The Best Gaming Monitors Under 100 USD (2024 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 SH242Y Ebmihx 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 SH242Y E 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 Acer SH242Y Ebmihx doesn’t have a DisplayPort input.

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 SH242YE boasts a slim design with ultra-thin bezels making it an ideal choice for multi-monitor setups as well.

It also has good ergonomic support with up to 80mm height adjustment, +/- 360° swivel, -5°/15° tilt and 75x75mm VESA mount compatibility (only two holes).

Connectivity includes one HDMI 1.4 input and one VGA port; for FreeSync, you will need to use the HDMI port. There’s also a headphone jack and two basic 1W integrated speakers.

Note that there are two Acer models with very similar names: Acer SH242Y Ebmihx and Acer SH242Y Ebmihux, the latter offers a USB-C port with DP Alt Mode and 65W Power Delivery for ~$45 more.

About The Monitor

The Acer KC242Y Hbi is similar to the Acer SH242Y Ebmihx model, except that it has a VA panel instead of 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, 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 Acer SH242Y Ebmihx, 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

The Sceptre E248W-FW100T offers a similar image quality as the Acer KC242Y Hbi, but it has a DisplayPort input, which allows you to use variable refresh rate with NVIDIA graphics cards (10-series or newer) for tear-free gameplay.

Deign & Connectivity

The Sceptre E248W-FW100T has a slim design with -5°/15° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, a headphone jack and two 2W integrated speakers.

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 external speakers if you’re using VGA.

Alternatives

In case the Sceptre C248W-1920RNT is not available, check out the Sceptre C248W-1920RN variant with a different design featuring a more subtle 1800R screen curvature.

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. Another good option is the MSI G2422C.

About The Monitor

Nowadays, it’s also possible to get a 144Hz+ gaming monitor on sale. The KTC H24T09P is often available for $99.

Image Quality

Even though it’s one of the cheapest 24″ 1080p high refresh rate gaming monitors, the KTC H24T09P actually offers impressive performance and image quality.

To start with, it has a wide 92% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for more vibrant colors, as well as a decent 300-nit peak brightness.

Next, it has a rapid pixel response time speed, resulting in no ghosting behind fast-moving objects. On top of that, it has impressive overdrive implementation, meaning that you won’t have to change overdrive settings when using VRR for optimal performance.

VRR is supported via AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible for tear-free gameplay up to 165FPS. You also more useful gaming features, including crosshair overlays, a refresh rate tracker, on-screen timers and Black Equalize.

Check out our in-depth KTC H24T09P review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is a bit flimsy and tilt-only, but the screen is VESA mount compatible, so we highly recommend investing in a third-party stand. A basic ~$20 desk-clamping stand will provide you with more ergonomics than any stand, declutter your desk and you can use it in the future for other monitors.

Connectivity options include two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, two HDMI 2.0 ports and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

In case the KTC H24T09P is not on sale, the Sansui ES-G24F4 also sometimes gets discounted to $99.

We also have the best gaming monitors under $150 buyer’s guide with a list of all 24″ 1080p 144Hz+ IPS gaming displays.

Conclusion

What’s the bottom line?

Overall, we find that most users will be most satisfied with the KTC H24T09P thanks to its IPS panel with a wide viewing angles, wide color gamut, fast response time and 165Hz refresh rate.

Don’t need a high refresh rate and wide color gamut? The Acer SH242Y Ebmihx is also a decent option with a fully ergonomic stand, sRGB color space coverage and 100Hz.

If you’d rather have deep blacks than wide viewing angles of IPS, consider the Acer KC242Y Hbi and the Sceptre E248W-FW100T 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, the MSI G2422C or a similar model.

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