Looking for the best video editing monitor? With video resolution, color fidelity, bit rate, and dynamic range constantly evolving, you need to make sure you're viewing and editing your footage on a monitor that can keep up with the recording quality of your camera.
In this guide we rank the best monitors, prioritizing key features like color accuracy, resolution, and brightness uniformity, so you can be sure you're getting the very best view of your footage.
There are four key things to look out for when picking the best monitor for video editing:
1. Resolution
With 4K now the resolution standard for cameras and even camera phones, the time has come when a 4K monitor is all but essential for viewing and editing footage. Just bear in mind you'll also need a pretty potent computer to drive a 4K screen.
2. Color accuracy
Resolution is only a small factor in picking a quality monitor. Color accuracy is also paramount - look for a display that has an advertised color accuracy, preferably a factory-calibrated model with an accuracy tolerance of less than Delta E 2. Built-in hardware color calibration is also desirable for ensuring that accuracy is maintained throughout the life of the monitor.
3. Color space coverage
High-definition digital video is now recorded in two main color standards: Rec. 709, and DCI-P3. Ensure your chosen monitor can display as close to 100% of the colors in these recording standards as possible. DCI-P3 has a wider color gamut (more colors) and therefore you'll need to splash out on a higher-quality display if you want near-full reproduction of this color space.
4. Brightness
Retina-searing brightness isn't actually that desirable for prolonged editing stints - around 150cd/m2 is usually enough for most viewing environments. However, if you need to edit HDR footage, a monitor needs to be capable of displaying localized highlights very brightly. A minimum brightness rating of 400cd/m2 is required for basic HDR compatibility, and to be fully HDR-capable, a monitor needs to be as bright as 1000cd/m2.
See also: Best monitors for MacBook Pro | Best Dell monitors
The best video-editing monitors in 2023
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Fancy similar specs to our top-spot Dell U3223QE, but in a slightly smaller package? The U2723QE is its 27-inch sibling, yet has the same 4K resolution, so is slightly sharper at close viewing distances.
Sure, this screen isn't exactly 'cheap', but if you're serious about video editing, you need wide color space coverage so you're able to see as much color as possible in your footage. Seriously cut-price screens just can't display enough colors for accurate color grading, but with 100% Rec. 709 and an impressive 98% DCI-P3 color coverage, the Dell UltraSharp U2723E comes close to much pricier displays for color accuracy.
It also packs 10-bit color depth and an excellent 2000:1 maximum contrast ratio, all inside a smart case with ‘InfinityEdge’ ultra-thin bezels. Video ports include HDMI, DisplayPort, plus there's a built-in USB 3.0 hub and 2x USB-C ports, one of which can supply up to 90w of power to an attached laptop.
As we'd expect from a premium IPS-based monitor, the U2723QE's image quality impresses right out of the box, with excellent color vibrancy, contrast intensity, and uniformity, none of which shifts if you change your viewing angle. During our testing, we also found Dell's color space coverage claims to be spot-on, as was the factory-calibrated Delta E color accuracy of <2. Even color and brightness uniformity were top-notch.
If you've decided that 27-inches is the right monitor size for you, the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE is very hard to beat at this price point.
Read our full Dell UltraSharp U2723QE full review for more details
Dell produces several excellent monitors for video editing, but the U3223QE offers the best value of them all. This 31.5-inch panel can display 100% of the sRGB color space, but more importantly for video, there's 100% Rec. 709 coverage and 98% DCI-P3 coverage - the latter being exceptional.
Factory color calibration ensures a Delta-E accuracy of less than 2 and the monitor is capable of displaying HDR content as it just meets the 400cd/m2 brightness needed for HDR playback.
Add an excellent, highly adjustable stand, and a USB 3 hub and you really won't find a better quality monitor for video editing without spending considerably more.
Read more: What are aspect ratios?
Here's proof that the best monitors for video editing don't have to cost mega bucks. This BenQ display comes out swinging with its huge 31.5-inch screen size, 4K (3850x2160) resolution, and excellent 3000:1 contrast ratio. But where this monitor really shines for video editing is its top-notch color space coverage.
100% Rec.709 and 95% DCI-P3 coverage are on par with screens costing considerably more, as is the EW3270U's HDR 10 support. The only compromise here is the screen's core LCD technology, which is VA rather than the more premium IPS tech. This means color and contrast won't be quite as consistent if viewed from different angles, but live with that and this BenQ screen is really quite a bargain.
In the new 27” 5K Studio Display, Apple has delivered not just an impressive partner to its Mac line-up, but also a worthy replacement for the previous Cinema Display. While not quite as feature-rich as the flagship 6K Pro Display XDR, the Studio Display delivers a great experience in its own right for media producers and content creators.
Built-in reference modes match most of those on the Pro Display XDR, to the point where it’s possible to run them side-by-side with little noticeable difference between the two when producing non-HDR content.
The calibration and fine-tuning options to customize those modes are also welcome, enabling precise matching to other screens in use. For SDR content, the Studio Display’s 600 nits of brightness easily outperform the equivalent offerings from others such as LG’s 4k 27” UltraFine screen – and there is constant brightness across the panel with an extremely wide viewing angle.
There's also a nano-textured glass option on the screen which delivers an incredible amount of glare reduction. Connectivity is excellent, too, with three USB-C ports and one Thunderbolt port.
This is an ideal big-screen option if you're editing on a Mac device, but can also be used with a Windows PC providing it has a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port. Just bear in mind that some extra features like the webcam's Center Stage function, Spatial Audio, and of course, Hey Siri, won't work with Windows.
Read our full Apple Studio Display review for more details
The ViewSonic ColorPro VP2786-4K is a stunning screen for video editing. Not only does it offer top-line screen specs, including excellent coverage of even wide color gamuts and a razor-sharp 4K resolution, you also get superb color accuracy as well as factory color calibration. Naturally, plenty of other premium monitors can boast such specs, but ViewSonic has done even more to set the VP2786 apart from its rivals: the inclusion of the versatile ColorPro wheel remote controller is a welcome one, as is the rear-facing backlight to reduce eye strain. Even the included shading hood has been well-designed.
In terms of image quality, to the naked eye at least, this monitor doesn't disappoint. The advertised color space coverage and color accuracy are indeed as good - if not better - than advertised, although we did find brightness and color uniformity to be a little underwhelming when lab tested. Even so, you're unlikely to notice this in real-world use.
Read our full ViewSonic ColorPro VP2786-4K review for more details
Not so long ago 4K was the next big thing and a 4K monitor would set you back an arm and a leg. Now 8K is taking centre stage, with an increasing number of cameras capable of shooting this gargantuan 7680 x 4320 resolution. 8K monitors are still a rarity, but this Dell display is actually quite well priced for such bleeding-edge tech.
Despite this being a large 31.5 inch display, containing the equivalent of 33.2 megapixels means you get an unusually high pixel density of 280 ppi, resulting in a near-Retina effect.
And it's not only that headline resolution figure that impresses. You also get first-class color space coverage, with 100% Rec. 709 capability and a hugely admirable 98% DCI-P3 coverage. Factory color calibration ensures a Delta-E color accuracy of less than 2, while a modern, slim bezel case design means this monitor looks the part even when it's switched off.
The only potential issue here is you'll need a real powerhouse of a computer fitted with a top-notch graphics card to pump this many pixels to the monitor without stuttering.
The BenQ PhotoVue SW271C is an outstanding 27-inch 4K monitor which performs almost flawlessly - it's incredibly color-accurate and is generally very hard to fault. If you're after an exacting and reliable screen for a precise image or video editing, this is a superb choice.
However, the price you pay for this level of imaging fidelity is high. The equally impressive BenQ SW271 (non 'C', listed above), is almost identical to the SW271C but costs around 20-40% less. You'll have to do without 60W USB Power Delivery and BenQ's third-generation color Uniformity Technology, but if they're not deal-breakers for you, then the SW271 is a better value proposition for most users.
Read our full BenQ PhotoVue SW271C review for more details
Eizo monitors never come cheap, and this 31.1-inch 4K beast commands a fittingly monstrous price tag. However, that buys you uncompromising build and performance quality from one of – if not the – most trusted name in the business, backed up by a 5-year on-site warranty in some markets.
Like HP's DreamColor Z31x, this is also a 17:9 aspect ratio panel with a native 4096 x 2160 resolution for displaying Cinema 4K footage. 99% AdobeRGB coverage and 98% DCI-P3 coverage ensure you're seeing a near-flawless color reproduction of your video and images, and there are preset modes for all common video color space standards.
Naturally at this level, hardware color calibration is present, and the panel can display HDR footage thanks to being compatible with the Hybrid Log-Gamma standard. However it's maximum 350cd/m2 brightness isn't quite enough to qualify this as a true HDR monitor.
The Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor (U4021QW) is a gargantuan 40-inch 21:9 curved ultrawide display with an equally huge 5120 x 2160 resolution. The 2500R screen curvature radius (2,500mm) means that even though the U4021QW has an immense 929mm viewable screen width, the corners of the display will still be comfortably visible.
Curved monitors often use VA (Vertical Alignment) LCD tech, which can't provide the color, contrast and viewing angle consistency of an IPS (In-Plane Switching) LCD display. But Dell has pulled out all the stops and equipped the U4021QW with a 10-bit curved IPS LCD panel with 178/178-degree viewing angles.
Dell has also paid particular attention to color accuracy, as the U4021QW can display 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709 and a very respectable 98% of the DC-P3 color space. What's more, Dell claims a Delta-E <2 color accuracy right out of the box thanks to factory color calibration.
The PD3420Q is relatively unusual in the ultrawide sector as it's a flat (rather than curved) display, this ensures lines displayed on the screen don't bend or skew as they would on a curved ultrawide.
What's more, where most curved ultrawide screens are based around VA panels - an LCD technology that tends to trail IPS screen tech when it comes to color and contrast consistency - the PD3420Q's superior IPS LCD panel boasts 178/178-degree viewing angles, a 5ms GtG response time, and it can display 1.07 billion colors. The 3,440 x 1,440 resolution is spread over a 34-inch 21:9 ultrawide display, giving you a huge desktop to work on. Crucially, this monitor also has 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709 and an impressive 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage, making it a great choice for photographers, videographers and designers alike.
If you're in the market for an ultrawide monitor that's going to give you solid, dependable image quality for image or video editing, the BenQ PD342Q is a fine choice. Extras like USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery are also welcome, as is the factory color calibration and Hotkey Puck remote control.
It's perhaps a little disappointing that the PD3420Q 'only' has a resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels, which is some way short of 4K (3840 x 2160). But considering the sub $1,000-dollar price tag, it's an acceptable compromise.
How we test monitors
We evaluate a monitor with particular attention given to its core image quality, including brightness, contrast, color vibrancy, and accuracy. While this can - and will - be assessed by the experienced eye of our professional reviewer, some manufacturer screen specs can only be definitively judged by an 'electronic eye' - a monitor calibrator.
Where possible, a calibration device will be placed on the screen to verify its advertised color space coverage, brightness output and consistency, and factory color calibration accuracy. Beyond image quality, we'll also scrutinize the monitor's display and data ports to ensure acceptable connectivity, and will give a thorough assessment of build quality, including the range of ergonomic adjustments in its stand. Only then will we determine if a screen is worthy of use by a discerning imaging or video enthusiast.
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