Help me choose a new budget monitor for a MacBook and PC

December 16, 2023 6:21 AM

I haven’t bought a monitor in about 10 years. The options are vast, there is new tech, a variety of panel types, refresh rates, resolutions, etc. and it’s all overwhelming. Not to mention it sounds like any and every monitor has an issue of some sort when I start reading reviews. My needs are as follows: Primary use cases 1. External monitor for an M1 MacBook Air; playing games with GeForce Now via the MacBook Air, casual browsing, video watching, etc. 2. Midrange gaming PC that I intend to build next year

27 inches and 1440 are what I think I’d be good with. Jumping to 4k doesn’t seem to make sense given my budget and the PC specs I’ll likely be working with?

I don’t know enough about panel tech to know if I need or want VA, IPS, etc

Price range $200-300

I’ve seen the following recommended under my $300 max price point:

HP OMEN 27q QHD 165Hz Gaming Monitor, QHD Display (2560 x 1440), IPS Panel, 99% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3, 16:9, AMD FreeSync Premium Technology, 27q (2023),Black: Link

MSI G274QPF-QD, 27" Gaming Monitor, 2560 x 1440(QHD), IPS, 170Hz, FreeSync Premium, HDR400, HDMI, Displayport, USB C, Tilt, Black: Link

Dell G2724D Gaming Monitor - 27-Inch QHD (2560x1440) 165Hz 1Ms Display, AMD FreeSync + NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible, DP/HDMI Connectivity, Height/Pivot/Swivel/Tilt Adjustability – Black: Link

Budget stretch?

LG 27GP850-B Ultragear Gaming Monitor 27” QHD (2560 x 1440) Nano IPS Display, 1ms Response Tim, 165Hz Refresh Rate, NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible, AMD FreeSync Premium, Tilt/Height/Pivot Adjustable Stand: Link

———-

Do any of these stand out as the one to get? Is one far superior or far worse? Anything that is truly worth stretching the budget for? Is there another monitor you’d recommend instead of any of these?

Thank you!

posted by arm426 to Technology (8 answers total)

I bought the slightly older model of the Dell you have listed and it’s a solid choice. Arrived with no dead pixels, great color range, refresh is great.

You’re going to love a new monitor; I replaced a much older circa-06 Dell and it was an astonishing upgrade.
posted by rhymedirective at 6:25 AM on December 16, 2023

ViewSonic was recommended to me earlier this year as a manufacturer of reliable, low-cost monitors, and I haven't had any complaints.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:33 AM on December 16, 2023

BenQ isn’t on your list but is maybe worth a look, in my opinion.

I recently bought the 27” BenQ EW2780Q home monitor for less than $300. I love it. Great color, includes speakers and mic (I do a lot of Zoom meetings). BenQ has a large range of monitors for home office and gaming, several that are in your price range.
posted by skye.dancer at 6:54 AM on December 16, 2023

FYI, the Dell Outlet has the refurbished G2724D on sale this weekend for $178 with free shipping with this coupon code. I've had good luck with Dell refurb monitors in the past.
posted by eschatfische at 7:13 AM on December 16, 2023

If you’re really budget minded, consider the panel and the stand as separate purchases. Attempt to research who manufactures the actual panel in the monitors you like, and find a TV from a budget brand that repackages the same panel.

The major difference between a TV and a computer monitor is the quality of the stand—TVs have cheap stands that aren’t adjustable. If you’re using the monitor for a variety of purposes, being able to shift its angle, height, etc. will make a big difference to your experience. Every TV and monitor has a set of standard screw holes on the back for mounting to the wall or a stand. Craigslist/Facebook marketplace/dumpsters are full of incredible monitor stands and mounts attached to broken or outdated monitors. These stands would have been hundreds new.

I have a 21” Samsung TV attached to an ancient Dell adjustable-height monitor stand. The monitor stand, which has a system of hydraulics to control lift and angle, was separated from a used Dell LCD panel over a decade ago and has since hosted a series of progressively better TVs.
posted by Headfullofair at 7:38 AM on December 16, 2023

I don’t have direct experience with this but when I was shopping for a monitor that I use with both my work (PC) laptop and my personal MacBook Pro, it seemed like some people have strong opinions about whether it’s possible for recent MacOS’s to look “good” on a 27” screen at anything less than 4K. I ended up going with a 4K Dell S2722QC for $300, and I have no complaints.
posted by AndrewInDC at 9:11 AM on December 16, 2023

For another budget option, check out Facebook Marketplace. I recommend this because about a year ago I tried to sell a two-year-old monitor similar to the ones you're considering and discovered that my local used market is flooded with good monitors at decent prices. Even when I dropped the price to $100, nobody was interested.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 11:47 AM on December 16, 2023

I've had an HP x27q that I've been extremely happy with for the past couple years. The OMEN 27q looks to be a slight upgrade. Take a look at RTINGS.com for reviews and a side-by-side comparison.
posted by healthytext at 8:21 AM on December 23, 2023