Monitor Sales Round-Up: 24” for $130, 4K for $550, and IPS Displays on Sale

This weekend's sales round-up focuses on what's outside the box: Monitors. As we've seen lately, 4K gaming really isn't all that possible just yet with a single GPU configuration – but it's on the rise, especially for non-AAA graphics. One space where 4K displays do make perfect sense, though, is in design or development, where refresh rates and framerates aren't nearly as important as usable screen space and clarity. This short round-up hosts a budget 1080p display, mid-range 1080p IPS display, “entry-level” 4K display, and a semi-affordable 4K IPS panel.

Acer S241HLbmid 24” 1080p ($120): Use code “EMCATNT39” at checkout for an additional $10 off, bringing this display down to $120. Acer's 24” 1080p monitor at the budget level offers just the necessities – a TN panel at 1920x1080 with a 5ms response time. 5ms isn't the fastest rate on the market – plenty of gaming monitors exist at 1ms – but will be adequate for the vast majority of gamers. Only hyper competitive players will truly notice and wield the advantages of a 1ms response time. For those on a budget, this display offers moderate viewing space with a standardized resolution.

ASUS PB287Q 28” 4K Display ($550): Use code “QDMDEX62850” for an additional discount atop the existing $550 price. This 28” TN display pushes 4K resolution as its primary selling point. The unit uses an unexciting-but-standard 60Hz refresh rate, but does host a 1ms response time gray-to-gray. At $550, this is one of the most affordable 4K displays on the market, but it'll take serious hardware to power it for gaming.

Dell S2340M 23” IPS ($160): Use code “EMCATNS72” for an additional discount atop the $160 price listed. Dell is presently the world's leading monitor manufacturer, a feat unsurprising given the critical acclaim of the Ultrasharp display. This budget IPS panel offers the clarity and color quality desired by artists and designers, but doesn't offer the best GTG response time for those more interested in fast-paced gaming (listed as 7ms). For users more focused on art, the S2340M grants a budget-level IPS panel that'll get the job done.

Acer B6 B326HK 32” 4K Display ($900): With an MSRP of $1200, even after the usual “street pricing,” $900 is a good buy given the current price structure of 4K displays. This unit is 32”, demanding a significant portion of desk space or requiring wall mount, and uses an IPS panel with a reasonable 6ms response time. Note that, again, 4K presently requires multi-GPU configurations for high-end gaming.

- Steve “Lelldorianx” Burke.