Black Friday is a great time for monitor deals. Whether you like to watch movies on your PC or a competitive gamer, a good monitor can make a huge difference. And you don’t have to wait until Black Friday to scoop up those delicious deals: The early sales are already here.
Choosing the right monitor specs can be downright stressful. From the various refresh rates to display sizes and response times, it can be a lot to take in. That’s why we put together a list of the best monitor deals. We’ve also included an FAQ section that addresses what to look for in a good monitor.
Early Black Friday mainstream monitor deals
Sometimes all you want is the basics. So, if you’re looking for an affordable, everyday monitor for office work or casual use, consider the following.
- Acer R240HY, 23.8-inch 1080p display/60Hz refresh rate/16:9 aspect ratio/4ms response time, $99.99 ($50 off at Amazon)
- Acer SB220Q, 21.5-inch 1080p display/16:9 aspect ratio/75Hz refresh rate/4ms response time, $79.99 ($20 off at Amazon)
- LG 24MR400-B.AUSQ, 24-inch 1080p display/100Hz refresh rate/5ms response time, $79.99 ($90 off at Best Buy)
- HP M22f, 21.5-inch 1080p display/75Hz refresh rate/5ms response time/Adaptive Sync, $89.99 ($55 off at Best Buy)
- Dell S2721DS, 27-inch 1440p display/75Hz refresh rate, $179.99 ($80 off at Dell)
My top pick: The best bang for your buck is going to be the Acer R240HY at Amazon. For just $99.99, you’re getting a 1080p display with a reasonable 60Hz refresh rate. That’s perfectly suitable for day-to-day tasks and office work.
Early Black Friday gaming monitor deals
When it comes to fast-paced PC gaming, every frame counts. That’s why you should consider getting a proper gaming monitor, as they’re designed to make your game look as smooth as possible when the action is furiously fast. We can highly recommend the deals below.
- Samsung LC24F396FHNXZA, 23.5-inch curved 1080p display/60z refresh rate/4ms response time/FreeSync, $139.99 ($50 off at Amazon)
- Acer Nitro XV0, 31.5-inch 1440p display/144Hz refresh rate/1ms response time, $179.99 ($165 off at Target)
- Acer Nitro XZ270, 27-inch 1080p display/240Hz refresh rate/1ms response time/Adaptive Sync, $189.99 ($125 off at Amazon)
- Samsung Odyssey Neo G7, 43-inch 4K display/144Hz refresh rate/1ms response time/Adaptive Sync, $499.99 ($500 off at Best Buy)
- Samsung Odyssey G51C, 32-inch 1440p display/165Hz refresh rate/1ms response time/Adaptive Sync, $249.99 ($150 off at Best Buy)
- Alienware AW3423DWF, 34-inch 1440p display/165Hz refresh rate/0.1ms response time/Adaptive Sync, $799.99 ($200 off at Best Buy)
- Dell S3422DWG, 34-inch curved 1440p display/144Hz refresh rate/2ms response time/AMD FreeSync, $349.99 ($150 off at Dell)
- Alienware AW2523HF, 25-inch 1080p display/360Hz refresh rate/1ms response time/AMD FreeSync, $299.99 ($150 off at Dell)
My top pick: If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate gaming experience, the Acer Nitro XZ270 is a phenomenal option. It has a ridiculously fast 240Hz refresh rate as well as a 1ms response time. In other words, gameplay should be lusciously smooth.
Early Black Friday 4K monitor deals
4K monitors are great for content creation thanks to their high resolutions and larger screens. Although they’re a good choice for editors who need to see the finer details of their work, there’s really nothing like watching an epic movie on a 4K display, too. So, whether you’re a video editor or a movie buff, we’ve got quite a few options below.
- Dell UltraSharp U2723QE, 27-inch 4K display/60Hz refresh rate/5ms response time, $584.99 ($195 off at Dell)
- Dell USB-C Hub Monitor P2723QE, 27-inch 4K display/60Hz refresh rate/8ms response time, $419.99 ($140 off at Dell)
- Samsung UR59, 32-inch curved 4K display/60Hz refresh rate/16:9 aspect ratio, $360 ($89.99 off at Amazon)
- Samsung UJ59, 32-inch 4K display/16:9 aspect ratio/60Hz refresh rate, $285.32 ($54.67 off at Amazon)
My top pick: The Samsung UR59 is a fantastic monitor for content creators because of its size. This display measures a spacious 32-inches, which is ideal for getting those minute details just right. It also features a refresh rate of 60Hz and an aspect ratio of 16:9.
FAQ
When is Black Friday 2023?
Black Friday is on Friday, Nov 24th. If you consider yourself an avid deals hunter, we’d suggest going online in the early hours to take advantage of the best deals. Deals tend to change and expire at a breakneck pace.
When is Cyber Monday 2023?
Cyber Monday is on Monday, Nov 27th. For the best deals, we’d recommend logging on at midnight, as stock tends to deplete rather quickly.
What other Black Friday retailers should I check out?
Amazon’s going to have a slew of awesome deals. That’s a given. However, for monitors, you should definitely peruse the retail shopping pages of HP, Dell and Lenovo. Personally, I find myself going directly to the manufacturers more often than not. You can also widen your net and scope out other online retailers like Best Buy and Newegg.
What should I look for in a monitor?
Let’s first talk about refresh rate, which is important if you’re looking for a gaming monitor. The refresh rate is how fast a monitor can redraw the image on its screen. The faster the refresh rate, the smoother your visuals will look. For competitive first-person shooters, we’d recommend 120Hz as the minimum rate. Anything higher is good enough for the eSports realm.
Resolution is another important feature to consider. Much like the refresh rate, the higher the number, the better. We’re talking about the quality of images and video here. 1080p is the bare minimum for most monitors. However, if you’re a video editor, bumping the resolution up to 4K makes a massive difference, as it allows you to see more detail.
The final thing is the screen size. 27 inches is the most common and a good size for a home office. For gaming monitors, 24 or 27 inches is best. Sometimes a larger screen causes eye strain and if you’re going to be staring at one for hours, it’s better to go a bit smaller. For 4K monitors, 32-inches is a good option, as it gives you quite a bit of screen to work with.
Where can I find the highest rated monitors?
PCWorld reviews new monitors every month. So, if you want to see the models we’ve rated the highest, check out our rankings for the best monitors of 2022. We also have more granular picks on the best gaming monitors, as well as the best 4K monitors for desktop workstations. Come Black Friday, a lot of our top picks may be on sale, so don’t limit your shopping only to the deals we’ve called out above.
Author: Ashley Biancuzzo, Associate Editor, PCWorld
Ashley Biancuzzo manages all laptop and Chromebook coverage for PCWorld. She's been covering consumer tech since 2016, and her work has appeared on USA Today, Reviewed, Polygon, Kotaku, StarWars.com, and Nerdist. In her spare time, she enjoys playing video games, reading science fiction, and hanging out with her rescue greyhound.