Best Monitors Under $400

Purchasing a new monitor is not easy, especially when you are paying a premium price. Finding a good monitor for yourself is itself a challenging task if you are not tech-savvy. That is why we are here to help. Our buying guides help millions of people purchase the right monitors, and if you are searching for the best monitor under $400, here are our top three picks.

#Best Overall

Dell S2722QC

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Why we like it?

Because the Dell S2722QC is a complete package for professionals. It is a 4K monitor with USB Type-C & ergonomic stand.

#Best Ultrawide

AOC CU34G2X

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Why we like it?

Because the AOC CU34G2X is a 144Hz ultrawide monitor for immersive gaming, productivity, and video editing. The amount of screen space it offers is excellent.

#Best Gaming

Alienware AW2521

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Why we like it?

Because the Alienware AW2521HF offers best in class 240Hz refresh rate gaming experience. Its IPS panel is super colorful, and the design is very premium.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

1. Dell S2722QC	2. LG 27UK650-W	3. Alienware AW2521HF	4. Dell S3221QS	5. ASUS TUF VG32VQ1B	6. AOC CU34G2X	7. LG 27UL500-W
Best Overall	Best 4K	Best Gaming	Best 32-inch	Best Curved	Best Ultrawide	Best Under $300
27″	27″	25″	32″	32″	34″	27″
IPS	IPS	IPS	VA	VA	VA	IPS
4K	4K	1080p	4K	1440p	1440p	4K
60Hz	60Hz	240Hz	60Hz	165Hz	144Hz	60Hz
FreeSync	FreeSync	FreeSync Premium & G-Sync	FreeSync	FreeSync Premium	Adaptive Sync	FreeSync
Speakers	❌	❌	Speakers	Speakers	Speakers	❌
VESA Mount	VESA Mount	VESA Mount	VESA Mount	VESA Mount	VESA Mount	VESA Mount

Best Monitors Under $400 Reviews 2022

We researched a lot and gathered thousands of customer reviews. Out of many options, only these monitors made it to the list because of their popularity and positive reviews. We studied the specifications and gave each monitor a title so that it would be easy for you guys to pick the best one for yourself.

#Top 1 Best Vertical Monitor

1. Best Overall: Dell S2722QC

The best monitor under $400 we have tested is the Dell S2722QC. It is a 4K monitor for professionals with rich connectivity and premium design. We highly recommend this monitor to programmers, office workers, bloggers, and content creators.

Best Features

• 4K IPS Panel
• ComfortView Feature
• Rich Connectivity
• AMD FreeSync
• VESA Mount Holes

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The dell S2722QC features an IPS panel with 3840×2160 pixels resolution, resulting in an excellent 163 PPI on the 27-inch screen. Its decent text clarity and fantastic screen space allow you to put more content on the screen. The colors are vibrant as you would expect from an IPS panel and the viewing angles are wide.

I like that the monitor has USB Type-C, and many professionals like me would find it easy to connect laptops with the monitor because it does the job of extending the display and power supply over a single cable. The stand is another highlight of this monitor, and if you are someone like me who adjusts the workspace often for a change, then it will be a great monitor for your setup.

#Top 2

2. Best 4K: LG 27UK650-W

The best 4K monitor under $400 we have tested is the LG 27UK650-W. It is the MVP of this price segment because it has better HDR performance than the Dell S2722QC. The monitor is quite old, that is why the price is under $400, but it is still a great performer.

Best Features

• 4K UHD IPS Panel
• 60Hz Refresh Rate
• 99% sRGB
• HDR 10
• AMD FreeSync

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The LG 27UK650-W has an IPS panel with 3840×2160 pixels resolution. It is a 10 bits panel (8 bits+FRC), so it can display rich colors. The best part about this monitor is its resolution which provides excellent clarity and real estate. Its HDR performance is also noticeable.

Its SDR peak brightness is 350 nits, which can reach 450 nits while displaying HDR content. It is not the highest, but the brightness margin makes the HDR shine. In simple words, if HDR matters to you, get this one; otherwise, the Dell S2722QC is a much better choice.

#Top 3 Cheapest 240Hz Monitor

3. Best Gaming: Alienware AW2521HF

The best gaming monitor under $400 we have tested is the Alienware AW2521HF. It provides the highest refresh rate at this price range, which means the smoothest gaming experience for the price. We highly recommend this gaming monitor if your top priority is high refresh rate competitive gaming.

Best Features

• IPS Technology
• 240Hz Refresh Rate
• 1ms Response Time
• 99% sRGB Coverage
• FreeSync / G-Sync

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The Alienware AW2521HF is an IPS gaming monitor with a fantastic 240Hz refresh rate. It handles motion like a pro, and the gaming experience is so smooth on this gaming monitor, but some might feel unsatisfied since you are getting a 1080p monitor for $400. It is not a wrong choice either, but it might not make sense for some buyers.

It stays easy on your GPU because of the 1080p screen resolution, but if you think your rig can push more pixels, then get a high-resolution 1440p 144Hz or 165Hz monitor because that is going to balance everything from screen clarity to smoothness.

#Top 4 best 32-inch monitor

4. Best 32-inch: Dell S3221QS

The best 32-inch monitor under $400 we have tested is the Dell S3221QS. It is a large 32-inch curved monitor for office, entertainment, and gaming. The monitor has a 1800R curved design, AMD FreeSync, and dual 5W speakers, making it an excellent package for buyers looking for a large monitor.

Best Features

• 4K UHD Curved Screen
• 1800R Curve Design
• Dell ComfortView
• Premium Sound
• AMD FreeSync

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The main benefit of purchasing a large monitor is visibility allowing you to put the monitor at a distance for a better viewing experience. However, when you put a large monitor at a near distance, the sides stay out of the vision, but it is not a problem with the Dell S3221QS. Why? Because it is a curved monitor.

Curved monitors provide maximum vision with minimum eye movement hence better productivity, better viewing experience, and less fatigue. The Dell S3221QS houses a VA panel, so the colors and contrasts are excellent, but viewing angles are not as good as IPS. Other features on board are decent. It feels like a complete package making it a good monitor in our eyes.

#Top 5

5. Best Curved: ASUS TUF VG32VQ1B

The best curved monitor under $400 we have tested is the ASUS TUF VG32VQ1B. It is a curved gaming monitor with a 32-inch screen size that delivers an immersive gaming experience. The monitor is HDR certified, has AMD FreeSync Premium, and a lot of gaming tech under the hood.

Best Features

• 1440p VA Panel
• 165Hz Refresh Rate
• 1ms Response Time
• AMD FreeSync Premium
• ELMB Sync

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The best part about this monitor is its motion handling. It handles fast motions like a pro, thanks to the AMD FreeSync Premium and ASUS’s backlight strobing technology ELMB Sync. The monitor has a 2560x1440p screen resolution, which looks sharp, so that is great.

The FreeSync Premium technology on this monitor works over both DisplayPort and HDMI, which is excellent. Also, the monitor has HDR certification, but the peak brightness is not that high, making HDR useless on this monitor. However, it is still an excellent value-for-money monitor because its large curved screen provides a blur-free gaming experience.

#Top 6 

6. Best Ultrawide: AOC CU34G2X

The best ultrawide monitor under $400 we have tested is the AOC CU34G2X. It is an Ultra QHD monitor with a wide form factor for 144Hz gaming. We recommend this monitor for office, video editing, and productivity if that gaming design does not bother you.

Best Features

• Ultra QHD VA Panel
• 144Hz Refresh Rate
• 1500R Curve Radius
• Wide Color Gamut
• Adaptive Sync Technology

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Starting with the design, it looks aggressive, and the stand has quad-legs, offering fantastic stability on the desk. Gamers will love the design for sure, the red trims look dope, but those thinking of setting this monitor in a work environment might rethink it because of its game-centric look.

Samsung manufactured the panel, and it is a 34-inch VA panel with a 3840x1440p resolution. The clarity is decent. No complaints about that, the colors are also rich, covering around 119% sRGB, a little more than most IPS monitors. Gaming performance is excellent with the 144Hz refresh rate, but the motion handling is not the best.

#Top 7 LG 27UL500-W Best Monitor under $300

7. Best Monitor Under $300: LG 27UL500-W

The best monitor under $300 we have tested is the LG 27UL500-W. This monitor is for you if you need a 4K monitor without all those fancy features and ergonomics. It is a 4K monitor for office, video editing, and casual gaming. Costing less than $300, the LG 27UL500-W is our top recommendation for those on a tight budget.

Best Features

• 27″ UHD IPS Panel
• 98% sRGB
• AMD FreeSync
• HDR 10
• Wall Mountable

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The LG27UL500-W is a 4K monitor by LG. It is pretty old, but the price cut is a boon for budget buyers because you get a decent 4K display at a highly approachable price. The monitor does not have good ergonomics as the stand is only tiltable, but the design is sure as fresh as the newer LG monitors.

You will be surprised and feel more productive if you have been used to a 1080p screen because this 4K panel offers plenty of room to work on the screen without sacrificing clarity. It has AMD FreeSync, but the true gamers won’t be satisfied because the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz only.

That’s a Wrap!

Our recommendations are the best monitor under $400 you can get. We studied the market and found these monitors have the most positive customer reviews. There might be better options available than these, but we guarantee these monitors have the most positive feedback with a lesser complaint ratio.

We hope this guide helped you find the best monitor for yourself. If not, you can also check other buying guides for more recommendations.