The 7 Best Budget Gaming Monitors - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best budget gaming monitor we've tested so far is the ViewSonic XG2402. It's a great monitor for fast-paced games thanks to its outstanding motion handling. It has a 144Hz refresh rate and low response time, and it even supports FreeSync variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing. If you have a recent 10- or 20- series NVIDIA graphics card, it's compatible with G-SYNC as well, though it will require a driver update.

Despite its budget price, this monitor has a good build quality that feels solid. Unfortunately, it uses a TN panel that has a low contrast ratio and poor black uniformity, which is less ideal for dark room gaming, as blacks tend to look more like gray. Its viewing angles aren't great either, but surprisingly, it has impressive color accuracy right out of the box. If you play in a well-lit room, this monitor can get bright enough to overcome glare and it has great reflection handling. It also has a flicker-free backlight to help reduce eye strain for those long gaming sessions.

If you're looking for a good gaming monitor without spending a fortune, you should consider this one.

The best budget 1440p gaming monitor we've tested so far is the AOC AGON AG271QX, although it can sometimes be hard to find at the right price. It has an excellent response time that delivers crisp motion with almost no blur and supports FreeSync for nearly tear-free gaming. The input lag is remarkably low and gamers will enjoy a very responsive gaming experience. This monitor is more suitable for an average lit room, and its 27 inch screen and 1440p resolution will display more of your gaming arena, minimizing the need for excessive scrolling.

Unfortunately, just like most TN monitors, it has a few flaws: the viewing angles are poor, so the sides of the screen don't look uniform when you sit up close. Also, those who game at night will find the contrast ratio inadequate, and blacks end up looking gray in a dark room.

Overall, however, this is a good budget 1440p monitor that delivers a great gaming experience.

The Acer XF251Q is the best cheap gaming monitor we've tested so far. At its price point, we can expect some features to be omitted. Fortunately, it still retains a critical feature for gaming: FreeSync support. That said, it's only limited to FreeSync, as it lacks a DisplayPort for NVIDIA's G-SYNC. The TN panel still offers great response time and input lag; however, viewing angles and color accuracy suffer as a result. This monitor is also limited to a 1080p resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 75Hz, which may deter more serious gamers.

Ergonomics are fairly decent on the Acer, a rarity for budget monitors, so it's easy to place in an ideal viewing position. It gets decently bright and has good reflection handling, so you shouldn't have any issues with it in a bright room.

Despite the budget price, this monitor still performs admirably and is a great choice if cost is your primary concern.