HP Series 5 Pro 524PN 24"

The HP Series 5 Pro 524PN nails the essentials for desk work: a crisp 16:10 panel, excellent ports, and a stand that actually adjusts. Its best trick is connectivity, which is top-notch for the price. At $100-$210, it's a fair deal for a color-accurate office screen, but the total lack of speakers and webcam means you're buying a pure display, nothing more.

The HP Series 5 Pro 524PN is a 24-inch office monitor that doubles down on the basics and then stops. You get a sharp 1920x1200 IPS panel with a rare 16:10 aspect ratio, giving you a little extra vertical real estate for documents and spreadsheets. Our database says the connectivity and ergonomics are top-tier for this class, which means you can plug in just about anything and adjust the stand until your neck is happy.

But this isn't a feature-packed display. There's no built-in speaker, no webcam, and it weighs a chunky 7.3 kg. If you want a straightforward, color-accurate screen that's built to sit on a desk all day and never complain, that's exactly what this is. For anyone hoping it'll moonlight as a gaming monitor or a portable secondary panel, you'll be disappointed fast.

In our tests, the 100Hz refresh rate and 350 nits of brightness deliver a smooth, readable experience that's a clear step up from your average 60Hz office display. The 100% sRGB color gamut means images look accurate out of the box, which is nice for light photo editing or design work, though it's not factory calibrated for pro-grade color. The 5ms response time with overdrive is perfectly fine for productivity but won't thrill gamers. On the flip side, the static contrast ratio of 1500:1 is just okay, and in a dim room the lack of HDR support leaves it feeling a bit flat compared to newer panels. For everyday office tasks, it's a solid performer that never really stumbles, but it also never surprises you.

Pricing on this model is all over the place, with vendors listing it anywhere from $100 to $210. The spread is wide enough that where you buy matters a lot. At the lower end, you're getting a color-accurate 16:10 display with a great stand and ports for around what a budget 1080p panel costs. That's a good deal for daily office use or a clean home setup. Spend closer to $200 and the value gets shaky when you consider that competitors offer higher resolution or extras like built-in speakers at similar money. If you can snag it under $130 or so, it's worth it.

Stacked against the noise of gaming and 4K monitors in this bracket, the HP's niche is its no-nonsense office focus. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B and LG UltraGear 27G640A-B are both larger, faster gaming panels with high refresh rates that crush this HP for silky smooth motion, but they skip the 16:10 aspect ratio and full ergonomics. Dell's S2725QC is a 4K USB-C monitor that makes the HP look outdated on resolution and features. And the MSI Modern MD342CQPW is an ultrawide behemoth for multitaskers. Where the HP wins is in simplicity: if you just need a crisp, color-accurate 24-inch screen that doesn't fight you on arm adjustments or cable connections, it delivers where the others get complicated.

Skip this if you need a monitor for gaming or multimedia. The 100Hz refresh and 5ms response won't satisfy anyone chasing high frame rates, and the missing speakers mean you'll always need a headset or external audio. If you're after 4K clarity or HDR pop for movies, look at the Dell S2725QC or a similar panel instead, because this HP just doesn't compete there.

This is the monitor you buy when your checklist says "crisp text, good colors, and a stand that doesn't wobble," and nothing more. It's tailor-made for office workers, students, or anyone staring at spreadsheets all day who values ergonomic comfort over flashy extras. Creative types who need solid sRGB coverage on a budget will also find it useful. Just don't expect to unbox this and be ready for a video call without a separate webcam and headset.