How to choose your next display

First, the good news: most modern PC monitors are rather decent. Their minimum brightness, contrast, and colour accuracy have improved significantly over the past decade. It’s a great time to upgrade even if you stick to budget monitors.

If you want a quick recommendation: go for a 24in monitor with 1080p resolution or a 27in monitor with 1440p resolution. An IPS panel is preferable, though VA is also good. Gamers can spend a little more to snag either option with a 144Hz refresh rate, which offers a smoother and more responsive experience. Not sure that’s right for you, or want to know more about the tech? Here’s the lay of the land.

MONITOR TYPES: TN, IPS, VA AND OLED PANELS

The technology behind monitors is complex but well understood. There’s just a handful of major ‘monitor types’ available, each defined by the LCD panel technology used. Nearly all monitors available today fall into these groups.

Monitor manufacturers will list panel type in a monitor’s specifications, but you may have to dig a bit to find it. Take the extra time to find out.