Pretty much any 1440p IPS will get the job done, especially if you know how to adjust the font-size in the OS larger. You're mostly looking at static content when programming, so an IPS with its 'blacker blacks' and 'truer colours' will generally be better.

You can often grab new 27-28" IPS from china/korea for around $200... and if you watch for specials you can get brand names for comparable prices.

Though when it comes to 'good for eyes' a lot of that is more ergonomics than the display itself. Too many people sit too close. I'm often horrified the way I see people hunched over tiny displays with miniscule text, their faces planted inches from the screen. GET a bigger display, sit back with your face 3 feet or more away from the screen, bump the bloody font sizes instead of sitting closer. Your eyes will thank you.

NOTE, if your programming and development work involves the front-end, where things like colours matter, add a cheap display alongside the fancy IPS. That way you have some clue what normal people are going to see. There's nothing like making a site that's all wonderful shades of tan on your IPS only to find out on a dual scan LCD everything is striped purple and green.

Though if working with CSS sticking to a 12 bit (3 hex digit) colourspace for anything other than greyscale can avoid that particular headache

As I've told many people many times, the ergonomics of your workspace -- a good monitor, a comfortable seating position, a chair that breathes (love mesh backed chairs), a reasonable viewing distance, a quality mechanical keyboard, a thumb trackball instead of a mouse -- are typically far more important for a programmer than the power of the computer itself.

Don't cheap out on those things, it's where you're probably going to spend 7 to 10 hours a day! The quality and durability of these products is important as well, since they all typically will end up carrying you through two to four different computers.

First and foremost, what kind of panel are you looking for?

If you are not gaming on the monitor, then you can go for IPS and VA panels (as they have lower refresh rates). Both these panels have pretty good contrast ratios and color reproduction.

If you are planning to upgrade your setup for multiple monitors in the future, then make sure the monitors support VESA mounting. You can then get a single stand for the multiple monitors. Depending on your preference, you might want a monitor which can be used vertically as well.

BenQ and Acer are amongst best value for money monitors. Dell is a bit more expensive but gives you a premium feel.

I too am researching monitors for programming and here is my shortlist till now:

• Acer EB321HQU
• LG 24MP88HV
• Dell U2415

I use a similar monitor to this one: pcpartpicker.com/product/LrcMnQ/lg-34uc79g-b-340-…

It is a 21:9 widescreen 2560*1080 monitor with a 144hz refresh rate. This means I can have 3 windows open side by side without any of them being "squashed" (great for coding if you hate horizontal scrolling). The 144hz refresh rate means more frames per second - animations seem more detailed and the brain is able to recognize more information in a burst of frames than a typical 60hz monitor.

I mostly concur with most of the other people here that you should go with a large IPS-based screen with at least 1440px height resolution. I love 21:9-screens for programming, especially if you either develop for web, or use the web for help. I'm currently looking at a 35" 21:9 AMVA-panel monitor for home use because I want to use it for both gaming and development.

I have been using LG 22MP68VQ for quite sometime and I must say I am pretty much satisfied with it. It has that infinity edge kind of display with very thin bezels so it has a modern feel to it when you see your code on it. Sharp and crisp images are its specialty and 22'' is more than you can ask for.