There are plenty of monitors you can get for under $500 with good performance. A few even have useful features, like Mini LED backlighting, high resolutions, or fast refresh rates for gaming. However, compared to the rest of the market, most monitors in this price range are considered mid-range and budget options, so they don't have the latest high-end panels, like OLEDs. Luckily, there are options for various usages in this price range with different resolutions and sizes, and there's no perfect solution for everyone.
When looking for a monitor, it's important to consider what you'll use it for, as you would need a different type of monitor for work than you would for gaming. For example, sharp text clarity is important for work, while a fast response time is beneficial for gaming. In terms of picture quality, it's important for a monitor to have a high contrast ratio and display a wide range of colors for a realistic image.
We've bought and tested more than 375 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best monitors for under $500. Also, see our recommendations for the best budget and cheap monitors, the best monitors, and if you're looking for a specific size, the best 32-inch monitors.
Quick Look
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Best Monitor Under $500
PC Gaming7.7Office8.4Editing7.9HDR Picture6.8SDR Picture7.1Console Gaming8.5Brightness8.7Color Accuracy8.5Response Time7.5Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160The best monitor under $500 that we've tested is the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It's a versatile 4k, 27-inch display that features Mini LED backlighting. While it's not the best monitor in this price range for one specific usage, it's a jack-of-all-trades type of display that offers good value for whatever you need. Its 4k resolution results in sharp text, which helps if you want to use it for work. It has a few productivity features, like a KVM switch and a USB-C port with 90W of power delivery, so you can connect various devices to it, including a laptop.
Besides these features, it also has some gaming perks. You can boost its 160Hz refresh rate to 320Hz with a lower 1080p resolution, so it's versatile for playing different types of games. Gaming feels responsive thanks to its low input lag, and it has a consistently fast response time, but there's some blur behind fast-moving objects. It also delivers good picture quality thanks to its local dimming feature that improves the black levels and makes highlights pop, but it results in haloing, and it only turns on in HDR, so the picture quality is worse in SDR.
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Best Gaming Monitor Under $500
PC Gaming7.5Office8.4Editing7.7HDR Picture5.8SDR Picture6.5Console Gaming8.2Brightness7.9Color Accuracy8.9Response Time7.8Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate360 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If you're a dedicated PC gamer and you want something that's a bit more well-rounded for gaming, look into the Dell Alienware AW2725QF. Like the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx, it has a native 4k resolution and 180Hz refresh rate with a dual-mode feature, but the main advantage of getting this for gaming is that it has a higher 360Hz refresh rate for a slightly smoother feel. Plus, fast-moving content looks better with more consistent motion handling across this monitor's VRR range, which helps if you play fast-paced games.
However, this monitor isn't as versatile for different uses as the Acer, which is why it's recommended for gamers. It doesn't have a KVM switch like the Acer, and despite having a USB-C port, it doesn't have DisplayPort Alt Mode to connect a laptop. It also has worse picture quality because it has a terrible edge-lit local dimming feature that causes haloing and fails to improve black levels and make highlights pop. That said, its 4k resolution still makes games look detailed, and it's a decent choice for SDR gaming thanks to its accurate colors.
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Best HDR Gaming Monitor Under $500
PC Gaming8.2Office7.6Editing7.9HDR Picture8.0SDR Picture8.2Console Gaming7.4Brightness8.3Color Accuracy8.8Response Time8.5Size27"Pixel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440While the Dell Alienware AW2725QF is a great gaming monitor, if you want the best gaming monitor under $500 with fantastic picture quality in HDR, then look into the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's a great gaming display that excels in HDR. It uses Mini LED backlighting and has a higher native contrast ratio than both the Dell and the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. Combined with its good local dimming feature, it displays deep and inky blacks next to bright highlights without much haloing, either. It also displays a wide range of colors in HDR and makes them look vivid, so HDR games are punchy. This is the main advantage of getting this monitor over the Dell, or even the Acer, for playing modern games in HDR.
There are some other differences from the Dell, though. While it has a 180Hz refresh rate, it doesn't have a dual-mode feature to boost its refresh rate further. It also has a lower 1440p resolution, and while that means it requires less bandwidth from your graphics card, images aren't as detailed. It also has black smearing behind fast-moving objects, so this is a trade-off of getting it over the Dell.
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Best Work Monitor Under $500
PC Gaming6.2Office8.5Editing7.7HDR Picture5.5SDR Picture6.9Console Gaming5.3Brightness7.3Color Accuracy8.9Response Time5.6Size27"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate60 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If you don't need any of the gaming features of the monitors mentioned above, there are a few work-focused monitors you can get for under $500, including those with a high resolution. If that's what you're interested in, the best 4k monitor under $500 for work is the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV. While it has the same resolution as the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx, which is also great for work, the ASUS has a few extra productivity perks. Firstly, it has a bigger USB hub with three USB-A ports and two USB-C ports, so it's easy to connect various devices. It even supports daisy chaining to a second monitor. Like the Acer, one of the USB-C ports supports DisplayPort Alt Mode with 90W of power delivery.
This monitor is also a great choice for content creators, as it has different picture modes meant for various color spaces, from the basic sRGB color space to the wider Rec. 2020 space. It's also very accurate in the sRGB color space, so you won't need to calibrate it unless you need perfectly accurate colors. However, it has worse picture quality in HDR than the AOC Q27G3XMN because it has a low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray.
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Best Ultrawide Monitor Under $500
PC Gaming7.6Office7.5Editing7.5HDR Picture6.3SDR Picture7.9Console Gaming7.3Brightness7.7Color Accuracy8.4Response Time7.7Size34"Pixel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3440 x 1440Although all the monitors recommended so far have the common 16:9 aspect ratio, there's a class of monitors with a wider 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio and 34-inch size. These offer more horizontal screen space for a more immersive feel while gaming and more screen space for multitasking when working. The best option in this size range under $500 is the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM, which you can get directly from Dell if you can't find it through retailers. It's versatile for different uses, but it isn't the best option for any specific type of use. Its wide screen helps with productivity, but it has a lower resolution than the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV, so text isn't as sharp.
Like the AOC Q27G3XMN, it has gaming features, including a 180Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take advantage of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles. However, it has black smearing with fast-moving objects, and it has an ineffective local dimming feature that makes the picture quality worse in HDR with haloing around bright objects. That said, it has a high native contrast ratio in SDR, so it displays deep enough blacks for decent overall picture quality.
Notable Mentions
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LG 27GX700A-B:
The LG 27GX700A-B is an OLED gaming monitor that has better picture quality and motion handling than the Dell Alienware AW2725QF. It's something to consider if you can find it on sale close to $500, but it usually costs more than the Dell.
See our review -
LG 27GR93U-B:
The LG 27GR93U-B is a 4k gaming monitor that's sometimes a bit cheaper than the Dell Alienware AW2725QF. However, the LG doesn't have the same dual-mode feature, so it's not as versatile for playing different types of games.
See our review -
AOC Q27G40XMN:
The AOC Q27G40XMN is a similar model to the AOC Q27G3XMN with many of the same specs. The Q27G40XMN even has improved picture quality because it has a better local dimming feature. However, it's harder to find because it's only available at Best Buy in the US. That said, you should get whichever model you can find for cheaper.
See our review -
Dell U2723QE:
The Dell U2723QE is a 4k work monitor that competes with the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV. It has a few extra features, like a KVM switch and a bigger USB hub, so it's something to consider for multitasking. However, it also costs more.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW3225DM:
The Dell Alienware AW3225DM is a budget-friendly 32-inch gaming monitor that performs similarly to the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM. It's something to consider if you want a bigger screen instead of an ultrawide, but it has lower pixel density than the AW3425DWM.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 28, 2025:
We added the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx as the best overall monitor because it's versatile. Because of this, we renamed the Dell Alienware AW2725QF to the 'Best Gaming Monitor Under $500' and the AOC Q27G3XMN to the 'Best HDR Gaming Monitor Under $500.' In the Notable Mentions, we removed the MSI G274QPF-QD and added the LG 27GX700A-B.
Oct 02, 2025:
We replaced the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, which is hard to find, with the Dell Alienware AW2725QF. We removed the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS as it doesn't fit into the scope of the article, and renamed the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV to the 'Best Work Monitor Under $500.' We also added the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM as the 'Best Ultrawide Monitor Under $500' to give another option. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the ASUS ROG Swift PG279QM and added the Dell Alienware AW3225DM and the MSI G274QPF-QD.
Jun 12, 2025:
We replaced the Dell Alienware AW2724DM with the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS because the Dell is hard to find. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the Acer Predator X27U bmiipruzx, Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx, and the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B because they're harder to find, and added the LG 27GR93U-B and the ASUS ROG Swift PG279QM.
Mar 17, 2025:
We replaced the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B with the cheaper Dell Alienware AW2724DM for consistency with other recommendations, and moved the LG to the Notable Mentions. We also replaced the Dell Alienware AW2523HF with the Acer Predator X27U bmiipruzx in the Notable Mentions.
Feb 19, 2025:
We replaced the Dell G2724D with the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B because the Dell is hard to find. We swapped the Dell U2723QE with the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV between a main pick and a Notable Mention. We also added the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx as a Notable Mention. Lastly, we introduced a new format to the article.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors for less than $500 currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all our monitor reviews that you can get for around $500 or less. 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.