Your guide to home office monitors for better productivity
Many people work from home, and having the right monitor can dramatically impact productivity and the overall work experience for people with home offices. But there is a lot to consider when buying home office equipment – especially the monitor, which you look at for most of your work day.
Here, we’ll help you understand all the considerations when choosing a monitor to transform your home office into a powerhouse of efficiency and comfort.
What size monitor fits my desk and work style?
Choosing the right monitor size depends on two key factors: your available desk space and the nature of your work. The bigger the monitor -- measured diagonally across the screen – will let you see more, but will also take up more space.
* Screen image simulated for illustrative purposes.
24-27 inches
A tight, focused size
Good for compact spaces and focused work. If your desk space is limited, these sizes can keep your space minimal but still give you more space than a typical laptop screen. These sizes are perfect for everyday tasks like email, web browsing, and document editing.
32-34 inches
A balanced size
Great for multitasking and creative work. For those who frequently work with multiple windows or do creative work like graphic design or video editing, a 32" to 34" monitor offers a more expansive workspace. This size range allows you to have multiple applications open side-by-side, boosting productivity.
37 inches & Beyond
Create the ultimate workspace
A maximizing choice for productivity. If you have ample desk space and crave maximum screen real estate, a 37" or larger monitor, even an ultrawide monitor, is ideal. Panoramic views can put everything into one view, and all but eliminate the need to switch between windows. Ultrawide monitors, such as 49”, are particularly beneficial for tasks involving spreadsheets, coding, or video editing.
Full HD, FHD or 1090P (1920x1080)
For everyday work
Suitable for everyday tasks, that include web browsing, email, and office applications. It won’t provide the most detail, but this resolution is often used with multi-monitor setups to create a bigger workspace when it’s needed. This resolution can also be good for casual entertainment, if you don’t need incredible detail in the picture.. If you don’t need to see a lot of detail in your work, or don’t have a big budget, this is a good option.
Quad HD, QHD or 1440P (2560x1440)
Sharper visuals, great for creatives
QHD offers sharper text and images than lower resolution options, making it ideal for graphic design, photo editing, and video conferencing. It provides more screen space for multitasking and enhances detail for graphic design and photo editing. A great balance between clarity and performance. It’s called Quad HD because it has 4 times the pixels of standard HD resolution.. Quad HD It is the sweet spot between Full HD and 4K UHD.
4K (3840x2160) and 5K (5120x2880)
Where detail-focused work shines
An extremely high level of detail 4K and 5K are the ultimate resolutions for work. They enhance the clarity of text, provides more workspace, and enhanced pictures for all types of work, making it perfect for video editing, 3D modeling, and other visually demanding tasks. If you have the budget and space for 4K or 5K, it can be a revolutionary tool for productivity and attention to detail.
Curved Monitors
The curve of a monitor can actually reduce eye strain, because they curve mimics the shape of the human eye, making it more comfortable to look across the entire screen during extended use.
Ultrawide Monitors
Enhance productivity by allowing you to have multiple windows open side-by-side, eliminating the need for constant window switching. They're also excellent for immersive gaming and entertainment.
Ease your physical strain
Keeping your monitor at the right height is key to reducing stress on your neck and back. A height adjustable stand can help keep you comfortable and productive by keeping your work at the optimal eye level. A screen that tilts up and down can also give you the right viewing angle for your height. Some screens also pivot to be taller instead of wider, which makes it easy to find your right height and scroll through long documents with less work.
Web cam
For important video calls, high quality cameras can make all the difference. Instead of buying and setting up a separate webcam, it’s probably easier to choose a monitor that either comes with a webcam already, or even has one built into the screen. That will help give you a direct out-of-the-box experience and get you collaborating over video quickly and easily.
Speakers
Speakers can take up a lot of room on a desk, and if you have limited space, you’ll want a monitor with built-in speakers. They’re not just good for collaboration, but for other work-related audio, music or entertainment.
Remote access
Some work-from-home setups even allow you to connect to computers and servers left in the office. This makes it easy to seamlessly connect between the office and home, without hauling bringing equipment back and forth. If you’re looking for high security and easy access to work documents that are on other devices, this is a key feature.
Your monitor should do more than just work. All of the features above can also add to your experience watching your favorite movies and shows, or even gaming.
Smart entertainment apps can help you get more out of your monitor, and switch seamlessly between work and play with just a few clicks.