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Rejoice, because you now get more monitor for your money than ever before.
Maximizing your bang for buck at the budget end of the market is very much a moving target. As we go to press, for instance, Newegg is listing this rather desirable Dell SE2717HR for just $135. It’s one hell of a lot of PC monitor for the money.
Certainly, it checks all our boxes at this end of the market. For starters, it’s made by a recognizable and big brand. That doesn’t guarantee an absence of major horrors—even the big boys get it wrong—but it reduces the chances of buying a total dud. Typically, it’s also easier to find end user reports concerning monitors from the larger manufacturers. There are simply more of them out there.
Whatever, this is a 27-inch model with an IPS panel and static contrast of 1,000:1. So, you’re guaranteed good viewing angles, plus decent contrast and colors. The most obvious shortcoming is the mere 1080p native resolution. That translates into 1920x1080 pixels. On a 27-inch LCD panel, you are therefore looking at just 82 pixels per inch. Not terribly impressive. But then it’s available right now for just $135. It’s not perfect, but it’s one heck of a lot of PC monitor for the money.