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As you might have guessed, a built-in webcam is the highlight of this particular monitor. But we’re also fond of the stand, which has all four crucial adjustment options (including 150mm of height adjustment); the panel, which scored highly in practically every single one of our tests; and the port selection, which includes the highly desirable USB-C alongside a USB-A hub, HDMI and DP. Out of the box, the XB253QGX delivered excellent colour accuracy and pleasingly high brightness (higher than 400 nits) and contrast ratio (around 1,200:1). The latter results help the XB253QGX produce halfway decent HDR – a DisplayHDR 400 certification is hardly going to blow your mind but at the very least, this monitor earns it with no compromises.
Vertical alignment panels (VA, AVA and MVA) generally have narrow viewing angles and very high contrast levels, although they don’t always have the greatest colour accuracy. The resolution and size of the BenQ GW2785TC are fine for an entry-level productivity monitor, with the 82 PPI density is enough to complete image-oriented tasks and watch unpixellated video. The 250 nit typical brightness is pretty good in the brighter modes and combines with a 1000:1 contrast ratio and almost full sRGB colour gamut – so it’s got everything you need to be a decent computer screen. READ NEXT: The best 4K monitors to buy The best budget monitors you can buy in 2023 1. Acer K273: The best budget monitor The panel is accurate and colourful, producing 95.6% of the sRGB colour gamut with a Delta E small enough to make any inaccuracies very hard to spot. You won’t struggle with a dim, washed-out picture, either: the GW2785TC reached a peak luminance of 272cd/m² with a contrast ratio of 1,165:1. We could go on, but the point is a simple one: Everything about this monitor is made all the more remarkable by its ridiculously good price.
Whether you’re upgrading your home office or building a gaming rig, these are the best 1080p monitors to complete your setup
Adjustability: To maintain good posture, a monitor mounted on a height-adjustable stand is important. Ideally, you want the big four: swivel, tilt, pivot and height adjustment. These things become less common in the 1080p monitor market since these monitors tend to be cheaper, but unless you’re happy to put your display on books or magazines, an adjustable stand is a real boon. You can say the same about the speakers: they're a simple and adequate solution for occasional audio needs, but you'll want to use headphones or dedicated speakers for anything more than casual use. In this article, we’ll explain what the pros and cons of 1080p monitors are, and suggest some of our favourite models to suit every user. If you just want to start shopping, feel free to jump straight to our favourite products below. Otherwise, read on, and our brief buying guide will help to point you in the right direction. Best 1080p monitor: At a glance
Finally, IPS/PLS screens generally have the best colour accuracy and viewing angles, but are also the most expensive, although the price gap between IPS/PLS, VA and TN has narrowed in recent years.Panel performance is merely okay, but viewing angles are good thanks to IPS screen technology and a peak luminance of around 275cd/m² is more than acceptable for all but the sunniest outdoor environments. Anecdotally, the display looks plenty crisp enough for daily use, and the high pixel density produced by the combination of a 1080p, 24in display keeps things from looking rough-edged. You might hope for a more adjustable stand, but the monitor is at least small and light enough to be propped on just about anything and it won’t get in the way when not in use. It’s then simply a case of using the monitor daily (for work and play) for at least a week. We stress-test the build quality and assess the port situation and the versatility of the stand. In addition, we compare the monitor to others in its price range to determine whether it represents decent value. Panel aside, the 243B9H is a great little monitor. The stand offers pivot, swivel and tilt plus an impressive 150mm of height adjustment, but if that’s not enough the monitor is VESA mount compatible too. We were also immensely pleased to see a USB-C port that supports video and file transmission adorning the rear of the monitor alongside the HDMI 2.0 and DP 1.4 ports and three-port USB hub. And then there’s the Windows Hello-compatible 2MP webcam that retracts into the body of the monitor when not in use; it’s nothing special, but it’s great for Zoom calls. If you do want USB-C connectivity at this size, we haven't seen anything available for much cheaper than the BenQ GW2785TC.
It doesn’t matter what you’re into, either – there’s a Full HD monitor out there for every person, be they gamer, home worker or everyday PC tinkerer. Whether you’re after a cheap monitor for working from home, a monitor with an ultra-high refresh rate for competitive gaming, or something in between the two, there’s a display that will fit the bill. In our tests, the AG254FG performed well, delivering great sRGB colour gamut coverage and the aforementioned peak brightness along with strong viewing angles and a decent contrast ratio. It’s even colour-accurate to sRGB (with an average Delta E of 0.98), which while surplus to requirements definitely earns this monitor a few extra points. It’s the panel that earns the Q27V4EA its place here, however. The monitor produced 88.7% of the sRGB colour gamut in default mode with little colour variance, a contrast ratio of 850:1 and peak luminance of 250cd/m². These figures are good for a budget monitor, and they mean that colours look natural and content appears bright, even in well-lit environments. With a response time of 4ms G2G, a refresh rate of 75Hz and AMD FreeSync support, moreover, casual gamers will find that the Q27V4EA is great for a couple of rounds of Apex Legends after work. Display inputs: Most have an HDMI input, while others still rely on VGA (D-Sub) and DVI-D inputs. You might even find DisplayPort takes centre stage on the pricier models.
Our monitor testing process involves a combination of real-world examination and in-depth panel performance tests. Once the monitor is set up, we can immediately assess things such as build quality, stand adjustability and the number/type of ports, comparing these things against other similar monitors to help inform our judgement. If you want something similarly well-specced but a bit smaller, we recommend BenQ’s 24in GW2485TC. It’s identical in every way apart from the screen size and the price tag, which is a tiny bit less.
The monitor’s color accuracy isn’t top-notch. This is a trait I’ve observed with many BenQ monitors as of late, and something I think the company should look into. On the other hand, this level of color accuracy is more than enough for the kind of day-to-day office productivity this monitor targets. Images appear correct and lifelike. Console gamers who haven’t made the jump to PS5 or Xbox Series X (or even PS4 Pro or Xbox One X) might also want to consider a 1080p monitor, if they intend to game at a desk. It’s a good, cheap alternative to a TV. Built-in extras:Some budget monitors have built-in USB hubs and speakers. The former are genuinely useful, but bear in mind that the latter are almost always terrible. Most are easily bettered by a cheap pair of dedicated PC speakers. If you must have HDR, look out for a DisplayHDR certification (DisplayHDR 400, 600, 800 or 1,000, where higher is better) and ideally local dimming support. Again, these things will be very uncommon on 1080p monitors. There are three main types of LCD screens, with each having its own characteristics. Twisted Nematic (TN) are the cheapest type of panel technology. This sacrifices some colour accuracy and contrast, but has the benefit of being very cheap – and it’s also more responsive for gamers.
The best 1080p monitors you can buy in 2023
The USB-C connection that allows you to charge a plugged in laptop is really what makes this monitor more expensive than entry-level displays. And for anyone who thinks they'd use it the integrated noise-cancelling microphone and speaker setup for web calls, it's a unique perk that adds even more value to the monitor. The panel performed well on test, producing vibrant and accurate colours particularly in sRGB mode. It’s reasonably bright and punchy, with a tested peak brightness of 272cd/m² and a contrast of 1,165:1. To assess a monitor’s panel, we run a series of tests that cover things such a colour accuracy, gamut coverage, peak brightness/contrast and motion handling. Motion handling tests can be done using a web application – we use BlurBusters’ suite of monitor testing tools – but for the rest, we use a colorimeter and professional display calibration and characterisation software. We use an X-Rite i1Display Studio colorimeter and DisplayCal software to generate our results. The stand provides all four major adjustment options – including 130mm of height adjustment and 45 degrees of left/right swivel – while the rear of the panel houses a lovely selection of ports. You’ve got one HDMI port and two DP ports, one of which is a downstream port capable of transmitting a video signal to a connected device (ie. another monitor). That means you could buy two GW2785TCs, string them together and connect the whole lot to your laptop. This monitor has USB-C, too, so you can charge your laptop while it’s connected.
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