The 4 Best 1080p Monitors - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best 1080p monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW2523HF, which you can often find on sale for cheaper. It has a 25-inch screen with decent image clarity and a fast 360Hz refresh rate for competitive gaming, making it the best 1080p gaming monitor. It has native FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support to reduce screen tearing, and it's also G-SYNC compatible if you want to use it with an NVIDIA graphics card. It has a few other gaming features like a dark stabilizer to see your opponents better in dark areas and a crosshair mode to give you a competitive advantage.

It has an 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 also delivers good picture quality thanks to its accurate colors, high peak brightness, and wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides. It even offers impressive ergonomics if you want to easily adjust the screen.

If you want to save money and get something in the mid-range price category, consider the Acer Predator X25 bmiiprzx. It's very similar to the Dell Alienware AW2523HF because it has a 25-inch screen and 360Hz refresh rate, but there are a few differences between them. While the Acer has native G-SYNC VRR support that lets you take full advantage of your NVIDIA graphics card, FreeSync doesn't work on it. This means the Dell is more versatile for different types of graphics cards, and you don't have to worry about which type of card you're using.

Still, the Acer is excellent for gaming as motion looks smooth thanks to its quick response time across its entire refresh rate range. It also has a backlight-strobing feature to reduce persistence blur, and you can customize the flicker a bit to your liking, but there's still some image duplication. The input lag is low for a responsive feel, and it also supports NVIDIA's Reflex Latency Analyzer feature that measures the input lag of your entire setup, letting you see which sources cause the most latency.

If you want to save money or don't think you'll take full advantage of the 360Hz refresh rate on the Acer Predator X25 bmiiprzx, 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 than the Acer. It's still impressive for gaming as motion looks extremely smooth, especially at high frame rates, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. Its FreeSync VRR support is better than the Acer for AMD graphics cards, and it also has G-SYNC compatibility if you have an NVIDIA graphics card.

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 ASUS VG279QM is a very good 27-inch gaming monitor with a fast 240Hz refresh rate and fantastic motion handling, but its input lag is higher, and the ViewSonic has a few extra features.

If you want a simple and cheap monitor with a low refresh rate, looking for the best 1080p 144Hz monitor can be a good solution. The Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx is a great gaming monitor that doesn't cost much. While you can overclock its native 144Hz refresh rate to 165Hz, it's still lower than the ViewSonic XG2431, meaning it isn't as good of a choice if you want something for competitive gaming. However, it's still a good alternative if you need a simple monitor for your first gaming setup.

It's great for gaming, with a fast response time with high-frame-rate signals, but there's more blur with 60Hz signals. It means its overall motion handling isn't as good as the ViewSonic, which is the trade-off you need to make for getting a cheap monitor. It has a backlight-strobing feature like the ViewSonic, and while it isn't as customizable, it still reduces persistence blur. It also has low input lag for a quick and responsive gaming experience. Despite its price, it's well-built, and the stand offers incredible ergonomics, making it easy to adjust to an ideal viewing position.