Best Monitors for Photographers

For digital photographers, a well-calibrated and accurate photography monitor is an indispensable tool for a solid practice. Whether you like to print your photos or share exclusively online, a photo monitor you can trust will make a big difference in how anyone views your photographs, yourself included. Besides just helping to achieve accurate colors and contrast, a finely tuned monitor is also more enjoyable to work on and contributes to a seamless all-around workflow. Additionally, when looking for a monitor, also consider size and resolution as additional variables, with larger screens making editing easier, especially when dealing with multiple images or windows. Here are some of our top monitor picks for photographers.

BenQ SW270C Photographer 27" HDR IPS Monitor

One of the best values out there, BenQ's SW270C is a 27" monitor, with 99% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space and 10-bit support, making it well suited for printing and wider color gamut editing. The 27" size and 2560 x 1440 resolution also suit more detailed and multi-image editing. Additionally, a dedicated shading hood is included with the monitor, in case you tend to work in sunlit or bright environments, and a built-in Hotkey Puck lets you switch display settings easily, from Adobe RGB to sRGB to Black-and-White, depending on your editing needs.

HP DreamColor Z27xs G3 16:9 4K HDR IPS Monitor

Purpose-built for creatives, designers, photographers, and videographers, the DreamColor Z27x G3, from HP, offers coverage for 99% of Adobe RGB and 98% of the DCI-P3 color spaces for accurate photo and video editing. This monitor also has a 27" screen with 4K resolution: DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB Type-C connectivity. The DreamColor Z27xs G3 also features quick and easy access to important settings such as brightness and user-defined color presets, so you can keep working without interrupting your workflow.

Dell U2720Q UltraSharp 27" 16:9 HDR 4K IPS Monitor

Another great option for those who rely on accurate color for photo and video editing, the Dell U2720Q is a 27" monitor with UHD 4K resolution and 10-bit color. Speaking of color: the Dell U2720Q offers wider color coverage that encompasses 99% of the sRGB and Rec. 709 spaces and 95% of the DCI-P3 color space. DisplayPort, HDMI, and a USB make setup easy. Additionally, the USB-C port can deliver up to 90W of power to connected devices, so you have the option of charging your USB-C-compatible devices while working on the monitor.

Apple 27" Studio Display

A high-resolution immersive screen that pays attention to details and aesthetics, Apple’s Studio Display is a 5K Retina (5120 x 2880) screen with wide P3 color coverage, an especially thin bezel, and a sophisticated ambient-light sensor that uses Apple's True Tone technology. Configurable depending on your needs, this screen comes with either the standard glass or the nano-texture glass for increased glare reduction and you can choose from a tilt- and height-adjustable stand, tilt-adjustable stand, or a VESA mount adapter for installation. Besides its resolution and quality color reproduction, this monitor also distinguishes itself with its built-in Bionic A13 chip, which drives a series of advanced features, such as spatial audio, the integrated 12MP webcam, and Center Stage.

LG UltraWide 40WP95C-W 39.7" 21:9 Curved FreeSync 5K2K HDR IPS Monitor

For something a bit different, the LG 40WP95C-W is a 39.7" ultra-wide monitor touting a panoramic 21:9 aspect ratio and 5120 x 2160 5K2K resolution. Compared to boxier 16:9 and 17:9 monitors, a 21:9 monitor can feel like working with two separate monitors without the gap or break between separate screens. This wide, immersive format is great for breaking up your editing workflow and keeping some work on one end of the screen while keeping file navigation, toolboxes, or other applications uncluttered on the other end. Also, the monitor has an integrated USB hub (usable when connected to your computer via Thunderbolt™ 4) for connecting various peripherals or drives directly and enabling transfer speeds up to 5 Gb/s for connected external drives.

Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 Creative Pen & Touch Display

Another unique option is the Cintiq Pro 27 from Wacom, which effectively combines one of Wacom's tablets with a large, 26.9" UHD 4K display. This monitor is perfect for those who do significant post-production editing or digital artwork because it offers you the experience of drawing directly onto your imagery. It's no slouch as a monitor, either—with 99% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, it can be used for accurate color editing, too. Physically, since you'll be working on top of the monitor much of the time, there is a dedicated accessory stand for propping it up at a 20° angle, and an optional wireless ExpressKey Remote helps with intuitive application navigation.

Dell U3223QE UltraSharp 32" 16:9 HDR 4K IPS Monitor

For those who rely on accurate color for photo and video editing, the Dell U3223QE is a 32" monitor with UHD 4K resolution and  coverage for 100% of the sRGB and Rec 709 color gamuts and 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut for premium color reproduction. DisplayPort, HDMI, and a USB make setup easy. Additionally, the USB-C port can deliver up to 90W of power to connected devices, so you have the option of charging your USB-C-compatible devices while working on the monitor.

BenQ SW271C Photographer 27" HDR IPS Monitor

Despite its high price tag, one of the best values available for photographers is BenQ's SW271C. It’s a 27" monitor with 99% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space and 10-bit support for up to 1.07 billion colors and a 16-bit LUT, making it well suited for printing and wider color gamut editing. The 27" size and 3840 x 2160 resolution also suit more detailed and multi-image editing. Additionally, a built-in Hotkey Puck lets you switch display settings easily, from Adobe RGB to sRGB to Black-and-White, depending on your editing needs. If you're looking for a great workhorse monitor with outstanding color accuracy and great build quality, this is the one.

Dell U2723QE 27" 16:9 HDR 4K IPS Monitor

Another great option from Dell is the U2723QE. It has a 27" IPS display, which is smaller than the U322QE and less expensive, too. It’s a great midrange option that has excellent 100% color accuracy for sRGB or 89% in the Adobe RGB color space. It offers 4K resolution with excellent image clarity and has many of the same features as the U3223QE, such as a USB hub with several USB Type-A and Type-C ports capable of outputting 90W of power. Purpose-built for creatives, designers, photographers or videographers, the U2723QE is a great midrange monitor that won't break the bank like some of these others.

What do you look for in a photo monitor? What are the essential features when looking for a screen for photo editing? Let us know about your dream setup in the Comments section, below.