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Whether you're a student or a professional, choosing the right monitor for graphic design and other creative work doesn't have to be complicated. While Apple is the almost undisputed king of content creation and design, brands like Samsung, Dell, and even BenQ offer affordable options with high-resolution images and great color accuracy. There are even portable screen options for mobile professionals and hybrid learning.
My pick for the best graphic design monitor is the Apple Studio Display thanks to its 5K resolution, signature Retina Display technology, and incredibly color accuracy across web, print, and photography applications. You can keep reading below to find out more about the Apple Studio Display as well as our other top picks for the best graphic design monitors.
Apple is a top choice for digital artists and graphic designers looking for a high-end, high-quality PC, tablet, or monitor for their work. And the Studio Display continues to prove why Apple products remain at the top with an impressive 5K resolution and the signature Retina Display technology for enhanced detailing and better color accuracy across web, print, and digital art applications.
Read the review: Apple Studio Display review: You'll need creative reasons to buy one
The 27-inch screen gives you plenty of space to work in Photoshop and your other favorite art and editing programs, and it supports Thunderbolt 3 connectivity for setting up a second monitor, connecting devices, or charging tablets and smartphones.
ZDNET's Michael Gariffo tested the Apple Studio Display and was impressed by the image quality as well as Apple's signature ecosystem compatibility and aesthetic. But he does caution that it's a display meant for professional use with a price tag to match.
Verified customer reviews from Amazon, Best Buy, and Apple's official store page all agree that the Studio Display has excellent picture quality as well as great integrated speakers for video production. They also point out that the matte screen option and adjustable stand cost extra.
Apple Studio Display tech specs: Screen size: 27 inches | Panel type: Apple Retina Display | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Resolution: 5K
The Samsung ViewFinity S9 has been designed from the beginning to be a direct competitor and alternative to the Apple Studio Display. For a similar price, you get the same 5K resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, color accuracy, and screen size. But the matte screen and adjustable stand are included rather than being expensive extras.
You'll also get Thunderbolt 4 support for connecting secondary displays, charging devices, or transferring files to tablets and laptops or external storage devices. IT also has Alexa and Samsung's Bixby virtual assistants built in for hands-free controls, which is great news for digital artists and graphic designers who want to streamline their workflow. It also boasts a 5ms response time, giving you near-instant reactions to your inputs for more realistic feeling digital painting.
Verified reviews from Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung's official store all highlight the picture quality you get with the ViewFinity S9, especially compared to the Apple Studio Display. But they also call out a somewhat difficult learning curve for non-graphic design users.
Samsung ViewFinity S9 tech specs: Screen size: 27 inches | Panel type: IPS | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Resolution: 5K
The Dell Touch USB-C Hub monitor has been designed for professionals, creative and otherwise. It's available in sizes as small as 14 inches for secondary displays and up to 34 inches for a main screen. The included stand has a tablet mode, making it easier to use a stylus for drawing, digital painting, and modeling.
You can also choose from 1080p, 1920 x 1200, or 1440p resolution to suit your needs and accommodate what you might already have on-hand in your workspace. It has tons of connectivity options like DisplayPort in/out, HDMI, USB 3.2, and USB-C to set up secondary screens, mobile devices, drawing tablets and other peripherals, or charging devices.
Verified reviews from both B&H Photo-Video, Walmart, and Dell's official sites say that users love how ergonomic the tilt-and-swivel stand makes the monitor -- which is good for graphic designers and creative professionals who spend long hours at their computer.
Dell 24 Touch USB-C Hub tech specs: Screen sizes: 14 – 34 inches | Panel type: IPS | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Resolution: Up to 1440p
The BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R features a 32-inch curved display, which helps reduce the risk of colors looking washed out or muddy at wider viewing angles. It provides 1440p resolution, a 1ms response time, and up to a 144Hz refresh rate. It also supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro VRR technology. This makes it a great option for motion graphics as well as still images. It also has integrated speakers and a built-in subwoofer for enhanced audio, making it easier to sync images with high-quality music and sound effects.
Read the review: BenQ's ultra-curved gaming monitor: Love it or hate it, you'll know right away
ZDNET's Michael Gariffo went hands-on with the BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R, and while he was very impressed with the enhanced resolution and picture quality, he did caution that a curved screen won't be every user's cup of tea. Verified reviews from Amazon and B&H Photo-Video also highlight the audio quality, noting that the built-in subwoofer adds depth and richness.
BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R tech specs: Screen size: 32 inches | Panel type: VA | Refresh rate: 144Hz | Resolution: 1440p
The Mobile Pixels Deux Plus is a portable monitor that attaches to your laptop via PC-safe magnets to give you an extra 13-inch display for multitasking. It's a great option for graphic design and art students who may not have access to or space for a desktop or traditional multi-monitor setup. Plus, it folds back out of the way when not in use, reducing the risk of damage and letting you reclaim a little desk space.
Read the review: This flip-out laptop monitor is my productivity secret weapon
With 1080p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, it's great for editing photos and videos as well as motion or still graphics. ZDNET's Kerry Wan got to try out the Duex Plus for himself and loved that it's compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs as well as the fact that it folds out of the way. Verified reviews from Amazon and Best Buy agree that setup for the Deux Plus is simple and fast with the help of the magnets, and they highlight how well it performs for hybrid work or school.
Mobile Pixels Duex Plus tech specs: Screen size: 13 inches | Panel type: IPS | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Resolution: 1080p
The Apple Pro Display XDR is the gold standard when it comes to displays for graphic designers and other creative professionals. Here's how the best graphic design monitors compared based on price, screen size, and resolution.
BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R
Mobile Pixels Duex Plus
*Best price at time of writing. Please note that actual price may vary by retailer and due to available deals and promotions.
Once you've recovered from sticker shock while shopping for a new graphic design monitor, you'll want to choose a screen big enough for you to see the details of your work without it overwhelming your desk. All the screen space of an ultra-wide monitor may be tempting, but you'll regret buying one if you have a small workspace or desk.
An OLED monitor is hard to find but well worth the work and price, since it can give you exceptional contrast, colors, and detailing that will be closer to what you will see in print.
This buying tree can help you determine the best fit for your needs:
Choose this best graphic design monitor...
A high-quality and high-end graphic design monitor. The Apple Studio Display offers 5K resolution as well as color accuracy across web, cinema, photography, and print applications.
A high-quality graphic design monitor for a Windows machine. The ViewFinity S9 offers the same resolution and color accuracy as the Apple Studio Display, but the matte screen doesn't cost extra.
Dell 24 Touch USB-C Hub
A touchscreen monitor for graphic design. The tilt and swivel base of the Dell 24 Touch allows you to use the screen as a drawing pad for digital painting or fine detailing in 3D modeling.
BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R
A curved monitor for graphic design. The curved screen of the BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R helps cut down on glare and preserve color accuracy at wide viewing angles.
Mobile Pixels Duex Plus
A portable display for graphic design. The Mobile Pixels Duex Plus uses magnets to safely attach to almost any laptop for an extended display or multi-screen setup on-the-go.
Once you've settled on a budget, there are a few factors to keep in mind while shopping for a new graphic design monitor:
While testing and researching each graphic design monitor on this list, I and other ZDNET experts kept these criteria in mind:
You don't necessarily need a 4K monitor, per se, but you do want a higher resolution than 1080p. A 1200p or 1440p screen will do the job, but it often doesn't have the same color accuracy or contrast ratios.
It also doesn't ever have HDR support, which is important when dealing with finely detailed images.
It depends on what you're doing, but for most applications, a curved screen is just as good as (or sometimes better than) a flat screen. If you're doing web design, you'll want a flat panel monitor, since that's what most people will be using; and you'll want your work to look as close as possible to what they'll see in the end.
Meanwhile, if you're editing photos or working with digital paintings and drawings, a curved monitor is a great choice. They reduce glare and make it more comfortable to view the entire piece.
This question has a similar answer to whether or not you need 4K: not necessarily. A 4K monitor usually will have some sort of HDR support, whether it's VESA DisplayHDR, Dolby Vision, or HDR10. Lower resolutions will not.
And while it isn't a hindrance for most kinds of creative work, it may be worth it to spend the extra money on a 4K monitor with HDR support if you edit photos, videos, or finely detailed digital art.
A multi-monitor setup for your work computer can be a huge asset not only for graphic designers and other creative professionals, but anyone who frequently multitasks in different programs.
Read also: How to choose the right monitor layout for work
18.5 Inch Touch Screen Desktop A dual-screen setup is the most common, allowing you to have a main monitor for the bulk of your creative work and a second display for pulling up reference images, client requirements, and other productivity programs. Having three or more screens may be beneficial for very involved work like video rendering or 3D modeling, but most people won't need that much screen real estate.