People often think about the performance of the computer but forget the monitor. Yet it is exactly what you look at all day, so it decides the comfort of your eyes, how you work, and your experience of gaming and films. A poor choice means tired eyes or money needlessly spent. Let us explain what really matters.

Size and resolution belong together

This is the foundation. The size (in inches) and the resolution (the number of pixels) have to be matched, otherwise the image is either grainy or needlessly small. The most common sensible combinations are:

  • 24 inches + Full HD (1920 × 1080) is a practical standard for ordinary work and the home.
  • 27 inches + 1440p (QHD) is today’s popular sweet spot, a sharper image and more space.
  • 32 inches + 4K is for demanding work, detail and a larger working area.

The rule is simple: the bigger the monitor, the higher the resolution it needs to stay sharp. A large monitor with a low resolution looks grainy, while a small monitor with 4K does not make full use of the resolution.

The panel type determines colours and viewing angles

The panel is the screen technology and decides the image quality:

  • IPS has the most faithful colours and the best viewing angles. For most people, including work and graphics, it is the best choice.
  • VA offers higher contrast and deeper blacks, and suits films well.
  • TN is cheap and fast but has worse colours and angles. Today it is worth considering only on cheap gaming monitors.
  • OLED offers the most beautiful image with perfect black, but it is more expensive and belongs to the premium class.

Refresh rate: important mainly for gaming

The refresh rate (in Hz) tells you how many times per second the image is redrawn. For ordinary work 60 Hz is perfectly enough. For smooth gaming it is worth having 120 Hz and more (often 144 Hz), as motion is significantly smoother. Note that a high Hz only makes sense when your graphics card can drive it. For gamers a low response time also matters, as it prevents motion blur.

Connectivity and ergonomics

  • Connectors. Check that the monitor has HDMI or DisplayPort matching your computer. Very practical is USB-C, which carries the image and charges a laptop over a single cable.
  • Ergonomics. The ability to adjust height and tilt matters for the health of your back and neck more than it seems. The top edge of the screen should be roughly at eye level.
  • Eye comfort. Look for a matte finish (less reflective), sufficient brightness and features such as blue-light reduction and flicker-free operation.

Choose according to what the monitor is for

  • For work and the office what matters is size, resolution, ergonomics and eye comfort. You do not need a high Hz.
  • For gaming Hz and response time are important, matched to the performance of the graphics card.
  • For graphics and photography faithful colour is key, that is a quality IPS or OLED panel.

If you do not have a dedicated graphics card and rely on integrated graphics, bear that in mind when choosing resolution and Hz, so the processor can drive them.

We will advise and choose together

The right monitor is about matching size, resolution, panel and connectivity to what you use the computer for. We will gladly advise you on the choice based on your work and your build, or when building a custom PC we will recommend a monitor that suits it. Get in touch and we will choose together.