Best Thin-Bezel Monitors 2018 – Monitor Buyer’s Guide

Gone are the days of chunky plastic surrounding the monitor screen, with LCD and LED technology making monitors thinner by the day. This is great news for those that utilise multi-monitor setups for their PC as they live and die by the gaps in between each monitor. Thin bezels are also great for those that simply find them distracting or ugly, it is hard to argue that smaller bezels don’t make for a cleaner and more focussed look. They are especially useful for those that like to take advantage of multiple monitors for work. The extra screen estate you get with a multi-monitor setup is something that can really increase your productivity.

This list will detail some of the better thin bezel monitors that are currently on the market. If you have any that you think could do with a mention, let us know in the comments below. If you’re looking for a gaming monitor, feel free to also check out our awesome gaming monitor buyers guide. 

24-inch Thin Bezel Monitors

1. Acer R240HY – $130

This Acer monitor is a cheap and cheerful choice, coming in at just $130, ideal for multi monitor setups due to its low price. This doesn’t mean that the monitor itself is lacking, in fact it has a lot to offer for the money.  

The R240HY supports resolutions up to 1080p with response times of 5ms due to its IPS panel. IPS is a nice inclusion considering monitors are usually a lot more expensive with that panel technology. The thin bezel is referred to by Acer as “Zero Frame Design”, meaning this monitor was designed to be used in multi-monitor situations. The stand itself doesn’t do anything crazy, just tilts backwards and forwards but it is sturdy. Connection wise you have HDMI, DVI-D and VGA, a bit of a shame that there is no DisplayPort.

Overall the Acer R240HY is a very solid monitor for the money. There are a lot of features often only found on higher end monitors present here making the $130 price tag a real bargain.

2. AOC i2481FXH – $150

AOC are well known for their great budget monitors and this $150 offering from them is part of the reason why. At just twenty dollars more than the Acer you get something that just looks and feels a little more premium.

This AOC is 1080p and also comes with an IPS panel meaning 5ms response times. Bezel wise, AOC calls it “Frameless”, now that isn’t strictly true but the bezel is hardly noticeable. The i2481FXH is known for being a great choice in multi monitor setups. There are two HDMIs and a VGA port, a little better than the Acer but the DVI-D would have been a better choice than a VGA. The extra HDMI is useful for those that want to use multiple devices with their monitor. One of the things that really stands out about the monitor is the unique question mark shaped stand. It really makes the monitor stand out and look a lot more expensive than it actually is.

For $150 the AOC i2481FXH is a great choice if you want something that just feels a little more well put together than the Acer at a small price increase. Well worth that extra $20.

27-inch Thin Bezel Monitors

1. ASUS Designo MX279H – $180

ASUS are very well known for their monitors and rightly so, they make some cracking ones. The Designo MX279H is a great addition to their vast portfolio with a nice brushed aluminium design.

Resolution wise there is a lot of choice with this monitor, the thin bezeled version comes in 1080p, 1440p and 2160p variants (though I will be focussing on the 1080p version). The monitor is also referred to as “frameless” making it perfect for multi-monitor uses. This monitor also takes advantage of the IPS technology to create better viewing angles. This Designo monitor has two HDMI ports and a VGA port along with 3.5mm headphone jack and line out. This is because this monitor comes with stereo speakers, supposedly co-designed with Bang & Olufsen, something to take into account if you need your monitor to have good quality speakers (does such a thing exist?).

The ASUS Designo MX279H is a fantastic monitor with a lot of choices, the 1080p in coming in at just $180 makes it a nice cheap option for 27 inch multi-monitor setups. ASUS are a quality brand so you know the money is going into something you can trust.

2. Dell UltraSharp U2715H – $470

Dell’s UltraSharp range are some of the best monitors on the market, they offer a good quality product without any of the tackiness some monitor designs tend to have, especially gaming ones.

This particular model comes with a 2560×1440 resolution powered by an IPS panel. The bezels are of a black colour and very thin. The great thing about the monitor is the fact the stand allows you to manoeuvre the monitor in a way that allows the edges between two monitors to be as small as possible. The stand can easily be replaced too, with only a simple VESA mount needed. There are a lot of connectors as well. You get two HDMI MHL ports, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort and even some USB 3 ports thrown in for good measure.

The Dell UltraSharp U2715H may be expensive but you get your money’s worth. If you can afford it, this Dell monitor is the 27 inch thin bezel monitor to get.

34-inch Ultrawide Thin Bezel Monitors

1. LG 34UM88C-P – $655

LG are well known for both their TVs and monitors though in recent times LG hasn’t really been at the forefront of new technologies as they may once have been. The 34UM88C-P bucks that trend with an ultra wide offering.

This LG monitor has a resolution of 3440×1440 and takes advantage of an IPS panel. Bezel wise it is very thin making it perfect for a very wide multi-monitor setup. A nice inclusion is FreeSync, which is very useful to those with AMD graphics cards. It also has picture in picture which is almost unheard of  for monitors.The stand is a very simple curved piece of metal that will easily keep your monitor steady. The stand can also be height and tilt adjusted. It offers two HDMIs and a DisplayPort along with some USB 3.0 quick charge ports.

For the price the LG 34UM88C-P is a really great ultrawide monitor, especially with FreeSync, making it ideal for gamers. $655 is not a huge amount for a quality ultrawide monitor, with many running into the thousands, a thin bezel one such as this is an absolute steal.

2. Acer Predator X34 – $1336

Just as Acer has the cheapest monitor on this list, they also have the most expensive. The Acer Predator X34 is most certainly a monitor targeted towards gamers but thankfully the design isn’t too overbearing in that regard. Only the red “PREDATOR” logo on the front standing out somewhat.

The X34 is also a 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor with an IPS panel. Though unlike the others on this list, with overclocking the panel hits 100Hz as opposed to the 60Hz max the rest of the monitors on this list have. The bezel is extremely thin making it a nice choice if you can somehow find space to fit a couple of these side by side. It also has G-SYNC making it a great choice for the NVidia GPU users out there. The X34 is a curved monitor, for some curved is not a particularly useful feature. The stand protrudes a little too much for my liking but it is sure to keep your monitor steady. It can tilt and change height as well. It also comes with stereo speakers as well. A little disappointing are the connections. Whilst there are 4 USB 3.0 ports available there is only one HDMI and one DisplayPort. For the money you would maybe expect at least another HDMI or DP.

If you have the money the Acer Predator X34 is a fantastic choice, especially for those with NVidia graphics cards and gamers in general. The 100Hz overclock is sure to impress, that is if your GPU can keep up.

A line of thin bezel monitors is something that is sure to impress as well as immerse. No matter your price range there is a monitor to fit, so if a thin bezel is of the utmost importance to you, don’t think because you are on a budget that you can’t afford one.

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