The 6 Best Monitor Sizes For Gaming - Spring 2023 Reviews

While the gaming monitor market tends to focus on standard desktop monitors with larger sizes, there's also a niche for portable monitors. These are for gaming on the go or if you game on a laptop and want a secondary display to keep messages or any other vital info open. You don't get the same picture quality as larger desktop gaming monitors, as they tend to have lower resolutions and smaller screens. While the market for these isn't big either, there are some with fast refresh rates and good motion handling for a fun and responsive gaming experience.

That's the case with the ASUS ROG Strix XG16AHPE, which is a 16-inch portable display. It's a surprisingly great gaming monitor that's as good as some desktop monitors because it has a 144Hz refresh rate, an incredibly fast response time, and outstanding low input lag. It's feature-packed, with FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility, ensuring a tear-free gaming experience. You can also get a similar monitor, the ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHPE, with an even higher 240Hz refresh rate if you can game at that high frame rate, but it costs more.

Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best portable monitors.

If you don't want a portable monitor, the next smallest size you can get is 24 or 25 inches. Getting a monitor in this size is ideal if you don't have a ton of desk space, and they still offer enough space so that you don't have to move your eyes around as much to view everything on the screen. Gaming options in this size tend to have lower 1080p resolutions while increasing the refresh rate to 240Hz or even 360Hz, as it's easier for a graphics card to hit a high frame rate with a low resolution.

The Dell Alienware AW2523HF is a great 25-inch gaming monitor if you want something in this size. It has a fast 360Hz refresh rate and incredibly smooth motion handling, with no noticeable ghosting or overshoot behind fast-moving objects. It natively supports FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) to reduce screen tearing, and it's also G-SYNC compatible for use with NVIDIA graphics cards. If you don't need the 360Hz refresh rate, you can also find great 240Hz options like the ViewSonic XG2431 that don't cost as much.

Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best 24-25 inch monitors.

Many people will say that a 27-inch option is the best monitor size for gaming, and that's because there are many different 27-inch gaming monitors available. You can find anything from basic 1080p to high-resolution 4k screens, although the most common resolution is 1440p. Because of this, you'll easily find an ideal 27-inch monitor, no matter the type of games you play. This size is good if you want more screen space than a 24 or 25-inch display and find that 32-inch screens are too big.

The LG 27GR95QE-B is a fantastic 27-inch gaming monitor with high-end features. It has a 1440p resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate that lets you play games at a high frame without issue. Motion looks smooth, and the monitor has low input lag for a responsive feel. It also has an OLED screen that delivers perfect blacks, but OLEDs are prone to burn-in when exposed to the same static elements over time. While it isn't a big gaming concern, you can get excellent LED-backlit 4k monitors as an alternative, like the LG 27GP950-B, which delivers sharp images and isn't prone to burn-in.

Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best 27-inch gaming monitors.

A 32-inch display is the best gaming monitor size for your needs if you want something even bigger, as it offers more space while maintaining the 16:9 aspect ratio. This size is growing in popularity, and there are plenty of options. You can find models mainly with 1440p and 4k resolutions, and like with 27-inch monitors, most 32-inch monitors are great for gaming as they have fast response times and low input lag. 32-inch, 4k monitors are more common for console gaming as most models now have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.

The Samsung LS32BG852NNXGO, known as the Neo G8, is a fantastic 4k gaming monitor. It has a fast response time, resulting in very clear motion, and an incredibly high 240Hz refresh rate. However, if you aren't going to take full advantage of the max refresh rate, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is a similar monitor with a 165Hz refresh rate instead. Both the Neo G8 and Neo G7 are some of the few monitors on the market that use Mini LED backlighting, providing better picture quality than other monitors.

Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best 32-inch monitors.

If you're looking for a bigger screen size than 32 inches, you'll have to get an ultrawide monitor with a 34 or 38-inch screen size. Ultrawides in this size are best suited for immersive first-person games like RPGs and atmospheric games, as you can see more of your screen. Most ultrawide monitors have a 34-inch screen size with a 3440x1440 resolution and offer the same screen height as a 27-inch screen but with more horizontal screen space. There are some 38-inch models available for gaming too.

The Dell Alienware AW3423DW is an amazing 34-inch gaming monitor with a QD-OLED panel that delivers a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in crystal-clear motion with no noticeable blur behind fast-moving objects. It also has low input lag and native G-SYNC VRR support for a nearly tear-free gaming experience. If you don't need the native G-SYNC support, the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is similar but with native FreeSync VRR support instead. Both Dell monitors use the same OLED panel that delivers an incredible dark room experience, with a near-infinite contrast and perfect black uniformity.

Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best ultrawide gaming monitors.

While most gaming monitors are available in 34-inch screens or smaller, a handful of models are available with larger screen sizes, mainly in the 40 to 49-inch range. Not all large monitors are the same, but they're great if you want an immersive gaming experience or have extra space for one and don't want to get a TV. The market for bigger displays is more limited than for smaller ones, but it has grown in the last few years.

If you want a 49-inch super ultrawide monitor for an immersive gaming experience, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is an excellent choice. It has a 32:9 aspect ratio, providing even more horizontal screen space than the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. It features Mini LED backlighting and has a good local dimming feature, making it a great choice for dark rooms. It's also excellent for gaming thanks to its high 240Hz refresh rate with great motion handling.

There are other displays available in different sizes other than 49 inches. Some 42 and 48-inch OLED monitors are essentially small TVs, like the LG 48GQ900-B or the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG42UQ, but only get these if you don't mind their large screen and 16:9 aspect ratio. There are some 45-inch ultrawide monitors available, like the LG 45GR95QE-B, which is great if you like the 21:9 aspect ratio of an ultrawide display but don't want the larger Odyssey Neo G9.

Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best 34-49 inch monitors.