The 5 Best 144Hz Monitors - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best 144Hz monitor we've tested is the LG 27GP950-B. It's an excellent 4k gaming monitor whose 144Hz native refresh rate you can overclock to 160Hz with a DisplayPort connection when you have the variable refresh rate (VRR) feature enabled. Speaking of which, it natively supports Freesync VRR to reduce screen tearing, and it's also G-SYNC compatible if you have an NVIDIA graphics card. It offers excellent gaming performance with a fantastic response time across its entire refresh rate range and low input lag for a responsive feel.

It supports the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, so you can reach its max refresh rate even in HDR with an HDMI connection. It's also important if you want to use it for console gaming, as it can take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X for 4k @ 120Hz gaming. The 4k resolution results in sharp text, and the 27-inch screen is big enough for an immersive experience, but if you want something bigger, the LG 32GQ950-B is a 32-inch alternative. However, that monitor costs more for little difference in performance, and there are some bugs with its overclock feature, so the 27GP950-B offers the best value.

If you want to save a bit of money but still want high-end features, an upper mid-range model like the Gigabyte M32U is a great choice. It has a 4k, 32-inch screen like the LG 32GQ950-B, but the main difference is that you can't overclock its 144Hz refresh rate to 160Hz. However, this doesn't make a difference if your graphics card can't reach that high of a frame rate anyways. Also, the Gigabyte doesn't get as bright in HDR, but that's the trade-off you need to make for something cheaper. Still, it's an excellent overall gaming monitor whose 4k resolution delivers an incredibly immersive gaming experience.

Unlike the LG, its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth is limited to 24 Gbps, so your graphics card needs to use compression to reach 4k @ 144Hz signals, which doesn't make much of a difference for gaming but can have a slight negative impact on the picture quality. It also has VRR support to reduce screen tearing and works with AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards. It has a low native contrast ratio, so if that's important to you, the Gigabyte M32UC is similar and is a better choice for dark room gaming but has worse motion handling.

If you aren't going to play games from a console and don't need a high-resolution monitor, then consider the Gigabyte M34WQ. It's different from the Gigabyte M32U because it has a lower 3440x1440 resolution, meaning you don't get the same sharp images, and it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so you can't take full advantage of current-gen gaming consoles anyways. However, with a wider 21:9 aspect ratio and 34-inch screen, you can see more of your game at once for an immersive experience, especially if you play atmospheric or FPS games. It still offers a great gaming experience with an excellent response time with high-frame-rate signals, but there's more motion blur at lower refresh rates. Luckily, it has a backlight-strobing feature that works across a wide range to reduce persistence blur.

It has low input lag for a responsive feel, and it has native FreeSync support with G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. It even has a few extra gaming features, like the ability to add a virtual crosshair, giving you a competitive advantage. It also has a mode that zooms into a part of your game, making it easier to aim.

If you're looking for the best budget 144Hz monitor, consider the LG 27GL83A-B. It's smaller than the Gigabyte M34WQ with a 27-inch screen and 16:9 aspect ratio, meaning you don't have as much space to view more of your game at once, but that's normal if you want to save a bit of money. It still offers great gaming performance with a very fast response time across its entire refresh rate range, resulting in minimal motion blur. Like the other monitors in this recommendation, it has native FreeSync VRR support with G-SYNC compatibility. The VRR support works best with a DisplayPort connection as you can't reach its max refresh rate of 144Hz over HDMI with VRR enabled.

It has good picture quality, especially if you want to use it in a bright room because it has good reflection handling and gets bright enough to fight glare. However, it isn't as good in dark rooms because it has a low contrast ratio with bad black uniformity, so it's better to leave a few lights on in your gaming room if you want good picture quality.

If you want a cheap gaming monitor, the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx is a good alternative to the LG 27GL83A-B. It has a smaller screen with a lower 1080p resolution, so images aren't as sharp and detailed, but it's good if you don't have a lot of space in your gaming setup. If you can't find this monitor with certain retailers, you can buy it directly through Acer's website, although it costs a bit more there. Unlike the LG, you can overclock its 144Hz native refresh rate to 165Hz for a slightly smoother gaming experience. Speaking of which, it has an impressive response time at its max refresh rate and at 120Hz for smooth motion, but there's more overshoot with 60Hz signals when you have VRR enabled.

Its VRR support comes in the form of native FreeSync support with G-SYNC compatibility for use with NVIDIA graphics cards. It also has low input lag for a responsive feel. Despite its small size, it's a decent choice if you want to use it for co-op gaming because it has wide viewing angles that make the image remain consistent from the sides, and it has remarkable ergonomics that make it easy to adjust.