The 7 Best USB-C Monitors to Buy in 2018

When you want the very best USB-C monitor, there’s no better choice than LG’s 27UK850 27-inch 4K monitor. Compatible with HDR10 high dynamic range, the LG offers a level of color and brightness that is unmatched. The HDR effect also supports upscaling non-HDR content so it looks even better on the display. The color itself hits on 99-percent of the sRGB spectrum. This premium IPS experience makes it ideal for photographers, video editors, graphic designers, or anyone who counts on accurate colors. With HDCP 2.2 built-in, the monitor plays 4K video from streaming services, game consoles, and Blu-ray players.

Just as everything about the screen looks great, so does the monitor itself. The half-circle curved stand is sturdy and prevents tips. The ultra-thin bezels — the frame around the monitor — are just 7mm from the edge of the display. Adjusting settings on the monitor is smartly handled via a joystick button resting underneath the bottom bezel. Tilting forward up to five degrees or backward up to 20 degrees, the monitor also can pivot 90 degrees to operate as a portrait monitor. 

In the world of USB-C-ready monitors, there’s really no such thing as a budget-friendly monitor. Instead, there are those that have exorbitant price tags and those that come with more realistic prices for the typical consumer. LG’s 34UM69G-B fits into the latter category.

LG’s monitor comes with a 34-inch flat screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The display has a 2560 x 1080 resolution, which should suffice for most uses. There’s also a 1ms Motion Blur Reduction feature so fast-paced visuals will still look good on the monitor.

The monitor comes with a variety of controls to help you improve your visual experience. AMD FreeSync, for instance, will ensure that your graphics card’s frame rate matches the monitor’s refresh rate. A Dynamic Action Sync means the monitor is ideal for video games, and a Black Stabilizer option will keep your dark scenes looking the way they should.

In addition to the USB-C port, you’ll find a variety of input options, including HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort. You’ll also notice some nice design accents, like the V-Line standard’s pops of red color to add to the broader visual appeal of your screen.

If budget isn’t a concern but the way a monitor looks in your home is, the HP Envy 34 is the way to go. HP’s Envy 34 has a curved screen that measures, as its name might suggest, 34 inches. The display has a 21:9 aspect ratio and thanks to its wide view and thin bezels, 34 percent more screen real estate than comparably equipped 16:9 options.

The screen has an eye-popping 3440 x 1440 pixel resolution and a 6ms response time to help you enjoy fast-moving content. And in case you’re viewing content with friends in the same room, its 178-degree wide viewing angle should mean its picture will hold up even if you’re not looking at it head-on.

The monitor puts its display center stage and has thin bezels all around the screen. On the bottom, you’ll find an area where the device’s Bang & Olufsen speakers live, delivering rich sound for music and spoken word. And just in case you’re concerned about people spying on you, the HP Envy 34 comes with a Privacy Webcam that only pops up when called upon.

The USB-C port is flanked by DisplayPort, HDMI and two USB 3.0 ports.

The Asus Designo MX27UC is all about entertainment and ensuring that you get your visual and audio entertainment in one package.

The monitor comes with a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and an outstanding viewing angle of 178 degrees, so you and your friends can enjoy content in a room. An Asus Eye Care technology is built in to eliminate screen flickering and reduce eye fatigue with a blue light filter. And since the monitor displays such a high resolution, you can use your USB-C port to pair with devices delivering 4K video.

To complement that visual experience, Asus has bundled two 3W speakers and amplifiers in the Designo. The company has also developed a SonicMaster sound optimization technology with ICEpower to ensure the Bang & Olufsen speakers are sounding good regardless of where you are.

Asus was also quick to tout the Design’s design, which comes with thin bezels all around and a variety of ports to choose from, including DisplayPort, HDMI and USB 3.1.

True to form, Dell offers one of the best monitor options for office use with its Dell S2718D.

The monitor, which comes with a 27-inch LED display featuring a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio, has a nearly borderless design that leaves no room for any ports. So, Dell bundled all of the ports in the base of the monitor, giving you the ability to plug in devices that rely on USB-C, HDMI and other ports.

Interestingly, the Dell design lends itself to a more portable-conscious customer. Unlike many other monitors that can weigh 10 or even 20 pounds, Dell’s S2718D weighs just 6.5 pounds, making it easy to move from one place to another.

To deliver high-quality visuals, Dell has bundled high dynamic range, or HDR, support in its monitor. The company was also quick to note that its monitor has a high contrast ratio to bolster its visual appeal.

The Dell S2718D comes with a USB-C cable to power the monitor. The device’s USB-C port can be used for double duty, allowing you to plug in a notebook to not only charge the notebook through your monitor but also deliver dual-display visuals.

Acer’s H277HU was designed for those who want to place two monitors next to each other for a truly wide and visually stunning experience.

The H277HU measures 27 inches and has a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. The screen’s 100-million-to-one contrast ratio means your picture quality should be quite good. The monitor comes with a 4ms response time to handle fast-moving content and gives you your choice of HDMI or DisplayPort alongside the USB-C port.

Speaking of that USB-C port, Acer said that it can be used to perform a variety of functions, including powering mobile devices such as laptops or smartphones, transferring data off an external hard drive or delivering high-resolution video.

Arguably its most important feature, however, is its design. The monitor comes with what Acer calls a ZeroFrame design, so you can place it next to another 277HU and the visual experience will feel seamless. It achieves that by delivering an exceedingly thin bezel on either side that, even when matched with another 277HU, isn’t thick enough to detract from whatever it is you’re looking at on the screen.

Acer’s 277HU also has a tilting function that lets you adjust its viewing angle from -5 degrees to 15 degrees, which should mean for a more comfortable viewing experience.