If you're just stepping into the world of photo and video editing, you may be looking to add a good monitor to your setup. While the majority of the best monitors are multipurpose and can be used for photo and video editing, they lack certain aspects that may give you an advantage when working with creative tools. Whether it's better color calibration or higher brightness levels, there are certain features that you may want to look for when buying a monitor for editing purposes.
There are a plethora of monitors on the market with various flashy features. However, not all of these features may be relevant when working with media files. For example, you don't need a high refresh rate display for working with photos in a photo editor. Hence, it's better to save some money there and, instead, invest in a screen with a higher resolution or a better quality panel to view your images better. If you're confused as to what features are important and what you should look for when buying a monitor for photo and video editing to use with your photo editing laptop or PC, these pointers will definitely help you.
5 Screen size and aspect ratio
Size matters, after all
Photo editing is a job that involves focusing on every single pixel to ensure perfection. Whether you're editing pictures clicked on a camera or designing graphics in Canva or Adobe Express, it's vital to ensure all aspects of the final output are perfect. This is where the size of the display comes into the picture. A large monitor would mean you get a clearer view of all the aspects of the image. You won't have to squint to see smaller portions, nor do you have to slouch on your chair to take a look at an aspect you missed.
Moreover, all elements of an image will appear bigger on a large monitor. This helps with designing tiny elements that may be harder to see on smaller displays. I personally faced this issue when working with images on my MacBook's display. That's when I decided to get a monitor. After making the switch, working with images with tiny details has become easier than ever before. Adding details to small objects by zooming into them is so much easier. Another advantage of a large monitor is that you can clearly tell which parts of an image are in focus, making it easier to perform edits.
For instance, I could tell how the eyes of my subject in a portrait shot were rather soft. The fact that I could spot it on a large display meant that I could add some sharpness when editing the photo. If it was a smaller display, I may have missed details like those. A 27-inch monitor is a good place to start. Of course, you can also opt for a larger panel depending on your usage.
As for the aspect ratio -- a standard 16:9 monitor should be good enough for editing photos. However, if you also plan on editing videos like me, I recommend picking up a 21:9 ultrawide monitor since you can view more of the timeline without scrolling too much.
4 Resolution and screen type
Pixel peep
It's not just about the size of the display. If you're buying a large monitor, it also needs to have a high resolution so you can pixel peep with ease. Otherwise, you may end up with a pixelated display. That would surely ruin the experience of editing photos. While a 1080p panel should be fine for smaller sizes, I wouldn't recommend getting a QHD panel for those extra pixels. If your budget permits, you can push your way up to a 4K display which would be the perfect companion to your photo editing rig.
In fact, a 4K display is also a great pick for editing videos, since not only does the video render sharper while you're editing it, but a larger part of the timeline is visible at all times due to the higher DPI. As a matter of fact, a 4K display will also serve as a fantastic media viewing machine so once you're done editing those photos and videos, fire up Netflix and watch your favorite show in the highest possible resolution!
Once you've zeroed in on the resolution, it's time to take a look at the type of surface the screen has. What I mean by this is that displays are generally either glossy or matte. A glossy display looks more punchy and sharper. But, if your desk is close to a window and there's a lot of sunlight coming in, you will inevitably see a lot of reflections and glare when working. A matte display, on the other hand, cuts down reflections and glare at the cost of slightly muted colors and sharpness. I prefer a glossy display for editing, but it all boils down to personal preference.
3 Panel technology
IPS or OLED?
OLED displays are all the rage of late with several laptops getting OLED panels. Undoubtedly, OLED is a superior technology that shows punchy colors with high contrast levels. However, due to the nature of OLED panels, photos may appear too saturated on them unless they're properly calibrated. In simple terms, an image may look bright and vibrant when viewed on an OLED panel. But, when transferred to a device with an LCD panel, the colors may look slightly washed out. Due to this, you may not be able to color-grade photos or videos with precision.
This is a big reason why I would still recommend an IPS panel for photo editing. Notably, an IPS display also stays calibrated for a longer duration, eliminating the need for a colorimeter. IPS LCD monitors are also considerably more affordable compared to OLED ones, so you can save some money and, instead, invest in a larger monitor with a higher resolution. One area where OLED monitors have the upper hand, though, is HDR photos and videos. That's where OLEDs can get extremely bright in some areas while turning off the pixels in darker regions. So, if your workflow involves working with HDR media, OLED is the way to go.
2 Color gamut
See colors come to life
One of the most important aspects to consider when buying a monitor for photo and video editing is the color space or color gamut. For those unaware, color space is a representation of how a range of colors is defined. Color gamut refers to how a monitor can represent those colors. These are two important factors that determine all the different types of colors you can view on a screen. If a monitor can display a larger range of colors, it's better for color-grading.
For example, Adobe RGB has a wider color gamut compared to sRGB. So, a monitor that covers a large percentage of the Adobe RGB color gamut can display more colors than a monitor that covers the sRGB color gamut only. Another way to look at it is if you've taken a photo using a camera that uses the Adobe RGB color space, it will be visible just the way you captured it on a monitor with the same color space. When viewed on a monitor with a different color space, some colors may look off. This is why it's extremely important to buy a monitor that covers a wide range of color spaces. Look for something that covers more than 90% of the color gamut of your choice. Several monitors have 99% sRGB coverage or 100% Adobe RGB coverage.
1 Delta E level
Perceive color differences with ease
Another parameter apart from the color gamut linked to colors is Delta E. In simple terms, Delta E refers to how well one can tell the difference between different colors on the screen. The lower the value, the easier it is to tell two colors apart from one another. When working with colors, having a monitor with a low Delta E value means colors are represented just the way they were in reality. It also makes it easier to differentiate between multiple shades of the same color. This is helpful in situations where multiple elements have similar hues.
Ideally, a monitor with Delta E less than 1 is preferred for working with colors. That would offer the best color accuracy when editing photos and videos. However, monitors with Delta E levels that low can also be quite pricey. So, even if the number stretches to 2, you should be good.
Enhance your viewing experience
Remember that balance is key when getting a good monitor for photo and video editing. Look for a display that's large enough, has a high-resolution panel, a low enough Delta E value, and fits within your budget. You may not find the perfect combination of all this, especially if you're not looking to spend too much. But, make the right choices, like opting for a higher resolution over a bigger size, IPS over OLED, etc. and you should be able to find yourself a good deal.
