The Best Gaming Monitors (2023 Reviews)

We've spent countless hours researching and testing to present the absolute best gaming monitors that you can buy this year. We're always updating this ultimate guide.

Need a new gaming monitor? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Here, you’ll find only the best gaming monitor deals currently available as well as all the information you’ll need to make sure you’re getting the perfect monitor for you.

TypeMonitorSizeResolutionPanelRefresh
Rate
VRR
Best 1080p Gaming Monitors24”1920x1080IPS165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
24”1920x1080IPS270HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
24”1920x1080IPS240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
25”1920x1080IPS390HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
25”1920x1080TN360HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
24”1920x1080TN540HzG-SYNC +
FreeSync
Best 1440p Gaming Monitors27"2560x1440VA144HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Unstable)
32"2560x1440VA170HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Unstable)
27”2560x1440IPS180HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
32”2560x1440IPS175HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
27”
32”
2560x1440VA240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
27”2560x1440IPS240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
32”2560x1440IPS260HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
27”2560x1440IPS360HzG-SYNC
+ FreeSync
Best UltraWide Gaming Monitors30”2560x1080IPS200HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
34”3440x1440VA144HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Unstable)
34”3440x1440IPS144HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
34”3440x1440IPS144HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
40”3440x1440IPS155HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
38”3840x1600IPS144HzG-SYNC Ultimate + FreeSync
49”5120x1440VA240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
Best 4K Gaming Monitors28”3840x2160IPS160HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
32”3840x2160IPS144HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
43”3840x2160VA144HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Unstable)
Best HDR Gaming Monitors27"2560x1440VA180HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
27"2560x1440IPS165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
27"3840x2160IPS160HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
42”3840x2160OLED120HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Compatible)
27”2560x1440OLED240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
34"3440x1440QD-OLED165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC
Stable)
32"3840x2160VA165HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Unstable)
32"3840x2160IPS160HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
49"5120x1440VA240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
45"3440x1440OLED240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
49"5120x1440OLED240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
57"7680x2160VA240HzFreeSync
(G-SYNC Stable)
best overall

Dell AW3423DWF

Dell AW3423DWF Monitor
  • Infinite contrast
  • Instantaneous response times
  • VRR up to 165Hz
premium pick

Samsung OLED G9

Samsung S49CG95
  • Infinite contrast
  • Instantaneous response times
  • VRR up to 240Hz
budget pick

AOC Q27G3XMN

AOC Q27G3XMN Monitor
  • 336-zone mini LED FALD
  • 1200-nit peak brightness
  • VRR up to 180Hz

As you can see, there are plenty of gaming monitors to choose from.

We’ve selected the best models for every possible combination of display specifications in order to provide you with a diverse selection.

While we’ve picked the best monitors for each category, be sure to check the ‘Alternatives’ section of each review below.

Depending on region and availability, the alternate display might suit you better. We’ll also mention if there are any upcoming and/or similar displays to keep in mind.

Be sure to read the reviews below to familiarize yourself with what panel typeresolutionrefresh rate and other features (such as HDR and VRR) best suit your preference, budget and PC rig or console. Also, feel free to leave us a comment below if you’re on the fence between two or more gaming monitors!

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

Table of ContentsShow

Best 1080p Gaming Monitors

The 1920×1080 or 1080p resolution is the least demanding on your CPU and GPU, allowing you to maintain a high frame rate more easily. Whether you need a good budget 1080p gaming monitor or the absolute best one, we’ve got you covered!

The Pros:

  • Accurate, consistent and vibrant colors; wide viewing angles
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 165Hz

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

The BenQ EX240 is our top-recommended 1080p 165Hz gaming monitor – here’s why!

Image Quality

Besides not being demanding, another good thing about 1080p resolution is that it looks good on ~24″ sized screens. On the 23.8″ viewable screen of the BenQ EX240, you get a decent pixel density of 92.56 PPI (pixels per inch).

As a result, you get a decent amount of screen space and fairly sharp details and text. The same resolution on a 27″ monitor, for instance, would look considerably more pixelated, though some users wouldn’t mind it.

The BenQ EX240 is based on an IPS panel that boasts ~80% DCI-P3 gamut for accurate and rich colors and 178° wide viewing angles which ensure that the image remains perfect regardless of the angle you’re looking at it.

Next, it has a peak brightness of 350-nits, meaning that it can get more than bright enough even in bright rooms.

The contrast ratio amounts to 1,000:1, which is standard for IPS panel monitors. So, blacks won’t be quite as deep as that of VA panels (with a ~3,000:1 contrast ratio). It’s mainly in dark rooms that blacks appear a bit grayish in comparison to VA panels, but the image is still quite vibrant overall. Besides, VA panels have flaws of their own.

IPS monitors are also affected by IPS glow, but its severity varies across different units of monitors, and it’s usually manageable.

Features

amd freesync logo

The BenQ EX240 has a fast GtG pixel response time speed for no visible trailing behind fast-moving objects – ideal for first-person shooters.

AMD FreeSync is supported with a 48-165Hz VRR range for tear-free gameplay up to 180FPS, and the ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ mode works flawlessly with GeForce cards, even though the monitor is not certified by NVIDIA.

In contrast, VA panel monitors at this price range have significantly slower response time speed, resulting in noticeable smearing in fast-paced games. Moreover, most units are affected by VRR brightness flickering.

The BenQ EX240 also supports Motion Blur Reduction; this technology uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur at the cost of picture brightness.

Other features include various picture presets, Black eQualizer (improves visibility in darker scenes) and Color Vibrance.

Visit our BenQ EX240 review for more information. The monitor also supports the 1080p 120Hz mode on both the PS5 and the Xbox One/Series X/S consoles.

Design & Connectivity

BenQ Mobiuz EX240 Review

The monitor has a height-adjustable stand up to 100mm, +/- 15° swivel and -5°/15° tilt and it’s VESA mount compatible via the 100x100mm pattern.

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

  • LG 24GN650/600 – popular model but has no wide color gamut or USB ports
  • Gigabyte G24F-2 – wide color gamut, but slower response time
  • AOC 24G2/SP – similar to the G24F-2, no USB ports
  • HP x24i, x24ih – similar to the LG 24GN650/600
  • KTC H24T09P – both wide color gamut and fast response time, but fragile and tilt-only stand

We recommend these 24″ 1080p 144Hz IPS monitors if you can find them for up to ~$150. In the $200 – $250 price range, you can actually find 25″ 1080p 240Hz IPS models, which we’ll get into next. In fact, the below-mentioned Dell S2522HG can be found on sale for $150 – $200.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide viewing angles
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync up to 240Hz
  • Fully ergonomic stand

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

The ASUS XG249CM is one of the best 240Hz gaming monitors with an IPS panel; it offers stunning motion clarity and responsiveness as well as gorgeous colors and wide viewing angles!

Image Quality

Based on an IPS panel with a 400-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, and ~99% sRGB color gamut, the ASUS XG249CM provides you with vivid and striking colors!

Now, the previously-mentioned BenQ EX240 offers a similar viewing experience (though with a bit more vibrant colors), so the only reason to get the ASUS XG249CM is obviously for the higher refresh rate.

Keep in mind that in order to take advantage of 240Hz, you also need adequately high frame rates. Ideally, you’ll want at least 240FPS, but you’ll need over 144FPS to justify buying a higher refresh rate display since 144FPS will look basically the same at 144Hz and 240Hz.

It’s also worth noting that the difference between 144Hz and 240Hz is not nearly as big as the difference between 60Hz and 144Hz. You can still feel it and you do get lower input lag, which will certainly appeal to serious competitive gamers eager to improve.

The best part is that it can be found for $150 – $250, which is as much as you would pay for some 1080p 144Hz IPS models!

Further, the ASUS XG249CM supports AMD FreeSync with a 48-270Hz VRR range, and NVIDIA certified it as G-SYNC compatible. It also has the ELMB-Sync technology for simultaneous VRR and MBR performance.

Design & Connectivity

ASUS XG249CM Design

At the back of the monitor, you will find HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, USB-C (with DP Alt Mode, 15W PD), a headphone jack, a dual-USB 3.0 hub and integrated KVM functionality.

You can adjust the height of the monitor up to 100mm, tilt it by -5°/20°, +/- 25° swivel, pivot by 90° and VESA mount it.

Alternatives

If the ASUS XG249CM is not available for ~$200, check out the Acer XV252QZ as a budget 1080p 240Hz alternative.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide viewing angles
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync up to 240Hz
  • Best MBR implementation
  • Fully ergonomic stand

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

If you want CRT-like motion clarity, we highly recommend the ViewSonic XG2431 due to its impeccable MBR implementation with Blur Busters Approved 2.0 certification.

Image Quality

The ViewSonic XG2431 offers similar image quality to that of the Dell S2522HG. It’s based on a 23.8″ panel, so the screen is slightly smaller and you get a bit higher pixel density, though the difference is subtle.

Other specifications are basically identical and include a 350-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 8-bit color depth support with full sRGB gamut coverage, 178° wide viewing angles and a quick 1ms GtG pixel response time speed.

Features

The monitor supports AMD FreeSync with a 48-240Hz VRR range and VRR works without issues with NVIDIA cards.

What makes the ViewSonic XG2431 exceptional is its PureXP+ backlight strobing technology that offers amazing performance with basically no strobe crosstalk or other visual artifacts. It also offers plenty of well-optimized presets for strobing at different refresh rates and brightness levels, as well as advanced customization.

Check out our ViewSonic XG2431 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

ViewSonic XG2431 Monitor Design

The stand is robust and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/15° tilt, 90° pivot, +/- 90° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

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

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide viewing angles
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 390Hz
  • Fully ergonomic stand

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

Want an even higher refresh rate? Check out the Acer Aopen 25XV2QF, a 360Hz gaming monitor that’s overclockable to 390Hz!

Image Quality

Now, as you might’ve expected, the jump to 390Hz from 240Hz won’t be as noticeable as the jump to 240Hz from 144Hz, but the difference between 144Hz and 390Hz is big!

So, if you already have a 240Hz display, the Acer 25XV2QF won’t exactly provide you with a significantly smoother experience.

What’s the bottom line? The difference between 240Hz and 360Hz (or 390Hz) is there, and experienced players will certainly notice and feel it.

So, if you’re one of those competitive gamers where every millisecond counts, you will want 360Hz — granted that your PC can output as many FPS.

As for the image quality, the monitor is based on a 24.5″ IPS panel with 400-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and ~99% sRGB color gamut, so you’re getting the same viewing experience as with the previously mentioned S2522HG 240Hz IPS model.

Features

The Acer 25XV2QF supports AMD FreeSync for tear-free gameplay up to 390FPS. It also supports backlight strobing up to 390Hz, but it’s not as optimized as that of the XG2431. Basically, with the 25XV2QF you get power input lag, while the XG2431 offers better motion clarity.

Other features include custom crosshairs and timers, various pre-calibrated picture presets, and Black Boost for better visibility in dark scenes of games.

Design & Connectivity

Acer Aopen 25XV2QF Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor is quite ergonomic with up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/25° tilt, +/- 180° swivel, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 (limited to 240Hz) inputs, a headphone jack and dual 2W built-in speakers.

Alternatives

  • Acer XV252QF – the same monitor, but with different branding
  • Dell AW2521H – a 25″ 1080p 360Hz 1ms IPS gaming monitor based on the same panel, but with a dedicated G-SYNC module. However, it’s not overclockable and its MBR implementation is limited to 240Hz

The Pros:

  • Very fast response time
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 360Hz
  • Exceptional MBR implementation
  • Fully ergonomic stand

The Cons:

  • TN panel with inferior colors and viewing angles

About The Monitor

The BenQ Zowie XL2566K is a 360Hz gaming monitor with a TN panel and impeccable backlight strobing implementation aimed at professional eSports players!

Image Quality

Due to its TN panel, the XL2566K has inferior viewing angles and image quality than the Acer 25XV2QF, but it has a noticeably faster pixel response time speed, so we only recommend it if you’re willing to sacrifice image quality for performance.

On top of that, its DyAc+ MBR technology is exceptionally optimized for minimum strobe crosstalk or other visual artifacts, which paired with rapid response time results in CRT-like motion clarity at a low brightness penalty cost.

Variable refresh rate is supported as well up to 360FPS, but it cannot work at the same time as MBR.

Other features include Black eQualizer, XL Setting To Share (import/export settings among users), Color Vibrance, a shading hood and an S. Switch hotkey puck for quick OSD-related shortcuts and adjustments.

Design & Connectivity

BenQ XL2566K Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor is robust and offers height adjustment up to 155mm, -5°/23° tilt, +/- 45° swivel, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports (max 240Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

There’s also a 24.5″ 1080p 500Hz G-SYNC IPS gaming monitor, the Dell AW2524H, but we don’t recommend it as it’s expensive and doesn’t have a very fast pixel response time speed. Instead, you should consider waiting for the ASUS PG248QP with a 540Hz TN panel

The Pros:

  • ULMB 2
  • Wide color gamut
  • Plenty of gaming features, including VRR up to 540Hz
  • Fully ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Narrow viewing angles

About The Monitor

If you have a PC rig that can output more than 360FPS, then you need a faster gaming monitor, such as the ASUS PG248QP!

Image Quality

The ASUS PG248QP has a maximum refresh rate of 540Hz. What’s more, it’s pixel response time speed is actually fast enough to keep up with the refresh rate, therefore, you get incredibly low input lag as well as buttery-smooth motion clarity.

In addition, it supports ULMB2 with backlight strobing up to 540Hz with minimum brightness penalty and strobe crosstalk.

VRR is supported as well, and you get the standard gaming features, such as crosshair overlays, Dark Boost, on-screen timers, etc.

Note that AMD GPUs are limited to 500Hz when using VRR, but without VRR, you can get 540Hz as well as ULMB2.

The main disadvantage of the PG248QP are the narrow viewing angles, but this is a non-issue as long as you’re sitting directly in front of the screen. The monitor even has a wide 90% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for more vibrant colors.

Design & Connectivity

ASUS ROG Swift Pro PG248QP Design

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 110mm, -5°/20° tilt, +/- 30° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

While there are 1080p 500Hz IPS gaming monitors, such as the Dell AW2524H, its pixel response time speed doesn’t even come close to that of the PG248QP. More importantly, it doesn’t have a fast enough response time for its 500Hz refresh rate, which results in noticeable ghosting.

Therefore, the ASUS PG248QP is the best eSports gaming monitor available.

Alternatively, consider waiting for the Acer XV242F model. It uses the same panel, but without the G-SYNC module. At the moment, it’s only available in China for ~$540. We also don’t know how good its MBR implementation will be in comparison to ULMB2.

Best 1440p Gaming Monitors

For most people, 1440p resolution and at least a 144Hz refresh rate is the perfect combination. You get a crisp and sharp image quality as well as a responsive gaming experience since 1440p is not nearly as taxing on your GPU as 4K UHD.

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio
  • High pixel density
  • Wide color gamut
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 144Hz

The Cons:

  • Ghosting in fast-paced games, mainly in darker scenes
  • Some units prone to VRR brightness flickering
  • Tilt-only stand

About The Monitor

The Koorui 27E6QC is one of the most affordable 1440p 144Hz gaming monitors. It uses a curved VA panel for a more immersive gaming experience, but a weaker performance when it comes to fast-paced gaming.

Image Quality

The Koorui 27E6QC provides you with a high contrast ratio (3,000:1) and a wide ~85% DCI-P3 color gamut, which along with the curved screen, greatly improves the visual aspect of the gaming experience.

However, the monitors have a slower response time speed, resulting in more noticeable ghosting and trailing in fast-paced games, mainly in darker scenes.

All in all, if you aren’t all that into competitive gaming and would rather get better visuals, the Koorui 27E6QC is for you.

Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to enjoy single-player and casual multiplayer first-person shooters – unless you’re particularly sensitive to ghosting.

Features

Moving on, AMD FreeSync is supported with a 48-165Hz VRR range and it works with compatible NVIDIA cards. Alas, some units suffer from the FreeSync brightness flickering issue.

For more information, check out our Koorui 27E6QC review.

Design & Connectivity

Koorui 27E6QC Design

The stand of the monitor is tilt-only, but the screen is VESA mount compatible via the 75x75mm pattern. The screen has a subtle 1800R curvature for added immersion.

Connectivity options include HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

  • Koorui 27E1QA – flat-screen version of this monitor
  • Gigabyte GS27QC – a bit more expensive model without wide color gamut, but with slightly faster response times

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio
  • Wide color gamut
  • Plenty of features, including VRR + MBR up to 170Hz
  • Height-adjustable stand, USB hub, KVM

The Cons:

  • Ghosting in fast-paced games, mainly in darker scenes
  • Some units prone to VRR brightness flickering

About The Monitor

If you want a larger 32″ sized 1440p high refresh rate VA screen, we recommend the Gigabyte M32QC.

Image Quality

The 1440p resolution still looks decent on 32″ sized displays. You get a pixel density of 93 PPI, which is similar to that of 24″ 1080p monitors.

However, since the screen is larger, you’ll be sitting further away from it, so individual pixels won’t be that noticeable at a normal viewing distance.

Next, the M32QC has a wide 94% DCI-P3 color gamut, a decent 350-nit peak brightness (400-nits for HDR) and a high 3,000:1 contrast ratio.

VRR is supported up to 170Hz for tear-free gameplay, and you can use backlight strobing at the same time via Gigabyte’s Aim Stabilizer Sync.

Some units are susceptible to VRR brightness flickering, mainly in in-game menus, loading screens and games with fluctuating frame rates.

You’ll also find plenty of useful features, including Black Equalizer, Color Vibrance, crosshair overlays, PiP/PbP, on-screen timers and more!

Check out our detailed M32QC review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Gigabyte M32QC Monitor Design

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

Connectivity options include DP 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB-C port with DP Alt Mode and 18W PD, a dual-USB 3.0 hub and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

  • LG 32GN650 – 32″ 1440p 144Hz gaming monitor with a flat-screen VA panel but no wide color gamut support

In case the M32QC is not available, check out the older G32QCA model (no KVM switch) or the newer GS32QC (tilt-only stand, no KVM, no wide color gamut). Other alternatives worth considering include the Koorui GA01 (wide color gamut) and the Acer EI322QURP (sRGB gamut only).

The Pros:

  • Wide color gamut
  • High pixel density
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 180Hz
  • Ergonomic stand

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

The Acer XV271U M3 is one of the cheapest 1440p 165Hz (180Hz factory OC) IPS gaming monitors with a 1ms GtG response time speed, allowing you to enjoy fast-paced games with zero ghosting and no VRR brightness flickering.

Image Quality

Thanks to its IPS panel with a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, the Acer XV271U M3 delivers consistent and rich colors.

Other panel-related specifications include a 250-nit peak brightness and a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio.

Features

The monitor has both AMD FreeSync Premium and stable G-SYNC Compatible performance for tear-free gameplay up to 180FPS. It also supports backlight strobing.

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

Visit our Acer XV271U M3 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Acer XV271U M3bmiiprx Monitor Design

The stand offers full ergonomic support with up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/25° tilt, 90° pivot, +/- 180° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

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

Alternatives

There are plenty of excellent 27″ 1440p high refresh rate IPS gaming monitors available nowadays ranging from $200 to $250 (depending on sale).

So, we recommend checking them all out and choosing whichever is the cheapest or according to your design/feature preference:

If you want a smaller 24″ 1440p 165Hz IPS gaming monitor, check out the Koorui GP01.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 175Hz
  • Ergonomic stand and rich connectivity options

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

Looking for a 32″ 1440p gaming monitor with an IPS panel and a high refresh rate? The ASUS PG329Q offers the best value for money by far!

Image Quality

A 32″ 1440p monitor doesn’t have as high pixel density as a 27″ model, so the image quality won’t be quite as crisp (you get the same PPI as that of a 24″ 1080p monitor).

However, the larger screen does offer a more immersive viewing and gaming experience.

Further, the ASUS PG329Q has a wide 99% Adobe RGB gamut coverage for vibrant colors (sRGB emulation mode is available as well), while the contrast ratio and peak brightness are standard at 1,000:1 and 400-nits (600-nits for HDR), respectively.

Features

Moving on, the monitor has a rapid 1ms GtG pixel response time speed, so there’s no noticeable ghosting in fast-paced games.

AMD FreeSync is supported with a 50-175Hz VRR range and it’s officially certified as G-SYNC Compatible by NVIDIA.

Other features include Shadow Boost, crosshair overlays, various picture modes and ELMB-Sync MBR technology that can work at the same time as VRR.

Visit our ASUS PG329Q review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

ASUS ROG Swift PG329Q Monitor Back

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and fairly ergonomic with height adjustment up to 100mm, +/- 25° swivel, -5°/20° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack and a USB 3.0 hub (1 upstream + 2 downstream).

Alternatives

  • Gigabyte M32Q – not as wide color gamut or high brightness, but has a KVM switch
  • Sceptre E325B-QPN168 – budget 32″ 1440p 144Hz IPS model, not as many features

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio, wide color gamut
  • High pixel density (27-inch model)
  • DisplayHDR 600
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 240Hz
  • Fully ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • 1000R curvature too steep for some users
  • VRR Control option might cause micro-stuttering on some units

About The Monitor

The Samsung C27G75T and the Samsung C32G75T are the only widescreen VA-panel gaming monitors with a fast 1ms GtG response time speed!

Image Quality

The Samsung Odyssey G7 monitors allow you to enjoy both a high 2,500:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks without IPS glow and a fast response time speed for no ghosting in fast-paced games!

On top of that, they boast a high 240Hz refresh rate, a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, and DisplayHDR 600 certification.

Unlike the previously mentioned monitors with HDR support, the Samsung G7 monitors actually offer a meaningful improvement in HDR picture quality.

To start with, they have a good 2,500:1 native contrast ratio and wide color gamut, while their typical 350-nit peak brightness gets a boost up to 600-nits for more vivid highlights. Moreover, there are 8 dimming zones that can dim parts of the screen for an improved HDR viewing experience.

Of course, since there are only 8 dimming zones, you won’t be getting the ‘true’ HDR viewing experience, but the HDR picture is still great considering the price.

Features

The Samsung Odyssey G7 monitors feature NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible certification, and they offer smooth VRR performance as long as you have the 1009.3 firmware (or newer) installed.

FreeSync Premium Pro is supported as well with AMD cards, providing lower input lag and better HDR picture quality in compatible games.

The VRR range is 60-240Hz for the 27″ model and 80-240Hz for the 32″ variant, while HDMI is limited to 48-144Hz.

The mentioned firmware update introduces a new ‘VRR Control’ option that, once enabled, prevents the brightness flickering usually associated with VA panels.

However, some users report that micro-stuttering occurs when VRR Control is enabled. It doesn’t seem to affect all units and its intensity varies across different panels, some users might not even notice it.

So, if you want guaranteed flawless VRR performance, IPS is still the way to go, but most gamers will be happy with the Odyssey G7.

Other features include MBR, Black Equalizer, crosshair overlays and various picture presets.

Design & Connectivity

samsung c32g75t monitor

The design includes a sturdy stand with a good range of ergonomics including up to 120mm height adjustment, 90° pivot, +/- 15° swivel, -9°/13° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

At the back and the front of the monitor, there are RGB LEDs that you can customize in the OSD menu.

As for connectivity options, there are two DisplayPort 1.4 sockets, a single HDMI 2.0 port which maxes out at 1440p 144Hz, a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Keep in mind that for 1440p 240Hz and 10-bit color, you’ll need a graphics card that supports DSC (Display Stream Compression). These include AMD’s RX 5xxx series and NVIDIA’s RTX 20-series and GTX 16-series (or newer). With older cards, you’re limited to 1440p 240Hz 8-bit color or 1440p 144Hz 10-bit color.

The monitors have a steep 1000R screen curvature, which is more pronounced on the 32″ version. Some users love the deep curvature, while others despise it. It’s a matter of preference. Also, some can get used to it over time, and some cannot.

Alternatives

The Samsung G6 models are the same as the G7 variant, but feature integrated Tizen OS with smart applications, such as Samsung TV+, Samsung Gaming Hub, Microsoft 365, Bixby voice assistant, etc. It’s also available in 27″ and 32″ versions, the Samsung S27BG65 and the Samsung S32BG65.

If you want a different 1440p 240Hz gaming monitor with a fast VA panel, the only such model currently available is the Innocn 27G1S with a flat screen.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide color gamut
  • High pixel density
  • Quick response time
  • Height-adjustable stand, USB hub
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 240Hz

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Design lacks swivel option

About The Monitor

Would you rather have a flat-screen 1440p 240Hz IPS gaming monitor?

Check out the HP Omen 27qs with a wide color gamut and smooth VRR performance.

Image Quality

The HP Omen 27qs uses an IPS panel with 178° wide viewing angles and consistent colors. It has a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut (~130% sRGB) and comes with a ~100% sRGB emulation mode.

Now, the HP Omen 27qs monitor has a lower contrast ratio than the G7, so you won’t get as deep blacks, but the colors are more vivid and rich.

The HDR picture is also a step down due to the lower 400-nit peak brightness and lack of local dimming.

So, the main advantage of the HP Omen 27qs over the G7 is the more vibrant and precise color reproduction, wider viewing angles, impeccable VRR performance, and the fact that most people prefer flat displays at this screen size.

Features

The monitor supports VRR up to 240FPS for tear-free gameplay. FreeSync works with NVIDIA cards without any issues.

Other gaming features include Black Stretch, a refresh rate tracker, crosshair overlays, various picture presets and the MPRT backlight strobing technology.

Check out our HP Omen 27qs review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

HP Omen 27qs Design

The monitor has a sturdy and height-adjustable stand (up to 130mm) with tilt (-5°/20°), 90° pivot and VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, dual 2W built-in speakers and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

There are 300Hz models available too, such as the ASUS XG27AQMR, but we find that the extra 60Hz is not worth $200+ more.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide DCI-P3 color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync up to 260Hz

The Cons:

  • Design lacks swivel option
  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology, but A-TW polarizer helps minimize the issue)

About The Monitor

Want a 32″ 1440p 240Hz IPS gaming monitor? The LG 32GQ850 is the best option currently available yet it costs the same as the inferior alternatives.

Image Quality

The UltraGear 32GQ850 has a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut as well as an sRGB emulation mode for vibrant and accurate colors.

Further, it has VESA’s DisplayHDR 600 certification. So, with HDR content, you get a boost in peak brightness up to 600-nits and there are 16 dimming zones that can improve the 1,000:1 static contrast ratio a bit, depending on the scene.

Features

VRR is supported with both AMD’s FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA’s G-SYNC Compatible certification within the 48-240Hz range. You can also overclock the monitor up to 260Hz!

Other features include Black Stabilizer, hardware calibration, crosshair overlays and various picture presets.

Check out our LG 32GQ850 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

LG UltraGear 32GQ850 Review

The stand is robust and offers a good range of ergonomics including up to 110mm height adjustment, -5°/15° tilt, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 inputs, a headphone jack (with DTS HP:X) and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

The Pros:

  • ULMB 2
  • High pixel density, wide color gamut, consistent colors, sRGB mode
  • Quick response time, low input lag
  • Plenty of gaming features including G-SYNC up to 360Hz
  • Fully ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

Nowadays, you can even find a 1440p 360Hz gaming display, but keep in mind that you’ll need quite a powerful PC rig to fully utilize this beast!

Image Quality

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQN is based on an IPS panel with a rapid pixel response time speed. It’s noticeably faster than the Acer 25XV2QF 1080p 360Hz IPS model, and basically as fast as BenQ’s XL2566K 360Hz TN display.

On top of that, it has a native G-SYNC module with ULMB 2 support for flawless VRR and backlight strobing (though not at the same time) performance up to 360FPS.

You get a 98% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage for rich and saturated colors, which can sometimes help you distinguish an enemy more quickly in certain scenarios!

The monitor also supports DisplayHDR 600 with a 600-nit peak brightness and 32-zone edge-lit local dimming for a semi-HDR viewing experience.

Overall, you get a single monitor that’s exceptional for competitive games, but also provides you with great image quality for everyday use and even content creation.

Other features include Dark Boost, 25″ Mode, crosshair overlays, picture presets and NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer.

Check out our full ASUS PG27AQN review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQN Review

The stand is well-built and offers height adjustment up to 100mm, 90° pivot, +/- 25° swivel, -5°/20° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, three HDMI 2.0 ports (max 144Hz), a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

Best UltraWide Gaming Monitors

Ultrawide monitors provide you with a wider field of view which greatly increases both productivity and gaming immersion.

Make sure your favorite games support the 21:9 aspect ratio format though. Otherwise, you’ll have to play with black borders (pillarbox) or with a stretched-out picture.

Note that we have a dedicated buying guide for the best ultrawide monitors.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 200Hz
  • UltraWide aspect ratio for added immersion
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

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

About The Monitor

The MSI MAG301RF is one of the most affordable ultrawide gaming monitors yet it’s equipped with a high 200Hz refresh rate and a rapid 1ms GtG response time speed!

Image Quality

This 30″ (29.5″ viewable) ultrawide monitor is essentially as tall as a regular 24″ monitor, just ~33% wider. The pixel density is also similar at 94 PPI.

Most competitive FPS gamers prefer ~24″ sized screens as it allows them to view all the action at once – without having to move their eyes/head as much as they would on a larger monitor.

The MSI MAG301RF basically just extends that 24″ screen horizontally for a wider field of view, allowing you to spot the enemies coming from the left or right corners more quickly. Indeed, it’s a competitive edge, which is why some titles don’t support the 21:9 aspect ratio, such as Overwatch, StarCraft, and Valorant. Most games support it though.

On top of that, you get the 2560×1080 resolution which looks great on a 30″ display but is not very demanding, allowing you to maintain a high frame rate and take advantage of the monitor’s 200Hz refresh rate while the 1ms GtG response time speed efficiently removes ghosting behind fast-moving objects.

It’s has a peak brightness of 300-nits, a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1, and slightly saturated colors with 105% sRGB gamut.

Features

Moving on, the MSI MAG301RF supports AMD FreeSync up to 200Hz and it’s certified as G-SYNC Compatible by NVIDIA.

Other features include Night Vision (improves visibility in dark scenes of games), Mystic Light RGB LED at the rear of the monitor, various picture presets, MPRT backlight strobing, a refresh rate tracker, on-screen timers, and crosshair overlays.

Design & Connectivity

MSI MAG301RF Monitor Design

You can elevate the screen of the monitor up to 130mm, tilt it by -5°/20°, swivel by +/- 45°, or VESA mount it via the 100x100mm pattern.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

  • Sceptre C305B-200UN – A 30″ 2560×1080 200Hz ultrawide gaming monitor based on a curved VA panel. It has a higher contrast ratio, but a much slower response time speed.

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio and pixel density
  • Wide color gamut
  • UltraWide format for added immersion
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 144Hz
  • Ergonomic stand

The Cons:

  • Ghosting in fast-paced games, mainly in darker scenes
  • Some units prone to VRR brightness flickering

About the Monitor

The Gigabyte G34WQC-A is the best ultrawide gaming monitor under $450.

In fact, the G34WQC-A is actually cheaper than any 3440×1440 60Hz-75Hz ultrawide IPS model, yet it offers a more immersive picture quality and a more responsive gaming experience, just not as consistent colors or as fast response time.

Image Quality

Based on a VA panel with a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, a 400-nit peak brightness, 10-bit color depth with 125% sRGB color gamut and 3440×1440 resolution, the monitor delivers a crystal-clear picture quality with deep blacks and vibrant colors.

As if that’s not enough, you hit the pixel density sweet spot of roughly 110 PPI, which results in plenty of screen space available and maximum detail clarity without any scaling necessary.

The main downside of this monitor, as it’s the case with most VA models, is the response time speed. In fast-paced games, there’s noticeable trailing of fast-moving objects, which gets more apparent in darker scenes. To most gamers, it won’t be game-breaking, but if you’re sensitive to ghosting, you’ll prefer an IPS ultrawide monitor.

Features

The Gigabyte G34WQC-A supports AMD FreeSync with a 48-144Hz VRR range.

However, many units of the monitor have brightness flickering issues when FreeSync is enabled. Other units, on the other hand, work without any issues, so your mileage may vary.

If you do get a monitor with flickering issues, there are a few ways to reduce it. For instance, you can decrease the VRR range using CRU.

Even if you get a unit that flickers, it won’t necessarily flicker in all video games. So, you can just disable FreeSync or use MBR (Aim Stabilizer) in games where flickering occurs.

Other features of the monitor include the standard game-enhancing tools such as Black Equalizer, Color Vibrance, various picture presets and crosshair overlays.

Design & Connectivity

Gigabyte G34WQC A Monitor Design

The Gigabyte G34WQC-A has a steep 1500R screen curvature which along with the ultrawide resolution further improves the viewing experience.

Further, the design is height-adjustable by up to 100mm and you can tilt the screen by -5°/23° or VESA mount it via the 100x100mm pattern.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 sockets, a headphone jack and two 2W built-in speakers. Note that HDMI 2.0 maxes out at 100Hz at 3440×1440.

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):

There are a few good alternatives with a wide color gamut available as well:

All three of the above-mentioned ultrawide monitors use the same panel, so the image quality and performance will be basically identical, including the risk of getting a unit with FreeSync brightness flickering.

Therefore, you can simply choose according to your preference of the design/features or go for whichever is available/cheaper. Not sure which one to pick? Leave us a comment below!

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • UltraWide format for added immersion, wide color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 160Hz
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Design lacks swivel option

About The Monitor

The LG 34GP83A is the most cost-efficient 3440×1440 IPS ultrawide monitor with a native 144Hz refresh rate currently available!

Image Quality

Based on LG’s Nano IPS technology, the LG 34GP83A pushes its color gamut to 98% DCI-P3 (135% sRGB native, with an sRGB clamp available) and adds support for entry-level HDR (VESA DisplayHDR 400 standard) with up to 400-nit peak brightness.

The monitor will provide you with just a glimpse of what HDR can actually do; even though the display offers a wide color gamut, it still lacks brightness and contrast ratio for an HDR viewing experience worthy of attention.

Regardless of its trivial HDR support, the LG 34GP83A still delivers an outstanding picture quality thanks to its accurate, consistent and vibrant colors, as well as the high resolution.

Features

The LG 34GP83A supports AMD FreeSync with a 48-144Hz VRR range, and NVIDIA certified it as G-SYNC Compatible. You can even overclock the monitor up to 160Hz if you drop the color depth to 8-bit from 10-bit.

The biggest advantage this monitor has over the older IPS ultrawide displays near this price range is the fast 1ms GtG response time speed, which eliminates all prominent ghosting without adding any pixel overshoot.

Standard LG features such as Black Stabilizer, D.A.S., crosshairs and picture presets are available as well.

Design & Connectivity

lg 34gp83a monitor design

You can elevate the screen of the monitor by up to 110mm and tilt it by -5°/15° – or mount it using the VESA pattern, but you cannot swivel or pivot the screen. The monitor has a 1900R curvature for added immersion.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports (max 85Hz at 3440×1440), a dual-USB 3.0 hub and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

Note that there’s also the LG 34GN850, which is the same monitor, so get whichever is available/cheaper at the time of buying.

Another model worth considering is the Acer XR343CKP with the same panel, 180Hz factory-OC, USB-C (85W PD) and integrated KVM functionality.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • UltraWide format for added immersion, wide color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync and MBR up to 144Hz
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Screen is flat, not curved

About The Monitor

If you’d like a cheaper 34″ 3440×1440 144Hz IPS ultrawide gaming monitor, we recommend the Gigabyte M34WQ.

Image Quality

The main downside of the M34WQ in comparison to the LG 34GP83A is that it has a flat screen, but it’s also up to ~$300 cheaper.

While most users prefer curved screens at this form factor due to the width of the display, a flat 34″ screen still offers immersive image quality, you’ll just have to sit a fit further from the screen for the optimal viewing experience.

The Gigabyte M34WQ has a wide 91% DCI-P3 color gamut, a strong 400-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and wide 178° viewing angles.

Features

AMD FreeSync is supported with a 48-144Hz range for tear-free gameplay, and it works without issues with compatible NVIDIA graphics cards.

MBR is available as well, and it can even work at the same time as VRR. Other features include Black Equalizer, PiP/PbP, crosshair overlays and various picture presets.

All in all, if you want a 34″ 3440×1440 144Hz ultrawide gaming monitor below $500, but don’t want to deal with dark level smearing or VRR brightness flickering associated with VA panels, the M34WQ is for you. Check out our M34WQ review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Gigabyte M34WQ Design

You can elevate the screen by up to 130mm, tilt by -5°/21°, +/- 30° swivel or VESA mount it via the 100x100mm pattern.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB-C port (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 18W PD), a headphone jack, a dual-USB 3.0 hub, an integrated KVM switch and dual 3W built-in speakers.

Alternatives

If you want something similar but cheaper, check out the Sceptre E345B-QUN168W. It’s based on the same (or similar) panel and can be found for as low as $300, but it doesn’t have as many features.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • UltraWide format for added immersion, wide color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 155Hz
  • Rich connectivity options, including USB-C with 65W PD and KVM

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Screen is flat, not curved
  • Tilt-only stand

About The Monitor

You can even find larger 40″ sized flat-screen ultrawide displays for around $400, and the MSI MAG401QR is the best yet also most affordable such model.

Image Quality

The MSI MAG401QR has a screen resolution of 3440×1440, so you get a pixel density of 93 PPI. You can basically think of this monitor as a 32″ 2560×1440 display that’s around 33% wider.

It also has a wide 94% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for vibrant colors, a strong 400-nit peak brightness and a standard 1,000:1 contrast ratio.

Other features include VRR up to 155Hz, crosshair overlays, Night Vision, on-screen timers, PiP/PbP and backlight strobing.

Design & Connectivity

MSI MAG401QR Design

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

Connectivity options include DP 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 65W PD, a dual-USB 3.0 hub, a headphone jack and integrated KVM functionality.

Alternatives

The MSI MAG401QR is the most affordable 40″ 3440×1440 display, but in case it’s not available, consider the Innocn 40C1R and the Aopen 40XV1CUP as alternatives based on the same panel.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • DisplayHDR 600
  • UltraWide format for added immersion, wide color gamut
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including G-SYNC up to 144Hz
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • No sRGB emulation mode

About The Monitor

The Dell Alienware AW3821DW is essentially a beefed-up version of the LG 34GP83A.

Image Quality

You get a larger 38″ screen with a higher 3840×1600 screen resolution to back it up, thus providing you with the same ideal ~110 PPI pixel density.

The Dell AW3821DW has a Nano IPS panel with a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut and a fast 1ms GtG response time speed. Sadly, it doesn’t have an sRGB emulation mode.

Additionally, it offers VESA DisplayHDR 600 support with a peak brightness of 600-nits and 32 local dimming zones for an excellent HDR viewing experience.

Features

The Dell AW3821DW features a dedicated G-SYNC module that ensures flawless VRR performance up to 144FPS. You can also use VRR with AMD cards over DisplayPort.

Other features include various picture presets, a refresh rate tracker, on-screen timers, Dark Stabilizer, and RGB lighting at the rear of the monitor.

For more information, be sure to check out our Dell AW3821DW review.

Design & Connectivity

Dell Alienware AW3821DW Monitor Design

Moving on, the design of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 130mm, swivel by +/- 20°, VESA mount compatibility and -5°/15° screen tilt.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, an audio line-out port and a quad-USB 3.0 hub.

Due to DP 1.4 limitation and lack of DSC support, you will need to lower the color depth to 8-bit for 144Hz. For 10-bit color, you need to lower the refresh rate to 120Hz.

Given that the difference between 8-bit and 10-bit is subtle, just like the difference between 120Hz and 144Hz, this isn’t a big issue. Also, note that HDMI 2.0 maxes out at 85Hz at 3840×1600.

Alternatives

  • Acer X38P, LG 38GL950G – Based on the same panel with 175Hz OC and sRGB mode, but weaker DisplayHDR 400 support
  • LG 38GN950, LG 38WN95C – Based on the same panel with 160Hz OC, sRGB mode, and DisplayHDR 600 (12 dimming zones), but no G-SYNC module

At its usual $1,425 price, the Dell AW3821DW offers the best value for money among these ultrawide monitors. Since the prices of all models fluctuate, feel free to leave us a comment below if you’re unsure which one to buy.

In case you’d like a big ultrawide monitor, but can’t afford any of these 38″ models, there’s the Innocn 40C1R with a 40″ ultrawide panel albeit with a 3440×1440 resolution. It still has a decent 93 PPI as well as 144Hz, VRR, wide color gamut and USB-C with 90W PD.

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio, wide color gamut
  • High pixel density
  • DisplayHDR 1000
  • Quick response time
  • Plenty of features, including FreeSync up to 240Hz
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Only 10 dimming zones
  • Some overshoot at 220 – 240FPS when VRR is enabled

About The Monitor

Interested in something a bit different? The Samsung G9 is a 49″ 32:9 5120×1440 ‘super’ ultrawide gaming monitor!

Essentially, it’s equivalent to two 27″ 1440p monitors put side by side, just without the gap in-between — but the Samsung C49G95T has more tricks up its sleeve!

Image Quality

The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a VA panel that boasts a superior contrast ratio of 2,500:1. It also uses the quantum dot technology (QLED) to further increase its color gamut to 125% sRGB (95% DCI-P3).

But it gets better: it has a peak luminance of stunning 1000-nits, which in addition to its high contrast and wide color gamut, earned the monitor VESA’s DisplayHDR 1000 certification. So, there’s a notable enhancement in image quality for HDR content.

Unlike most monitors with direct-lit LED backlights, the backlight of the G9 is edge-lit. This allows the monitor to be so slim and light despite its enormous size.

Moreover, it has a 10-zone local dimming system, which further improves the contrast ratio as parts of the screen that need to be dark can be dimmed locally, instead of having to dim the entire screen. 

Of course, the local dimming is not as effective as that of the more expensive FALD (full-array local dimming) models which have 384 dimming zones or more, but these models are also far more costly, we’ll get into them later on.

All in all, the Samsung C49G95T offers an incredibly immersive picture quality thanks to its HDR support with excellent contrast, brightness and color gamut performance while AMD FreeSync Premium Pro (with G-SYNC Compatibility), 1ms GtG response time, and the 240Hz refresh rate ensure a smooth and fluid performance.

Features

FreeSync works with NVIDIA cards and it’s certified as G-SYNC Compatible with a 60-240Hz VRR range.

When using VRR, there can be some noticeable overshoot above ~220FPS, however, you can ‘fix’ this if the inverse ghosting becomes too apparent to you by simply capping your frame rate to 220FPS, which you most likely won’t even reach at 5120×1440.

Note that in order to get 240Hz at 5120×1440, you will need a graphics card that supports DisplayPort 1.4 DSC (AMD RX 5xxx and NVIDIA GTX 16-series and RTX 20-series, or newer GPUs).

With older cards, you’ll be limited to 120Hz at 5120×1440. 

Other gaming features include Virtual Aim Point, pre-calibrated picture modes (FPS, RTS, RPG, and AOS) and Black Equalizer (improves visibility in darker games).

For more information, visit our Samsung Odyssey G9 review.

Design & Connectivity

samsung odyssey c49g95t monitor design

The design of the monitor includes a steep 1000R curvature for added immersion, glossy white chassis, and RGB lighting at the back of the monitor.

You can elevate the screen up to 120mm, tilt it by -5°/15°, swivel by +/- 15°, or VESA mount it (100x100mm).

Connectivity options are abundant and include two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, HDMI 2.0 (max 5120×1440 60Hz or 3840×1080 120Hz, HDR is supported), a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

For cheaper alternatives, consider the following models:

  • Samsung C49RG9 – previous 49″ 5120×1440 DisplayHDR 1000 model with a lower 120Hz refresh rate and slower response time
  • AOC AG493UCX – 49″ 5120×1440 120Hz DisplayHDR 400
  • Samsung C49HG90 – 49″ 3840×1080 144Hz DisplayHDR 600

Samsung’s upcoming newer model of this monitor, the S49AG95NC, will have a mini LED backlight and 2048 dimming zones. It will be more expensive but offer a much better HDR image quality.

Best 4K Gaming Monitors

In this category, you’ll find the best 4K monitors for both PC and console gaming. Keep in mind that in order to run PC games at 4K UHD with decent frame rates and picture settings, you will need a powerful CPU and GPU.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide color gamut, high pixel density
  • Quick response time speed
  • Plenty of features, including VRR and MBR up to 160Hz
  • Height-adjustable stand, USB hub, KVM

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Design lacks pivot and swivel

About The Monitor

The Gigabyte M27U is the best value 4K gaming monitor!

Image Quality

To start with, the IPS panel used in the Gigabyte M27U offers a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut for vibrant and lifelike colors, and there’s a working sRGB mode.

In addition to the wide color gamut, HDR content will also get a boost in peak luminance to 600-nits and there are 8 dimming zones that can further push the standard 1,000:1 contrast ratio.

Now, as there are only 8 dimming zones, you’re not getting the true HDR viewing experience, but there’s some improvement in certain HDR scenes.

Features

The Gigabyte M27U supports a variable refresh rate with a 48-160Hz dynamic range, AMD FreeSync Premium certification and stable G-SYNC performance.

The HDMI 2.1 port also allows you to utilize 4K 120Hz and VRR on the Xbox Series X and PS5!

However, the HDMI 2.1 port on the Gigabyte M27U is limited to 24 Gbit/s and relies on DSC for the rest of the required bandwidth. This doesn’t affect Xbox and PC gamers, but the PS5 is limited to 4:2:0 color format at 4K 120Hz.

The PS5 is already limited to 4:2:2 color format due to its own HDMI 2.1 limitations (32 Gbit/s), so you wouldn’t be getting a full 4:4:4 signal anyway. This type of compression mainly affects text clarity when displayed on colored backgrounds, so it’s not really a big issue for gaming.

Further, the monitor has a rapid 1ms GtG pixel response time speed with excellent overdrive implementation, so there’s no ghosting or overshoot in fast-paced games.

Other features include crosshair overlays, Black Equalizer, and customizable picture presets.

Design & Connectivity

Gigabyte M27U Design

The monitor supports height adjustment up to 130mm, tilt by -5°/20°, and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports, DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 18W PD), a headphone jack, a USB 3.0 hub (3 downstream + 1 upstream), two 3W integrated speakers and a built-in KVM switch.

Alternatives

  • Acer XB283K KV – a 28″ 4K 144Hz IPS model with a USB-C port that also has 65W Power Delivery, but it can be up to $100 more expensive
  • Gigabyte M28U – Another popular 28″ 4K 144Hz gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1 and a $450 – $550 price tag. However, it has minor inverse ghosting at low refresh rates with VRR enabled.
  • LG 27GP950 / 27GP95R – A 27″ 4K 144Hz monitor with a bit wider 98% DCI-P3 color gamut and hardware calibration support. It’s more expensive, but can be found on sale for $600 – $700
  • LG 27GR93U – a newer version of the 27GP950, though it’s just as expensive yet it has worse specs: DisplayHDR 400 and 95% DCI-P3

Based on this, we highly recommend getting the M27U, especially if you can find it at its lowest $470 price. The other models are only worth considering if the M27U is not available or overpriced – or if the other models are on a big sale. The XB283K KV is worth the extra price if you have a compatible laptop you’d want to charge.

NOTE

Keep in mind that the Acer XV275K P3 27″ 4K 160Hz IPS gaming monitor with a 576-zone mini LED FALD backlight can be found on sale for $550.

The Pros:

  • Accurate and consistent colors
  • Wide color gamut, high pixel density
  • Quick response time speed
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 144Hz
  • Height-adjustable stand, USB hub, KVM

The Cons:

  • IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
  • Design lacks pivot option

About The Monitor

The Gigabyte M32U is the only 32″ 4K SDR high refresh rate gaming monitor worth considering as it goes for $650. At higher prices ($800+), you should be looking at HDR displays.

Image Quality

The 4K UHD resolution looks incredible even on 32″ screens, so most users prefer the 32″ 4K combination to ~27″ 4K or 32″ 1440p.

Further, the Gigabyte M32U also has a bit wider 90% DCI-P3 color gamut (~125% sRGB size) for rich colors, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and a decent 350-nit peak brightness.

The monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium with a 48-144Hz range and offers stable G-SYNC Compatible performance.

Be sure to check out our full Gigabyte M32U review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Gigabyte M32U Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 130mm, -5°/20° tilt, +/- 30° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports (24Gbps with DSC), DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 18W PD, a USB 3.0 hub (1 upstream + 3 downstream), dual 3W integrated speakers, a headphone jack and a KVM switch.

Alternatives

  • Gigabyte Aorus FI32U – the same monitor, but with some premium features (better design, RGB lighting and a microphone jack) for up to $200 more. However, it can sometimes be found on sale for the same price as the M32U, so it’s worth checking out.
  • MSI MPG321UR-QD – a 32″ 4K 144Hz IPS monitor with a wide Adobe RGB color gamut, DisplayHDR 600 and KVM. It’s more expensive and has a bit slower response time speed though
  • LG 32GQ950 – a 32″ 4K 144Hz IPS monitor with a wider color gamut and an A-TW polarizer, which helps with IPS glow, but it goes for up to $1,300. It’s worth considering if you can find it on sale for ~$900 and don’t care about HDR
  • LG 32GR93U – the newer version of the 32GQ950, but it has a lower brightness, no A-TW polarizer and only DisplayHDR 400 for $750 – $800

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio, wide color gamut
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 144Hz
  • 360-zone mini LED FALD
  • Smart features (Tizen OS) and rich connectivity options

The Cons:

  • Ghosting in fast-paced games, mainly in darker scenes
  • Only 360 dimming zones
  • BGR subpixel layout

About The Monitor

If you want a large 43″ gaming monitor, the Samsung S43CG70 is the best model currently available – and it has HDMI 2.1!

Image Quality

The 43″ Samsung Neo G7 is based on a VA panel, so some ghosting will be noticeable in fast-paced games (mainly in darker scenes), but you get a high 4,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks, a high 700-nit peak brightness for vivid highlights, and a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut for vibrant colors (sRGB clamp is available too).

There are only 360 dimming zones across the big 42.5″ sized screen, so you’re not getting the ideal HDR viewing experience, but the picture is still excellent and significantly better than that of entry-level HDR monitors.

In fact, even though this monitor has VESA’s DisplayHDR 600 certification, it offers better HDR image quality than any DisplayHDR 1000 display without a full-array local dimming solution, such as the LG 32GQ950. Still, if you want the best HDR image quality in this price range, we recommend getting the LG OLED42C3 instead.

4K UHD resolution looks great even on 43″ screens as you get a pixel density of 103.67 PPI. However, since the monitor uses a BGR subpixel layout, text will look a bit fringy if you’re not using any scaling and are sitting close to the screen.

So, if you plan on using the monitor for work too, have a look at our RGB vs BGR subpixel layout article.

Features

The monitor supports AMD FreeSync and you can use it with compatible NVIDIA graphics though it’s not officially certified as G-SYNC Compatible. You might experience some VRR brightness flickering with fluctuating frame rates.

It also has integrated Tizen OS with smart applications such as DeX, Microsoft 365, Bixby, streaming apps, etc.

Design & Connectivity

Samsung S43CG70 Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and VESA mount compatible (100x100mm, 200x200mm), while connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1 ports, a dual-USB 3.0 hub, dual 20W speakers, RJ45, WiFi/Bluetooth and a remote controller.

Alternatives

  • Gigabyte Aorus FV43U – offers a higher peak brightness and a wider color gamut, but it has only 8 dimming zones, resulting in a much worse HDR image quality.

Best HDR Gaming Monitors

While some of the above-mentioned monitors do offer a decent HDR image quality, they can’t hold a candle to the following ‘true HDR’ displays!

The Pros:

  • High peak brightness, decent pixel density, wide color gamut
  • 336-zone mini LED FALD
  • Decent response time, low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 180FPS
  • Fully ergonomic stand

The Cons:

  • Minor blooming/haloing noticeable in certain scenes
  • Minor ghosting

About The Monitor

The AOC Q27G3XMN is the cheapest monitor available with proper HDR support thanks to its 336-zone mini LED FALD!

Image Quality

Even with 336 zones, you can get exceptional HDR image quality with deep blacks and a high 1200-nit peak brightness.

Edge lit Dimming vs Full array Dimming

In fact, the first full-array local dimming displays had 384 dimming zones and went for $2,000! Check out our ASUS PG27UQ review for more info.

Next, the AOC Q27G3XMN has a wide 96% DCI-P3 and 90% Adobe RGB gamut coverage for vibrant colors.

VRR is supported up to 180Hz for tear-free gameplay, and you get plenty of extra features, including Shadow Boost, Game Color, on-screen timers and a crosshair overlay.

Check out our full AOC Q27G3XMN review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

AOC Q27G3XMN Design

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

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

Alternatives

  • KTC M27T20 – 27″ 1440p 165Hz VA gaming monitor with 576-zone mini LED FALD, USB-C 90W and KVM. It has a bit faster response time and better backlight control but goes for ~$450.
  • Acer XV275U P3 – newly released 27″ 1440p 170Hz flat-screen VA gaming monitor with a 576-zone mini LED FALD, but no USB-C or KVM

The Pros:

  • High peak brightness, decent pixel density, wide color gamut
  • 576-zone mini LED FALD
  • Quick repsonse time, low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 165FPS
  • Fully ergonomic stand and rich connectivity options, including KVM and USB-C with 90W PD

The Cons:

  • Minor blooming/haloing noticeable in certain scenes

About The Monitor

The Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q is the cheapest IPS monitor with proper HDR image quality!

Image Quality

Thanks to its 576-zone mini LED FALD (full-array local dimming) solution and high 1200-nit peak brightness, the Cooler Master GP27Q can simultaneously display deep blacks and bright highlights for the true HDR viewing experience.

On top of that, it has an exceptional color gamut with 98% DCI-P3 and 100% Adobe RGB color space coverage for rich and saturated colors.

You also get a quick 1ms GtG pixel response time speed, smooth VRR performance up to 165FPS (some flickering can be observed in certain games with both HDR and VRR enabled) and MBR support.

Other features include Black Stabilization, crosshair overlays, PiP/PbP and various picture presets.

Check out our full GP27Q review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q Design

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 110mm height adjustment, 90° pivot, -5°/20° tilt, +/- 15° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DP 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode and 90W Power Delivery), a headphone jack, two 3W integrated speakers, a dual-USB 3.0 hub and built-in KVM functionality.

The Pros:

  • High peak brightness, high pixel density, wide color gamut
  • 1152-zone mini LED FALD
  • Quick repsonse time, low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 144FPS
  • Fully ergonomic stand and rich connectivity options, including KVM and USB-C with 90W PD

The Cons:

  • Minor blooming/haloing noticeable in certain scenes

About The Monitor

If you can afford something a bit better, check out the Innocn 27M2V with a 4K UHD resolution and an 1152-zone mini LED FALD backlight.

Image Quality

Its higher 4K resolution results in a higher pixel density and therefore sharper details, but it’s also a lot more demanding on your GPU. So, we only recommend the Innocn 27M2V model if you have a high-end PC rig and/or need the monitor for work.

The 1152-zone FALD also ensures that there are fewer blooming artifacts, while the other specifications are very similar to the GP27Q, including a 1200-nit peak brightness, 99% Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and a rapid 1ms GtG pixel response time speed.

Useful features include VRR support up to 165FPS (up to 144FPS with NVIDIA GPUs), Shadow Boost, crosshair overlays, a refresh rate tracker and PiP/PbP support.

Design & Connectivity

Innocn 27M2V Design

Alternatives

In case the Innocn 27M2V is not available in your region, check out the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor with the same panel and local dimming solution.

If neither is available and you want a 27″ 4K HDR display, you’ll have to settle with the Cooler Master Tempest GP27U, the KTC M27P20 Pro or the Acer XV275K P3 as an alternative. These three displays use the same panel with a fewer 576-zone FALD backlight yet they cost around the same as the 1152-zone models.

The Acer XV275K P3 model can be found on sale for $600, so it’s worth considering if you want to save ~$200 and don’t mind the lower local dimming zone count.

The Pros:

  • Infinite contrast ratio, wide color gamut, high peak brightness
  • No backlight bleed or IPS/VA glow
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 120Hz
  • Quick response time speed
  • HDMI 2.1, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Risk of permanent image burn-in and temporary image retention
  • Not as bright as some high-end OLED and LED-backlit displays
  • Burn-in not covered by warranty

About The TV

Although not a monitor, LG’s OLED TVs deliver an otherworldly gaming experience for both immersion and responsiveness. They’re actually cheaper than some worse big format gaming monitors.

Image Quality

LG’s C3 line-up includes a 42″ variant, which is much more practical for desktop use than some of the previous-gen (the C1) smallest models with a 48″ screen size.

Now, with 4K resolution on the 41.5″ viewable screen of the LG OLED42C3, you get a rather decent pixel density of 106.16 PPI.

Want to know the best part? The main asset of OLED technology is, of course, the infinite contrast ratio as each pixel produces its own light.

Other specs aren’t too shabby either and include a wide 98% DCI-P3 color gamut, impeccable 178° viewing angles and a peak brightness of 700-nits (180-nits sustainable for 100% white window in SDR).

 100% White Window Max Brightness (SDR)100% White Window Max Brightness (HDR)10% White Window Max Brightness (HDR)1 - 3% White Window Max Brightness (HDR)
AW3423DW,
AW3423DWF,
Samsung G8,
MSI 342C
250-nits250-nits450 ~ 550-nits1000-nits
Samsung OLED G9
250-nits250-nits500-nits1000-nits
ASUS PG27AQDM250-nits**160-nits850-nits900-nits
LG 27GR95QE200-nits130-nits650-nits650-nits
LG 45GR95QE160-nits160-nits650-nits800-nits
Corsair Xeneon Flex190-nits160-nits650-nits800-nits
LG OLED42C2180-nits*120-nits700-nits700-nits
ASUS PG42UQ200-nits**120-nits800-nits800-nits
LG OLED48C3200-nits150-nits800-nits800-nits
Gigabyte FO48U110-nits110-nits500-nits600-nits
LG 48GQ900130-nits130-nits600-nits600-nits

*PC Mode, Game Optimizer enabled
**Uniform Brightness enabled

Further, LG’s OLED panels have a WBGR subpixel layout instead of the more common RGB. This results in some color fringing with small text, but it’s mainly noticeable when looking at it from up close. You won’t notice it in games and videos.

When it comes to gaming, the LG C3 boasts instantaneous 1ms pixel response time speed for zero ghosting and low input lag of ~14ms at 60Hz and ~7ms at 120Hz, which makes for imperceptible delay (Game Mode must be enabled).

Features

Moving on, the TV has a native 120Hz refresh rate, which is supported at 4K, 1440p and 1080p.

The G-SYNC Compatible mode is supported over HDMI 2.1 with RTX 20-series and GTX 16-series GPUs (or newer) with a 40-120Hz variable refresh rate range. It also supports FreeSync Premium (with HDR) over HDMI with a 40-120Hz range!

Now, the main downside of OLED TVs is the risk of permanent image burn-inbut unless you leave a static picture on your TV for hours, you have nothing to worry about.

The TV offers plenty of features to prevent this, such as Screen Shift, Automatic Pixel Refresher and Logo Luminance Adjustment. Besides HDR10 support, the LG C3 TVs also support Dolby Vision and HLG HDR formats.

Design & Connectivity

LG OLED42C3 Design

The design of the TV is a bit different from the C1 series as it has two legs, making it more practical for regular PC desks. However, besides VESA mount compatibility, there are no ergonomics.

Connectivity options include four HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, tuner, composite-in, both analog and digital audio-out ports and WiFi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). It also comes with a magic remote controller.

Alternatives

The ASUS PG42UQ monitor is based on the same panel with a 138Hz overclockable refresh rate, DisplayPort input and a matte anti-glare coating instead of a glossy screen surface. It can also get a bit brighter than the 42C3, but lacks Dolby Vision support and it’s usually a lot more expensive. The KTC G42P5 is another alternative with a matte anti-glare coating at ~$1,100.

The Pros:

  • Infinite contrast ratio, wide color gamut, high peak brightness
  • No backlight bleed or IPS/VA glow
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 240Hz
  • Quick response time speed
  • Ergonomic design, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Risk of permanent image burn-in and temporary image retention
  • Burn-in not covered by warranty

About The Monitor

If you want an OLED display in a more practical 27″ form factor, the ASUS PG27AQDM is for you!

Image Quality

Based on a 1440p 240Hz W-OLED panel, the PG27AQDM delivers both responsive gameplay and immersive image quality with crisp details, low input lag, vibrant colors and punchy highlights.

In fact, the PG27AQDM is one of the brightest W-OLED panels thanks to its integrated heatsink, which allows it to reach around 900-nits for small HDR highlights and sustain 250-nits for a full white window in SDR.

The OLED drawbacks are present here too, of course, so the risk of burn-in and the WRGB subpixel layout might dissuade some users.

Be sure to check out our detailed ASUS PG27AQDM review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

ASUS PG27AQDM Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 110mm, -5°/15° tilt, +/- 30° swivel, 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 inputs, DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, a dual-USB 3.0 hub and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

  • AOC AG274QZM – a 1440p 240Hz IPS gaming monitor with a 576-zone mini LED FALD backlight. A good alternative if you’re worried about the burn-in and subpixel layout, but want a display for competitive gameplay and HDR content consumption

There are 7 monitors using the same panel with different design, features, connectivity options, warranty and pricing.

You can see how they compare in the table below.

 LG 27GR95QEASUS PG27AQDMCorsair 27QHD240Acer X27UAOC AG276QZDCooler Master GZ2711KTC G27P6
Max. SDR Brightness (100% White Window, Uniform Brightness Enabled)200-nits250-nits160-nits200-nits*260-nitsNot Tested200-nits
*No Uniform Brightness Mode
Max. HDR Brightness (100% White Window)140-nits160-nits140-nits230-nits140-nitsNot Tested200-nits
Max. HDR Brightness (10% White Window)650-nits850-nits650-nits650-nits650-nitsNot Tested750-nits
Max. HDR Brightness (≤3% White Window)  600-nits900-nits750-nits750-nits700-nitsNot Tested900-nits
USA Burn-in Warranty (can vary by region)2-yearNone3-yearNone3-year?None
Display Inputs1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps)
1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.0
1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.1 (24 Gbps)
1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.0
2x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.0
1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.1 (Gbps?)
1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.0
USB-C (DP Alt Mode + Power Delivery)NoNo65W90WNo90W65W
USB Ports2x USB-A
1x USB-B
2x USB-A
1x USB-B
4x USB-A
1x USB-C
2x USB-A
1x USB-B
2x USB-A
1x USB-B
2x USB-A
1x USB-B
2x USB-A
1x USB-B
KVMNoNoYesYesNo?Yes
Audio Ports1x HP + Mic
1x Optical Digital
1x HP1x HP1x HP1x HP
2x5W Speakers
1x HP
2x3W Speakers
1x HP
2x3W Speakers
PS5 SupportFull
(4K HDR + 120Hz VRR)
1440p HDR + 120Hz VRR
or
4K HDR + 60Hz VRR
Full (with chroma)
4K HDR 4:2:0 + 120Hz VRR
1440p HDR + 120Hz VRR
or
4K HDR + 60Hz VRR
1440p HDR + 120Hz VRR
or
4K HDR + 60Hz VRR
Not Tested1440p HDR + 120Hz
or
4K HDR + 60Hz
Xbox Series X/S SupportFull
(4K HDR + 120Hz VRR)
4K HDR + 60Hz VRR
or
1440p SDR + 120Hz VRR
Full
(4K HDR + 120Hz VRR)
4K HDR + 60Hz VRR
or
1440p SDR + 120Hz VRR
4K HDR + 60Hz VRR
or
1440p SDR + 120Hz VRR
Not Tested4K HDR + 60Hz
or
1440p SDR + 120Hz
Other+ Hardware Calibration+ PiP/PbP– Requires manual swapping between SDR and HDR modes+ PiP/PbP
 Price / ReviewLG 27GR95QEASUS PG27AQDMCorsair 27QHD240Acer X27UAOC AG276QZDN/AKTC G27P6
*Constant Brightness option enabled after firmware update

Thanks to its highest brightness, the ASUS PG27AQDM offers the best HDR image quality, so it’s our top recommendation if you’re not concerned about burn-in.

The Corsair 27QHD240 can be found on sale for $850, which makes it a good option if you want the best warranty and/or USB-C with 65W PD and KVM, but don’t mind the lower brightness.

The LG 27GR95QE is a good in-between option with decent brightness and burn-in warranty at $900 on sale. It is also the best option for consoles since it supports HDMI 2.1 with full 48 Gbps bandwidth.

Also, note that 32″ 4K 240Hz and 27″ 1440p 360Hz QD-OLED gaming monitors will be available in 2024.

The Pros:

  • Infinite contrast ratio, wide color gamut, high peak brightness
  • No backlight bleed or IPS/VA glow
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 165Hz
  • Quick response time speed
  • Ergonomic design, USB hub
  • 3-year warranty that covers burn-in

The Cons:

  • Risk of permanent image burn-in and temporary image retention

About The Monitor

For a lot of people, 42″ sized screens are still too big for regular desktop use. So, if you’re looking for something smaller for an incredible HDR gaming experience, you should get the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF.

Image Quality

The Dell AW3423DWF even has an OLED panel that’s enhanced with quantum dots (QD-OLED), which offers several important advantages over LG’s OLEDs.

To start with, the monitor can get a lot brighter with a 1,000-nits peak and 250-nits sustainable brightness. So, you get more vivid details!

Next, it has a wider color gamut with 99.3% DCI-P3 coverage (with adjustable sRGB and DCI-P3 color modes available and calibrated at Delta E < 2) for more vibrant and saturated colors, which also further increases perceived brightness.

Finally, its QD-OLED panel is more resistant to burn-in and image retention; you even get a three-year warranty that covers burn-in!

Just like every OLED panel, the AW3423DWF has an essentially infinite contrast ratio and instantaneous pixel response time speed.

Further, VRR is supported up to 165FPS for tear-free gameplay. However, MBR or BFI is not available.

Other features include crosshair overlays, Dark Stabilizer (improves visibility in dark scenes), on-screen timers, a refresh rate tracker and various picture presets.

While the 3440×1440 resolution is lower than 4K UHD, you actually get a slightly higher pixel density of 110 PPI in comparison to 42″ 4K displays, resulting in sharper details – and it’s a lot easier on your GPU. Moreover, due to the ultrawide format, you get an extended field of view in compatible content.

Note that the AW3423DWF has regular RGB subpixels but in a triangular layout. So, some minor color fringing is noticeable on small text when looking at it from up close, but you won’t see this in games and videos.

Design & Connectivity

Dell AW3423DWF Review

The stand of the monitor is robust and versatile with up to 110mm height adjustment, -5°/21° tilt, +/- 20° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

The screen has a 1800R curvature for added immersion and a semi-glossy finish, so it offers more vivid image quality in comparison to matte anti-glare displays, but it’s not quite as clear (or reflective) as LG’s OLED panels.

Connectivity options include two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, HDMI 2.0 (limited to 100Hz), a headphone jack, line-out and a quad-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

Samsung and MSI also have models based on the same panel. You can check out how they compare in the table below.

 AW3423DWFAW3423DWMEG342COLED G8
Max. Refresh Rate165Hz (120Hz 10-bit)175Hz (144Hz 10-bit)175Hz 10-bit175Hz 10-bit
Ports2x DP 1.4,
1x HDMI 2.0,
4x USB
1x DP 1.4,
2x HDMI 2.0,
4x USB
1x DP 1.4
2x HDMI 2.1
1x USB-C (65W PD)
4x USB
1x Mini-DP 1.4,
1x micro HDMI 2.1
1x USB-C (65W PD)
1x USB-C
Cooling fans121N/A
HDR
(AMD GPUs)
GoodGoodGoodBad*
HDR
(NVIDIA GPUs)
GoodGoodGoodGood
PiP/PbPYesNoYesNo
Ambient Light SensorNoYesYesYes
Updatable FirmwareYesNoYesYes
Other Notable FeaturesN/AG-SYNC moduleKVM switchTizen OS
Price (MSRP)$1,100$1,300$1,100$1,500
Warranty (in the US)3 years
(burn-in covered)
3 years
(burn-in covered)
?1 year
(burn-in not covered)
*Limited to ~450-nits unless VRR is disabled

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio and pixel density
  • Wide color gamut (sRGB mode)
  • High peak brightness, 1196-zone mini LED FALD
  • Quick response time, low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR and MBR up to 165Hz
  • Fully ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Minor blooming (in very demanding scenes)
  • The aggressive 1000R screen curvature won’t appeal to some gamers

About The Monitor

If you want an excellent 32″ HDR monitor, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 is your best bet as long as you don’t mind its steep 1000R screen curvature.

Image Quality

The Neo G7 has a 1196-zone mini LED full-array local dimming solution, a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut and a high peak brightness of around 1,200-nits, providing you with amazing HDR image quality with deep blacks, vibrant colors and vivid highlights.

Moreover, it boasts a rapid 1ms GtG pixel response time speed for zero ghosting behind fast-moving objects, while variable refresh rate is supported for tear-free gameplay up to 165FPS.

Alternatively, you can use backlight strobing for even smoother motion at a cost of picture brightness.

Thanks to its high native contrast ratio and 1196-zone FALD backlight, it offers a better HDR image quality than the Cooler Master Tempest models.

Check out our full Samsung Neo G7 review for more details.

Design & Connectivity

Samsung S32BG75 Review

The stand of the monitor offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 120mm height adjustment, +/- 15° swivel, +/- 90° pivot, -9°/13° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

The screen has a matte anti-glare coating against reflections, as well as an aggressive 1000R curvature that might not appeal to all users; it takes some time getting used to.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1 ports with 40 Gbps and DSC, a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

The more expensive Neo G8 version has an even higher 240Hz refresh rate, but it’s prone to certain issues, such as scanlines. So, we recommend going with the Neo G7.

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio and pixel density
  • Wide color gamut (sRGB mode)
  • High peak brightness, 576-zone mini LED FALD
  • Quick response time, low input lag
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 160Hz
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub, KVM

The Cons:

  • Minor blouming (in very demanding scenes)

About The Monitor

In case you want a flat-screen 32″ high refresh rate HDR gaming monitor, we recommend the Acer X32FP.

Image Quality

Since it uses an IPS panel with a lower native contrast ratio and has fewer dimming zones, the Acer X32FP will have more blooming artifacts than the Neo G7.

However, you get wider viewing angles, smoother VRR performance and a wider color gamut with 99% Adobe RGB coverage!

So, the choice between these two models mainly comes down to personal preference. Check out our Acer X32FP review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Acer Predator X32 FP Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 130mm, +/- 30° swivel, -5°/35° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include four HDMI 2.1 inputs, DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 90W Power Delivery, a quad-USB 3.0 hub, a headphone jack, dual 7W built-in speakers and KVM.

Alternatives

If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, check out the Innocn 32M2V. It even has a better 1152-zone mini LED FALD backlight, but it has a slower response time speed and flickering issues when using VRR and local dimming at the same time in some games.

There’s also the ASUS PG32UQXR, based on the same panel as the Acer X32FP. However, it’s usually $300 more expensive and although it has DisplayPort 2.1, the DP 1.4 does just fine on the X32FP thanks to DSC, which is a visually lossless compression.

The Pros:

  • 2048-zone mini LED FALD
  • High 1000-nit peak brightness
  • Wide color gamut, high pixel density
  • Plenty of features including VRR up to 240Hz
  • Quick response time
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Noticeable blooming in some scenes

About The Monitor

In terms of image quality and performance, the Dell AW3423DWF is better than the Samsung Neo G9 even though it’s $700 – $1,200 cheaper! However, the Neo G9 still has some advantages that some users might prefer.

Image Quality

If you want a big 49″ super-ultrawide monitor, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is the best model available. Especially for simulation games, a lot of gamers prefer the bigger and more curved 49″ panel of the G9, even though it doesn’t have as good HDR image quality or as fast response time speed.

Additionally, the Neo G9 has a higher 10% window peak brightness of 1,000-nits, as well as a higher sustainable brightness of 600-nits and you don’t have to think about ABL, burn-in or image retention.

Moreover, while its 5120×1440 resolution results in the same pixel density of 110 PPI as 3440×1440 on 34″ sized screens, the Neo G9 has a regular RGB subpixel layout, so text is sharp and without any fringing, making it more appealing to those who work with text a lot.

Even though the Samsung Neo G9 has one of the best mini LED FALD implementations with 2048 dimming zones, some blooming is still noticeable in certain scenarios, mainly when it comes to demanding scenes such as starfields.

Further, the colors aren’t as vibrant with ~95% DCI-P3 gamut coverage, and while the pixel response time speed is quite fast for an LED-backlit panel, it’s not on par with OLEDs, so some minor ghosting and overshoot is detectable, but most gamers won’t be bothered by it.

Features

The Neo G9 supports AMD FreeSync with a 96-240Hz VRR range for tear-free gameplay up to 240FPS, while LFC prevents tearing below 96FPS. It’s not (yet) officially certified by NVIDIA as ‘G-SYNC Compatible’, but VRR works with compatible NVIDIA cards, though some users report micro-stuttering issues on their units.

Other useful features include Black Equalizer, crosshair overlays, various picture presets and PiP/PbP.

Design & Connectivity

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Monitor Design

The stand of the monitor is very robust and offers a good range of ergonomics, including up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/15° tilt, +/- 15° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1 ports (limited to 144Hz), a headphone jack and a dual-USB 3.0 hub.

Alternatives

The main disadvantage of the Neo G9 is the price. For $2,300, you can actually get the Dell AW3423DWF or the LG OLED42C3 for better HDR image quality and the previous Samsung Odyssey G9 version.

It does go on sale for below $1,700 often, so if you’re interested in it, make sure to wait for its price to go down from the regular $2,300.

In 2023, we’ll be seeing a 49″ 7680×2160 super-ultrawide monitor with DP 2.1 and a 49″ 240Hz QD-OLED model!

TCL/CSOT is also working on a 49″ 5120×1440 240Hz panel with a 5000-zone local dimming system, however, there’s no word on its pricing and release date yet.

The Pros:

  • Infinite contrast ratio, decent peak brightness, wide color gamut
  • Instant response time
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 240Hz
  • Bendable screen, USB hub
  • 3-year warranty that covers burn-in

The Cons:

  • Risk of burn-in
  • Not as bright as some LED or QD-OLED panels
  • Tilt-only stand, not VESA mount compatible
  • Expensive
  • Low pixel density

About The Monitor

Want something even more extravagant? The Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 has a bendable OLED screen!

Image Quality

This giant 45″ screen has a screen resolution of 3440×1440, so you won’t get the ideal pixel density (83 PPI, similar to 27″ 1080p). Still, since you’ll be sitting further away from the screen, the individual pixels won’t be that noticeable in games and videos.

The Xeneon Flex has a 98% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for vibrant colors, a decent peak brightness (800-nits for HDR and 190-nits for a full white window in SDR) and VRR support for tear-free gameplay up to 240FPS.

The screen can be bent from completely flat to 800R, allowing you to adjust it perfectly to your preference. Other features include crosshair overlays, a refresh rate tracker and PiP/PbP support.

Design & Connectivity

Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD Monitor Design

The stand is tilt-only by ~22° and while its legs are removable, the screen is not VESA mount compatible. You can get the desk clamp adapter separately though.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports, DP 1.4 with DSC, USB-C with DP Alt Mode and 30W PD, a quad-USB 3.0 hub and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

  • LG 45GR95QE – based on the same panel. However, it has a fixed 800R screen curvature that a lot of users might find too steep and its warranty doesn’t cover burn-in. LG’s model can be found for $1,500 on sale, while Corsair’s model goes for $1,600; therefore, we highly recommend the Xeneon Flex.

The Pros:

  • Infinite contrast ratio, high peak brightness, wide color gamut
  • Instant response time
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 240Hz
  • Ergonomic design, USB hub

The Cons:

  • Risk of burn-in
  • Not as bright as some LED or QD-OLED panels

About The Monitor

If you want a super-ultrawide gaming monitor, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is the best model available and it has an alluring price tag considering its specs.

Image Quality

The OLED G9 uses Samsung’s QD-OLED panel with superior color gamut and brightness performance when compared to LG’s W-OLED panels.

You get an exceptional 99% DCI-P3 gamut coverage with a higher color volume (colors are brighter, not just whitepoint).

As for the brightness, the OLED G9 can maintain 250-nits for a 100% white window and reach up to 1000-nits for small HDR highlights, providing you with an immersive viewing experience.

It also offers smooth VRR performance up to 240Hz and the standard gaming feature set.

Note that the OLED G9 uses a second-gen QD-OLED panel that has much better text clarity with a lot less noticeable fringing on fine details in comparison to the first-gen panels and especially W-OLED panels.

The OLED G9 is available as G95SC with built-in Smart features (streaming apps, DeX, Microsoft 365, etc.) and as G93SC without Smart features for ~$100 less.

Check out our Samsung OLED G9 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 Design

The stand offers height adjustment up to 120mm, -2°/15° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility. The screen has a moderate 1800R curvature and a semi-glossy screen finish for more vivid image quality, but the coating raises blacks when hit with direct lighting.

Connectivity options include DP 1.4 with DSC, HDMI 2.1, micro-HDMI 2.1, dual 5W integrated speakers, a headphone jack and three USB-C ports (1 upstream + 2 downstream). The G95SC model also has WiFi and Bluetooth.

The Pros:

  • High contrast ratio, impressive peak brightness, decent color gamut
  • Fast response time
  • Plenty of features, including VRR up to 240Hz
  • Ergonomic stand, USB hub, KVM

The Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Noticeable blooming in some scenes

About The Monitor

Still haven’t found the monitor you’re looking for? Check out the Samsung Neo G95NC with a 57″ 7680×2160 240Hz panel!

Image Quality

The Neo G95NC is basically equivalent to two 32″ 4K displays side by side without the bezels in between them. This means that you’ll need quite a powerful PC rig to maintain playable framerates.

This 57″ super-ultrawide gaming monitor has a screen resolution of 7680×2160, so you will need a powerful PC rig to do it justice. Keep in mind that the RTX 40-series GPUs don’t support the maximum resolution of this monitor – they’re limited to 120Hz at 7680×2160, whereas AMD’s 7000-series cards support 240Hz.

However, even with the RTX 4090, you won’t be able to get over 120FPS at 7680×2160 with decent picture settings in most games. So, you can think of this monitor as an investment for your future GPU upgrades.

Next, the monitor can achieve a high peak brightness of 1300-nits for <10% white windows and up to 800-nits for a 100% full white field, while the 2392-zone mini LED FALD solution ensures excellent backlight control.

You also get a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, a rapid 1ms GtG response time speed and VRR up to 240Hz.

Check out our full Samsung G95NC review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57 inch Model Design

The stand of the monitor offers height adjustment up to 120mm, -5°/12° tilt, +/- 15° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility, while the screen has a steep 1000R curvature for extra immersion.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 2.1, three HDMI 2.1 ports, a headphone jack, four USB ports (2 downstream + 2 upstream) and built-in KVM.

Alternatives

If you’re looking for something similarly extravagant, check out the Samsung Odyssey Ark with a 55″ 4K 165Hz 1000R curved VA panel.

Conclusion

Did you find the best gaming monitor for you?

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below!

Overall, you can’t go wrong with the AOC Q27G3XMN as the best budget/value option for both immersive and responsive gameplay.

Money is not an issue? The Dell AW3423DWF and the Samsung OLED G9, or any of the other mini LED or OLED displays offer exceptional HDR image quality, so you can simply choose according to your budget and personal preference.

Updates +

  • November 24, 2023:
    – Replaced the Dell S2522HG with the ASUS XG249CM.
    – Added the ASUS PG248QP.
  • November 9, 2023:
    – Replaced the Gigbayte G27QCA with Koorui 27E6QC, the Gigabyte G32QCA with M32QC, The Acer XV272UV with Acer XV271UM3, the Gigabyte M32Q with ASUS PG329Q, the Acer XB283KKV with Gigabyte M27U, the LG 32GQ950 with Gigabyte M32U.
    – Added review summaries for the AOC Q27G3XMN, Samsung OLED G9, Samsung Neo G95NC and HP Omen 27qs.
    – Added the MSI MAG401QR.
    – Added more alternatives for most monitors.
  • May 19, 2023:
    – Added review summaries for the ASUS PG27AQDM, the Innocn 27M2V, the Acer X32FP and the Corsair Xeneon Flex.
    – Replaced the Gigabyte FV43U with the Samsung S43CG70.
  • April 6, 2023:
    – Replaced the LG 24GN600 with the Gigabyte G24F-2.
  • December 27, 2022:
    – Added review summaries for the Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q and GP27U, the ASUS PG27AQN and the BenQ XL2566K.
    – Removed the LG OLED48C1 and the ASUS PG42UQ since the LG OLED42C2 is now often available for ~$900.
  • November 24, 2022:
    – Replaced the Dell AW3423DW with AW3423DWF and the MSI G273QF with the Acer XV272UV.
    – Removed the Sony Inzone M9.
  • October 14, 2022:
    – Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available.
  • August 29, 2022:
    – Replaced the LG 24GN650 with 24GN600, the Acer XB323UGX with the LG 32GQ850, and the MSI MPG321UR-QD with the LG 32GQ950.
    – Removed the MSI MAG274QRF-QD.
    – Added the Samsung Neo G7.
  • July 5, 2022:
    – Replaced the LG 27GP950 with the Sony Inzone M9.
  • June 15, 2022:
    – Replaced the AOC CU34G2X with the Gigabyte G34WQC-A.
  • April 20, 2022:
    – Replaced the ASUS XG27AQM with the Gigabyte M27Q-X and the Acer XV252QF with the Acer Aopen 25XV2QF.
    – Added the LG OLED42C2.
  • April 15, 2022:
    – Added the LG OLED42C2 to the table. A review summary will be added soon.
  • March 14, 2022:
    – Replaced the ASUS PG32UQX with the Dell AW3423DW.
  • February 8, 2022:
    – Replaced the Gigabyte M28U with the Acer XB283KKV.
  • December 6, 2021:
    – Added review summaries for the monitors that were missing them.
  • November 25, 2021:
    – Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available.
  • November 23, 2021:
    – Added best early Black Friday deals to the table.
  • October 6, 2021:
    – Replaced the Gigabyte G34WQC (discontinued) with the AOC CU34G2X.
  • September 8, 2021:
    – Replaced the LG 27GP850 with the MSI MAG274QRF-QD, the LG 32GP850 with the Gigabyte M32Q, and the Acer XV272UX with the ASUS XG27AQM.
  • July 30, 2021:
    – Replaced the Dell AW2521H with the Acer XV252QF.
    – Replaced the LG OLED48CX with the LG OLED48C1.
    – Added the Gigabyte M32U and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 to the table, review sections will be added soon.
  • July 4, 2021:
    – Added a video for this guide.
  • June 29, 2021:
    – Revamped the buyer’s guide – reduced the number of recommended monitors from 30 down to 17 for compactness and better readability. All the noteworthy monitors that were removed are now moved to ‘Alternatives.’
  • May 26, 2021:
    – Replaced the LG 27GL850 with the updated 27GP850 model.
  • May 7, 2021:
    – Replaced the ASUS PG259QN with the Dell AW2521H.
  • March 27, 2021:
    – Added information about LG’s new firmware update for the CX OLEDs, which alleviates the near-black gamma VRR issue.
  • February 9, 2021:
    – Added the LG 32GN650 as an alternative to the LG 32GK650F. It’s the updated model with a slightly different design and a slightly higher refresh rate.
  • December 24, 2020:
    – Replaced the Dell AW2721D with the Acer XV272UX.
  • December 9, 2020:
    – Added the BenQ EX2510 and the Dell AW2721D.
    – Replaced the AOC CU34G2X with the Gigabyte G34WQC.

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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.