A common monitor resolution is 1440p as it offers a sweet spot between 1080p displays, which have less image clarity, and 4k monitors, which require more processing power. Many 1440p displays include gaming features like high refresh rates for a smooth gaming experience and VRR support to reduce screen tearing. While many are focused on gaming, most are good enough for work, too. They can also include productivity features like ergonomic stands and USB hubs, which help if you want to connect your devices directly to the monitor.
The most common size for a 1440p display is 27 inches, but you can still find them with smaller 24-inch or larger 32-inch screens, and choosing the right size is a personal preference. They're available at different price points, with the highest-end models having the most features and best overall performance, including the best picture quality. Once you know your budget, consider the monitor's performance for what you need; for example, high brightness and sharp text are useful for work use, while sharp motion and low input lag are important for gaming.
We've bought and tested more than 415 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best 2k monitors available. Check out our picks for the best 1440p 144Hz monitors and the best 1440p gaming monitors for more options, or, if you want a higher resolution, the best 4k monitors.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best 1440p Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingOfficeEditingBrightnessResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeWOLEDMax Refresh Rate720 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440The best 1440p monitor that we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W. It's a high-end monitor that has a ton of gaming-focused features. This includes a native 540Hz refresh rate for a smooth feel while gaming, and its near-instantaneous response time means motion looks sharp. It also supports all common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing with changing frame rates, and it supports high-bandwidth DisplayPort and HDMI inputs to make full use of the latest graphics cards. On top of that, it includes a dual-mode feature to boost the refresh rate to 720Hz with a lower 720p resolution, giving you versatility for playing different types of games.
Besides its high-end gaming performance, it also offers fantastic picture quality. It uses a Tandem WOLED panel that displays deep blacks without any haloing around bright highlights that pop against dark backgrounds. It also fights glare well in bright rooms, but you may find its mirror-like reflections coming off the glossy screen distracting if you have it in a bright room. A downside for browsing the web or doing work is that there's fringing around letters due to the panel's subpixel layout. You may want to consider the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN if you want an OLED with better text clarity, but it has an ultrawide 34-inch screen that may not be everyone's preference. That said, both of these OLEDs risk burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, so you need to change up what you have on-screen to reduce this risk.
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Best Upper Mid-Range 1440p Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingOfficeEditingBrightnessResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you find the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W too expensive for your budget, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG is a good alternative. It's focused on gaming, but there are a few trade-offs in features. For example, it has a lower 360Hz refresh rate and lacks a dual-mode feature. While it doesn't offer the same high-end, smooth feel as the PG27AQWP-W, it still has the same near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion at any refresh rate. Unlike the PG27AQWP-W, it lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth, which is something to consider if you have a high-end graphics card, but this is a trade-off for getting a cheaper model.
It actually has some advantages over the PG27AQWP-W if you want something for work. It has better text clarity, but it's not without issues, as its triangular subpixel layout also has fringing around letters. Colors are even more vivid on its QD-OLED panel as well, but it doesn't get as bright, and blacks look purple in bright rooms on this monitor, making it the worse choice for well-lit spaces. On the plus side, it has extra productivity features, including a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode and 90W of power delivery, which is ideal if you want to connect a laptop. It also has a KVM switch that makes it easy to change sources and use the same devices on both.
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Best Mid-Range 1440p Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingOfficeEditingBrightnessResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you want to get a 1440p OLED at a lower cost, the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q is a good-value alternative that's cheaper than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. It's fairly similar to the ASUS as it also has a QD-OLED panel with similar picture quality, but there are notable differences. The HyperX has a lower 240Hz refresh rate, making it a worse choice for playing competitive games at the highest frame rates, but it's still fine for most games. Like any OLED, it has a near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion at any refresh rate. Unfortunately, though, it's dimmer, and in turn, its colors aren't as vivid, so it doesn't offer the same high-end HDR viewing experience. It at least has the same deep blacks in dark rooms without any haloing around bright objects against dark backgrounds.
In terms of productivity, it delivers the same text clarity as the ASUS, but it has fewer work-focused features. It lacks a USB hub, so you have to connect all your devices directly to your computer or laptop. You may want to consider the LG 27GX700A-B if you prefer something with two USB-A ports instead. It's also brighter, but it has worse text clarity and usually costs more than the HyperX.
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Best Lower Mid-Range 1440p Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingOfficeEditingBrightnessResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate300 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440Should you want to look for a lower-cost model without getting into budget-friendly options, look into the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV. It's different from the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q because it doesn't have an OLED panel, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks without any haloing around bright objects. However, it uses Mini LED backlighting with a good local dimming feature that helps it display deep enough blacks with bright highlights that pop in HDR. Plus, it gets much brighter than the HyperX, so it fights glare well in most well-lit rooms.
As for gaming, this monitor has a faster 300Hz refresh rate, and it even supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to make full use of sources that also support it. It also has a good enough response time for gaming, but there's black smearing, particularly with fast-moving objects in dark scenes. It's very basic besides that, as it doesn't have a USB hub. It's still fine if you want to use it for work, as it has good text clarity and doesn't risk burn-in. Unfortunately, it has a narrow viewing angle, which means the image washes out from the sides, so it's a bad choice if you need to share the screen with someone next to you.
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Best Budget 1440p Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingOfficeEditingBrightnessResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureColor AccuracySize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you want a budget-friendly 1440p monitor, the AOC Q27G3XMN is a good, cheaper alternative to the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV. It's fairly similar to the higher-end MSI, but one difference is that the AOC has a lower 180Hz refresh rate. This means gaming doesn't feel as smooth, and it's not as good for playing games at high frame rates. It also doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so the refresh rate is lower if you use an HDMI connection, and you need to use a DisplayPort connection to make full use of the monitor. It actually has a faster response time for better overall motion handling than the MSI, but it still has black smearing in dark scenes.
Like the MSI, this monitor even has an effective Mini LED local dimming feature. It performs similarly, as it helps it display deep blacks in dark scenes with highlights that pop against the rest of the image. It doesn't get as bright as the MSI, but it's still fine to use in a room with a few lights around. It's limited in features, as it lacks a USB hub, but its sharp text clarity makes it useful for work. It has a narrow viewing angle, though, which is something to consider if you want to often share the screen with someone else. You can consider the KOORUI S2721PM if that's important for you. It's another Mini LED option with a wider viewing angle, but it has a lower contrast ratio, so its blacks aren't as deep.
Notable Mentions
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LG 27GX790B-B:
The LG 27GX790B-B is a high-end gaming monitor that competes directly with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W. It's worth getting when you can find it for cheaper, but one thing to consider is that it has a matte coating as opposed to the glossy coating of the ASUS. This results in hazier images, with the benefit of less mirror-like reflections.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQWMG:
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQWMG is an OLED gaming monitor that you can find for a bit cheaper than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. Its Tandem WOLED panel gets brighter, but it has worse text clarity and lacks a USB-C port like the XG27ACDNG.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW2726DM:
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is a 1440p QD-OLED that's very similar overall to the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q. It's worth getting if you can find it for cheaper, but it's not as bright.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS:
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is a budget-friendly gaming monitor that sometimes costs less than the AOC Q27G3XMN. It doesn't have black smearing in dark scenes, making it better than the AOC if your games have darker content. However, it has worse overall picture quality because it lacks Mini LED backlighting.
See our review -
Dell S2725DC:
The Dell S2725DC is a low-cost monitor that's focused on productivity. It has a USB hub, which is something the AOC Q27G3XMN lacks, so the Dell is a solid alternative if you need a monitor for work. However, it's less versatile otherwise because it has worse picture quality, with blacks that look gray.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 29, 2026:
We removed the Dell S2725DC as the 'Best Cheap 1440p Monitor' because it's priced similarly to the budget pick. We also added the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV as the 'Best Lower Mid-Range 1440p Monitor' to give another option. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the hard-to-find AOC Q27G40XMN, added the S2725DC, and replaced the Dell Alienware AW2725DM with the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS, which is a bit better overall.
Sep 01, 2026:
We added mentions of other new monitors throughout the text, like the KOORUI S2721PM, to better represent the current market.
Jul 08, 2026:
We added the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W as the 'Best 1440p Monitor' because of its high-end features, and we renamed the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG to the 'Best Upper Mid-Range 1440p Monitor.' In turn, we removed the LG 27GX700A-B because it's priced similarly to the mid-range pick, the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q.
May 19, 2026:
We replaced the LG 27GR83Q-B with the HyperX OLED OMEN 27q, which has better overall performance. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the Dell Alienware AW2723DF, the Dell Alienware AW3225DM, and the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS with the Dell Alienware AW2726DM, the AOC Q27G40XMN, and the Dell Alienware AW2725DM to better reflect the current market.
Mar 26, 2026:
We replaced the Dell Alienware AW2723DF with the LG 27GR83Q-B for consistency with other recommendations, and the MSI G274QPF-QD with the easier-to-find Dell S2725DC. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 27GX790A-B, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, the Gigabyte MO27Q28G, and added the LG 27GX790B-B, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQWMG, the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS, and the AW2723DF.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best 2k monitors currently available in the United States. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, feedback from visitors, and price. For example, two monitors may perform the same, but the cheaper one will be recommended. We also consider availability, as we don't recommend a monitor that's hard to find.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our 1440p monitor reviews. 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.