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Buyer's Guide: The Best Monitors 
Monitor Reviews: 22''-30'' LCD Displays
Updated: December 26, 2011
The ideal screen, of course, would excel in all of these areas. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case, and a compromise is often necessary. If you're touching up photos, then you might want to prioritise accurate colours, but if you're a gamer, then responsiveness is what you'll need.
Which monitor is right for you? You can read all of our reviews in this ongoing product survey, or get straight to business with our selection of the best monitors of the moment.
The computer monitor market has evolved once again. Now, 22" monitors are becoming the standard entry-level option, so anybody looking for quality and innovation will have to look at monitors measuring 23" or more. With these larger screens, you get larger viewer angles, more choice of video inputs (HDMI is available on a growing number of screens but the component video found on consoles is increasingly rare) and better design and build quality.
Technology fans will be delighted to hear that manufacturers are now beginning to focus their attention on bigger screens, but it's something that has been coming for a while. With the growing popularity of HD, more users are looking for versatile screens that are well suited to office use, photo editing and also movies--in HD, of course.
Good, healthy competition
Whether you opt for a 23", 24", 26" or 27" monitor, the resolution will be 1920 x 1200 pixels, although some 1920 x 1080 pixel screens have recently begun to appear. This is a dream come true for film lovers! No rescaling is necessary and films are shown with black bands above and below the image. The only restriction is that you will have to step back a little. Manufacturers still haven't integrated the image correction circuitry which is already found in televisions, and the result is slight flickering.
For less than £450, you might be surprised to find that there are not just 24" monitors, but also 26" displays available, sometimes at more competitive prices, despite often not being as responsive. So how should you choose the best model? Check that the contrast ratio is high, and that the screen has all of the video inputs that you need. Not every screen comes with HDMI + DVI + VGA etc.
Above £450, you'll find screens that have IPS and VA, or more often PVA, panels. The main advantage is that they have even viewing angles. The image on cheaper LCD panels using TN technology dips to black when you look at it from below.
One last point: ignore the advertised response times and look at our tests instead. We often find results that are very different from what's promised.
See Also
> 19'' LCD Monitor Reviews
> Monitor Reviews: 20'' and 21'' LCD Displays
> Buyer's Guide: Monitors
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Monitor Reviews: 22''-30'' LCD Displays
