Best Monitor for Programmers in 2024

Many people might not think a computer monitor is one of the most essential components of computer programming. However, you will spend up to 10 hours daily at your computer programming. This means a computer monitor that performs well. This means it should have a good response time, a reasonable refresh rate, high resolution, a comfortable viewing angle, and adjustable features.

However, many computer monitors are on the market, and choosing the right one for your needs can be challenging. The thousands of options can make your head spin if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

Below, we have compiled a list of seven contenders for the best monitor for programmers.

We’ve tried to pay attention to the most essential features to provide the best options according to various features and price points. So let’s get to it.

Best Monitor for Programmers: Reviews

SAMSUNG Odyssey G3 24-Inch Gaming Monitor

This high-quality yet affordable computer monitor is ideal for gamers, computer programmers, and anyone else. In addition, it has impressive features considering the relatively low price.

Review

The Odyssey G3 24-Inch Gaming Monitor is large enough for most purposes. But, of course, if you need multiple screens, 24 inches small enough so you can fit two monitors side by side on a decent-sized desk. This is a vertical monitor with a slim metal base. It looks nice and is relatively stable. Moreover, the base and the rest of the monitor are of durable materials.

Moreover, this monitor can be easily adjusted for height, swivel, and tilt, so you can achieve the proper position for eye level.

For such an affordable computer monitor, it performs exceptionally well. It has a 178° viewing angle and a 16 to 9 aspect ratio.

In addition, this is a full high-definition computer monitor with 1920 by 1080 resolution. This means it is an extremely clear and crisp monitor, so you can easily see the finest details.

Moreover, it has a fast refresh rate of 144 Hertz and a one-millisecond response time. This helps prevent motion blur, lag, or choppiness.

Furthermore, it has an AMD FreeSync™ to synchronize the refresh rate of your graphics card and provide a faster response time. For its reasonable price, we think this is a great option.

Pros

• Good size
• Durable design
• High resolution
• Good refresh rate and response time
• Reasonable price
• Stable

Cons

Not the brightest monitor

GIGABYTE M32UC 32″ 144Hz (160Hz OC) 4K UHD Curved Gaming Monitor

This is a fantastic model if you want one of the highest quality and performing computer monitors. However, this computer monitor has a relatively high price, although we think that all its features make it worth the investment.

Review

This large monitor is designed for gaming, programming, and just about any computing function. Its 32-inch size means it is relatively large. Moreover, this curved computer monitor makes it easier to see the whole picture without turning your head from side to side; it provides a much better viewing angle. The curved design makes it much more comfortable to look at.

In addition, this is an ultra-high-definition monitor with a display of 3840 by 2160 pixels. This ultra-high definition 4K monitor allows you to easily see even the smallest details. Moreover, this monitor is extremely bright.

At the same time, it features 8-bit color with 93% DCI-P3 and 123% sRGB, with VESA display HDR 400 for great color, contrast, and clarity, making it one of the best displays on the list.

You might also appreciate that this monitor is flicker-free and is also Eyesafe® certified for low blue light, so it should not hurt your eyes no matter how long you use it.

Moreover, this monitor has a 144 Hertz refresh rate and a one-millisecond response time. This means that it functions very quickly, and doesn’t lag, smear, or motion blur. As a result, this is one of the fastest and clearest monitors you can find.

Although this display comes with a highly stable stand; it is also compatible with wall mounting. Moreover, this monitor has an HDMI, USB, and other tactical features. Although it’s more expensive due to its high-quality features, we think it is a worthwhile investment.

Pros

• Very fast
• High resolution
• Great color and overall quality
• Curved design for easy viewing
• Wall mount compatible
• Low blue light

Cons

Expensive

Dell C1422H 14″ Full HD LCD Monitor

This is an excellent option if you want a small, compact monitor for portability. It’s also not the cheapest monitor, but it has features you will come to appreciate.

Review

This small, portable monitor has a 14-inch screen, making it ideal for portability, as it’s easy to take. Moreover, it can function on battery power, so you don’t have to plug it in.

Furthermore, it has charge-through functionality, so you can use it plugged in. What’s also pretty cool is that it has a folding stand, so you can either hold it in your hands or set it up anywhere you want.

The monitor features a full HD video resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, so although it is small, it has excellent resolution, allowing you to see fine details.

Moreover, it has a 300 nit brightness level, which is quite clear and bright. Brightness allows you to easily see what’s going on at all times. Although it doesn’t have the best color contrast, it’s still good enough for most needs and can even be used for gaming.

There’s a 6-millisecond response time, which is not as fast as other units we reviewed.

However, considering the small size and reasonable price, it’s fast enough for most needs. It might not be fast enough for high-action gaming, but it should work well for programming and basic streaming. All in all, we do think it is a good deal.

Pros

• Good resolution
• Decent response rate for gaming
• Durable build
• Made for portability
• Has a battery

Cons

• May be too small for some purposes
• Not the best color

Dell UltraSharp U2720Q Monitor

This Dell UltraSharp U2720Q computer monitor has fast response times and refresh rates, excellent color contrast, high resolution, and more. However, this monitor is relatively expensive, but we think it is well worth the cost.

Review

This is a 27-inch computer monitor that should be large enough for your programming needs and work well for gaming. However, due to the design, you can easily fit two monitors side by side to double your viewing experience.

Moreover, this is a tilted computer monitor that slightly faces upwards so that you don’t have to bend your neck as much. In this sense, it is designed as an ergonomic computer monitor for comfort. At the same time, the tilt, height, and position are adjustable to keep you comfortable for the duration of use.

In addition, this computer monitor has a 4K ultra-high-definition IPS screen with a resolution of 3840 by 2160. This makes it one of the highest resolution computer monitors on our list; you should be able to easily see the finest details, essential for gaming and programming.

Not only does this computer monitor have excellent resolution, but it also has great color thanks to the IPS or in-plane switching technology that provides a 99% RGB color gamut. So essentially, the visuals are about as good as it gets.

However, one downside is that the response time is 8 milliseconds. Although 8 milliseconds is quick enough for gaming and programming, it’s not quite as fast as the other units that we have looked at.

But this computer monitor has other quality features such as a USB hub, LED backlighting, a security lock slot, and it’s Energy Star certified. In addition, it has a 350 NIT brightness level, which makes it one of the brightest monitors on our list.

Pros

• Fantastic resolution
• Great color quality and contrast
• Very bright
• Good size for most needs
• Wall mount capable
• Many awesome features

Cons

• Fairly high cost
• Response time is not the best in the world

HP VH240a 23.8-Inch Full HD 1080p IPS LED Monitor

This is another good option if you’re looking for a competitively priced, high-performance computer monitor with excellent features.

Review

Many people will appreciate that this monitor has a bezel-less design, which makes it look like it doesn’t have a frame. This looks great and is something that you could put in an office.

In terms of overall comfort, you can tilt it, change the angle, and adjust the height. This will allow you to achieve the best position for comfort, whether you are programming or gaming.

Moreover, you can rotate it and use it as a landscape monitor or turn it into a portrait view. Whether you need more height and less width, or vice versa, you can set this monitor up to accommodate space. Most other monitors do not have this capability. In addition, the stand is stable enough to keep this monitor upright and prevent it from wobbling, even when it is in portrait mode.

The screen has a 16 to 9 aspect ratio, with a 23.8-inch diagonal display. This may not be the largest monitor, but it should be big enough for programming, gaming, or any other function.

This is a high-resolution monitor with a pixel resolution of 1920 by 1080, which is quite clear. Although it might not be a full or ultra-high-definition computer monitor, it’s good enough for programming.

In addition, it has a 10 million: 1 dynamic contrast ratio, with 72% RGB coverage. The color display and contrast are not as good as other higher-quality models on our list, but they should be good enough for programming.

The monitor has a 178° viewing angle, which makes it very easy to see. Moreover, the brightness level is also fairly impressive.

It’s also worth mentioning that the monitor features a 5-millisecond response time; it’s not the fastest or the slowest unit on our list, but it should be fast enough for programming.

Pros

• Rotating display
• Easy to adjust
• Wide viewing angle
• High build quality
• Decent resolution and color for the price
• Decent response time for the price

Cons

Could have better resolution and response time

VIOTEK GNV34DBE2 34-Inch UWQHD 144Hz Multimedia Gaming Monitor

This ultra-high-performance computer monitor is designed for gaming but is also suitable for programming. Despite the high-quality features, it’s reasonably priced.

Review

You get an ultra-wide 34-inch gaming monitor, our list’s most prominent computer monitor. It features an aspect ratio of 21 to 9, which allows you to see more content at once. Considering the large size, it could potentially replace two smaller screens.

The computer screen has a curved display for a better view, allowing you to easily see all parts of the screen. This is a gaming feature, but it is also beneficial for programming because you can see long lines of code.

The tilt and height are adjustable to achieve the proper position for all-day comfort. Moreover, the stand is made with durable materials for stability, so the monitor will not wobble during use.

The blue light filter benefits your eyes because it helps prevent fatigue. This should allow you to game and program for hours without experiencing eye fatigue.

This ultra-high definition computer monitor has a 3440 by 1440P resolution, one of the best resolutions of all computer monitors on our list. As a result, you should easily be able to see even the smallest characters and finest details.

It offers vivid colors and excellent color contrast thanks to the 4000: 1 one contrast ratio. You can also fine-tune the display’s saturation, hue, and gamma levels. In addition, it comes with seven display presets, built-in speakers, and a noise-reduction feature.

Moreover, the monitor has a 1 millisecond response time and 144 Hertz refresh rate, so it is one of the fastest monitors on our list. It won’t suffer from lag, motion blur, or smearing. For the overall performance, we think it is one of the best options on our list.

Pros

• Reasonable cost considering the features
• Very high resolution
• Great colors
• Very fast refresh and response time
• Looks very nice
• Curved display and extra wide

Cons

Relatively expensive

Fiodio 22” Full HD Flat Computer Monitor

This option is excellent if you’re just looking for a reasonably priced, basic computer monitor with decent features.

Review

We’ll start by saying that this is not the best monitor in the world and probably not as good as any of the others we reviewed. However, this model costs around $100 and is by far the most cost-effective model we have. So if you are working on a budget, this is an excellent option.

This is a 22-inch computer monitor that should be enough for basic computing needs, although it might not be the best for gaming. This is a flat monitor, and due to its limited size, you could easily fit two of them side by side and still have enough space on your desk for other uses.

The high-definition computer screen has a 1920 by 1080 resolution. Considering the very low cost, that resolution is not too bad; you should easily be able to see most details, even the smallest characters in your lines of code.

There’s a 3000 to 1 contrast ratio with brilliant whites, deep blacks, and great colors. Although the colors and contrast might not be as good as other models in our review, the monitor should be suitable for basic use.

This computer monitor has a 75 Hertz refresh time. It’s not the best for gaming, but it should be suitable for basic coding and programming. We can say the same thing about the 12-millisecond response time, which is not overly fast, but should still be fine for programming.

Moreover, the 178° viewing angle lets you easily see what’s happening, no matter your position. You can adjust the tilt, angle, and height to achieve the best position for comfort. Although it’s certainly not the best, for the very low price, we think it is well worth it.

Pros

• Great price
• Space efficient
• Good performance considering the low price
• Adjustable position

Cons

Performance doesn’t compare to the other units on the list today

Buyer’s Guide

Before you shop for a computer monitor for programming, there are a few factors to keep in mind.

Size

One of the most important considerations is, of course, size. Needless to say, there are many sizes to choose from. The smallest model we reviewed was 14 inches, and the largest was 34 inches. They go or even larger.

So, consider your main purpose. For example, people usually do go for larger monitors for gaming. However, big monitors can also facilitate programming.

Do you want one large monitor or two smaller ones side by side? Generally, the larger monitor is, the easier everything will be to see.

Stand and Flexibility

Next, consider the stand your monitor comes with. Does your monitor have a stand? Is it mountable to a wall, or could you even attach it to a separate mount? The important thing is how flexible the computer stand is in terms of adjustability.

Your computer monitor should be adjustable in height, tilt, and angle. An ergonomic computer monitor that keeps you comfortable and in the proper position is essential for long-term comfort.

Screen Orientation

Generally, most people want a landscape computer monitor, as movies and gaming are designed for that view. In addition, a landscape-oriented computer monitor will work fine for programming, although some prefer to use portrait orientation.

Sometimes coding and programming involve many long lines of code that extend many pages down the screen. Therefore, portrait orientation will allow you to see more at once, and some find this more convenient.

Response Times and Refresh Rates

Response times and refresh rates may be important to you. As you can see from our reviews, response times run from 1 millisecond to 12 milliseconds, or even slower if you get a low-quality model.

Moreover, a refresh rate of 144 Hertz is ideal, especially for gaming, although 75 Hertz will do fine for programming. The faster the response time and the refresh rate, the clearer your picture will be in terms of motion. In addition, higher refresh rates and response times will allow for minimal lag, choppiness, motion blur, and smearing; it’s all about having fluid visuals.

Screen Resolution

Overall, screen resolution may not be the most crucial for programming and coding, but you still want to consider this feature on the computer monitor you are considering. The higher the screen resolution, the clearer the pixels will be and the more pixels you will have.

The higher your screen resolution is, the better the image quality will be. Our reviews show that some options are high-definition monitors, some are full high-definition, and some are ultra-high definition.

FAQ

Are Curved Monitors Good For Coding?

We’ll say that this depends on personal preferences. However, the benefits of using a curved monitor are that you can see more at once and don’t have to turn your head as much to see things on the left and right sides of the screen. So a curved monitor would be beneficial if you write long lines of code. Moreover, if you have two curved monitors with the same curve angle, you can put them beside each other.

Are Vertical Monitors Good For Programming?

Yes, vertical monitors are generally suitable for programming. However, not everyone likes them. They feature a portrait orientation that lets you simultaneously see many lines of code in the vertical plane. However, this comes down to personal preference more than anything else.

Do You Need a 4K Monitor For Programming?

Although a 4K monitor is great for gaming and visuals, it is questionable whether it is necessary for programming. If you are programming, you are writing lines of code that don’t include stunning visuals. A 4K monitor will allow you to see all the characters with optimal clarity, although it might not be necessary, especially if you are working on a budget.

Are Gaming Monitors Good For Programming?

Yes, gaming monitors are good for programming. Gaming monitors have some of the best features and specifications because gaming has some of the highest requirements, meaning they must be the best. So if they’re good enough for gaming, they’re excellent for programming.

What is the Best Size Monitor For Programming?

If you do a lot of programming, we recommend a 32-inch monitor. Generally, the bigger, the better.

Final Thoughts

We think the best monitor for programmers is the GIGABYTE M32UC 32″ 144Hz (160Hz OC) 4K UHD Curved Gaming Monitor. It may be one of the most expensive computer monitors, but its features and overall performance simply outclass anything else we reviewed.

Its refresh rate, response time, resolution, and color quality are all out of this world, not to mention the many other great features. So although it might be expensive, we think it is well worth the investment.

However, suppose you don’t have much money to spend on a computer monitor and want something basic and cost-effective. In that case, we recommend checking out the Fiodio 22” Full HD Flat Computer Monitor. Of course, it’s not the best computer monitor, but it is suitable for programming, and it’s reasonably priced.