The 4 Best Multimedia Monitors - Fall 2024

The best monitor for movies we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80. It's a 4k 32-inch monitor with a QD-OLED panel. It's fantastic for watching your favorite content because its high resolution delivers sharp images, and it also has incredible picture quality in any type of environment. It displays deep blacks next to bright highlights without any blooming, and colors are vivid, so images look life-like and realistic.

Although there are other 4k, 32-inch QD-OLEDs that perform similarly, what makes this better than the competition is the fact that it has Tizen OS built-in. This is a smart platform that makes it easy to stream content without needing a PC, and this makes it a great alternative to getting a smart TV if you need a 32-inch display with fantastic picture quality. It also has a matte coating that reduces glare well in bright rooms, but it introduces image haziness. If that bothers you, the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED is a great alternative that has a glossy coating instead and performs similarly. While it's harder to find at times, it's worth getting if you can find it available.

If you find that the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 is too much out of your price range, then an upper mid-range option like the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 is a great alternative. There are a few trade-offs for getting something cheaper, with the main difference in this case being the fact that the Gigabyte has a smaller screen and lower 1440p resolution, so images are less detailed. It doesn't have a built-in smart platform, either, so you need to stream your content directly from your PC.

Besides that, it's still fantastic for watching content as it also uses a QD-OLED panel with deep blacks and vivid colors, so its HDR picture quality is fantastic. Small highlights also pop against the rest of the image, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare in a well-lit room. If you prefer a brighter OLED that costs less, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG is a good choice, but colors aren't as vivid as on the Gigabyte.

Although OLEDs generally provide the best picture quality, especially for watching content in dark rooms, they're costly. If you're on more of a limited budget and looking for the best monitor for watching movies, then the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is a fantastic option. It often goes on sale for a cheaper price than the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3, and it's worth getting when it does. Instead of displaying perfect blacks like the Gigabyte, it uses Mini LED backlighting that gets much brighter than OLEDs, so it's great to use in bright rooms as it fights glare well. It also makes highlights really pop in HDR, and colors are vivid for a great HDR viewing experience.

While it's great for use in bright rooms, it still performs well in dark rooms, as it has a decent local dimming feature. This means it displays deep blacks next to bright highlights, but there's a bit of blooming. Unlike the Gigabyte, this monitor has a 4k resolution, which means it delivers detailed images and is ideal for watching the latest 4k content.

While most low-cost monitors have limited picture quality and aren't good choices for watching multimedia content, there are a few that are better than others. If that interests you, the AOC Q27G3XMN is the best monitor to watch movies on a budget. The main trade-off versus the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is that it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images are less detailed, but it has similar overall picture quality. This is because the AOC also uses Mini LED backlighting, which is a nice touch for an entry-level monitor. It has a good local dimming feature that helps it display deep blacks, and it also makes highlights pop in HDR.

Even if you prefer not to use the local dimming feature, it has an even better native contrast ratio than the Acer, making it a great choice for watching content in dark rooms. However, because it has narrow viewing angles, it isn't ideal for watching content with someone next to you as the image washes out from the sides. One thing to know is that this monitor sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it available, consider the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx. It performs similarly and tends to cost less, but fast-moving objects, like in-action movies, look worse on the Acer.