There are plenty of gaming monitors you can choose from if you're on a budget. These models usually have useful gaming features, and while they generally don't have premium perks like OLED panels or a 4k resolution, most still perform well. They're available in different resolutions and sizes, but size is a personal preference.
There are different factors to consider when looking for a gaming monitor. A fast response time is important for sharp motion, and low input lag is also crucial for a responsive feel, though most monitors have low input lag. Besides that, a high refresh rate is beneficial for competitive gaming as some budget models have very high refresh rates, too. Lastly, good picture quality helps provide an immersive gaming experience, especially in HDR. You'll want to look for monitors with deep blacks, bright highlights, and vivid colors, but that's less common on budget monitors.
We've bought and tested over 390 monitors, and below you'll find our recommendations for the best budget gaming monitors and the best cheap gaming monitors. Also, see our recommendations for the best gaming monitors under $300, the best monitors under $200, and the best budget and cheap monitors. You can also learn about the best monitor brands.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best Budget Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440The best budget gaming monitor we've tested is the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's a 27-inch, 1440p model with better picture quality than most other budget displays. It uses Mini LED backlighting, which is something mostly found on more expensive displays. It also has a good local dimming feature. It helps it display deep blacks next to bright highlights, get bright enough to fight glare in most well-lit rooms, and make highlights pop. It even displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR, which is useful for HDR gaming.
In terms of pure gaming performance, it offers features you'd expect from a gaming monitor, like a 180Hz max refresh rate and FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility. It even has a quick response time with fast-moving objects, but there's still black smearing in dark scenes. If you can't find this monitor, you can also check out the newer, similar AOC Q27G40XMN, which is only available in the US. It offers better local dimming and gets brighter than the Q27G3XMN, but it has worse ergonomics and a slower response time.
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Best Budget OLED Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you want a budget monitor and you don't mind stretching your wallet for an OLED display, then check out the Dell Alienware AW2726DM. Although it costs more than the AOC Q27G3XMN, it's something to consider if you want an improvement in picture quality and motion handling. Its QD-OLED panel displays perfect blacks next to bright highlights in dark rooms, so it's better for HDR gaming than the AOC. It also has much better motion handling with a faster 240Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel, making it a fantastic choice for playing action games.
There are some downsides to getting this over the AOC, though. For example, it doesn't get nearly as bright, so it's worse to use in a bright room, and its black levels rise in well-lit spaces, making them look purple. It also has much worse color accuracy, which is something to consider if you want accurate images. Plus, it risks burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, but this is less of a concern if you vary the games you play. It's also limited in features, as it lacks a USB hub or HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but this is the downside of getting a low-cost OLED.
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Best Cheap Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize24"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1920 x 1080If you're on a tighter budget or don't need the premium picture quality of the AOC Q27G3XMN or the Dell Alienware AW2726DM, then check out the LG 24GS65F-B. It's different from the AOC and the Dell because it has a smaller 24-inch screen with a lower 1080p resolution, so it doesn't offer the same immersive gaming experience with detailed images. It also has much worse picture quality as it lacks a local dimming feature and has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray. This means it's a bad choice for playing graphically intense games, particularly in HDR, but this is what you have to expect from an entry-level monitor.
Although its overall response time is slower than the AOC's, and there's still blur with fast-moving objects, it at least doesn't have the same smearing in dark scenes. This is something to consider if you want to play games with a lot of fast-moving objects. Plus, it also has a 180Hz refresh rate and supports FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing.
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Best 32-Inch Budget Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize32"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you find that the LG 24GS65F-B is too small, there are some bigger sizes you can get. However, monitors bigger than 24 to 27 inches in the budget price range generally don't offer the best performance. That said, if you want the biggest possible size within your budget, check out the Dell Alienware AW3225DM. It has the same 1440p resolution as the AOC Q27G3XMN, delivering the same amount of detail. However, because of its larger size, the pixel density is lower, so games and text aren't as sharp.
Although there's some smearing with fast-moving objects, it's still fine for casual gaming as it has a 180Hz refresh rate. While it also displays deep blacks, which is good for gaming in dark rooms, it's much worse for HDR than the AOC, as it has a terrible local dimming feature that causes haloing around bright objects. You'd need to spend more to get a 32-inch monitor with better HDR performance anyway.
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Best Ultrawide Budget Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize34"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3440 x 1440If you find the 16:9 aspect ratios of the monitors recommended above too narrow, there's a class of displays with wider ultrawide screens. These are great for an immersive gaming experience, as you can see more of your game at once. If that's what you're interested in, then look into the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM. Although it costs more than other budget monitors, like the Dell Alienware AW3225DM, it's the price premium you'll have to pay for an ultrawide display.
It's a decent gaming monitor that's similar to the AW3225DM, with typical gaming features, like a 180Hz refresh rate and VRR support. However, it has smearing with fast-moving objects, similar to the other Dell monitor. Besides that, it delivers decent picture quality for a low-cost monitor, with a high contrast ratio and good black levels, so blacks look fairly deep next to bright highlights. However, it has a terrible local dimming feature that can't be turned off in HDR, resulting in noticeable haloing around bright objects.
Notable Mentions
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Dell S2725QS:
The Dell S2725QS is an entry-level 4k monitor with a few gaming features, like a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It's something to consider over the AOC Q27G3XMN if you want a display for console gaming. However, it has worse picture quality and motion handling.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS:
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is a 1440p gaming monitor that's cheaper than the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's something to consider if you don't play games in HDR, as it has worse picture quality than the AOC, but it has better motion handling.
See our review -
HyperX OMEN OLED 27q:
The HyperX OMEN OLED 27q is an entry-level OLED gaming monitor with similar specs to the Dell Alienware AW2726DM. Plus, it even has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which is good if you have an HDMI 2.1 graphics card. However, it costs more than the Dell.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW2725DM:
The Dell Alienware AW2725DM is a cheap 1440p gaming monitor with a bigger screen and higher resolution than the LG 24GS65F-B. It's worth getting over the Dell if that's important to you. However, the LG usually costs less.
See our review -
Dell SE2426HGS:
The Dell SE2426HGS is a cheap 24-inch gaming monitor that you can find for less than the LG 24GS65F-B. The Dell even has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, but it's dimmer and has worse ergonomics than the LG 24GS65F-B.
See our review
Recent Updates
May 13, 2026:
We added the Dell Alienware AW2726DM as the 'Best Budget OLED Gaming Monitor' to give another option with better picture quality. We also removed the ViewSonic XG2431 as it's hard to find. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the Dell Alienware AW2523HF, and we added the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q and the Dell SE2426HGS.
Apr 14, 2026:
We verified that the monitors are available to buy and updated text for clarity.
Mar 16, 2026:
In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the LG 27G610A-B with the Dell Alienware AW2725DM and removed the MSI G274QPF-QD.
Feb 18, 2026:
We replaced the Dell G2524H with the LG 27G610A-B in the Notable Mentions.
Jan 28, 2026:
We added the Dell S2725QS to the Notable Mentions, and updated text for clarity throughout.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best budget and cheap monitors for gaming currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. 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 is the list of our budget and cheap 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.