The Best Gaming Monitors Under 300 USD (2023 Reviews)

Looking for the best monitor for gaming for under 300 USD? We’ve picked out the absolute best choices available in the $250-$300 range including 144Hz, 240Hz, 1440p, ultrawide and 4K models!

These are the best monitors under $300 for gaming, but some of the listed displays are also great for other activities including designing, editing, watching movies, etc.

All of the included monitors have proven reliable performance and you can rest assured that they are worth the money; just make sure to follow our guidelines and recommendations and we guarantee you’ll pick the ideal monitor for your needs.

Now, some of the monitors we picked are only available for under $300 when they’re on sale, but they’re worth the investment or the wait for a sale regardless. We’ll also mention noteworthy alternatives in the review summaries below.

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

Best HDR Gaming Monitor

Yep! Nowadays, you can even get a proper HDR display for less than $300!

About The Monitor

The AOC Q27G3XMN is one of the best gaming monitors you can get for under $300 – here’s why!

Image Quality

Thanks to its 336-zone mini LED FALD (full-array local dimming) solution, the AOC Q27G3XMN provides you with a proper HDR image quality!

These zones can individually dim areas of the image that are supposed to the dark without greatly affecting the parts of the screen that are supposed to remain bright, thus significantly increasing the contrast ratio!

Naturally, since there are only 336 zones across the screen when there’s a small bright object (such as stars in a night sky, fireworks, etc.), the light from that object can bleed into the surrounding dimmed zones and create blooming.

The amount of blooming is tolerable considering that it only occurs in these demanding scenes.

A 336-zone solution is still very effective, especially in comparison to the “semi-HDR” displays with 8 to 32 edge-lit zones. In fact, the first FALD displays had 384 zones and went for $2,000. You can see our PG27UQ review for more details.

Moving on, the AOC Q27G3XMN can get very bright with a 1200-nit peak brightness and it has a wide color gamut with 90% Adobe RGB and 96% DCI-P3 color space coverage.

Now, while it doesn’t have a slow response time speed as traditional VA displays, there’s still some minor ghosting behind fast-moving objects, mainly in dark scenes, but most users won’t mind it.

VRR is supported up to 180Hz for tear-free gameplay, and you get plenty of gaming features, such as Shadow Boost, Game Color, crosshair overlays, on-screen timers, picture presets and a refresh rate tracker.

Check out our AOC Q27G3XMN review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 130mm, +/- 30° swivel, -5°/23° tilt, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports (limited to 144Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 and a headphone jack.

Best 1440p 240Hz Gaming Monitors

Not interested in HDR and would rather have a higher refresh rate and a faster response time speed? Check out the following models!

About The Monitor

The HP Omen 27qs is the only 1440p 240Hz IPS gaming monitor that can be found for less than $300 (on sale) yet it offers just as good performance and features as the more expensive models.

In case it’s not available and you can’t wait for it to go on sale again, you’ll have to settle with a lower refresh rate IPS display, in which case we recommend the Acer XV272UV.

Image Quality

The HP Omen 27qs has a rapid IPS panel with 1ms GtG pixel response time speed for zero ghosting behind fast-moving objects.

Additionally, it supports a 95% wide color gamut for more saturated and rich colors.

You also get a strong 400-nit peak brightness, so the display will be able to mitigate glare even in well-lit rooms.

The main downside of IPS panels is the low 1,000:1 contrast ratio, meaning that blacks won’t be as deep as that of VA panels, which usually have a contrast ratio of 3,000:1.

Additionally, IPS monitors suffer from IPS glow, which is characterized as visible glowing around the corners of the screen. Its intensity varies from unit to unit and the angle you’re looking at the screen, but in most cases, it’s completely manageable – just don’t use a very high brightness setting in a completely dark room.

The HP Omen 27qs also supports VRR up to 240Hz for tear-free gameplay. Alternatively, you can use MBR (Motion Blur Reduction), which uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur at the cost of image brightness.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor offers up to 100mm height adjustment, -5°/20° tilt, +/- 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility, but no swivel to the left/right option.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a dual-USB 3.0 hub, a headphone jack and dual 3W integrated speakers.

Alternatives

There are a few alternatives based on the same panel, though the HP Omen 27qs usually offers the best value for money.

• ASUS VG27AQML1A
• LG 27GR83Q
• MSI G274QPX – with USB-C (DP Alt Mode, 65W Power Delivery)

About The Monitor

Note that the Innocn 27G1S is also available on Amazon, but if it’s out of stock, the link will lead you to the Innocn 27G1R with a 144Hz panel instead. The 27G1S price ranges from $270 to $440, so make sure to get it when it’s on sale.

The Innocn 27G1S is currently the only 1440p 240Hz gaming monitor with a flat-screen VA panel that has a rapid 1ms GtG pixel response time speed!

Image Quality

Thanks to its VA panel, the Innocn 27G1S has a high 3,000:1 static contrast ratio, which results in noticeably deeper blacks as opposed to that of IPS displays, such as the HP Omen 27qs.

Additionally, it doesn’t suffer from IPS glow, making for a more immersive viewing experience in dark rooms.

The downside of VA is that the viewing angles aren’t quite as wide since there’s minor gamma/saturation shift when looking at the screen at certain angles. This isn’t an issue for everyday use or gaming, but it’s important to note if you plan on doing any color-critical work.

VA monitors also usually have a slower response time, but the Innocn 27G1S is just as fast as some of the quickest IPS displays, so ghosting won’t be an issue.

So, you get a unique experience – with deep blacks and fast pixel response time speed! Of course, there’s always a catch. While you can use VRR, some brightness flickering will be noticeable in certain scenes (mainly in in-game menus, loading screens and games with fluctuating frame rates).

If you’re not sensitive to screen tearing, you can simply disable AMD FreeSync or NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible. We find that tearing is really not that noticeable at 240Hz, so most users might not find this to be a deal breaker.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor offers up to 120mm height adjustment, +/- 90° pivot, +/- 30° swivel, -5°/20° tilt and 75x75mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports (limited to 144Hz), two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs and a headphone jack.

Best 32″ 1440p 144Hz Gaming Monitors

While you can’t get a 32″ 1440p 240Hz display under $300, there are some excellent 144Hz-170Hz models available.

About The Monitor

You can even find a 32″ 1440p high refresh rate VA gaming monitor for under $300, such as the Gigabyte M32QC!

Image Quality

The 2560×1440 screen resolution doesn’t look as good on 32″ monitors as it does on 27″ sized screens due to the lower pixel density.

In fact, a 32″ 1440p monitor has the same pixel density as a 24″ 1080p monitor, so you’ll get the same detail clarity, just on a much larger screen and with a bit more screen space due to the higher resolution.

However, since a 32″ display is bigger, you’ll also sit further away from it than you would from a 24″ monitor meaning that individual pixels won’t be as noticeable (not noticeable at all from ~3ft or ~90cm).

Further, a bigger display improves gaming immersion, but we don’t recommend 32″ monitors for competitive gaming as you’d have to move your eyes/neck a lot to see everything that’s happening on the screen.

Just like the Innocn 27G1S, the Gigabyte M32QC has a high contrast ratio for deep blacks and wide coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut (94%) for vibrant colors. It’s also bright with a 350-nit peak brightness (400-nits for HDR) and supports HDR10. Since it’s only entry-level HDR support, you shouldn’t pay any attention to it.

Features

AMD FreeSync is supported with a 48-165Hz dynamic range, but some units are affected by VRR brightness flickering. It’s also overclockable to 170Hz.

The monitor also supports backlight strobing through Gigabyte’s Aim Stabilizer Sync implementation, which allows for simultaneous VRR and MBR operation.

Just like with all VA monitors at this price range, some smearing is noticeable (mainly in darker scenes). Some users won’t mind it at all or find it tolerable, while other gamers sensitive to it should consider an IPS display instead.

Other features include Picture in Picture, Picture by Picture, Black Equalizer (improves visibility in dark scenes), various picture presets and crosshair overlays.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers height adjustment up to 100mm, tilt by -5°/20° and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility. The screen has a moderate 1500R curvature for added immersion.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB-C (with DP Alt Mode and 18W Power Delivery), a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub. There’s also a built-in KVM functionality.

Alternatives

• LG 32GN650 – a 32″ 1440p 144Hz monitor with a flat-screen VA panel, but it doesn’t have a wide color gamut

About The Monitor

If you don’t want a curved panel or to deal with potential VRR brightness flickering, you can get a 32″ 1440p 144Hz IPS monitor under $300 as well – check out the Sceptre E325B-QPN168!

Image Quality

The Sceptre E325B-QPN168 uses a 32″ 1440p 144Hz IPS panel with a fast response time speed for zero ghosting, wide viewing angles, and a wide ~92% DCI-P3 (~120% sRGB gamut size) color space coverage for rich colors.

It also has a decent 400-nit peak brightness and basic HDR10 support.

Additionally, it supports VRR up to 144Hz for tear-free gameplay, Motion Blur Reduction and PiP/PbP.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor offers up to 95mm height adjustment, +/- 15° swivel, -5°/15° tilt, 90° pivot and 75x75mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 1.4 ports, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, a headphone jack, and dual 2W integrated speakers.

Best 1080p Gaming Monitors

For the highest frame rate, lowest input lag and smoothest performance in the eSports titles, a lower screen resolution is preferred because it’s a lot less taxing on your CPU/GPU.

About The Monitor

The ViewSonic XG2431 is actually one of the cheapest 240Hz monitors you can get, yet it offers flawless VRR performance, an impeccable MBR implementation and an IPS panel for vibrant colors!

Image Quality

As far as the picture quality is concerned, you get the same viewing experience as with the standard 25″ 1080p IPS panels.

This includes a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a 400-nit peak brightness, wide viewing angles, 8-bit color depth support and 99% sRGB color gamut coverage.

The 1080p resolution provides a decent pixel-per-inch ratio on the 24.5″ viewable screen of the monitor. More importantly, it allows you to easily reach high frame rates in the eSports titles.

Features

The ViewSonic XG2431 offers smooth VRR performance and a backlight strobing feature fine-tuned by Blur Busters for CRT-like motion clarity.

Other useful features include Black Stabilization (improves visibility in darker games) and various picture presets.

Check out our ViewSonic XG2431 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The XG2431 240Hz monitor features a fully ergonomic design with up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/15­° tilt, +/- 90° swivel, 90° rotation and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, a headphone jack, dual 3W speakers and a dual-USB 3.0 hub. FreeSync is supported over both HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 with a 48-240Hz variable refresh rate range.

Alternatives

If you don’t need MBR, you can find the Dell S2522HG 24.5″ 1080p 240Hz IPS gaming monitor for just $210 – $250.

About The Monitor

Nowadays, you can even find a 360Hz gaming monitor for under $300 on sale!

Image Quality

The Acer Aopen 25XV2QF features an IPS panel with a 400-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and vibrant colors, even extending a bit beyond the sRGB color space with a ~115% sRGB gamut size.

Additionally, it has a rapid response time speed, low input lag and it’s overclockable up to 390Hz!

What’s more, you can use variable refresh rate and backlight strobing at 390Hz, though not at the same time.

Besides stable VRR performance and excellent MBR implementation, you also get standard gaming features, such as Black Boost, crosshair overlays, on-screen timers, various picture presets, etc.

You can check out our Acer XV252QF review for more information. It’s the same monitor with different branding.

Design & Connectivity

The stand offers height adjustment up to 120mm, tilt by -5°/25°, 360° 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 integrated speakers.

Alternatives

Sadly, the Acer Aopen 25XV2QF is a Micro Center exclusive, while the XV252QF version often goes for over $400. If you can’t get either on sale for $300, your best option is the Dell Alienware AW2523HF or the Lenovo Legion Y25g-30 if you want a 360Hz display. Both can be found on sale for $300. These models don’t support MBR though.

Best UltraWide Monitors

For under $300, you can also get a nice ultrawide monitor. These monitors feature a 21:9 aspect ratio instead of the standard 16:9 which means that they are shorter but a lot wider and thus provide a more cinematic and immersive viewing experience.

Make sure your favorite games support the 21:9 format! For more ultrawide displays, visit our best ultrawide monitor buyer’s guide.

About The Monitor

Nowadays, you can even find a 34″ 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor for under $300!

Image Quality

If you want a larger 34″ ultrawide monitor, there are a few low refresh rate 2560×1080 models with low pixel density, but the Sceptre C345B-QUT168 is the only VA model available with 3440×1440!

The 34″ 3440×1440 screen provides you with a high pixel density of 110 PPI. So, it’s essentially a 27″ 2560×1440 display that’s just ~33% wider, providing you with a lot of screen space and sharp details.

It has a VA panel with a high 3,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks, a strong 400-nit peak brightness and a wide 85% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage (~120% sRGB).

VRR is supported up to 165Hz for tear-free gameplay and you get Picture by Picture support.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is tilt-only, but the screen is 75x75mm VESA mount compatible. The screen has a moderate 1500R curvature for added immersion.

Connectivity options include 2x HDMI 2.0 ports, 2x DisplayPort 1.4 ports, a headphone jack and dual 3W integrated speakers.

Alternatives

You can also find similar 34″ 3440×1440 high refresh rate curved VA models without wide color gamut at a lower price ($250 – $300):

• Aopen 34HC5CURP
• LG 34GP63A
• LG 34WP60C – tilt-only version of the 34GP63A

About The Monitor

In case you’d rather have a 34″ 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor with an IPS panel and faster response time than the high contrast ratio of the C345B-QUT168, the Sceptre Sceptre E345B-QUN168W offers excellent value for money.

Image Quality

The monitor has a strong peak brightness of 400-nits, a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1 and a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage.

So, you get a quick response time speed for no ghosting, smooth VRR performance, a wider color gamut and wider viewing angles, but blacks won’t be as deep.

Further, the Sceptre E345B-QUN168W has a flat screen, whereas most users prefer curved models with this form factor.

Sadly, the cheapest 34″ 3440×1440 high refresh rate curved ultrawide monitor with an IPS panel goes for at least $650, which is the LG 34GP83A.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 100mm, tilt by -5°/15°, +/- 15° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, three HDMI 2.0 inputs (limited to 100Hz), USB-C (with DP Alt Mode, also limited to 100Hz), a headphone jack, dual 3W integrated speakers and a USB 3.0 hub (3 downstream + 1 upstream).

Conclusion

There you have it! These are the absolute best gaming monitors under $300 you can get right now. We’ve carefully selected only the best models and made sure that you have a wide selection.

For competitive gamers out there, the ViewSonic XG2431 will deliver the best results, granted that you can push ~240FPS. If you prefer lower input lag to motion clarity, go with the Acer Aopen 25XV2QF instead if you can reach ~390FPS.

If you’d rather have a bigger screen with a higher resolution as well as a responsive gaming experience, we recommend going with the HP Omen 27qs or the Innocn 27G1S.

In case you’re after something a bit different, we recommend the Sceptre E345B-QUN168W for fast-paced games and the Sceptre C345B-QUT168 for graphically-oriented games, while both are excellent for productivity work and basic content creation.

For HDR, you should definitely get the AOC Q27G3XMN.

Still not sure what monitor to get?

Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll gladly help!