Best Monitor for Graphic Design: The Ultimate Guide


As a graphic design professional, you’ll do your work on a computer, and your monitor plays a vital role in developing quality work. You need a monitor with high resolution, extreme performance, and the latest connectivity options. There are numerous monitor choices on the market, but if you don't know how to choose the best one, your designs will not be good quality. Here are a few tips to help you choose the best monitor for graphic design.

Why a good monitor is important

Having the wrong monitor can be risky for your work because it will portray the wrong colors on-screen. It's, therefore, vital to buy a high-resolution graphic design monitor to ensure that your work stands out. Investing in a good monitor is crucial for your graphic design career.

How to choose the best monitor

Resolution

When it comes to pixel resolution, more is always better. It's especially the case when you want highly detailed work. The ultra-high definition (UHD) monitors provide the highest resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. The Wide-Quad HD (WQHD) has 2,560 by 1,440 pixels. The typical full HD has 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. Even though high-resolution monitors are costly compared to full HD monitors, they are worth it in the long run.

Screen size

The size of the monitor also matters when you work with ultra-high resolution images. However, you can only go for the screen size that your workspace will allow. If you want to minimize the space but still enjoy viewing several projects, then the 29-inch WQHD monitor is ideal since it is ultra-wide. You should, however, not sacrifice the display performance just for a bigger screen. If you are on a budget, you should opt for a lower-sized monitor.

Panels

You may not know it, but the panel determines how good your graphic design monitor is. When working on your graphic designs, you should focus on color accuracy. Always look for a monitor with an advanced high-performance in-plane switching panel. Some of the common panel types in the market are as follows:

  • Twisted Nematic (TN) panels - they are cheap and most available. The panels have the fastest response time. However, you should always look for the color and viewing angles.
  • Vertical alignment (VA) panels - they are more costly than TN panels. They also have better features than the TN panels.
  • In-Plane Switching (IPS) monitors - they are the best in performance. However, the price is slightly higher compared to VA panels. IPS monitors offer you excellent viewing angles.
  • Super IPS panels - the panel provides faster response time and better color rendition. It is also affordable.

Price

The cost is important before making any purchase decision. High-end monitors are not cheap. So, you should expect to spend about $800 to $1,200 for a 27-inch WQHD display monitor, $3,000 for a 32 inch UHD monitor, and above $500 for a 24-inch model. If you want the best deal, you should shop around and compare prices. However, don't go for poor-quality monitors just to save on costs.

Gray-scale and color accuracy

Your monitor should be able to display accurate colors both on the screen and in print. Therefore, you need a monitor with excellent color accuracy. Go for a monitor with high-end technology like Advanced High-Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS). The monitor you buy should have a 10- or 14-bit look-up table (LUT). With such a monitor, you can perform frequent calibrations. Your monitor should cover 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space. You can buy a monitor that comes with a software calibration tool or you can buy third-party calibrations.

I/O connections

Your display monitor needs a DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI, and dual-link DVI ports. If you want to connect to multiple monitors, then look for a model with DisplayPort 1.2 or Thunderbolt-in and out ports. If you buy a UHD monitor, ensure it has a DisplayPort 1.2 or two HDMI ports and supports Multi-Stream transfer. By doing so, you'll get maximum resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing the best monitor for graphic design, there are numerous things you have to consider. The above tips will help you choose the appropriate monitor for your graphic design needs.


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