The 5 Best 27-Inch Gaming Monitors - Fall 2024

The best 27-inch gaming monitor we've tested is the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED. It's a 1440p QD-OLED with fantastic picture quality and gaming performance. It has a high 360Hz refresh rate that's ideal even for competitive gamers, and the main advantage of using it for gaming is its near-instantaneous response time. This means that fast-moving objects look extremely sharp without any noticeable blur. It has other useful gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and support for all common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing.

It makes your games look vivid thanks to the wide range of colors it displays. It also has a near-infinite contrast ratio that helps it display perfect blacks next to bright highlights, and there isn't any blooming either. It competes against other monitors with the same panel, but the main benefit of getting it is that it tends to cost less than the competition. That said, if you can't find it available for a low price, the Dell Alienware AW2725DF is also a great choice, but it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.

While the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED provides the best performance in terms of gaming and picture quality, there are still some great high-end OLEDs that you can find for cheaper. One of those is the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG. The main trade-off of getting this monitor is that it has a lower 240Hz refresh rate, so it isn't as ideal for competitive gaming, but gaming still feels smooth. It also has a WOLED panel instead of a QD-OLED panel like the MSI, so colors aren't as vivid.

That said, it still provides all the benefits of an OLED with deep and inky blacks and a near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion. It even gets brighter than most OLEDs, which is ideal if you want to use it in a well-lit room. One downside is that it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which is disappointing if you have an HDMI 2.1 graphics card. If you want something with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, the LG 27GS95QE-B is a good alternative. However, it doesn't get as bright as the ASUS.

There are monitors you can get for cheaper if you don't want an OLED, and one of those options in the mid-range price category is the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. It often goes on sale for a cheaper price than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, and it's worth getting when you can find it on sale. Without an OLED panel, it doesn't deliver the same deep blacks as the ASUS, and it has a lower 160Hz max refresh rate. But this is still fine for most gamers, and it has good motion handling as well.

One advantage of the Acer over the ASUS is that it has a higher 4k resolution, which results in more detailed and sharper images. It also has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, but its input lag increases with fixed 60Hz signals, which is disappointing if your games require fast reactions. In terms of picture quality, it has a Mini LED local dimming feature that improves the contrast, and it makes highlights pop. It also easily gets bright enough to fight glare, so it performs well in any type of environment.

If you're looking for a 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 P3biipruzx because it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed, and it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles. However, this is what you have to expect from an entry-level monitor in terms of gaming features.

What makes it better than other budget-friendly monitors is that it features Mini LED backlighting, similar to the Acer. It has a good local dimming feature that helps it display deep blacks next to bright highlights, and it gets bright enough to make those highlights really pop, too. It even has a fast response time, but there's smearing with fast-moving objects. One thing to know is that it sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it available, check out the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx. It's a similar monitor that also has Mini LED backlighting, but it has worse motion handling.

If you want a basic and cheap 27-inch gaming monitor, check out the Dell G2724D, which you can buy for a low price directly through Dell's website. Like the AOC Q27G3XMN, it has a 1440p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, but it lacks Mini LED backlighting, and its local dimming feature performs terribly. It also has a low native contrast ratio, which means that blacks look gray, and highlights don't pop.

However, despite its lackluster HDR performance, the Dell is still a great choice for gaming. Fast-moving objects are actually crisper on the Dell, and it doesn't have smearing behind fast-moving objects as the AOC does. Even though it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it still supports all common VRR formats, including HDMI Forum VRR, which means that its VRR support works with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.