Your monitor is the thing you stare at for eight or more hours a day. It affects your comfort, your productivity, and quite literally how you see your work. Despite this, most people put less thought into choosing a monitor than they do choosing a phone case.

If you work at a computer, a good monitor is one of the best investments you can make. Here’s how to choose the right one without getting lost in spec sheets.

What Actually Matters for Productivity

Resolution

For productivity work, you want enough resolution that text looks sharp and you can fit multiple windows on screen comfortably. In 2026, the sweet spots are:

• 4K (3840x2160) at 27 inches - Sharp text, good screen real estate
• 1440p (2560x1440) at 27 inches - Still excellent for text, slightly less screen space
• 5K2K (5120x2160) ultrawide at 34+ inches - Massive workspace, replaces dual monitors

Avoid 1080p at 27 inches for office work. The pixel density is noticeably low and text won’t be as crisp. At 24 inches, 1080p is still acceptable if budget is tight.

Panel Type

IPS panels offer good colour accuracy and wide viewing angles. They’re the default choice for productivity and the right pick for most people.

OLED panels have superior contrast and colour, but there’s a burn-in risk with static elements like taskbars and document editors. For productivity use, I’d still lean IPS unless you also do creative work where the colour accuracy justifies the risk.

VA panels offer better contrast than IPS but narrower viewing angles. They’re fine for single-user setups but not ideal if you frequently share your screen with colleagues.

Size and Aspect Ratio

This is more personal preference than spec comparison. But here are some guidelines:

27-inch 16:9 is the most popular productivity size. Big enough to be comfortable, small enough for most desks, and widely available.

32-inch 16:9 works well if you have the desk space and sit a bit further back. Some people find it too large for close-up work.

34-inch ultrawide 21:9 is fantastic for multitasking. Having two full documents or windows side by side without bezels in between is a genuine workflow improvement. The main downside is that video calls look odd when your camera is off to one side.

Dual 27-inch setup gives you more total screen space than an ultrawide and the flexibility to position screens at different angles. More cables and a less clean desk, but maximum versatility.

The Best Options Right Now

Budget: Under $400 AUD

Dell P2723QE (~$380 AUD) is the workhorse pick. 27-inch, 4K, IPS, USB-C connectivity with 90W power delivery (enough to charge most laptops). It’s not exciting, but it’s sharp, reliable, and the USB-C single-cable setup is genuinely convenient. Dell’s warranty support in Australia is also solid.

LG 27UL500 (~$350 AUD) is another good 4K option if you don’t need USB-C. The colour accuracy is decent for the price, and LG’s IPS panels are consistently well-regarded.

Mid-Range: $400-$800 AUD

Dell U2723QE (~$550 AUD) is the upgraded version of the P-series with better colour accuracy (99.9% sRGB, 98% DCI-P3), a more adjustable stand, and IPS Black technology that improves contrast ratios. If you do any design or photo work alongside office tasks, this is excellent.

LG 34WN80C (~$700 AUD) is a 34-inch ultrawide with USB-C and solid colour accuracy. It’s curved, which some people love and others find distracting. For pure productivity multitasking, the ultrawide format is hard to beat.

Samsung ViewFinity S7 (~$500 AUD) at 32 inches offers 4K resolution with a modern design and decent built-in speakers. Good value for people who want a larger display.

Premium: $800+ AUD

Apple Studio Display (~$2,300 AUD) is absurdly expensive and worth every cent if you’re in the Apple ecosystem. 27-inch 5K Retina, incredible colour accuracy, excellent speakers, and a webcam that actually works well. The text rendering on macOS at this resolution is beautiful. But yes, it’s a lot of money for a monitor.

Dell U3423WE (~$900 AUD) is a 34-inch ultrawide with IPS Black panel, extensive USB-C hub functionality (including ethernet passthrough), and KVM switching for people who use multiple computers. Practical features that reduce desk clutter.

LG 5K2K UltraWide (~$1,200 AUD) at 40 inches with 5120x2160 resolution is essentially like having two 27-inch 1440p monitors side by side with no bezel. It’s massive, it’s gorgeous for productivity, and it completely changes how you work with documents and code.

Ergonomic Considerations

Buy a monitor arm. Seriously. Even the best monitor stand doesn’t give you the positioning flexibility of a $50-$100 arm that clamps to your desk. Your eyes should be level with the top third of the screen, and the monitor should be about an arm’s length away.

If your monitor doesn’t have a height-adjustable stand and you don’t want an arm, a simple monitor riser or even a stack of books works in a pinch. Just don’t tilt your head down to look at a monitor sitting flat on a desk. Your neck will hate you.

My Recommendation

For most people doing standard productivity work, the Dell P2723QE is the right answer. 4K, USB-C, reliable brand, reasonable price. It’s not glamorous, but it’ll make your working day measurably better.

If you can stretch the budget, the Dell U2723QE is worth the premium for the colour accuracy and improved stand. And if you’ve been curious about ultrawides, try one. Most people who switch never go back.