27-inch monitors are among the most popular sizes on the market, as they come in a wide range of resolutions, including 1440p and 4k resolutions. Although 4k, 27-inch monitors offer high pixel density with detailed images, 1440p models tend to come in higher refresh rates, so choosing the right combination of resolution and refresh rate depends on your budget and what type of games you play. For example, you need a high-end PC to take advantage of 4k displays at high frame rates, whereas you may prefer the highest refresh rate possible when playing competitive games at a lower resolution.
When looking for a gaming monitor, there are a few factors you may want to consider regarding a monitor's performance. It's important to consider its input lag, although most have low enough input lag for a responsive feel. Its response time is also beneficial for gaming, as a fast response time results in minimal motion blur behind fast-moving objects. You may also want to think about the monitor's picture quality, especially if you game in HDR, as a display with deep blacks, vivid colors, and bright highlights delivers good picture quality.
We've bought and tested more than 375 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best 27-inch gaming monitors available. Also, see our picks for the best gaming monitors and the best 27-inch monitors. If you're looking for other sizes, check out the best monitor sizes for gaming and our monitor size guide.
Quick Look
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Best 27-Inch Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming9.1Console Gaming9.4Response Time9.9HDR Picture9.4SDR Picture10Brightness7.2Size27"Pixel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160The best 27-inch gaming monitor we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's a 4k QD-OLED with fantastic picture quality and gaming performance. It has a high 240Hz refresh rate that makes gaming feel responsive, and fast-moving objects look incredibly crisp thanks to its near-instantaneous response time. Its 4k resolution helps deliver sharp and detailed images as it has high pixel density. It also features other useful gaming capabilities, including HDMI and DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth, as well as support for all common VRR formats to minimize screen tearing.
Thanks to its OLED panel, games look vivid, and it displays a wide range of colors. It also has a near-infinite contrast ratio that helps it display perfect blacks next to bright highlights in a dark room, and it gets bright enough for small highlights to pop, so it has fantastic HDR performance. That said, while it looks incredible, it's an expensive display, so you may want to consider something cheaper if it's out of your price range. The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a good alternative that costs less, as it's another 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED, but it doesn't come with DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth like the ASUS.
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Best Upper Mid-Range 27-Inch Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming9.2Console Gaming9.1Response Time9.8HDR Picture9.5SDR Picture10Brightness7.2Size27"Pixel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440While the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM provides the best performance in terms of picture quality and sharpness, there are still some great high-end QD-OLEDs that you can find for less. One of those is the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. The main trade-off of getting this monitor is that it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images and text aren't as detailed. It also lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth to take advantage of modern graphics cards. However, it does have a slightly higher 360Hz refresh rate, so it feels slightly more responsive, and motion looks smoother.
It still provides all the benefits of a QD-OLED with deep and inky blacks and a near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion. It also gets bright enough for highlights to pop. However, it doesn't perform well in bright rooms, as deep blacks appear purple because of the panel's lack of a polarizer. If you're looking for a monitor that displays much deeper blacks in a bright room, check out the LG 27GX700A-B. It also gets brighter thanks to its RGB Tandem OLED panel, but it has a lower refresh rate than the ASUS.
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Best Mid-Range 27-Inch Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming7.7Console Gaming8.5Response Time7.5HDR Picture6.8SDR Picture7.1Brightness8.7Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160There are some good non-OLED options you can get in the mid-range price category, like the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It differs from the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG in that it doesn't display the same deep blacks with no haloing around bright objects. However, it uses Mini LED backlighting, and combined with its local dimming feature that turns on in HDR, it improves the black levels, but has some haloing around bright objects.
There are advantages to getting this monitor over the ASUS. It features a higher 4k resolution for a more detailed image and is brighter, making it the better choice for gaming in well-lit rooms. While this monitor's native 160Hz refresh rate is lower than that of the ASUS, its standout feature is its dual mode. This allows you to change the refresh rate to 320Hz for a smoother feel, even with a lower 1080p resolution, making it more versatile for playing various types of games. However, it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the ASUS either, so the motion handling is worse. If you like this feature and want something with a higher max refresh rate of 480Hz, look into the LG 27G850A-B, but it has worse picture quality than the Acer.
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Best Budget 27-Inch Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming8.2Console Gaming7.4Response Time8.5HDR Picture8.0SDR Picture8.2Brightness8.3Size27"Pixel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you're looking for the best 27-inch gaming monitor on a budget, there are a few good options you can choose from, including the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's a step down from the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx because it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed, and it lacks a dual-mode feature to boost its refresh rate past its max 180Hz refresh rate. It also lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of gaming consoles. However, this is what you have to expect from an entry-level monitor in terms of gaming features. It's still good for gaming as it has a fast overall response time, but there's black smearing with fast-moving objects in dark scenes.
What makes it better than other budget-friendly monitors is that it has great picture quality in HDR, as it features Mini LED backlighting, similar to the Acer. This helps it display deep, inky blacks with bright highlights that pop and a wide range of vivid colors. Unlike the Acer, you can even use its local dimming feature in SDR. You can also check out the similar AOC Q27G40XMN if you want something with more dimming zones and better overall local dimming, but it has worse motion handling than the Q27G3XMN.
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Best Cheap 27-Inch Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming6.9Console Gaming6.1Response Time7.4HDR Picture4.9SDR Picture5.8Brightness7.1Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate170 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If the AOC Q27G3XMN is beyond your budget, you can look at a less expensive display, like the MSI G274QPF-QD. It has the same 1440p resolution and 27-inch screen, and it costs less. However, its performance is a significant step down from the AOC. It makes deep blacks look gray in a dark room, and it has no local dimming system to improve this. It also gets far less bright, so highlights don't pop, and it's a worse choice for gaming in HDR.
That said, some aspects of it are good. It has very good motion handling, as fast-moving objects look fairly crisp at its maximum refresh rate of 170Hz, and it doesn't have any smearing with fast-moving objects. It's even responsive thanks to its very low input lag. While its 1440p resolution helps deliver detailed enough images, the Dell S2725QS is an alternative if you want a more detailed 4k display. It features some useful gaming capabilities, including a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which are ideal for gaming consoles. However, it exhibits more blur when displaying fast-moving objects.
Notable Mentions
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MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED:
The MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED is a premium 4k QD-OLED that competes with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It performs similarly for the most part and tends to cost less, but it doesn't get as bright in HDR.
See our review -
Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3:
The Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 is an upper mid-range monitor that's an alternative to the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. Both monitors have very similar performance, and you may prefer to get whichever is cheaper. However, the Gigabyte can be harder to find at times.
See our review -
LG 27GX790A-B:
The LG 27GX790A-B is an OLED gaming monitor that has a higher 480Hz refresh rate than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. It also has better black levels in bright rooms because it uses a WOLED panel. However, colors are less vivid on the LG, and it tends to cost more than the ASUS.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG:
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG is a 1440p OLED that sometimes costs less than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. It's worth considering if you won't take advantage of the XG27ACDNG's 360Hz refresh rate, as this one has a lower 240Hz refresh rate. However, colors aren't as vivid on the XG27AQDMG.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS:
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is an entry-level 1440p gaming monitor that competes with the MSI G274QPF-QD. It's a slight upgrade in a few areas, as it has slightly better motion handling. However, the ASUS can be harder to find and sometimes costs more.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 24, 2025:
We replaced the LG 27G850A-B with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx, which has better picture quality. We also added the LG 27GX790A-B to the Notable Mentions.
Oct 24, 2025:
We replaced the hard-to-find Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx with the LG 27G850A-B. We also replaced the AOC Q27G40XMN with the AOC Q27G3XMN to be consistent with other recommendations. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SD S27DG602S and the Dell Alienware AW2725Q with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG and the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED.
Aug 08, 2025:
We replaced the AOC Q27G3XMN with the AOC Q27G40XMN, as the Q27G3XMN is hard to find. We also replaced the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 with the MSI G274QPF-QD, as it has better performance.
Jul 10, 2025:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG, as it has better performance. We also added the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 as 'Best Cheap.'
Apr 15, 2025:
Replaced the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, as it has a higher resolution and sharper text. Removed the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B as 'Best Cheap,' as it's more expensive now. Also, we added the Dell Alienware AW2725Q as a Notable Mention.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best 27-inch gaming monitors currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of our 27-inch monitor reviews. 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.