0 port, plus a USB hub. Unfortunately, there's no USB-C, so the USB hub requires a separate USB cable to power the included ports, and it can't charge a connected laptop. Design-wise, this model is also more subdued than the more expensive version, with an all-black chassis. It does have RGB lighting, but without as many lighting zones, so it's not as flashy.

Regardless, the Alienware AW3423DWF is a fantastic monitor where it matters, and as long as you have the money for it, it's an easy recommendation.

If you're a gamer who needs the fastest response times while still getting solid picture quality, the Samsung Odyssey G6 (G65B) is a new addition to the company's lineup that delivers a great overall experience. This is a 27-inch Quad HD resolution panel with a more traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. It also has a super-smooth 240Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for gamers who play competitively and need the fastest reaction times, such as in online shooters.

The screen can reach 350 brightness (typically), and it's certified for DisplayHDR 600, so it should provide a solid HDR experience, especially thanks to the high contrast ratio (2500:1) of the VA panel. Samsung also touts 95% coverage of DCI-P3, so color reproduction is pretty good, and the visual experience, in general, should be great. Samsung also lets you take advantage of that with an integrated smart TV experience powered by Tizen. You might find this unnecessary, but it can be nice to have if you want an easy way to watch your shows without having a PC connected.

In terms of connectivity, the Samsung Odyssey G6 covers the basics with two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort input. It can also serve as a USB hub, but since there's no USB-C connectivity, you can't have a single-cable connection. You need a separate USB cable and display cable, which is a bit more cumbersome. Despite that, the Samsung Odyssey G6 is an excellent gaming monitor that nails the specs needed for a high-end gaming experience. It's not on the same level as the Alienware model above, but it costs much less.

If you're just getting into gaming or you have an entry-level PC, it's not worth it to invest in a super high-end screen. The Asus TUF Gaming VG259QR is a great pick for those users, offering a great gaming experience despite the lower price. This 24.5-inch panel Full HD panel has a smooth 165Hz refresh rate for high-refresh-rate gaming in competitive games like Fortnite, and it includes Nvidia G-Sync compatibility.

It also uses an IPS panel instead of VA, which is more common in cheaper gaming monitors. IPS displays have great viewing angles and handle fast motions better than VA, especially at this price, so you'll get a much more pleasant experience with this model than you might get with many of its competitors. It also reaches 300 nits of brightness, so it's easily visible in most indoor settings. And, since you're saving money, the Asus TUF Gaming VG259QR includes built-in stereo speakers, though you can connect some headphones to the built-in audio jack if you'd rather listen that way.

As you might expect with a cheaper monitor, there's no USB-C connectivity on this model, and there's no option for a USB hub, which is one of the more notable downsides of it. However, it does have two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort input, so you get a decent range of connectivity overall. As for the rest of the design, the monitor looks fairly clean, and it has a nice compact stand that won't take up a lot of space on your desk, leaving more room for peripherals. That stand offers a wide range of adjustability, with height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments, which is always great to see at this price point.

You can spend a little extra to get a higher resolution panel, but this monitor nails the essential aspects of a good experience beyond just the resolution, and it's great for anyone on a budget.

Once you get used to having multiple monitors at home, it can be hard to work on the go with a single screen, but thankfully, the LG Gram +View provides a solution, and it's a phenomenal portable monitor for getting work done anywhere. Unlike most other solutions, the Gram +View is a large 16-inch panel, and it has a 16:10 aspect ratio, giving you a large workspace for additional apps and whatever you need while working on the go. It's very sharp, too, with a 2560 x 1600 resolution that makes the perfect companion to a mobile powerhouse. There's even more to it, as LG promises 99% coverage of DCI-P3, which makes this one of the very best visual experiences you can get on a portable monitor.

Naturally, connectivity is pretty different with a slim portable monitor compared to a traditional desktop model, but that's not a bad thing, The LG Gram +View uses a single-cable connection with USB Type-C, which even handles power delivery, so you don't need any extra cables to power the display. While it should work on any laptop, the LG Gram +View also has special software that requires Windows, which lets you enable features like auto-rotate. On that note, the monitor has a slim cover that doubles as a kickstand, so you can prop it up in either landscape or portrait orientation.

The monitor doesn't have built-in speakers, so if you're looking for something to use with a Nintendo Switch or something, it's not ideal, but if you're using a laptop, you can use the speakers built into it instead. They're probably better than what you'd find in such a slim monitor, anyway. At $350, the Gram +View is a bit pricy, but it's an excellent monitor if you want to get more work done on the go.

Best monitors in 2023: The bottom line

Those are some of the very best monitors you can buy today for all kinds of uses. We tried to strike a balance between features and a reasonable price, so you're getting great value for money with all these options. That's especially true with the Asus ProArt 278CV at the top of our list, offering a great balance of sharpness, color accuracy, and price that makes it ideal for just about anyone. On top of a great screen, it offers many connectivity options, including USB Type-C, and it has a highly adjustable stand, so for a price that's a little over $300, it's an incredibly easy recommendation.

If $300 still sounds too much for you, and you're looking for something more basic, the HP 24mh is a long-standing champ in terms of value. For just $150, you get a Full HD monitor with a 75Hz refresh rate, IPS panel, and built-in speakers that give you everything to get you started. Plus, the stand supports height, tilt, and pivot adjustments, which is rare at this price point.

If you're trying to create the perfect work-from-home setup, consider checking out our list of the best PCs for working from home. If you're buying a monitor for gaming, we also have some great suggestions above, such as the Samsung Odyssey G6. You may also want to check out the best gaming laptops and the best gaming monitors if you're looking for something more specific.