Editing is an essential part of being a professional photographer. You want all your pictures to look their best; therefore, you need to select one of the best computer monitors for editing photos. A high-quality screen will enhance the editing phase of your photos and help you create masterpieces from your work.
Choosing an image editing monitor can be a challenging endeavor because you need a high-quality monitor to ensure an accurate photo preview. In this review, we are going to discuss five of the Best Monitor for Photo Editing under $500 to help you make an informed decision during your purchase.
A Quick Look at the Top Monitors For Photo Editing Under 500
| Rank | Photo | Brand | Range | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  | Logitech | 50 ft | |
| 2. |  | MEE audio | 40 ft | |
| 3. |  | Nulaxy | Car | |
| 4. |  | TaoTronics | 30 ft | |
| 5. |  | Miccus, Inc. | 160 ft | |
| 6. |  | TROND | 33 ft |
5 Best Monitor For Photo Editing Under $500 Reviewed
1. Philips 276E8VJSB
This monitor is incredibly popular mainly because it features a beautiful design with slim bezels to ensure that a high level of quality is attained. This monitor is extremely popular in the gaming sector because it allows for triple monitor setups. You may be interested in purchasing this monitor due to its great value, particularly considering that it’s a high-quality screen with outstanding features.
Image Quality: The 276E8VJSB monitor by Philips is normally based on a particular IPS panel with 10-bit color depth and ~109% RGB color gamut. The slightly extended RGB gamut offers more saturated colors, which make them appear more lifelike. If you want to do some color-analytical work, you can easily limit the color gamut to the RGB space to achieve a more accurate and less vibrant color reproduction.
Performance: The 276E8VJSB 4K screen has a pretty low input lag of just 3ms at 60Hz that does not make for perceptible delays in the video games and any other uses. Generally, being locked to only 60Hz/FPS will repulse many PC gamers, particularly those who prefer quick-paced games, because they can opt for a higher refresh rate/ lower-resolution display at the price range instead.
Connectivity and design: The 276E8VJSB monitor comes with a tilt-only stand, and it is not compatible with VESA mounts, and the screen is usually coated with a 25% low-haze 3H anti-glare coating that eliminates any reflections. The connectivity options of this monitor include a single DisplayPort of 1.2 input, a headphones jack, and two HDMI 2.0 ports. The screen supports HDCP 2.2, which means that you can watch any copy-protected content from various streaming services like Netflix in the inbuilt 4K UHD resolution.
Advantage- It has a narrow bezel border screen
- It comes with an anti-glare coating that eliminates any reflections
- It has an elegant slim design
- It offers more saturated colors
- It allows for triple monitor setups
Disadvantage- It is not compatible with VESA mounts
- It lacks FreeSync
Summary: If you do not mind the lack of VESA mount and FreeSync of the 276E8VJSB by Philips, this screen is a perfect 4K IPS display for the price because it provides you with smooth performance and outstanding picture quality.
2. ViewSonic VX2478-SMHD
The VP2478 is among the latest addition to the impressive portfolio of the superb performing monitors from ViewSonic. This model promises great panel uniformity and compatibility, which makes this device future-proof. The monitor and its impressive specifications is a great selection when it comes to editing photos and creating fantastic masterpieces.
Performance: The ViewSonic VP2478 sports a 24-inch IPS panel with a 2560×1440 resolution, which makes it ideal for content creation and photo editing. This display uses Wide Quad HD (WQHD), and the company tags this monitor to offer perfect shades and more vibrant colors.
With a 2K WQHD resolution, modern design, and an outstanding IPS panel, this monitor looks as great as it performs. The SuperClear IPS panel provides you with stunning views regardless of your vantage point.
Connectivity and design: The VP2478 monitor comes with a stand that is limited to only back/ front tilt adjustment, but it is compatible with VESA mounts, which makes it easy to configure multiple screens at the same time. However, it does not support an ordinary AWG universal plug since the power connects directly with an external brick. When it comes to the connectivity options of this monitor, it usually supports laptops, Macs, and PCs with DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, and HDMI 1.4 inputs
Image Quality: Since the IPS panel on the VP2478 monitor is outstanding, it provides you with exceptional color gamut and excellent reproduction/realism. When it comes to color rendering, the crisp colors and contrast look amazing with the WQHD high resolution.
The RGB gamut provides more saturated colors, which make them look more appealing to the eye. This monitor has a flicker-free technology as well as Blue Light Filters that ensures all-day comfort when using the screen to edit your photos.
Advantage- It comes with an outstanding IPS panel system
- It offers versatile connectivity options
- It is VESA compatible
- It includes WQHD high resolution
- It has blue light filters and flicker-free technology that ensures all-day comfort
Disadvantage- It does not support AWG universal plug
- It is quite expensive
Summary: If you are looking for a photo editing monitor that offers you VESA compatibility, more versatile connectivity, WQHD resolution, a good form factor, and integrated speakers, then the VP2478 monitor by ViewSonic is a great option for you and a worthwhile investment as well.
3. BenQ SW270C
BenQ SW270C is the newest screen in the brand’s PhotoVue Photo Editing Screen Series. The IPS panel of this monitor is targeted to professional photographers who are looking for color accuracy and efficient workflow in the long run. Due to its capacities, this screen can be a great addition for advanced professional and semi-professional photographers who already understand the importance of good resolutions for better viewing, editing, and organizing.
Image quality: The 27-inch IPS display features Color Uniformity Technology and hardware color calibration, which keeps the colors accurate across the full height and width of the screen alongside Benq’s AQColor technology. The SW270C covers 100% of RGB/Rec, 99% of Adobe RGB, and 96% of the Display P3/ DCI-P3 with Delta E≤2 in sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces. With its 16-bit LUT that improves RGB color that blends accuracy, the screen creates impressive color reproduction and also renders the best view of original images,
Performance: The SW270C usually features 1000:1 static contrast ratio, HDR10 support, 16-bit LUT 300 cd/m2 brightness rating, and a natural cadence for both 25p and 24p content, so that any film content shot at 25 or 24 fps can be played back easily without any pull-downs. BenQ has also included its advanced Hotkey Puck that enables quick changes to color setting modes and features through an inbuilt control dial located on the base of the monitor.
Design and connectivity: When it comes to connectivity options, the SW270C monitor supports two HDMI 2.0 ports, two USB 3.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, a USB-C port, and a single slot for SD card that supports SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC cards. Furthermore, the monitor includes a shading hood that reduces glare from any ambient light source and a stand that easily pops off to show a VESA mounting area.
Advantage- It offers improved uniformity for color temperature and luminance values
- It has low Delta-E values that show accurate color space reproduction after calibration
- It includes a USB-C connection feature that allows power, data, and video transmission
- It has an improved Hot Puck
- The GamutDuo can be beneficial for some photographers
Disadvantage- The stand footprint is considerably bigger, occupying a lot of desk space
- The IPS Glow might be distracting for some non-photo editing tasks
Summary: If you are a professional or semi-professional photographer looking for a photo-editing monitor that provides you with color accuracy and efficient workflow, then this screen is a great option for you. It has amazing features that offer good resolution when viewing, editing, and organizing your photos.
4. Samsung SD850
The SD850 monitor by Samsung is mainly designed for the professional marketplace, with an eye towards usable screen space and office aesthetics. If you are looking for a big office screen for editing photos and other office tasks, then the Samsung SD850 WQHD can be a great option for you. It is an ideal selection for people who do not want to spend a lot on a 4K HD monitor but would like an all-round performance for a working environment.
Image quality: The SD850 monitor runs in a resolution of 2560x1440p, with a great and all-around performance for any work environment. The VA panels usually come with great viewing angles, and the monitor provides an exceptional viewing angle of 178° both vertically and horizontally. That provides one of the best viewing experiences from any position.
Design and performance: The backside of the monitor features VESA-compatible mounting holes of 200×200mm and 100×100mm. That means you can easily mount this big monitor screen to most ergonomic third-party solutions, or mount it on the wall for an ergonomic workstation setup.
The Samsung monitor has the most versatile and flexible stand for the size of the cabinet. The height of the huge cabinet can be adjusted for a maximum of 5.1 inches, with a lot of horizontal and tilt swivel options. Besides, it can swing around from portrait to landscape mode as well.
Connectivity: The Samsung SD850 WQHD provides the standard monitor with several connectivity options, including HDMI, Dual-Link DVI, and Displayport. It only comes with one port of each of these options, which means that connecting two of the same sources at the same time will need an adapter.
The screen has audio out and audio in ports, which enables you to send the audio signal of your computer to a set of good speakers that are attached to the screen. Also, there are five USB ports, and one is for PC connection, while you can use all the other four USB ports with peripherals.
Advantage- It has a simple but smart
- It is fully adjustable
- It is easy to switch to various positions
- It delivers excellent image quality
- It delivers different viewing angles and good brightness
Disadvantage- The plug comes loose at times
- It takes a lot of space
Summary: If you are looking for a big monitor with a great resolution for its big size, but cannot afford to spend a lot of money on a 4K HD screen, then Samsung SD850 will be a great option for you. It is big enough to accommodate multitasking in the work environment while delivering excellent image quality, as well as good brightness and viewing angles. Besides, it is also easy to setup.
5. HP 24ea
The best thing about this HP display is its cheap price tag without any compromise on the features. You will get a great screen, beautiful design, and decent performance at a budget-friendly price tag, which is the main reason why the company describes the screen as irresistibly priced and impossibly thin.
Design and performance: This monitor comes with a stunning thin-bezel design, and it’s extremely lightweight. Moving this screen on your desk does not take much effort. The stand is made of metal and has open square construction. It has a tilt angle that ranges between -5 degrees to 25 degrees.
When it comes to performance, this monitor doesn’t disappoint because you get excellent performance for your money. Its panel displays all shades of grey, and the combination of accurate colors, perfect grayscale, and the dynamic contrast ratio make it a perfect selection for photo editors and photographers as well.
Image quality: The 24-inches monitor of HP is quite appealing to the eyes with full HD 1920×1080 resolution and IPS panel system. With the IPS panel, you will get a viewing angle of 178 degrees with vibrant colors and accurate details. The monitor has an incredible response time of 6ms with a 60Hz refresh rate for richer colors and more clarity.
Connectivity options: The HP monitor can connect with both HDMI and VGA ports for great HD quality. The single connection and slim design give you more space for a fantastic computing experience. You can quickly connect with the monitor to get access to all your ports with more ease. Also, you can save the user-preferred settings using the My Display software option offered by HP.
Advantage- It has an excellent design that includes thin bezels making it suitable for a multi-monitor setup
- You get accurate and vivid colors on this monitor
- It supports both HDMI and VGA ports for great HD quality
- It has an incredible response time
- It is lightweight
Disadvantage- The stand doesn’t have height adjustment capability
- It is not compatible with VESA mounts
Summary: The Hp 24ea is a great selection for professional photographers and image editing tasks. Its design is quite appealing to the eye, and the screen colors are incredibly vivid and rich. HP 24 performs pretty well in the performance area, and you will be pretty happy after purchasing this excellent monitor.
What You Should Consider When Choosing a Screen for Editing Photos
If you work as a photo editor or as a photographer, having one of the best monitors for your work is essential. Selecting just any monitor you come across may end up hurting your job more than anything. To get the best screen for photo editing, you should consider the factors discussed below.
Integrated Calibration Tools: Most of the monitors usually come with some calibration tools bundled with it, while some come with an internal system that puts the sensors right into the screen. However, the majority come with external colorimeters that you can drape over the monitors to calibrate them. Always ensure that you calibrate your screen at least once every month.
Color Gamut: A monitor with a pretty wide color gamut is essential in photography because it enables you to select from a unique palette of more than a billion colors. Again, if you are using either 16 or 14 RAW files during your photography work, then you need a monitor that’ll be able to display all the subtleties contained in your photography work. During your purchase, look for a monitor with an 8-bit lookup table, at least, which will allow it to pull some images from a palate with 16.7 million colors.
Resolution and size: When it comes to the screen’s size, the bigger the monitor, the better it is. If your budget affords it, you can get the largest monitor as possible. Moreover, the screens that have resolutions of 4K are becoming more popular. If you are a Mac user, just like many photographers are, the monitors that offer monitors with 4K and 5K resolutions are perfect for professional photographers and photo editors.
Finish: You can calibrate a matte display with more accuracy to get truer images when compared to a high-gloss screen. A high-gloss monitor can also give oversaturated colors and look. Besides, with a matte finish, you will not have to deal with many reflections.
The Final Words (Summary)
A photo editing screen is a specialized device for every professional photographer or photo editor. If you are looking forward to getting a suitable image editing computer monitor, the chances are that you have already invested in a high-quality camera as well as a good computer for organizing and editing them. However, you do not have to spend a lot of money during your purchase. You can go through the five best monitors for photo editing under 500 dollars on this review to get the high-quality and reliable performance you deserve.
