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The 5 Best 120Hz Monitors - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best 120Hz Monitors

Gaming at 120Hz has its benefits, and while modern gaming PCs can maintain higher frame rates, consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S have a max refresh rate of 120Hz. Very few monitors have a native refresh rate of 120Hz, as most gaming displays have higher refresh rates, so the next best option would be to get a high refresh rate display and use it at 120Hz. You can also consider a TV with a 120Hz refresh rate (see best 120Hz TVs), but monitors are smaller, tend to cost less, and are versatile for PC gaming.

For the best gaming experience, you'll want to consider the monitor's response time at 120Hz to ensure that motion looks crisp, and its input lag for a responsive feel, but most monitors have low input lag anyway. As current-gen gaming consoles support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, getting a 4k monitor with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth is also beneficial to take full advantage of the consoles. Alternatively, as 4k gaming monitors tend to cost a lot, you can save money by getting a lower-resolution display that performs well at 120Hz.

We've bought and tested more than 300 monitors, and below are our picks for the monitors with the best performance at 120Hz to buy, including the best 4k 120Hz monitors. Also, check out our recommendations for the best monitors for PS5, the best monitors for Xbox Series X, and the best monitors for Xbox Series S.


  1. Best 120Hz Monitor

    The best 120Hz monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. It's best to buy it directly through Dell's website, and it's a high-end gaming monitor that provides both outstanding performance and premium picture quality. While it has a max refresh rate of 240Hz, it's still great to use at 120Hz thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, which results in minimal motion blur with fast-moving objects. It also has a 4k resolution and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so you can play 4k games up to 120Hz, including with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. However, it doesn't support 1440p @ 120Hz from either console, so you'd have to lower the resolution to 1080p if you play high-frame-rate games and don't need the highest resolution.

    Besides that, it offers outstanding picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel. This means it displays deep and inky blacks without any blooming, and it also gets very bright, enough for highlights to pop and for colors to look vivid. It's the first 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED available in North America, but if you can't find it in your region, you may have to wait for other models to come out that use the same panel, like those from MSI, ASUS, and Samsung.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range 120Hz Monitor

    If you can't find the Dell Alienware AW3225QF available in your region, or it's too expensive for you, but you still want a high-end monitor, look into the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. It has a 4k resolution and 240Hz refresh rate like the Dell, but the main difference is that it doesn't have a QD-OLED panel, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks and vivid colors, which is the trade-off for getting something a bit cheaper. However, it still delivers good picture quality as it uses Mini LED backlighting with a decent local dimming feature to improve its contrast and minimize blooming, and it gets bright enough for small highlights to pop.

    In terms of gaming, it has an excellent response time at 120Hz and even has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. It has no compatibility issues with consoles, including with 1440p @ 120Hz signals. Although consoles can't take full advantage of its max 240Hz refresh rate, it's at least a great choice if you also want something for PC gaming. If not, you can also check out the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75, which is very similar and has a lower 165Hz refresh rate.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range 120Hz Monitor

    If you don't need a high-end monitor, a mid-range option like the Gigabyte M27U is a good alternative. It has worse picture quality than the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 as it doesn't use Mini LED backlighting and has a much worse local dimming feature, so blacks look gray in dark rooms. It also has a lower 160Hz refresh rate, but if you're only going to use it for console gaming or don't have a setup that can take advantage of a higher refresh rate, it doesn't make much of a difference anyway.

    Besides that, the Gigabyte offers an excellent gaming experience, and the response time is still quick enough for impressive motion handling. It even has an optional backlight strobing feature that works at 120Hz to reduce persistence blur. Also, it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth that lets you take full advantage of the PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, so you can play games at a high refresh rate without issues. If you find the 27-inch screen too small and want a larger 32-inch screen like the Samsung, you can also consider the Gigabyte M32U, but it costs more than the M27U for minimal difference in performance.

    See our review

  4. Best Lower Mid-Range 120Hz Monitor

    Consider a lower-resolution monitor like the LG 27GP850-B if you want something cheaper in the lower mid-range price category. You can also find this monitor as the 27GP83B-B at different retailers, and both variants perform similarly. With a lower 1440p resolution and lower pixel density, images are less sharp and detailed than on the Gigabyte M27U. It doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth either, so you can't use it to play 4k @ 120Hz games from the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S like on 4k monitors, but it still accepts 1440p and 1080p signals at 120Hz without issue.

    It's excellent for gaming because it has a remarkable response time at 120Hz, resulting in minimal motion blur, and the 27GP850-B variant has a backlight strobing feature. This reduces persistence blur and works at 120Hz but doesn't work simultaneously with its variable refresh rate (VRR) support. It has FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing with the Xbox and PCs, but its VRR support doesn't work with the PS5. If you want a 1440p monitor that does support VRR with the PS5, you can also consider the Dell Alienware AW2724DM, but it has slightly worse motion handling.

    See our review

  5. Best Budget 120Hz Monitor

    If you want a budget-friendly monitor, consider the ViewSonic XG2431. As you get into the budget category, you'll have to settle for a lower resolution than the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B if you still want something with great performance. In this case, the ViewSonic has a 1080p resolution and a smaller 24-inch screen than the LG, so you won't see as many details in your games, but the image clarity is still decent. It works well with consoles, but there are some limitations because it only supports 120Hz signals with a 1080p resolution, not 1440p or 4k. If you want something that supports 1440p @ 120Hz signals from either console, you can also consider the Dell G2724D, but it has fewer features than the ViewSonic.

    One of those neat gaming features of the ViewSonic is a customizable backlight strobing feature. This feature helps reduce persistence blur and improves the appearance of motion, especially when gaming at lower refresh rates. It even works with a 60Hz signal, which not all monitors can do. Even if you don't use that feature, the motion handling is incredible, especially at 120Hz.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM: The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM is a high-end monitor with better picture quality than the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 thanks to its OLED panel, but it has a lower 1440p resolution and doesn't get as bright. See our review
  • Sony INZONE M9: The Sony INZONE M9 is an alternative to the Gigabyte M27U if you want better picture quality, thanks to its superior local dimming feature. However, it also has worse motion handling and costs more. See our review
  • AOC Q27G3XMN: The AOC Q27G3XMN is a budget-friendly gaming monitor with much better picture quality than the ViewSonic XG2431, thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. Consider it if picture quality is important to you, but the ViewSonic has a backlight strobing feature, which the AOC doesn't have. See our review
  • LG 32GR93U-B: The LG 32GR93U-B is a larger alternative to the Gigabyte M27U with much better motion handling, but only consider it if you don't mind spending more. See our review
  • Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx: The Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is in a similar price range to the Gigabyte M27U, and it uses Mini LED backlighting for better picture quality, but there are bugs, and its input lag increases at lower refresh rates. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 08, 2024: Added the Dell Alienware AW3225QF as the 'Best 120Hz Monitor' and moved the LG 32GR93U-B to Notable Mentions; renamed the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 to 'Best Upper Mid-Range' monitor to reflect market position; replaced the Gigabyte M27Q P with the AOC Q27G3XMN in Notable Mentions because of the AOC's better picture quality.

  2. Nov 22, 2023: Replaced the Sony INZONE M9 with the LG 32GR93U-B because it has better motion handling at 120Hz; removed the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx because it's hard to find; replaced the Cooler Master Tempest GP27U, LG 32GQ950-B, and Dell G2724D with the Sony INZONE M9, Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, and Gigabyte M27Q P in Notable Mentions for consistency with other articles.

  3. Sep 28, 2023: Added the Sony INZONE M9 as 'Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor' to give another option; added the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM, LG 32GQ950-B, and Dell G2724D to Notable Mentions.

  4. Aug 01, 2023: Replaced the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 with the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 because it's better; removed the LG 27GR95QE-B to better reflect how people are looking for 120Hz monitors; replaced the Gigabyte M32U with the Gigabyte M27U for consistency with other articles; updated Notable Mentions based on changes.

  5. Jun 08, 2023: Verified that the picks are still available for purchase and updated text for clarity throughout; added the INNOCN 27M2V.

All Reviews

Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors currently available that you can use at 120Hz, including the best 4k 120Hz monitors. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.

If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our monitor reviews that support at least a 120Hz refresh rate. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.