The 4 Best 1080p Monitors - Winter 2023 Reviews

The best 1080p monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW2521H. It's a good monitor that's also the best 1080p gaming monitor because it's mainly designed for competitive esports gamers who are going to take full advantage of its high 360Hz refresh rate. It means it's a fantastic choice for high-frame-rate gaming, and the lower 1080p resolution helps put a lighter workload on your graphics card compared to higher-resolution displays. Motion looks incredibly smooth thanks to its quick response time and has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. It also has low input lag for a responsive feel while gaming.

It has many features, including native G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) support to reduce screen tearing while gaming. Because it's a native G-SYNC monitor, it can take full advantage of your NVIDIA graphics card and has a few extra features like the Reflex Latency Analyzer, which helps identify which sources in your gaming setup have the highest latency. It also RGB lighting on the back that you can customize to complete your gaming setup.

If you're looking for something cheaper or don't have an NVIDIA graphics card to take full advantage of the Dell Alienware AW2521H, check out the Dell Alienware AW2523HF. It's a newer version with the same 25-inch, 1080p screen with a 360Hz refresh rate, and you can find it for cheaper when it goes on sale. The main difference is that the AW2523HF doesn't have native G-SYNC support, which means it can't take full advantage of NVIDIA graphics cards the same way the AW2521H does. Luckily, it still has G-SYNC compatibility and native FreeSync VRR support to reduce screen tearing.

It has the same incredible response time with low input lag for a smooth and responsive gaming experience, but it doesn't have a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. It has a few extra features compared to the AW2521H, like a Console Mode that downscales 4k images if you also want to use it for gaming on the Xbox Series X or PS5. It also has better reflection handling and, combined with its high peak brightness, you won't have issues using it in a well-lit room.

If you want to save some money or don't think you're going to take full advantage of the 360Hz refresh rate on the Dell Alienware AW2523HF, then check out a budget model like the ViewSonic XG2431. There are trade-offs for getting something cheaper, and in this case, the ViewSonic has a lower 240Hz refresh rate, but it's still good enough for a smooth gaming experience. It's impressive for gaming as motion looks extremely smooth on it, especially at high frame rates, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. Like the AW2523HF, it also has native FreeSync VRR support to reduce screen tearing, as well as G-SYNC compatibility.

Its stand offers great ergonomics, making it easy to adjust to an ideal position. It has a few extra gaming features, like a customizable backlight strobing feature, which is a nice touch for a budget-friendly display. However, if you find the 24-inch screen too small, the ViewSonic Elite XG270 is an excellent 27-inch gaming monitor with a fast 240Hz refresh rate and fantastic motion handling, but it's harder to find, and the XG2431 still has a few extra features.

While most 1080p monitors don't cost much to start with, you can find even more available at a low cost if you need basic features or if you're looking for your first gaming monitor. If that interests you, then the HP X24ih is a great choice. It has the same 24-inch screen as the ViewSonic XG2431, with the main difference being that it has a lower 144Hz refresh rate. Although this isn't ideal for competitive gamers, it's still good enough for most gamers, especially if you're just getting into PC gaming. Its motion handling is incredible, as there's minimal blur behind fast-moving objects, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel.

Despite its budget price, it has a few extra features, like a virtual crosshair that your system won't detect and a display alignment tool to help you line it up to another display. It also has great color accuracy before calibration, which helps make images look life-like. It has limited ergonomics, so if that's important to you, you can also consider the ASUS VG246H, but it has a lower 75Hz refresh rate, which isn't ideal for gaming.