Most of us spend several hours per day looking at screens, be it our phones or our PCs. If your work involves sitting at a computer, it’ll be even more. If you’re going to sink that much time into looking at something, do yourself a favor and don’t cheap out—your eyes will thank you. Here are a few features I consider essential in any new monitor I purchase.
DisplayPort Passthrough
Most discrete GPUs have at least two DisplayPort ports and one HDMI port, so what do you do if you need more displays? What if your monitors don’t have an HDMI port?
DisplayPort Passthrough goes a long way to alleviating port anxiety on GPUs, since it allows you to plug one monitor into another rather than plugging both into the GPU, saving you a port.
If you’re only running three screens (or fewer), this probably won’t be a problem. But if you’re interested in running a setup that is reminiscent of something you’d see in a movie or television show, you’ll definitely need the extra ports.
Additionally, connecting your monitors directly to each other really helps cut down on cable clutter behind your PC. Depending on your setup, you may be able to run three displays through a single DisplayPort cable connected to your GPU.
Silkland 16K DisplayPort Cable
This 6.6-foot DisplayPort cable is capable of running displays up to 16K and is VESA-certified.
A 144Hz Refresh Rate
60Hz was the standard refresh rate on computer monitors for many years, but recently higher refresh rates—120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz mostly—have become much more common.
Despite how those specs are marketed, they’re not just for gamers. If you put a 60Hz monitor side-by-side with a 144Hz display, you’ll immediately notice the difference. The 60Hz monitor will look unpleasantly jittery and jumpy by comparison, even if you’re just scrolling up and down.
Gamers benefit the most from this, since higher refresh rates can give you a slight edge up in competitive performance, but it is stilla welcome improvement for daily office work too.
There is probablya point of diminishing returns, though, and consistently driving monitors above 144Hz becomes difficult in games or other intense applications, even if you have a top-shelf GPU. Don’t overspend on a monitor that goes up to 360Hz if you don’t have (or plan on buying) a PC that can actually drive it—there are better places to spend your dollar.
1440p Resolution (Or Higher)
Monitor resolutions have been gradually creeping up for decades, and 1080p had an unusually long run as king. However, in 2025, I wouldn’t consider a monitor that isn’t at least 1440p.
That is especially important for larger PC monitors (24-inches and above), since you sit close enough that thepixels-per-inch (PPI)is noticeably low at 1080p.
Luckily, even modest graphics cards can drive 1440p displays for most gaming applications these days, and even integrated GPUs can drive 1440p displays for day-to-day tasks and office work.
An Anti-Glare Finish
Though it isn’t as important on computer monitors as it is on laptops, a matte or anti-glare surface on a screen is non-negotiable for me. I spent nearly three years with a monitor reflective enough to use as a mirror and I’d never want to repeat the experience.
There are a surprising number of monitors out there thatdon’thave a matte finish that aggressively reflect any lights around you. It is immersion-breaking in games, and can be annoyingly distracting if you’re trying to focus on something.
Televisions tend to be more reflective than computer monitors; keep that in mind if you plan on using a small TV as a monitor.
A USB Hub
USB Hubs aren’t the first thing anyone thinks of when they think of computer monitors, but maybe they should be.
Typically, the USB hubs that are integrated into monitors allow you to connect a computer (usually a laptop) via USB-C to carry a video signal and sometimes charge the laptop. However, they’re also a convenient place to plug in a wired keyboard and mouse if you’re looking to minimize cable clutter.
Fancier models even havea built-in KVM switch, which is nice if you’re using your monitor for both a laptop and a desktop PC.
In this laundry list of features, there is one thing omitted: panel type.
Despite the timeless internet arguments about whether IPS is better than VA, or if the drawbacks of OLED are worth the visual fidelity, the reality is that you may find high-quality displays that use any of those three panel types. Whether you like it is just down to your screen preferences and how well-designed the monitor is. If you can, go to a brick and mortar store to check out displays in person.
The only type of screen I’d generally recommend staying away from is TN. They’re known for having very high refresh rates, but they tend to fall short in almost every other way. Unless you have a specific use for one, you’re probably better off picking between IPS, VA, or OLED.
Alienware AW2725DM 27-inch Gaming Monitor
The Alienware 27" Gaming Monitor has an QHD display with a 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Its IPS panel supports NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync, and VESA AdaptiveSync for tear-free visuals. The matte screen reduces glare, while DCI-P3 95% color coverage and VESA DisplayHDR 400 make sharp images.
