You might not think about your monitor too much, but whether you’re working or gaming in your home office, that array of pixels blasting light at your face is important. A monitor can vastly improve your productivity if you’re currently working off a laptop, and a dual display setup can take things further. The folks on the WIRED Gear team use these large external screens every day in a variety of arrangements as we write our reviews, and naturally, we decided to review those too. These are our favorite monitors—all of which are under $500. 

It’s difficult to count the number of monitors out there, which means we’ll be including more recommendations as we continue to test. We’ve also included monitor buying advice at the bottom for any jargon you might not know, and be sure to check out other guides, including the Best WFH Gear, Best Laptops, and our advice on How to Use a Second Monitor With Your Laptop.

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