It wasn't too long ago that I was running around college, contemplating what back-to-school products I needed to make the most out of my learning. And for those living at school, you might not be satisfied enough with the best college laptop. Even if you are, it's sometimes good to have a monitor back at the dorm to utilize dual screens or get more work done through a mouse and keyboard on a larger panel.
If you are living in your dorm at school and looking to invest in a monitor, now is the best time as the back-to-school season ramps up and yields fantastic discounts. There are plenty of back-to-school monitor deals, but here are the best we've seen for those needing a great overall product, something more budget-friendly, or an absolute beast for gaming.
HP 27-inch monitor
Finding the best overall monitor for a dorm room means balancing affordability and quality perfectly. Most people won't need all the bells and whistles of a premium product, but settling for 720p and, in some cases, 1080p might not cut it for your workflow.
With the HP 27-inch monitor, you're getting the best of both worlds, as it's currently discounted for $199 at Best Buy from its original price of $329 while offering a 2,560 x 1,440-pixel resolution IPS panel at a 60Hz refresh rate. The result is a crisp 2K display rated at 300 nits and more capable of handling any productivity tasks you might throw at it.
We wouldn't recommend this monitor for gaming, as its 60Hz resolution is ideal for watching videos, browsing the internet, and getting schoolwork done. We also wouldn't recommend this to people looking for the bare minimum to finish their projects, as while $199 is affordable, there's far cheaper out there.
Acer KA242Y Ebi 24-inch monitor
Suppose you're a budget-conscious buyer who only cares about affordability and can do without the special features of the best monitors. In that case, the Acer KA242Y Ebi can more than fulfill your needs. While its original price point of $129 isn't the cheapest, it's currently discounted for the meager price of $69 at Best Buy.
Not only is that cheap, but it's also a 24-inch, 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution IPS display at 100Hz refresh rate with 99% sRGB color coverage and rated at 250 nits of brightness. This is far from the bottom of the barrel regarding monitor specs, as you could be trapped with a 21-inch, 1,280 x 720-pixel resolution panel with a far worse refresh rate. Instead, this Best Buy deal is simultaneously a fantastic budget option, but it isn't bad whatsoever.
We wouldn't recommend this to users needing a higher resolution display, and it should go without saying, but it will definitely disappoint if you need a good gaming monitor.
LG UltraGear 45-inch OLED gaming monitor
While back-to-school season does imply a focus on getting work done, those who game as a hobby will want an excellent monitor to fulfill their needs when they no longer have to worry about class or assignments. And for your late-night dorm room gaming sessions, we recommend the LG UltraGear 45-inch, which is currently $999 at Best Buy from its original $1,699 price point.
Yes, that's expensive, but it features a powerful 45-inch 3,440 x 1,440-pixel resolution OLED panel at 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time. It's large, capable, and gorgeous, enough to make your dormmates seethe with jealousy. It also features compatibility with AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, alongside two HDMI 2.1 ports and DisplayPort 1.4.
We wouldn't recommend investing in the LG UltraGear 45-inch if you don't have the space to fit it in your dorm. After all, a 45-inch monitor is enormous, and it might not fit on most desks. Be sure to measure carefully before buying!
This monitor also might not be the right choice for budget-conscious consumers, as it's an absolute beast made for those who want the best of the best.
More from Laptop Mag
- The 2024 Laptop Mag Back to School Issue
- If I were going back to school, I would buy one of these 3 affordable AI PCs
- Don't spend over $100 on your laptop bag: 3 excellent backpacks for back-to-school
