What does a 27-inch monitor look like?

A 27-inch monitor is a mid-to-large desktop screen. The 27 inches is the diagonal measurement. For a standard 16:9 monitor, the screen itself is about 23.5 inches wide and 13.2 inches tall, which is a little over two US letter pages side by side.

Size comparison (16:9 screens, screen area only)

• 24-inch: about 20.9 inches wide by 11.8 inches tall.
• 27-inch: about 23.5 inches wide by 13.2 inches tall.
• 32-inch: about 27.9 inches wide by 15.7 inches tall.

With the bezel and stand, the monitor body is slightly larger. Many stands add 1 to 2 inches of depth beyond the screen and need around 8 to 10 inches of desk depth.

How it looks on a desk

• It fills most of your view at a distance of 2 to 3 feet.
• You can fit two windows side by side comfortably.
• It looks larger than a 24-inch monitor but is still easy to fit on a standard desk.

Common resolutions

• 1080p (Full HD): about 82 pixels per inch. It looks a little soft at 27 inches.
• 1440p (QHD): about 109 pixels per inch. A popular choice that looks sharp.
• 4K (UHD): about 163 pixels per inch. Very sharp for text and photos.

Other types

• Curved 27-inch monitors wrap slightly around your view.
• Ultrawide monitors are wider and shorter at the same diagonal size.
• Many 27-inch monitors have thin bezels on three sides and adjustable stands.

Who it suits

A 27-inch monitor suits office work, photo editing, gaming and general use. It is the most common size for a primary desktop display. Measure your desk space before buying.