The Best Gaming Monitors (2023 Reviews)

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.

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 type, resolution, refresh 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.

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!

About The Monitor

The Gigabyte G24F-2 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 Gigabyte G24F-2, 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 Gigabyte G24F-2 is based on an IPS panel that boasts ~95% 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 300-nits, meaning that it can get more than bright enough even in bright rooms.

The contrast ratio amounts to 1,100:1, 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

The Gigabyte G24F-2 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 48-180Hz 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 Gigabyte G24F-2 also supports Motion Blur Reduction; this technology uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur at a cost of picture brightness.

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

Visit our Gigabyte G24F-2 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

The monitor has a height-adjustable stand 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 and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

• LG 24GN650/600 – a bit faster response time, but no wide color gamut or USB ports
• AOC 24G2/SP – similar to the G24F-2, no USB ports
• HP x24i, x24ih – similar to the LG 24GN650/600

We recommend these 24″ 1080p 144Hz IPS monitors if you can find them for up to ~$180. 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.

About The Monitor

The Dell S2522HG 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 Dell S2522HG provides you with vivid and striking colors!

Now, the previously-mentioned Gigabyte G24F2 offers a similar viewing experience (though with a bit more vibrant colors), so the only reason to get the S2522HG 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!

Features

Further, the Dell S2522HG supports AMD FreeSync with a 48-240Hz VRR range, and NVIDIA certified it as G-SYNC compatible.

Other features include Dark Stabilizer and various picture presets.

Design & Connectivity

The design of the monitor is also exceptional with full ergonomic support including up to 130mm height adjustment, -5°/21° tilt, 90° pivot, +/- 45° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

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

Alternatives

We only recommend the Dell S2522HG if you can find it at its promotional price of $250, that is, if you have a limited budget and don’t care about MBR.

Otherwise, we recommend the below-mentioned ViewSonic XG2431 with impeccable MBR or the Acer 25XV2QF with 390Hz, both of which can be found for ~$300.

If you have a budget of ~$250, want a 240Hz monitor but the S2522HG isn’t available at that price, your only choice is the LG 27GP750 (or the older 27GN750) 27″ 1080p 240Hz 1ms IPS model, which can sometimes be found on sale for $230.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

About The Monitor

The Gigabyte G27QCA and G32QCA are 1440p 165Hz gaming monitors with curved VA panels for a more immersive gaming experience, but a weaker performance when it comes to fast-paced gaming.

Image Quality

The main difference between the two is obviously the screen size and therefore pixel density. The G27QC-A has 108 PPI, whereas the G32QC-A has 93 PPI.

So, the picture will be sharper on the 27″ model, but the overall viewing experience is more immersive on the 32″ version due to the larger screen. Some users find 32″ monitors to be too big for desktop use though.

The 32″ model can also get brighter with a 350-nit peak brightness (400-nits for HDR), while the 27″ variant is rated at 250-nits, but can get a bit over 300-nits, depending on the unit.

With both monitors, you get a high contrast ratio (3,000:1) and a wide ~90% 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.

The monitors are equipped with the Aim Stabilizer MBR technology, which can remove ghosting to an extent, but the 1ms (GtG) response time of fast TN and IPS panels still provides better performance in fast-paced games.

All in all, if you aren’t all that into competitive gaming and would instead get better visuals, the Gigabyte G27QC A and G32QC A are 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.

Other features include various pre-calibrated picture presets, crosshair overlays, Black Equalizer, and Dashboard (tracks PC system performance on-screen, such as CPU and GPU temperature, utilization, etc.).

For more information, check out our Gigabyte G27QC and G32QC reviews (same monitors as the G27QCA and G32QCA variants.

Design & Connectivity

Both monitors offer height adjustment (up to 130mm for the 27″ model, and up to 100mm for the 32″ version), tilt by -5°/20°, and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

They both have a screen curvature of 1500R, but the curve is more noticeable on the G32QC due to its larger size.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, a headphone jack, and a dual-USB 3.0 hub, while the G27QC also has dual 2W integrated speakers.

Alternatives

In the past, we were much more inclined to recommend 1440p 144Hz VA gaming monitors as budget options. Nowadays, you can find affordable IPS models too, such as the Acer XV272UV – it doesn’t have as high contrast ratio, but you won’t get any dark smearing or VRR brightness flickering.

So, consider the G27QCA only if you don’t mind ghosting and screen tearing since you’ll have to disable VRR if you get a unit that’s prone to brightness flickering.

Buying the Gigabyte G32QCA makes more sense. At ~$300, it’s only slightly more expensive than the 27″ variant – and if you want a 32″ 1440p 144Hz monitor with an IPS panel, you’ll have to invest at least $400. More information about the best 1440p 144Hz IPS monitors and alternatives below.

If you’re looking for a flat-screen 32″ 1440p 165Hz VA gaming monitor, check out the LG 32GN650. There’s also the newer version of the G32QCA with a built-in KVM switch, the Gigabyte M32QC.

About The Monitor

The Acer XV272UV is the cheapest 1440p 165Hz (170Hz factory OC) IPS gaming monitor 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 XV272UV delivers consistent and rich colors.

Other panel-related specifications include a 400-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 170FPS. It also supports backlight strobing.

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

Visit our Acer XV272UV review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand offers full ergonomic support with up to 110mm 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

• MSI G273QF 
• HP X27q
• LG 27GL83A, 27GL850
• MSI MAG274QRF-QD

All of the above-mentioned 27″ 1440p 144Hz+ IPS gaming monitors offer similar image quality, performance and features. We find that the XV272UV offers the best value for money though.

About The Monitor

Looking for a 32″ 1440p gaming monitor with an IPS panel and a high refresh rate? The Gigabyte M32Q 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 M32Q has a wide 94% DCI-P3 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, 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 48-170Hz VRR range and even though the monitor is not officially certified as G-SYNC Compatible by NVIDIA, it works without any issues.

Other features include Black Equalizer, crosshair overlays, various picture modes and Aim Stabilizer Sync MBR technology that can work at the same time as VRR.

Visit our Gigabyte M32Q review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

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

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, a USB 3.0 hub (1 upstream + 3 downstream), USB-C (DP Alt Mode) and a built-in KVM switch.

Alternatives

If you’re looking for a better 32″ 1440p 165Hz IPS gaming monitor, check out the ASUS PG329Q with a wider 99% Adobe RGB color gamut and DisplayHDR 600, though it goes for $200 – $300 more.

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

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, others despise it. It’s a matter of preference. Also, some can get used to it over time, and some cannot.

About The Monitor

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

Check out the Gigabyte M27Q-X with a wide Adobe RGB gamut and smooth G-SYNC performance.

Image Quality

The M27Q-X uses an IPS panel with 178° wide viewing angles and consistent colors. It has a wide 97% Adobe RGB color gamut (~140% sRGB) and comes with a ~100% sRGB emulation mode.

Now, the M27Q-X 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 M27QX 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 Equalizer, a refresh rate tracker, crosshair overlays, various picture presets and the Aim Stabilizer-Sync backlight strobing technology.

Check out our Gigabyte M27Q-X review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

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

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB-C (DP Alt Mode, 18W PD), a headphone jack, dual 2W built-in speakers and a dual-USB 3.0 hub. It also has a KVM switch and support for PiP/PbP.

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

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.

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

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

• Acer Predator XB273UF – based on the same panel with similar features

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.

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

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.

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

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

• Lenovo G34W-10 (sRGB gamut only)
• AOC CU34G2X

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

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.

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

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 E345W-QUT with a 34″ 3440×1440 flat-screen IPS panel with an sRGB color gamut and 100Hz.

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

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.

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

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.

About The Monitor

Looking for an affordable 4K monitor for console gaming, PC gaming, content creation and other multimedia use? The ASUS VG289Q offers excellent value for the price!

Image Quality

The IPS panel of the ASUS VG289Q ensures stunning colors and details thanks to its 10-bit color depth, 90% DCI-P3 color gamut and 4K Ultra HD resolution.

And the good news? Such a high resolution on a 28″ screen results in a pixel density of 157 PPI, which makes individual pixels indistinguishable from one another. What’s more, you get plenty of screen space, though, for tiny items such as text to be readable, you will need to use scaling.

Other panel-related specs include a 350-nit peak brightness, 178-degree viewing angles and a 5ms response time speed, all of which are standard for a monitor at this price range.

Now, the ASUS VG289Q supports HDR, but it doesn’t have VESA’s entry-level DisplayHDR 400 certification. However, thanks to its wide color gamut, it does offer a better HDR picture quality than some HDR400-certified displays, which just have a slightly higher 400-nit peak brightness.

Naturally, for a ‘true’ HDR viewing experience, a monitor needs a much higher peak brightness and contrast ratio as well as local dimming with at least DisplayHDR 600 certification.

These displays are more expensive, though, and we’ll get into them as well later on.

Features

The ASUS VG289Q supports AMD FreeSync with a 40-60Hz range over HDMI and DisplayPort which makes it a great choice for the Xbox Series/One X and S.

It’s not certified as G-SYNC compatible by NVIDIA, but it delivers stable VRR performance.

Other available features include customizable crosshairs, Shadow Boost for better visibility in darker games, pre-calibrated picture presets, on-screen timers and a refresh rate tracker.

Design & Connectivity

The ASUS VG289Q monitor has an ergonomic stand with up to 150mm height adjustment, -5°/20° tilt, 90° pivot, +/- 62° swivel and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

It’s also available with a tilt-only stand as the ASUS VG289Q1A for ~$20 less.

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.2 input, 2x2W built-in speakers and a headphone jack.

Alternatives

If you’re looking for a cheaper 4K monitor, check out the Philips 278E1A which goes for ~$250, but it doesn’t support FreeSync nor HDR, and it has a tilt-only stand.

In case you want a 32″ 4K monitor, the LG 32UN650 is the most affordable model with an IPS panel. However, at that price range, we recommend getting a 28″ 4K 144Hz gaming monitor instead, such as the Acer XB283K KV for better performance.

You can find a 32″ 4K monitor with a VA panel for ~$350, such as the LG 32UL500 or the Dell S3221QS (with a curved screen), but you’ll have to cope with slow response time and narrow viewing angles.

About The Monitor

The Acer Predator XB283K KV is the best value 4K gaming monitor!

Image Quality

To start with, the IPS panel used in the XB283K offers a wide 90% 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 400-nits from the standard 300-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 Acer XB283K KV supports a variable refresh rate with a 48-144Hz dynamic range, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro 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 Acer XB283K KV 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 Boost, and customizable picture presets. See our Acer XB283K review for more details.

Design & Connectivity

The monitor has a height-adjustable stand (up to 115mm), it can tilt by -5°/20°, swivel by +/- 20°, pivot by 90°, or be VESA mounted (100x100mm).

Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports, DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 65W PD), a headphone jack, a USB 3.0 hub (4 downstream + 1 upstream), two 2W integrated speakers and a built-in KVM switch.

Alternatives

• Gigabyte M28U – sometimes goes on sale for $500, but it doesn’t have as good overdrive implementation and its USB-C port doesn’t have as strong PD

About The Monitor

For the same price as that of the Sony M9, you can get the LG 32GQ950 with a larger 32″ screen and a wider color gamut!

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 LG 32GQ950 also has a bit wider 98% DCI-P3 color gamut (~135% sRGB size) for rich and vibrant colors.

The monitor has VESA’s DisplayHDR 1000 certification with a 1000-nit peak brightness and 32 dimming zones, so some HDR scenes will look great, but not nearly as good as that of the Cooler Master GP27U.

Features

The monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro with a 48-160Hz range and it’s certified as ‘G-SYNC Compatible.’

Be sure to check out our full LG 32GQ950 review for more information.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is robust and offers height adjustment up to 110mm, -5°/15° tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

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

Alternatives

Around price range, you can also get a 32″ 4K 144Hz monitor with much better HDR image quality, so be sure to check out our HDR recommendations below as well.

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 OLED42C2 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

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!

About The Monitor

The Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q is the cheapest 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

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.

Alternatives

• KTC M27T20 – 27″ 1440p 165Hz VA gaming monitor with 576-zone mini LED FALD, USB-C 90W and KVM, also for $500. Its VA panel offers a higher contrast ratio for less noticeable blooming, but it doesn’t have as wide viewing angles or as wide color gamut.

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 including 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

Alternatives

The Innocn 27M2V is not available in a lot of regions and it’s often out of stock, so if you’re looking for something similar, check out the Cooler Master Tempest GP27U (4K version of the GP27Q, 576-zone) and the Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor (1152-zone mini LED FALD).

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 C2 line-up includes a 42″ variant, which is much more practical for desktop use than the previous-gen (the C1) smallest model with a 48″ screen size.

Now, with 4K resolution on the 41.5″ viewable screen of the LG OLED42C2, 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).

*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 C2 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-in, but 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 C2 TVs also support Dolby Vision and HLG HDR formats.

For more information, check out our LG OLED42C2 review.

Design & Connectivity

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 42C2, but lacks Dolby Vision support and it’s usually a lot more expensive.

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

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

• LG 27GR95QE – LG’s model based on the same panel. It has hardware calibration support for professional color-critical work and HDMI 2.1 ports (allowing for 4K 120Hz upscaling on consoles), but its brightness is ~30% lower.
• 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

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

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.

	AW3423DWF	AW3423DW	MEG342C	OLED G8
Max. Refresh Rate	165Hz (120Hz 10-bit)	175Hz (144Hz 10-bit)	175Hz 10-bit	175Hz 10-bit
Ports	2x 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 fans	1	2	1	N/A
HDR Accuracy (AMD GPUs)	Subpar	Best	Good	Supbar
HDR Accuracy (NVIDIA GPUs)	Good (with some adjustments)	Best	Good	Good
PiP/PbP	Yes	No	Yes	No
Ambient Light Sensor	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Updatable Firmware	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Other Notable Features	N/A	G-SYNC module	KVM switch	Tizen 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)

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 an 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

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.

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

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

• Innocn 32M2V – more dimming zones (1152), but slower pixel response time speed

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 a 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

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 OLED42C2 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.

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

The stand is tilt-only by ~22° and while its legs are removable, the screen is not VESA mount compatible, but Corsair plans to release a mounting accessory in Q1 2023.

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.

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 Gigabyte G24F-2 as the best budget option for both immersive and responsive gameplay.

If you want something a bit better, the Acer XV272UV offers excellent value for the money, but consider saving up for a 32″ model or an ultrawide display, such as the Gigabyte M34WQ or G34WQCA if you want better image quality.

In case you can afford something a bit pricier, the Samsung G7, the Gigabyte M27Q-X, the Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q and the Acer XB283KKV, depending on your budget and preference, are all going to take your gaming experience to the next level.

Money is not an issue? The Dell AW3423DWF, the Corsair Xeneon Flex, the ASUS PG27AQDM, the 32″ Samsung Neo G7 and the LG OLED42C2 all offer amazing HDR gaming experience!

For competitive gamers out there, we recommend the Dell S2522HG, the ViewSonic XG2431, the MSI MAG301RF, the BenQ XL2566K, the ASUS PG27AQN or the Acer 25XV2QF.