The Best Gaming Monitors Under 100 USD (2023 Reviews)

Spent all your money on upgrading your computer rig and all that is left for your new monitor is $100?

Don’t worry — nowadays, you can get an exquisite monitor under $100.

Check out the top four best gaming monitors under 100 USD available right now as well as everything you need to know about them.

The following displays are the best gaming monitors for 100 dollars or less currently available.

Take note of our guidelines and tips because each monitor is a little bit different and only one is the perfect fit for you.

We will help you make sure that the monitor you pick has the right panel type, response time speed and other features for you.

If you want to view our changelogs for this particular buying guide, you can do so at the end of this article.

About The Monitor

The Acer SB220Q is the most popular and one of the best monitors for gaming under 100 USD.

It features a 21.5-inch 1080p IPS display for a vibrant and crisp image quality while the quick 4ms response time, 75Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync guarantee smooth performance.

Image Quality

Most monitors under 100 USD have 22″ screens, or to be more precise 21.5″ viewable displays, and those with larger screens usually compensate for it by excluding certain features or by having weaker specifications.

Now, the Acer SB220Q’s IPS panel features rich and consistent colors as well as wide 178-degree viewing angles, which ensure that the picture won’t shift in color when you’re looking at it from different angles.

Furthermore, the panel’s 4ms response time speed efficiently eliminates ghosting and motion blur in fast-paced games.

As if that’s not enough, the Full HD resolution displayed on a 21.5″ screen results in a rich pixel density of 102 pixels per inch (PPI), meaning that you’ll get plenty of screen space while text and details are sharp and crystal-clear.

In contrast, 1080p resolution on 27″ monitors have a pixel density of only 81 PPI, which results in more pixelated image quality and smudgy details.

Features

So, if you have a FreeSync-compatible AMD graphics card or an Xbox One console, you will be able to use the full potential of the monitor. AMD FreeSync synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the GPU’s frame rate and allows the monitor’s refresh rate to change dynamically.

As a result, all screen tearing and stuttering are gone for good as long as your FPS (Frames Per Second) stays within the dynamic refresh rate range of 48-75Hz/FPS.

In case you have an NVIDIA card, you will still be able to use the monitor up to 75Hz, but not the dynamic refresh rate technology as the SB220Q doesn’t have a DisplayPort input (nor does any sub-$100 monitor).

The Acer SB220Q 75Hz gaming monitor offers additional gaming features, including ‘Aim Point,’ which allows you to place one of the three crosshairs on the screen for better precision in FPS games.

In addition, ‘Black Boost’ increases visibility in dark games, ‘OverDrive’ increases the response time speed, and finally, there are three pre-calibrated picture presets for different gaming genres including Action, Racing and Sports.

Design & Connectivity

The Acer SB220Q boasts a beautiful slim design with ultra-thin bezels making an ideal choice for multi-monitor setups as well. Connectivity includes one HDMI input and one VGA port; for FreeSync, you will need to use the HDMI port.

Alas, the monitor does not support VESA mount and it’s tilt-only, but at this price point, after considering its image quality, performance, and all the features it offers, it’s forgivable.

Alternatives

Acer released another model with identical specs, but a different stand — the Acer HA220Q. Its stand is also tilt-only and not VESA mount compatible, it just looks different. There are a few more 22″ 1080p IPS displays worth checking out:

• Philips 226E9QDSB – 75x75mm VESA mount compatibility, but often over $100
• AOC 22V2H – unique design, but might be discontinued

About The Monitor

The Aopen 22SA2Q is the cheapest monitor we can recommend! It features a VA panel, which has both its advantages and disadvantages in comparison to IPS.

Image Quality

Here’s the deal: thanks to its superior static contrast ratio of 3,000:1 as opposed to 1,000:1 of IPS monitors in this list, blacks will be notably deeper, thus providing you with more vivid details in shadows.

Now, the colors and viewing angles aren’t quite as good as they are on IPS panel displays, but they are still pretty good nonetheless — much better than that of any TN monitor.

The monitor also supports AMD FreeSync over HDMI with a 48-75Hz range. Alternatively, you can use the TVR (Turbo Visual Response), which uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur, but it reduces screen brightness and can’t be active at the same time as FreeSync.

Design & Connectivity

The Aopen 22SA2Q features a slim design, but the stand is tilt-only by -5°/15°.

Connectivity options include one VGA port and one HDMI 1.4 port.

Alternatives

You can sometimes find the Viotek GFV22CB with a 22″ 1080p VA panel and a 144Hz refresh rate for ~$100.

About The Monitor

The Aopen 24SA2Y is basically the 24″ version of the 22SA2Q.

Image Quality

While it offers the same image quality in terms of contrast ratio, brightness (250-nits) and color gamut (~99% sRGB) as the 22SA2Q, the 24″ version has a bit lower pixel density of 92 PPI (pixels per inch).

This means that text and details will be a bit sharper on the Aopen 22SA2Q, which has 102 PPI. However, the difference is not that big and most users will actually prefer the bigger 24″ screen over the small image clarity difference.

The Aopen 24SA2Y also supports FreeSync and TVR up to 75Hz.

Design & Connectivity

The design and connectivity options are also identical to the 22″ version, which includes a tilt-only stand, an HDMI 1.4 port and a VGA input.

Alternatives

If you want a 24″ 1080p monitor with an IPS panel, these are available for under $100 only when they’re on sale. So, you should check out models such as the Acer R240HY, the ASUS VA24DQ and the HP 24mh.

Conclusion

What’s the bottom line?

Overall, we find that most users will be most satisfied with the Aopen 24SA2Y thanks to its 24″ sized screen. However, if you prefer IPS technology and you cannot find any of the 24″ 1080p models on sale for under $100, the Acer SB220Q will do just fine.

For gamers, we highly recommend investing a bit more in a 144Hz gaming monitor, which can be found for under $150.

Still not sure which monitor to purchase? Leave us a question below and we’ll gladly help you out!