Best overall: Dell UltraSharp U2715H
The Dell UltraSharp U2715H ($460) is an excellent monitor for most people. It features an in-plane switching (IPS) panel, which means you'll have excellent viewing from side angles and fantastic color reproduction. With a resolution of 2560 x 1440, you're getting better-than-HD picture quality, so you shouldn't notice any pixels, even when sitting close to it. The monitor is fully adjustable, and it's able to tilt, swivel, rotate and adjust to whatever height is comfortable for you.
Bottom line: This screen is an excellent choice with an ultra-thin bezel for more display and less distraction.
One more thing: It has a plethora of ports and connections.
Why the Dell U2715H is the best 27-inch display
Dell's UltraSharp U2715H is a fantastic monitor. The ultra-thin bezel means more screen and less distraction so that you can stay focused on the task at hand, and its six millisecond response time means you'll not notice ghosting or judder, so it's also capable at gaming. Perhaps the best part is the U2715H's plethora of media connections, so you won't have to compromise on what peripherals get to stay plugged in and which ones you have to switch out all the time.
Here's a list of all available ports:
- 2x HDMI/MHL.
- Mini DisplayPort.
- DisplayPort 1.2.
- DisplayPort out.
- Audio line out.
- Five USB 3.0 downstream ports (one for battery charging).
- USB 3.0 upstream.
With a resolution of 2560 x 1440, we're talking about QHD viewing for enhanced productivity and gaming. There's also VESA mounting support for existing mount stands on desks, allowing one to install this screen alongside another at eye level for the ideal experience. It's also not too out of reach for most budgets at just $399.
Best Budget: BenQ PD2700Q
The BenQ PD2700Q ($329) is a great middle-of-the-road option for folks who don't want to spend too much but still need a high-performance monitor. For the price, you get a 2560 x 1440 resolution IPS panel with great viewing angles, two 1W speakers, modes for zero flicker and low blue light to stave off eye fatigue, and more.
Bottom line: This monitor is simply designed, so if you're all for keeping up with the Joneses, it's not the most stylish. But it's practical and inexpensive at under $350.
One more thing: BenQ boasts matching 100% sRGB color reproduction.
4K: Dell P2715Q
If 4K is your bag, you can't do much better than Dell's P2715Q ($549.99), which has an IPS panel, all the media connections you could want, and swivel, tilt, rotation and height adjustments out the wazoo. This puppy refreshes at 60Hz and means you'll notice very little ghosting or other visual artifacts. It's great for gaming, watching movies, or just about anything else you can throw at it.
Bottom line: Solid 4K monitor with tons of features and capabilities, and it isn't ridiculously priced.
One more thing: It has a response time of just eight milliseconds.
Gaming: Dell Gaming S2716DG
The display is a little pricey for many gamers (coming it at $459.99), but we are talking a seriously good-looking monitor with some killer features that will take your gaming experience to the next level.
Should you have a compatible NVIDIA GPU, the company's G-Sync technology will be able to work alongside the graphics card to reduce screen tearing, input lag and synchronize everything. With a native refresh rate of 144Hz, the 1440p panel will allow for some smooth gaming indeed.
Connectivity includes a DisplayPort 1.2a, HDMI 1.4 and a few USB 3.0 ports for good measure. It's not the best, but it could certainly be worse. While it's only a 1440p display, G-Sync adds some cost, which needs to be considered.
Bottom line: It's a stunning display if you're OK with gaming at 1440p, enjoying one millisecond response time and a refresh rate of 165Hz.
One more thing: There's VESA mount support, which is awesome.
Conclusion
When it comes to 27-inch displays, you're heading into 1440p territory and thus for gaming, you'll definitely need to ensure you have a capable rig to handle the resolution. Turning things down to 1080p could risk some blurriness on larger panels. For everyone else, you really can't go wrong when selecting a monitor from our guide. These are all fantastic monitors in their own right, but Dell's UltraSharp U2715H takes the number one spot.
Best overall: Dell UltraSharp U2715H
The Dell UltraSharp U2715H ($460) is an excellent monitor for most people. It features an in-plane switching (IPS) panel, which means you'll have excellent viewing from side angles and fantastic color reproduction. With a resolution of 2560 x 1440, you're getting better-than-HD picture quality, so you shouldn't notice any pixels, even when sitting close to it. The monitor is fully adjustable, and it's able to tilt, swivel, rotate and adjust to whatever height is comfortable for you.
Bottom line: This screen is an excellent choice with an ultra-thin bezel for more display and less distraction.
One more thing: It has a plethora of ports and connections.
Updated March 16, 2018: We've checked over the list to ensure we're offering only the best recommendations for 27-inch displays..
