How to Choose a 4K Monitor
4K monitors are notable for their ultra-high resolution (3840×2160 or 4096×2160 pixels). This means they provide a very detailed picture, combined with a large screen space.
Frequently asked questions when choosing a 4K monitor
Do I need a 4K monitor?
4K monitors can be used for normal office work (MS Office - Word, Excel, PowerPoint and others), gaming, graphic design, photo and video editing, advertising and presentation purposes, or even as a multi-purpose home monitor. This just depends on the specific characteristics of the monitor.
Home and Office
If you want to do normal office work in MS Office (Word, Excel, etc.) or need a versatile home monitor, feel free to choose any 4K model.
Gaming
If you want a gaming monitor, make sure to choose a model with a response time under 4ms and at least 60Hz refresh rate. This guarantees smooth, sharp images even in dynamic scenes.
Photo and Video Editing
Here, colour depth is king. Choose a monitor with a colour depth of 10-bit or more to get a realistic and vivid colour gamut.
| Colour depth | 6-bit | 8-bit | 10-bit | 15-bit |
| Number of colours your monitor can display | 262,144 | 16,777,216 | 1,073,741,824 | 35,184,372,088,832 |
Corporate Use
Large-format displays are designed mainly for advertising and presentation purposes, while touchscreens are suitable as advertising kiosks, POS monitors, or self-service systems.
What panel type should I choose?
The panel type has a large impact on the overall properties of the monitor. IPS and S-IPS panels provide the most realistic colour reproduction and widest viewing angles (up to 178° horizontally and vertically). Compared to TN panel monitors, however, they are more expensive and their response times are generally worse. Monitors with PVA and MVA panels are somewhere in between when it comes to image quality and price. They have better colour reproduction and are cheaper compared to IPS and S-IPS displays.
Glossy, matte, or anti-glare coating?
Glossy screens provide the most vivid and realistic colours. The downside is that they reflect light from every direction, which means their readability becomes really poor under sunlight. In contrast, matte screens reflect almost no ambient light. Their colour reproduction is not as good and does not seem as realistic. Anti-glare coating achieves a certain compromise between glossy and matte surfaces. Anti-glare screens remain readable under sunlight and their colours are more vivid compared to matte displays.
What connectors should a monitor have?
To connect a monitor, you need to have at least one matching video connector on your PC. If not, the two devices will be incompatible.
The basic visual connector is analogue D-SUB (VGA). You can find it in older computers (or older graphics cards). Compared to other connectors, it provides inferior image quality. New computers or graphics cards generally feature digital DVI or HDMI ports, which provide a more stable image and better and more vibrant colours. The more expensive models are also being increasingly equipped with DisplayPort. It can transmit uncompressed images in very high quality.
4K Monitors
Important Parameters
Maximum Resolution
The number of pixels in each dimension that can be displayed on a monitor. Generally, the higher the maximum resolution, the more detailed the picture and the more work or gaming space it provides. 4K monitors have a maximum resolution of 3840×2160 or 4096×2160.
Response Time
Indicates how quickly a monitor can process a computer request to change the image. A lower response time means sharper visuals during dynamic scenes. Response time is an important factor for gamers and gaming monitors generally require a response time of 4ms or lower. For action and sports games, we recommend a monitor with a response time of 1-2ms.
Refresh Rate
The number of frames per second a monitor can display, given in Hz. Monitors with higher refresh rates provide a smoother image and cause less eyestrain. Most modern monitors have a refresh rate of 60-75Hz, though gaming monitors can have much more. You should choose a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 60Hz if you want smooth picture.
Viewing Angles
The viewing angle is the maximum angle from which you can view images on the display without experiencing colour or contrast distortion. Larger viewing angles are obviously better. Viewing angles depend on the type of the monitor. Monitors with IPS and S-IPS panels have the best viewing angles (up to 178 degrees), while PVA and MVA displays are doing slightly worse. The smallest viewing angles are found in TN monitors.
Glossary - Monitors
Pivot
Pivot is a feature that allows you to rotate the screen 90 degrees vertically. This solution is suitable for reading long texts or websites, allowing for less scrolling and faster reading.
Colour Depth
Colour depth indicates the number of bits used for each colour component of a single pixel. It reflects the number of colours the monitor can handle; the more bits, the more colours.
Low Blue Light
Low Blue Light technology (also known as BlueLightFilter) reduces the harmful blue light spectrum, reducing eye strain and fatigue.
Flicker-Free
Flicker Free (also known as Flicker Less) is a technology that aims to eliminate unwanted and annoying screen flicker in LCD and LED monitors. Flicker can cause eye strain and, in extreme cases, may also damage your eyesight.
Glossary
Display Size
Denotes the distance between the opposite upper and lower corners of the monitor. Listed in inches. Larger displays are generally easier to read.