Best Smart Monitor 2026: Samsung M-Series vs. LG MyView Ranked

Quick Answer: The best smart monitor in 2026 is the Samsung Smart Monitor M8 (M80F) — a 32-inch 4K display running Samsung’s Tizen OS, with built-in Netflix, YouTube, and wireless keyboard/mouse pairing, for $699.99, no PC required. Want OLED and 165Hz for gaming too, step up to the Smart Monitor M9. On a budget, the Smart Monitor M7 delivers the same formula for $399.99, and LG’s webOS-based MyView 32SR85U ($599.99) is the only real alternative to Samsung’s Tizen lineup, though it tops out at 4K IPS with no OLED option.

A smart monitor is a genuinely different product from a monitor with a few extra ports: it runs an actual smart-TV operating system — Tizen on Samsung’s models, webOS on LG’s — the same software each company ships inside its televisions. That means streaming apps, screen mirroring, and Bluetooth keyboard/mouse pairing all work with zero PC connected. Here’s how the two real smart-monitor lineups compare, and what the “smart” label is actually worth in dollars.

Smart monitors by the numbers

• $699.99 for the current Samsung M8. Per TFTCentral’s launch coverage, the updated Smart Monitor M8 (M80F) launched at $699.99 — up from the prior-generation M80D’s $549.99 list price (reused from our best monitor with speakers coverage), a real price increase for the same no-PC Tizen formula, not just inflation noise.
• Roughly double a same-size “dumb” smart TV. Samsung’s 43-inch Smart Monitor M7 lists at $499.99, while budget 43-inch 4K smart TVs from TCL and LG commonly sell for $198-240 (per current retail listings). The extra money buys a finer pixel pitch built for desk-distance viewing and the absence of a TV tuner — not better streaming apps, since both run essentially the same Netflix/YouTube experience.
• LG’s MyView has no OLED tier. LG’s current MyView lineup (32SR85U, 32SR53FS, 27SR50F) is IPS only, topping out at 4K/60Hz. Samsung’s Smart Monitor M9 is the only smart monitor from either brand with a QD-OLED panel and a 165Hz refresh rate for gaming.

Best smart monitors at a glance

1. Samsung Smart Monitor M8 (M80F) — Best Overall

The M8 is the sweet spot of Samsung’s smart-monitor range: sharp enough 4K for desk work, fast enough streaming apps for a dorm or studio-apartment TV replacement, and $900 cheaper than stepping up to OLED. Its 60Hz refresh rate is the one real trade-off — it’s not built for gaming — but for anyone who wants one screen to handle email, Netflix, and video calls, nothing else in this guide beats the balance. See our best monitor for working from home guide for more all-in-one desk setups. The M8 can also mirror a Windows or Mac PC entirely over Wi-Fi with no HDMI or USB-C cable — if that no-cable connection is specifically what brought you here, our best wireless monitor guide compares it against battery-powered portables and wireless HDMI kits that solve a different cable problem.

2. Samsung Smart Monitor M9 (M90SF) — Best for Gaming/Picture Quality

The M9 is what happens when Samsung stops treating “smart” and “gaming” as separate product lines: a QD-OLED panel good enough to rank among our best OLED monitor picks, with the full Tizen smart-TV stack layered on top. It costs more than a dedicated Odyssey OLED gaming monitor for less raw speed, so it’s not the pick for competitive players chasing every frame — but as a single screen that’s genuinely great at both gaming and lounging in front of Netflix, nothing else here comes close.

3. Samsung Smart Monitor M7 (M70F) — Best Budget

The M7 strips out the M8’s Vision AI tuning and brightness headroom but keeps the part that actually matters for most buyers — the same Tizen streaming experience — for $300 less. It’s the rational pick for a bedroom, dorm, or secondary desk where 4K sharpness matters more than peak brightness. Before buying the 43-inch size specifically for the bigger screen, compare it against a plain budget smart TV in our best monitor under $500 guide — at that size, a TV’s tuner-equipped, cheaper alternative is worth a look.

4. LG MyView 32SR85U-W — Best Non-Samsung

LG’s MyView proves Samsung isn’t the only company making real smart monitors — webOS carries the full streaming-app catalog from LG’s TVs, and the detachable webcam is a feature none of Samsung’s Smart Monitor line includes. What LG doesn’t offer is an OLED or high-refresh option anywhere in the MyView range, so anyone who wants gaming performance alongside the smart features has to go Samsung. See LG vs Samsung monitor for the full brand-wide comparison.

5. LG MyView 27SR50F-W — Best Cheap/Small

At $199.99, the 27SR50F is the cheapest way into either brand’s smart-monitor ecosystem — a fraction of the Samsung M7’s price for a smaller, FHD-only screen. It’s the right call for a dorm desk or a second room where resolution matters less than having Netflix and a browser with zero PC involved. For sharper text at the same size, weigh it against the standard panels in our best 1080p monitor guide.

How to choose a smart monitor

• Decide if you actually need the “smart” part. A $30-50 streaming stick plugged into any regular monitor with a powered HDMI port delivers the same Netflix-and-YouTube functionality for far less than a smart monitor’s premium — the smart monitor’s real value is a single self-contained device, not cheaper streaming.
• Samsung for OLED and gaming, LG for the webcam. Samsung’s Smart Monitor M9 is the only QD-OLED, high-refresh option in this category; LG’s MyView 32SR85U is the only one with a built-in detachable webcam. Neither brand’s lineup covers both.
• Check the size math against a plain TV first. At 43 inches, Samsung’s own Smart Monitor M7 costs roughly double what a same-size budget smart TV sells for — reasonable if a monitor’s finer pixel pitch matters at your viewing distance, wasted money if the screen will sit across a room like a TV.
• A smart monitor isn’t a PC replacement. Both Tizen and webOS run a browser and light office apps well, but pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse immediately — typing with the remote is slow, and neither platform installs full desktop software.

The bottom line

The Samsung Smart Monitor M8 is the best smart monitor of 2026 — a 32-inch 4K Tizen display that handles work and streaming for $699.99 with no PC required. Step up to the Smart Monitor M9 for OLED gaming on top of the same smart features, or down to the Smart Monitor M7 to save $300. If Samsung’s Tizen ecosystem isn’t the goal, LG’s MyView 32SR85U is the only real webOS alternative, with the 27SR50F as the cheap entry point. For the rest of each brand’s lineup, see our best Samsung monitor and best LG monitor rankings, or the full LG vs Samsung monitor comparison if a smart monitor isn’t the only thing on the table.