Monitor buying guide : 10 [features] for Photo and Video Editing

Buying a Monitor is quite some process as there are many confusing terms like
Viewing angles, IPS, LED, LCD, TFT, 4k, 6k, Delta Ratio etc.,

In this Monitor Buying Guide we will explain all those confusing terms and help you choose a monitor that suits your needs. This article is mainly focused on the content creators needs.

So, Here are the 10 Features you should know if you’re buying a monitor for photo editing, video editing, graphic designing or editing your video game streaming.

1. Display Size vs Resolution

Display Size	Ideal Resolution	Aspect Ratio	PPI (Pixels per Inch)	Comment
24	FULL HD (1920×1080)	16:9		Excellent for Second Vertical Monitor Photo Editing
27	QHD (2560 x 1440)	16:9		Best Size Overall for Content Creation
29	WQHD (3440 x 1440)	21:9 (Ultra Wide)		Rare but Great for Video Editing and Productivity
32	UHD (3840×2160)	16:9		Best for 4k Photo or Video Editing Workflow.
34	5120×2160	21:9 ( Ultra wide)		Very Expensive but Excellent for Video Editing

24 – 27 Inch Monitors

monitors can be anything from 20 up to 49 inches in size but the two most common sizes for new displays are 24 inches and 27 inches and they provide a good amount of screen space for video Editing, Photo Editing or Graphic Design

These can be used as a primary display or as a secondary display for your Laptop as well and are very budget friendly.

For about 100 dollars, you can get a good 24 inch monitor that looks good. There is more space on a 27-inch screen, which makes them more popular with gamers and content creators They start at a little over $200.

Resolution refers to the number of horizontal pixels and vertical pixels on a screen the higher the number the sharper the image.

Most 24 inch monitors have a resolution of 1920 horizontal pixels by 1080 vertical pixels, which is also known as Full HD. This is what most of them have. It can be hard to tell how many pixels are on a 27-inch monitor because they are spread out over a bigger area, so the image can look softer and fuzzy. To solve this, choose a higher resolution, like 2560 by 1440 or quad HD, which is common on more expensive 27-inch models and gives a sharper overall image.

more than 27 inch Monitors

27 is the ideas size for most of the creators however if you need that extra space for huge workflows choosing a monitor of 29 or 32 inch or 34 inch helps.

4k screens have a 3840 by 2160 resolution and look very clear and detailed. They’re good for graphic designers and creative professionals, but they’re also more expensive than full or quad HD monitors and they’ll be an overkill for many people.

Is ultrawide monitor good for video editing and graphic design?

Yes, Ultrawide monitors generally have a 21:9 Aspect Ratio which gives a lot of horizontal space and helps in better workflows particularly for content creators.

These Ultrawide Monitors are especially good for Video Editing and Multiwindow Workflows but bear in mind these are really expensive when combined with the higher resolutions and display sizes.

2. Display Panel

TFT

The latest technology in display panels has been the TFT (Thin Film Transistor) panel, which is a flat panel display that uses thin layers of glass. Compared to older technologies like the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), these displays are cheaper and consume less power.

However, they have some drawbacks:
TFTs don’t offer wide viewing angles or high contrast ratios.

TFT Panels are Not Good for Content Creators

They Support Very High Refresh Rates up to 240 fps and are Excellent for Gamers

IPS

IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels are similar to TFTs but with one major difference: Instead of using thin layers of glass, IPS panels use tiny transistors instead and can be made thinner than TFTs can be made without losing color or brightness quality.

These benefits make IPS panels perfect for content creation because you will get better contrast ratios and wider viewing angles as well as good lighting performance even during cloudy weather conditions.

VA

The VA display panel is a light emitting diode (LED) display that has been around since the 1980s. The large pixel size and high contrast of this type of screen make it ideal for Higher Resolutions and They are often Cheap to Make

They have a Noticeable Input lag making it a hard choice for Gamers.

LED

LED Panels have Excellent Brightness and Contrast Ratio with Great Color Accuracy and Good Response Times

They are Really Expensive as monitors and they are mainly suited for Consumers than Creators

Due to the Burnin Problem which is getting solved these days they might be a turn down for Gamers.

DISPLAY PANEL	GOOD FOR	BAD FOR
TFT DISPLAY PANEL	Excellent for Gaming as they support higher FPS	Photography and Video Editing
IPS DISPLAY PANEL	Great Color Accuracy and Viewing Angles = Excellent for Content Creators	Average for Gamers
VA PANEL	Great Color, Budget Friendly	Bad Viewing Angles and Input lag = Average for Gamers
LED / OLED PANEL	Excellent Color Accuracy but Really Expensive	Average for Gamers Due to Burn in Problem

3. Color Gamut

Simply Put The color gamut represents the range of colors that can be reproduced on a Monitor within the spectrum of colors, or color space.

You can lean more about Color Gamut here

sRGB Color Gamut

sRGB Color Gamut: sRGB is the most popular color space in the world. It’s used by over 90% of all computer monitors and TVs on the market today.

It’s a color space that is designed to be used by designers and engineers and Its a Standard for Computer Graphics

Choose a Monitor with at least 99% sRGB Color Gamut Support.

Adobe RGB

Adobe announced a major update to its color space, called Adobe RGB. The new standard will be used by designers and photographers to create more accurate colors on their computer screens and in print.

Choose a Monitor with atleast 70% or more Adobe RGB if you’re more into the print media.

DCI P3

The DCI P3 Color Gamut is the number one color space employed by digital imaging devices. The DCI P3 color gamut covers 75% of the CIE 1931 XYZ values, which means that it covers more colors than any other color space available today.

The P3 Color Gamut covers almost all human-visible colors, and it is known to be a good approximation of the Standard RGB color gamut.

Choose a Monitor With DCI P3 Support if you’re working in the field of Digital Cinema or Video Editing at a Professional Level.

Pantone

Pantone Color is an internationally recognized company that creates color formulas for designers and printers.

It is mainly Geared towards the Print Media

4. Color Accuracy or Delta E

For many years, the only way to calibrate a color monitor was by using an external device. However, as of late, both manufacturers and consumers have begun to use software to calibrate their monitors. The most common method of calibration is called Delta E. 

Lesser the Delta E Number the More Color Accurate is the Monitor

δE <1 = Ideal = Color Error Indistinguishable for Most Human Eyes

Choose a Monitor With Anything Delta E (δE )<2 if you are looking for Professional Work.

5. Connectivity: Inputs and Outputs ( I/O)

HDMI and Display Port are two of the most popular video signal standards. They both offer high-definition video and audio, but HDMI is more widely used than Display Port.

They both have their advantages, but the best way to determine which one is right for you is by looking at the features each has.

HDMI has been around since 2003, but it is becoming outdated because of its poor portability. Meanwhile, Display Port was introduced in 2011 and has become popular among PC gamers due to its ability to support 4K resolutions and HDR display technologies.

The latest version of the HDMI standard is 2.1, which improves on the previous version by providing support for higher bandwidths of up to 10.2 gigabits per second (Gbps). This update also includes several new features including support for CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) that enables users to control their TV and other devices using the remote control.

Choose a Monitor Which Supports Multiple Input Output Options as You will we working with multiple monitors as a professional and your Graphics card might only output one HDMI and One Display Port options

6. Refresh Rates

Higher Refresh Rates are Excellent for Gamers anything beyond 120Hz is Gamers Territory.

Content Creators Doesn’t need a Higher Refresh Rate monitor anything above 60Hz refresh Rate is Good for Video Editing and Photo Editing

7. HDR

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. HDR monitors are available in a wide range of sizes, from small-sized to large-sized models. These types of monitors have the ability to display extremely bright highlights and dark shadows at nearly equal levels.

If you are in a True HDR Workflow, You have to buy an Expensive Monitor don’t fall for the marketing gimmicks in which only a Half Baked HDR is included.

Look for a Monitor with Maximum Brightness > 1000 nits if you truly need to work in HDR.

while 400-600 nits Brightness is good for Consuming Content it is not great for Creating HDR Content

8. Input Lag

Input lag is the time from when you move a mouse or press a button on your keyboard to when that action appears on the screen.

When playing video games, monitor input lag can be an issue. It is the delay between when a player moves their mouse or touches the screen and when the action appears on the display. and This lag can become quite frustrating if you are trying to play an action-packed game with lots of fast-paced gameplay.

For Gamers anything between 1-5 mili seconds Lag is accepatable
while for the Content Creators less 15 m.sec Lag is acceptable too.

9. Color Depth

Another way to describe the quality of a monitor is its color depth. The color depth can be described as the number of colors that are available on a screen. This measurement varies from computer to computer and can also vary depending on which type of screen you’re using.

Simply put 8bit vs 10 Bit – 10 bit is better for Content Creators however these monitors can be quite Expensive so Choose Wisely

This Concept is beyond current monitor buying guide and can be best understood in the Following Video

10. Final Thoughts

Whatever Workstation you have, the monitor you choose has a significant impact oneverything you do. That makes purchasing a new monitor a worthwhile investment and one that will pay off immediately, whether you’re playing games or Editing Photos or Videos.

Just make sure you don’t overspend on a screen with unnecessary features that
won’t help your Needs or Workflow. and we hope this monitor buying guide will help you with the same.