Top 5 budget-friendly monitors for students 2023

From powerful performance to sleek designs, these affordable devices offer optimal functionality without breaking the bank. Let's look at the top 5 monitors for students in 2023.

What to look for in a monitor?

If you're going to be using a screen for any kind of color work, then you want a monitor that displays precise color accuracy. Most entry-level 4K monitors are actually pretty decent, but the best 4K monitors for designers will cover the AdobeRGB or DCI-P3 color space.

If you are about to invest in a color-accurate display, I will guarantee you will see the difference. You will get an excellent screen for black levels and brightness that will take your work to another level whether you're working on images or video. Make sure you invest in the best monitor calibrator too unless the monitor you choose comes with one of its own.

After color, the size of the display is another factor in choosing the best 4K monitor for you. The most popular choice is 27 inches but 32-inch screens are becoming more common and get the most out of the 4K resolution. Think about your needs and work environment when making the final decision.  

Dell S3221QS 4K Curved Monitor

• Key specifications: 31.5" curved 4K UHD, 99% sRGB and 90% DCI-P3 wider color coverage
• Price: $329.99

The Dell S3221QS 4K Curved Monitor is for a student that wants both immersive visuals with enhanced productivity. With its curved 31.5-inch display and 4K Ultra HD resolution, this monitor offers an excellent viewing experience that brings content to life. The IPS panel ensures vibrant colors and wide viewing angles, making it ideal for graphic design, video editing, and multimedia projects. The monitor's ergonomic design helps to perform long study sessions. Additionally, the Dell S3221QS comes with built-in speakers and extensive connectivity options, including HDMI and DisplayPort, which offer versatile connectivity to various devices. Overall, the Dell S3221QS 4K Curved Monitor is a standout choice for students who prioritize both visuals and efficient productivity.

ASUS ProArt PA279CV 

• Key specifications: 27-inch, 4K UHD, 100% sRGB, 100% Rec. 709, and Calman Verified, 
• Price: Currently $399 (normally $449)

With its 27-inch display and 4K UHD resolution, the ASUS ProArt PA279CV monitor delivers stunning visuals and clarity, allowing students to see their work in great detail. The IPS panel ensures accurate color reproduction, making it a great choice for graphic design, photography, and video editing tasks. The ProArt calibration technology provides precise color accuracy out of the box, while the ASUS ProArt Palette software allows for advanced color adjustments and calibration. The ergonomic design allows different adjustments for comfortable viewing angles during long study sessions. Furthermore, the PA279CV features multiple connectivity options, including USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB hub, providing seamless connectivity to various devices. With its comprehensive set of features, the ASUS ProArt PA279CV is a great choice for a monitor that empowers students to unleash their creativity and achieve their best work.

Samsung 27” ViewFinity S70A 4K UHD High-Resolution Monitor

• Key specifications: 4K UHD resolution, 27-inch, 60Hz refresh rate
• Price: $269.99

One of the standout features of the ViewFinity S70A is its 4K UHD resolution, which delivers sharp visuals with clarity and detail. The display is color-accurate, due to its wide color gamut and high contrast ratio. Whether you're watching movies, editing photos, or playing games, the S70A's display truly brings content to life, with rich colors, deep blacks, and sharp images. The monitor also features a 60Hz refresh rate, resulting in fluid on-screen transitions and reduced motion blur. The S70A offers a range of connectivity options, including HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB ports, allowing you to connect multiple devices simultaneously. The monitor also features built-in speakers, and includes advanced features like picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture, allowing you to display content from multiple sources at once.

AOC Gaming 25G3ZM/BK

• Key specifications: 240Hz, 24.5-inch, 99.7% sRGB, 80.8% Adobe RGB, and 91.2% DCI-P3
• Price: £179.00

Talking about affordable gaming monitors, here it is! The AOC Gaming 25G3ZM/BK gives you a 240Hz of refresh rate for under £200. The monitor comes with strong color accuracy and gamut coverage to other monitors twice this price. Its great contrast ratio at this price of 4000:1 and coverage of 99.7% sRGB, 80.8% Adobe RGB, and 91.2% DCI-P3 are decent figures for students looking to enter their gaming career. This 24.5-inch 1080p panel provides a great gaming experience, despite scoring slightly low on the brightness levels. Due to the low price, there’s no RGB light show, no USB connectivity and no loudspeakers. The ports you’ll find are two HDMI 2.0 and one DisplayPort 1.2 for video input, then a 3.5mm audio jack to connect to a set of speakers or headphones. 

ASUS ProArt PA148CTV Portable Monitor 

• Key specifications: 14-inch Full HD IPS anti-glare panel, 100% sRGB, 100% Rec. 709 color gamut, and Calman Verified 
• Price: Currently $359(normally $399)

The 14-inch 1080p screen of this monitor delivers great visuals and doubles as a 10-point multi-touch screen. The ASUS PorArt PA148CTV is pre-calibrated at the factory and Calman Verified to guarantee industry-leading color accuracy.  It comes with the ASUS Dial, which is a physical dial at the rear of the display that works seamlessly with compatible Adobe software and Microsoft Surface Dial controls. With its anti-glare IPS panel and 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 color spaces, it is a great monitor for content creators. For connectivity options, the monitor has two USB-C ports that deliver audio/video signals, touch, and plus power input over a single cable. The micro HDMI port provides a connection to various input sources, while the tripod socket allows you to mount PA148CTV onto a tripod for onset work.