Best Monitor for Photo Editing in 2023
Choosing the right monitor for you is essential when it comes to photo editing. No matter if you’re a beginner or an advanced professional, you’ll need consistency when it comes to the quality of images that your chosen monitor is able to deliver. For quality images, you’ll need a monitor that’s able to keep up with your editing demands and help you to achieve professional-quality photos every time.
But, if you’re not particularly tech-savvy, how can you be sure that you’ve found the best monitor for photo editing? There are so many different types of monitors available and at such vastly different prices that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are a whole range of factors that you’ll need to consider in order to choose the best monitor for your photo editing needs.
We’ve used our expertise to find what we think are the best options available on the market today. We constantly update our list with the latest products to keep you one step ahead of the game too. To save you even more time, we think the best monitor for photo editing for most people is the BenQ SW2700PT. Read on for our other top picks and why they should also be worth your consideration.
Products at a Glance
How we picked
Searching for the right monitor for your photo editing needs can be difficult. If you’re not all that technologically minded it can be tricky knowing what specs to look for in a monitor to ensure that it’s able to deliver professional-quality images. There are so many different models available, and at such different prices, it can be difficult to know which one to choose.
Is it worth spending more money on a higher-quality monitor that comes with all the bells and whistles? Or is a less expensive monitor that covers all the basics a better choice? What are the features that you should prioritize when choosing the best monitor for photo editing?
There’s no need to worry – we’ve done all the hard work so that you don’t have to. We’ve researched and reviewed hundreds of products and selected the 5 best monitors for photo editing available in 2021. We’ve looked into factors such as color gamut, resolution, and many more to find the best fit for your editing needs.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at the best monitors for photo editing!
Product Reviews
- 27 inch monitor with 2K QHD resolution
- AQCOLOR technology
- Ready calibrated
- Includes shading hood
- No built-in speakers
The BenQ SW2700PT monitor is our top pick when it comes to the best monitor for photo editing. This 27-inch monitor has all the higher-end specs you need in order to get the best quality photos during editing. It features a 2K QHD resolution combined with IPS technology for truly exceptional clarity and displays all the fine details you need for quality photos.
This particular monitor comes with a wide color gamut to help you achieve accurate colors in your photos. BenQ uses their AQCOLOR technology to deliver 99% Adobe RGB color space and combines a 14-bit 3D look-up table (LUT) with Delta E≤ 2 to deliver accurate color reproduction every time. Ideal if you’re looking for a monitor that’s going to be able to accurately reflect the colors in your images. You’ll also have access to more than 1 billion colors, natural shading, and smooth color gradations with this particular monitor.
What’s really great about this particular monitor is that it will be highly accurate straight out of the box. The BenQ SW2700PT comes ready calibrated with a unique factory report so you won’t have to worry about calibrating the monitor before you can use it for photo editing!
Another great feature of this particular monitor is that it comes with a shading hood to help you create professional-quality images. The shading hood minimizes any ambient light and reduces glare on the screen. The shading hood is also detachable so you can remove or add it whenever you want to edit your photos.
Overall the BenQ SW2700PT monitor is the ideal choice for accurate colors.
- 32-inch monitor
- 16:9 ratio and 4K resolution
- Wide color gamut
- Screen-to-print consistency
- More expensive than competitive monitors
This large 32-inch monitor gives you everything you need for editing your photos. This particular monitor comes with a 16:9 ratio and 4K resolution. Perfect if you want a monitor that’s going to be able to portray high-quality images while you edit!
Accurate colors are at the heart of this particular monitor. The BenQ SW321C monitor offers you 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB, and 95% P3 color gamut. Ideal if you want a monitor that’s capable of covering a wide range of colors. This monitor also uses the BenQ AQCOLOR technology to deliver consistent high-quality colors that you can trust.
A unique feature of the BenQ SW321C monitor is that it comes with the BenQ HotKeyPuck feature. This allows you to effortlessly switch between color modes using preset shortcuts. Ideal if you want to flick between settings at a moment’s notice rather than having to do so manually.
Another great feature of this particular monitor is that it promises screen-to-print consistency. It features Paper Color Sync software and Advanced Reflectionless Technology (ART) to display photo previews that are efficiently close to what the final prints will look like. Ideal if you’re fed up with editing the image to perfection onscreen to discover it looks completely different once you’ve printed the images!
The BenQ SW321C monitor is the ultimate pick when it comes to photo editing, however, it comes with the price tag to match. This particular monitor may be better suited to professionals or those who take their photo editing seriously.
- 27 inch monitor
- 4K UHD resolution
- Built-in speakers
- Wide color gamut
- Doesn’t come with a VESA mount
The Asus Designo MX27UCS is a great choice if you want a more affordable monitor that still comes with a range of high specs. This particular monitor is 27 inches and comes with 4K UHD resolution for impeccable visual clarity. It features a wide 178-degree viewing angle to give you an ample canvas for editing photos. The monitor comes with DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI, and USB Type-C connectivity to give you greater choice.
A great feature of this particular monitor is that it comes with built-in speakers. These are stereo 3W speakers that have been developed with Asus SonicMaster technology to provide you with spacious, rich sound to eliminate the need for external speakers. This will be a handy feature if you need a monitor that’s capable of editing video as well as photos.
This particular monitor offers you 1.07 billion display colors with 100% sRGB color space to consistently deliver impressive and lifelike image quality. This will be essential if you’re a professional photographer or artist. Asus has equipped this monitor with a QuickFit function to help enhance the user experience, too.
Another great feature of the Asus Designo MX27UCS is that it comes with Asus eye care technology. This features TUV Rhineland-certified flicker-free backlighting as well as a blue light filter to help minimize eye fatigue. Perfect if you need to use your new monitor for long hours throughout the day.
Overall the Asus Designo MX27UCS is a great choice for professionals who need a reasonably priced monitor.
- 32 inch monitor
- DCI-P3 95% color gamut
- Ultra-thin bordered design
- Fully height, tilt, pivot, and swivel adjustable
- Pricier than some competitive monitors
The LG 32UN880 UltraFine Ergo offers you all the high specs you need to create quality images. This particular monitor is 32 inches and features an UltraFine UHD IPS display. It offers you the lifelike realism you need to achieve professional-quality images when it comes to photo editing.
This particular monitor is able to offer you a DCI-P3 95% color gamut with HDR10 for the quality colors you need to get editing. This wide color gamut offers you the high image fidelity you need to create truly beautiful images.
What’s really unique about this particular monitor is that it’s been designed to be as ergonomic as possible. The LG 32UN880 UltraFine Ergo can be fully adjusted to suit your working needs. You can easily tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the monitor to suit you. This will be ideal if you’re looking for a monitor that’s able to make your working life easier.
Another great feature of this particular monitor is the 3-side virtually borderless design. This gives you more monitor space to work with for a more immersive experience. Perfect if you want to concentrate on the images or videos you need to edit.
The LG 32UN880 UltraFine Ergo is a great choice for a fully adjustable monitor that you can effortlessly move around while you use it.
- 27-inch monitor
- Wide color gamut
- Multiple connector ports
- Budget-friendly
- Doesn’t include a VESA mount
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV is a great option for those looking for a more budget-friendly monitor. This particular monitor comes with a range of high-quality specs but at a more affordable price point. The ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV is a 27-inch monitor that comes with a WQHD resolution. You’ll have everything you need for quality image editing.
This particular monitor comes with a wide range of color gamut for you to choose from. It comes with the international color standard of 100% sRGB as well as 100% Rec. 709 wide color gamut. This will be essential if you want to achieve crisp, quality colors in your images. You can effortlessly edit to find the right colors for your photos or art. The ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV monitor is also Calman certified with factory calibration to achieve the Delta E≤ 2 you need for color accuracy.
You can easily adjust the color parameters of this monitor as and when you need to. The ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV monitor comes with both a ProArt Palette as well as an Asus-exclusive ProArt Preset to help you adjust the color parameters for professional-quality images.
The great thing about this particular monitor is that it’s able to offer you better connectivity to suit your working needs. The monitor comes with a Mini DisplayPort, DisplayPort, HDMI, dual-link DVI-D, and 4 USB port connectors to make it even easier for you to use. The monitor also comes with audio in and earphone jack for use with video editing. The monitor itself is fully adjustable for your needs. The ergonomic stand allows you to tilt, swivel, and adjust the height of the monitor for more comfortable viewing.
Overall, the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV monitor is a great budget choice for those who don’t want to spend a small fortune on a monitor for photo editing. Perhaps the better choice for amateur photographers!
Buyers Guide
Finding the best monitor for photo editing can be a difficult task, so let’s guide you through some of the areas you’ll want to consider before making your final purchase.
Screen size and resolution
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing the best monitor for your needs is the size of the monitor that you would like to use. This will play an important factor in letting you edit your images.
The larger the size of the monitor, the more detail you’ll be able to look at up close. It’s also worth bearing in mind how much room you have on your desk for your chosen monitor. You should aim to have a monitor that’s at least 24 or 27 inches.
Another factor that goes hand in hand with the size of your monitor is the resolution. The higher resolution that your monitor is able to offer, the crisper and clearer your images will be.
Take a look at the resolution that your chosen monitor is able to support. Is it a 4K monitor? Does it support QHD for the quality image display that you’ll need while editing photos? The higher resolution that your chosen monitor is able to support, the better.
Colour Gamut
The color gamut of your chosen monitor will be crucial when it comes to photo editing. The wider the color gamut that your monitor comes with, the better. With a greater variety of colors to choose from you can accurately create true-to-life images that will be able to wow clients.
Take a look at the variety of colors that your chosen monitor comes with. Does it offer you 100% sRGB? What percentage of DCI-P3 color chart is the monitor able to cover? Is your chosen monitor able to offer you a range of Adobe RGB colors for you to use when editing your photos? The greater the color gamut you have, the more professional-quality images that you can edit.
It will also be worth looking for a monitor that’s able to deliver Delta E≤ 2 for more accurate color representation. It will also be handy to have a monitor that’s able to offer you a high-quality look-up table (LUT) if you plan on using your new monitor for photo editing.
Brightness
Brightness, measured in nits, is important for all types of monitor usages, but for photo editing, you’ll find that a higher nit brightness can help if you’re working in a well-lit room. We’d recommend that you look for a monitor with at least 350 nits of brightness, but of course, the more the better.
Is it adjustable?
A fully adjustable monitor will be a lifesaver when it comes to editing photos. These types of monitors can be adjusted to meet your working needs and can work with you rather than against you.
Take a look at the features of your monitor that you’re able to adjust. Can you adjust the height to prevent any strain in your neck? Are you able to tilt or pivot the screen to meet the right angle? Can you swivel the screen in case you need to see your images from different angles?
The more adjustable and ergonomic your chosen screen is, the better it will be for you in the long term.
Price
Another important factor to consider is the price of your chosen monitor. Prices can vary between monitors, and this will inevitably affect the specifications that each monitor is able to offer you. The higher spec models that come with all the bells and whistles will undoubtedly be able to do a better job than a cheaper monitor, however, they will also come with a higher price tag to match.
Think about what you need the monitor for. Are you a professional photographer or artist that will make use of all the higher spec features? You’ll likely need one of the more expensive, professional monitors to be able to deliver the high-quality images that you’re after.
Are you more of a hobbyist when it comes to photo editing? Unless you’ve got the disposable income to invest in one of the pricier monitors, there are plenty of more reasonably priced products that will be able to do a quality job for you and your hobby.
What type of monitor is best for photo editing?
We’d say an HDR, 4K display with a wide colour gamut is the best monitor type for photo editing. You can go above 4K, but we’d only advise for very serious professionals!
Is curved or straight monitor better for photo editing?
Curved, for reducing eye-strain and glare, but flat to make it easier to judge the proportions of what you’re working on.
Our Verdict
First up in our lineup is the BenQ SW2700PT monitor. This particular monitor earns the top spot in our guide because it offers you the high-quality color gamut that you need for accurate photo editing but without the larger price tag of some models. You’ll have all the high specs you need with this particular monitor.
The BenQ SW321C monitor is the ultimate choice in terms of professional quality images. This particular monitor may be more expensive than competitive models, but it gives you all the high spec visuals you need to create consistently amazing quality images.
Next up is the Asus Designo MX27UCS. This monitor offers you the high specs you need for quality images but with a more reasonable price tag to boot. This would be great for those photographers or artists who are self-employed and don’t necessarily have thousands of dollars to splurge on a new monitor.
The LG 32UN880 UltraFine Ergo is another great pick when it comes to photo editing. If you’re looking for a monitor that can be fully adjusted for your working needs, then this is the monitor for you.
And last but not least is the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV. This particular monitor offers you a variety of great specs but at a much more affordable price point. This is a great choice for those who are just starting out with photo editing.
And so our guide to the best monitor for photo editing comes to an end! You can rest assured that all 5 of the monitors that we’ve selected above will be more than a match for your photo editing needs, whether you’re a beginner or a professional. Got any questions about monitors for photo editing? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll be happy to help!