6 Best Budget Monitors For Photo Editing

It goes without saying that you will need a monitor to both edit and evaluate the photos you capture. However, if you want to touch up your photos professionally, then you cannot just use a standard monitor.

For a proper editing job, you will need to choose your monitor carefully. If you are a little lost about which monitor to get, then this list of best monitors for photo editing should help point you in the right direction.

What to consider when choosing a good monitor for photo editing

Our team of testers, with 15 years of combined experience have tested a wide variety of products, both hardware, and software to create unbiased and thorough lists that will help you make an informed buying decision.

As in the case of any device or software that ends up on their task lists, the monitors presented in this guide have been compared both with the competition, and amongst themselves, and then pushed to the limits in single testing processes as well.

This timeline not only ensures that the choices we made are the best on the market, but also that they operate and offer the exact capabilities the producer presents them with.

Price

As in the case of everything else, what is an acceptable price for a good monitor for photo editing will depend on factors like your own perspective, and financial setting.

Even though we can’t provide you with 5 options specifically for your case, our experts have tried to cover the entire price spectrum, to ensure that you will find a good option for your situation.

Display size

As it ultimately comes down to personal preference, considering that you’re planning on using the monitor for photo editing, having enough space is crucial.

The actual size requirements will vary from case to case, but because photo-editing software usually offers a wide range of features, options, menus, and sub-menus, it is safe to assume that it could be better to have more space rather than less.

This list will provide you with a variety of options that will ensure that no matter what your space requirements are, you will be able to choose one of the monitors we present you with.

Resolution

Resolution is extremely important when editing photography, with the exact requirements varying here as well. As in most cases, bigger is almost always better, especially if you’re dealing with this subject on a professional level.

A good resolution to aim for would be 4K in that regard, but lesser values could also be useful if you’re just dabbling in photo editing as a hobby.

Color gamut

Color gamut, along with the resolution of the monitor you choose is also incredibly important, especially if you’re a professional in this field. Having a wide color gamut enables you to observe, edit, and customize your photos to look as best as possible.

The color gamut, a fancy way of saying ‘the amount of the color spectrum that your monitor can output’, will dramatically influence not only your results but also how many changes you will be able to apply to your photography.

Customization options

Customization options that are built into your monitor can prove to be a great advantage while processing photos on your PC.

Besides the obvious improvement when it comes to the quality of your work, having great customization options also enables you to make the most out of any photo editing software, without relying on complicated options found inside the program.

Note: All the prices and offers in this article are subject to change, so be sure to check the official product page to get the latest deal. If the product/offer you’re looking for is no longer available, you can try to find it on its official manufacturer page or get another one from our list.

What are the best budget color-accurate monitors?

ASUS ProArt PA278QV

• 24.1-inch
• 1920 x 1200 IPS display
• 100% sRGB color gamut
• Good viewing angles
• ASUS exclusive ProArt Preset and ProArt Palette

• Restrictive menu options

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Since photo editing is your passion, the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV is clearly worthy of your attention, being one of the best budget IPS monitor for photo editing.

This beautiful device offers a 24. 1-inch (1920 x 1200) IPS display with international color standard 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 wide color gamut.

Moreover, you’re about to enjoy extensive connectivity with DisplayPort, HDMI, D-sub, Audio in, Earphone jack plus four USB 3. 0 ports.

Designed specifically for artistic work, it has been designed to output incredibly vivid colors and the clarity at which it does makes it a must-have for any artist.

In order to ensure that your imagination and field of view are not affected in any way while using this display, the IPS display is created without a wide frame.

For colors to look especially crisp and true-to-life, the wide color gamut is evident even further by the use of 300 cd/m²  maximal brightness output, and a very good response time of 5 ms. To add to this, the display is Calman Verified and pre-calibrated inside the factory or incredibly immersive and deep color spectrums.

If you think that the art-related features on this device are enough already, you must know that this Asus monitor also offers you personalized editing with the ProArt Preset option and a ProArt Pallete feature which allows even further customization and setting of parameters.

To make sure that your eyes don’t get overly tired while working on your precious art project, the monitor also comes bundled with the useful Asus Eye Care Technology, which ensures that the blue-light emission levels are kept in check.

Philips 276E9QDSB

• 27-inch
• 1920x1080 IPS display
• 124% sRGB colour gamut
• HDMI, DVI-D, VGA, and audio out connectivity
• Adjustable monitor position and tilt angle

• Not the best built-in speaker quality

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This Philips 276E9QDSB monitor is also amazing. We are talking about a monitor with a Full HD 1920×1080 IPS panel, making this option one of the best budget sRGB monitors on the market.

Being one of the best budget 27-inch monitors for photo editing, this option from Philips offers more than enough space for you to perform your editing process.

Its wide-viewing angles and brightness of 250 cd/m² make it stand out from the crowd. As for the Free Sync technology, it provides fluid, artifact-free gaming performance that also implies the smooth operation of any good photo editing software.

There are a wide variety of sizes available for this device, so if you would like to have e 22-inch or 24-inch option, you can do so.

Another important element is choosing if you want a flat or curved version, which can make a huge difference in the overall experience. You can choose these options on the seller’s Amazon page.

The Phillips 276E9QDSB has a 93% NTSC color gamut coverage, ensuring that your photos will look incredible if you know what you’re doing while editing them.

Another useful feature for those long hours spent in front of the PC is the LowBlue mode, which reduces the amount of blue light emitted by the display. Added to this, the monitor also includes a Flicker-Free technology, ensuring that your eyes will not be affected by the refresh rate of the monitor’s image.

As with other monitors on this list, the monitor has a very thin bezel, which doesn’t bother you while working on editing photos, and also maximizes the size of the display, without making the monitor unnecessarily big.

Moreover, the 4-year advance replacement policy (for models sold in the U.S.) coming from Philips is an aspect to take into consideration.

BenQ SW2700PT

• Exceptional clarity and fine detail
• Accurate color reproduction
• Custom calibration
• B&W content previews in three preset modes
• Eye Care for comfortable viewing

• No pallet master software on the driver CD

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One of the best monitors for photo editing, the BenQ 27-inch 2K photographer monitor SW2700PT2k comes with a 27-inch screen, 14 bit 3 LUT, Rec. 709, and 99% Adobe RGB.

This is quite impressive considering it is half the price of most monitors designed for graphic and photo editing. Photography has skyrocketed in popularity over the years.

The BenQ SW2700PT offers every element you need in order to create amazing photos on your PC and optimize them in any way you want.

This means that more and more people are looking for monitors that are capable of editing high-end photos. However, not everyone can afford a $1000 plus monitor.

Thus, this BenQ is the perfect tool for people who are looking for an affordable monitor that still offers top features.

With the 1.07 Billion colors this monitor is capable of displaying, photographers should have no trouble accurately editing their photos.

Another very useful feature that this monitor offers is the ability to easily switch between Adobe RGB, sRGB, and Black & White modes, with the handy Puck buttons.

To ensure great image quality, the display comes pre-calibrated both from the perspective of hardware, palette master element, and color advantage.

Added to this, it features a useful Eye Care option that optimizes the image so your eyes don’t hurt after long usage times. It does this by using blue light filters, and a zero flicker technology.

As for the design, the monitor looks great. It comes with shade hoods that can be used to reduce glare from a side or overhead lighting.

BenQ PD3200U

• Exclusive AQColor technology
• View files side-by-side with DualView
• Eye care technology
• Great pre-calibration
• New firmware update

• Questionable internal speakers

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This monitor is capable of displaying exceptionally clear and bold colors, which makes it perfect for both designers and photo editors. It has a Rec. 709 color space and has wide viewing angles.

For color spectrums, you will want to know that this monitor has Adobe RGB, sRGB, and the Rec. 709 mentioned above.

These elements ensure that no matter how complex your photograph is, and how many spectrums of colors it contains, the monitor will be able to present it to you with high fidelity.

You will also have 32 inches and 4k resolution to work with. A large screen and high resolution are essential for photo editors.

The BenQ monitor is one of the most desirable displays on the market as not only is it highly functional, but it is also relatively affordable.

Other important features include IPS technology, 60HZ, 4ms response time, and 1000:1 contrast ratio.

In order for you to always be comfortable while using this monitor, it comes with a series of ergonomic features. You can adjust the monitor by twisting, tilting, and turning without much effort.

Added to this, you also get a KVM switch that comes in extremely useful in case you want to add this monitor to a multi-display setup.

While this monitor is perfect for photo editing, the average refresh rate and response time do not make it perfect for gaming. Nevertheless, it is still far above average.

ASUS ProArt PA329C

• Professional-grade 32-inch 4K/UHD display
• Extensive connectivity
• Response time is 6ms (gray to gray)
• ASUS Eye care technology
• Ergonomically-designed stand

• Increased brightness at certain levels

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This Asus display definitely earns its spot on this list as it is both powerful and slick-looking, ensuring that no matter where you choose to use this display, it will look great without being an eye-sore.

With a powerful 4k support and a 10- bit IPS display, Asus ProArt is the best budget 4k monitor for photo editing, offering amazing depths of color and also a wide range of customization options to make the experience even more suited to your needs.

The IPS or In-Plane Switching feature in this display is a unique technology that allows LCD monitors to show bolder colors and wider viewing angles, while not taking away from the crispness of the image itself.

When it comes down to color accuracy, ASUS claims that this amazing monitor is pre-calibrated for 100% color accuracy on the scale of sRGB. It has color support of Rec. 709.

The company has also added a technology called Eye Care, which is designed to completely eliminate screen flickers, while also controlling the amount of blue light the screen emits.

This combined with its minimal ocular harm technology ensures that users have maximum viewing comfort, while also protecting their eyes from excessive strain after long usage.

In the connectivity department, this monitor also impressed us, with a DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, and a USB Type-C connection.

Is it a good idea to invest in a good monitor for photo editing?

The short answer is a resounding Yes.

No matter if you’re an enthusiast of photography and want to have the capability to edit your work without being limited by color outputs, or a professional who spends hundreds of hours a month producing incredibly qualitative photos, investing in a good monitor is always a good idea.

For hobby-ists

In case you’re doing photo editing as a hobby, or simply want to edit your own photos before posting them on your social media, having a monitor which shows you the exact way the work will be posted, while also protecting your eyes from long-term damage, can prove to be a useful tool.

Of course, a good monitor that’s capable of offering you true quality in your photo-editing process will also be great for gaming, movie watching, and exploring the web. Because of this, you’re not investing in a device that can only offer one type of service, but you improve your entire PC experience considerably.

For professionals

As in the case of the users that want to dabble in photo editing software, professionals not only get a device that can render incredibly impressive and immersive photos but can take advantage of all the other perks a good monitor can offer.

No matter if you’re spending long hours creating astonishing pieces of art, editing photos, watching your favorite Netflix shows, or simply exploring the web, having a good visual interface will ensure that your eyes will be both safe, and captivated by the process entirely.

These are some of the best monitors for photo editing that you can grab right away. To help you find the monitor that fits your specific budget, we showed you our top picks.

No matter if you’re looking into a good quality monitor for your day-to-day activity, or are interested in some of the best monitor options found on the market, this list has you covered.

Even more, this specific list is part of our generous selection of great monitor deals. Take a closer look, then tell us your favorite monitor for editing photos in the comments area below.