5k monitors are a class of displays with 5,120 horizontal pixels, more than on popular 4k screens. These 5k monitors come in various shapes and sizes with different vertical resolutions, and the market for each type is different. The most common has a 5120x2880 resolution, ideal for macOS due to its high pixel density. The recommendations below reflect that, as they all have this type of 5k resolution. However, if you aren't a macOS user, you can also consider ultrawide 5120x1440 or 5120x2160 (5k2k) monitors, which are useful for both work and play, although these models are less common.

Choosing the right 5k monitor depends on your usage and budget. It's important to remember that most 5k monitors are costly, so you should be prepared to spend more than you would on a lower-resolution monitor. There are other factors you may want to consider, like the monitor's brightness if you want to use it in a well-lit room, or its color accuracy if you're a content creator and you don't want to spend extra on a full calibration. Some options even have gaming features with high refresh rates and fast response times for minimal motion blur.

We've bought and tested more than 415 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best 5k monitors that we've tested. Depending on what you need the 5k monitor for, see our recommendations for the best monitors for video editing, the best monitors for photo editing, and the best work monitors.