Dual monitor setups are popular among both gamers and professionals. They offer an immersive gaming experience and also improve your productivity at work by increasing the screen real estate. You can also use one monitor for work and other for entertainment side-by-side without having to continuously switch between tabs.
Though you can combine as many monitors as you want, a dual monitor setup is the most practical choice. You can easily multi-task between different applications. It is also the most cost-effective option.
This article will give you a complete picture of how to choose the best dual-monitor setup. I’ll give you pointers on what to look for in a monitor before you purchasing and also suggest the best monitors in the market for a dual-monitor setup.
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Here are our Top Four Best Monitors for Dual-monitor Setup
Top Pick | 1080p Pick | Best for Pros | Best Budget |
---|---|---|---|
LG 27UK650 | Dell U2415 | Dell U2717D | Acer SB220Q |
➕ 4K Resolution | ➕ 16:10 Aspect Ratio | ➕ Great Picture Quality | ➕ Decent Image Quality |
➕ Excellent Color Quality | ➕ Rich Connectivity Options | ➕ 1440p Resolution | ➕ Good Choice for Office Usage |
➕ FreeSync Support | ➕ Great Choice for Office Usage | ➕ Best Choice for Photo / Video Editing | ➕ Affordable price |
Check the Latest Price on Amazon | Check the Latest Price on Amazon | Check the Latest Price on Amazon | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
Complete List of the Best Monitors for Dual-Monitor Setup
Preview | Monitor Name | Screen Size | Resolution | VESA Mount | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LG 27UK650 | 27 inches | 3840×2160 | Yes | Check Price on Amazon | |
Dell U2415 | 24 inches | 1920×1080 | Yes | Check Price on Amazon | |
ASUS VG279Q | 27 inches | 1920×1080 | Yes | Check Price on Amazon | |
Dell U2717D | 27 inches | 2560×1440 | Yes | Check Price on Amazon | |
Acer SB220Q | 21.5 inches | 1920×1080 | No | Check Price on Amazon | |
Acer CB242Y | 23.8 inches | 1920×1080 | Yes | Check Price on Amazon | |
AOPEN 27ML1U | 27 inches | 2560×1440 | Yes | Check Price on Amazon | |
ASUS Designo MX259HS | 25 inches | 1920×1080 | No | Check Price on Amazon |
LG 27UK650 - Best 4K Monitor for Dual-Monitor Setup
What’s Good
- 4K resolution
- Reasonable Price
- FreeSync Support
- Excellent Color Quality
What’s Bad
- Average HDR
- No Swivel Option
The LG 27UK650 is a 27-inch 4K monitor. It uses an IPS panel. The image quality and color accuracy are top-notch. The brightness and contrast levels are high. The panel uniformity is decent. The pixel density is high. You’ll have vivid and lifelike images.
The screen has a matte anti-glare finishing that will minimize reflections while working. The HDR is hit / miss. The images look oversaturated in HDR.
The design of the LG 27UK650 is elegant and the build quality is strong. The bezels are thin. You’ll have no distractions when you pair beside another monitor. It has a sturdy stand. You can adjust the height, tilt the monitor, and pivot it at 90 degrees.
You cannot swivel the monitor left/right. You can wall-mount this monitor using the VESA mount. The viewing angles are wide and you’ll have no complaints about it.
The LG 27UK650Check Price on Amazon has a refresh rate of 60Hz. It has a response time of 5ms and an input lag of 10ms. It also comes with the AMD FreeSync technology. You will have no screen-tearing or stuttering while playing games. You can use this monitor for consoles.
Its superior image quality will make watching movies and playing games a more immersive experience.
Its connectivity options include: 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 2x HDMI 2.0.
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Dell U2415 - Best Dual-Monitor Setup for Office Usage
What’s Good
- 16:10 Aspect Ratio
- Good Image Quality
- Many Connectivity Ports
What’s Bad
- Nothing
The Dell U2415 is a 24-inch 1920 x 1200 monitor having an aspect ratio of 16:10 that uses an IPS panel. The picture quality and color accuracy are good. The images have a good amount of color and detail. The contrast levels are not too high. You can always calibrate this monitor to get the most out of it. The pixel density is decent.
The screen has an anti-glare coating to minimize any reflections while working in bright-lit conditions.
The design of the Dell U2415 is neat and the build quality is robust. Its bezels are thin allowing you to have a distraction-free environment while working. The stand is sturdy and doesn’t wobble. You can fully adjust the height, tilt it, swivel it and also pivot it to 90 degrees. The viewing angles are wide. The monitor also supports wall mounting using a VESA mount.
The Dell U2415Check Price on Amazon has a refresh rate of 60Hz. It has a response time of 5ms and an input lag around 10ms. You can do some casual gaming and movie watching.
It has a lot of connectivity options. They include: DisplayPort 1.2 x1, Mini DisplayPort x1, HDMI 1.4 x2, DisplayPort Out x1. It also has a USB hub containing several USB 3.0 ports.
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ASUS VG279Q - Best Dual-Monitor Setup for Gaming
What’s Good
- 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Ergonomic Stand
- Great visuals
What’s Bad
- Average Pixel Density
The ASUS VG279Q is a 27-inch Full HD gaming monitor. It has great image quality and color accuracy. The brightness and contrast levels are decent. The pixel density is average but won’t be a problem at all if you use this monitor for gaming. The overall panel uniformity is decent.
The monitor has a matte anti-glare coating to minimize distracting reflections while gaming.
The design and overall build quality are first-class. The design is quite stylish and will definitely attract eyeballs. The stand is fully ergonomic. You can tilt it, swivel it, and also pivot the monitor to 90 degrees. You can also adjust the height of the monitor.
The viewing angles are wide and colors look consistent in every angle. It supports wall mounting using the VESA mount.
The ASUS VG279Q has a refresh rate of 144Hz. The gameplay will be buttery-smooth. It has a response time of 3ms with an input lag around 5ms. These make the gameplay more responsive and will also give you an extra edge in competitive games.
This monitor supports AMD’s FreeSync that will also work with Nvidia graphics cards. You will have a tear-free and stutter-free gaming experience.
The ASUS VG279QCheck Price on Amazon comes with additional gaming features like GamePlus that will add custom crosshairs, FPS counters, timers, etc. and GameVisual technology that has visual pre-sets for different types of games like FPS, Racing, RPG, etc.
The Shadow boost technology will enhance the visibility of enemies in dark areas of a game.
The connectivity options include 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x Dual-Link DVI-D. It also comes with 2x2W built-in speakers.
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Dell U2717D - Best Dual-Monitor Setup for Professionals
What’s Good
- 1440p Resolution
- Great for Photo/Video editing
- Ergonomic Stand
- Solid picture quality
What’s Bad
- IPS Glow
The Dell U2717D is a 27-inch 1440p (QHD) professional monitor. It uses an IPS panel. The colors are spectacular. The brightness and contrast levels are optimal. The pixel density is good. The images and text are sharp and crisp looking. It covers 99% of the sRGB color gamut and is a perfect choice for graphic designers working at 1440p resolution. The panel uniformity is decent.
There is visible IPS glow bur you won’t have any problems if you’re working on the monitor in a well-lit environment. The screen has an anti-glare coating to prevent reflections from forming on the screen.
The build quality is decent and the design is professional. The monitor has a sturdy stand that is fully adjustable. You can adjust the height, tilt the stand, swivel it, and pivot it at 90 degrees without any issues.
The thin bezels make it easy to combine it with other monitors without any distractions. The viewing angles are wide. The monitor has a VESA mount using which you can wall mount this monitor.
The Dell U2717DCheck Price on Amazon has a refresh rate of 60Hz. It has a response time of 6ms. You can use it for casual gaming and watching movies.
The connectivity ports include: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, Mini DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 1. You also get a USB hub containing USB 3.0 Ports for increased accessibility. It has no built-in speakers.
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Acer SB220Q - Best Budget Dual-Monitor Setup
What’s Good
- Affordable
- Value for Money
- FreeSync Support
- Great all-round monitor
What’s Bad
- No VESA mount
- Tilt-only design
The Acer SB220Q is a 21.5-inch Full HD all-purpose monitor that is based on the IPS panel. It has amazing picture quality. The pixel density is high so everything will be crisp and full of detail. The brightness and contrast levels are fair.
There are almost no visible IPS glow. The screen has an anti-glare matte coating to minimize reflections.
The borderless design of the monitor is effective. The bezels are ultra-thin. The stand is sturdy. You can only tilt this monitor. You cannot adjust the height, swivel it, or rotate it to 90 degrees.
This monitor doesn’t have a VESA mount so you cannot wall mount it. The viewing angles are wide and the colors are consistent throughout the panel. Watching movies will be a pleasant experience.
The Acer SB220QCheck Price on Amazon is also good for gaming. It has a refresh rate of 75Hz. You’ll notice the difference in smoothness when you switch over from a 60Hz monitor. The 4ms response time and 10ms input lag make gaming feel more responsive.
This monitor also has the FreeSync technology that reduces screen-tearing and stuttering. It is impressive to see Acer include this premium feature in a budget monitor. There are many monitors in the market more expensive than this one but have less refresh rate and no FreeSync technology.
This monitor is eye-friendly. It has a blue light filter. You won’t have any eye strain even if you use it for a long time. This monitor is also flicker-free.
Its connectivity options include: 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x VGA
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Acer CB242Y - Best Dual-Monitor Setup for Mixed Usage
What’s Good
- Good All-round monitor
- Fully Adjustable stand
- FreeSync support
- Affordable
What’s Bad
- Nothing
The Acer CB242Y is a 23.8-inch Full HD multi-purpose monitor. It has great color accuracy and first-class image quality. Movies, pictures, and games look wonderful on it. It has a decent pixel density. The screen has a matte anti-glare coating to prevent any reflections from forming on it that disturb your work or gaming.
The IPS glow is very minimal. You can manage it by working on this monitor in a well-lit room or simply decrease the monitor’s brightness.
The design of the Acer CB242Y is simple. The build quality is A-grade and the stand is sturdy. The stand is a fully-ergonomic one. You can adjust the height, swivel it, tilt it and also rotate this monitor to 90 degrees.
The bezels are also ultra-thin and you’ll have a minimal bezel gap when you use it for a dual-monitor setup. The viewing angles are wide with good color consistency.
This monitor has a 75Hz refresh rate. It has a 5ms response time and a 10ms input lag. You can use this monitor for gaming. You’ll have a smooth and responsive gameplay experience. It also comes with AMD’s FreeSync technology that will make your games free of stuttering and screen-tearing.
The Acer CB242YCheck Price on Amazon comes with a blue light filter. It is also flicker-free. You will have no problems with eye-strain and headaches using this monitor even for long hours.
There are sufficient connectivity options. The input Connectors include 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x VGA. FreeSync is supported via HDMI.
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How to Choose the Best monitor for a Dual-Monitor Setup
Resolution and Screen Size for Dual Monitor Setup
Having higher resolution will offer you more screen real estate. It will also make the picture more detailed and vivid. You also need to have an optimal screen size to have the best pixel density. Having higher pixel density will result in sharp text and better-looking images.
- If you’re using a 1080p monitor, 22 – 24-inch screen sizes will result in an optimal pixel density
- If you’re using a 1440p monitor, 25 – 27-inch screen sizes will result in an optimal pixel density
- If you’re using a 4K monitor, 27 – 32-inch screen sizes will result in an optimal pixel density
You have the flexibility to choose between different screen sizes or resolutions for different kinds of work. You can use a 1080p monitor for gaming and use a 4K monitor for work or use two 1080p monitors one for coding and one for work. As long as your monitor has enough ports and your PC supports them, you’ll be fine.
Best Panel Type for Dual Monitor Setup
Panels used by monitors are of three types:
- IPS Panel: They are the best in terms of color accuracy and image quality. They have wide viewing angles. If you’re a professional for whom colors are important, choose IPS monitors. You can also go with IPS monitors if you want better overall image quality and colors while watching a movie or playing games. They have average response times.
- VA Panel: They are known for their superior contrast levels. They are in between IPS and TN panels in terms of color quality and response times. Think of them like the jack of all trades and master of none.
- TN Panel: They are popular among gamers. They are known for their fast response times and low input lag. They also support higher refresh rates than other panels. They come in the last place in terms of color accuracy and viewing angles. Buy a TN monitor only if you use it for gaming.
Best Ergonomics for Dual Monitor Setup
There are many monitors that will allow you to fully adjust the height, tilt the monitor, swivel it, and also rotate the monitor to 90 degrees. Check the ergonomics of a monitor before buying. There are many tilt-only monitors in the market that do not allow using them at portrait orientation.
Also, many monitors have a VESA mount through which you can wall-mount the monitor. They provide additional flexibility. Make sure the monitor has one.
These are some important specs you need to keep in mind while buying a monitor. The reviews of monitors in our guide have most of these covered. Just take a quick glance, and you’ll have a good idea of them.
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