Best 4K Monitor 2023: Our five favourite high-resolution monitors

The Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022) is one of the best 4K monitors that we’ve ever reviewed, packing a larger-than-life screen and a bold design. The 55-inch curved design may not suit everyone, but we thought that it provided an excellent viewing experience. It’s worth noting that Samsung recommends that you sit at least 80cm away from the screen, meaning that you will want to make sure you position this monitor in a way that gives you enough room so as to not overly strain your neck.

It features a 165Hz refresh rate that is suitable for single-player gaming and casual esports, as well as watching video content. While it’s not as smooth as the 200Hz refresh rate on the Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ, we thought that it performed well during real-world use, being fast and smooth enough for most gamers.

The Odyssey Ark can also be configured in a few different modes, making it a fairly versatile monitor. You can changge the display to 21:9 or 32:9 if you’re looking to play games or watch media with a wider view, or if you want to sit closer to the screen. There is a Multi View mode, which beefs up conventional picture-by-picture options. When the screen is horizontal it can be split into four quarters and display different sections in each zone. Swing the panel into a vertical position – which Samsung refers to as Cockpit Mode – and deploy three stacked screens on top of each other. 

Arguably the most important aspect of a gaming monitor is the image quality; we thought that the Odyssey Ark delivered a brilliant performance out of the box, with an incredible black point of 0.02 nits and a contrast ratio of 4500:1. This allowed the Ark to render intense blacks with plenty of vibrancy in the colours, a far better experience than any conventional IPS or VA screen. The 4K resolution also provided an incredibly crisp and detailed experience no matter what was on-screen. 

Overall, the Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022) is a fantastic 4K monitor that is more than capable of running various games or being used for entertainment. Its versatile design means that it can be used in a plethora of capacities, and its large screen allows you to watch (or play) from a far distance away. 

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022)

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 is one of the best gaming displays on the planet according to our review. We found that it featured an incredible black point of 0.02 nits and a fantastic contrast ratio of 9600:1, well beyond what a conventional display can handle. It packs in Quantum Mini LEDs that provided vibrant, punchy images with a lot of depth. Moreover, it was able to render an sRGB colour gamut with 99.5% coverage and DCI-P3 results of 91.2% and 92%. This means that the Neo G8 is more than capable of rendering colour accurately, making it ideal for gamers and content creatives alike.

The Odyssey Neo G8 also holds the title of the first-ever gaming monitor to pack a 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. This is bolstered by AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which is designed to eliminate choppy gameplay and screen tearing. It is also compatible with both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, meaning that you have plenty of options when it comes to setting up your dream PC.

Although you will need to bear in mind that you will need a particularly beefy graphics card to really utilise the Neo G8. You will want to splash out on an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti or the RTX 4000 Series, or the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X or Ryzen 9 7900X, which will make it a very costly spend overall. Of course, this will depend on what type of games you want to play and which frame rates you’re looking for, but we think it’s worth making the most out of a display like this.

This monitor packs a screen size of 32 inches, which we noted was high enough to be absorbing without being overwhelming. The G8 also uses a 1000R curve, matching the rest of the Odyssey range. The shape matches the human eye which helps it deliver realistic imagery, with games being more immersive than panels with gentler curves or flat displays. 

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for an immersive gaming monitor that won’t take up too much space. Even though it does cost a pretty penny, we think the Neo G8 serves up class-leading contrast, making it the perfect pick for any gamers out there. 

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: Samsung Odyssey Neo G8

The Samsung M8 Smart Monitor is a fantastic all-around display. It features a large 32-inch panel and a crisp 4K (3830 x 2160) resolution that we thought brought media to life, with even the home screen looking fantastic thanks to the high pixel density. During our testing, we discovered that the Samsung M8 was able to hit a high contrast of 3874:1, which is part of the reason why videos look so detailed and punchy. 

Another fantastic feature is the integrated speakers on each side of the monitor’s rear; not only does this eliminate the need for purchasing external speakers, but we felt that they were capable of delivering surprisingly loud and clear audio. This makes the Samsung M8 ideal for watching video content and listening to music, as everything is ready for you straight out of the box without any extra hardware needed. 

This monitor also comes with a plethora of smart features, such as the ability to cast your smartphone to the display, just in case you want to scroll through Instagram or TikTok on the big screen. Alexa and Bixby allow you to use voice commands – which worked flawlessly during testing – and plugging a connected cable into a Windows laptop or MacBook enables you to use the monitor as a second screen, ideal for productivity work. 

Unfortunately, the refresh rate sits at a meagre 60Hz and there is no adaptive sync support. While you can stream games directly from Xbox Game Pass or GeForce Now, we would not recommend this display for most gamers. Casual gaming over Game Pass felt satisfying however, particularly with the Xbox controller connected over Bluetooth but the capped refresh rate makes it unsuitable for anyone looking to play the latest triple-A titles. 

We think that the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor is a versatile option for those who are looking for a display fit for both studying and entertainment. Video content looks amazing and the vast number of smart features makes it a handy productivity device, ideal for both work and play.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Samsung M8 Smart Monitor

The Asus ROG Strix XG43UQ is a complicated monitor that won’t suit everyone, but it does come with a lot of benefits. It boasts a massive screen of 43-inches and a 4K resolution, which we thought offered the same crisp experience as a TV, provided that you’re sitting far enough away from the screen. The 144Hz refresh rate is high enough to deliver smooth motion in any top-end single-player game and mainstream esports titles, making it a viable gaming monitor. It also features AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which works with Nvidia and AMD graphics cards and enables syncing alongside HDR.

We found that the ROG Strix needs a powerful graphics card to run top games in 4K with decent refresh rates. One of the latest Nvidia RTX 4000 Series or AMD Ryzen 7000 Series graphics cards should do the trick, with the higher-end AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Nvidia RTX 4090 being more than capable of maxing out the panel at 4K and 144Hz. Thanks to the HDMI 2.1 ports, it can also be hooked up to a PS5 or Xbox Series X, meaning that you can play your favourite Sony exclusives in 4K at 120Hz.

We felt that the ROG Strix was capable of providing vibrancy, lashings of depth and a lot of punch. Our testing found the contrast sits at 3991:1, far better than any IPS display but losing out to the Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022) and Samsung Odyssey Neo G8. We did experience some ghosting and haloing around moving objects during gameplay when Asus’s own ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) was activated, which was disappointing as this feature did make objects look crisper and more detailed.

However, even with these flaws we still thought that the ROG Strix made most games look fantastic with its massive size delivering vibrant, bold mainstream gaming. This is the perfect monitor for someone who wants a TV-sized gaming monitor in their bedroom or lounge space, with the integrated speakers making it very simple to set up. If you’re after a more conventionally sized monitor then you may want to look towards the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor or Apple Studio Display, but this one is best large picks suited towards gamers.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: Asus ROG Strix XG43UQ

The Acer Predator XB323QK is a fantastic 4K monitor that is supremely crisp and colourful and could be one of the most versatile screens we’ve had the honour of reviewing. The IPS panel has a 3840 x 2160 resolution and a 31.5-inch format, giving it robust viewing angles and plenty of speed. The maximum refresh rate is 144Hz, putting it below the 240Hz Samsung Odyssey Neo G8, but the quoted response rates proved very effective at 1ms GtG and 0.5ms MPRT.

The port selection on the Predator XB323QK is ideal for gamers and creatives alike; there are two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 video input, one USB-C port that supports 65W charging, one USB-B and two USB-A 3.1 data ports alongside a 3.5mmm audio jack. Those DisplayPorts and HDMI ports will be more than suitable for 4K 120Hz VRR gaming with the latest consoles and will allow for more displays in your set-up, making this a multitalented machine. 

The back of the Predator XB323QK is home to a bright RGB light strip that runs along the top and sides of the rear housing. While this will not have any effect on the performance, we enjoyed toggling through the pulse, strobe and throb settings to find which colour and style worked best for us. Installing the Acer Light Sense app allows you to sync the light show with what the screen is displaying or to work in time to music, giving this monitor a lot more personality than some of its rivals. 

The main downside of this monitor is its HDR performance. We found it to be perfunctory at best, coming out as saturated and unnaturally vivid during tiles like Halo Infinite and Cyberpunk 2077, but with little else to note. Since the Predator XB323QK sports a £999 price tag, we still think that this is one of the best all-around monitors on the market, once you take HDR out of the equation. 

If you’re looking for something that does feature fantastic image quality and you don’t mind spending a little more money, the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor or Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022) may be the way to go. If you’re after something that hits almost everything on the checklist and costs under £1,000, the Acer Predator XB323QK is what we would recommend. 

Reviewer: Alun Taylor
Full Review: Acer Predator XB323QK