The best monitors for graphic artists
Work more comfortably and accurately with the best monitors for graphic artists and graphic designers.
The best monitors for graphic artists and graphic designers can really help boost the quality of your work. On a large, high-quality screen, you'll be able to see your artwork in plenty of detail, and with very accurate colours. So along with the best laptops for graphic design, they're an essential investment for anyone who's serious about developing their practice.
✅ We are solely focused on what creatives need
✅ Benchmark tests based on real workflows
✅ We consult actual designers and creative pros
✅ Over 50 monitors tested over 10,000 hours in the last two years
Here at Creative Bloq, we have a ton of experience reviewing monitors, and we don't just measure their colour accuracy scientifically, we also use them in real-world workflows, with the graphic design software. So you can be sure that all the monitors we've selected here are great to use in practice.
If you want to save time, the BenQ PD3225U is our absolute favourite monitor for graphic artists right now. But there are several more on the market that are worthy of your attention, so you'll find plenty of strong options to choose from below.
Beren has well over a decade of experience writing about creative tech, having previously worked for the digital art magazine ImagineFX, the fine art magazine Paint & Draw and Canon Pro Europe. As Creative Bloq's Ecom Editor, he's racked up hundreds of hours testing and reviewing monitors for a variety of creative purposes. He also oversees the curation of our buying guides, taking feedback on the products we've tested from contributing creatives.
Quick list
Best overall
Our top pick overall is a 32-inch IPS, factory-calibrated screen that's perfect for graphic artists who want their colours to be as accurate as possible.
Read more below
Best budget
We think this super-cheap 27-inch display is practically a steal. You sacrifice 4K resolution and the brightness and colour gamut are hardly spectacular, but the price is incredible.
Read more below
Best premium
This premium screen provides top-tier performance, excellent contrast and colour coverage, solid connectivity, and a calibration tool.
Read more below
Best ultrawide
This is a great higher-end option for users who need an immersive, bright and accurate monitor for business and productivity work.
Read more below
Best Apple
Superb image quality and Apple's trademark high-end construction and design make this a solid pick. It's not without its flaws, though, including the lack of HDR support.
Read more below
Best portable
A portable external monitor can be handy for working on the move, and this OLED display takes the concept up a level with solid brightness and colour coverage for visual art and design.
Read more below
The best monitors for graphic artists in full
Why you can trust Creative Bloq
The best monitor for graphic artists overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You need professional-level colour accuracy: This monitor offers excellent colour performance.
✅ You want seamless Mac compatibility: With Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, M-Book mode, and Display ColorTalk software.
✅ You need a well-connected workstation: There's a built-in KVM switch and an array of USB ports.
❌ You're looking for the brightest display: With a peak brightness of 400 nits, it’s decent but not as bright as some high-end OLED or mini-LED alternatives.
❌ You want an ultra-budget option: The PD3225U is a premium monitor with a price tag to match.
❌ You need the best Adobe RGB coverage: Its Adobe RGB coverage is 85%, making other options better suited for print-focused work.
🔎 BenQ PD3225U is an outstanding choice for graphic artists, especially those working on colour-sensitive projects. With a 32-inch 4K display, superb connectivity, and Mac-friendly features, it’s a premium option that balances quality and convenience. ★★★★★
What you need to know:
The BenQ PD3225U is designed with creative professionals in mind, delivering impressive colour accuracy, versatile connectivity, and thoughtful extras like the Hotkey Puck G2.
Design and build: The PD3225U sports a sleek and professional design, with ultra-slim bezels and a sturdy stand that allows for height, tilt, and pivot adjustments. The screen rotates 90 degrees into portrait mode, though it only turns clockwise, which may be inconvenient depending on your setup. The Hotkey Puck G2 offers quick access to display settings, colour modes, and brightness adjustments. A built-in KVM switch allows seamless switching between two computers using a single keyboard and mouse.
Display: Our reviewer found that 4K resolution on a 32-inch display is ideal for creative work, offering sharp details and a spacious workspace. The PD3225U comes factory-calibrated and supports 100% sRGB, 99% Rec.709, and 98% DCI-P3, ensuring excellent colour accuracy. Adobe RGB coverage stands at 85%, which is solid but not the highest available. The IPS Black panel enhances contrast, producing deeper blacks and more vibrant colours compared to standard IPS screens.
Brightness reaches a peak of 400 nits in HDR mode, which is better than its predecessor but still not the brightest on the market. While sufficient for most environments, those working in extremely bright settings may prefer a display with higher brightness levels.
Pricing: At around £1,099 / $1,099, the BenQ PD3225U sits in the mid-to-premium range for professional monitors. It offers good value for graphic artists, particularly those who need Thunderbolt 3 support and factory-calibrated colour accuracy.
Read more: BenQ PD3225U review.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Elegant, functional, and well-connected | ★★★★★ |
Display | Excellent colour accuracy, but not the brightest | ★★★★ |
Pricing | Premium, but worth it for pros. | ★★★★ |
"This is a screen for those whose professional life revolves around the image they see on the screen being as close as possible to the image produced elsewhere."
The best budget monitor for graphic artists
Specifications
✅ You're starting out in graphic art: We think this is a great options for students or beginner designers who don't have a big budget.
✅ You want passable colour coverage: There are even cheaper monitors about, but this still provides reasonable colour coverage for visual art.
✅ You want to dabble in gaming: This display comes with a 165Hz refresh rate, which is decent for gaming and much better than the measly 60Hz many budget monitors offer.
❌ You want a 4K display: The resolution here is FHD: 1920 x 1080.
❌ You want a large display: More space can make it easier to multitask.
❌ You want pro colour coverage: This hits 80% of the Adobe RGB space and 81% of DCI-P3. That's not terrible, but it's not suitable for colour-accurate work.
🔎 Xiaomi G27i is aimed squarely at the budget end of the market, but it packs in a few surprises that make it stand out above the cut-price crowd. We think it's a great budget option for beginner graphic designers and digital artists who want a mid-sized screen. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
If you're not yet working in graphic art or design professionally, you might be tight on cash. If you're looking for a more affordable screen to get started with, we think the Xiaomi G27i is the best budget monitor for graphic design.
Design and build: Given that this is a budget monitor, the design is pretty barebones, as you'd expect. You can't adjust the display's height or positioning, while the ports are on the back of the screen rather than the underneath, which you'll need to be aware of if you want to place it against a wall. Speaking of ports, you only get two slots: one for HDMI 2.0 and one for DisplayPort (there's a 3.5mm headphone jack too). But when the price is this cheap, a little cheapness in the build is acceptable, especially when you consider the quality of the screen itself and how little Xiaomi charges for it.
Display: FHD resolution has its limits, but it's not as much of an issue for static art as it is for video. Here, you'll get 99% coverage of the sRGB colour space, along with 80% of Adobe RGB and 81% of DCI-P3. It's rounded out by 275 nits of brightness.
Pricing: The Xiaomi G27iis the cheapest monitor for graphic design and digital art that we can recommend, and it's hard to stress just how good value this monitor is. At just £110/$130, it's ridiculously cheap and a fantastic buy for those who are starting out.
Read more: Xiaomi G27i review.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Solid and reliable. | ★★★★ |
Display | Only FHD, but that may be all you need. | ★★★ |
Pricing | Phenomenal value. | ★★★★★ |
"If screens this cheap can be this good, it makes you wonder why you’ve been spending five times the price on them in the past."
The best premium monitor for graphic artists
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're a pro designer or artist and want to take your setup to the next level: This beauty from Asus provides exceptional colour coverage and accuracy, ideal for precise colour matching for print.
✅ You want the perfect 4K screen: We think 32-inches is the perfect size for a 4K monitor for graphics work.
✅ You want a monitor for gaming: This monitor's specs are almost all outstanding with the exception of the refresh rate, which is on a par with most of the other display on our list.
❌ You're on a tight budget: This is naturally a very expensive monitor.
❌ You don't do work for print: If you're work is only seen on digital displays, you may not need such high Adobe RGB coverage.
❌ You want pro colour coverage: This doesn't quite manage 100% sRGB.
🔎 Asus ProArt OLED PA32DC is a premium professional monitor that very much lives up to its promise based on our own testing. Its bright, contrast and colour coverage and accuracy are excellent, and it has handy features for creatives. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
If you're a professional graphic artist looking to upgrade your setup with a premium screen, this is one of the best we've ever tested. The Asus ProArt OLED PA32DC is 4K-plus 32-inch display that shines when it comes to colour accuracy.
Design and build: This professional display is big and heavy, and it has fairly large bezels. Some might think that makes it look a little old-fashioned, but we were very happy with how sturdy it was, and we found it easy to adjust. The joystick-like controller requires a light touch but works well, and we found the generous array of ports on the back easy enough to access. The USB-C port supports power delivery of up to 65W, so you can use this as a USB hub if you have a port-deprived laptop. The monitor is available with a monitor hood to help reduce reflections and glare, and plenty of ports for peripherals, and it comes with a built-in colorimeter to allow regular calibration of the screen without needing a monitor calibrator.
Display: We were immediately impressed by the brightness and contrast of the OLED panel. It has three HDR standards, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision, all flicker-free. This is the screen to go for if you want outstanding colour coverage for print as well as digital and video, hitting 99% of Adobe RGB. Our testing also vouched for the precise △E< 1 score for colour accuracy.
There are preset modes for a wide range of colour setups – sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, Rec. 2020, DICOM, Rec. 709, HDR_PQ DCI, HDR_PQ Rec2020, HDR_HLG, HDR_HLG DCI, Dolby Vision. It pretty much covers every colour setup a graphic artist or indeed a video editor, photographer or animator could need. Our reviewers only grumble was the fairly slow 60Hz refresh rate. You might expect higher on a monitor with such impressive specs elsewhere, but this isn't a screen designed for gaming.
Pricing: The only real problem with the ProArt OLED PA32DC as a monitor for graphic artists, and the reason it isn't at the top of our guide, is the price. At over £3,199, it's the second most expensive monitor we've included after the Apple Pro Display XDR. Considering how good the BenQ DesignVue PD3220U is at number one our our list, only those who really need the extra features and specs will want to consider spending $2,000 more for this beautiful display.
Read more: Asus ProArt OLED PA32DC review
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Plenty of ports, and monitor hood comes included. | ★★★★★ |
Display | Excellent colour accuracy and auto-calibration. | ★★★★★ |
Pricing | Relatively expensive. | ★★★★ |
"Do you need absolute top-spec colour accuracy with infinite contrast and built-in features that come up to your eyeballs? And do you have a sizeable trust fund to dip into? Or are you a midsize-to-large studio? Then the ASUS ProArt PA32DC makes sense."
The best ultrawide monitor for graphic artists
Specifications
✅ You want an ultrawide monitor for graphic art or design: Most ultrawides are designed for gaming or general productivity, but this has solid specs for creative work.
✅ You want minimal setup: This display is calibrated out of the box and is simple to get started with.
✅ You want a curved screen: Curved screens feel more immersive, but not everyone likes them for graphics work.
❌ Your budget is tight: This is another pricey display.
❌ You have a small desk: Desktops where space is at a premium are unlikely to have enough room for this big monitor.
🔎 HP Z34c G3 is relatively rare in that it's an ultrawide monitor with excellent specs for graphics work. The 34-inch screen provides a lot of space to play with, and its out-of-the-box calibration will let you get started with minimal fuss. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
If you work across multiple programs or panels or you like to be able to compare your work side by side, the extra space provide by an ultrawide can be a huge benefit. Just note that some creatives feel that a curved screen can distort the appearance of their work. This is a subjective thing, but you might want to test the experience to check how it works for you.
Design and build: The HP Z34c G3 looks sleek and modern, although the bezels are a little thick. The build is solid and sturdy, which is ideal for such a large panel. The location of the monitor's ports on the back panel are a little out of reach, but it's not a major issue.
Display: This monitor has good specs for creative work, boasting 99% sRGB and 99% BT.709 coverage, although its 81% 98% DCI-P3 coverage could be better. That said, its calibrated deltaE average of 0.31 is very good for graphic design work (anything below 0.5 is recommended). Its 365 cd/m2 at 100% brightness was also impressive.
Pricing: An ultrawide with these specs never comes cheap, but at $849 (£875) RRP, it's a little cheaper than some high-end ultrawides out there.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Immersive curved display. | ★★★★★ |
Display | Good colour coverage. | ★★★★ |
Pricing | Expensive, but not outrageously so. | ★★★★ |
"Having several different windows open concurrently does wonders for productivity. The Z34c handles this effortlessly and it features PIP functionality too, so if you have two devices plugged into two different ports on the monitor, you can run the independent signals side by side."
The best monitor for graphic artists for Apple users
Specifications
✅ You're a big Apple fan: Anyone who likes the design of Apple products will love this sleek display.
✅ You have cash to spare: Apple's Pro Display XDR costs (much) more, but the Studio Display still doesn't come cheap.
✅ You need a bright display: The 600 nits offered by the Studio Display is far above many comparable screens.
❌ You don't have unlimited funds: This is a pretty expensive display, and you have to pay extra for a more manoeuvrable stand.
❌ You're working in a small home office: A screen of this calibre is overkill for most home offices.
🔎 Apple Studio Display is an exceptional beast of a monitor that offers a more affordable option than the Pro Display XDR. It's an excellent display for HDR work with plenty of high-quality extras. ★★★½
What you need to know
Those looking to keep everything within the Apple family should consider the Studio Display. But its well-rounded package isn't just for Apple fans.
Design and build: This monitor has the sleek design and finish that we expect from Apple device. Its Thunderbolt 3 port ensures it can be hooked up easily in a Thunderbolt chain, and there are a bunch of USB-C ports for accessories too. Its price tag bites hard, and the fact that the official stand will cost you a chunk extra does sting.
Display: The Studio Display didn't blow us away when we reviewed, mainly due to a few missing features that we would have liked to have for the price (the lack of HDR support in particular seems a strange choice for Apple). However, performance was decent, with bright and vivid image quality. There's support for one billion colours with P3 wide colour (more than sRGB).
Pricing: Now we come to the negative part. The pricing was one of the main reasons we only gave the display three stars in our original review. It's a nice screen, but we feel that it's hard to justify the price tag for many users. At well over $2,000 / £2,000, we would like to see more for the price.
Read more: Apple Studio Display review.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Super sleek premium design and finish | ★★★★★ |
Display | Bright, but the lack of HDR hurts | ★★★ |
Pricing | Pretty pricey and you have to pay extra for an adjustable stand. | ★★★ |
"If you’re a content creator that is fully invested in the Apple ecosystem, then we can imagine the Studio Display being a decent investment – as long as you have the cash."
The best portable monitor for graphic artists
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want a portable display: Most portable monitors provide fairly pedestrian displays, but we think this one just makes the grade for creative work.
✅ You work out of the office: The benefit of a portable display is the ability to take it with you to work in different locations or to show work to clients.
✅ You want an OLED screen: There are cheaper portable monitors about, but Asus's OLED tech makes this one stand out for image quality.
❌ You need the best colour coverage: This only reaches 95.5% of sRGB, but sadly we've not tested a portable monitor that can do better.
❌ You're looking for a main monitor: At just 16-inches, this display is an extra for using on the go not as a main display for creative work.
🔎 Asus ZenScreen MQ16AH impressed us with a quality OLED panel in a compact portable package. This isn't going to be your main screen for creative work, but it could be very useful for a mobile setup or to show work. ★★★★
What you need to know:
Most portable monitors make decent productivity devices for working on the go or an an addition to a laptop screen, but they aren't so hot for creative work. This OLED display from Asus is a very welcome exception.
Build and design: A portable 16-inch OLED display is a niche device. It only makes sense if you regularly work on the move, for example in cafes, hotel rooms, co-working spaces or clients' offices. For situations like that, this device comes into its own. It's slim and compact, making it easy to slip into a bag and connect to a laptop using just one cable. We found it to be a flexible device that's equally suitable for graphic art and design as writing or coding. With a dongle, it’s possible to use the USB-C port to connect game consoles, a Raspberry Pi, or even a streaming stick.
Display: ASUS claims 95.5% of sRGB, and we got 100% in our tests, as well as 96% of Adobe RGB and 98% of P3 and Delta E < 2 colour accuracy. We didn't manage to get the 400 nits of brightness that Asus claims using USB-C (the alternative is to use mini HDMI), but the OLED screen was still very bright for a portable monitor and able to overpower most reflections in the office at 80% brightness. The 60Hz refresh rate gives a smooth picture.
Pricing: At around $350 / £450, the ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH represents quite good value for what it offers. There are a lot of cheaper portable monitors out there, but not with anything near the specs needed for graphic art and design.
Read more: ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH review.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Compact portable display. | ★★★★ |
Display | Great specs for this form factor. | ★★★★ |
Pricing | Good value for what it offers. | ★★★★ |
"Portable displays have long suffered from being dim and uninteresting. The ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH fixes this problem with a very decent brightness level and a colour gamut that will appeal to creatives."
The best gaming monitor for graphic artists
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're after an OLED display: Gigabyte's monitor boasts bright, saturated colours and good contrast.
✅ You like ultrawides: The extra screen space is great if you want to work with multiple apps and windows at once.
✅ You enjoy gaming: Although we're looking at this screen from a graphic art perspective, its 175Hz refresh rate makes it a decent gaming contender.
❌ You don't like screen reflections: The OLED panel has a tendency to accentuate reflections, which can be distracting.
❌ You hate curved screens: Curved displays are divisive, and some graphic artists feel they can distort the appearance of their work.
🔎 Gigabyte MO34WQC is an attractive curved display that isn't so big it utterly dominates your desk. We liked the quality of its OLED screen and the extra space afforded by its ultrawide dimensions. Just be aware that it doesn't come cheap. ★★★★
What you need to know:
Most portable monitors make decent productivity devices for working on the go or an an addition to a laptop screen, but they aren't so hot for creative work. This OLED display from Asus is a very welcome exception.
Build and design: We were a little disappointed at the lack of adjustment options: you get just 130mm of height adjustment, 25 degrees of tilt, and no rotation. Still, both the screen and the stand are solidly built, and they should hold up well in use. The on-screen display also has some useful options to tweak settings in a few quick taps. There are plenty of inputs on the underside, too, as well as a USB hub.
Display: With an OLED panel as part of the package, the Gigabyte MO34WQC brings a lot of quality to the table. You can expect bright colours and really solid contrast, although the screen reflections were noticeable (despite the included anti-reflective coating). As for colour accuracy, our testing measured 100% of sRGB, 96% of Adobe RGB and 98% of P3, which is excellent for colour-accurate work.
Pricing: The Gigabyte MO34WQC costs £700 in the UK and $949 in the US. That makes it fairly expensive, but far from the priciest monitor you can buy. Considering its wide enough to cover the screen real estate of two separate displays, you might feel the cost is well worth it.
Read more: Gigabyte MO34WQC review.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
---|---|---|
Design and build | Solid construction all-round. | ★★★★ |
Display | OLED goodness in an ultrawide form. | ★★★★★ |
Pricing | It's not cheap, but isn't the most expensive monitor you can buy. | ★★★★ |
"Ultrawide monitors like this are marketed to gamers, but they’re also brilliant for productivity and creative work. A 34-inch 21:9 model hits a pretty sweet spot for size vs utility, as it won’t completely dominate your workspace like a 49-inch screen would."
Also tested
The above displays are our picks for the best monitors for graphic artists, but there are plenty more options that might work for you. Below, we've included another choice that has been vetted by our experts and is worth considering if you want to look further afield.
As an affordable hybrid working or WFH monitor, the Acer Vero RL272 offers enough screen real estate, resolution and colour performance, including a 99% sRGB coverage, to make it an equal to many monitors at least twice its price.
How to choose the best monitor for graphic artists
There are several things to consider and look out for when you're choosing a monitor for graphic design or art. One of the most important factors in a monitor for visual art and design is colour coverage and accuracy. There are no minimum requirements that you should look for, but if you're producing work for digital uses, you'll want the highest sRGB colour space coverage, ideally 100%, and good coverage for other colour spaces such as Adobe RGB and DCI-P3.
Another important decision is what size monitor you want. A larger monitor means that you can see your work at a larger size, and it can also make it easier to see all of your work if you have lots of layers or to navigate multiple windows, which is handy if you're jumping between different programs or if you're checking an image against a reference. However, a larger screen takes up more space and is going to be less portable if you work on the move a lot.
How we test the best monitors for graphic artists
We have chosen the best monitors for graphic artists based on our writers' experiences when carrying our our own hands-on tests and reviews. We have also taken on board recommendations and feedback from working artists and customer reviews.
When reviewing monitors, we conduct benchmark tests to check brightness and contrast levels, colour coverage, accuracy and uniformity. We also use the monitors over several days in real-life use cases, including for creating graphic design and digital art in programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop and CorelDRAW. As well as the quality of the display itself, we also evaluate build, ergonomics, connectivity and price. We then seek to identify the best monitor for different needs and budgets.
FAQs
Do you need a 4K monitor for graphic art and design?
The best monitor for graphic artists or designers doesn't have to be 4K since resolution isn't as important for static design as it is for video. That said, your work will look better up close since details will be clearer, so 4K is generally worth the extra outlay if you have the budget.
What specs does a graphic design monitor need?
There's no definitive answer for what specs you need in a graphic design monitor, but there are certainly some factors you need to consider.
Resolution: Higher resolution means more detail and screen real estate for precise editing. Aim for at least QHD (2560x1440). 4K (3840x2160) is ideal for detailed work.
Size: 27 inches or larger is recommended for comfortable viewing and complex projects. In theory, the larger a monitor the better, but remember that huge monitos require more space, are less portable and can be pricier.
Colour accuracy & gamut: Accurate colours are essential for consistent reproduction. We'd suggest you aim for 95%+ coverage of Adobe RGB (for print) and DCI-P3 (for digital). sRGB is good, but secondary. As for colour depth, 8-bit is minimum, 10-bit ideal for smooth gradients. For more on this, read our article on What is colour gamut?.
Panel type: IPS panels generally provide wider viewing angles and better colour accuracy. VA offers high contrast but weaker colour accuracy. TN is fast (making this type ideal for gaming) but poor for design.
Ports: DisplayPort (essential for high-res), HDMI, and USB-C are useful. Also check whether you need specific versions for higher resolutions/refresh rates (e.g., DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0 for 4K 60Hz).
Brightness & contrast: These are important because they affect how visible the work on your screen will be in practice. For brightness, aim for 250 cd/m² (nits) minimum, or higher for bright rooms. For contrast, 1000:1 is standard, higher is better.
What's the best screen type for graphic artists?
Monitors mainly use LCD or OLED screens. LCDs are more affordable, while offering decent brightness and contrast, and recent advances make the best of these a viable option for graphic artists due to improved colour accuracy. Mini-LED, a sub-type of LCD screens, uses numerous LED backlights for enhanced contrast, black levels, and brightness. OLEDs, meanwhile, are pricier but offer superior contrast, black levels, colour accuracy, and viewing angles due to per-pixel backlighting control. While burn-in was a concern with this type of display, it's less of an issue now.
Is OLED needed for graphic design work?
OLED isn't essential for graphic design, especially for beginners. If you're looking to save money, LCD screens, inlcuding mini-LEDs, are also a strong contender. However, OLED offers superior black levels, contrast, colour, brightness, and viewing angles due to precise backlighting control, so it's worth considering if budget allows.
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Beren has worked on creative titles at Future Publishing for over 13 years. Cutting his teeth as Staff Writer on the digital art magazine ImagineFX, he moved on to edit several creative titles, and is currently the Ecommerce Editor on the most effective creative website in the world. When he's not testing and reviewing the best ergonomic office chairs, phones, laptops, TVs, monitors and various types of storage, he can be found finding and comparing the best deals on the tech that creatives value the most.