Monitors have become a great alternative to TVs if you want a smaller display for watching movies and shows. There are different panel types that deliver good picture quality for multimedia content. This includes OLED panels, which deliver the best picture quality, and even some budget and mid-range monitors have full-array Mini LED backlighting instead. Although monitors have less image processing than TVs, they're also versatile for gaming and productivity, making them great choices for uses beyond just watching content.
When looking for a new multimedia monitor, there are a few factors to consider. One of the most important is having a high contrast ratio, which helps it display deep blacks against bright highlights, particularly in dark rooms, and OLEDs excel at this. Having high brightness is also useful if you want to watch content in bright rooms, and Mini LEDs are the brightest. Lastly, it's important for it to display a wide range of colors so that images look life-like. You should also consider whether you're going to watch your content in SDR or HDR, as some monitors are better for HDR than others, including supporting Dolby Vision for enhanced picture quality.
We've bought and tested more than 415 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best multimedia monitors. See our recommendations for the best HDR monitors, the best OLED monitors, and the best Mini LED monitors. If you want more options for watching content, check out the best TVs for movies.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best Multimedia Monitor
HDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessColor AccuracySize32"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionThe best monitor for watching movies and multimedia content that we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3, which is a high-end 4k QD-OLED. The main advantage of getting this for watching content is its remarkable picture quality. Its QD-OLED panel delivers deep, inky blacks in dark rooms, and its wide color gamut makes your favorite content look realistic. It also gets bright, making small highlights pop against the rest of the image, which is ideal for watching HDR content.
Another positive is that it supports Dolby Vision, so it can take full advantage of content available in that format, like from a Blu-ray player or Xbox Series X|S. However, one thing to know is that a QD-OLED like this performs best in a dark room. Using it in a bright room causes the black levels to rise, making them look gray. If you want a monitor that has better black levels in bright rooms, you can also check out the LG 32GX870B-B. It's a WOLED display that maintains low black levels in well-lit environments, but its colors aren't as vivid as those of the PG32UCDM Gen3.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Multimedia Monitor
HDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf you're looking for the best monitor to watch movies with premium picture quality and find the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3 too expensive, check out the Dell Alienware AW2725Q. There are a few similarities in picture quality: the Dell has deep, inky blacks in dark rooms and displays a wide range of vivid colors with bright highlights. One downside is that it isn't as bright as the ASUS, so it performs worse in bright rooms because it doesn't handle glare well. Plus, blacks look purple in a bright room, so you need to use the monitor in a dark room to get the best out of it. Another difference is that it isn't as accurate in HDR, because it displays most content brighter than what the creator intended.
This monitor at least supports Dolby Vision and has a 4k resolution and QD-OLED panel like the ASUS, so it delivers detailed images. It has a smaller screen, though, which is something to consider if you want a big display for an immersive viewing experience. If that's the case, the Dell S3225QC is a solid 32-inch alternative that you can get for less. However, it's less versatile for other uses because it has a lower refresh rate.
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Best Mid-Range Multimedia Monitor
HDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessColor AccuracySize32"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate165 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf you find that the Dell Alienware AW2725Q is still too much out of your price range, look into the TCL 32R84. It's especially worth getting when you can find it on sale for cheaper than the Dell. It's another 4k option, but there are a few trade-offs to consider. As it doesn't have an OLED panel, it doesn't display the same perfect blacks without any haloing around bright objects against dark backgrounds. Instead, it uses Mini LED backlighting, which is much brighter, making it a better choice for well-lit rooms. Its local dimming feature also helps improve black levels while keeping them low in bright rooms. However, it has noticeable haloing in dark scenes, and it dims small highlights. It at least keeps details well, so it's easy to see the differences between shadows and brighter areas in most content.
Besides that, it displays a wide range of colors in HDR and makes them look vivid, similar to the Dell, resulting in an impactful viewing experience. Unfortunately, it lacks a few features that the Dell has, such as Dolby Vision support, which is a downside if you want to connect a Blu-ray player. Luckily, it has built-in speakers, which the Dell lacks, and despite their limited performance, these help if you don't have a soundbar or dedicated computer speakers.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Multimedia Monitor
HDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf the TCL 32R84 is too expensive for your budget, check out the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx instead. It's another 4k option with Mini LED backlighting, but there are some notable trade-offs with it. It has a lower native contrast ratio, so it doesn't have the same deep blacks as the TCL, even with its local dimming feature enabled. Its local dimming doesn't perform as well, either, as there's more haloing around bright objects, but it at least improves its picture quality in dark scenes enough for an impactful viewing experience. One thing to note is that you can only use its local dimming in HDR, so with it disabled in SDR, blacks look gray due to its low contrast ratio.
This monitor at least displays a wider range of colors than the TCL, leading to a more realistic and lifelike image. Plus, like the TCL, it also gets bright enough for highlights to pop in HDR or to fight glare in most well-lit rooms. It doesn't have built-in speakers, though, so you'll need a soundbar or external speakers when you're watching content with a friend. On the plus side, this monitor has a wider viewing angle than the TCL, so the image remains consistent when viewing from the sides.
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Best Budget Multimedia Monitor
HDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf you're looking for the best monitor for movies and you're on a budget, there's a more limited selection of good monitors to choose from compared to higher-end displays. That said, there are still some options that are better than other entry-level models for watching content, including the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's different than the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx because it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed. On the plus side, it's another Mini LED option that actually has better picture quality than the Acer.
Besides the local dimming feature performing better and improving its contrast ratio with minimal haloing around bright highlights, it has less black crush and haloing than the Acer. You can also use local dimming as you wish, both in and out of HDR. Even if you don't want to use local dimming, it still displays deep blacks thanks to its higher native contrast ratio. It also gets bright, but if you want an even brighter option, the KOORUI S2721PM is a solid alternative that doesn't cost much. However, it has a lower contrast ratio than the AOC, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks.
Notable Mentions
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ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM is a 4k QD-OLED that's a smaller, cheaper alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. It performs similarly for the most part, but it's not as bright.
See our review -
Samsung Odyssey OLED G73SH S32HG732S:
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G73SH S32HG732S is an upper mid-range OLED that's in the same price range as the Dell Alienware AW2725Q. The main advantage of the Samsung is that it maintains deeper blacks in bright rooms. However, its colors aren't as vivid as on the Dell.
See our review -
HyperX OMEN OLED 27q:
The HyperX OMEN OLED 27q is a mid-range option that's cheaper than the TCL 32R84. The HyperX is an OLED that's a great choice if you want its deep blacks, but it isn't as bright, and it has a lower 1440p resolution.
See our review -
MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M:
The MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M is a 4k Mini LED option that competes with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. The MSI is a bit more well-rounded because you can use its local dimming feature in SDR. However, it performs similarly in HDR and usually costs a bit more.
See our review -
MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV:
The MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV is an entry-level 1440p monitor that uses Mini LED backlighting, like the AOC Q27G3XMN. Although the MSI performs similarly in terms of HDR and is worth getting if you can find it on sale, it's usually more expensive than the AOC.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 29, 2026:
We replaced the Dell S3225QC in the upper mid-range category with the Dell Alienware AW2725Q, which is more well-rounded. We also added the TCL 32R84 as the 'Best Mid-Range Multimedia Monitor' to give another option and renamed the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx to the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Multimedia Monitor.' In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 27GX700A-B, and we added the Samsung Odyssey OLED G73SH S32HG732S, the MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M, and the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV to reflect the changes to the article.
Aug 05, 2026:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM with the newer and brighter ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3, and we replaced the hard-to-find KOORUI S2741LM with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM and Samsung Smart Monitor M80D S32DM80, and we added the Dell Alienware AW2725Q, the LG 27GX700A-B, and the ASUS PG27UCDM.
May 14, 2026:
We replaced the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx with the KOORUI S2741LM, which has better picture quality in SDR. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 27GX700A-B and the Dell S2725QS, and we added the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q and the Acer XV275K.
Feb 23, 2026:
We replaced the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX with the Dell S2725QS in the Notable Mentions.
Dec 08, 2025:
We made several changes to better reflect the current monitor market and ensure consistency with other recommendations. We replaced the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM, the Dell Alienware AW2725Q, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, and the AOC Q27G40XMN with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, the Dell S3225QC, the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx, and the AOC Q27G3XMN. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the MSI MPG 322URX QD-OLED, the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, and the PG27UCDM with the PG32UCDM, the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX, and the LG 27GX700A-B.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we believe are the best monitors for watching movies and other multimedia content currently available in the United States. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, visitor feedback, and price. For example, two monitors may perform the same, but the cheaper one will be recommended. We also consider availability, as we don't recommend a monitor that's hard to find.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our monitor reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the metrics that fare worse are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.