While working in the visual industry, you must unquestionably produce your best work in order to outperform all of your rivals. If you are into 3D modeling, graphic design, animation, video editing, etc., then it’s your prime goal to have the greatest tool on hand in order to excel and outcompete your competition.
If you aim to get the best components, such as the CPU, keyboard, mouse, RAM, etc., then do not side line one of the most important things, which is the monitor, which is the only source for providing clear visibility of what you are creating on your screen.
So today, we will discuss the finest monitor possibilities, keeping in mind your budget and elements such as colour accuracy, resolution, monitor size, panel type, display, and many such factors.
What Is 3D Modeling?
3D modeling can be defined as creating a three dimensional representation of the surface of a body or an object by using special software that manoeuvres vertices, polygons, edges, points, lines, etc. in 3D space.
3D modeling is used in game development, architecture, 3D printing, animation etc.
Does Monitor Matter For 3D Modeling?
Yes, 3D modeling is created as well as displayed on the screens. Hence, to create and deliver your best, you need to have the perfectly suited monitor at your disposal.
For instance, if you edit some photos, you know you ought to have a good, updated version of the printer to get the best results. Similarly, when you are creating a 3D model, all you are associated with is the screen, be it a big screen or a small screen. Your 3D model or your work will be displayed either on the monitors or on the mobile phone screens.
A better monitor is required to attain color accuracy; a wide color spectrum and more color accuracy will produce a finer 3D model and more realistic results. If you are dealing in fashion design, product design, digital art, etc., then you need to be color precise to attain the required perfection. Resolution plays a very important role in displaying all the necessary details of your 3D model.
It is also important to keep in mind the refresh rate of the monitor, specifically if you are working with motion graphics or animation. Higher the refresh rate greater is the possibility to prevent motion blur ensuring smooth and accurate animation.
In a nutshell, a high quality monitor with all its enhanced capabilities can substantially improve the 3D modeling experience and produce the finest results.
List Of The Best Monitor For 3D Modeling And Rendering
By now, you must have understood the importance of monitors for 3D modeling and rendering. Here is a list of the top monitors that you can choose from based on your needs while taking into account all relevant factors.
BenQ PD3200U 32″ 4K Monitor
The first pick on my list is BenQ PD3200U 32″ 4K Monitor with UHD resolution and IPS panel. It comes with all the features you would want in a monitor for 3D Modeling. This monitor can run at 60hz both on Linux and Mac.
It comes with a darkroom mode that gives sharpness and clarity to details by adjusting the contrast and brightness. You also get DualView Mode which lets you split the screen into two sections, dualView can act like a 2 monitor setup.
Moreover, it features eye care technology which can reduce eye discomfort, so if you work on 3D projects for extended periods of time this monitor can be an excellent option.
You get CAD/CAM mode to enhance the lines on the design work which is very useful if you are into 3D modeling.
There is also a Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) switch in this monitor that allows you to switch between two different computers using a single mouse and keyboard.
It comes with a sturdy stand so you can adjust the height and angle as per your preference. You can also rotate the monitor to 90 degrees hence it can go from landscape to portrait conveniently.
Furthermore, the BenQ PD3200U has a slot for an SD card, an audio jack for internal speakers, and 2 downstream USB sockets. It is also equipped with a presence sensor, which can be adjusted while approaching or moving away from the screen.
Pros:
- Excellent sRGB coverage, supreme accurate colour performance.
- Low input lag (the speed at which an on-screen reaction occurs in response to the transmitted electrical signal by the controller.)
- Sharp visuals, with outstanding contrast performance.
- Refresh rate is 60hz with excellent pixel overdrive (motion- blur or ghosting of objects or images).
- Remarkable UHD resolution.
- Robust build up of the set.
Cons:
- No wide AdobeRGB color gamut.
- Slight grains could be seen on the images.
Dell Ultrasharp U2718Q 27-Inch 4K IPS Monitor
The next pick that I would suggest is Dell Ultrasharp U2718Q 27- inch 4K IPS monitor which is ideal for setting up countless monitors having thin bezels (border between the screen and frame of the device). You will get colour support of 1.07 billion colours and high range of contrast supported by Dell HDR.
Talking about connectivity, it is compatible with 6 RF (radio frequency) or bluetooth devices 4.0 via Dell Universal Pairing, Dell Display Manager Compatibility. You will also enjoy AC power connector, USB upstream port, Power, USB 3.0, DP-mDP mode cable.
You will get a sturdy stand with considerably flexible monitor and a three year warranty.
Pros:
- Compatible with MacOS to have accurate greens over Display port.
- Resolution of 3840*2160 provides you with sharp and extremely clear and detailed images.
- Its super flexible stand allows you to swivel, tilt and adjust the height of the monitor according to your perfect view angle.
- Multiple HDMI and Display ports allows convenient connectivity with diverse devices.
- The monitor equipped with a USB-C port supports DisplayPort, charging capabilities and data transfer.
- Supports 99.9% sRGB.
Cons:
- Limited refresh rate of 60Hz.
- Non supportive for G-Sync and FreeSync which will restrict gamers to achieve smooth gaming experience.
ASUS ProArt Display 32” 4K HDR Monitor
Next in line is ASUS ProArt Display 32” 4K HDR Monitor with 32- inch mini LED backlit panel and 1152 zone local dimming with 1600 nits brightness 1000 nits brightness for full screen. For your convenience, numerous HDR format is supported (Dolby Vision, HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma- HLG).
Gamers will be super happy to experience, highly suitable for game developers, FreeSync Premium Pro 48- 120 Hz Variable Refresh Rate and ASUS Off- Axis Contrast Optimisation technology reduces halo effects and provides a 7 times improved contrast ratio with 10 Bit colour depth and Quantum Dot Technology provides DCI- P3, Rec. 2020, Adobe RGB and sRGB colour spaces and best colour accuracy with Delta E<1. You also get uninterrupted gradation through ProArt Calibration 2.0 software, Calman and Light Illusion ColourSpace CMS hardware calibration software.
For connectivity ports you get several connectivity options like Thunderbolt 3, Displayport 1.4, HDMI (v2.1), Two HDMI (v2.0) and a built-in USB hub.
For additional features the chrome tune app allows you to switch colour profiles in software and the monitor allows you to build two custom profiles, which needs to be done through OSD(on- screen display).
Pros:
- Uncomplicated assembling.
- Diverse modes of setting.
- Super bright contrast and colour saturation.
- Resolution of 3860*2160.
- Auto- calibration feature with consolidated metre.
- Dolby- vision- support.
- Plenty inputs, plus USB hubs.
Cons:
- It does not work with Type C.
- Maximum input/ output parts are located at the posterior bottom part of the monitor making it hard to tackle every time.
SAMSUNG U28E590D 28-Inch 4k UHD LED-Lit Monitor
SAMSUNG U28E590D 28- Inch 4K UHD LED gives you a Display resolution of 3840*2160 pixels with refresh rate of 60Hz can be experienced with fastest on screen motion can be seen with 1ms response time along with AMD FreeSync.
You have colour options of 1 billion which gives you a picture- in- picture 2.0 technology helps you to watch your video on one window simultaneously working on your spreadsheet. It also provides great viewing angles due to the TN panel. It’s not just the great viewing angles but also the sleek bezel with metallic rim that gives this monitor a ravishing look.
With one DisplayPort and 2 HDMI ports provide multiple inputs for the connectivity of ultra HD devices. Furthermore, the eye saver mode reduces the blue light emissions and flickers, also its compatible OS is Windows and MAC.
Pros:
- Fine and dynamic color and contrast display.
- No input lag with FreeSync helping to make the experience smoother.
- 170 degrees of a wide view angle can be experienced, giving a steady view from all around.
- Slick structure with glossy bezel.
- Excellent response rate.
- Comparatively quiet light in weight.
- VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) is the mount size of your monitor which is 75*75.
Cons:
- Non supportive for HDCP 2.2.
- Absence of USB hubs.
BenQ EX3501R Ultrawide Monitor
The BenQ EX3501R Ultrawide monitor lets you experience the resolution of 3440*1440 with 21:9 aspect ratio allowing you to have ample space on screen to work upon. The ratio of 2500:1 contrast depth adds colour depth and definition. The 1800R panoramic curvature and VA (vertical alignment) panels provide exceptional colour and ultra sharp details from all viewing angles. The 35 inch screen with a broad range of brightness gives superior quality of image making the display of images much more exciting.
Talking about the connectivity options we get, number of HDMI, DisplayPort, USB 3.1, USB- C one cable connectivity accustomed. It also lets you switch between 4 HDR levels and B.I. mode. The AMD FreeSync technology annihilates problems like broken frames, image tearing and rough gameplay. It also exhibits refresh rate of 100Hz.
The Monitor’s stand can be tilted, swivelled, and adjusted to the desirable height
Pros:
- 100Hz refresh rate.
- Good colour accuracy and grayscale performance.
- Ultrawide and curved screen for best visual experience.
- Good HDR support system providing better contrast and colour accuracy to work with.
- The BenQ Eye Care Technology helps control eye strain after spending a long duration on the screen.
- Decent aesthetic value.
Cons:
- Absence of tilt adjustability.
- Absence of built in speakers.
ViewSonic VP3268–4K 32-Inch Premium IPS 4K Monitor
Next up in line is, ViewSonic VP3268- 4K 32- Inch Premium Ips 4K monitor displaying 31.5 inch IPS 4K ultra HD resolution (3840*2160),100% sRGB colour coverage and excellent image quality. You get 4.39 trillion colour options from the RGB range and Delta E<2 colour accuracy and uniformity variance <5%. The Data colour Spyder X series and SuperClear IPS panel technology lets you experience best image quality from all the angles possible with 6 axis colour adjustment.
Talking about connectivity options you get, HDMI, USB 3.0, DisplayPort, and mini DP inputs for connectivity with various devices.
For the designing part, the 4 sided frameless design creates an exceptional viewing experience. The monitor is designed to swivel, tilt, pivot and adjust height for your viewing comfort. Automatic pivot functionality can be observed due to the presence of a built- in G- sensor. (need to download Auto pivot software prior activating the Auto Pivot Function). It is VESA compatible (Wall Mount 100*100 mm) with Kensington Lock Slot.
The other miscellaneous features include, HDCP 2.2 (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) prevents infringing or copying up of image or audio sources and assuring compatibility with future 4k content. The SonicMode enables you with three audio settings for Standard, Music and Theatre which lets you choose according to your needs. It has built-in film mode prevents image reverberation or dribbling by doubling the standard frame rate from 24fps video to 48fps.
For your convenience, the easy assemble of the monitor can be done by just simple clicking and locking as the monitor is detachable from the stand for the user’s convenience. Each of the monitors is manually calibrated while the production is taking place in order to have the same colour performance for every unit
Pros:
- Large screen helps you put up with multitasking on a single screen.
- Excellent colour accuracy, with 99% of the Adobe RGB gamut.
- Pre equipped with colour setting during the production to deliver accurate colour reproduction.
- Perfect gamma of 2.2.
- No colour banding.
- Compatible with a number of devices for connectivity.
- Great ergonomic design.
- Refresh rate 60 Hz.
Cons:
- Could be a little pricey for some users.
- Absence of built- in KVM switch.
LG 27QN880-B 27″ Monitor
It may be the last but certainly not the least one, LG 27QN880- B 27” Monitor with 2560*1440 QHD IPS resolution, Colour coverage of sRGB 99%, 16.7 million colours can be experienced and HDR10 helps deliver best image quality.
You can experience the ergonomics where you may extend, swivel, pivot, retract, tilt and height your monitor. It is designed compactly, occupying less space and can be easily installed.
You will experience response time of 5ms with connectivity option of USB- C port and refresh rate of 60 Hz.
Pros:
- IPS panel lets you experience high quality display with clear and sharp images.
- Various ports available for easy connectivity.
- Extremely flexible ergonomic features.
- Flicker strain prevents straining of eyes.
- Blue light emissions can be avoided by the Reader Mode option.
Cons:
- Refresh rate of 60 Hz could be a limiting factor for game users.
- Average built- in speakers might need to use external speakers for better sound quality.
- According to the performance some of you might find it a little bit overpriced.
- Some amazon users also reported dead pixels or quality control issues.
- Some people found colours way too saturated for their MacBook, but turning off the HDR settings got their problems solved.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Monitor for 3D Modeling
Panel Type- this refers to the display panel feature of the monitor. Three types of panels are observed and they are:
- TN (Twisted Nematic) panels have comparatively poor color accuracy, but fast response and refresh rates. Meaning monitors with TN panels are good for gaming purposes but not ideal for Professional work.
- IPS (in-plane switching) panel offers better color accuracy, and great viewing angles but slower response time than TN panels. Hence monitor with IPS Panel are the most optimal option for 3D modeling and 3D artists.
- VA (vertical alignment) panels offer the best contrast ratio of the above 2 but suffer from ghosting of images and poor viewing angles. It means these are okay for general use but not suitable for advanced 3D work.
Colour Gamut and Colour Accuracy- It is the spectrum of colours that your monitor displays. The three types of colour gamut are sRGB, Adobe- RGB and DCI-P3.
Colour accuracy is the display of colours in accordance to your preferred colour gamut. While buying a perfect monitor for 3D modeling you should go for the maximum sRGB and Adobe RGB percentage.
Price — The price of the monitor is entirely dependent on the factors such as resolution, response time, connectivity options, refresh rate, panel types, etc. A higher price is unavoidable. Buying a cost-friendly monitor may be tempting, but it generally lacks some crucial features. To be a professional 3D artist you’ll need to go for a monitor with an IPS panel which is obviously going to cost more.
Monitor Size and Resolution- the diagonal size of the screen in inches is the monitor size. A size of 24” and above is preferably better.
The detailed and sharp images appear due to the number of pixels a screen is equipped with. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image and the more screen space you have.
The available monitor resolutions are Full HD (1920*1080), Quad HD (2560*1440) and 4K Ultra HD (3840*2160). To experience best image quality go for higher resolution monitor.
Contrast Ratio- the amount of the difference between the lightest and the darkest colour displayed on the screen is the contrast ratio, it is expressed in the ratio of 1000:1 or 5000:1.
Choose a monitor with higher contrast ratio displays wide range of colors and shades hence offering a superior quality of image.
Latency- latency or the input lag is the amount of time a monitor takes to display the image after receiving the electronic signal from the device or the user. The lower latency indicates that it will display the changes in the image faster. This may prove to be a crucial aspect for gamers.
Colour Bit Depth- the count of bits used constituting the colour of each pixel on the monitor. Each bit has two value that is a 0 or 1. If you use more number of bits to define a pixel the more number of colour combinations you will get.
The most commonly seen colour bits are 8- bit, 10- bit and 12- bit. If you choose a monitor with high bit depth then you will experience reduced banding of colours, diverse colour gamut and smooth colour gradient.
The more the colour bit depth the more pragmatic the colours of the image appear to be. Professionals can opt for 10- bit or 12- bit colour bit depth for regular users they can go for 8- bit colour depth without a doubt.
Brightness- the volume of light emitted by a monitor is termed as brightness. In a well lit room brightness should be higher in a darker room the brightness should be kept lower to prevent your eyes from straining away.
You can set the brightness levels of your monitor according to your preference.
High Dynamic Range- It allows the monitor to display a good range of contrast, brightness, colour etc. HDR offers intense blacks, extensive colour gamut and bright whites which gives more intensive colours of the images.
There are three types of HDR formats available that is HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG (Hybrid Log- Gamma)
HDR10 uses 10- bit colour depth, providing us with bright colours and it supports static metadata.
Dolby Vision supports dynamic metadata which gives more realistic HDR vision by adjusting colour and brightness on frame-by-frame basis.
HLG is more suitable for live TV applications and broadcasts it displays the images in both HDR and SDR mode.
Among the three HDR10 and Dolby Vision are considered to be the best.
4K and High DPI- Displays- this means that a monitor can display higher resolution and pixel density resulting in sharper and clearer images.
4k monitors have a resolution of 3840*2160 they provide sharp and most accurate images which is preferred by professionals like video editors, gamers, photo editors etc.
High DPI these have high resolution but are compact in size hence they produce sharp and very detail specific images. These monitors are then preferred by web developers, graphic designers etc.
Monitor Refresh Rate- it is the rate at which a monitor updates the images displayed per second. It is measured in Hz and it may be of 60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz or up to 240Hz too. Higher the refresh rate, higher the fluidity of the image and better the result.
You can experience the higher refresh rate only when the monitor can match the output rates of the frame offered by the computer or the consoles. If this does not happen then you will not notice any difference in the display of images. Also, higher refresh rate means higher power needed for processing for which one needs to have updated computer or consoles.
To add, not all monitors are designed to support higher refresh rates. Hence if you are going for a higher refresh rate monitor then be ready to loosen up your pockets as these monitors will cost you good.
Curved, Flat or Ultrawide- these are the types of screens that a user prefers. The most common among all is the flat screen which is cheaper.
The curved screen, on the other hand, is comparatively more expensive than the flat one, but it gives a more enveloping viewing experience to the user and also helps in protecting our eyes from any strain.
Ultrawide displays offer a wider and more hypnotic viewing experience to the user, but they are the costliest of all.
FAQ’s
Is the refresh rate critical for 3D modeling?
By making the movement of the picture or object on the screen look more smooth, the refresh rate lessens eye fatigue.
As a result, I believe refresh rate is one of the most important factors, particularly for gamers.
Are ultra-wide monitors suitable for 3D rendering?
Yes, ultra- wide monitors are suitable for 3D rendering, as they let the user experience a higher aspect ratio and allow them to multitask better than other conventional monitors.
Is a curved monitor good for 3D modeling?
Yes, a curved monitor can let you experience more enticing images, but it can not be considered an extremely important factor for 3D modeling. Instead, one should emphasise great resolution and colour accuracy.
Should I use Multiple Monitors for 3D Modeling?
If you can own multiple monitors with similar performance in terms of resolution, color accuracy, etc., then considering using multiple monitors for your 3D modeling project is recommendable, as it lets you work with utmost precision on various screens.
Is 1440p good enough for graphic design?
I can say that it is more of a need-oriented question. 1440p is quite a decent resolution for graphic design work. But if you need more detailed work, then try considering a high resolution monitor.
What is the ideal monitor size for CAD?
A software that helps in design is called CAD (computer-aided design), while a 27-inch or larger display would be preferable for CAD applications. To have more precision while working on your project, go for a larger screen size.
What monitors do digital artists use?
The BenQ SW series, Dell UltraSharp, LG UltraFine, Eizo ColorEdge, and Wacom Cintiq (which is a monitor-tablet) are some common displays used by digital artists, but there are many other options you can choose from based on your needs.
Conclusion
I hope this article covers the maximum number of options and best suited 3D monitors for you.