Lori Grunin/CNET

One of my pet peeves with the majority of monitors is the location of all the connectors in a hard-to-reach recess. That’s not an issue if you never have to get to the USB ports or swap the video cables. But if you do, then this HP stands out for its diamond-angled back that essentially puts all the connectors on the sides. It’s no slouch as a monitor either. My unit required a little tweaking to hit some better color accuracy, but was quite good afterward. And it’s great for both PC and console gaming, with support for 4K at 144Hz over DisplayPort and 4K/120Hz VRR compatible with consoles. Plus it’s got a USB hub.

Don’t get it if you want real HDR or are swayed by the lure of speakers — the latter are good for boop-and-beep notifications, for example, but can’t replace a real speaker system or headset. And my one peeve about the design is the stand’s inability to swivel.

Read our HP Omen 27U review.