Best External Monitors for Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 in 2020

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is one of the best convertible Ultrabooks around, but even so, it has a small display. It's easy to transform the small 13-inch laptop into a desktop PC with an external monitor, providing more space to work and play. There are some great choices out there to make your XPS 13 2-in-1 experience even better, and we rounded up a few recommendations.

Stunning 4K

LG 27UL550-W

Staff favorite

This stunning-looking LG 27-inch 4K display has near-perfect color reproduction, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a 5ms response time, so everything looks nice and crispy. It also supports HDR10 content so whether you're viewing or creating, your colors will look sensational. The added bonus is being able to use it on its included stand either horizontally or vertically.

$378 at Amazon

No bezels

Dell UltraSharp U2719D

Dell's stunning 27-inch monitor has an almost entirely bezel-free design and a 27-inch display. It has inputs for HDMI and DisplayPort, an IPS panel with excellent color reproduction, a VESA mount, and a resolution of 2560x1440, so everything you do will look nice and sharp.

$350 at Dell $399 at Amazon

Budget choice

Dell E2216HV

The Dell E2216HV offers a 5ms response time, 1080p resolution, and 85% color gamut support. It only supports VGA input, so you will need an adapter. However, for that price, it's an excellent monitor. Since it's only 21.5-inches as well, it's a perfect choice for those tight on space while still giving plenty of additional screen real estate to your laptop.

$105 at Dell $116 at Newegg $125 at Amazon

Work wide

LG 34WK650

This 34-inch Ultrawide monitor gives you acres of display real estate to get your work done and benefits from a Full HD resolution all the way across. It has a bunch of connectivity options, including HDMI and DisplayPort, and it even supports HDR10 and a 99% sRGB color gamut, which is fantastic to see on an affordable ultrawide monitor such as this.

$397 at Amazon

Big screen

BenQ EW3280U

Another monitor that hooks up over USB-C, this 32-inch goliath features a 4K panel with HDR support. Not only that, but it supports 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, along with low blue light and anti-flicker modes, as well as boasting powerful sound from its built-in speakers. The additional e-paper mode designed for reading protects your eyes by turning your monitor into a giant e-reader.

$800 at Amazon $800 at Newegg

Portable screen

ASUS ZenScreen

An extra screen at home is great, but an extra screen you can take with your laptop on the road is even better. This is a 15.6-inch USB-C portable touchscreen monitor with a Full HD resolution IPS display and support for digital inking. It also works both landscape and portrait, making it plenty versatile.

$240 at Amazon

Choosing the right monitor for your XPS 13

With a great laptop, you should get a great monitor, and with options like the LG 27UL550-W on the table, you'll have a stellar desktop PC experience from your laptop.

Our top LG 27UD68-W pick comes with a USB-C input, allowing you to use a single cable without any pesky dongles to connect the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1. It's 4K, also has AMD FreeSync support, a refresh rate of 60Hz, and has a slim design to complement Dell's gorgeous notebook.

The Dell UltraSharp U2719D is another great choice, especially if you're looking to spend a bit less, with a 1440p display and super-skinny bezels, this is a joy to look at all day, every day. And if you need something a little more portable, you can't go wrong packing the ASUS ZenScreen in your bag with your XPS 13 2-in-1.

Don't forget your cables

The XPS 13 2-in-1 doesn't have regular HDMI or DisplayPort outputs, instead relying on USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. So you'll need the right sort of cable to hook up the laptop to any of these external displays.

USB-C to HDMI cable

$28 at Amazon

With no HDMI on the XPS 13, you're instead left relying on the Thunderbolt 3 port, and this cable will make the magic happen.

Thunderbolt 3 certified USB-C cable

$20 at Amazon

To connect to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 monitor, get one of these Thunderbolt 3-certified cables.

USB-C to VGA adapter

$12 at Amazon

If you're using a monitor without USB-C, you can still convert to the older VGA standard with this affordable adapter.