There are a few things you need to look for when getting a monitor to do photoediting, whether you are putting with a computer or a laptop.
Here are some key specifications:
What screen size:
The first thing to consider is how big of a screen do you want – it can be be based on your personal needs, how much space do you have, etc.
Screen size is normally measured using the distance from a bottom corner to the opposite top corner. This is the same way television screens are measured.
For photo editing, my recommendation is a screen that is a minimum of 24inches but 27 to 32 inches would probably be more ideal. You can go above 32 inches but that will require a large desk ha.
27-32 seems to be where most land. I personally have a 24 and a 27 as I use dual monitors and yes I have a big desk. This works well for me.
Screen Resolution
You will also need to consider resolution. There are 3 common resolutions:
1920 x 1080 (1080p, also known as Full HD
2560 x 1440 (1440p, also known as WQHD
3840 x 2160 (2160p, also known as 4K)
The more pixels it has means you can fit more on an image on the screen and it will be sharper.
For photo editing, I’d recommend a minimum of 1920 x 1080 up to 24 inches. For a 27-inch (68 cm)
screen, you will want a minimum resolution of 2560 x 1440. For screens larger than 27 inches, I would for sure consider a 4K resolution screen.
Color Gamut:
It is important when getting a monitor for photo editing to know what range of colors it can display. I am not going to get into details at the moment, later I will do a better article on this subject, but you need to consider both color gamut and color accuracy. Gamit is what colors the monitor can display. Most are around 16 million colors but it can go up into the billions with higher end monitors. Most people can only distinguish around a million colors so there really isn’t a need for the higher number of colors.
sRGB is the most common standard for across the web and for photo editing I would recomment a monitor that covers atleast 100%sRGB.
Color Accuracy
You will wantt a monitor that has accurate colors. Monitors taht are designed for photo editing are usually factory calibrate but its a good idea to get a 3rd party calibration tool and calibrate your self.
I love my DataColor Spider tool.
Connectivity Options.
The most common display outputs on a laptop or desktop are:
DisplayPort: A display only connection option normally found on PC laptops and desktops but not
normally Apple computers.
HDMI: A common connector on many laptops and some desktops. Also very common on televisions. Comes in normal and mini-HDMI. Can transmit video and audio.
Thunderbolt: Commonly found on Apple computers. Can transmit power, data and video information. Not
often found on PCs.
USB-C: One of the newest standards, USB-C can transmit power, data and video information, making it
a very versatile port. Found on newer PCs and Apple computers.
Obviously it is wise to consider one that offers the USB-C for future needs but make sure that the monitor will work with whatever you will need to be attaching it to.
Screen Technology
Here are the 3 main types of LCD technology
TN – stands for twisted nematic. This is the oldest LCD display technology. It is cheap, but these
screens tend to have poor color accuracy and low gamut coverage, poor contrast, good brightness,
poor viewing angles and low uniformity. Avoid if possible for photo editing.
VA – stands for vertical alignment. This technology is commonly used in television screens. VA
panels have great contrast, good brightness, reasonable viewing angles, reasonable color accuracy,
good gamut coverage and good uniformity. Can be ok for photo editing.
IPS – stand for in-plane-switching. These tend to be the most popular choice for color accurate
work. Good contrast and brightness, excellent viewing angles, good brightness, great gamut coverage
and good uniformity. A great choice for photo editing.
There is a newer display technology know as OLED but I would stick with the IPS.
Some Options
This monitor features a 23.8-inch 1920 x 1080 screen. This would work great in a small space. The Narrow bezels means this could also work well in a multi monitor setup.
The monitor has an IPS panel which means you get excellent viewing angles. It covers 99% of the sRGB color space, which is great for a monitor at this price point.
