How do I choose a monitor?

This is a loaded question and is often confusing for people. While searching different monitors used for color grading, you may find articles and forums talking about Flanders scientific monitors and think that it’s the right way to go.

This is not true for everyone.

If you are doing major print or cinema work that’s being premiered in a theater, than a high end monitor may be the best choice for you.

However, if you are shooting web-based content, weddings or even minor print work, than you don't need to buy a crazy expensive monitor.

Why is it important?

If your monitor is off, the work you show to the world will only look as you saw it on that specific monitor. Having an accurate monitor, while not fool proof, will help immensely in displaying media the way that it was intended. It’s also important to cross reference your projects on different devices, to build a full understanding of how this works.

What kind of work do you typically do?

If you primarily make web-based content for social media and your website, then sRGB accuracy will be your selling point. But it is good to know the range of important factors, to help make an educated purchase.

 Here are a few good monitors for the line of work described.

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Asus Pro Art

(Budget Friendly)

Pros

• Accurate color 100% sRGB &

  rec 709

• IPS

• Extra: 75hz is decent for gaming.

• Low cost

Cons:

• Only 1080p

• Small; 23.8in (this may be better for people in tight spaces)

BenQ SW2700PT 27"

(I own)

Pros:

• Accurate Color: 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709

• Factory calibrated

•  Includes sunshade

• Relatively affordable

• Sharp 2k resolution

• Controller puck for changing settings.

• USB connection for software calibration

• 10 bit color depth

Cons

• Only 2k in resolution

• More expensive then some other options

What to look for.

The following info is to give you a basic understanding of what to look for in a good monitor. I’ve also linked a few articles that I find helpful and more in-depth.

Color Accuracy

sRGB

If budget is a concern, than you’ll want the most accurate sRGB that you can afford in your price range. But this should be standard for any monitors that are accurate in the following spaces.

Adobe RGB

Similar to sRGB, but with more range.

Here is a good article from Fstoppers.com on the comparison (AdobeRGB vs sRGB)

Rec 709

This is almost identical to sRGB in the sense that it's the same color space. It is the standard for HD video. The difference is primarily it uses a different Gamma then the others.

 (More on rec 709 here)

Color depth

There are a variety of bit depths in monitors, but here are two of the more common examples.

10-bit

10-bit monitors are becoming more and more relevant. It’s only a matter of time until they become the standard in LCD and LED panels. But until that day comes, they’re used primarily for printing work and also for your own viewing pleasure. Being able to see your work in it's 10-bit glory is always a pro.

8-bit

8bit is often "good enough". Although pros may point their nose in the air, most viewers will ultimately be seeing your work on an 8 bit screen. Therefore displaying on 10-bit might only be distracting you from grading your image for the proper audience.

More info on bit depth (Article on 8 bit vs 10bit here )

Resolution

High resolution will help identify the details of your image clearly. Most 4k or 2k screens are great to see your image clearly.

More on screen resolution Screen resolution: The ultimate guide

Viewing Angle

 You want to be able to view your monitor at slightly obscure angles, and still retain visual accuracy. IPS panels are great for this and can also help to retain more accurate color info

For more details on IPS (Advantages and Disadvantages of IPS LCD Panels)

Factory Calibration

Factory calibration is somewhat important, because it means the monitor was tested to be accurate. Even though the tests do vary, it’s nice to know that it went through some form of quality control to better assure the accuracy.

For details on factory calibration, this page is somewhat bias but might help to clarify some things.

Why You Need a Factory-Calibrated Monitor

Even though it is factory calibrated, you should still look into calibrating your monitor yourself . It’s often recommend that you calibrate your monitor every 6 months, but some suggest as little as every 2-6 weeks.

Hardware vs. Software Calibration

Monitor calibration tools

I personally use the Spyder 5, but either of these tools will do.

X-Rite i1Display Studio

Datacolor SpyderX Pro

Thank You

For taking time to read this post. I hope you found some of this information valuable and look forward to post future articles for you in the future!

extra

Monitor Arms

I find that having at-least 2 monitors can help multitasking, by providing extra screen real-estate. Having a dual monitor arm prevents the clutter.

Below is a link for a heavy-duty dual monitor arm, that I personally use for my 34in LG Ultrawide and for my 27in BenQ.