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 SB242Y EBI is the most cost-efficient and one of the best monitors for gaming under 100 USD.

It features a 23.8-inch 1080p IPS display for a vibrant and crisp image quality while the quick 4ms response time, 100Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync guarantee smooth performance.

Image Quality

A 24″ sized monitor is the biggest screen you can get under $100, which is perfectly fine considering that the Full HD 1920×1080 resolution looks great on this screen size with a pixel density of 92.56 PPI (pixels per inch).

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

Next, the Acer SB242Y EBI uses an IPS panel with 178° wide viewing angles, ensuring that the image remains the same regardless of the angle you’re looking at it.

There are no gamma/saturation shifts and the colors are consistent with ~95% sRGB color space coverage, making the monitor suitable for basic color-critical work.

As expected from an IPS panel display, there is some IPS glow, which is characterized as visible glowing around the corners of the screen that changes in intensity depending on the angle you’re looking at the screen.

IPS glow is manageable as it’s mostly visible when displaying dark content with high brightness settings in a dark room.

Another drawback of IPS technology is the mediocre contrast ratio of 1,000:1, which results in somewhat grayish blacks in comparison to VA panels with a contrast ratio of around 3,000:1.

VA monitors have other drawbacks, including a slower response time and narrower viewing angles.

Features

The 100Hz refresh rate provides you with a noticeable boost in motion clarity in comparison to 60Hz and 75Hz displays. In fact, the difference between 100Hz and 60Hz is more noticeable than the difference between 100Hz and 144Hz!

Besides getting a more responsive gaming experience, just moving your cursor around and scrolling web pages will feel a lot smoother too thanks to 100Hz.

If you have a FreeSync-compatible AMD graphics card, 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 up to 100FPS.

In case you have an NVIDIA card, you will still be able to use the monitor up to 100Hz, but not the dynamic refresh rate technology as the SB242Y doesn’t have a DisplayPort input (nor does any sub-$100 monitor).

The monitor also offers additional gaming features, including Black Boost (increases visibility in dark games), Motion Blur Reduction, various picture presets and a refresh rate tracker.

Design & Connectivity

The Acer SB242Y EBI boasts a slim design with ultra-thin bezels making it an ideal choice for multi-monitor setups as well. Connectivity includes one HDMI 1.4 input and one VGA port; for FreeSync, you will need to use the HDMI port.

Alas, the monitor is not VESA mount compatible and the stand is tilt-only.

Alternatives

If you want a 24″ 1080p IPS monitor with a VESA mount compatible design, you’ll have to spend a bit over $100 for the ASUS VA24DQ (or one of its alternatives mentioned in the review), but it has a lower 75Hz refresh rate. In that case, you should check out our best monitors under $150 guide.

About The Monitor

The Acer KC242Y Hbi is similar to the SB242Y EBI model, except that it has a VA panel instead of IPS, and a VESA mount compatible design.

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, blacks will be notably deeper, thus providing you with more vivid details in shadows. On top of that, there’s no IPS glow, making for a more immersive viewing experience in dark rooms.

Now, the viewing angles aren’t quite as good as they are on IPS panel displays as there are some minor gamma/saturation shifts, but they are still pretty good nonetheless — much better than that of any TN monitor.

The monitor also supports AMD FreeSync over HDMI up to 100Hz for tear-free gameplay and has the same features as the SB242Y, including MBR, Black Boost, picture presets, etc.

Another disadvantage of VA panels, at least in this price range, is the slower pixel response time speed, which results in more ghosting behind fast-moving objects, particularly in darker scenes, but most users will find it tolerable.

In the end, choosing between an IPS and a VA monitor comes down to personal preference.

Design & Connectivity

The Acer KC242Y Hbi features a slim design. The stand is tilt-only by -5°/15°, but you can mount the screen via the 75x75mm VESA pattern.

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

Alternatives

In case the KC242Y Hbi is not available, check out the Acer EK241Y Hbi (VESA mount compatible) and the Acer SB242Y Hbi (not VESA mount compatible) with the same specifications.

If you want a smaller monitor, consider the Acer SB222Q Hbi with a 21.5″ 1080p 100Hz VA panel (not VESA mount compatible) and the Philips 221V8LN with a 75Hz refresh rate and VESA mount compatible design.

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

About The Monitor

You can even get a curved monitor under $100, the Sceptre C248W-1920RNT!

Image Quality

The Sceptre C248W-1920RNT has a VA panel, so you get the same deep blacks as you would with the Acer KC242Y Hbi. Sadly, it has a lower 75Hz refresh rate, therefore, motion clarity won’t be as smooth.

It supports FreeSync over HDMI, but with a more limited 48-75Hz range, meaning that variable refresh rate won’t work below 48FPS.

Design & Connectivity

The screen has a steep 1500R curvature for added immersion, the stand is tilt-only, but you can mount the display via the 100x100mm VESA pattern.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 1.4 ports, VGA, a headphone jack and an audio line-in port for the speakers if you’re using VGA.

Alternatives

If you want a curved monitor, we highly recommend investing a bit more in the AOC C24G1A. It has an ergonomic stand, a wider color gamut and a high 165Hz refresh rate – it can be found on sale for as low as $120.

Conclusion

What’s the bottom line?

Overall, we find that most users will be most satisfied with the Acer KC242Y Hbi thanks to its 100Hz, VESA mount compatible design and high contrast ratio.

If you’d rather have wider viewing angles than deep blacks, get the Acer SB242Y EBI instead.

In case you want a curved monitor, the Sceptre C248W-1920RNT is a decent option for the price, but we highly recommend investing a bit more in the AOC C24G1A.

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!