I've reviewed computer monitors and other PC hardware at PCMag for many years, all with the goal of helping our readers make informed buying decisions. These three deals are all outstanding products well worth their discounted price.
As a PCMag senior analyst, I've reviewed a wide variety of monitors over the past seven years, testing them according to our rigorous criteria, and comparing them with similar products based on their performance, features, and price. At PC Labs, we independently test and evaluate dozens of monitors each year. I am proud of our publication's long tradition of providing detailed and accurate information to assist buyers in their decisions, and I do my best to uphold it.
Another Prime Day is upon us, and Amazon is offering a wide range of monitors at discounted prices. You may be tempted to jump at some of these deals, but it's best to dig a little deeper to be sure that the product meets both your needs and your expectations. That's where reading reviews comes in. Research can save you from a case of buyer's remorse.
The three picks featured here -- one a big, deluxe gaming display, one an ergonomically astounding productivity panel, and one a mainstream budget monitor -- represent just a tiny slice of the deals Amazon is offering this Prime Day. Still, they are my favorite picks, all products that we have reviewed, vetted by me or another PCMag expert. And each brings something special to the table.
By the way, you can follow our Live Prime Day Blog for the best and most up-to-date deals! And don't forget to check out our mega-post with 150+ of the Best Prime Day Deals available right now across 18 key tech categories.
In designing budget monitors, manufacturers make compromises in screen size and resolution, connectivity, stand design, and other factors, but the HP 24mh stands out for including several features uncommon among sub-$200 displays. Along with the HDMI and VGA ports found on most discount monitors, the 24mh adds a DisplayPort connector. Most of its low-priced ilk have stands that are limited to tilt adjustment, but HP has outfitted this panel with both height and pivot control, the latter letting you rotate the panel from landscape into portrait mode and back. And the 24mh has a built-in pair of 2-watt speakers, a feature that most budget displays lack. Granted, their sound quality is so-so, at best, but the speakers are there if you need them. If you prefer, you could connect a pair of headphones or powered external speakers to the monitor's audio-out jack.
Like most discount displays, the 24mh's screen is modest in size and resolution, a 24-inch 1080p in-plane switching (IPS) panel. But it does better than most in covering 99.5% of the sRGB color space, and easily exceeded its rated contrast ratio. These impressive results were borne out in the pleasing image quality in our photo and video ad-hoc testing, and put the monitor in good stead for movie or photo viewing and even light photo editing.
The HP 24mh is superb as a general-purpose monitor, great for personal or home-office use. Amazon typically sells it for $159, but for Prime Day, it's marked down to $109. It puts to shame some monitors that sell for twice that.
The BenQ PD2706UA takes ergonomics and adjustability to the max. This 27-inch 4K monitor owes its flexibility to its hinged, ergo-arm stand, which clamps onto the back or side of a desk and features generous height and tilt adjustment, the ability to pivot from landscape to portrait orientation, and 275 degrees of swivel motion. It's a joy to be able to almost effortlessly swing, pull, and adjust the screen to your liking.
The rest of the monitor is not too shabby, either. For connectivity, it has three upstream ports -- one HDMI, one DisplayPort, and a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort over USB Alternate Mode and 90 watts of power delivery -- plus a hub of downstream USB-A and USB-C ports. Its HDR capability and brightness earn it VESA's DisplayHDR 400 certification, and its full sRGB color coverage makes it a good choice for preparing online art.
When I reviewed the PD2706UA, the main thing that stood between it and our Editors' Choice award was its price, which was a bit steep, even considering the premium you might expect to pay for such an innovative product. Its price has dropped somewhat since then, and this Prime Day deal puts it in a range to make it a tempting acquisition for anyone who has ever groaned about their monitor's limited range of motion.
Samsung went really big with its Odyssey OLED G9, a gaming monitor with a beautiful 49-inch 5K OLED screen. The razor-thin panel is gently curved to provide a more immersive experience. Its super ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio is particularly good for racing games and flight simulators. It's also good for modern games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal, which have been designed to fit the screen's full width. For a gaming monitor, the OLED screen provides magnificent contrast, as well as surprisingly good color coverage and color accuracy. AMD Freesync Premium Pro is included to combat screen tearing.
The G9 is also a "smart monitor," which means it has access to Samsung's online gaming hub, as well as other built-in media features you might see on Samsung TVs, including plenty of streaming apps.
The Odyssey OLED G9 normally costs as much as $1,600, but for Prime Day, Amazon is selling it for just $949, which Samsung states is its lowest price ever. Dazzling product, steep discount: What's not to love?