Are you a programmer dealing with eye irritation and headaches? Chances are that you do not have the right monitor for your profession, which is causing this frustration. Programmers need to sit for hours in front of a screen, even days if they are immensely passionate about what they do.
Such long screen hours can affect your optic health significantly. This is the reason for choosing the best monitor for programming is essential. Those monitors engineered specifically for programmers have large screen sizes with unique eye care technologies.
You might have noticed it, but the gaming monitors also focus on these details. The reason being that gamers also spend a lot of time in front of screens, just like the programmers. Therefore a monitor aimed at gamers would also work great for web developers.
You should look for these things before investing in a monitor. This buying guide walks you through all of them before taking you to our list of the best programming monitors.
Top 8 Best Monitors For Programming – Our Top Picks
No. | Products | Size | Rating | Price |
1 | LG 34WK650-W | 34 Inch | ||
2 | Dell Ultrasharp U2415 | 24 Inch | ||
3 | HP VH240a Monitor Editor's Choice | 23.8 Inch | ||
4 | ASUS ProArt PA278QV | 27 Inch | ||
5 | BenQ PD3200U UHD Monitor | 32 Inch | ||
6 | Samsung CHG90 | 49 Inch | ||
7 | Dell P2419H IPS Monitor | 24 Inch | ||
8 | BenQ PD2720U | 27 Inch |
Editor’s recommendation
Among all the best programming monitors listed, there is one that ticks all the boxes while being affordable. HP VH240a IPS LED Monitor has the perfect screen size of 24 inches and a resolution of 1080p. Not only this, but the display quality is sharp and crisp, just like any other high-end monitor.
It has an adjustable frame, with a sleek and stylish design complimenting your place. The bezel is tiny, making it almost negligible. Hence, it would work great in a multiple set up. Apart from the weak speakers, this monitor is a steal.
1. LG 34WK650-W UltraWide IPS Monitor
While programming, you may face the need for multiple screens at the same time. Usually, people use a multiple monitor setup for this. With LG 34WK650-W UltraWide IPS Monitor, you do not have to invest in multiple setups. The extra-large, ultra-widescreen of this monitor provides you ample viewing field.
It has a 21:9 screen aspect with full HD resolution. This gives you a 33% more viewing angle with the exceptional quality of a full HD display. This monitor aim towards increased productivity. Therefore it has some excellent productive features. The screen split and picture in picture features are a few to name.
You can view different tabs at the same time by using the on-screen menu. LG 34WK650-W is HDR compatible, which means that you get better and more vibrant visuals. The sRGB colour spectrum also brightens the text and picture result.
It has a flicker-free mode, which minimizes eye strain, providing a comfortable experience. The AMD freesync feature attracts gamers towards itself. This is one of the best monitors for programmers, with all its high-end features and specs.
2. Dell Computer Ultrasharp U2415 Monitor
Next on our list of the best programming monitors is Dell Ultrasharp U2415. It has all the features a web designer would want, all at an affordable price point. This IPS monitor provides accurate and rich graphics, perfect for professionals.
It has perfect screen proportions, with a 24-inch thin-bezel screen and 16:10 screen aspect. The screen resolution of 1920×1200 provides decent picture quality. The aspect ratio lets you view more screen vertically, helping display more codes. The 6 ms response time works great for office work and light gaming.
The thin, frameless outlook is enough reason to get it for your small apartment. The additional adjustability increases its worth. You can tilt, swivel, and even adjust its height to suit yourself. The built-in cable management gives a neat place to work in. it also has various connectivity options through the HDMI, display port, mini display port, and a USB port.
It works exceptionally well for a multi-monitor set up due to its frameless structure. All in all, this a productive monitor for people in programming.
3. HP VH240a IPS LED Monitor
The more functions you look for, the higher the price goes. If you want a primary monitor for programming that gives good results without costing you an arm and a leg, the HP VH240a IPS LED Monitor would be an ideal fit and fills the void of the third place on our list of the best monitors for programming. The speakers provide an average sound, and it only has an HDMI and a VGA port. Apart from these, this is a great monitor with all the functions you would need for programming.
This 24 inches full HD monitor has an IPS panel, providing supreme colour grading and visuals. It has a thin, minimalistic design that can perform all your tasks efficiently. The tilt, swivel, and adjustable height features let you set it up as per your liking.
It is an inexpensive option; therefore, a lot of multi-monitor setups make use of it. What could be better if you can get all the essential specs at a low price? The speakers and ports are of no great use for a programmer anyways. The 5 ms response time gives a smooth user experience.
It is easy to set up and get working, which is another plus point. With these tech devices, a significant problem is understanding how to operate them. With VH240a, you can conveniently get it working in no time.
4. ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV
Another great edition in the best monitor for programming is ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV. It is not only affordable but has some outstanding features. The 27 inches screen has a 1440p resolution, which gives excellent graphics. It has a colour gamut of 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 adding to the colour accuracy. The ultra-slim frame makes it eligible for a multi-monitor set-up. With such specs, no wonder that it is also among the top choices as the best monitors for web design.
The IPS display panel provides wide viewing angles, perfect for when you are working or gaming. You can share screens and open multiple tabs at the same time, saving yourself space. The screen size is large enough for comfortable work hours. It also has a refresh rate of 75 Hz, which gives you a smooth interface. You can surf the web or use it for light gaming.
Some additional features for gaming include black-frame insertion and adaptive sync support. This reduces tearing and stuttering, ensuring a smooth user experience. You can find USB ports for flexible connectivity, but it does not have HDR. You cannot expect an HDR at this price, but the rest of the features make up for it.
5. BenQ Monitor IPS Panel PD3200U
BenQ Monitor IPS Panel PD3200U is one of the best programming monitors. Not only does it give you a 34-inch screen to work on, but it also offers a 4K screen resolution. The size and resolution are enough reasons to get this beauty for yourself. For programmers, this appears more appealing as it makes the coding more enjoyable with supreme onscreen results.
This monitor is ideal for people whose professional work involves graphics and visuals. Furthermore, gaming enthusiasts also resonate with a wide range of specs it has. The colour range consists of Adobe RGB, sRGB, and Rec. 709, ensuring that you get the best output. The dual-view feature lets you work in different modes like animation, CAD/CAM, etc., at the same time.
It has adjustable features to increase your comfort while working. You can practically tilt, swivel or adjust the height to increase your efficiency. The keyboard video mouse switch allows you to share files and documents from different sources on one screen.
BenQ is famous for its eye care technology. Their monitors are focused explicitly on minimizing eye fatigue for their users. The low blue light, anti-flicker, and self-adjusting brightness work towards proving comfort and ease to you.
6. Samsung CHG90 Curved Monitor
This monitor is a little expensive, but one of the best monitor for programmers. The 49-inch curved edged screen provides an immersive viewing experience. The 144 Hz refresh rate combines with the sleek design and massive size to give you a high-end monitor for professional work.
The aspect ratio of 32:9 and 1800 curvature is an ideal pair for gamers. However, given the large size, you must have an open space to set it up. You can get yourself another monitor to go with it in multiple monitor setup. But given that its size is 49 inches, you can easily carry all your tasks on this one.
The 1 ms response time gives you a smooth work experience without any lag or tearing. It uses Quantum Dot Technology to provide sharp and crisp colour grading. It supports free sync technology, which gives a fantastic HDR gaming experience. Overall this is an outstanding, productive monitor.
7. Dell P2419H IPS Monitor
Dell P2419H IPS Monitor is a simple monitor loaded with all the features you would need for programming. It is manufactured with small desk spaces in mind; hence you see a thin, compact 24-inch screen with a minute base. It constitutes a wide viewing angle, with its inbuilt IPS display. The in-plane switching gives a rich, vibrant colour display.
It has an ultra-slim bezel design, which makes it a good fit for multiple setups. With this, you get a broad, uninterrupted display of as many monitors as you want. P2419H has full HD 1080p resolution, which gives decent picture quality. The 60 Hz refresh rate and 8 ms response time also work great for programming and coding.
The auto-restore feature maximizes productivity by remembering where you left. It is designed with cable management characteristic which keeps your workspace clutter-free from dangling wires. The flicker-free technology significantly reduces eye strain, helping you work long hours in front of the screen.
8. BenQ PD2720u IPS Monitor
If you had been saving up for the best monitor for programming, and money is not an issue for you, then this monitor would be an ideal fit. This 27-inch screen has a 4K resolution with wide viewing angles resulting in exemplary picture quality. It makes use of the AQ colour technology, which can display about one billion on-screen hues.
You can practically sit for the whole day in front of this monitor and still work comfortably, thanks to BenQ eye care technology. The blue light filter and anti-flicker features reduce eye fatigue. It has two USB-C ports, HDMI, and display ports through which you can daisy chain multiple 4K monitors for an immersive experience. The data, video, and audio transfer is also convenient due to the USB-C ports.
The professional specs include dual view and HDR support. It has a keyboard video mouse switch, which helps display files from two different sources on one screen. The default speakers are sufficient for programming purposes. For gaming and other stuff, you might have to get a better speaker.
Buying Guide For The Best Monitor For Programming
Screen Size
Screen size does not have any effect on your programming, but it makes the whole process easier. If you have a compact space, a smaller screen will suit you better. A larger screen can be used for multi-purposes like gaming and surfing the web.
Getting a large screen monitor also puts less strain on your eyes by increasing the size of the texts and the codes. The quality also plays a major role in the result. If you want good quality graphics and text displayed, you should get a fair resolution monitor according to your monitor size. The larger your screen, the greater resolution it would need.
Resolution
Resolution determines how crisp and sharp your content will look on the screen. Greater resolution means the quality would be top-notch. While 1080p resolution gives a good result, a 4K resolution gives an outstanding experience. Of course, the prices vary with it too.
When you are buying a monitor, with your key focus on programming, a 4K monitor would be the ideal fit. If your budget does not allow you 4K, then 1080p resolution would work well, but you should not go lower than that. Increasing your resolution also means that you will have to get a graphic card compatible with it. Otherwise, the resolution is of no use.
Refresh Rate
Response time is the duration it takes to display the content, while the refresh rate is the time it takes to update the information. Ideally, your monitor should have a high refresh rate and low response time. When you are programming, you are inputting information at a very high rate. Therefore, it greatly helps if your system works at the same speed or higher.
You should keep this general rule of thumb in mind. A refresh rate of 60 Hz and a response time of 5 ms is an average speed to have. Anything below it may cause noticeable lags in your work.
Paneling
There are three types of display panels among monitors. Your LCD can either be IPS (in-plane switching) type, TN (twisted nematic) type, or VA (virtual alignment) type. Most of the gaming monitors are TN due to their excellent refresh rate and response time. VA panels have better visuals than TN. An IPS panel outweighs both the former ones with its outstanding color grading.
IPS panels are the best among all, but they are also more expensive. The best monitor for web design would undoubtedly be an IPS panel. If you can not spend a lot at the moment, then go for a VA panel. TN panels are not recommended for programing because their viewing angle and colour accuracy do not match the requirements.
Eye Care Technology
It is not surprising to see monitors with eye care technologies being manufactured. What is remarkable is the fact that they work great in this regard. The top eye care technologies are anti-flicker and low blue light. These work excellent in reducing eye strain, inturn maximizing productivity. All best monitor for programmers uses eye care technologies.
Blue light is harmful to eyes and one of the major reasons for headache and watery eyes. Monitors with eye care technologies are recommended for programmers, gamers, and everyone with increased screen usage. It reduces discomfort, ensuring long comfortable work hours.
Conclusion
For a quality user experience, a good monitor is equally important as hardware. When we talk about the best monitor for programming, we mean a monitor with all the essential features needed for long coding hours. Having a device that can handle the load makes your job easier and more enjoyable.