Key Points
- Our choice for the #1 best overall vertical monitor for productivity is the Dell UltraSharp U3223QE.
- Vertical monitors are surprisingly helpful, as you can use them to view condensed versions of your content on the screen.
- With a good vertical monitor, you can read your never-ending work documents, improve productivity, and get more space for graphics and video editing.
- When shopping for the best vertical monitors, keep the following criteria in mind: screen size, brand, screen resolution, and price.
Most people with a professional work setup use traditional horizontal monitors. This is understandable, as these customary monitors have been the go-to monitors since their inception. However, there are new players in town: vertical monitors.
They are a valuable addition if you are looking to add another monitor to your setup. However, if you are setting up a workstation, we recommend buying a monitor that works as both a vertical and horizontal screen.
A good vertical monitor improves productivity. You can work on your main monitor while browsing webpages or documents on a vertical monitor as a secondary screen. But if you’re purchasing it as your primary monitor, it should have a pivot that allows you to switch from portrait to landscape mode.
Moreover, you still need to account for other core specs, like resolution, response time, and refresh rate, just to mention a few. Realistically, you don’t need a powerful performer if you’re buying a vertical monitor for secondary use.
But if it’s your main machine, it must offer more than just rotation. So, here are the six best vertical monitors for productivity that we’ve found.
- #1 Best Overall: Dell UltraSharp U3223QE
- Best for Programmers: LG 28MQ780-B DualUp Monitor
- Best for Video Editing: Philips Brilliance 279P1
- Best for Home Office Work: Samsung FT45
- Best for Streamers: BenQ PD2500Q
- Best Value for Money: ASUS ProArt Display
#1 Best Overall Vertical Monitor: Dell UltraSharp U3223QE
- You can tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the monitor
- Brightness: 400 nits
- 75 Hz refresh rate
- 31.5-inch screen (16:9 widescreen resolution)
The Dell UltraSharp U3223QE tops our list of the best vertical monitors for productivity. It offers the best balance of boundary-breaking design and great performance. Designed with a purpose, the Dell UltraSharp boasts a platinum silver finish that adds to its elegant allure.
But what makes us rate this monitor highly is its cable management system that reduces clutter on your desk. Thanks to the compact pivot at the back, you can also adjust the monitor to your comfort.
With IPS Black technology, the U3223QE is ideal for professionals. It provides a wide viewing angle, giving you more screen real estate for your work documents. Dell went further and packed this monitor with 4K resolution and elevated the screen’s brightness to 400 cd/m2.
But where it shines the most is its color support, which delivers 1.07 billion colors, giving you true-to-life color visuals. Adding to the Dell UltraSharp’s value is an enhanced eye comfort feature, which reduces blue light without harming the monitor’s color clarity.
Moreover, this monitor supports multiple connections simultaneously, allowing you to connect and use a secondary monitor and laptop at the same time. Our only criticism of this monitor is that it is expensive, but that’s the price you’ll have to pay to get this near-ideal vertical monitor.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Boasts 4K resolution and clear image quality. | It is quite expensive. |
| Supports multiple concurrent connections. | |
| Has a back pivot that allows you to use the monitor in portrait or landscape modes. |
Check out the Dell UltraSharp U3223QE on Amazon.
Best Vertical Monitor for Programmers: LG 28MQ780-B DualUp Monitor
- 60 Hz refresh rate
- 28" Nano IPS Display (16:18 aspect ratio)
- Up to 90W power delivery
- Ambient light sensor
Programmers will be happy with the LG 28MQ780-B DualUp, one of the best vertical monitors for coding. Boasting an ergonomic design, this LG monitor has a stand and a pivot that allows you to tilt the monitor forwards and backward. This means you may need a bigger working desk than you currently use to accommodate this monitor.
With a brightness of 300 cd/m2, this coding monitor provides sufficient visibility in any environment. LG packed it with an ambient light sensor, similar to the human eye. The sensor regulates the monitor’s brightness based on the surrounding ambient light.
Thanks to this LG’s DCI-P3 98% (CIE1976) color gamut, you can explore HDR content, which brings colors to life. Moreover, with a 16:18 aspect ratio, you can quickly scroll through your coding lines. But this monitor’s 60Hz resolution and 5ms response time make it a top coding performer.
Additionally, the LG DualUp Monitor gives us a glimpse of the future with its picture-by-picture technology. You can display the same content on two screens and use this monitor as your primary device to manage the content.
Unfortunately, this monitor isn’t perfect. It measures 481.5 x 843.2 x 461.3 mm with a stand, making it bulky, and hence unsuitable for small working areas. Moreover, it will bleed your wallet because it costs a whopping $619.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has an adjustable stand for extra comfort. | It is quite expensive for a device that costs $619. |
| The monitor’s 16:18 aspect ratio is good for coding. | You need a bigger working area to accommodate this vertical monitor. |
Check out the LG 28MQ780-B DualUp on Amazon.
Best Vertical Monitor for Video Editing: Philips Brilliance 279P1
- 27" LCD monitor with UltraClear 4K UHD
- Power delivery up to 65W
- Built-in 3W stereo speakers
- Viewing Angle (CR≧10):178º (H) / 178º (V)
We cannot leave out the Phillips Brilliance 279P1, arguably the best vertical monitor for video editing. With IPS panel technology, this Phillips monitor has better color reproduction, supporting 1.07 billion colors. This translates to high color accuracy and image quality.
Speaking of image quality, the Phillips Brilliance has a 4K resolution. And with a brightness of 350 cd/m2, this vertical monitor remains bright regardless of your surrounding’s lighting.
The Phillips Brilliance’s low-blue mode is easy on the eyes, but what impressed us the most is its flicker-free technology that ensures comfortable viewing. In addition, you will edit videos smoothly and at high precision because of its 4ms response time.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the model to buy when shopping for a vertical monitor with a premium design and build. The Philips Brilliance 279P1 is bulky, weighing 16.6 pounds with a stand.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has an impressive color range. | Lacks an appealing design that wows you at first glance. |
| Delivers stunning images, thanks to its 4K resolution. | It is quite bulky. |
| Has a 350 cd/m2 brightness level. | The monitor’s 4ms response time could be better. |
Check out the Phillips Brilliance 279P1 on Amazon.
Best Vertical Monitor for Home Office Work: Samsung FT45
- 75 Hz refresh rate
- 3-sided bezel-less frame
- Eye Saver Mode lowers blue light levels
- Wide viewing angles of 178 degrees
Fourth on our list is the Samsung FT45, a vertical monitor perfect for your home and work office. Design-wise, this Samsung monitor boasts an ultra-thin bezel and a panel extending to the frame’s edge, allowing you to see more content than its plastic frame.
Its ergonomic design stands out the most; it features a pivot that allows you to switch the monitor from landscape to portrait mode.
The one thing that left us gushing over this monitor is its IPS panel technology, which delivers premium picture quality. And with a 178-degree viewing angle, you can work on this monitor from almost any sitting position.
This monitor is also convenient to work on for long hours. It has an effective eye-saver mode and flicker-free technology for improved eye comfort. Samsung packed this monitor with a game mode feature and a 75Hz refresh rate, allowing you to dive into your gaming action after office hours.
Unfortunately, the Samsung FT45 has a 5ms response time, which is quite slow, especially when planning to use this monitor for graphics and video editing. It may also be too slow for precision gaming.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has a unique design. | The monitor’s 5ms response isn’t smooth enough for precision gaming. |
| Easy on the eyes when working for long hours. | |
| Has a game mode feature that adds to its versatility. |
Check the Samsung FT45 out on Amazon.
Best Vertical Monitor for Streamers: BenQ PD2500Q
- 60 Hz refresh rate
- sRGB color gamut
- 25-inch screen (2560 x 1440 resolution)
- Built-in speakers
Content creators will love the BenQ PD2500Q, one of the best vertical monitors for online streaming. For starters, this vertical monitor has an overall ergonomic design. It comes with a pivot that allows you to use it in landscape and portrait mode.
Online streaming is also easy with the BenQ PD2500Q’s 16:9 aspect ratio that gives you enough screen space to hold a live stream and read the comments on the same page.
However, this monitor’s AQCOLOR technology impressed us the most. The BenQ monitor displays 16.7 million colors, making your images and videos come alive.
You also shouldn’t worry about this monitor’s 350 nits of brightness harming your eyes. BenQ packed this monitor with its proprietary BenQ Eye Care Technology, which filters blue light and minimizes screen flicker. This protects your eyes against eye fatigue when streaming for long hours.
You can also use this monitor for home entertainment, ascertaining its versatility. For example, this monitor has quality built-in speakers, and with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, you can use it to stream movies or for gaming.
Adding to the monitor’s specs is a darkroom mode, which regulates the monitor’s brightness levels in dark rooms. For all its strengths, the BenQ’s main flaw is the 4ms response time, which should be lower for such a premium model.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Displays up to 16.7 million colors. | The 4ms response time is quite high for such a high-end model. |
| Has a 16:9 aspect ratio that does not crop your content. | |
| Has 350 nits of brightness that make the screen visible even in lit rooms. |
Check out the BenQ PD2500Q on Amazon.
Best Value for Money: ASUS ProArt Display
- 75 Hz refresh rate
- 27-inch screen (2560 x 1440 resolution)
- ASUS-exclusive ProArt Preset and ProArt Palette
The ASUS ProArt Display goes for less than $300, making it one of the most affordable high-performance vertical monitors. You can adjust the ASUS ProArt’s height thanks to its ergonomic stand with a pivot and swivel. This will likely boost your productivity when coding and scrolling long documents.
Adding to this monitor’s convenience are its numerous connectivity ports, allowing you to connect to more than one device simultaneously. The available connectivity options include an HDMI port, a USB hub, and a headphone jack.
The Asus PA278QV monitor displays a brightness of 350 cd/m2; you can use it all day without experiencing eye fatigue. It also comes with the ASUS Ultra-Low Blue Light technology, which minimizes blue light exposure.
Asus also packed this monitor with the ASUS Flicker-Free Technology, which reduces eye strain and headaches related to eye fatigue. Now let’s talk about this monitor’s display quality.
The ASUS ProArt has a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio, displaying well-defined, uncropped images. And with a 178-degree viewing angle, the display quality is consistent regardless of your sitting position.
Unfortunately, we didn’t like the monitor’s 5ms response time.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Displays 16.7 million colors. | The ASUS ProArt’s 5ms response time is underwhelming. |
| Remains visible even in bright rooms. | |
| Has in-built features that reduce blue-light exposure. |
Check out the ASUS ProArt Display on Amazon.
How to Pick the Best Vertical Monitor: Step by Step
A vertical monitor is essential for online streamers, video editors, and programmers. You can use it as your primary or secondary monitor. Let’s explore some factors to keep in mind when shopping for a vertical monitor:
- Display and resolution
- Aspect ratio
- Panel type
- Price
Display and Resolution
A monitor’s display size impacts your productivity, especially if you buy it for professional work. Go for a large screen-sized monitor; it gives you more screen real estate for opening multiple windows simultaneously without cluttering your workspace.
A 27-inch or 32-inch monitor should suffice, depending on your workstation size. In addition, screen resolution matters, as it provides sharper images. That’s why it’s better to buy a 4K monitor like the Dell UltraSharp U3223QE.
Aspect Ratio
Checking a monitor’s height-width relationship is key to buying a screen with the right aspect ratio. A monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio is decent and suited for video editing and gaming.
However, you can get a monitor with a 16:18 aspect ratio, like the LG DualUp monitor, if you want an immersive experience and a broader field of view.
Programmers and editors should look for monitors with a narrower 21:9 aspect ratio, as it increases the available horizontal space.
Panel Type
Prioritize vertical monitors that use IPS panels, as they provide the best color accuracy, wide viewing angles, and fast response times. The monitor you buy should also have eye care technology to prevent eye fatigue, primarily if you use it for many hours.
Other panels include VA panels that display deep blacks, and TN panels, adored for their fast response times. Overall, choose a panel that suits your intended use.
Price
A vertical monitor’s model and specs influence its price significantly. Once you have compared different monitors, choose one that gives you value for money.
The ASUS ProArt monitor is the perfect example of a monitor that offers a good bang for the buck. For $289, you get a vertical monitor with good color accuracy, multiple connectivity options, and a good aspect ratio.
What to Know Before Buying the Best Vertical Monitor for Productivity
Before buying a vertical monitor, ensure you choose a reliable brand. Currently, the best brands are LG, Samsung, Asus, Dell, Phillips, and Ben Q. However, other brands are emerging on the market and are offering innovative specs that you cannot ignore.
So, check other people’s reviews before settling for these upcoming brands, as there are some kinks you may have to figure out when working with new-entry devices.
The monitor’s versatility also matters. A good vertical monitor should have an ergonomic stand to adjust its height and position. Most importantly, a good monitor should have a pivot, allowing you to switch from landscape to portrait mode.
Using a Vertical Monitor: What It’s Like
Using a vertical monitor is just like using a standard horizontal screen. The connection process is the same but may differ from model to model. A pure vertical monitor will come in portrait mode.
But if you’re using an all-round performer, which is usually preferred, it will have the normal setup we see in traditional monitors. You can tilt these all-around monitors vertically, and they will automatically switch to portrait mode.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©19 STUDIO/Shutterstock.com.
