Monitors

People are no longer using monitors in limited office desktop setups, or they are restricted to cyber cafes. At this point, people are searching for an option that offers a wide viewing angle and better features to enhance their user experience. This growing shift toward user-friendly monitors has led to rapid demand growth in the Nepali market. 

The monitor found in the Nepali market also comes with different features that suit the variety of users, such as gamers, creators, graphic designers, and more. The user's priority varies from user to user: some look for monitors with better visual experience, some for accurate color, and some for a combination of both. This has created a great demand for monitors in the Nepali market.

Moving on to the market structure for monitors in Nepal, it is largely dominated by the official product. But the grey market for monitors is also something you cannot ignore. Whenever a new monitor comes to market, purchasing from an authorized, official store costs more, whereas gray-market units are generally cheaper. But the warranty you get with an official unit can extend up to 3 years, whereas the gray market offers only a 1-year warranty. These days, buyers are not looking for just a monitor's specifications; the warranty the company offers matters greatly for peace of mind. 

Monitor market in Nepal: official vs grey market

Why do official monitors cost more?

If you are wondering why you are buying the same monitor from both the official and grey markets, but the official market is always the one that charges a large amount of money, then there are plenty of reasons behind this difference. Whenever you purchase from the official site or store, the main factors that directly influence a monitor's price in Nepal are VAT and official distribution costs. You also get a better warranty scheme that is easier to claim in case of a mishap in the future. Moreover, the official site gives a more reliable after-sales experience. These factor plays the vital role in increasing the cost of the monitor on the official site.

Why are gray market monitors cheaper?

When it comes to the grey market monitor, you generally get it at a lower cost than on the official site. It is generally the seller in the gray market who pays lower import duties on these products and incurs less official overhead. You might not always find the best value-for-money product from the official store; sometimes a grey-market product offers better value than the same product available there. On the other hand, the risk it brings is undeniable: it offers a weaker warranty, and the process of claiming that warranty is not easy either. 

Which one should buyers choose?

The verdict on where to purchase the product is tricky. If you are creators, professionals, or long-term users looking for a good monitor with a better warranty for long-term use, we suggest you go to the official store. It provides a reliable warranty that offers peace of mind for long-term use.

But the pricing is aggressive and very high for you, and the product dont justify the value of money then it doesnot make any sense buying from the official store is not a good deal. In this case, you can look for the genuine seller from the gray market and purchase from them. Before purchasing anything from the gray market, we suggest you conduct thorough research on the seller and the product's authenticity. 

Popular Monitor Brands in Nepal

In Nepal, there are multiple players, both big and small, who are visible are consistently offering good-quality monitors to the users. Generally, players like Asus, Acer, MSI, BenQ, Samsung, Apple Studio Display, LG, and many others are very popular and widely used among gamers, creators, offices, and more. 

Popular brands

• BenQ
• MSI
• Dell
• Acer
• Samsung
• Gigabyte
• LG
• Apple Studio Display

Official Distributors in Nepal

Types of monitors in Nepal

There are various kinds of users who use monitors for different purposes. Based on their usability, the monitor's use case is also defined. Let's move on to the various types of monitors and the most important feature they need. 

Office Monitors

In most office setups, we see monitors ranging from 22 to 27 inches. Among all sizes, 22-inch and 24-inch monitors are standard and widely used in office setups, as they fit perfectly on a standard desk. Regarding speed, a 60Hz to 75Hz refresh rate is usually enough for normal office work. If you are looking for an office setup, go for an IPS panel with proper eye comfort and blue-light filters. You also need to look for flicker-free tech and a decent viewing-angle monitor instead of focusing on extreme brightness or color accuracy features. 

Gaming monitors

Most gamers prefer 24-, 25-, and 27-inch monitors, which are popular, but some also prefer a larger screen and choose a larger size. The main considerations you should look for in a gaming monitor are the refresh rate and response time. If the monitor has a refresh rate below 144Hz, it is not good for gaming; at or above 144Hz, it is the baseline sweet spot for gamers. These days, 165Hz and above are becoming the most common spot for gaming monitors. Similarly, if you are looking for better motion, IPS panels are a good option, while for better contrast, you can go with VA panels.

Similarly, response time plays a vital role during gameplay. Any monitor with a response time close to zero is considered the fastest. Here, the monitor with the fastest response time becomes very smooth and quick. But the total response time of any monitor is the sum of GTG and MPRT. In simple words, you can say GTG is a shadow that is left, and MPRT is the blur that is caused when the response time is slow. These are two factors that are most important for sharper and smoother animation and visuals on the screen.

Monitors for editing and graphic design

Moving to monitors suitable for graphic designers, IPS panels with wider viewing angles are the first choice for budget monitors, while upgrading to an OLED panel is also considered for a better visual experience. In this type of monitor, color accuracy is more important than the higher refresh rate. This color accuracy is determined by the sRGB coverage, which plays a vital role in the web and general design work. But if you are looking for high-end photo and video work, DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB are the main factors to consider. 

Generally, 27-inch monitors are considered the sweet spot in this segment. Not only color accuracy and monitor size, but also QHD/2K and 4K resolutions make more sense for editing than FHD. Similarly, factory calibration, ergonomic stands, and uniform brightness are features that most video editors and graphic designers look for. 

We can all see that, at this point, the scope of content creation is rapidly growing in Nepal. This has resulted in massive growth in the creator-focused monitor market. The impact of this has shifted the buyer's focus beyond gaming specs, toward color gamut, calibration, and resolution.

Things to consider before buying a monitor in Nepal

The selection of the monitor is purely based on the user's preference. It completely depends on the user and the purpose for which they are buying it. Here are some elements to check before buying a monitor.

• Panel type: The first thing you can look for in a monitor is the panel type. There are multiple options with various functions you can choose from that better suit you.  Here, IPS panels offer better color and viewing angles, while VA panels provide better contrast. Similarly, TNs are mostly of the older kind and are a good option for budget-focused esports gaming.
• Refresh rate: This is another factor to consider when buying a monitor. But the use case of the refresh rate may vary from user to user. For gamers, a monitor offering less than 144Hz is not considered a good option, where the 100Hz monitor can be the best option for casual use. If you are looking for a good monitor for the office, then 60/75Hz is the best option.
• Response Time: Response time is always the top priority for gamers, as it is entirely responsible for how good your gaming experience is. Here, if the response time is nearly zero, it is considered the fastest and nicest. As we mentioned earlier, the GTG and MPRT sums give us the total response time for the screen. Here, GTG and MPRT are important to avoid ghosting and motion blur on the screen, which are especially noticeable in high-end gaming if the response time is not up to the mark.
• Resolution: Resolution expectations vary from user to user and with the purpose for which they are using the monitor. For office setup, normal FHD resolution is more than enough, where QHD becomes a sweet spot for gaming and productivity tasks. Similarly, 4K resolution is considered the best for any user looking for a monitor for color-accurate tasks.
• Color Coverage: This factor is mainly important for content creators and graphic designers, whereas gamers and normal office setups do not consider it. If the user regularly uses a monitor for editing and web content design, then SRGB is what you should look for, while DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB are for professional color work, such as high-quality video editing.
• Ports and Ergonomics: For any setup, ports play a vital role: some setups need only a few, while users with multiple devices might require more. A good monitor should come with HDMI, DP, and USB-C ports that make it easy to connect with other accessories. Also, the height adjustment will determine whether the monitor provides good comfort. So, an adjustable-height option on any monitor is a feature to look for. Along with that, the VESA mount support also provides better ergonomic comfort for some users.
• Warranty: For any electronic item, most users look for the warranty that the specific product comes with. It is convenient for the user to claim a replacement in the event of any mishap during the warranty period if the product is purchased from an authorized reseller. In Nepal, the warranty provided by the authorized reseller is genuine until the seller from the gray market is an individual you know. For any good monitor, the company provides a 2- to 3-year warranty. 

Now I will talk about the various monitors under various budget ranges.

Best monitors under Rs. 20,000 in Nepal

Hikvision DS-D5022F2-2P2

Hikvision DS-D5022F2-2P2 is a 22-inch office monitor that costs around NPR 12,499 in Nepal. It has an FHD IPS panel with flat curvature. This will provide better eye comfort for long-term use. Additionally, it has a 100Hz refresh rate, which is quite good for an office setup. If you are looking for a good office monitor for a compact space with premium specs in a budget, it's a good option. 

Dahua DHI-LM24-B201E

Dahua DHI-LM24-B201E is a 24-inch gaming monitor that costs around NPR 16,999 in Nepal. Since in the budget category, a gaming monitor does not provide you you Gync, which is quite a disappointment. But at least you get a 100Hz refresh rate for better gaming, casual use, and multitasking. You also get a 7ms response time, which is quite decent and can be a selling point for this monitor, as it delivers smooth gameplay. 

Intex IT-1502

Intex IT-1502 is a 24-inch monitor that costs around NPR 14,999 in Nepal. It offers 125% sRGB color gamut, which meets the requirements of content creators and graphic designers. The VA panel in this monitor will be very useful for those who require high-quality, constant viewing, while it offers a narrow viewing angle, which might cause inconsistent visuals on the screen. 

Best monitors under Rs. 30,000 in Nepal

Huawei MateView SE SSN-24 Adjustable

Huawei MateView SE SSN-24 is a 24-inch office monitor that costs around NPR 28,799 in Nepal. It has an IPS panel that provides better eye comfort during extended use, along with a 100Hz refresh rate that handles multitasking pretty well. It also provides an adjustable stand option you can use for ergonomic comfort. 

Samsung Odyssey CRG5

The Samsung Odyssey CRG5 is a 24-inch gaming monitor with a VA panel that offers better contrast. It has an entry-level 144Hz refresh rate, which is well-suited to a high-end gaming experience. Also, the 1800R curvature will give you a better visual experience while playing the game. This monitor also comes with a 4ms GTG response time paired with AMD FreeSync, which should make its responsiveness decent enough for fast-paced games. 

MSI Optix MAG 241C

MSI Optix MAG 241C is a 24-inch monitor built for gamers. It costs NPR 28,199 in Nepal and comes with the VA panel. It also offers better color coverage, ranging from 115% sRGB and 90% DCI-P3, which is often required in editing and graphic design. 

This monitor also has a 1ms response time, which is quite good for playing high pace game ahile 144Hz refresh rate also does its work pretty well for high-end gaming. If you are looking for a good mid-range option for gamers and multitasking, then you can go with this monitor.

Best monitors under Rs. 50,000 in Nepal

MSI G274QPF 

MSI G274QPF costs around NPR 47,999 in Nepal, especially built focusing on the gaming criteria. Here, you also get 121% sRGB, 93% DCI-P3, and 96% AdobeRGB color coverage. This makes it more useful in other tasks like video editing and graphic design. 

It also allows for height adjustment for ergonomic comfort. Plus,  a 177Hz refresh rate and 1ms GtG response with AMD FreeSync in this monitor make it more gaming-appropriate. If you are looking for a premium monitor for multitasking and color-accurate tasks, this could be the one. 

Acer Predator XB273U V3

The Acer Predator XB273U V3 is also one of the best options available under NPR 50,000 in Nepal. It is a 27-inch monitor with an IPS panel offering a QHD display. It is a good option for fast-paced gaming, as it offers a 180Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms GTG response time, which is quite good for AAA gaming. 

You might not get the viewing depth you get on a curved gaming monitor. But visual experience should be pretty good here. Moreover, it has a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, which is ideal for high-end video editing. Here, the IPS panel also plays a vital role in providing a consistent visual output during video editing.

ASUS TUF VG27AQ5A

The ASUS TUF VG27AQ5A is another good gaming monitor option available in Nepal for NPR 39,999. Like other monitors in this segment, it also has the same display options. But the difference you can notice is its 210Hz refresh rate. At this refresh rate, you can expect smooth and fluid performance for fast-paced AAA gaming. 

Not only that, but it also provides 130% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3, making it a good option for users performing color-accurate tasks. Further, this monitor offers an average 1ms GTG response time, with a maximum of 0.3ms. Further, it is paired with AMD FreeSync Premium and Adaptive Sync. 

Best monitors for video editing and graphic design in Nepal

Best budget monitor for editing

Since budget options always come with limited features, you need to look for the best available monitor. Most budget monitors offer up to 100Hz refresh rates, which should be enough for editing. The response rate will also be in the range of 5 to 10ms, which is decent for casual gaming. 

We often see that IPS panels in the budget category offer a decent level of sRGB color coverage, which is required for tasks like editing. Among all the monitors here are some fits this criteria, such as Dahua DHI-LM22-B201SW, Aiwa MD2404-F, and Dahua DHI-LM24-B201E, which might be good options for this category.  

Best 27-inch QHD editing monitor

Likewise, the best QHD editing monitor available in Nepal is the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMGZ. It offers better color coverage and a 144Hz refresh rate, which should be enough for the editing task. It costs around NPR 164,999 in Nepal and comes with a 27-inch WOLED screen, a higher 240Hz refresh rate, and better color accuracy.  

Best 4K monitor for creators

Moving on to the best 4K monitor that is available in Nepal is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 G75NB. It costs NPR 260,799 and has a 32-inch UHD display. It also offers a higher 165Hz refresh rate with 95% NTSC and DCI-P3 color coverage. The only drawback of this large monitor is its VA panel, which can sometimes struggle to deliver consistent visual output. 

Best monitor for Mac users / Studio Display alternative

As Apple gadgets are super premium products and cost a lot, it's really hard for some users to build a complete Mac setup. At that point, they look for an alternative. Among the many monitors on the market, the Asus ProArt PA278QV can be an alternative for users seeking an alternative to the Studio display. It is a 27-inch monitor with a QHD display, mainly built for creators. 

It comes with an IPS panel with blue light protection, offering balanced eye comfort on extended use. Along with this, it has a 120 HZ display that should be enough for video editing and other creative work. Further, this monitor also has 100% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3 color coverage, which are decent levels for color-accurate tasks. 

Best Apple Studio Display option in Nepal

Right now, only the Apple Studio Display 2022 is available in Nepal for NPR 314,999. It has a 27-inch IPS panel with 5K resolution, which is pretty good for video editing. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and 600-nit brightness, which is sufficient for video editing tasks. 

It also has various color modes, such as sRGB, P3, BT.601, and BT.709, which are quite good for maintaining the precise color throughout the editing process. Though this is the top high-end monitor available in Nepal right now, the other two premium monitors from Apple are also set to be released very soon. 

Best gaming monitors in Nepal

Best budget gaming monitor

Huntkey RRB2413V is the best option available in this budget monitor category. It has a 24-inch FHD IPS panel for a decent visual experience. It also offers a 100Hz refresh rate, which is decent for casual gaming. The gamers looking for a decent entry-level monitor can go with this. 

Best 144Hz monitor

The best 144Hz monitor available in Nepal right now is the Samsung Odyssey G9 G91SD, that cost around 389,999 in Nepal. It has a 49-inch curved OLED display with DQHD resolution. The response time in this monitor is also 0.03 ms GTG, which is very good for gaming, and is further paired with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. 

The 1800R curvature of this monitor should give you an immersive visual experience. Likewise, gamers looking for a premium monitor with a better refresh rate might like this monitor for their gaming setup. 

Best 180Hz / 240Hz monitor

The MSI MPG 491CQPX is a suitable option for those esports players looking for a large screen with a better refresh rate. Here, you get a 49-inch QD-OLED VA panel with a 240Hz refresh rate that is a very good option for gaming. This refresh rate should be fluid enough during AAA games. It also has good sRGB and DCI-P3/AdobeRGB color coverage, delivering better visuals on screen. The response time in this monitor is also 0.03ms, which is very good for high-end gaming. 

Best 27-inch gaming monitor

The best 27-inch monitor available in Nepal right now is the Samsung Odyssey G6 G60SF. It has a 27-inch display with a QHD display. Here, you get a high 500Hz refresh rate, which is pretty good for high-end gaming. Further, this monitor is paired with NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, offering a 0.03ms response time that should deliver very smooth, fluid gaming. 

Best premium OLED gaming monitor

The best gaming monitor with an OLED panel available in Nepal is the Acer Predator X27U. It's a good option for users looking for an OLED screen for a good visual experience during gaming. Here, you get a 240Hz refresh rate that every AAA game requires for smooth gameplay.

Monitor in Nepal: Conclusion

The monitor market in Nepal is growing, creating a large market. As a result, these days, monitor options in Nepal are available in a wide range, from budget to premium models. Though the market is large and demand is growing, there are very few genuine distributors who provide authentic products. We all know monitors in Nepal also have a large grey market. So, before purchasing any monitors, buyers should first analyze the purpose behind that purchase and make a decision.

Office users can opt for a budget monitor with simple specs, while gamers should focus on factors like refresh rate, response time, and panel quality before making a decision. Also, the creator market is rapidly growing in Nepal. For beginners, look for a monitor that delivers good color coverage and resolution within your budget, but for professionals, go for a premium product, as it offers more accurate performance. 

For a monitor that falls within the budget and midrange segment, you can go for a gray-market product too if the brands do not offer a value-for-money product. But if you are looking for a premium monitor, we suggest going for a branded monitor, as it offers better warranty and after-sales service.

Frequently Asked Questions