Are you looking for a new monitor for office use? This article breaks down all the features that matter, from screen size to refresh rates and beyond!
The emergence of remote work has revolutionised the tech industry, scrambling for millions of professionals to upgrade their home offices. There are many options, but the most essential upgrade is – the right desktop monitor.
A monitor is a “Window” to the digital world. No matter the size of your business or how many employees you may have, monitors are the building block of your workspace. They are the centrepiece of innovation, essential gadgets for communication, and tools to present your style and productivity.
However, as the industry is flooded with many PC monitors, each equipped with dozens of unique features, choosing the best one for office or business use can be overwhelming. You may have to deal with the question like: Should I go with 24 inches or 32 inches? Refresh rates 144 Hz or higher? Full HD or 4K? Response time 3 ms or lower?
From display quality to advanced technologies, this guide covers all the crucial features you must look for in a business monitor.
So, let’s get started!
Screen Size
The first thing you must consider about a monitor is its size. The screen size refers to the dimensions of the monitor. Most average-width monitors come in various sizes to choose from. These include 24 inches to 34 inches. Remember, unlike a gaming monitor, your consideration should not depend on the thumb rule: The bigger, the better!
Undoubtedly, larger screens look impressive, but in a business setup, you may find it uncomfortable when placed close to your eyes for extended hours. A larger monitor may also be fuzzier than a smaller one on the same pixel density unless you put it at a more significant distance – which is not a good option for working on tasks like data entry, design, or editing.
Therefore, opting for a 24-27 inches monitor is recommended. It may offer a larger screen real estate for your home or office use and work better if you have a small, slim desk. They’re also great options to save money. However, consider an ultrawide curved monitor with at least 34 inches or higher for people looking for a display for content creation and multitasking.
Even though the final decision depends on your choice, desk space, and budget, getting anything smaller than 24 inches makes little sense for a business professional.
Panel Type
While looking for a monitor, you may encounter three-panel types. The choice of panel ultimately plays a significant role in the things that appear and perform on the screen. However, it hinges on the specific features that serve particular tasks like video editing, graphics, gaming, and document editing. Nearly all monitors with LCD panels come with three-panel types, including Twisted Nematic, In-Plane Switching, and Vertical Alignment.
The most affordable you may find will be TN panels but keep away from them. They may display the image on the screen with terrible viewing angles compared to IPS panels.
If we discuss the IPS panels, you will get excellent colour accuracy and broad colour gamut support within an affordable price tag. However, you may have to compromise on dark scenes because these panels can’t achieve great black shades.
So, what about Vertical Alignment (VA)? These panels are perfect for gaming and professional use due to their best contrast ratio, deep dark shades performance, and motion-smearing issues reduction.
The ultimate choice between IPS and VA depends on your personal preferences and budget, as both have perks.
Resolution
Resolution is another key. A higher resolution means more pixel density and a sharper and more precise view of your image on the screen!
You’ll see 4K resolutions (3,840 x 2,160) on 27-inch and 34-inch displays with the best quality visuals and a hefty price tag. On the other hand, settling for 1440p (2,560 x 1,440) on a 27-inch display will be budget-friendly consideration for a sharper image for working on standard office documents and spreadsheets. Don’t go for a 24-inch or higher monitor with 1080p (1,920 x 1,080); you may have grainy and pixelated views.
Are you going to invest in a 34-inch monitor? Don’t settle for less than 3,440 x 1,440 resolution. This yields a pixel density nearly identical to a 27-inch monitor with a 1440p resolution, amounting to around 109 pixels per inch. Some extremely low-cost ultrawide monitors have a resolution of 2,560 x 1,080. This resolution, however, needs to be improved, similar to how 1080p appears on a larger screen.
Refresh Rates
The refresh rate refers to the number of times your monitor refreshes its screen within a second and is measured in Hertz (Hz). Higher refresh rates increase fluid and seamless motion, reducing input lag and screen shuttering. That said, however, the benefits of the refresh rate are not limited to content creation and games.
For a comfortable and smooth nongaming experience, a monitor with 60Hz is recommended, but 75Hz will be preferable. IPS panels can now hit 240Hz, which means they can handle most of your demanding applications on fluid motion without screen tearing.
Connectivity
Most monitors include DisplayPort and HDMI to help you connect and share with external devices. However, the port you need in a monitor depends on what’s available on your desktop PC. If cost is not your primary concern, ignore HDMI and DisplayPort and go for a USB-C and Thunderbolt.
These are great alternatives due to their single cable solution for the latest computing devices. You can connect your laptop to the monitor, allowing both video transmission and charging laptops through the monitor.
The best USB-C displays go further by acting as a hub, providing additional ports for better connectivity, and managing audio, video and power through USB-A, USB-C, and Ethernet. Therefore, look for a monitor with the perfect selection of ports such as Thunderbolt, USB -C, DisplayPort, Power Delivery, etc.
Response Time
Response time indicates the “time duration” a display takes in-between action and display. A lower response time enables faster transitions between the pixels. Faster are better, though only gamers tend to care. However, you’ll need 5 ms for general office activities. For hardcore gaming and fast-paced applications, a PC monitor with 3ms is the best bet.
Adaptive Sync
Adaptive Sync technology is incorporated into modern monitors to synchronise the graphics refresh rates with the display refresh rates. AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync are the two common types of adaptive Sync.
Both work to deliver perfect frame rates while reducing screen tearing, hitches, and hesitations. Adaptive Sync is crucial for gaming and video editing but consider this feature when buying a business monitor.
Security and Privacy
In an age when data breaches and cyber threats are becoming more common, data protection and privacy protocols are also significant factors to consider in a monitor. Advanced monitors offer security safeguards to protect the display contents and the surrounding workspace.
Look for privacy filters which restrict the viewing angles for the praying eyes, ensuring that the information is only visible to you. Some monitors also wow with features like facial recognition technology, allowing users to log in via facial scans safely.
Value of Money
One final point is that businesses will look for ways to cut costs, making eco-friendly features that reduce energy consumption. That’s why you should prioritise high quality and durability to ensure longer lifecycles, reducing the need for frequent asset repairs or replacements. Delve into the tech industry and find a perfect balance of cost and functionality to get the long-term value that a monitor can provide to your workspace.
Conclusion
Monitors are fundamental tech devices regardless of which business task you use them. By carefully considering the screen size, panel type, resolution, refresh rate, response time, and other factors mentioned in this article, you can select a monitor that best fits your needs and budget.
Ready to empower your workspace with a monitor that showcases your dedication to every project?
Explore a wide range of cutting-edge monitors available at the Laptop Outlet. Whether you’re revamping your home office or your professional environment, there is a monitor for you that can make a difference!
