The 6 Best Budget Gaming Monitors - Fall 2021 Reviews

The best budget gaming monitor with a 1080p resolution that we've tested is the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx. This 24 inch model delivers a great gaming experience but is also easy on the wallet. It uses an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, and it includes a stand with a 360-degree swivel range, making it an excellent choice for sharing content or playing co-op games. It handles reflections well and gets bright enough to combat glare in well-lit settings.

Its motion handling is excellent. It has a 144Hz refresh rate that you can overclock up to 165Hz, as well as an exceptional response time, so fast motion looks clear with almost no blur trail behind moving objects. You shouldn't see much screen tearing either, as it has both native FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility. It supports HDR, but unfortunately, it can't display a wide color gamut, and its mediocre contrast ratio makes blacks appear gray in the dark.

As expected of a budget monitor, there aren't many extra features. You can add a virtual crosshair or frame rate indicator on the screen, and there's a blue light filter to help reduce eye strain. There are also speakers built-in if you don't have dedicated ones. Overall, while it isn't the most feature-rich, it's a great gaming monitor that should please most people.

The best budget gaming monitor with a 1440p resolution is the Gigabyte M27Q. This 27 inch model delivers an excellent gaming experience as it has an exceptional response time, low input lag, and a high refresh rate. Fast-moving scenes look clear and smooth, and screen tearing is minimal thanks to its VRR support. It's a native FreeSync monitor, but it's compatible with NVIDIA's G-SYNC as well.

The design is pretty simple and not overly gamer-oriented, so it shouldn't stick out like a sore thumb in professional offices. The stand is sturdy, but it only allows for height and tilt adjustments. It has wide viewing angles, decent reflection handling, and gets bright enough to combat glare. It has a wide color gamut with near-full Adobe RGB coverage, making it a great choice for content creators. Unfortunately, it's not the best option for dark rooms because it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks appear grayish.

It's packed with extra features. It has a USB hub with two USB 3.0s and a USB-C that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode. You can display two input sources simultaneously with its Picture-in-Picture/Picture-by-Picture mode and control both source devices with one set of peripherals with its built-in KVM switch. Lastly, it has a flicker-free backlight and a blue light filter to help reduce eye strain. Overall, this is a great budget monitor worth considering.

The best budget gaming monitor with an ultrawide screen that we've tested is the Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx. It's a 34 inch model with a flat, non-curved screen. It has a 21:9 aspect ratio that gives you more horizontal space than a typical 16:9 display, giving you a wider field of view for better immersion in games. It feels decently well-built, and it has good ergonomics so that you can place the screen easily at a comfortable viewing position or share it with others.

It has a 144Hz refresh rate and an excellent response time to deliver a smooth gaming experience. Its input lag is exceptionally low, and it has both native FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to minimize screen tearing. It has a black frame insertion feature to improve motion clarity, otherwise known as backlight strobing, but it only works within a narrow frequency range, and it isn't usable simultaneously with VRR. Also, the flickering might cause headaches or eye strain for some people.

Despite its budget price, there's a USB hub with two USB 3.0s and a USB-B upstream port, which means you can plug your peripherals or dongles directly into the monitor, with only a single cable leading to your computer for a cleaner setup. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very bright, and its mediocre contrast ratio makes blacks look grayish in the dark, so it's better suited for a moderately lit room. Nonetheless, this is a great option if you want to go ultrawide with a small budget.