The Best Gaming Monitors Under 150 USD (2024 Reviews)

Check out the best gaming monitors under $150 right now so you don't waste any money. If you look well enough, you can get some really good gaming monitors for 150 USD.

Want a new monitor for gaming and everyday use that’s cheap but also good and reliable? Afraid you won’t pick the best option due to the tons of research that has to be done that you simply can’t find the time to do?

We’ve done the research for you!

In this guide, you’ll find all the best displays available for under $150  — and we’ll help you pick the perfect one for you.

MonitorSizePanelResolutionRefresh RateVRR 
24”IPS1920x1080165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
24”IPS1920x1080165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
24”VA1920x1080165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Unstable)
best overall

BenQ EX240

BenQ MOBIUZ EX240
  • Wide color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Height-adjustable stand, USB hub, built-in speakers
budget pick

KTC H24T09P

KTC H24T09P Monitor
  • Wide color gamut
  • Quick response time

Most of these monitors are only available for under $150 when they’re on sale, however, they are actually on sale more often than not.

So, in case none of them are on sale, we recommend waiting for a price drop or considering one of the alternatives we’ve included in the review summaries below.

Further, feel free to leave us a comment if you need help picking the best monitor for you and we’ll gladly help you out!

You can view our changelogs for this buying guide at the end of this article.

NOTE

We have a list of all ~24″ 1080p high refresh rate IPS gaming monitors, allowing you to easily find the model that’s most suited to your personal preferences.

The Pros:

  • 80% DCI-P3 color gamut
  • Quick response time, low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR and MBR up to 165Hz
  • Height-adjustable stand, USB hub, built-in speakers

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)

About The Monitor

The BenQ EX240 is the most feature-packed budget gaming monitor you can get for around $150!

Image Quality

To start with, the BenQ EX240 has a tad wider color gamut than the standard with ~80% DCI-P3 color space coverage (~115% sRGB volume), providing you with a bit more saturated colors.

The IPS panel of the monitor offers 178° wide viewing angles meaning that the image will remain flawless regardless of the angle you’re looking at the screen.

However, as expected from an IPS display, the static contrast ratio amounts to 1,100:1, so you won’t get as deep blacks as that of VA panels, which usually have a contrast ratio closer to 3,000:1, but suffer from other drawbacks.

Another thing to keep in mind about IPS monitors is IPS glow, which is characterized as visible glowing around the corners of the screen at certain viewing angles. It’s mainly visible when playing dark content in a dark room with high brightness settings, so it’s manageable.

Next, the BenQ EX240 has a peak brightness of 350-nits, so it can get more than bright enough in well-lit rooms.

While you might be able to find a 27″ 1080p high refresh rate gaming monitor on sale for under $150, 24″ sized models actually have a few advantages.

Most importantly, you get a higher pixel density of 92 PPI (pixels per inch) as opposed to 81 PPI. As a result, you get more screen real estate and sharper details on 24″ 1080p displays.

Competitive FPS players also prefer smaller screens as they allow them to see all the action happening on the screen at once without having to move their eyes/neck as much as they would on 27″ or larger monitors.

Features

amd freesync logo

The BenQ EX240 supports variable refresh rate (VRR) with a 48-165Hz range.

This technology allows your monitor to change its refresh rate dynamically according to the GPU’s frame rates. For instance, at 65FPS, you get 65Hz and 65 whole frames are displayed without any tearing, stuttering or added perceptible input latency.

Below 48FPS, the monitor uses LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) to multiply the frame rate (47FPS -> 94Hz) in order to keep tearing at bay.

VRR on this monitor works over DisplayPort for NVIDIA GPUs (GTX 10-series or newer), over HDMI and DisplayPort for AMD GPUs, and over HDMI for Xbox consoles. HDMI is limited to 144Hz though.

The BenQ EX240 also supports MBR (Motion Blur Reduction), which uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur at the cost of picture brightness, but it cannot be active at the same time as VRR.

Other features include Black eQualizer (improves visibility in dark scenes by altering the gamma curvature), Color Vibrance (saturation adjustment) and various picture presets. It also has an integrated light sensor that can adjust screen brightness according to ambient lighting.

Check out our full BenQ EX240 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

BenQ Mobiuz EX240 Review

The BenQ EX240 has an excellent design considering its price. The stand is sturdy and offers height adjustment up to 100mm, -5°/15° tilt, +/- 15° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Just like all monitors included in the guide, the screen has a light matte anti-glare coating that prevents reflections without making the image too grainy.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, a dual USB 3.0 hub, two 2.5W integrated speakers and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

The Pros:

  • Wide color gamut
  • Rapid GtG response time
  • Low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR and MBR up to 165Hz

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Tilt-only and fragile stand

About The Monitor

The KTC H24T09P is a bit cheaper than the BenQ EX240 yet it has just as fast response times and an even wider color gamut, but it has no USB hub or speakers and has a rather fragile stand – though this can be solved by getting a basic third-party desk clamp stand.

Image Quality

Thanks to its wide ~86% DCI-P3 gamut coverage (~125% sRGB), the KTC H24T09P offers rich and saturated colors. It also has a rapid pixel response time speed for zero ghosting behind fast-moving objects.

Other specifications include a 300-nit peak brightness and a 1000:1 contrast ratio.

Variable refresh rate is supported with a 48-165Hz range and you get other standard gaming features, such as crosshair overlays, Black Equalize, on-screen timers and a refresh rate tracker.

Check out our detailed KTC H24T09P review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

KTC H24T09P Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor is tilt-only, but the screen is VESA mount compatible via the 100x100mm pattern.

It also isn’t very sturdy, so the monitor can easily be accidentally knocked over, which is why we highly recommend pairing it with a basic ~$30 monitor desk clamp, such as this one.

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

The Pros:

  • Wide color gamut
  • High contrast ratio
  • Plenty of features, including VRR and MBR up to 165Hz
  • Ergonomic design

The Cons:

  • Noticeable ghosting behind fast-moving objects, mainly in dark scenes
  • Prone to VRR brightness flickering

About The Monitor

If you want a curved gaming monitor, the AOC C24G1A is our top recommendation for under $150!

Image Quality

The VA panel of this monitor provides you with a high 3,000:1 static contrast ratio, resulting in noticeably deeper blacks than that of IPS technology.

Additionally, you don’t get any IPS glow, which further improves the viewing experience when watching dark content in a dark room.

The viewing angles aren’t as good since there are some minor gamma/saturation shifts, but unless you plan on doing professional color-critical work, this won’t be an issue.

Next, the AOC C24G1A has a wide ~90% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for more vibrant color output.

The peak brightness is a bit lower at 250-nits, but that’s still more than enough under normal lighting conditions. If you’re in a particularly bright room with no means to block the lighting, you should consider a brighter monitor instead.

Features

The main drawback of most VA gaming monitors is the slow pixel response time speed, which results in smearing behind fast-moving objects – it’s particularly noticeable in dark scenes.

Some users don’t mind this at all, some can tolerate it and some are completely repulsed by it. So, it all boils down to your own personal sensitivity to this type of visual artifact. For casual gamers, it most likely won’t be a big issue.

Another disadvantage of most VA gaming monitors is that they’re prone to VRR brightness flickering. The AOC C24G1A supports variable refresh rate with a 48-165Hz range, however, in games with fluctuating frame rates, brightness flickering can be observed.

Related:What Is FreeSync Brightness Flickering And Can You Fix It?

It also usually occurs in in-game menus and loading screens, and when your frame rate is around the LFC (48FPS) threshold. The intensity of this issue varies from unit to unit, as well as from game to game and from your PC rig depending on how stable your frame rate is.

This issue can also affect IPS gaming monitors, but it’s not as common and even if you get an affected unit, it’s not as noticeable.

If you are not sensitive to screen tearing (it’s a lot less noticeable at 165Hz in comparison to 60Hz), you can just disable VRR to avoid this issue. The AOC C24G1A also supports backlight strobing, so you can use that instead for better motion clarity if you don’t mind the introduced flicker and/or reduced brightness.

Other features include a refresh rate tracker, a crosshair overlay, Shadow Boost, Game Color and on-screen timers.

Design & Connectivity

aoc c24g1a monitor back

The stand is sturdy and offers height adjustment up to 130mm, -4°/22° tilt, +/- 30° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

The AOC C24G1A has a moderate 1500R screen curvature, but since it has a small 24″ display, it’s not that noticeable in real use. It adds a bit of extra depth without distorting the image too much, but there are other reasons to get this monitor.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, VGA and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

  • MSI G242C – same panel, tilt-only stand
  • LG 24GQ50F – flat screen, but it has a tilt-only stand, no wide color gamut and slower response time
  • Philips 242E1GSJ – flat screen, tilt-only stand, wide color gamut but even slower response time

Nowadays, you can also find 27″ and 32″ 1080p high refresh rate gaming monitors for under $150, but as we’ve already mentioned, we don’t recommend them due to low pixel density. If you don’t mind low PPI, check out the Acer ED270RM and the Aopen 32HC5QRS.

If none of the included monitors are available under $150, we’ve compiled a list of all 24″ 1080p 144Hz+ IPS gaming monitors, allowing you to quickly check if any of them are on sale. Monitors not in bold lead to our reviews for more information.

IPS MonitorMaximum
Refresh Rate
HDRBrightness
(cd/m²)
Color GamutErgonomics
Acer CP1241Y V165HzYes25095%
DCI-P3
Full
Acer RG241Y P144HzYes250sRGBTilt, VESA
Acer RX241Y P165HzHDR400400sRGBFull
Acer VG240Y S165HzYes250sRGBTilt, VESA
Acer VG240YP144HzYes250sRGBTilt, VESA
Acer VG242Y P165HzHDR400400sRGBTilt, VESA
Acer XF243YP165HzYes250sRGBFull
Acer XV240Y P165HzYes250sRGBFull
Acer XV242Y P165HzHDR400400sRGBFull
AOC 24G2144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Full
AOC 24G2E144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
AOC 24G2SP165HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Full
ASUS VG249Q144HzN/A250sRGBFull
ASUS VG249Q1A165HzN/A250sRGBTilt, VESA
ASUS VG249Q1R165HzN/A250sRGBTilt, VESA
ASUS VP249QGR144HzN/A250sRGBTilt, VESA
HP X24i144HzN/A350sRGBTilt, VESA
HP X24ih144HzN/A350sRGBTilt, Height, VESA
HP Omen 24165HzN/A30090%
DCI-P3
Tilt, Height, Pivot, VESA
LG 24GN600144HzYes300sRGBTilt, VESA
LG 24GN650144HzYes300sRGBTilt, Height, Pivot, VESA
MSI G241144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
MSI G242144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
MSI G242P144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Full
MSI G242PM144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Full
MSI G2412170HzN/A250sRGBTilt, VESA
Pixio PX247144HzN/A350sRGBTilt, VESA
Pixio PX248 Prime144HzN/A350sRGBTilt, VESA
Pixio PX248 Prime S165HzYes400sRGBTilt, VESA
Sceptre E248B-FPT168165HzN/A250sRGBTilt, VESA
ViewSonic XG2405144HzN/A250sRGBFull
Philips 242M8144HzN/A25095%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
Gigabyte G24F170HzYes30090%
DCI-P3
Tilt, Height, VESA
Gigabyte G24F-2180HzYes30095%
DCI-P3
Tilt, Height, VESA
BenQ EX240165HzHDR10350sRGBTilt, Height, Swivel, VESA
Koorui 24E3165HzN/A250sRGBTilt, VESA
KTC H24T09P165HzHDR1030092%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
Acer VG240Y M3180HzHDR10250sRGBTilt, VESA
MSI G244F170HzN/A25092%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
MSI G244F E2180HzN/A25092%
DCI-P3
Tilt, VESA
MSI G244PF E2180HzN/A25088%
DCI-P3
Full
LG 24GN60R144HzYes300sRGBTilt, VESA
LG 24GN65R144HzYes300sRGBTilt, Height, Pivot, VESA

Conclusion

Did you find the best monitor under $150 for you?

Feel free to leave us a comment below if you need help picking the model that’s most suited for you!

If you just want the most affordable display with fast response time and vibrant colors, the KTC H24T09P is for you – however, due to its fragile stand, we recommend eventually pairing it with a desk clamp.

In case you want an all-around best display, get the BenQ EX240. It has a sturdy ergonomic stand, a USB hub, integrated speakers, fast response times and a decent color gamut.

Finally, if you’re not sensitive to smearing and screen tearing, we recommend the AOC C24G1A. It has a wide color gamut, a high contrast ratio for deep blacks and an ergonomic stand.

Updates +

  • November 24, 2023:
    – Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available.
  • November 11, 2023:
    – Replaced the Pixio PX248 Prime with the KTC H24T09P.
    – Replaced the Gigabyte G24F-2 with the BenQ EX240.
    – Removed the LG 24GN600 and the LG 24GQ50F.
  • September 20, 2023:
    – Added the $110 Acer VG240Y M3 with 180Hz to our list of 24″ 1080p high refresh rate IPS monitors.
  • July 20, 2023:
    – Replaced the AOC 24G2SP with the Gigabyte G24F-2.
  • December 24, 2022:
    – Revamped the guide now that 24″ 1080p 144Hz+ gaming monitors are finally available for under $150 again.
  • November 24, 2022:
    – Moved the 1080p 144Hz IPS monitor list to the top of the article.
  • August 7, 2022:
    – Added more 144Hz alternatives.
  • May 10, 2022:
    – Added the MSI MP242C.

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Rob Shafer

Rob is a software engineer with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver. He now works full-time managing DisplayNinja while coding his own projects on the side.