large touch screen monitors and eye strain free sample
The best monitors for eye strain those that are easy on the eyes, so an easy way to counter the harmful effects of staring at your computer all day is to switch to using a curved monitor. Curved monitors provide less distortion, a wider field of view, and better viewing angles to prevent you from tiring out your eyes.
Bottom Line: If your eyes hurt from staring at computers all day, consider getting a curved monitor that lets you take in the whole picture at once without straining your eyes. We recommend the ViewSonic® VP3881 or VP3481.
If you’re one of the millions of people who spend long hours in front of the computer, chances are you’ve probably experienced eye strain. Digital eye strain (also known as computer vision syndrome) occurs when your eyes become “tired” from staring at digital devices for an extended period of time.
In this article, we’ll cover what digital eye strain is and how it’s harming both employees and businesses, the best type of monitor for eye strain, and our top three choices for monitors that prevent eye strain.
According to the American Optometric Association, digital eye strain encompasses a wide range of symptoms. In addition to visual fatigue, digital eye strain also includes symptoms such as:
Digital eye strain also costs businesses thousands of dollars in lost productivity every year. According to the Optometry Times, eye-focusing problems cost businesses more than $2000 annually per employee.
While people normally blink an average of 12 times a minute, when staring at a computer screen, blinking drops down to five times a minute. This lowered rate of blinking can cause discomfort and lead to dry eyes.
One often-cited anecdote for reducing eye strain is to limit screen time. While this is a sound tip, it’s also impractical for the millions of people that use computers daily for work.
According to research performed by Harvard Medical School, participants who used curved monitors reported experiencing less eye strain than subjects who used flat monitors. Blurred vision was also 4x less common in users of curved monitors than users of flat monitors.
Curved monitors are monitors that come with a curved screen to provide users with a more immersive experience and a wider field of view. These monitors help relieve eye strain by enabling viewers to take in the entire monitor display at once without straining.
Curved monitors minimize the image distortion that traditionally occurs on the edges of flat panel screens. Due to the unique nature of their curvature, they also improve depth perception and cover a larger portion of a user’s field of view, resulting in images that appear larger and are easier to see.
When searching for a curved monitor, you’ll notice that certain monitors have deeper curves than others. These curvature ratings are measured in terms of “r” or radius.
As long as you’re using a curved monitor, and your eyes are easily able to take in the entire display without straining, curvature rating is more of a personal preference rather than a health-related one.
Using ergonomic monitors is critical to maintaining your health as non-ergonomic monitors can lead to eye strain, stiff necks, sore backs, and a host of other ailments.
Rather than craning your neck and straining your eyes to look up at the monitor, ergonomic monitors can be easily adjusted to your ideal viewing angle. When searching for an ergonomically curved monitor to help you fight off eye strain, try looking for a monitor with swivel, tilt, and height adjustment features.
Blue light is a type of short-wavelength, high-energy light emitted by computer monitors and other digital screens. Studies have shown that in addition to exacerbating eye strain, blue light can also have a negative effect on sleep.
Blue light is most disruptive at night, where it can suppress the secretion of melatonin – the hormone responsible for making us tired and sleepy. When looking for a monitor to combat eye strain, try searching for monitors that come with a blue light filter to preserve your circadian rhythm and ease the burden on your eyes.
In contrast with other types of panels, the liquid crystals in IPS monitors shift horizontally in order to create better viewing angles, impressive image quality, and precise color accuracy.
MVA (multidomain vertical alignment) panels operate by using liquid crystal cells that naturally align between two panes of glass to create a naturally black display screen.
Though ViewSonic’s curved monitors are optimized for a wide array of uses from gaming to business, these monitors can help relieve digital eye strain no matter what task you’re performing.
The VP3881 monitor is perfect for workers who spend long hours in front of the screen. It comes with a stunning 3840 x 1600 resolution and provides an unprecedented level of immersion.
Its 2300R curvature and anti-glare coating enable you to comfortably view the entire screen from up to two meters away without straining your eyes, while its ergonomic design empowers you to adjust it to your preferred viewing level. Give your eyes a break and use the VP3881 to quickly finish your day-to-day tasks.
Created to provide all-day comfort for office workers looking at their computer screens, the 34” VP3481 monitor comes with an impressive 3440 x 1440p resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio.
With its incredibly precise color accuracy, the VP3481 is perfect for professionals such as video editors, graphic designers, photographers, and others for whom color accuracy is critical.
In this post, we went over the causes and symptoms of eye strain and covered why curved monitors are essentially one of the best defenses you can have against digital eye strain. We broke down the key elements to look for in a curved monitor and highlighted some of our top choices. To learn more about ViewSonic’s monitors, click here.
The best touchscreen monitors can offer advantages for certain workflows. Whether it’s for creative use or to improve general productivity tasks, the best touchscreen displays can make navigating certain programs more intuitive and more precise, particularly for tasks like making a selection in an image.
They can deliver a seamless, responsive experience that feels like writing with a pen on paper, and an immediacy that you don"t get with even the best mice to the best keyboards. But while touch screens now abound in phones and tablet, most monitors don"t offer touch. There are some excellent touch displays out there, however.
Below, we"ve made our pick of the best touchscreen monitors after evaluating a range of options for their accuracy and responsiveness, design, extra features and price. From regular-sized displays ideal for a desktop PC to portable monitors for those on the road, these are the best touchscreen monitors we"ve found.
If you prefer a more traditional monitor, possibly with a higher resolution, check out guides to the best monitors for photo editing and the best 4K monitors. If accurate colours are important to you, whether you’re a photographer or video editor, you might want to invest in one of the best monitor calibrator tools.
With so many options on the market, our choice of the best touchscreen monitors comes down to the details. And detail is something that Dell"s P2418HT monitor does brilliantly. This 1080p monitor on a 23.8-inch panel boasts an LCD screen to deliver excellent resolution, contrast, and colour. Moreover, it boasts an anti-glare surface that works beautifully in distracting light conditions as well as ultra-thin bezels that give it a stylish flair and you more screen real estate.
Looking for a cheap touchscreen monitor from a reputable brand? The 21.5in Dell P2219H IPS monitor is available at a brilliant price, and it still does an impressive job, making it one of the best touchscreen monitors available for those on a tighter budget.
While creative professionals usually go for larger screens, there’s definitely a place for portable monitors in content creation. Nomadic users in particular can benefit from a portable monitor that’s designed specifically with video editors, designers, and music producers in mind.
The ProArt Display PA148CTV is something of a rarity in the sea of portable monitors with its robust set of features targeted towards creatives. They include the Asus Dial, a physical dial that you can use to make effortless adjustments to your project whether you’re in Lightroom, Premiere Pro, or Photoshop. There’s also the Virtual Control Panel function, which allows you to use the display itself as your touchscreen control panel, simplifying your workflow.
The ViewSonic TD2230 is small, light and portable touchscreen monitor, making it perfect for anyone with limited desk space and/or who needs to travel with their screen. The 22in, Full HD, IPS display offers beautifully sharp image quality and high visual accuracy. The screen is also scratch-poof, and the bookstand design allows it to be tilted and adjusted from 20 to 70 degrees, or rested flat.
The connection ports are all on the side of the monitor, offering easy access. You get HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA and USB connectivity. The monitor offers low power consumption – great for both your pocket and the planet. The colours are a little dull, but overall this is an excellent buy for anyone looking for a portable touchscreen monitor.
The Viewsonic TD1655 is another small, portable option from Viewsonic, and one that comes with a budget price. The 15.6-inch monitor offers 1080p resolution, which is more than enough for a panel this size. It is a little light on special features, but it delivers where it counts.
The Philips 242B9T is another good touchscreen monitor. It might not be the most stylish looking touch monitor but it has an awful lot to offer. For a start, it comes with built-in 2W speakers. Also, you can connect it to a wide range of devices via HDMI, DVI, VGA and DisplayPort.
The Asus VT229H comes with many features you’ll find on most touchscreen monitors, including 10-point multi-touch capacity, 178/178 viewing angles, flicker-free backlighting, and blue light filter to make it easy on the eyes. However, it also boasts a few extras you won’t find on rival displays, and these help make your workflow more seamless.
Want a larger touchscreen monitor? Most touchscreen monitors tend to be on the smaller side, but this 27in offering from Planar offers a relatively large IPS LED-backlit display. While Full HD is a little thin for a 27in display, the screen offers dependable color accuracy and contrast that won"t shift depending on where you"re looking.
It"s a versatile monitor too, with a built-in HD webcam and microphone, making it great for home office working and video conferencing. It boasts 10-point capacitive multi-touch and an ergonomic stand that can take the display from completely flat to a 70-degree tilt.Is it worth buying a touchscreen monitor?If you’ve ever used a touchscreen laptop and wished you could do the same at your desk, then the slightly higher price of a touchscreen monitor over its non-touch counterpart is well worth it. After all, there’s no other way to get that kind of nuanced control when navigating various windows and apps. For example, if you want to translate handwriting to text or draw directly on the screen using your finger, one of these panels is the way to do it. And, instead of having to use keyboard shortcuts to carry out a command, you can perform the actual action directly on the screen.
But, you won’t be holding a touchscreen display the way you would a tablet or smartphone. So, consider whether you’re comfortable using your fingers to navigate a screen that’s sitting at eye level for long periods.What are the disadvantages of a touchscreen monitor?There are some drawbacks to using a touchscreen monitor. For example, holding your arm up to interact with a touchscreen throughout a day’s worth of work will get tiring no matter how strong you are. And, you’ll have to clean that screen regularly. Otherwise, that buildup of smudges and fingerprints can get in the way of seeing it properly.
Most importantly, however, touchscreen displays are more likely to experience some kind of damage. This is because there’s much more going on under the hood than with non-touch monitors. And, when something goes wrong, it will cost more to fix due to the more complicated design of these panels.What is a 10-point touchscreen?A 10-point touchscreen can register 10 distinct points of contact all at once. Not all touchscreen devices and displays utilise this technology. But, having it makes a huge difference in the accuracy of your taps, swipes, and various gestures. With one or two-point touchscreens, any accidental contact like the edge of your palm grazing the screen could confuse the interface and register a tap where it shouldn’t be. Utilising a 10 point touchscreen largely eliminates that kind of accidental interaction. And, it also allows for more complex interactions like typing directly on the screen.Can I use a touch screen monitor with any computer?Yes, you can use a touch-sensitive screen with any PC, or even a laptop. provided it has the right ports to connect with your machine. Check what ports your device has, but most touchscreen monitors will have several, including USB and HDMI.
Whether stylus-based or just using your fingers and gestures, working with a touch screen monitor can transform a traditional working process into something more tactile and enjoyable, while also elevating creative projects with a literal touch of nuance.
Paired with the best home computer setup(opens in new tab) and a great set of PC speakers, it’s easy to get lost in what they have to offer, offering a much broader canvas than even the best smartphones(opens in new tab) or best tablets(opens in new tab). In fact, being able to tap and poke your screen can also give your keyboard and mouse(opens in new tab) a well-earned rest, and a touch screen monitor is ideal as a secondary monitor for certain tasks even if you don’t expect to use it every day.
In this list of the best touch screen monitors, we’ll touch on (pun intended) each model’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as their core specs like resolution and ports – it is a monitor, after all.
There’s never been a better time to buy a monitor, touch-supported or not, with screen tech getting better and more affordable every year. Still, if you’re looking for something solely for gaming, or something ultrawide, you’ll want to look elsewhere. The same applies if you’re just not keen on smudging the screen.
If you’re a Photoshop guru looking to make subtle edits, someone that regularly needs to sign PDF documents, or just want to interact with content in surprising new ways, our guide to the best touch screen monitors has you covered.
If you’re looking for a modern touch screen monitor complete with the latest in eye protecting technology and ergonomic design then the Philips 242B9T is the best choice for you. A lot of the touch screen monitors in our rankings are a few years old at least, and this isn’t because we’re lazy - there just aren’t many touch screen monitors being released these days as the technology has gone a little out of fashion. But Philips is still pushing the technology forwards and the Philips 242B9T is a great example of why touch screen monitors are still valuable.
We found the Philips 242B9T was comfortable to use and had a ton of modern features that make it ideal for work use. There is a low blue light mode to help reduce eye strain and the lack of raised bezels mean that you won’t irritate your fingers when touching near the border of the screen. It also has great visual fidelity with a 1080p resolution and Flicker-Free technology to further reduce eye strain caused by the flickering LEDs that power most monitors.
The screen is highly adjustable too with a built in stand that can hold the screen upright, or go all the way down to basically lying flat on your desk. The only real issue is that the screen itself is quite heavy, and it can be a little awkward to move between different viewing angles. Not a deal breaker, but something to consider if you’re constantly needing to switch the position of the screen for drawing.
For our money, the Acer T232HL is the best touch screen monitor on the market today. It’s exceptionally well-built with a sturdy stand which prevents the monitor from moving around in use. The edgeless bezel, while a little ugly, means that you never bang your hands against the desk while using the touch screen - this was an issue with many of the small bezel monitors that we tested. There are certainly better looking monitors out there though, and the large bezels on the Acer T232HL could be off putting to some.
The touch screen itself works perfectly and the image quality is up there with the best HD monitor. The only area that the Acer T232HL struggles with is color accuracy, which means that it’s not ideal for photo editing or watching movies.
In the end, we’ve decided that touch screens are all about function, not form, and the Acer T232HL is the best touch screen monitor for practical purposes. It’s comfortable to use, well-built and easy to use. We’ll put up with an ugly bezel if it’s the price we have to pay.Read ourAcer T232HL review(opens in new tab)
Planar has been around for a while, and this VESA-mountable 27-inch display is a solid option for users looking for something to bring projects to life at scale. The Planar Helium PCT2785 offers impressive color accuracy, and while its resolution caps out at 1080p, it’s clear enough for many creative projects and video calls.
In fact, it essentially acts as an all-in-one hub, with a built-in webcam and microphone. It’s also able to be tilted with a built-in stand, making it feel closer to a large tablet than a standard monitor.
We will concede, though, that the thick bezels won’t be for everybody, but the option of both HDMI and DisplayPort could make it ideal for many users despite the monitor looking a little long in the tooth.
The Planar Helium PCT2235 has a strange look about it, as if someone stole the base from a standard monitor and just left the display propped up on a desk. The bottom bezel of the screen rests on your work surface. The bezel is quite thick and extends around the screen on all sides, which isn’t pleasant to look at, but it is functional.
Like most touch screen monitors, the Planar Helium PCT2235 has an adjustable A-frame stand that can also be folded away to let the monitor lie flat on your desk. The tilt range on the Planar Helium PCT2235 is an impressive 55 degrees though, which means it’s easier to adjust the screen into a comfortable position.
At 24-inches and 7.9 pounds, it’s a decent-sized monitor that won’t take much effort to set up or move between rooms if you need. At the same time, it’s a good sized screen that won’t take up too much desk space - 24-inches is basically the Goldilocks zone for monitors.
When it comes to our tests of the screen itself, we had mixed results. The Planar Helium PCT2235 had the longest response time of any of the touch screen monitors that we tested. That means that the pixels take a long time to switch between one color to the next, which isn’t ideal for watching movies or playing games. It does have great color accuracy though, which means it’s great for editing photos and images.
In the end, the Planar Helium PCT2235 isn’t particularly flashy, but if you’re looking for a great touch screen monitor on a budget, it is a fantastic choice.
The Dell P2418HT is unique among the touch screen monitors that we tested, in that it’s the only one with a matte finish instead of the usual reflective glass screen. This matte finish means that the Dell P2418HT’s screen is far less reflective than most, which reduces glare for users. The screen’s non-reflective finish also means that it looks much more like a traditional monitor, which is great if you want it to blend in.
The innovation doesn’t stop there though, thanks to the Dell P2418HT’s unique flexible rotating arm which holds up the display in place of a traditional A-frame stand. The flexible arm can be easily adjusted, allowing for forwards and backwards, as well as up and down movements. The downside of this is that the stand isn’t as stable as a fixed frame, so the screen can wiggle around during use. It also doesn’t have seamless bevels, which means you can bang your fingers into the edges when using the screen, which is irritating.
Compared with the other monitors that we tested, the Dell P2418HT is far more energy efficient which means it will cost less to run it over time. It also impressed us with it’s fantastic color accuracy, something that our top choice, the Acer T232HL struggled with.
All-in-all, the Dell P2418HT is a great touch screen monitor that does just enough to stand out from the crowd, providing some much needed variety in a relatively samey market.
The perfect touch screen monitor for space conscious consumers, the 21.5-inch ViewSonic TD2230 offers great image quality in a compact design. With a compact form factor and relatively light weight of just 7.9 ounces, it’s portable too, which is great if you need to move the monitor around a lot
Sadly, the ViewSonic TD2230 is let down by some odd design choices. For one thing, the connection ports are all located on the side of the monitor, which means you end up with cables sticking out the side of your screen, which is a nightmare for cable management aficionados. It can also be a little uncomfortable to use, which is a huge issue if you need to use the touch screen for extended periods of time.
But if you need a touch screen monitor and don’t have enough space for one of the chunkier models, the ViewSonic TD2230 offers everything you need in a tiny package.Read ourViewSonic TD2230 review(opens in new tab)
Asus is a household name, and for good reason – the company offers plenty of high-quality products at a very reasonable price, and the 21.5-inch VT229H touch screen monitor is no different.
Aside from a thick “chin” with the company’s logo, this option is the polar opposite of the Planar, with bezels so thin they’re almost not there at all. The IPS panel offers great color accuracy, too, and it’s responsive too, with ten-point multi-touch support. The display is tough, too, and supports a variety of gestures.
We’d have liked more than the 20-degree tilt on offer and some ports though, but with Windows 10 support right out of the box it’s sure to be a solid option for the budget-conscious buyer – or anyone looking for a solid 1080p monitor.
We’ll get the bad news out of the way first, but there’s no HDMI port on the less-than-catchily titled Lenovo ThinkCentre "Tiny in One" Gen 4 Touch. In fact, the display uses a 3-in-1 cable that supports power, USB 3.1, and Displayport all at once – minimizing the number of cables on any given workstation.
Aside from that quirk, there’s a lot to love though, with a stereo speaker that does its best given the small amount of space it has to work with, and a built-in microphone system and webcam which make it ideal for video calls. That does make it look a little like it’s been kitbashed together somewhat, though.
The IPS panel has a full HD, 1080p resolution, but with solid color and contrast it’s an ideal addition to a home office setup that may be lacking in web conferencing tools.
The price of monitors today fluctuates wildly. They’re generally seen as an essential piece of equipment that’s considered an investment. For a normal, everyday monitor you can pay anywhere from $100-200 for an okay screen that’ll do the job. The average touch screen monitor will be a bit pricier, at around $300, due to the expensive projective capacitive technology needed to create monitors that recognize touch. However, if you’re after a specialist gaming monitor or one with a curved screen, then expect to pay even more than this.
For many, a huge display is a large canvas, but this can stretch the monitor’s resolution a tad too far and actually diminish the quality of an image. Conversely, a smaller touchscreen monitor may make you feel like there’s just not enough room to work with, or could make it an ideal companion to a larger, non-touchscreen display.
While you may love using a touchscreen display, you may also want to look for one with more accessible on-device controls – or at least somewhere you’re unlikely to press them accidentally during normal use.
In terms of design, some touch screen monitors offer an almost tablet-like experience. These can be ideal for touching the glass display, and even using it in lieu of a traditional keyboard and mouse setup while also having the flexibility to prop it up as a more standard display.
Others have adjustable stands and are much closer to a non-touchscreen monitor, but each has advantages. If you’re looking to touch your display regularly, it might mean reaching over your desk more often, while having it closer to you may mean hunching over somewhat.
Touch screens on monitors are made from glass, and the ones on this list support up to ten points of contact at once. This means they can register plenty of inputs at once, allowing for touch gestures like pinching to zoom, or swiping between photos.
It also means that the display can start to collect fingerprints after just a short time, meaning you’ll likely want to keep a cleaner(opens in new tab) handy.Round up of today"s best deals
If you spend any time working in an office (home or otherwise) you’re likely going to spend long periods of time staring at a screen, which can leave you feeling extra worn down at the end of a day. You can help to mitigate this by investing in a monitor that helps actively reduce the amount of strain your eyes have to endure. Increasingly, companies offer monitors designed to help you end your workday without feeling like a zombie. As with all monitors, trying to find a selection amongst the various offerings can be difficult, so we’re here to help you make the most informed selection. This list of the best monitors for eye strain reduction could improve how you feel in front of and away from your desk.
As monitor technology has progressed over the last decade or so, the screens have only gotten more impressive. That leads to a slew of options to consider. I’ve covered consumer technology products for more than three years, and the PopSci editors have decades of experience writing about displays and other gadgets.
In order to source our selections, we leveraged our monitor testing program, consulted opinions from pundits at various outlets and compiled consumer feedback across the web. We also drew heavily upon our own informed knowledge of monitors to compare hard specs. We selected monitors to fulfill a handful of critically important categories. While these monitors can get expensive, the options on this list top out around $800.
No matter if you choose to go big or small, gaming or non-gaming, trusted brand or scrappy newcomer, you’ve got plenty of strong options to consider with our selections. After doing the work and research, we strongly believe these six options to be the best you can get right now across a handful of options. Dive into our choices below.
You won’t find a monitor with more eye health features than this one. At first glance, it’s a typical 27-inch 1440p screen with thin bezels and a 60Hz refresh rate. But, there’s a lot of eyeball-friendly tech hiding under the surface. As you’d expect from a monitor on this list, it offers both blue light reduction and a completely flicker-free display. Beyond that, BenQ has added some more advanced protections. An infrared sensor knows how long you’ve been staring at your screen and can suggest occasional breaks to let your peepers rest.
BenQ’s adaptive brightness technology senses the ambient light in your room and automatically adjusts the brightness in order to keep viewing and eye health in the optimal range. A screen that’s too bright in a dark room can be just as bad for your eyes as a screen that’s too dim in a bright room. They both cause strain.
This display even offers a simulated e-paper mode, which emphasizes contrast for text without cranking up the brightness on the white paper. It makes the screen easy to read, but it won’t bombard your eyeballs with unnecessary photons for the entirety of your reading session. If you’re truly worried about eye health, this is the monitor to get.
The sheer largeness of the Samsung Odyssey G7 Series 32-inch WQHD extends to just about everything in this monitor. The extensive curve on it makes it feel as if you’re surrounding yourself with whatever content is on screen. While the G7 doesn’t have any dedicated eye strain features, having a large and curved monitor such as this is a considerable upgrade over any sort of existing monitor you may have already. The G7’s curve is 1000R, which actively matches the curvature of the human eye, which not only helps to pull you further into the screen but helps to ensure minimal eye strain along the way. Samsung was one of the pioneers of screens with this much curvature.
Where the real value comes from is in just how many other features the monitor manages to pack into its frame. Gamers will likely love the G7, as its 240Hz refresh rate renders images with lightning-fast precision, while the 1ms response time ensures you don’t miss anything coming from the graphics card. With G-Sync and FreeSync, the images from your graphics card will perfectly match the monitor, providing a perfect mix between frames. The 32-inch display, bolstered by Samsung’s WQHD resolution, ties everything together in a beautiful package. So while you may miss dedicated eye strain features like flicker-free and blue light reduction, the Samsung Odyssey G7 Series 32-Inch WQHD ties everything together in a stunning package that’s nearly out of this world and is a monitor you can buy and be set for the future with.
As the name would suggest, the 27-inch Full HD ASUS Eye Care+ monitor packs in features specifically focused on reducing eye strain and improving your monitor viewing experience. An ergonomic design, anti-glare surface, and 75Hz refresh rate with AMD Sync technology ensure crisp, comfortable, flicker-free playback within the 178-degree viewing angle. Customizable Color Augmentation mode can help those with color-vision deficiency, while adjustable TÜV Rheinland-certified and Low Blue Light technologies make sure high-energy blue-violet emissions are kept in check and viewing is comfortable no matter your vision. And a Rest Reminder helps users manage screen time.
Why it made the cut:The LG 29WNG600-W’s ultrawide display comes with strong eye-strain reduction features, including a dedicated reader mode that will be handy for desk job workers.
The LG 29WN600-W 29-inch ultrawide monitor certainly lives up to its name, as it has handily earned a spot on this list for being the best ultrawide monitor. At 29 inches, there’s plenty of real estate for you to watch your favorite show, work on a variety of different documents, see all of your colleagues on a Zoom call, and more. The nearly borderless design allows you to take full advantage of that sizable 29-inch display, so there’s no wasted space like you may find on other monitors. The back of the monitor also includes pretty much every port you could want, including two HDMI ports, an audio jack, and one standard display port.
The other thing about the LG 29WN600-W 29-inch ultrawide monitor that we like is its dedicated reader mode, which provides “optimal conditions” for reading by not only reducing blue light but incorporating flicker-free technology as well. The flicker-free isn’t as strong as it is on other models, but you can easily switch over to reader mode whenever you’re settling in for a long day’s worth of work. Additional features worth mentioning are the ability to split your screen into different workspaces with the click of a mouse from the toolbar, AMD FreeSync to end any framerate choppiness, see rich black tones in your media content thanks to LG’s Black Stabilizers ability, and much more.
Why it made the cut:A high resolution with HDR and built-in eye care features make this gaming monitor as fun as dropping into your favorite battle royale game.
When it comes to gaming, most players will want to follow the Daft Punk philosophy: harder, better, faster, stronger. The ASUS Rog Strix XG27AQ 27-inch monitor fulfills every single one of those pillars, providing fantastic value for gamers who might also use that monitor for work as well. Diving into the gaming-oriented specs and you’ll see there’s pretty much everything they’d want here; the 27-inch screen size is just slightly larger than the monitor pro gamers use while the 1ms response rate yields crispy visuals at extensively high framerates. Additionally, G-Sync functionality makes it so you won’t see any screen tears from dropped frames. HDR allows for even richer and more vivid colors while providing richly textured blacks.
On the eye strain side of things, the Rog Strix is missing any sort of blue light filter (a filter would reduce the overall image color) but does include flicker-free technology and a wide viewing angle to better translate the full image. Additionally, that HDR can reduce how bright you need the monitor to be overall in order to get a punchy image. With plenty of ports, an eye strain feature that won’t alter your display, and plenty of other features to ensure you don’t miss a second of your favorite game, this is a monitor that’s worthy of your beefy gaming tower—and one primed to make Daft Punk proud.
Priced under $200, the ViewSonic VX2257-MHD 22-inch eye strain monitor is a little on the smaller side but it’s still a great option for work or as a secondary display. While the flicker-free and blue light filter technology is a critically important feature for an eye strain monitor, there are also plenty of other bonuses here which further serve its overall impressiveness. The 75Hz refresh rate represents a slight improvement over the typical 60Hz number. Plus, it offers AMD FreeSync to ensure the monitor isn’t dropping any frames, a feature you’ll find in many of the best gaming monitors. Additionally, the 170-degree viewing angle provides plenty of real estate for whatever activity you might be doing, whether it’s for work or for play.
As a budget pick, however, there are some drawbacks. The monitor is just a standard 1080p output, the build is a little on the chunkier side relative to most other monitors on this list. Additionally, there isn’t much in the way of ergonomics, which may require you to get creative with how and where you place the monitor in order to get the best eye line on it, as that will be important to also help in the reduction of overall eye strain. However, if you’re on a tight budget and just want to give your eyes some relief, the VX2257 is well, well worth it.
When looking to purchase the best monitor for eye strain reduction, you’ll want to keep a few different things in mind. If you’re having eye problems that include itching or blurring, headaches, discomfort, or just overall tiredness, you’re likely in the space to consider one of these monitors after talking to a healthcare professional. And while the harm-reduction features are important, you still want a well-performing screen. These variables and features are worth considering when you make your choice.
Eye strain reduction monitors are going to leverage a handful of different technologies in order to help your eyes feel less impacted. The key ones to look for include automatic brightness adjustment, blue light filters, and flicker-free abilities.
If you’ve used an Amazon Kindle or iPad before, you’re likely used to seeing automatic brightness adjustment work in real-time. Light sensors built into a device, in this case, your monitor, help to better regulate the brightness of your monitor screen by scaling up the brightness of the screen relative to the ambient light around you. So if it’s darker inside your room, the monitor will automatically brighten up, or if it’s too bright. It will tone it down if it’s dark in the room. Not only does it save you from having to make that adjustment on your own, but your eyes also won’t have to constantly strain to adjust to the lighting in a given space.
Blue light has gotten increased attention in the last half-decade or so as we’ve spent more and more time with technology in our lives. For those not familiar, however, a monitor can produce blue light, a short-wavelength but high-energy light that some people believe can make your eyes more prone to strain. Exposure to it at the wrong times can affect your sleep schedule. Blue light filters are now being built into a lot of monitors to actively block out that specific type of light and reduce the overall strain on your eyes.
Typical monitors adjust their brightness by flickering or cycling through its light sources. As this occurs, the screen actually flickers at a very rapid rate. This, in turn, causes your eyes to do the same, as your pupils move from large to small or vice versa. If this is happening multiple times throughout the day, imagine all the muscles that are working overtime to support that bodily function. By opting for flicker-free functionality, your monitor maintains a single, steady stream of light to avoid having to cycle through those brightness levels.
Ergonomic design allows you to move and adjust the monitor as you see fit, so it’s positioned at your eye level. After all, not having to strain your neck is important too. If you’re trying to really dial in your ergonomic setting, consider getting a monitor with VESA mounting capabilities and an adjustable monitor armso you can arrange your screen comfortable in front of you without the need to tilt your neck up or down.
When it comes to the actual display on the monitor, having a high-resolution panel (at least 1080p, if not 4K), along with strong RGB color accuracy settings, and a non-LED panel help to ensure your eyes are seeing everything clearly, without having to squint to do so. Sharper edges on text make it physically easier for your eyes to read, which can really add up over time.
You’ll also want to consider the display panel the monitor is using. We recommend looking for either IPS or VA panels. IPS (in-plane switching) panels focus on the liquid crystals inside the display. These crystals move and shift horizontally, which results in better viewing angles, more realistic colors, and improved overall quality. VA panels use those same liquid crystals but align them between panes of glass to create a darker display with higher contrast.
Curved monitors can also be helpful here. While expensive, a curved monitor helps to reduce the overall image distortion that can sometimes happen at the ends and edges of a flat-screen monitor. The curve can also help to improve depth perception by covering a larger area of your field of view. That translates to seeing images that are, overall, larger and therefore easier to see and look at for extended periods of time.
You’ll also want to consider how and when you’re using your monitor. If you’re primarily working a desk job in an office, your needs will be different than if you’re a Twitch streamer who is gaming all day long. For the majority of users looking to purchase an eye strain monitor, you’ll want to select a monitor with key features like flicker-free, a blue light filter, and a decent display resolution. For gamers, you may want to forgo the blue light filter so you can see the full richness of the game worlds you’re in and will also want to reach for a monitor that’s got a high refresh rate and a high (ideally) 4K resolution.
In this particular circumstance, there’s no limit to size. Most desktop monitors aren’t any bigger than about 24 to 30 inches (with the latter being on the upper side of that), so these displays all fall into that range. Just keep in mind you’ll need the desk space to warrant it, but these monitors come with stands, so you should be able to accommodate them accordingly. Plus, the bigger the monitor, the more likely it is to prevent you from squinting all the time.
A general rule of thumb for screen positioning suggests you should extend your arm and hand straight out from your shoulder and place the screen right at the end of your fingertips. This will reduce strain caused by focusing on objects that are too close to you without requiring you to squint or struggle to read small text on the display. Of course, everyone is different and you may find that a little closer or farther away more comfortable for your specific biology.
If you’re using a smaller screen with very high resolution, on-screen text can appear very small, which taxes your eyes when reading. If you’re using a smaller screen, you may want to enlarge the text on the display, which may require more scrolling, but less squinting.
The best monitors for eye strain reduction may require an investment up-front—depending upon what features you’re looking for—but the long-term benefits could be well worth it. With more and more of us working from home (and working longer hours) that extra bit of recovery makes all the difference. While no one product is ever a perfect fit, we’re confident our selections are about as perfect as you can ask for—but if something isn’t quite up to what you imagined, it’s better off to save for something that is. If you’re having eye issues, don’t assume these displays will fix it and absolutely consult a medical professional.
Choosing the best monitor for eye strain could mean the difference between severe eye strain, like a flicker-free monitor or a low blue light screen for optimal viewing comfort. Our evaluation focused on performance/display, resolution, eye-saving features/ergonomics, and the number of ports. Over time, PC manufacturers have learned from monitor history and older display technologies like CRT monitors and have improved the visual impact of many modern-day monitor technologies so they don’t cause excessive eye strain to the user.
After more than 17 hours of research, our pick for the best monitor for eye strain goes to the BenQ GW2280 Eye Care for optimum eye health. It does an exceptional job across the board, starting with a 4K HD panel, 100% sRGBfor superb color accuracy, and eye-saving features such as backlight flickering prevention and Low Blue Light Mode to extend those already long working hours. Moreover, you’ll learn how LCD vs LED monitors for eyes are worth the investment. Keep reading to learn more about other best monitors for eye strain available for purchase, and how we select the best computer monitors for your needs.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for the eyes comes with striking LED 4K HD display and CAD/CAM Animation Mode, which offers optimized presets for professional graphic designs and video editors.
This best monitor for the eyes is an absolute workhorse, which is why you’ll want the best anti-blue light screen protector for your monitor for double protection. An IPS panel leads with a wide color palette and exceptional color accuracy (100% sRGB and Rec. 709 ). This translates to more than 1 billion colors for outstanding depth. Kudos to a generous 178 wide viewing angle for group collaboration and comfortable seating positions. You can see why IPS is amazingly superior, but you should compare IPS vs TN vs VA computer monitors to really know the differences between the panel types.
On the ergonomics side, this best monitor for eyes is equipp[ed with backlight flickering prevention and Low Blue Light Mode to reduce eye strain. It’s the ultimate multi-tasker with Picture-in-Picture (PIP), allowing users to control and view multiple apps at once. Kudos for a 100x100mm VESA back panel bolt pattern, good for wall mounting to save desktop space. If you’re looking for additional options, our best curved monitor buying guide might fit the bill.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eyes delivers flicker-free technology for eye strain/headache prevention and an edge-to-edge ultra-slim bezel design for distraction-free use, an excellent choice for people working long extended hours at the office.
This best monitor for eye strain offers solid specs across the board, starting with an IPS display, which is the same monitor type that Markiplier uses. Different backlight technologies contribute to eye care, including a low blue light mode, and flicker-free technology. You can combat blue light eye strain even further by getting yourself a pair of the best blue-light blocking glasses. The picture is also optimized using Brightness Intelligence Technology, which helps prevent bright scene overexposure and balances it out with darker scenes more in focus. It also optimizes the image’s brightness depending on ambient lighting conditions.
In terms of sharpness, this best monitor for poor eyesight’s 1080p resolution offers decent coverage with more than 16 million hues, far below our preferred standard of 4K. Kudos for its textured finish, resistance to fine scratches, as well as its edge-to-edge screen for minimalists, and an integrated cable console embedded into the monitors stand for easy and clean cable management. If you’re a Mac user, you might also be interested in our best monitor for Mac Mini buying guide.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eye strain comes with a sharp Full HD (1920x1080p) resolution and Low Blue Light Filter, great for users who want a well-rounded machine at a decent value.
This best monitor for eye strain is led by Vertical Alignment (VA) panel technology, which provides nice vivid colors and solid good depth – albeit a step below IPS displays known for wider color gamuts. Eye strain prevention exists thanks to flicker-free and blue light filter technology, both working together to scrap the perception of screen flicker. and reduce exposure to harmful blue light known to damage retinas over time.
Ergonomics are on point, with four touch-sensitive function buttons placed below the built-in speakers for easy reach. Our only knock is its limited swivel, tilt, and height adjustment ranges. Although tilt is generous (5° forward, 20° backward), there are no swivel and height adjustments to protect the shoulders and seating position. If you’re a photographer, you might also want to check out our best photo editing monitor buying guide. A big step in reducing monitor eye strain and fatigue is your settings as well alongside the monitor you’re using, so check out our guide on the best monitor settings for eyes.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eye strain comes with IPS technology for a wide color gamut/wide viewing angle and outstanding height adjustability (115mm), an excellent choice for taller people.
This best monitor for eye strain is well rounded, starting with an IPS panel and basic 1920 x 1200 resolution (Full HD) for above-average image quality. Seven presets also cover different applications, including movies, multimedia, and games. Brightness rating also clocks in at a respectable 300.
Big bonus points go to the diversity and the sheer number of ports, with this unit, coming with a DisplayPort, DVI ports, and several USB ports to connect peripherals such as soundbars and computer mice. Touch-sensitive buttons on the front right panel are perfectly placed for easy reach and a 20 ° tilt, 114 mm height adjustment, 45 °swivel, and 90 ° pivot make it adjustable for most work conditions. It’s a great option for anyone looking for the best monitor for watching movies without all the eye strain.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best gaming monitor features a 2ms response time and AMD FreeSync technology for silky smooth frame rates, an excellent choice for graphic editors slash gamers to get their Call of Duty fix.
This 24 inches best monitor for eye strain is a workhorse in most aspects. Full HD 1080p resolution and a TN panel are designed for high refresh frame rates and high motion scenes, as opposed to IPS panels with a focus on color accuracy. Gamers will especially enjoy a flicker-free/blue light filter to reduce eye fatigue during long hours, along with several pre-set game modes for optimal color palette based on game type (e.g. first-person shooting and real-time strategy). This model’s resolution and refresh capabilities help it compete with the best 1080p gaming monitors.
On the ergonomics side, this best monitor for eye strain is well built, with a 5 ° forward and 5 ° back tilt. Rounding out its ports are HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA. Our only knock is that the stand is a bit flimsy and not sturdy with no height adjustment. We think gamers will also be interested in our best HDR monitor buying guide for the best high-resolution, gaming experience.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eye strain comes with a striking IPS panel for a 178-degree wide viewing angle and shipping 165Hz refresh rate, excellent for movie watching.
Our favorite feature with this best monitor for eye strain is its blistering frame rate for a smooth viewing experience. A 165Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA’s G SYNC technology combine to minimize screen stutter. screen tearing, and keeping input lag to a minimum, resulting in a much smoother picture. Kudos for a 178° wide viewing angle, easily accommodating two gamers sitting on opposite sites for multiplayer fun.
Like the ASUS PB279Q, this ASUS Eye Care monitor is hard to beat. It comes with ASUS’ Eye Care Technology, a complete suite for flicker-free and low blue light filter output. Swivel, height adjustment, pivot, and tilting angles are very generous, at + 60 °/-60 °, 120 mm, 90 °, and +20 ° to 5 ° respectively. Points also go to diversified ports – two USB 3.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, and an HDMI 1.4. Need a widescreen option that can also reduce eye strain from a monitor? We’ve also identified the best widescreen monitor available.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eye strain features QuickFit Virtual Scale technology, which allows an on-screen preview of images and documents in their true size – an excellent choice for casual or heavy-duty photo printers.
This best monitor for eye strain is pretty well-diversified, starting with ASUS’ EyeCare Technology and in-Wide Quad High Definition (WQHD) display for 2560 x 1440 resolution and generous viewing angles (170 °) All in all we were very impressed with this best monitor for eye strain combination of display and viewing angles.
We love this best computer monitor for low vision’s QuickFit Virtual Scale system, which uses on-screen prompts and a monitor hotkey to view and change up photos in their actual real size. Another proprietary ASUS technology, Splendid Video Intelligence Technology, also comes with 8 pre-set modes for optimized color based on the type of media(e.g. Scenery, Reading, and Darkroom modes), each easily accessed using a hotkey. We think it’s a great option for designers looking for the best monitor for graphic design.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eye strain comes with a striking 2560×1440 WQHD IPS and Flicker-Free & Low Blue Light for eye strain reduction, a nice everyday monitor to have in the home or office. That’s why it’s also important to protect your display and review your homeowner’s insurance to ensure coverage for your computer and monitor.
This eye care monitor’s display is spot on, consisting of a WQHD display with 109 pixels per inch (PPI) for vivid and lifelike images. Color reproduction is really spot on. BenQ’s Senseye Human Vision Technology also enables more than five pre-set viewing modes to optimize color based on the type of multimedia content (e.g. Reading, Movie, and Game).
To protect the eyes, BenQ relies on RevolutionEyes technology, which packages ZeroFlicker™, low blue lighting technology, and motion blur reduction to keep your eyes in check. It’s a great selection for anyone in search of the best business monitor.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This best monitor for eye strain comes with a stunning, near bezel-less edge-to-edge design and BenQ’s proprietary Cinema mode, which adjusts brightness and color temperature settings for a super immersive experience – great for movie buffs.
Our favorite feature of this eye care monitor is its sharp FHD 1080p resolution and CInema Mode, which relies on BenzQ’s color engine to fine-tune video content for a truly immersive picture. Its slim bezel also creates a more minimalist look and saves up space on a desktop. Combined with backlight flickering prevention and Low Blue Light Mode, it’s really a joy watching content on this one.
For eye protection, all must-haves are included, including ZeroFlicker Technology for backlight flickering prevention and Low Blue Light Mode to eliminate blue light, which can damage your retinas with prolonged use. Four presets are also optimized based on work tasks, with a higher reduction for more intensive tasks such as office, web surfacing, and reading over watching movies. Looking for incredible sound quality? You might also want to check out our best monitor with speakers buying guide.
WHY WE LIKE IT: This eye care monitor comes with 100% sRGB coverage and QuickFit Virtual Scale technology, a great choice for professional graphic and web designers looking for a very affordable monitor
We love this best monitor for the eye’s screen, leading in with a 2560×1440 pixel, wide gamut panel. Different preset settings make it ideal based on mode (e.g. Scenery Mode and Theater Mode) for movie watching, all of which carry specified brightness, saturation, and contrast levels for an optimal picture.
Points go to a healthy and diversified number of ports, including HDMI, DVI, and a DisplayPort. We are also big fans of its picture-in-picture (PIP) settings, which make multitasking a lot easier. All in all, this best monitor for eyes offers excellent value across the board. If you’re looking for picture quality that really packs a punch, we’ve identified the best 4k monitor on the market as well.
In determining the best monitor for eyes to buy, we explored performance/display, resolution, eye saving features/ergonomics, and the number of ports.
Our favorite best monitors for eye strain utilize a combination of screen display technology and ergonomics to reduce eye strain and keep you productive. Go for rich IPS displays with proprietary technologies such as ASUS’ Eye Care Technology as well as generic ones such as flicker-free and low blue light filtering technology to reduce eye strain and prevent headaches.
Ergonomics also play out with healthy adjustment angles. For example, BenQ is known for its ultra-Flexible Height Adjustment System which provides a healthy height adjustment range to ensure your eyes are level with the screen. VESA compatibility also provides back panel bolt patterns for easy wall mounting, especially useful to preserve desktop space.
Lastly, the number of ports is very important to accommodate a wide range of external devices. Look for the best monitor for eye strain with a minimum of two HDMI 2.0 inputs, a built-in USB hub, and a Display Port. Maintenance also ties into extending the longevity of your monitor, so consider learning how to clean a monitor screen without streaks if you want to maintain a flawless display.
Our preference is for the best monitor for eye strain to have a minimum of Full HD resolution to obtain a respectable wide color gamut and a crisp image. Even better, opt for 4K resolution which quadruples the number of pixels of standard 1080p screens.
Flicker-free technology and low blue light filtering are a must to help reduce eye strain and extend those long working hours. Prolonged exposure to blue light could result in damaged retinas if not careful. Also, look for eye care monitors with heavy swivel, tilt, pivot, and height adjustment ranges to help you achieve a good viewing angle from multiple seating positions, which also helps prevent eye strain over time.
We are also fans of 8 pre-set modes that allow users to optimize brightness, contrast, and color levels based on the type of content viewed. For example, some gamers may feel more comfortable with adjusted, lowered brightness settings for first-person shooters and higher brightness for real-time strategy games.
Look for the best monitor for eye strain with a healthy number of ports. At a minimum, look to a single HDMI port, DisplayPort, and a built-in USB hub for easy connecting and charging peripheral devices to help round out your specs.
The picture above is a screenshot of my monitor’s display. Below is one small portion of it. Look carefully at the New York Times article and compare it to what you see on your own monitor, here.
Furthermore, this 21.5″ 1920×1080 monitor is 34 inches from my eyes, so that I can’t distinguish individual pixels. The enlarged text appears very crisp from this distance, and this means easier reading and less eye fatigue.
Sit far from the monitor and increase screen font size to increase effective resolution. See “Reduce Eye Fatigue” section below for how to calculate this distance for your monitor.
Can a widescreen monitor be used effectively for the first two uses? Yes. Many people do. And it may be ideal in certain homes where the display is used for both entertainment and light work. But if you’re trying to work without distraction for hours at a time, you may find that a widescreen monitor will lead you down the dark path of multitasking unrelated activities.
I tried for two years to use a 24”, 1920×1200, widescreen monitor effectively at my office, because I often find myself flipping back and forth between writing and researching. I failed. With the combination of a widescreen monitor and a tabbed browser, I too often succumbed to multitasking unrelated activities.
I had other issues with the wide screen. The short monitor height required too many clicks to scroll through long articles. I couldn’t use fullscreen mode because text stretched super wide. And though tools like Readability or Readable could be used, much of the screen space was wasted with wide margins.
I did distracted myself with many experiments to try to improve the situation, including various utilities or plug-ins designed to manage large screens or block distraction. It turns out that most content is meant to be displayed vertically, and this is assumed in computer software and operating systems. I found myself constantly battling this vertical display assumption, and often losing. So after two years of reduced productivity I gave up on widescreen monitors.
Now I have the best of both worlds. I have a widescreen monitor, but it can pivot into a vertical position. It is in vertical position over 95% of the time.
Steve Jobs claims that you can’t distinguish individual pixels on a device with more than 300 PPI such as the iPhone 4 or iPod Touch 4g, which both have a 326 pixels per inch (PPI) “Retina Display.” He’s right. That is likely the main reason my eyes get less tired with this device than any other LCD display I’ve used.
This display is so good that the iPod Touch 4g makes for a great e-reader. So I began to wonder: could I get a display this good for reading on my computer?
Have you ever noticed how a massive HDTV looks great 6 or more feet away, but not so great close up? You can see the individual pixels on a 46” HDTV if you’re 3 feet away, but not if you’re 6 feet away. The same principal applies to an LCD display. Move it twice as far away, and you’ll only be able to distinguish half the detail.
In other words, you cannot distinguish individual pixels on a 326 PPI Retina Display that is more than 10.55 inches away from your eyes unless you have better than 20/20 vision. The same applies to my 103 PPI monitor at a distance of greater than 33.4 inches.
So doesn’t putting a monitor so far away make it difficult to read tiny type? Yes, but that’s not a problem. I just increase font sizes. To do this in a browser, type control+ on Windows, and command+ on Macs. Or you can use the Readability or Readable bookmarklet with a large font selected.
Enlarged text nearly three feet from my eyes is very easy to read. Another subtle benefit is that page elements such as tabs, menus, and status bars do not get larger. They look tiny relative to the enlarged text, so they’re less noticeable and less distracting.
Note that by enlarging your web pages or documents, you do end up with less information on the screen. I find that I don’t usually need 1920×1080 pixels worth of information on a screen at one time. But when I do, I can simply move the screen closer to my eyes. Yes I lose the benefits of having the equivalent of a Retina Display, but the trade-off is sometimes worthwhile, particularly with large spreadsheets.
Read a web page with more than a few hundred words, and you’ll need to advance the page using a mouse click or your keyboard’s “page down” key. If your work involves reading hours per day, you may do this hundreds of times per day.
On a vertical monitor, you have much more vertical space than on a horizontally positioned widescreen monitor. So you’ll need fewer clicks to scroll through the vertically arranged content, and you’ll be able to see more of it at a time.
For example, my Dell 21.5″, 1920×1080 monitor (HDTV resolution) can pivot between vertical and horizontal positions. The vertical position means 1920 pixels of vertical space devoted to a web page, while a horizontally positioned screen means only 1080 pixels of vertical space
You could theoretically get the same amount of text on the screen by filling up the entire monitor with your browser, but that stretches the text very wide. It is very difficult to read text which has 150 characters per line. Various studies show that people can read fastest at somewhere between 60 and 95 characters per line, which is what I get by positioning my monitor vertically, 34 inches away, with enlarged text.
The advantages of working using the cloud are numerous, but endless web distractions can lead to wasted time and feelings of information overload. I’ve discussed tools for reducing distraction for both writing and reading on the web. These tools work well on vertical monitors but poorly on widescreen monitors.
For example, the simplest distraction blocker is to simply put your browser into fullscreen mode by pressing the F11 key. Try it on a widescreen monitor and you’ll see your text stretches so wide that there’s more than 150 characters per line. This is difficult to read.
Fullscreen mode works as intended on a vertical monitor. You eliminate menus, toolbars, address bars, bookmark bars, and status bars. You also get more vertical space so you’ll display mor