Best 24-inch LCD Monitors

Prices just keep getting lower and lower on 24-inch displays such that now one can get a display for around $130 including the AOC E2460SD. It uses a fairly typical 24-inch display panel with a native resolution of 1920x1080 for full high definition video support with your typical 250cd/m^2 brightness and 5ms grey-to-grey response times. To keep the costs down, there is a very limited set of features including just tilt adjustments and only DVI and VGA connectors. In fact, only a VGA cable is supplied.

Dell has made some outstanding monitors over the years and they continue this trend with the UltraSharp U2412M. This version still uses an IPS based panel for very wide viewing angles but instead uses an LED backlight that helps reduce the power consumption. It should be noted that the color gamut is not as wide as or as bright newer U2413 but this is much more affordable and better as a general purpose for graphics, video and gaming. Unlike most 24-inch displays, it sticks with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 1920x1200 resolution. It retains the excellent stand with height, tilt, swivel and pivot adjustments. Connectors include DisplayPort, DVI and VGA. It also features a 4 port USB 2.0 hub. Priced around $320. A suitable alternative if you need an HDMI port would be the HP ZR2440w.

Most of the modern LCDs work just fine for PC gaming. Those looking to really get into gaming probably want to have the option of a monitor that is also capable of being used as a 3D display, and has slim bezels for use with multiple monitors. These are all features that make the ASUS VG238QE a solid choice for a gaming monitor. The 24-inch panel features a native 1920x1080 resolution and a fast 144Hz refresh rate for smooth frames rates. Connectors are plentiful including DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI. It even features some 2W stereo speakers but most gamers will opt for better headphones or speakers. It does support <a href="http://compreviews.about.com/od/PC-Gaming/fr/NVIDIA-3D-Vision-Kit.htm">NVIDIA 3D Vision</a> kit but it requires a separate purchase of the NVIDIA hardware. The stand also offers a wide range of adjustments including height, tilt swivel and pivot. Priced at $270.

With the Windows 8 operating system being design around touch interfaces, having a touchscreen display is much more useful than in past operating systems. There are limited number of options that are affordable for larger screens but this has been improving. The LG 23ET83V-W is actually a 23-inch screen that features a 10-point multitouch interface. The IPS based screen has a 1920x1080 native resolution. Color and brightness are good with wide viewing angles and response times are quick at 5ms. It is nice to see that the screen uses an anti-glare coating which helps reduce fingerprints. Connectors include two HDMI and one VGA. It also uses a USB interface for the multitouch input. Priced around $450.

Many graphics people want monitors with IPS based panels. They provide excellent color and viewing angles. The Dell U2413 is the company's latest monitor targeted at graphics professional that supports 99% of the AdobeRGB color gamut and 100% of the sRGB gamut. Dell even precalibrates the display before it leaves the factory although professionals will still probably want to adjust it. The 24-inch panel offers a 1920x1200 resolution which is a bit higher than your typical 24-inch display. The one downside is that the screen while great for graphics is not well suited for video. It comes with an anti-glare coating that makes it useful for working under florescent office lights. The stand offers a wide range of adjustments including height, tilt, swivel and pivot. Connectors include DisplayPort, mini-DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI. A 4-port USB 3.0 hub is also built into the screen. Priced around $600.