(Last Updated On: June 26, 2023)

Choosing a new 4k monitor for work from home is easier said than done. It is a balancing act. The monitor should be big to do your work, but not so large it occupies your entire workspace. The display needs to have high resolution and fast video data connectivity. Most working professionals don’t need the highest or fastest. The price needs to be reasonable to equip a computer monitor with the features you need without burning a big hole in your pocket. 

With countless models on the market and most of them claim to be the best, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Keep reading this post to buy the right monitor for working from home. We have relentlessly worked to bring you the best monitors.

Look at the below tip-off before shopping.

Understand Technical Terms

• Screen size:  Monitor size is measured diagonally i.e. the distance from one corner of the screen’s viewable area to the diagonally opposite corner. They are getting bigger. The range can be, 19-inch, 24-inch, 28-inch, 32-inch, and over: 4K monitor. Today, a 19-inch monitor is deemed to be ‘small’ with “medium” sized models running up to 20-24 inches.

• Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): LCD is a type of display that uses liquid crystals in its primary form of operation. Buying a monitor with an LCD is an affordable option with viewability. Because it is an older technology, LCD monitors are cheaper than LED monitors. Although they’re less advanced, they provide a high-quality image.

• Light Emitting Diode (LED):  LEDs are very small bulbs that are used by LED monitors as a lighting source to light up the screen. The picture quality of an LED display is far better than an LCD monitor. They are thinner than traditional LCDs and consume less electricity.     

• In-Plane Switching (IPS): IPS displays are still LED-backlit. They leverage liquid crystals aligned in parallel for producing produce rich colors, giving faster response times and wider viewing angles. An IPS Display monitor gives a much better image than most LED displays because of crispness and clarity. 

Resolution Display

Resolution refers to the number of vertical and horizontal pixels on a display screen. The more pixels mean the more information can be visible without scrolling. The key is to choose a monitor that can present the video resolution you expect to view. 

• Regular HD display offers 720p resolution.
• More common consumer models offer 1080p (called Full HD or FHD). 
• Higher-end monitors are available in Quad HD or QHD (with four times the pixels of regular HD) Ultra HD or UHD (four times the pixels of Full HD). 
• The majority of 4K monitor displays have 3840 x 2160 pixels, which is approximately equivalent to UHD and is four times the pixel count of full HD displays (1920 x 1080 pixels). 

Response Time & Refresh Rate

Response time and refresh rate define how efficiently moving images are shown:

• Response time: Response time is the time it takes for a pixel to change from one color to another. Measured in milliseconds (ms), it shows the speed at which the display can change from one still image to the next. You can have an optional response time that is 8ms or lower. Many monitors offer 4ms or less.

• Refresh rate: The refresh rate of your monitor display is described in hertz, which `refers to how many times per second the display can change colors in a given pixel. 60GHz is the minimum refresh rate. Some high-quality monitors offer 120Hz. Many other monitors go higher than 120Hz as they are specially designed for computer gaming or other movement-intensive needs.

Contrast & Brightness

Monitors are also packed with contrast and brightness features. 

• Contrast: The contrast ratio of a monitor depicts the depth of blacks. A higher contrast ratio indicates deeper blacks – and, by extension, better picture quality. It is a very important part of picture quality. If you want something that looks attractive, get a monitor with good contrast. 

• Brightness: Monitors also equip brightness settings in the menu. For human eyes, the best monitor brightness is between 40 to 60%. But, the value depends on the ambient light conditions. Dim light conditions need lower brightness whereas bright light conditions require higher brightness.

Use contrast and brightness to express the difference between the lightest (pure white) and darkest (pure black) parts of the display.  Standard monitors offer contrast ratios of approximately 1000:1. The brightness of the monitor displays the level of light it produces.    

Monitor Features & Options

The next step is to understand some of the key features that you would want to have in your monitor. Manufacturers are focusing on creating new tempting monitors. They’re diverting their attention from plasma displays (a thing of the past) and 3D screens that have never been part of the office environment. 

Touch screens: Today’s monitors pack with touch screen features that you may want to have in your new model. A touch screen is a new breed of display that allows you to interact with your monitor with touch. Considering the physical setup of your home office and desk, go for a touch screen monitor that allows you to fully use all the touch-sensitive features built into the new operating system. 

The resolution display of 4K monitors gives a more natural touch performance. The touch screen comes with all monitors irrespective of the screen sizes and resolutions. Whether you want to buy a 19-inch, 24-inch, 28-inch, or 32-inch monitor, you can get a touch screen feature on your monitor.

Borderless/Frameless Monitors: Do you want to use two monitors at once? A “frameless,” “borderless” or “edgeless” could be the right option. Their design is perfectly a super-slim bezel that lets you focus on content and utilize the entirety of your screen. These models feature only a thin plastic bezel around three sides of the screen. They are ideal because they provide an almost uninterrupted multi-display view of your work.

Ergonomic stands: Working at your computer for a prolonged period is harmful to your health if you ignore your working environment. An unhealthy workstation can lead to various health issues, such as neck aches, dry eyes, and back pain. So, give strong weight to the ergonomic features of a new monitor, especially if you spend long hours in front of your screen. 

Computer ergonomics optimize your workstation in a way that reduces the specific risks of computer vision syndrome, neck and back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. To avoid health issues, position monitors and display screens in such a way that they level with your eyeliner to prevent back and neck pain. 

Visual comfort: Please note that monitors that have received TUV Eye Comfort Certification are confirmed to reduce blue light and flicker. They give a kind of viewing angle and ergonomic adjustability that let users adjust their physical positions to reduce reflections and glare. 

Cameras, microphones, and speakers: Since video conferencing has become the need of the day for those working from home, the demand is rising for so-called VOIP monitors that have dual-array microphones, Full HD cameras, and stereo speakers. The camera can be essential for facial integration, programs such as Windows Hello, and with everything built into the monitor’s body.

Conclusion

Hopefully, we have tried to include every important point that must be prioritized while choosing a monitor for ‘work from home’. With these points in mind, it’s time to think about your budget and design the workplace for your new layout. Search online and you will find a full line of products with different screen sizes and resolutions. When selecting one, focus on sporting a near-edgeless screen with Ultra HD image quality and an ergonomic and space-saving stand. Remember, the monitor you’re going to buy should have everything you need to see crisp and clear pictures —everything at a price that fits your budget.