The Best PC Monitors 2021

Great | Differentiating Features

Factory calibrated colors and accuracy are fantastic. Built-in KVM. Pro features for a non-pro price.

Good | Most Have It

Tiny bezels, USB type-C, multiple HDR profiles.

Average | Competitors May Be Better

No speakers.

For an all-round great monitor, it’s generally accepted that a combination of a 32-inch size and 4K resolution hits the sweet spot. While that leaves plenty of options, few offer the same mix of pro features, color accuracy, build quality, and price as the Dell Ultrasharp U3219Q.

Dell’s experience in producing high-end displays is obvious in the Ultrasharp U3219Q. The 3840 x 2160 IPS panel has been color calibrated at the factory to produce 99% sRGB color accuracy out of the box, as well as 95% DCI-P3 and 99% Rec. 709 color. The screen boasts 1.07 billion colors and a 1300:1 contrast ratio, while the 400 nits of brightness help it to HDR 400 certification. You even get four HDR profiles for different uses: Desktop, Movie, Game, and Reference — all of which make it ideal for professionals, content creators, photo editing, and multitasking.

Ports consist of a single DisplayPort 1.4, four USB 3.0 slots, a single HDMI 2.0, and a USB Type-C that offers Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4 connectivity, and USB 2.0 data connectivity. The USB-C slot also features up to 90 watts of charging power, which is great for juicing compatible high-end laptops.

Other highlights include a built-in KVM that lets you connect and switch between two PCs while using one keyboard and mouse. It also comes with tiny bezels (6mm), has a low response time, and the minimalistic chassis is solid.

If you’re after amazing image quality in a large, 4K monitor that’s great for work and entertainment, the Dell Ultrasharp U3219Q is a perfect fit. As of writing, it’s been reduced from its regular price of $1,049 to under $800 and comes with a three-year warranty and Premium Panel Guarantee.

Money-is-no-object alternatives

Professionals who work with visual media need a monitor that offers unparalleled visuals and precise color accuracy. These are reserved for a handful of pro-level, very expensive monitors, but you get what you pay for.

In a category of its own with price tags starting at around $5,000, we have identified three key contenders. Dell’s new UltraSharp UP3221Q is the first 31.5-inch display to feature Mini LED-based full-area local dimming (FALD) backlighting with 2,048 zones, allowing high brightness and excellent contrast. The 1,000 cd/m2 peak HDR brightness means it’s VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified, and it supports 99.8% of the DCI-P3 color space, 83% of the BT2020 color gamut as well as 93% of the Adobe RGB color space.

There are plenty of other pro-level features here: an integrated Calman Powered colorimeter, a picture-by-picture mode that can show outputs from two separate sources simultaneously, each with their own color space setup; and connectivity that includes DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0, two Thunderbolt 3, and two USB 3.1 ports.

Dell’s UP3221Q will cost $4,999 when it arrives on November 5. That’s still cheaper than last year’s winner, though – the still great Eizo ColorEdge CG319X, which is priced around $5,700.

The alternative, and likely the preferred choice for Apple users, is the Pro Display XDR. It comes with a higher resolution 6K resolution (6016 x 3384) instead of 4K, and the peak brightness hits 1,600 nits, but the 576 dimming zones are a step down from the PremierColor’s 2,048. Color accuracy is amazing as expected. Be prepared to add $1,000 if you want Apple’s stand, $199 for a VESA mount adapter, and another $1,000 for the optional “nano-texture glass.”