The Best 360Hz Monitors (2024 Reviews)

When it comes to competitive gaming, the higher the refresh rate of a monitor the better, as you get lower input latency and smoother motion clarity.

In this guide, we’ve picked the top three 360Hz monitors for competitive gaming to narrow down your search!

Let’s get started.

There are many things competitive players should take into account besides the refresh rate.

These include a fast enough pixel response time speed to keep up with such a high refresh rate, variable refresh rate support for tear-free gameplay, backlight strobing for reduced perceived motion blur, and more!

Check out our review summaries below to see what makes these three monitors different from each other and to ensure you’re getting the model that’s most suited for your style of gaming!

About The Monitor

The Acer Nitro XV252QF is one of the cheapest 360Hz gaming monitors yet it offers better performance and features than some of the more expensive models!

Image Quality

The XV252QF is based on a 24.5″ IPS panel with 178° wide viewing angles, a 400-nit peak brightness, a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1, and a fast 1ms GtG pixel response time speed.

So, you won’t get quite as deep blacks as that of VA panel displays with a ~3,000:1 contrast ratio, but there are no VA monitors that go to 360Hz anyway.

Further, thanks to the strong 400-nit peak brightness, the screen can mitigate glare even in well-lit rooms.

The monitor even has a bit wider color gamut than the standard sRGB color space with a ~115% sRGB gamut volume, providing you with some extra saturation, which can be useful in competitive games by helping you distinguish enemies in certain environments.

Features

Two main reasons we recommend the Acer XV252QF are that it’s overclockable to 390Hz and that it supports backlight strobing all the way up to its maximum refresh rate.

There are 24.5″ 1080p 360Hz IPS models with G-SYNC modules, but these are not overclockable and if you want to use backlight strobing, they’re limited to 240Hz.

Having a dedicated G-SYNC module has its advantages, but they’re not crucial for competitive gaming since most players use either backlight strobing or uncapped frame rates.

Even if you wish to use a variable refresh rate, both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible implementations work without issues up to 390FPS on the XV252QF.

It also offers standard gaming features, such as crosshair overlays, Black Boost (improves visibility in dark scenes), a refresh rate tracker and various picture presets.

Check out our full Acer XV252QF review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is fairly sturdy and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/25° tilt, +/- 180° swivel, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports (max 240Hz), a headphone jack and dual 2W built-in speakers.

Alternatives

• Acer Aopen 25XV2Q – the same monitor, just different branding; pick whichever is cheaper
• MSI NXG253R, ASUS PG259QN/R, Dell AW2521H – 24.5″ 1080p 360Hz G-SYNC models. As we’ve mentioned, these aren’t overclockable and can only use MBR up to 240Hz yet they’re usually more expensive than the XV252QF. However, if you find them on a big sale and don’t care about MBR, they’re worth considering.
• Dell Alienware AW2523HF – A cheaper 24.5″ 1080p 360Hz IPS model without a G-SYNC model or MBR

About The Monitor

If you want absolute CRT-like motion clarity, the BenQ Zowie XL2566K is for you.

Image Quality

Unlike the XV252QF, the BenQ XL2566K uses a TN panel, so it doesn’t have as wide viewing angles or quite as vibrant colors. The contrast ratio and brightness are similar to that of the 360Hz IPS panels at 1,000:1 and 320-nits, respectively.

However, it offers a faster pixel response time speed for even less ghosting and it has the exceptional DyAc+ backlight strobing implementation for zero motion blur.

So, if you want the smoothest motion possible and you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of image quality for it, go with the BenQ XL2566K.

Features

The monitor supports variable refresh rate up to 360FPS for tear-free gameplay and offers a few additional exclusive features, such as XL Setting To Share (easy import/export of monitor settings among users) and the S. Switch hotkey puck device for quick and remote OSD (On-Screen Display) adjustments.

Other features include Black eQualizer (improves visibility in dark scenes) and Color Vibrance (increases color saturation).

Design & Connectivity

The BenQ Zowie XL2566K is designed for professional gamers and as such offers full ergonomic support (155mm height adjustment, -5°/23° tilt, +/- 45° swivel, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility), a sturdy stand that doesn’t take up a lot of desk space, a shading hood and a carrying handle.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports (max 240Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

There’s also a 24.5″ 1080p 500Hz G-SYNC IPS gaming monitor, the Dell AW2524H, but we don’t recommend it as it’s expensive and doesn’t have a very fast pixel response time speed.

Instead, you should consider the ASUS PG248QP with a 540Hz TN panel.

About The Monitor

In case you want a monitor that’s great for competitive gaming and graphically-oriented games, as well as content consumption and creation, consider the ASUS PG27AQN.

Image Quality

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQN is based on a 27″ 1440p 360Hz IPS panel. The higher screen resolution provides you with sharper details, which is obviously better for graphically-oriented games, photo/video editing and other use, but it’s also beneficial for competitive gaming.

Moreover, the ASUS PG27AQN has a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut for even more saturated colors that can help enemies stand out more in certain situations.

Now, most competitive players prefer ~24″ sized screens as you get to see more of the screen at once, that is, you don’t have to move your eyes or neck as much as you would on larger displays.

This is why the PG27AQN features the 25″ Mode that puts black borders around the screen and displays a 25″ 2368×1332 (or 1920×1080) image. The 1080p resolution will look blurry, but 2368×1332 is displayed natively, resulting in just as sharp image quality as 1440p!

Features

The monitor has a dedicated G-SYNC module, which provides tear-free gameplay up to 360FPS and NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer for testing input latency if you have a compatible mouse.

Other features include ULMB 2 backlight strobing (works all the way up to 360Hz), Dark Boost (improves visibility in dark scenes), crosshair overlays, on-screen timers, a refresh rate tracker and various picture presets.

The ASUS PG27AQN even supports HDR, but since it’s edge-lit, you only get semi-HDR support. It can still improve the image in some games/scenes, but it’s just a glimpse of what proper HDR can do. For proper HDR, a full-array local dimming solution or an OLED panel is required.

Check out our full PG27AQN review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is robust and offers height adjustment up to 100mm, +/- 25° swivel, -5°/20° tilt, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, three HDMI 2.0 ports (max 144Hz), a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

• Acer Predator XB273UF – based on the same panel with similar features

About The Monitor

The MSI MAG 271QPX uses an OLED panel, which makes it an excellent option for both competitive gaming and graphically oriented games!

Image Quality

OLED panels don’t rely on a backlight to create the image. Instead, each pixel produces its own light and can completely turn off for true blacks, resulting in an infinite contrast ratio without any backlight bleeding, haloing or other visual artifacts related to LED-backlit panels.

Moreover, they have instantaneous pixel response time speed, so there’s zero ghosting visible behind fast-moving objects regardless of your refresh/frame rate.

The MSI MAG 271QPX uses Samsung’s QD-OLED panel with an impressive 99.3% DCI-P3 color space coverage for rich and saturated colors. You’ll also find factory-calibrated sRGB, DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color presets.

OLED displays cannot get as bright as mini LED displays, so the HDR image won’t be as bright. However, you still get a decent brightness performance with up to 1000-nits for small details < 3% APL (Average Picture Level), 450-nits for 10% APL and 250-nits for 100% APL / SDR brightness.

Another downside is the risk of image-burn. When displaying an image with bright static elements for too long, those elements (health bars, mini-maps and similar HUD elements) can remain permanently visible as an afterimage.

However, if you play varied content and use the monitor sensibly, it shouldn’t be an issue. MSI even offers a 3-year warranty that covers burn-in, as well as some advanced burn-in prevention features (integrated heatsink, Screen Saver, Pixel Shift, Logo Luminance Adjustment, etc.).

Check out our full MSI MAG 271QPX review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 110mm height adjustment, +/- 90° pivot, +/- 30° swivel, -5°/20° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1 ports, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 15W Power Delivery and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

There are a few more monitors based on the same 27″ 1440p 360Hz QD-OLED panel with a few differences. Pricing varies across different regions, so pick the model that’s most suited for you.

	Dell AW2725DF	MSI MPG 271QRX	MSI MAG 271QPX	Samsung G60SD	Gigabyte FO27Q3
Screen	Glossy	Glossy	Glossy	Matte	Glossy
Video Ports	2x DP 1.4, HDMI 2.0*	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 90W	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 15W	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1 USB-C 18W
Other Ports	3x USB-A, USB-C	2x USB-A, USB-B, HP	HP	2x USB-A, USB-B, HP	2x USB-A, USB-B, HP, Mic, 2x5W
KVM	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Cooling	Active (Fan)	Passive (Heatsink)	Passive (Heatsink)	Passive (Pulsating Heat Pipes)	Passive (Heatsink)
Burn-in warranty	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years
Price (MSRP)	$900	$800	$750	$900	$800

Note that there are also 1440p 240Hz QD-OLED models at a bit lower price if you don’t need such a high refresh rate, such as the MSI MAG 271QPX E2.

Alternatively, consider the LG 27GS95QE or the ASUS XG27AQDMG.

These are 27″ 1440p 240Hz gaming monitors based on LG’s W-OLED panel with MLA+ technology for higher brightness.

LG’s model has a matte anti-glare coating, whereas the ASUS XG27AQDMG has a glossy screen surface with a polarizer – it offers a vivid image quality and while it’s reflective, it doesn’t raise blacks like the glossy QD-OLED displays.

They are also a bit more affordable ($650 – $750), but have an RWBG subpixel layout, which results in noticeable fringing on small text and fine details.

We don’t recommend other 27″ 1440p 240Hz W-OLED models as they lack the MLA+ technology, resulting in notably lower brightness.

In 2024, we’re also expecting 27″ 1440p 480Hz W-OLED displays.

Conclusion

That’s it! As you can see, choosing the best 360Hz monitor isn’t that difficult – it all comes down to your budget, PC rig and personal preference.

The Acer XV252QF (or the Aopen version if you can find it at Micro Center) offers excellent value for the money if you’re on a tight budget or simply don’t need anything better.

The BenQ XL2566K might be expensive, especially after considering that it uses a TN panel, but if you want the smoothest motion clarity in this price range, there’s no competition.

Finally, if you want a single display that’s as good for competitive gaming as it is for other uses, the ASUS PG27AQN and the MSI MAG 271QPX are for you.