For under $500, you can get one of the best displays for competitive eSports gaming, an OLED display or a mini LED display for mixed use.
Deciding which one is the best for you depends on what type of games you mostly play as well as on your PC configuration.
In this guide, we’ll help you decide which is the best gaming monitor under 500 USD for you!
| Type | Monitor | Size | Resolution | Panel | Refresh Rate | VRR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best 1080p Monitor | 24.1” | 1920x1080 | TN | 280Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable) | ||
| Best OLED Monitors | 27” | 2560x1440 | QD-OLED | 240Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable) | ||
| 34” | 3440x1440 | QD-OLED | 165Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable) | |||
| Best Mini LED Monitors | 27” | 3840x2160 | IPS | 160Hz, 1080p 320Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable) | ||
| 32” | 3840x2160 | IPS | 160Hz, 1080p 320Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable) | |||
| 34” | 3440x1440 | VA | 200Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Unstable) | |||
| Best Super-UltraWide Monitor | 49” | 5120x1440 | VA | 120Hz | FreeSync (G-SYNC Unstable) |
Dell AW3423DWF
- 34″ 3440×1440 165Hz
- Infinite contrast ratio
- Instantaneous response time
Now, in order to ensure you’re getting the perfect monitor for your needs and preference, stick to our guidelines and tips in the monitor reviews below.
Additionally, you can visit our comprehensive gaming monitor buyer’s guide, where you can learn more about what’s the best panel type, refresh rate, screen size and resolution for you, as well as what other features you should look out for.
This guide only includes three models – there are a lot more monitors you can find for under $400. For more expensive options, check out our dedicated best gaming buyer’s guide.
If you want to view our changelogs for this particular buying guide, you can do so at the end of this article.
Best 1080p Gaming Monitor Under $500
BenQ ZOWIE XL2546X+
Best 1080p 280Hz Gaming Monitor Under $500
Size: 24.1″
Resolution: 1920×1080
Panel: TN
Refresh Rate: 280Hz
VRR: FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable)
The Pros:
- Plenty of gaming features, including VRR and MBR up to 280Hz
- Low input lag
- Exceptional response time and MBR performance
- Fully ergonomic design
The Cons:
- Narrow viewing angles
- Expensive
About the Monitor
The BenQ ZOWIE XL2546X+ has a 280Hz refresh rate, a rapid pixel response time speed, impeccable backlight strobing implementation and plenty of additional useful features for competitive gaming.
Image Quality
To start with, the XL2546X+ uses a TN panel. Now, this means that it has narrower viewing angles than that of IPS, which causes the image to shift in gamma and saturation at skewed angles, but as long as you’re sitting directly in front of the display, it won’t be an issue.
The main advantage is that this TN panel has a faster pixel response time speed for zero ghosting behind fast-moving objects.
In addition, its DyAc 2 implementation works all the way up to 280Hz and it’s perfectly tuned to have no strobe crosstalk or brightness penalty, allowing you to maintain stunning CRT-like motion clarity at full 320-nits.
BenQ also boasts plenty of Zowie-exclusive features, such as XL Setting To Share (apply game-specified settings created by professional players), Black eQualizer and Color Vibrance.
Design & Connectivity
The stand is designed with professional gaming in mind as it doesn’t take up a lot of desk space yet it’s sturdy and allows you to place your keyboard close to the screen.
You also get extensive ergonomic support with up to 155mm height adjustment (with precise positioning), -5°/35° tilt, +/- 45° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
Along with the monitor, you also get the S. Switch device for quick and remote OSD-related tweaks and shading flaps to minimize distractions.
Connectivity options include three HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack.
Best OLED Gaming Monitors
Want proper HDR support? The following display offers an incredible HDR viewing experience thanks to its OLED panel.
AOC Q27G4ZD
27″ OLED Monitor Under $500
Size: 27″
Resolution: 2560×1440
Panel: OLED
Refresh Rate: 240Hz
VRR: FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable)
The Pros:
- Infinite contrast ratio
- Wide color gamut
- Decent peak brightness
- Instant response times
- Plenty of features, including VRR up to 240Hz
- Ergonomic stand
The Cons:
- Risk of burn-in (covered by 3-year warranty)
- Not as bright as mini LED displays
About the Monitor
Nowadays, you can even find an OLED gaming display for under $500 on sale, the AOC Q27G4ZD!
Image Quality
Unlike LED-backlit panels, OLED displays produce their own light with each individual pixel. This means that they can simply turn off and deliver true blacks with an infinite contrast ratio and no FALD blooming, glowing, bleeding or other visual artifacts!
Further, they have instantaneous pixel response time speed, which is perfect for fast-paced games as there’s zero ghosting behind fast-moving objects.
The AOC Q27G4ZD also has a high 240Hz refresh rate, smooth VRR performance and plenty of useful features, such as crosshair overlays, Shadow Control, on-screen timers, etc.
The main downside of OLED displays is the risk of burn-in. If an image with bright static elements remains on the screen for too long, those bright elements may burn in and become permanently visible as an afterimage.
However, AOC offers plenty of burn-in prevention features (Pixel Refresh, Auto Warning, Pixel Orbiting), so as long as you’re using the monitor sensibly, it shouldn’t be an issue. There’s even a 3-year warranty that covers burn-in.
Another downside is that the brightness is not as high as that of mini LED displays with 250-nits peak for 100% APL (Average Picture Level, white window test size) and in HDR, up to 450-nits for 10% and 1000-nits for < 3% APL.
Regardless, this is enough for an eye-catching HDR viewing experience with punchy highlights, true blacks and vibrant colors thanks to the 99.3% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and true 10-bit color depth. Viewing angles are also impeccable.
One last thing to keep in mind regarding all OLED displays is that when using VRR, in some scenes (mainly games with fluctuating frame rates, in-game menus and loading screens), there can be some brightness fluctuation. To prevent it, simply disable VRR in affected titles.
Design & Connectivity
The AOC Q27G4ZD has a sturdy stand with up to 130mm height adjustment, +/- 90° pivot, +/- 30° swivel, -5°/23° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
Like most QD-OLED monitors, it has a semi-glossy coating that makes the image more vivid, but it’s also more reflective and causes raised blacks under direct lighting, so you have to mind the lighting in your room.
Connectivity options include DP 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a quad-USB 3.0 hub and a headphone jack.
Alternatives
- LG 27GX704A – 27″ 1440p 240Hz gaming monitor based on a W-OLED panel with a better glossy screen surface that doesn’t raise black levels under direct lighting. However, it has more noticeable text fringing and lower color luminance
Dell AW3423DWF
UltraWide OLED Monitor Under $500
Size: 34″
Resolution: 3440×1440
Panel: OLED
Refresh Rate: 165Hz
VRR: FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable)
The Pros:
- Infinite contrast ratio
- Wide color gamut
- Decent peak brightness
- Instant response times
- Plenty of features, including VRR up to 165Hz
- Ergonomic stand
The Cons:
- Risk of burn-in (covered by 3-year warranty)
- Not as bright as mini LED displays
About the Monitor
If you’d rather have an ultrawide OLED monitor, the Dell AW3423DWF can often be found on sale for $500.
Image Quality
Unlike the AOC Q27G4ZD, the Dell AW3423DWF uses Samsung’s QD-OLED panel with less noticeable text fringing and higher color luminance for an overall brighter image quality.
It has a bit lower 165Hz refresh rate, but it’s still fast enough for a buttery-smooth gaming experience with instantaneous response times and low input latency.
Check out our full Dell AW3423DWF review for more details.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers a good range of ergonomics with up to 110mm height adjustment, -5°/21° tilt, +/- 20° swivel, +/- 4° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
Next, the screen has a subtle 1800R curvature for added immersion and a semi-glossy finish that offers a more vivid image quality than the regular matte anti-glare coatings, but it’s not quite as good against reflections.
Connectivity options include two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, HDMI 2.0 (limited to 100Hz), a headphone jack, a line-out port and a quad-USB 3.0 hub.
Best Mini LED Monitors
In case you’re worried about burn-in or prefer brighter image quality to inky blacks, you can also find some excellent mini LED displays below $500.
KTC M27P6
27″ Mini LED Monitor Under $500
Size: 27″
Resolution: 3840×2160
Panel: IPS
Refresh Rate: 160Hz, 1080p 320Hz
VRR: FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable)
The Pros:
- 1152-zone FALD, DisplayHDR 1400
- High pixel density
- Accurate and vibrant colors
- Plenty of features including VRR abd MBR up to 160Hz at 4K and 320Hz at 1080p
- Fully ergonomic stand and rich connectivity options, including KVM and USB-C with 65W PD
The Cons:
- Minor blooming/haloing noticeable in certain scenes
About the Monitor
The KTC M27P6 is a 27″ 4K 160Hz IPS gaming monitor with a 1152-zone mini LED FALD backlight, Dual Mode and DisplayHDR 1400 certification.
Image Quality
Thanks to its mini LED backlight, the KTC M27P6 can reach a peak brightness of around 1800-nits, resulting in an immersive HDR viewing experience.
At the same time, its 1152 dimming zones can dim areas of the image that are supposed to be dark, thus greatly boosting the contrast ratio with deeper blacks.
The main drawback of mini LED displays is that the light from small illuminated objects can bleed into the surrounding dimmed zones and create haloing, but this is only noticeable in demanding scenes (fireworks, stars in the night sky, etc.).
You also get exceptional color vibrancy with 98% DCI-P3 and 97% Adobe RGB color space coverage.
The 4K UHD resolution provides you with a high pixel density for sharp text, and you can switch to the 1920×1080 mode for the faster 320Hz refresh rate. The monitor also has a fast response time and VRR support for tear-free gameplay.
Check out our full KTC M27P6 review for more information.
Design & Connectivity
The stand is sturdy and offers height adjustment up to 130mm, +/- 45° swivel, 90° pivot, -5°/20° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports with full 48 Gbps bandwidth, DP 1.4 with DSC, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 65W PD, a headphone jack, built-in KVM and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.
Alternatives
- MSI MAG 274UPDF E16M – based on the same panel but with lower-tier DisplayHDR 1000 and lower 15W PD over USB-C
Acer XV325QK V3
32″ Mini LED Monitor Under $500
Size: 32″
Resolution: 3840×2160
Panel: IPS
Refresh Rate: 160Hz, 1080p 320Hz
VRR: FreeSync (G-SYNC Stable)
The Pros:
- 1152-zone FALD, DisplayHDR 1000
- High pixel density
- Accurate and vibrant colors
- Plenty of features including VRR up to 320Hz
- Ergonomic stand
The Cons:
- Minor blooming/haloing noticeable in certain scenes
About the Monitor
If you’re after a 32″ mini LED gaming monitor, the Acer XV325QK V3 is the best option available under $500.
Image Quality
Just like the KTC M27P6, the Acer XV325QK V3 has an IPS panel with 1152 dimming zones. This means that it will have fewer zones per inch of the screen, so the local dimming algorithm won’t be as effective.
Luckily, it’s still more than good enough to create an immersive HDR image quality.
Moreover, the monitor boasts a wide 99% Adobe RGB and 99% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, Delta E < 2 factory calibration, a 1,000-nit peak brightness and a fast 1ms GtG response time.
VRR is supported up to 160FPS at 4K for tear-free gameplay, and up to 320FPS at 1080p via Dual Mode.
Design & Connectivity
The stand is sturdy and offers height adjustment, swivel, tilt, pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports with full 48 Gbps bandwidth, two DP 1.4 inputs with DSC and a headphone jack.
Acer X34 X0
UltraWide Mini LED Monitor Under $500
Size: 34″
Resolution: 3440×1440
Panel: VA
Refresh Rate: 200Hz
VRR: FreeSync (G-SYNC Unstable)
The Pros:
- 1152-zone FALD, DisplayHDR 1000
- Decent pixel density
- Accurate and vibrant colors
- Plenty of features, including VRR up to 200Hz
- Ergonomic stand
The Cons:
- Minor blooming/haloing noticeable in certain scenes
- Minor ghosting in dark scenes
About the Monitor
Want a mini LED ultrawide monitor? The Acer X34 X0 is the only viable option available for under $500.
Image Quality
The Acer X34 X0 is based on a 34″ 3440×1440 200Hz ultrawide curved VA panel with a high native contrast ratio, which results in fewer blooming artifacts in comparison to mini LED displays with IPS panels.
It has 1152 dimming zones, a 1000-nit peak brightness and a 99% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage – all you need for an immersive HDR viewing experience.
The VA panel also has its downsides, though. First of all, the viewing angles aren’t quite as good as IPS or OLED, as there are minor shifts in gamma and saturation at certain viewing angles. Unless you’re doing color-critical work, this won’t be an issue.
Secondly, there’s minor ghosting noticeable behind fast-moving objects, mainly in darker scenes, but most users will find it tolerable or negligible. Of course, if you’re particularly sensitive to this or mostly play fast-paced competitive games, you should look for another display.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor offers up to 120mm height adjustment, +/- 20° swivel, -5°/20° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility. The screen has a subtle 1500R curvature for added immersion.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports, DP 1.4, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 65W PD, dual 5W integrated speakers and a headphone jack.
Conclusion
Still not sure what monitor to get?
Leave us a comment below, and we’ll gladly help you out.
Overall, we recommend either getting an OLED or a mini LED display for proper HDR image quality. You can simply choose according to your preference or budget, though we find that the Dell AW3423DWF offers the best value for the price.
Updates +
- February 13, 2026:
– Added the Acer EI491CUR J0 to the table. A review summary will be added soon. - January 24, 2026:
– Added review summaries for the Dell AW3423DWF, the KTC M27P6, the Acer XV325QK V3 and the Acer X34 X0. - November 27, 2025:
– Added the MSI MAG 272QPW QD-OLED X28. - November 21, 2025:
– Added the MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X28, the Dell AW3423DWF, the KTC M32P10 and the Acer X34 X0. - July 9, 2025:
– Added the KTC M27P6 to the table. A review summary will be added soon. - June 1, 2025:
– Replaced the MSI MAG 271QPX E2 with the AOC Q27G4ZD.
– Replaced the BenQ XL2546X with XL2546X+.
– Replaced the Gigabyte FI32Q-X with the LG 32GQ850.
– Removed the Acer XV252QF, the Acer XR343CKP, the Arzopa M3RC, the Innocn 27M2V and the Innocn 34M1R. These are either discontinued or now available for less than $500 (or cost over $500). - December 31, 2024:
– Replaced the LG 32GR93U with the MSI MAG 322UPF.
– Added the MSI MAG 271QPX E2 as we’ve seen it often go on sale for $499.
– Removed the AOC AG274QZM, the MSI MAG 321CUP and the MSI MAG 323UPF.
– Added review summary for the Innocn 34M1R. - November 22, 2024:
– Added the MSI MAG323UPF, the MSI MAG321CUP, the AOC AG274QZM, the Innocn 34M1R and the AOC AG276QZD2 to the table. Review summaries will be added soon. - August 8, 2024:
– Added the BenQ XL2546X, the Gigabyte FI32Q-X, the LG 32GR93U and the Innocn 27M2V.
– Removed the KTC M27T20, the ASUS PG329Q, the HP Omen 27qs, The Cooler Master GM34, the MSI MAG401QR, the Gigabyte M27U and the MSI G321CU. - December 12, 2023:
– Replaced the Gigabyte M34WQ with the Acer XR343CKP. - November 14, 2023:
– Replaced the Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q with the KTC M27T20, the Gigabyte M32Q with the ASUS PG329Q, the Gigabyte G34WQCA with the Cooler Master GM34-CWQA and the Acer XB283KKV with the Gigabyte M27U.
– Added review summaries for the HP Omen 27qs and the MSI G321CU.
– Added the MSI MAG401QR.
– Removed the LG 32UN650. - December 3, 2022:
– Added the Acer XB283K KV. - November 24, 2022:
– Replaced the MSI MAG274QRF-QD with the Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q. - October 14, 2022:
– Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available. - June 16, 2022:
– Replaced the AOC CU34G2X with the Gigabyte G34WQC-A. - April 19, 2022:
– Added the Gigabyte M27Q-X to the table. A full summary will be added to the article soon. - February 11, 2022:
– Added the Dell AW2521H as another alternative to the XV252QF since it often goes on sale for ~$450 and the XV252QF is hard to find.
– Added the HP X34 as an alternative to the Gigabyte M34WQ. - November 25, 2021:
– Replaced the Acer XV340CKP with the Gigabyte M34WQ. - October 6, 2021:
– Replaced the Gigabyte G34WQC (discontinued) with the AOC CU34G2X. - September 10, 2021:
– Replaced the LG 27GP850 with the MSI MAG274QRF-QD. - August 18, 2021:
– Replaced the ViewSonic XG270 with the Acer XV252QF.
– Removed the LG 34GL750. - June 11, 2021:
– Added the Gigabyte M32Q and the Acer XV340CKP.
– Removed the Samsung CHG70. - May 30, 2021:
– Improved readability. - May 26, 2021:
– Replaced the LG 27GL850 with the updated 27GP850 model. - February 10, 2021:
– Added the LG 32UN650.
