Our Top 5 Product name
✅ Great resolution and refresh rate
✅ VESA wall mount ready
✅ Decent Ports Selection
✅ FHD IPS Display with 250 nits of brightness
✅ 75Hz Refresh Rate with 4ms response time
✅ VESA Wall Mount Compatible
❌ Limited Port Selection
❌ More expensive thatn the 24 mh
❌Cost doesn’t justify buying instead of 24 h
❌: 60Hz Refresh Rate
❌No Adjustability Options
❌No built in speakers
Comparing the best products
Sceptre 24” Professional LED Monitor Review
Introduction to the Sceptre 24” Professional LED Monitor
High-end monitors and their latest features and gimmicks are certainly exciting to see. After all, these kinds of monitors always seem to be at the bleeding edge of the advancement in technology.
But let’s be honest here, the target market for such high-end monitors is quite small. Because only a handful people in this world have thousands of dollars laying around that allow them to buy such monitors.
For most of us, a monitor that can do its job properly while still packing some necessary features, and has a friendly price tag is all we need. And that is pretty much where a brand like Sceptre stands within the monitor industry. They are the go-to brand if you want the best value monitors that offer a nice balance between price and features. And their latest 24” Professional Monitor is the proof of this statement.
Hands on review of the Sceptre 24” Professional LED Monitor
Let’s begin this review by talking about the appearance first. Like most modern monitors, Sceptre 24” Professional Monitor has an ultra thin bezel for maximum viewing experience. It comes with a sleek and compact stand that is easy to install, and it is also VESA wall mounted ready. So no matter what your preference is when it comes to monitor placement, you can have it all with Sceptre Professional. And since this monitor is thin and light, it means you won’t have to use any muscle whenever you want to move this monitor around.
Now that we talk about how it looks, let’s move on to what this monitor has to offer. First and foremost, the resolution of this monitor is the all-familiar 1920 x 1080, with a refresh rate of 75Hz. Unless you are a professional gamer or graphic designer/video editor, then this configuration should be sufficient for your everyday needs. Other than that, whether you want to do some gaming or any other activities that may require HDMI ports, you can rest assured because this monitor is equipped with 2 HDMI ports.
For the audio side of things, Sceptre Professional comes with a built-in speaker. The sound quality is also quite good for its price. The sound emitted by these speakers is also quite clear and smooth, which is perfect for regular gaming and media consumption. And the fact that the speaker is at the back means you won’t be bombarded by the loud sounds. If that’s still not enough, there is also the usual Audio in/out port at the back of the monitor.
As for the performance of the monitor itself, the quality is stellar, especially when we consider the affordable price tag. Sceptre Professional has anti flicker capability that can make the image on the screen look crisper. It also has Adaptive Sync On, a feature that can close the gap between the graphic’s card and the 75Hz refresh rate that we’ve talked about before, which resulted in a high quality image. And for those of you who worry about the Blue Light, then rest assured because this monitor has the Blue Light Shift feature that can reduce the negative impact of the blue light to your eyes.
To be honest, there are a lot of monitors out there that have way better features than this one from Sceptre. Likewise, there are also tons of monitors that you can buy with lower price tags than this one. However, if you want the best combination of both worlds, which is great features and affordable price, then you won’t go wrong with Sceptre Professional Monitors.
2. Acer SB220Q bi 21.5” FHD IPS Monitor Review
Intro to the Acer SB220Q bi 21.5” FHD IPS Monitor
Acer is an incredibly well-known brand when it comes to monitors and all things related to computers. You could even say that they are one of the leading brands in this industry. The reason is simply because they create high-quality products. From laptops to storage devices, you know you buy reliable products when you purchase something from Acer.
What’s more, Acer offers their products in all kinds of ranges so that people from all walks of life can use their products. Needless to say, that also includes monitors. You can find monitors that cost thousands of dollars from Acer, especially in their Predator line, and you can also find much more affordable options from them. And when it comes to a Reasonably-priced monitors from Acer, the 21.5” SB220Q is definitely one of their best ones.
Acer SB220Q bi 21.5” FHD IPS Monitor Review
For its price, Acer SB220Q offers quite a lot of good things that would satisfy your viewing needs. But let’s start with its appearance first. With the thickness of only 0.24 inches, this is one of the thinnest monitors you can find in the market right now. And with equally ultra thin bezels, watching movies from Acer SB220Q would look as if you’re watching on a piece of paper. Needless to say, it is extremely lightweight as well.
What’s even better is the fact that the inside of this monitor is just as impressive as the outside. With Acer SB220Q, you get a 21.5” Full HD widescreen IPS display with a native 1920 x 1080 resolution. And with 75Hz refresh rate and 250 nit of brightness, along with 4ms response time, you can be sure that you would get a satisfying viewing and gaming experience with this monitor. That being said, if you are a professional gamer or somebody who works as a graphic designer or video editor, then you would need to look for a much pricier monitor. Because it’s hard to find something that would satisfy your needs at this price tag.
The viewing angle of this monitor is also great. It has a tilt angle from 5 degrees to 15 degrees. And with that, you’ll have a horizontal and vertical viewing angle of 178 degree. That is quite a remarkable viewing angle for monitors in this price bracket. Other than that, this monitor also has AMD Radeon FreeSync feature to prevent stuttering and tearing. This is especially important for graphic-intensive activities.
That being said, the Acer SB220Q is not a perfect monitor, because it does have its limitations. The most noticeable one is its limited port selections. You only get 1 HDMI and 1 VGA port with this monitor. It should be sufficient for most users, but it would be nice if there are more ports available. Another notable thing worth mentioning is its lack of compatibility for VESA Mount. So if you plan to hang this monitor on your wall, well, unfortunately you won’t be able to do that. These are the two main compromises that Acer needs to make in order to put those aforementioned great features in a monitor at this price range.
3. HP 24mh 23.8” FHD IPS Monitor Review
Intro to the HP 24mh 23.8” FHD IPS Monitor
Similar to Acer, HP is also another powerhouse when it comes to computer related products. The company has been around since 1947, and it continues to make good products throughout the years. Sure, it does have its ups and downs, but for the most part, you can be sure that you get a quality product when you buy from HP.
The same thing holds true for HP monitors. Because although they are mostly known for their high-end laptops, their monitors are actually really good, especially their mid-range ones. And among all of their offerings, HP 24mh Monitor is definitely one of their best one yet.
HP 24mh 23.8” FHD IPS Monitor Review
Just like with the previous reviews, let’s start this one with the appearance first. HP 24mh is a thin and lightweight monitor with a sleek and modern design. And although there’s quite a sizable bezel at the bottom of the screen, all of the other sides of the screen use ultra thin bezels. So you’ll be sure to have quite a pleasant viewing experience with this monitor.
The 23.8” size is also quite appropriate for most users’ needs. It’s not too small nor is it too big for your working or gaming needs. It supports a 1920 x 1080 native resolution, with 75Hz refresh rate. This configuration should be sufficient for most users. Needless to say, the screen is Full HD that uses IPS technology. This means whether you play games, working, or watching movies, this monitor will showcase clear and sharp images with brilliant and vibrant colors.
HP 24mh has a tiltable screen that can be adjusted up to 5 degree forward, or 23 degree backward. As for the viewing angle, it supports an ultra-wide 178 degree angle for both vertical and horizontal. For a maximum comfort, you can also adjust the height of the monitor through its stand. It has a 100mm range of travel, so you should be able to adjust it to your preferred height. If you need more than that, you can simply hang this monitor on your wall, because HP 24mh supports Vesa Mounting.
For some additional features, HP 24mh also has built-in speakers at the back of the monitor. The sound quality may not be the same as a dedicated speaker at this price range, but it’s not that bad either. It also has a feature called Low Blue Light that would help lessen the strain in your eyes after a prolonged use. Last but not least is the ports. HP 24mh has a display port, HDMI, VGA, and 3.5 mm Audio jack. It might not be the best selection of ports in the world, but that should be enough for your basic needs.
4. HP M27ha 27” FHD IPS Monitor review
Introduction to the HP M27ha 27” FHD IPS Monitor
We have another HP monitor in the list. See, we’ve told you HP makes great monitors. As a matter of fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say that their line of monitors is actually way more popular than their laptops. Don’t get me wrong, their laptops and notebooks are amazing, but you rarely find them being mentioned on any best-of list.
HP monitors, on the other hand, are a staple in every best-of lists. You can go to any brick and mortar computer stores or any computer-related online forums and ask for a recommendation for a good monitor, and you can be sure that HP will be mentioned there.
That being said, why do we put 2 HP monitors in this list? And why does this one earn a lower rank than the previous one?
HP M27ha 27” FHD IPS Monitor Review
Before we get further into the review, let’s answer those questions first. The reason why HP M27ha monitor managed to be on this list despite HP already having another monitor in the same list is simply because this is currently the best monitor at this particular price range. On the same note, price is also one of the main reasons why this monitor ended up ranking 4th on our list. Because although it is a very good monitor, HP M27ha is more expensive than HP 24mh.
When it comes to the overall specifications, however, HP M27ha offers lots of similar configuration as the cheaper HP 24mh. It is a thin and light Full HD monitor with IPS panels and 1920 x 1080 resolution. This monitor has a 60Hz refresh rate, and while that should be enough for your average usage, it is still lower than the previous HP monitor in this list that is equipped with 75Hz refresh rate.
Other similar features are the Low Blue Light feature for lessening the impact of blue light on your eyes, and the built-in speaker. That being said, the speaker in this monitor is actually a bit better than HP 24mh. As for the port selections, it has DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA port, as well as Audio port. So it’s quite similar to HP 24mh in that regard as well.
The overall looks of HP M27ha is also quite similar to HP 24mh. Both monitors have ultra thin bezels, apart from the one at the bottom of the screen. However, this is pretty much where the main difference between the two monitors starts to show up. Because unlike the 23.8” screen in HP 24mh, HP M27ha has a much bigger, 27” screen.
Furthermore, unlike with HP 24mh, you have a much more adjustment option with HP M27ha. You can adjust the height of the monitor, you can swivel it from left to right or tilt it vertically. You can also pivot the monitor 90 degrees to turn it into a vertical monitor. If that’s not enough, then you can simply mount the monitor on your wall, because HP M27ha is VESA compatible. If you think these adjustability options justify the increase in price, then HP M27ha is the perfect monitor for you.
5. LG 27MK600M-B 27” FHD IPS Monitor Review
Introduction to the LG 27MK600M-B 27” FHD IPS Monitor
Similar to HP, LG is also another popular brand in this industry. However, unlike HP that mostly focuses on computer-related products, LG has its hands on all kinds of electronic products. From TVs, to refrigerators, washing machines, and even smartphones, you can find all kinds of high-quality electronic products with the LG brand on them.
In a way, that is also the reason why they can make such a good monitor. After all, if your company can produce great TVs, then creating high-quality monitors is just a few tweaking and tinkering away. Which is why their monitors are among the best selling ones in the market. Similar to the other brands in this list, LG also has monitors in different price brackets. For their affordable option, we choose LG 27MK600M-B.
LG 27MK600M-B 27” FHD IPS Review
When it comes to the overall looks, it’s not an exaggeration to say that LG 27MK600M-B is the best looking monitor in this list. On top of the usual thin and light figure, this monitor also has an incredibly sleek and modern design to it. Even the stand looks way more elegant than the other monitor here. Similar to HP monitors, it also has 3-side ultra thin bezels, but the bottom bezels are not as pronounced as the one from HP. That is why the 27” screen looks way bigger than its competitors.
As for the spec, LG 27MK600M-B comes with a Full HD IPS display with native 1920 x 1080 resolution, and 60Hz refresh rate. Add Radeon FreeSync technology on top of that, and you get a clear and vibrant monitor with little to no tearing or stuttering. So whether you use it for work, gaming, or multimedia consumption, LG 27MK600M-B is perfect for your every need. That is unless you are a professional gamer or graphic designer, in that case, you might want to look for a monitor that has a higher spec than this one.
Other additional features that you might be interested in are the Reader Mode and On-Screen Control. As the name suggests, when you enter the Reader Mode, the monitor will adjust the brightness, colors, and other small yet important configuration to lessen the chance of you getting eye fatigue. As for the On-Screen Control, it simply means that this monitor offers quick and easy access to all of the configuration that you might want to tweak.
As for adjustability, LG 27MK600M-B is VESA-compatible. This means you can easily mount this monitor on your wall in order to save some space on your desk. Unfortunately, that is as far as the adjustability goes. The stand is fixed to the monitor with no other way to adjust it. Which means there is no height adjustment, no swivel left and right, and you can’t tilt it back and forth either.
A Brief History of Computer Monitor
When asked about what is the most important part of a computer, most people would certainly point towards what’s inside their computer case. After all, components such as Processors or Graphic Cards are one of the most crucial parts that make a computer work as intended. And they are also one of the most, if not the most, expensive part of a computer.
However, there is also another equally crucial part that most people often disregard, which is the monitor. You’d blow your budget to buy the best CPU, GPU, SSDs and other essential parts of your computer tower. But then you simply buy the cheapest monitor you can find. And then you wonder why your games look ugly, despite running through some of the most powerful components in the market. Yes, it’s all in the monitors.
A good monitor can make a bad image look somewhat palatable, a decent one looks great, and amazing images look sublime. And just to clarify, when we say “Great images”, we’re not talking about the aesthetic quality of it, we’re talking about the clarity, the color accuracy, how vibrant it looks, the sharpness of the image, and so on and so forth.
But that isn’t always the case. You see, monitors have a deep and vibrant history that is filled with innovation and problem solving. So let’s use this chance to briefly talk about the history of monitors.
Monitors vs Televisions
Before we go any further, let’s quickly talk about Monitors vs Televisions. Though both of these devices seemingly serve similar purposes, they are actually two distinct products. Initially, a monitor was simply a visual output device for computers, while TV was an electronic device meant to display entertainment.
However, as technology advanced, the two ended up becoming extremely similar. After all, the display technology used in monitors, such as OLED, is often used in high-end TV as well.
That being said, it is still not a good idea to use a TV for your computer monitor, and vice versa. A monitor usually has a higher resolution and refresh rate than TV, which makes it perfect for gaming or other work that requires intensive graphic output. On the other hand, TVs usually have a much bigger screen size than monitors, and it also comes with a proper built-in speaker.
Cathode-Ray Tubes (CRT) monitors
CRTs are monitors that use vacuum tubes where electron beams are fired onto a phosphorescent screen in order to display the images. It is those big and bulky monitors that have been used all over the world since the 1930s. As a matter of fact, CRT TVs and monitors were so popular to the point that they were still widely used until the early 2000s when flat screen LCD and LED started to take over.
Unlike the LCD and LED that used rectangle pixels to display images, the lights and colors displayed in CRT monitors are circular, which means the displayed images can be a tad sharper in CRT compared to LCD or LED. Not to mention CRT doesn’t have any native resolution, which means any images or videos that you play on it will be displayed at its actual resolution.
Unfortunately, CRT monitors are not as bright as LCD or LED. Not only that, the phosphor and even the electron gun itself will wear out over time, which means the image quality will gradually worsen as it gets older. That and the fact that it is so bulky and heavy are some of the main reasons why it is no longer in use by the general public.
Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD) monitors
For more than five decades, CRT has been the default TVs and monitors used all over the globe. However, that all changes when LCD TVs and monitors enter the market. As a matter of fact, LCD officially outsold CRT worldwide in 2007. This is the technology that managed to dethrone and end CRT’s years of domination. Not bad for something that was invented in 1964.
Speaking of Technology, LCD itself is actually a flat-panel display that shows images through the use of light-modulating properties of liquid crystals and polarizers. This means LCD doesn’t require any bulky hardware like CRT. Which is why unlike CRTs that are mostly used as TVs or Monitors, LCD is used virtually everywhere. From digital watches, to calculators, the displays on aircraft cockpit, mobile phones, and tons of other devices. The main drawbacks of LCD displays that finally ushered in the new reign of LED are high power consumption, subpar contrast ratio, and limited color gamut.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) monitors
Just like LCD, LED is also a flat-panel display, but instead of using liquid crystal, the pixels on the display come from light-emitting diodes. The fact that it is based on light instead of liquid crystals means it solves most of LCD’s weaknesses. Because it is way brighter than both CRT and LCD, it has a higher contrast ratio, and the color of the LED display is also more vibrant than LCD.
The technology behind LED itself was actually invented back in 1962. So it actually comes alive earlier than LCD. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that full-color LED displays were finally available commercially. Even then, it would take a decade later, specifically in 1997 at a U2 concert, that the LED technology was used as something akin to giant TV. So in a way, although it came earlier than LCD, it took a long time for LEDs to be used as TVs and monitors.
That being said, nowadays there’s another form of LED that is widely used for high-end products, which is called Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED). It is basically a beefed up version of LED. Because of the addition of organic compounds, either based on small molecules or polymers, it totally changes the fundamental principle of a typical LED, and in a sense, improves upon it. An OLED display can produce a much more accurate color gamut, it is brighter and has a higher contrast ratio than LED, it’s more power efficient, and all kinds of other improvements. Which is why it is also more expensive to produce than LCD, at least for now.
What to look for in a monitor
When you’re looking for a new monitor, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, consider the size of the monitor. If you’re looking for a desktop computer, you’ll probably want a larger monitor than if you’re working with a laptop. You’ll also want to think about the resolution. A higher resolution will give you a sharper image, but it will also use more power and can be more expensive.
Another thing to look at is the refresh rate. A higher refresh rate means that your screen will update more quickly, which can be vital if you’re doing things like gaming or video editing. Finally, take a look at the ports that are available on the monitor. Make sure that it has the correct type of port for your computer so that you can easily connect it.
Conclusion to the top 5 computer monitors
After reading through all of the reviews, it’s clear that there are a few monitors that stand out from the rest. The Sceptre 24” Professional LED Monitor is the best overall monitor, with great image quality, a wide range of features, and a reasonable price tag. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, the Acer SB220Q bi 21.5” FHD IPS Monitor is a great choice. No matter which monitor you choose, you’ll be getting a great display and we hope that our reviews helped on your journey to find the best monitor on the market today.
