8 Best Monitors For College Students

It’s that time of year again when students are preparing to return to school or even begin a new college journey, and that means having the right monitor can help you or someone you care about excel. Students are becoming adapted to having their classes delivered online. However, part of the issue is that there are so many various monitors on the market, each with its unique set of features and technologies.

If you’re a student, you’re likely studying in a small apartment or dorm. A 27 inch computer monitor is the perfect size for college, it’s not too big or too small and offers a good compromise between screen space and price. More broadly, any 24-inch monitor or above will be suitable for productive studying.

Whether you’re looking for a cheap monitor for your workspace to get basic studying done or looking for the best 4k monitor for gaming, studying, and watching TV series.

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Should I go for a 24 or a 27-inch screen? LCD or LED backlighting? Is it better to go with Full HD or 4K? If questions like these are running through your mind, chances are you’ve just started looking for a new display to make your homework more effective or your weekend gaming setup more fun. With this guide, we’ll try to slow down your racing thoughts and hopefully answer your questions.

SAMSUNG SR35 – Best Monitor For Most Students

The SAMSUNG SR35 Series Monitors could be the best budget 27-inch monitor that lets you experience vibrant and stunning colors with Samsung’s active crystal color technology. Its 1920×1080 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio offer bright whites even in the brightest scenes but users complain it is not great in dark scenes.

This monitor offers a truly immersive viewing experience of bold and stunning panoramic views with the “Game Mode” which provides optimal color settings to fill your screen with crystal clear details. However, at a 60Hz refresh rate – it is fine for study or video, but slow for gaming or high-end video

In addition, the eye saver mode protects your eyes and reduces eye strain for more comfortable extended computing. Flicker-Free technology eliminates tiresome and bothersome screen flicker, while Eye Saver Mode reduces the amount of blue light output. Your eyes will stay fresher for a longer period and won’t get tired of playing games, editing images, watching movies, or reading documents for long lengths of time.

If you want this pocket-friendly monitor that also delivers everything a student needs. View 24″ model on Amazon. View 27″ model on Amazon.

ViewSonic VP3481a – Best Ultrawide Monitor For Students

The ViewSonic VP3481a takes the spot as the best ultrawide monitor for students. It comes in two sizes, 34” (3440x1440p) and 38” (3840x1600p) which provides a lot of horizontal space. This help you get more homework done or streamline your multitasking practice. 

The ultrawide curved screen, has a 21:9 aspect ratio, vivid colors, and incredible detail. This allows you to immerse yourself in a spectacular panoramic viewing experience.

This premium WQHD+ ergonomic MVA monitor delivers lifelike colors perfect for schoolwork, graphic design, and gaming (of course).

With a single 90W USB-C cable, you can connect video, audio, data, and power. On top of this plug-in peripherals like USB drives and mice can be used with the USB hub, thereby reducing cable clutter.

In addition, you get to enjoy exceptional color accuracy with 100% sRGB, and a gorgeous palette of 4.39 trillion colors for the exact color you’re looking for every time. The monitor also comes with AMD Freesync with a 100hz refresh rate ensuring a smooth, tear-free playback ideal for video editors and gamers.

The VP3481a is adaptive and works with laptops, PCs, and Mac and Windows operating systems thanks to USB-C charging, HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2, and DisplayPort inputs.

This ultrawide monitor is factory calibrated and ready to use right out of its massive box for homework or design tasks. If you’re a multitasker looking for an ultrawide monitor to get those creative juices flowing while streamlining your workflow and homework, the ViewSonic VP3481a is available on Amazon here.

Sceptre E248W-19203R 24 inch Monitor – Best Cheap Monitor For Students

There isn’t much to this monitor, but if all you are looking for is a monitor on a tight budget. If your deciding factor is price then this monitor is ideal, you don’t need to look any further. You get a 75Hz refresh rate and 1080p LED monitor, more than good enough specifications to get the basics done.

Most college work requires some research browsing the internet, some note-taking in a basic app, and maybe some online classes. Ultimately you don’t need the best computer monitor. An HD monitor that works is the only real necessity and you get that here.

You would be hard-pressed to find a better value monitor than this. It’s perfect for anyone on a budget and will be great if you are starting college, or simply need a new monitor. You can find it here on Amazon.

Sceptre C305B-200UN1 – Best Curved Monitor For Students

This monitor from Sceptre is one of the best monitors if you are looking for a budget-friendly ultrawide monitor. It features a curved display with a Full HD resolution of 2560 x 1080, a response time of 5ms, and up to 200Hz when connected with a display port. All this combines to give you an immersive and responsive experience

You also get AMD Free Sync, which helps to eliminate tearing and stuttering. As well as some custom set display settings, fine-tuned specifically for gaming. These include FPS (First Person Shooter) and RTS (Real-Time Strategy) modes.

The C305B-200UN1 also includes a Blue Light Reduction mode to help reduce eye strain, this isn’t unique to this monitor (almost all monitors have this feature now) but it’s a feature I rely on from my monitor. I switch to the corresponding setting on my monitors at 7pm to try and help me get to sleep more easily.

This monitor is perfect for work or play as a college or university student, you’ll have no problem getting your studies done as well as being able to enjoy some gaming on the side (or gaming with studying on the side). If you’re working on studying and leveling up on the same monitor, this display will certainly do the job. View on Amazon.

ASUS VP28UQ – Best Monitor For Watching Videos & Movies (4k)

The ASUS VP28UQ is 4k and has a large 28″ screen. These characteristics combined make it super for watching movies, YouTube, etc. This monitor is also great for studying, reading, online classes, and everything else college could throw at you.

This monitor also features dual HDMI connectivity, meaning if you want to connect to your PC and Laptop or PC and PlayStation to watch movies you can do just that. It might not sound like a big deal but using dual ports is how I watch movies on my monitors. I watch movies on my PlayStation as my PC is on the older side and can stutter a bit, having 2 ports allows me to switch between the two devices seamlessly.

Altogether these features make this one of the best monitors for university students. If you are looking for a college dorm monitor that can do it all you won’t be disappointed by the ASUS VP28UQ. See on Amazon.

AOC CU34G2X – Best Monitor For Gamers

The best student-friendly curved monitor is the AOC CU34G2X 34″ Monitor, a high-quality UltraWide QHD display with a 3440 x 1440 resolution. This monitor comes with a VA Panel for a wide viewing experience and has a rapid response time of 1ms. As well as a 144Hz refresh rate with Adaptive-Sync for ultra-smooth competitive gameplay.

With so little latency you can probably guess this monitor is aimed toward gaming, but you’ll find doing your college work on this monitor will be equally smooth.

If you’re looking for a monitor that balances gaming and non-gaming aesthetics, this monitor from AOC delivers brilliantly. You get the curved, frameless, immersive gaming experience on top of the ability to get your work done. You can check the latest price on Amazon.

ASUS VA27DQSB 27 inch Monitor – Best Vertical Monitor For Studying

The ASUS VA27DQSB 27″ FHD monitor is a great choice if you’re looking for a vertical monitor for studying. Tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments are all possible with its ergonomically designed stand for a comfortable viewing angle.

This display is amongst the best monitors for studying no matter what orientation you have it in. But the feature that made me choose this monitor is the stand that pivots a full 90degrees either way, meaning you can stand the monitor in a vertical orientation without the need for a VESA mount. There are tonnes of advantages to using a monitor in a vertical orientation. I won’t go into much detail now but for jobs involving spreadsheets or extended reading, there are some major benefits.

The VA27DQSB is also wall mount compatible and has the capabilities to turn into a stunning multi-screen setup if you so wish. Find it here on Amazon.

HP 1D0J9AA#ABA – Best Budget Monitor For Students

The best budget monitor on the list is the HP 24mh FHD 23.8-Inch IPS Display (1080p) Monitor, an outstanding ergonomic display with Built-In Speakers. This monitor can transform your desk and enhance your entire computer-using experience with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 75 Hz. You’ll experience image accuracy and wide-viewing spectrums. 

You don’t have to worry about not enjoying a wide desk space because this HP monitor provides more screen and takes up less space. The attractive and ultra-slim design with virtually no bezel encircling the display on three sides so you can pop in a few extra monitors if you like. 

The panoramic viewing mode distinguishes this display from most others at this price point. It allows you to see vivid details from virtually any angle. All while maintaining consistent color and image clarity across ultra-wide horizontal and vertical viewing angles.

This FHD display with IPS technology gives you brilliant visuals and unforgettable quality to light up your dorm room even in low light. And to cap it all, it features Low Blue Light mode which shifts colors to a warmer spectrum and makes whites more natural putting less strain on those reading eyes.

If you want a great value monitor for school or college, you can find this monitor here on Amazon.

Here is What to Look for in a Monitor as a Student

Choosing a monitor that will be right for you can be difficult if you don’t know what monitor features you need to look for. The monitors we’ve listed are all great screens at varying price points, for a wide range of purposes on top of just studying. To help you find the best monitor for you here are some features and specifications to consider when doing any further research.

Size & Dimensions

All monitors are not made equal. However, if you’re looking for a monitor to fit your dorm desk, you should consider sizes ranging from 21” to 27 inches. If you’re the multi-tasking type, a 34” to 38-inch ultra-wide monitor should serve the purpose. I personally have 2 24″ monitors, however, if I had a single monitor setup for college I would recommend a 27″ monitor for college. I think I’d struggle to get as much done with a single 24-inch screen, but I used to manage fine so I’m sure you could too.

Resolution

Needless to say, you’ll need a monitor with a resolution that can provide clarity of on-screen texts for studying and homework. Go for a monitor with 1920×1200 or 1920×1080 (the latter is a more standard 16:9 aspect ratio) or 4K resolution to give you a solid, clear display. Screen resolutions between 3440 x 1440p and 3840 x 2160p are ideal for student gamers.

If you intend to use your monitor for watching videos of high quality or gaming, then you are going to want a higher resolution. 1080p is the bare minimum (suitable for basic text editing and browsing etc.), anything higher than that has a better resolution, and as such the image quality will be better.

For more detail check out the video below.

Display Type

This doesn’t make as big of a difference as some of the other factors to consider, but if you’d like to learn more here’s a little more information on display types.

You’ll come across terms like LCD and LED, as well as the less popular VA, IPS, and TN, as you shop for monitors. All of these terms refer to various types of screen technology. We recommend you go for LEDs. LCD is an older technology which is OK, but the monitors are a little bulkier and have a shorter lifespan than LEDs. Aside from that, displays are available in TN, VA, or IPS formats.

A TN display is best for gamers because they crave speed and don’t care about a wide viewing angle as they’ll be facing the center of the screen the entire time. An IPS display is slower than a TN panel, but it has a significantly wider viewing angle, making it more beneficial in a variety of applications.

VA is more like a middle ground. In terms of speed and viewing angle, it falls in between the IPS and TN displays. VA, on the other hand, stands out for its color contrast.

If you would like to learn more about different display types you might find this resource useful.

Display Ports

DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, DVI, Thunderbolt 3, and USB-C are the most common ports found on modern monitors. I’d recommend sticking to using HDMI and Display Ports if possible. These are common between newer and older monitors and PCs. Whereas you will find VGA and DVI ports in older devices. And then Thunderbolt ports in newer devices.

Thunderbolt 3 is USB-C, but not all USB-C devices are Thunderbolt 3 – this can be unnecessarily confusing.

When connecting to a laptop, double-check that you have the correct connections: Some USB-C or USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports offer alt-display mode. This can mean you can connect to a monitor using a USB-C to HDMI or USB-C to DisplayPort cable (or adapter). Native ports such as HDMI or DisplayPort may still be available on older computers.

In Summary

The screen size is the most noticeable difference until you have the monitor in front of you and are working on it. That appears to be the simple part, as bigger is better, but you’ve measured your desk and it’s not so wide.

You should think about how you’ll utilize your display in the future.

In either case, as a student, you’ll likely benefit from picking a monitor that can do more than one thing. We hope to have helped narrow down your search for the perfect monitor for your dorm setup with this guide.