How to Choose the Best Monitor for Graphic Design

Choosing the right monitor for graphic design is essential for producing high-quality, accurate work. With so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to determine which features truly matter. Colour accuracy, resolution, refresh rate, and screen size all play crucial roles in ensuring your designs remain consistent across different devices. This article will guide you on how to select the best monitor for graphic design by discussing these important factors and share how they can improve design efficiency.

Learn how to choose the right monitor for your graphic design needs and discover the best BenQ models to elevate your workflow.

A good monitor is essential for graphic design because it directly impacts the accuracy and quality of your work, as well as your productivity levels. Here are some key things to keep in mind when selecting a monitor for graphic design.

• Colour Accuracy & Gamut: Graphic design  relies on precise colours. A high-quality monitor with a low Delta E value (≤2 is considered colour accurate) and a wide colour gamut (such as Adobe RGB or DCI-P3) ensures your designs look the same across different devices and when printed.

• High Resolution: A 4K or higher resolution monitor provides sharp images and detailed designs, making it easier to work with fine details and typography.
• Calibration & Consistency: Professional monitors allow for software calibration, ensuring colours remain consistent over time and match industry standards. BenQ Professional Design Monitors include our award-winning DCT & PMU software.
• Brightness & Contrast: Higher brightness (300-500 nits) and contrast ratios improve visibility, especially when working with HDR content or in well-lit environments.
• Connectivity & Ergonomics: Having multiple input options (HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C) and ergonomic adjustments (tilt, swivel, height) enhances comfort and workflow flexibility.

This depends on the type of graphic design work you do and the type of laptop you have. 4K generally will provide high-quality work and colours, but 5K might represent the colours of your Mac more accurately. The PPI also affects the representation of your colours.

PPI stands for Pixels Per Inch, and it's a measure of pixel density on a screen. A higher PPI indicates that more pixels are packed into each inch of the screen, leading to a sharper and more detailed image. It reflects how finely the pixels are packed together, which directly influences the visual clarity and sharpness of the display.

4K (3840 × 2160) monitors are the best for general graphic design, UI/UX work, offer high colour accuracy, and generally have a wide range of options for sizing. They’re compatible with most computers and software, and work great for web design, branding, and digital illustrations. The PD3226G and PD2706U are great 4K monitor options.

5K (5120 × 2880) monitors are ideal for higher-end, more intensive projects. They provide sharper image quality, which is perfect for print and high-resolution projects, make text and UI elements clearer for reduced eye strain, and match the resolution of Apple Mac products. They’re best for print design, high-end photography, VFX creations, video editing, and extreme detail editing. The PD2730S is a great 5K graphic design monitor option with a PPI of 218 and Delta E ≤ 2. 

Colour accuracy is crucial in graphic design because it ensures that what you see on your screen matches the final output—whether it's on another screen, in print, or on a product. Different screens display colours differently. A colour-accurate monitor ensures that your design looks as intended across various displays, including screens and mobile devices. One with a wide colour gamut (AdobeRGB, sRGB, or Pantone validation) ensures that the colours you choose print exactly as expected. Mismatched colours can lead to mistakes, like reprinting materials or adjusting digital designs after a launch.

Monitors with AQCOLOR technology ensure reliability and colour precision to avoid mistakes. They offer corner to corner uniformity, maintain a low Delta E value  (≤2 is considered colour accurate), and have wide colour gamuts to provide always accurate and consistent colours. Check out the PD Series monitors here.

A calibrated monitor reduces revisions by providing realistic and vibrant visuals. Ensure your monitor is calibrated regularly with software calibration. You can also utilise software such as Palette Master Ultimate (PMU) for faster and easier monitor calibration. PMU provides real-time previews of screen calibration results, enhancing the intuitive adjustment of setting ans is fast and easy, allowing for a precise calibration with a calibrator. If you have multiple displays to calibrate, software like Display ColorTalk (DCT) provides intuitive colour matching and ensures all your displays stay consistent, no extra calibrator needed. These programs are available on all AQCOLOR monitors to ensure Always Accurate and Consistent Colours.

Check out the video below for a quick depiction of how BenQ's colour management solutions improve your workflow.

The ports and connections on your monitor impact workflow, compatibility, and overall efficiency. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different types of connectivity options you’ll find on a good graphic design monitor.

• USB-C / Thunderbolt: Ideal for Mac users and modern laptops, allowing power, video, and data transfer through one cable.
• DisplayPort (DP): Best for high resolutions and refresh rates (4K+).
• HDMI: Common but may not support higher refresh rates or full colour depth on some monitors. Ensure it’s HDMI 2.0 or higher for 4K at 60Hz.
• USB Hub (USB-A, USB-C): Useful for plugging in peripherals like a keyboard, mouse, or external storage.

Some monitors support DisplayPort daisy-chaining (via DP-out), reducing cable clutter, or a KVM switch. USB-C or Thunderbolt displays allow you to have a dual-monitor setup with a single cable. The PD2730S 5K model allows for daisy chaining two 5K monitors together via Thunderbolt 4. 

For graphic design, refresh rate is not as critical as resolution, colour accuracy, and panel quality. However, it still plays a role in your overall experience. Most professional graphic design monitors are 60Hz because design work is static (images, vectors, print layouts). 60Hz is ideal for photo editing, branding, UI/UX, and print design. A higher refresh rate, such as 120Hz+ or 144Hz, is good for smoothness and helps with motion design, video editing, and UI/UX prototyping.

Refresh rate is not at the top of the list for important factors in a graphic design monitor, but it does play a role for interactive designs and video editing. For the majority of your graphic design needs, the PD2730S, PD3225U, and PD2706U are great options for 60Hz monitors. For motion design or more intensive projects, the PD3226G is the best option especially for artists working with a higher refresh rate tablet, running at 144Hz. 

The ideal monitor size depends on your workspace, resolution, and type of design work. Monitor sizes generally range from 24 to 34 inches, providing different resolutions and refresh rates based on size.

A smaller, 24-inch (1920x1080 or 2560x1440) is good for beginners, tight desk spaces, or secondary monitors. An average-sized 27-inch (2560x1440 or 4K) is great for most graphic designers, web/UI/UX designers, and general creatives. For a larger workspace, a 32-34 inch (4K or 5K) is the best for print designers, multitaskers, and creatives who need a larger workspace.

27 inches is the most popular size because it fits most desk spaces and provides good screen real estate. The PD2730S and PD2706U are great options for a 27-inch monitor and pair easily with a multiple monitor setup. If you’re looking for a bigger screen, however, the PD3226G and the PD3225U are the best 32-inch options. 

Macs are popular among designers for their colour accuracy, smooth UI, and powerful software ecosystem. To get the most out of your Mac for your work, you need to use the right display settings and optimise your workflow. Make sure true tone and night shift are turned off, you’re using Display P3 or sRGB for colour accuracy, and you have an external monitor that matches your Mac colours. M-Book mode is specifically from BenQ for Mac users to provide matching Mac colours. Explore Mac monitors.

The BenQ PD Series monitors are the best graphic design monitors for your Mac setup because they offer precise colour accuracy, factory-calibrated sRGB and Display P3 support, and excellent compatibility with macOS. They feature a wide colour gamut that closely matches Apple's display standards, ensuring consistent and vibrant visuals for creative professionals. With USB-C connectivity, they provide seamless integration, delivering video, audio, and power through a single cable, reducing desk clutter. Additionally, the high-resolution IPS panels, ergonomic design, and specialised modes for designers, such as CAD/CAM and animation mode, make them a top choice for Mac users in creative fields. 

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