The 5 Best Monitors for Excel and Spreadsheets in 2026

A better monitor is the cheapest productivity upgrade an Excel user can buy.

More pixels means more rows and columns on screen, less scrolling, and less squinting at tiny numbers at 4 PM 📈

I’m a Microsoft MVP in Excel, and in this guide I’ll first explain what actually matters in a monitor for spreadsheets (resolution, size, ultrawide vs. dual, portrait mode, USB-C and eye comfort). Then I’ll give you 5 monitors for different budgets and setups.

Note that these are monitors for work. Not gaming monitors 🎮

QUICK PICKS (OCTOBER 2026)

• Best overall: Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE). Sharp 27-inch 4K, a pivot stand, and one Thunderbolt cable that charges your laptop with up to 140W. Dell list price $699.99.
• Best budget: Dell 27 Plus 4K Monitor (S2725QS). 27-inch 4K and a stand that rotates to portrait for $279.99 at Dell.com. No USB-C.
• Best ultrawide: Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U3425WE). 3440×1440 on one curved screen with a built-in KVM switch. $984.99 at Dell.com.
• Best 24-inch for dual or portrait setups: ASUS ProArt PA248QV. 1920×1200 (16:10) with full height, swivel and pivot adjustment for around $180 to $200.
• Best portable: Lenovo ThinkVision M14d. 14-inch, 2240×1400, 1.3 lb, powered over USB-C. Around $300.

The short answer: for spreadsheet work, get a 27-inch 4K monitor with a height-adjustable stand that can rotate to portrait. If you work on a laptop, pay a bit more for USB-C or Thunderbolt so one cable handles video, data and charging. Go ultrawide only if your sheets are very wide and you prefer one screen over two.

Table of Contents

What Matters in a Monitor for Excel

Most “best monitor” lists focus on color accuracy, HDR and refresh rates. Excel barely cares about those. Here’s what makes a difference when you stare at cells all day.

1. Resolution and pixel density: more cells, sharper numbers

Resolution decides how many rows and columns fit on the screen. Pixel density (pixels per inch, or PPI) decides how crisp the numbers look.

• 1920×1080 (Full HD): Fine on a 24-inch screen (about 92 PPI). Avoid it on 27 inches and up, where text starts to look soft.
• 1920×1200 (16:10): Same width, but 120 extra pixels in height. That’s about 11% more vertical space, so more rows on every screen.
• 2560×1440 (QHD): On a 27-inch screen (about 109 PPI) you get a big jump in visible cells over Full HD.
• 3840×2160 (4K): On 27 inches, that’s 163 PPI. Most people run it with Windows display scaling at around 150%, which gives the same amount of workspace as QHD but with much sharper text. If your eyes allow it, lower scaling shows even more cells.

You can fine-tune the rest with Excel’s own zoom. On a sharp 4K screen, you can often drop Excel’s zoom to 90% and still read every number comfortably.

2. Size: 24, 27 or 32 inches?

• 24 inches: Great for dual-monitor setups and small desks, and the best size to turn into portrait mode.
• 27 inches: The sweet spot for a single main monitor. In 4K, it’s the setup I recommend to most Excel users.
• 32 inches: More room for very large models, but you’ll sit further back, and you need a deep desk.

3. Ultrawide vs. two monitors

An ultrawide (like a 34-inch 3440×1440 screen) gives you one seamless canvas with no bezel in the middle. That’s lovely for wide sheets with dozens of columns, and you only need one cable.

Two monitors usually give you more pixels for the money, though. Two 27-inch 4K monitors add up to 7680×2160 pixels, while a 34-inch ultrawide has 3440×1440. Two screens also let you rotate one of them to portrait.

Either way, Windows Snap layouts and Excel’s View > New Window and View Side by Side make it easy to compare two workbooks side by side.

4. Portrait mode (pivot stand)

A monitor that rotates 90 degrees turns into a tall screen for long lists, long tables, VBA code and PDF reports. A 24-inch 1920×1200 monitor in portrait mode is 1200 pixels wide and 1920 pixels tall.

Look for “pivot” in the stand specs. Ultrawide monitors don’t rotate. Combine portrait mode with Freeze Panes so the header row never scrolls out of view.

5. USB-C and Thunderbolt: one cable for your laptop

If you work on a laptop, a monitor with USB-C or Thunderbolt is a big quality-of-life upgrade. One cable carries the picture, your USB devices (keyboard, mouse, Ethernet) and charges the laptop.

Check the power delivery wattage. It should match (or come close to) your laptop’s charger. A built-in KVM switch is a bonus if you use a work laptop and a home PC at the same desk: one keyboard and mouse controls both.

6. Eye comfort for all-day spreadsheets

• Flicker-free backlight and low blue light: Look for TÜV Rheinland certifications or Dell’s ComfortView Plus.
• Matte, anti-glare screen: White cells reflect less than glossy screens in an office.
• Height adjustment: OSHA recommends placing the monitor at least 20 inches away, with the top line of the screen at or below eye level.
• Refresh rate: 60Hz is fine for Excel. 100 to 120Hz makes scrolling through long sheets feel smoother, but it’s a nice-to-have.
• Panel type: IPS panels are the safe choice. OLED looks stunning, but the ribbon and gridlines stay in the same place for hours, and OLED panels are more prone to burn-in from static content.

Best Overall: Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub (U2725QE)

If you want one monitor that gets everything right for spreadsheet work, this is it 🤩

The Dell UltraSharp U2725QE is the 2025 successor to the U2723QE, which was my top pick in earlier versions of this guide. It keeps what made that monitor great (sharp 27-inch 4K, a great stand, lots of ports) and adds a 120Hz refresh rate, Thunderbolt 4 with up to 140W charging, and an ambient light sensor.

For Excel, that means crisp numbers, smooth scrolling through long sheets, and a single cable to your laptop.

Key specs

• Screen: 27″ IPS Black, 3840×2160 (163 PPI), 120Hz
• Stand: Height (150 mm), tilt, swivel and pivot (rotates to portrait)
• Laptop connection: Thunderbolt 4 with up to 140W power delivery, plus a second Thunderbolt 4 port for daisy-chaining
• Other ports: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort in and out, 5x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2.5GbE Ethernet, built-in KVM switch
• Eye comfort: ComfortView Plus, ambient light sensor, TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort 3.0 (5 stars)
• Price: Dell list price $699.99, often a bit lower on Amazon

Why it’s great for Excel (and what to watch out for)

• Sharp text: At 163 PPI, numbers stay crisp even at small zoom levels.
• One-cable laptop setup: 140W is enough to charge most laptops, and the hub replaces a separate dock.
• Portrait mode: The stand rotates 90 degrees, so it works as a main screen or as a tall second screen.
• Watch out: It’s not cheap. If you only need a sharp 4K screen and don’t use a laptop, the Dell S2725QS below gives you the same resolution for much less. Windows Central also found Dell’s display management software underwhelming.

Best Budget: Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QS)

Here’s the monitor I’d recommend to almost anyone on a budget 💲

The Dell 27 Plus 4K (S2725QS) replaces the Dell S2721QS from earlier versions of this guide. You get the same 3840×2160 resolution and 163 PPI as the UltraSharp above, a 120Hz refresh rate, and (rare at this price) a stand that adjusts in height and rotates to portrait.

What you give up is the USB-C hub, Ethernet and KVM switch. For a desktop PC, that doesn’t matter at all.

Key specs

• Screen: 27″ IPS, 3840×2160 (163 PPI), 120Hz
• Stand: Height (130 mm), tilt, swivel and pivot
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (no USB-C, no USB hub)
• Extras: Dual 5W speakers
• Eye comfort: ComfortView Plus, 4-star eye comfort rating
• Price: $279.99 at Dell.com

Why it’s great for Excel (and what to watch out for)

• 4K for the price of Full HD a few years ago: The same sharp 27-inch 4K workspace as monitors that cost twice as much.
• Proper stand: Height adjustment and pivot are often missing on budget monitors. Here you get both.
• Great for dual setups: Two of these cost less than one UltraSharp and give you a 4K screen on each side.
• Watch out: No USB-C. Laptop users need an HDMI cable plus their own charger. If you want single-cable charging, Dell sells a USB-C version, the S2725QC, with up to 65W power delivery.

Best Ultrawide: Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderbolt Hub (U3425WE)

Ever wanted to see column A and column AZ at the same time? That’s what an ultrawide is for 😃

The Dell UltraSharp U3425WE is a 34-inch curved monitor with a 3440×1440 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It replaces the HP E45c G5 from the previous version of this guide: it’s smaller and cheaper, fits on a normal desk, and still gives you a seamless screen with no bezel in the middle.

It’s also packed for laptop users, with Thunderbolt 4, 90W charging, Ethernet and a built-in KVM switch.

Key specs

• Screen: 34″ curved (1900R) IPS, 3440×1440 (110 PPI), 120Hz
• Stand: Height (150 mm), tilt and swivel (no pivot)
• Laptop connection: Thunderbolt 4 with up to 90W power delivery
• Other ports: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, 5x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2.5GbE Ethernet, built-in KVM switch
• Eye comfort: 5-star eye comfort certification, ambient light sensor
• Price: $984.99 at Dell.com

Why it’s great for Excel (and what to watch out for)

• Wide sheets: Lots of columns visible at once, without a bezel cutting your sheet in half.
• Two windows, one screen: Snap two workbooks (or Excel and a browser) side by side. Each half is 1720 pixels wide, close to a Full HD monitor’s 1920.
• Office score: RTINGS gives it 7.6 out of 10 for office use.
• Watch out: At 110 PPI, text is less sharp than on the 4K monitors above (RTINGS scores its text clarity 7.5 out of 10). 90W won’t fully power the most demanding laptops, and the screen can’t rotate to portrait. Want more pixels? The 40-inch Dell UltraSharp U4025QW (5120×2160, 140W) costs $2,399.99 at Dell.com.

Best 24-Inch for Dual or Portrait Setups: ASUS ProArt PA248QV

Want two monitors (or a tall portrait screen next to your main one) without spending a fortune? Look at the ASUS ProArt PA248QV 🔍

It’s a 24-inch monitor with a 1920×1200 resolution. That 16:10 aspect ratio gives you more rows than a regular 1920×1080 screen. The stand is excellent for this price: it adjusts in height, tilts, swivels and rotates to portrait.

It’s been on the market for a few years, but it’s still sold and still one of the best-value 16:10 monitors around.

Key specs

• Screen: 24.1″ IPS, 1920×1200 (16:10, about 94 PPI), 75Hz, 100% sRGB
• Stand: Height (130 mm), tilt, swivel and pivot
• Ports: DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, VGA, 4x USB-A hub (no USB-C)
• Eye comfort: TÜV Rheinland Flicker-free and Low Blue Light
• Price: Around $180 to $200 (ASUS launch price $199)

Why it’s great for Excel (and what to watch out for)

• 16:10 for more rows: 1200 pixels of height instead of 1080.
• Made for portrait: Rotated, it’s 1200 pixels wide and 1920 tall. Perfect for long lists and VBA code.
• Two for the price of one: A pair costs about the same as one mid-range 27-inch monitor.
• Watch out: No USB-C, so laptop users need HDMI or DisplayPort. At about 94 PPI, text is clearly less sharp than on a 4K screen.

Best Portable Monitor: Lenovo ThinkVision M14d

Work from hotels, client offices or the kitchen table? A portable second screen doubles your laptop’s workspace 😀

The Lenovo ThinkVision M14d is the sharper successor to the ThinkVision M14 from earlier versions of this guide. Its 14-inch screen has a 2240×1400 resolution (16:10), so it’s noticeably crisper than the old Full HD model.

It weighs about 1.3 pounds, connects with a single USB-C cable, and has a built-in stand.

Key specs

• Screen: 14″ IPS, 2240×1400 (16:10, 189 PPI), 60Hz, 300 nits, anti-glare
• Stand: Built-in, tilts from -5 to 95 degrees
• Ports: 2x USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode). Use one for the laptop and the other for power pass-through
• Weight: About 1.3 lb (0.6 kg)
• Eye comfort: TÜV Rheinland Flicker-free and Low Blue Light (hardware)
• Price: Around $300 to $330

Why it’s great for Excel (and what to watch out for)

• Sharp and light: 189 PPI keeps small numbers readable on a small screen.
• One cable: No separate power brick needed when your laptop powers it over USB-C.
• Watch out: Your laptop’s USB-C port must support video (DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt). There’s no HDMI input. And it’s a second screen, not a replacement for a 27-inch monitor at your desk.

Conclusion

For spreadsheets, the best monitor isn’t the one with the fanciest colors. It’s the one that shows the most cells, sharply, at a comfortable height 😏

For most people, that’s a 27-inch 4K monitor with a pivot stand. The Dell U2725QE if you use a laptop and want one cable, the Dell S2725QS if you want to save money.

Very wide sheets and a big desk? Go for the Dell U3425WE ultrawide. Want a cheap second screen in portrait mode? The ASUS ProArt PA248QV. Always on the move? The Lenovo ThinkVision M14d.

Alright, so you got the monitor. Now what? 🤔

Level up the rest of your setup with the best keyboard for Excel and a new mouse. Shopping for a laptop too? Here are the best laptops for Excel.

Already set? Check out our free Excel training! 💪

FAQ: Monitors for Excel

What is the best monitor for spreadsheets?

For most people, a 27-inch 4K monitor with a height-adjustable stand. My top pick is the Dell UltraSharp U2725QE because it adds Thunderbolt with 140W charging for laptops. On a budget, the Dell S2725QS gives you the same 4K resolution and a pivot stand for $279.99 at Dell.com.

Are ultrawide monitors good for spreadsheets?

Yes, especially for wide sheets with many columns, and if you like snapping two windows side by side without a bezel in the middle. But two separate monitors usually give you more pixels for the money, and you can turn one of them to portrait. Ultrawides can’t rotate. If you go ultrawide, 3440×1440 at 34 inches is the minimum I’d consider.

Which monitors are best for working with spreadsheets and large documents?

High resolution beats big size. A 27-inch 4K monitor shows far more than a 27-inch Full HD one. For long documents, a monitor with a pivot stand is a great extra, because you can rotate it to portrait and see a whole page or a long table at once.

What monitor is best if I work with spreadsheets all day?

Choose one with a flicker-free backlight, low blue light, a matte screen and a height-adjustable stand. Then set it up properly: at least 20 inches away, with the top of the screen at or below eye level (that’s OSHA’s recommendation). All 5 monitors in this guide have low blue light or eye comfort features, and the four desk monitors have height-adjustable stands.

Is a curved monitor good for Excel?

On an ultrawide, yes. The curve keeps the edges of a 34-inch screen at a comfortable viewing angle. On a regular 24 or 27-inch monitor, a curve doesn’t add much for spreadsheets, so I’d pick a flat one.

What should I look for in a monitor for spreadsheets: resolution, size, refresh rate or panel type?

In that order: resolution (and pixel density) first, then size, then the stand and connections. An IPS panel is the safe choice. Refresh rate matters least: 60Hz works fine, and 100 to 120Hz is a nice bonus for smooth scrolling.

Is a 4K monitor worth it for Excel?

On 27 inches and up, yes. You can either use display scaling for very sharp text, or lower the scaling to fit more rows and columns on screen. Since budget 4K monitors like the Dell S2725QS cost under $300, there’s little reason to buy a 27-inch Full HD monitor for work today.

What’s the best portable monitor for Excel?

I like the Lenovo ThinkVision M14d: 14 inches, 2240×1400 and about 1.3 lb, connected with one USB-C cable. Check that your laptop’s USB-C port supports video before you buy.

What’s the best monitor for a MacBook or Mac mini?

Any monitor in this guide works with a Mac. For a MacBook, a Thunderbolt monitor like the Dell U2725QE is the most convenient, because one cable connects and charges the laptop. Also check out our guide to Excel on Mac vs. Windows.