Forum Buying Advice & Reviews Computer Monitor
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Gabi Brabenec 25.10.2022, 15:21 #1

Computer Monitor

Does anyone have any recommendations for a computer monitor?
Hello everyone, I’m planning to get a PC and monitor soon. So far, I’ve only used a laptop, and I’m not really happy with the colors and brightness. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good monitor that’s not too expensive? I’m looking for something around 60 cm, or about 23.4 to 24 inches. I’d really appreciate any tips!
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Michael Geissel 25.10.2022, 15:27 #2
Hello Gabi,

Since I work a lot with EBV, I got myself a 32" ACER monitor and a PC with an AMD Ryzen 8-core processor, plus 64GB of RAM. The storage is a 500GB SSD.
Just to give you a rough idea!
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Eric Dittmann 25.10.2022, 15:31 #3
Hello Gabi,

You should let us know roughly what your budget is.
As always, price and quality go hand in hand here.

Best, Didi
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Gabi Brabenec 25.10.2022, 16:07 #4
@Eric Dittmann I was thinking of a budget of around 300 euros for the monitor. However, if there’s nothing really good in that range, I can reconsider my finances. Ideally, I’d like to stay within that amount.
 
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Gabi Brabenec 25.10.2022, 16:08 #5
@Michael Geissel Thanks – I'll save this and keep it in mind as a rough plan.
Best, Gabi
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Andreas F 25.10.2022, 17:47 #6
Hello Gabi,
In what way are you unhappy with the colors and brightness?
What are you expecting from a new monitor?
Do you want the results to be calibrated all the way through to printing, or would you prefer to work with print profiles?

If you’re just looking for a new monitor with decent brightness, check out the models within your budget. Choose one that you like in terms of resolution and size.

If you want one with calibration, that’s a different story—especially financially.

This also applies to your computer. What’s sufficient for one person might be completely inadequate or overkill for another.

Best regards, Andreas
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Gabi Brabenec 25.10.2022, 18:31 #7
@Andreas F
Hi Andreas, you really hit the nail on the head — having a calibrator would be ideal, but those are in a whole different price range.
I'm not entirely happy with my colors and brightness because the colors are a bit washed out, and the brightness is cranked up to the max, yet something still feels off and the image lacks true vibrancy.
When I look at my photos straight from the camera on my laptop, they’re okay, but certain colors, especially reds, require careful tweaking when I edit the RAW files in Photoshop. If the colors look right on my laptop but then I view the images on any TV later, the colors end up way too intense. The laptop screen isn’t as large as, say, a quality 24-inch monitor, and so — long story short — I need a good monitor with vibrant colors, bright enough but calibrated — which is just too expensive. As for the computer itself, I’m not into gaming or video editing, just some office work and, most importantly, photo editing. I’ve checked out a few monitors at Media Markt, Saturn, and the like — some caught my eye, but most were set to maximum brightness and showed demo images that always look great. I probably need to visit a “real specialty store” — though those are becoming rare. So I thought maybe someone here has a recommendation or recently bought a monitor they’re really happy with.
Cheers, Gabi
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Andreas F 25.10.2022, 18:47 #8
Gabi
I'm very happy with my monitor, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you would be too.
That’s often the issue—recommendations don’t always guarantee satisfaction. So, my advice is to check it out for yourself.
If you don’t need a calibrated monitor—which usually isn’t necessary even for serious hobby photographers—just pick one within your budget.
I used to be very satisfied with my Eizo monitors. But now I have this huge Samsung one that cost only a fraction of what the Eizo monitors did. It seems like prices have come down quite a bit over the years, which is great for customers.
Since I don’t game, I have a very powerful workstation. 😊

Long story short, if you don’t have any special requirements, just compare size, resolution, and price. That’s it.
By the way, the cheapest option isn’t always the best value.

Best, Andreas
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Gabi Brabenec 25.10.2022, 19:26 #9
@Andreas F Thanks, Andreas! That already helped me a bit. I’ll take a look around and then make a move. The cheapest option—no, I definitely won’t go for that, I do have a bit of a standard😉 Cheers, Gabi
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Eric Dittmann 25.10.2022, 22:03 #10
Hi Gabi,

Sorry for the late reply—I’m on vacation right now and not online much. I’ve been following along and I completely agree with Andreas F’s recommendations. I also have an Eizo (FlexScan EV2460-BK) and I’m very happy with it. As Andreas mentioned, that might not be the best fit for you, so definitely check it out in-store. It’s important to avoid a glossy screen. Besides causing eye strain, it also gives a misleading impression of color intensity.
Best, Didi
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Gabi Brabenec 25.10.2022, 22:46 #11
Thank you so much for this input! The point about the mirroring is a really good and helpful tip that I will definitely take into account in my decision, as I might have otherwise made the wrong choice.
🙏
Best regards, Gabi 
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Manfred Hopp 02.02.2023, 08:24 #12
I was talked into getting a curved monitor at the store, and I’m really unhappy with it. Aligning the converging lines is quite difficult with this setup. At least it doesn’t have any glare, but that’s little consolation. I’d much rather get a flat screen.
Best, Manni
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Gabi Brabenec 02.02.2023, 08:57 #13
@Manfred Hopp
Thanks so much, dear Manni,
Luckily, I decided to go with a flat, matte screen. I did consider the curved one, but in the end, the flat screen just felt like a better fit for me. It turned out to be a good choice. Maybe you could try selling the curved monitor with minimal loss and then switch to a flat one. If you’re that unhappy with it, working won’t be any fun.
Wishing you the best of luck—whether you get used to it or decide to sell it after all...
Cheers, Gabi
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Manfred Hopp 02.02.2023, 09:15 #14
I'm going to keep it now. All my photos are edited, and I take my time with new ones. Before, I had a laptop that was even worse. If it wasn’t opened at just the right angle, you couldn’t see anything. I even made a little tool to make sure the monitor was opened exactly at a right angle.
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Gabi Brabenec 02.02.2023, 09:49 #15
@Manfred Hopp
That’s actually a good thing. Curved screens really do look great and have their advantages. Until I bought my current PC and monitor, I was only ever working on a laptop. I’m still genuinely impressed by having such a large display.
Wishing you lots of enjoyment with it, and best regards, Gabi
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Andreas Siepracki 02.02.2023, 10:08 #16
@Manfred Hopp Basically, I can only recommend getting advice from a specialized retailer. I'm generally happy with my flat monitor, but the color accuracy—especially when it comes to printing—is simply not consistent with the printer. Of course, this also has to do with the printer, protocols, and other factors. However, a calibratable monitor would be a whole different level, not just in terms of display quality and reliability, but unfortunately also in terms of price...
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Manfred Hopp 02.02.2023, 11:21 #17
This curved monitor was recommended to me by a specialist retailer. The salesperson even mentioned that he’s a photographer himself, which is why he uses this monitor. It wasn’t even the most expensive model. The sales rep probably wasn’t an expert, but where do you find real specialists these days? One day they’re in the meat department, the next day at the hardware store.🙂
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Andreas Siepracki 02.02.2023, 11:40 #18
@Manfred Hopp Well said! So the smart photographer asks in a forum like this.

Best, Andreas
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Jochen Petry 02.02.2023, 16:50 #19
prad.de offers an excellent market overview.
A few points from my own experience:
Curved monitors are terrible for graphic work. They might be great for gaming, but that’s not my thing.
Sure, hardware-calibratable monitors are better, but I was more than satisfied for over 12.5 years with my glossy 27" iMac. The key is to properly adjust the monitor — and that definitely doesn’t mean setting brightness, contrast, and color saturation to 100%. A glossy screen is no problem for photo editing either. If you notice distracting reflections, it usually means the monitor is positioned incorrectly or the room lighting isn’t suitable.
And speaking of lighting...
Even the best monitor won’t help if you’re editing your images under constantly changing ambient light conditions. So, always try to work under consistent, neutral lighting. That way, you won’t get unpleasant surprises when printing.
Or in short:
Inconsistent environmental conditions can damage your display quality far more than any manufacturer’s limitations.
PS: BenQ offers an excellent price-performance ratio! (Currently, I personally use monitors from BenQ and ViewSonic)
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Andreas Bibas 02.02.2023, 18:16 #20
Everyone seems to have their own experiences, so unfortunately, nothing can be generalized.
I have two monitors side by side—both calibrated—and yet there are still noticeable differences.
I edit my photos on the 27" Eizo, and then I view them on the 27" Dell before saving.
Slight color and contrast differences are always present.
There’s probably no monitor that’s perfect; you also have to keep in mind that everyone perceives color and sharpness differently.
It just has to suit me and meet my expectations.
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M B 04.02.2023, 08:48 #21
@Andreas Bibas I have a pretty good understanding of calibrated monitors. Still, I have a few questions. What happens if I open your color-calibrated photo on my non-calibrated screen? Will I see the photo exactly as you do on your calibrated display, or will my screen show an uncalibrated version? And if it’s the latter, what’s the point of having a calibrated monitor? I can adjust a photo’s colors on any screen so that it looks right to me. But that color adjustment—calibrated or not—would look different on every non-calibrated screen. (Assuming most screens are uncalibrated, which I suspect but don’t know for sure.) In that case, I think a calibrated monitor only really makes sense if you’re a pro who earns a living from photography, regularly enter contests, or print your photos.
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N N 04.02.2023, 09:01 #22
@Maria I’m totally with you! I have a calibrated monitor, but when I look at the image afterward on my tablet or phone—which aren’t calibrated—it looks different... Plus, factors like the resolution and age of the display device come into play.
Also, for people who wear glasses, it depends on the lenses. I got advice from my optician:
The best option is computer glasses without a blue light filter.

Calibration only really matters if I want to print the photo...
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