Monitor suggestions

[Mrsmallwood]

Looking for a new monitor. I'm currently using an lg gl850 or something like that, which isn't really impressive. Mainly using it for gaming but I will need to do work type stuff too. I'm looking for something like 1440p, 144hz or more, 27 inch curved. I'd like to keep the price to under 400 but I'm willing to spend a bit more if there's a really good one or good deal that makes it a bit more than 400.
Eventually I'd like to get a 4K monitor but I don't think my 1080 can handle 4K gaming. 
 

[Vicarian]

I'm running Asus VG27AQ1A.  They're not curved (I hate curved displays), but they offer a curved version along the same product line with similar specs.  There are height-adjustible and fixed-height versions.  I bought the fixed height one.  Mine are 27" 144Hz in 1440p.  They support HDR and have a number of features that help calibrate color, overlays for games (always on crosshair, etc).  I was satisfied enough with one that I bought 2 more, so I'm now running a triple monitor setup.

Edit: forgot the most relevant feature.  They're G-Sync compatible.  Native G-Sync displays are extraordinarily expensive for some reason.  These clock in just under $400.  I paid $329 each.  With tax, they still come in shy of $400.

[Revioli]

24 minutes ago, Mrsmallwood said:

lg gl850

Don't know what your issue with the GL850 is, as far as I'm aware it's a solid monitor, except for the poor contrast ratio.

It seems the samsung odyssey g7 27 inch version is your best bet, based on your criteria, though it might be a tad expensive.

[Mrsmallwood]

My problem with it is mainly the picture quality. It seems dark too but when I turn up brightness it makes the picture not clear. For some reason, my eyes seem to get quite strained on this which wasn't ever a problem before. You also can't really adjust it, it goes up and down but nothing else. 
Also, I seem to like curved monitors. I looked into the odyssey but a lot of reviews scared me away and the price is quite steep (700) if I remember correctly. 
I had a gigabyte g27f (I think) 1080p before the lg which I thought at the time wasn't good. 
not sure if I should go for a 4K monitor and just use it as 1440p (if possible) until I eventually get a new gpu (3080 probably) 

[Mrsmallwood]

3 hours ago, Mrsmallwood said:

Looking for a new monitor. I'm currently using an lg gl850 or something like that, which isn't really impressive. Mainly using it for gaming but I will need to do work type stuff too. I'm looking for something like 1440p, 144hz or more, 27 inch curved. I'd like to keep the price to under 400 but I'm willing to spend a bit more if there's a really good one or good deal that makes it a bit more than 400.
Eventually I'd like to get a 4K monitor but I don't think my 1080 can handle 4K gaming. 
 

I was looking at the gigabyte g27q and msi optix ag321cqr. The msi one is 32 so I'm not sure if that will be better or worse but for 300 ( on sale) looks nice. Any ideas on those 2 or different ones? 
 

[varrys]

If you're looking at issues with eye strain, perhaps Asus Eye Care (blue light filter) would be helpful? Others have this as well. I have used an Asus for work for years, and it definitely helped with my headaches and eye strain, along with going to 1440p for better pixel density.

 

I currently use the Asus XG27AQ, but it is over $400. The Asus TUF VG27AQ would have a lot of the same features, including the Eye Care, and is $350.

[Stahlmann]

21 hours ago, Vicarian said:

Native G-Sync displays are extraordinarily expensive for some reason.  These clock in just under $400.  I paid $329 each.  With tax, they still come in shy of $400.

That's because they need a specific processor built into the monitor, which is quite expensive. But luckily native G-Sync is pretty much redundant tech nowadays as most FreeSync monitors will work with a Nvidia GPU regardless.

 

20 hours ago, Revioli said:

Don't know what your issue with the GL850 is, as far as I'm aware it's a solid monitor, except for the poor contrast ratio.

The LG 27GL850-B is a very good gaming monitor, even by todays standards a few years after it's release. It's still an impressively fast 144Hz IPS monitor that offers everything a gamer would need and more. The only differences the newer models have are slightly better tuned response times and a newly designed OSD that packs the same features. The 27GL850-B is still a commonly recommended monitor especially because the price still makes it attractive.

 

20 hours ago, Revioli said:

It seems the samsung odyssey g7 27 inch version is your best bet, based on your criteria, though it might be a tad expensive.

Just no. The G7 has many problems. And the extreme curve makes it pretty much only useable for gaming specifically. In every other content - especially work - the curve is very distracting and leads to distortion of straight lines.

 

15 hours ago, varrys said:

If you're looking at issues with eye strain, perhaps Asus Eye Care (blue light filter) would be helpful? Others have this as well. I have used an Asus for work for years, and it definitely helped with my headaches and eye strain, along with going to 1440p for better pixel density.

 

I currently use the Asus XG27AQ, but it is over $400. The Asus TUF VG27AQ would have a lot of the same features, including the Eye Care, and is $350.

Every halfway modern monitor has a blue-light filter built in. And most monitors also have OSD options to further reduce blue light output if you want to reduce eye strain even more. Also most monitors nowadays are flicker-free out of the box (meaning they have features that re-introduce flickering to reduce motion blur).

 

Before buying any new monitor just to reduce eye-strain you should first play around with adjusting the colors. Most monitors are way too cold (blue tint) out of the box, so going with a whitepoint of 6500K and around 100-150 nits of brightness will reduce eye-strain A LOT. If you don't understand what i meant with 6500K and 100nits i'll happily explain what either of those are.

 

Fun fact: Everyone and their dog runs their display too bright. SDR content is mastered to only 100 nits, so as soon as your monitor is brighter, you're not seeing what the content creator intended. (Most current mid-range monitors top out at around 300 nits and most people run their monitors at 100% brightness all the time)

 

TLDR is: Reduce your brightness. Your eyes might need a few minutes to adjust to a dimmer display, but then they will thank you a lot because you will have way less eye strain in return.