Alongside a powerful graphics card and processor and reliable accessories to control your actions, for the perfect game, you also need an exceptional viewing portal into those virtual worlds. To help you find the right one for you, we’ve put together a list of the best gaming monitors you can purchase right now. They’re not cheap, but they also don’t rocket into four-figure price tags.
In this guide we look at key technologies and features like refresh rates, resolutions, brightness levels, gray-to-gray response times, and frame syncing technology, like G-Sync and FreeSync. To help you decide which is most important for you, we’ve given each of our favorite displays it’s own category, highlighting what makes them so great among stiff competition.
At a glance
| Best gaming monitors | Category | Our rating |
| Asus ROG Swift PG279Q | Best gaming monitor overall | 4 out of 5 |
| Acer Predator XB1 Gaming | Best 4K gaming monitor | Not yet rated |
| Samsung CHG90 | Best ultrawide gaming monitor | 4 out of 5 |
| Alienware 34 curved gaming | Best curved gaming monitor | 4 out of 5 |
| Asus VG245H | Best budget gaming monitor | Not yet rated |
Asus ROG Swift PG279Q
The best
Why you should buy this: This display provides a great visual experience for GeForce gamers, especially after overclocking the refresh rate for a DisplayPort connection.
Who’s it for: PC gamers with a GeForce graphics chip and a budget capped at $900.
How much will it cost: $700
Why we picked the Asus ROG Swift PG279Q:
This Republic of Gamers-branded display from Asus provides a QHD resolution, and a refresh rate you can overclock to 165Hz. This combination can be viewed through a DisplayPort connection, while you’ll get a QHD resolution at 60Hz through an HDMI connection. This panel has one of the highest brightness levels in our batch and supports a four-millisecond response time to boot.
Other features packed into this display include a handful of ports, and built-in GamePlus components such as a timer, FPS counter, crosshairs, and more. GameVisual provides six presets that optimize the screen for different types of games and media, such as RTS/RPG, FPS, sRGB for photo/video edition, Cinema, and a few others. This panel is great for a multi-monitor layout too thanks to its super-narrow bezels.
Our full Asus Rog Swift PG729Q review
Acer Predator XB1 Gaming
The best 4K gaming monitor
Why you should buy this: It’s a great 27-inch solution that supports UHD resolution at 60Hz, and Nvidia’s G-SYNC technology.
Who’s it for: PC gamers with a GeForce graphics chip and a budget capped at $800
How much will it cost: $700
Why we picked the Predator XB1 Gaming XB271HK:
This display serves up a UHD resolution in two flavors: with a 60Hz refresh rate through a DisplayPort connection, and a 24Hz refresh rate through an HDMI connection. Otherwise, the standard refresh rate is 60Hz, which presumably applies to every resolution from QHD and lower. These resolutions are backed by Nvidia’s G-Sync technology that only works on Nvidia’s graphics chips, and a decent response time of four milliseconds.
Acer’s panel provides plenty of ports, including four full-size USB-A (Gen. 1) ports to help better manage all the cables running across your desktop space. It also includes Acer’s GameView technology, which adds on-screen crosshairs, adjustable dark boost levels, a timer, and more. Predator EyeProtect adds a second feature layer with flicker-free backlighting, a blue light filter, low-dimming technologies, and other eye-strain-reducing technologies for long gaming sessions.
Samsung CHG90
The best ultrawide gaming monitor
Why you should buy this: It immerses you in the game like nothing else on this list.
Who’s it for: Gamers with plenty of desk space who want to be in the game.
How much will it cost: $1,000
Why we picked the Samsung CHG90:
Ultrawide monitors are not the super-niche they once were and that means much more nuance in the options for prospective buyers. Some, like the Samsung CHG90 are not only enormous, but provide all of the great features that gamers can take full advantage of.
On top of its ludicrous 49-inch screen size and its 3,840 x 1,080 resolution, this display has a 144Hz refresh rate with G-Sync for high-speed gaming and smooth motion, fantastic colors, and a curvature that wraps around you to create a truly immersive gaming experience. It even has a great looking frame, meaning this monitor can act as a true centerpiece in your gaming room or home office.
It does lack a USB-C connector, which we feel more and more as the years go by, and this isn’t a cheap monitor by any means, but almost more than any other display on this list, you get what you pay for. It’s huge, stunning to look at, and has just about anything you’d need to enjoy your games to the fullest.
Our full Samsung CHG90 review
Alienware 34 curved gaming monitor
The best curved gaming monitor
Why you should buy this: Dell’s Alienware 34-inch gaming display can go head to head with the best flat and curved screens and almost always comes out on top.
Who’s it for: Gamers who want a more detailed alternative to the Samsung CHG90.
How much will it cost: $1,000
Why we picked the Alienware 34 curved gaming monitor:
Smaller than the Samsung CHG90, the Alienware 34 curved gaming monitor may seem like a worse value proposition, but that would do it an injustice. At a resolution of 3,440 x 1,440 it has almost a million more pixels than the Samsung alternative and it does it in a smaller form factor, which means much greater pixel density for richer and crisper visuals.
With a 4ms response time and a 120Hz refresh rate that can be overclocked, this is a fast display that will be well suited to esports and AAA games alike. Its support of G-Sync technology also means Nvidia gamers can take advantage of its anti-screen-tearing features, too.
It lacks a USB-C port which is a shame, but the overall design is fantastic and with an excellent warranty, you can rest assured that your new screen will keep you happy for a long time to come.
Read our full Alienware 34 gaming display review
Asus VG245H
The best budget gaming monitor
Why you should buy this: It’s a great 27-inch monitor for less than $300 with a fast response time and plenty of connectivity options.
Who’s it for: Any gamer who can’t afford to sink more than $300 on an external monitor.
How much will it cost: $295
Why we picked the Asus VG245H:
When it comes to gaming displays, we’d argue that a high-refresh rate is one of the best ways to improve how your game looks and feels. With less blurring, more accurate visuals, and faster input response, it can have a big effect on your game, which is why this 1080p 144Hz display from Asus is a fantastic entry-level gaming monitor.
At 27-inches diagonally, it’s at the maximum recommended size for 1080p gaming, but it still looks good and if you have an AMD graphics card, you can take advantage of its FreeSync support for reducing screen tearing. Its 1080p resolution won’t stress your graphics card too much, but still looks good. With all of Asus’ coloring and display mode technologies, you can give your games a contrast and clarity boost too.
Best of all, it’s very affordable. If you’d like to save a little more, there’s also a 24-inch option that cuts the price to around $260.
Be the first to comment