The 5 Best HDR Monitors - Winter 2025

The best HDR monitor we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM. It's a premium 4k, QD-OLED monitor that delivers remarkable picture quality. This is because it displays deep and inky blacks next to bright highlights in dark rooms, and there isn't any blooming around objects against dark backgrounds. Plus it gets bright enough to make small highlights pop, and colors are vivid for a life-like image.

Although other models use the same panel, this is better for HDR because it supports Dolby Vision, which is great to use with sources that support Dolby Vision, like an Xbox Series X|S or a Blu-ray. It even has more picture modes and customizable settings in HDR than competing models. However, this monitor costs a lot, so if it's out of your budget, you can consider the cheaper Dell Alienware AW3225QF. It also supports Dolby Vision, but it has a curved screen that may not be for everyone, so the ASUS is the best option for most people.

If you don't need a high-end model like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM, you can save some money while still getting premium picture quality with a model like the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3. It's a QD-OLED like the ASUS, so its picture quality is very similar, with deep blacks, no blooming, bright highlights, and vivid colors. However, the ASUS has some differences as it's smaller, doesn't support Dolby Vision, and has a lower resolution, so images aren't as detailed.

Besides those small differences with the ASUS, the Gigabyte also has an advantage if you also want something for gaming, as it has a higher 360Hz refresh rate. This provides a smoother feel, although it has the same near-instant response time as the ASUS. That said, there are other 1440p, 360Hz QD-OLEDs you can get that perform similarly, so they're something to consider if you can find them for less than the Gigabyte. One of those options is the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG, but it has slightly dimmer highlights in HDR.

If you find QD-OLEDs like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM and the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 too expensive, a mid-range option like the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG is a good alternative that you can get for less. Like the Gigabyte, it has an OLED panel that allows it to display deep and inky blacks without any blooming, but it's different in a few ways. Since the panel type is WOLED, colors are less vivid than the QD-OLED of the Gigabyte, so while it doesn't deliver the absolute best HDR performance, it's still fantastic.

This monitor is better for HDR than other competing monitors because it gets very bright thanks to its MLA+ technology, so highlights really pop. Plus, it has fantastic PQ EOTF tracking, so it displays most content at the brightness that the creator intended. It also has a glossy screen coating, which most other WOLED monitors don't have, making images appear clearer than a monitor with a matte or semi-gloss coating.

While most budget monitors have limited HDR performance, there are a few with good HDR picture quality, like the AOC Q27G3XMN. Unlike the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, it doesn't have an OLED panel and instead uses Mini LED backlighting. So, while it doesn't display the same perfect blacks as an OLED and has a bit more blooming, it still has good local dimming that helps it display deep blacks against bright highlights.

Plus, it gets very bright in HDR, so highlights really pop, and it's a good choice if your viewing environment isn't completely black. Like the ASUS, its 1440p resolution delivers good enough image clarity, and your favorite content looks sharp.

You can often find the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx for less than the AOC Q27G3XMN if you need something simple and cheap. The two are very similar regarding HDR picture quality, as the Acer is another 27-inch, 1440p entry-level monitor with Mini LED backlighting. Although its local dimming feature performs worse than that on the AOC, with more black crush and blooming, it's still a good inclusion for such a cheap display.

On the plus side, it gets even brighter than the AOC, so highlights really pop in HDR, and it's a great choice to use in a bright room. It even displays a wider range of more vivid colors compared to the AOC. One downside is that this monitor has noticeable smearing with fast-moving objects, which is disappointing for playing fast-paced games or watching action content.