One of the most common resolutions with monitors is 1440p. These displays are available for a variety of uses, and you can learn more about their benefits here. They tend to include gaming features like high refresh rates and variable refresh rate (VRR) support, and they can also include productivity features like ergonomic stands and USB hubs. While many 1440p monitors are focused on gaming, you can still use them for simple office use, so there's no perfect solution for everyone.
The most common size for a 1440p display is 27 inches, as it results in high pixel density, but you can still find them with larger 32-inch screens. They're available at different prices, with the highest-end models having the most features. Once you know your budget, consider the monitor's performance for what you need; for example, high peak brightness and wide viewing angles are useful for office use, while smooth motion and low input lag are important for gaming.
We've bought and tested more than 300 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best 2k monitors with a 2560x1440 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio available to buy. Check out our picks for the best 1440p 144Hz monitors, the best 1440p gaming monitors, or, if you want a higher resolution, the best 4k monitors.
The best 1440p monitor we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM. It's an excellent overall monitor that's focused on gaming, as it offers a high 240Hz refresh rate and fantastic motion handling, so there's minimal motion blur with fast-moving objects. On top of that, it delivers stunning picture quality thanks to its OLED panel. It allows it to display deep blacks without blooming, and HDR also looks excellent as it gets bright enough to make highlights pop, so you'll enjoy this monitor even when watching movies.
It only performs its best in HDR after updating its firmware, so if you want something that performs well without any update, you can also consider the LG 27GR95QE-B, which uses the same panel but doesn't get as bright. Unfortunately, there are some downsides to either monitor, as any OLED is prone to burn-in when exposed to the same static elements over time, which can be problematic if you have elements like the taskbar or icons on the screen all day. However, this is less of a concern if you use it for varied stuff, like gaming and watching content, and you can still use it for occasionally browsing the web and productivity.
If you're concerned about the risk of burn-in on the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM or find it too much out of your price range, you can check out the LG 27GR83Q-B. It's a good, cheaper alternative that doesn't display the same deep blacks as the ASUS and performs worse in HDR, but that's the trade-off you need to make. That said, without the risk of burn-in, it's more versatile for different uses, as you can easily use it eight hours a day for work, then game on it at night and not worry about damaging your screen over the long run.
It's focused on gaming as it has a 240Hz refresh rate, and it has everything you'd expect to find in a gaming monitor, like variable refresh rate (VRR) support. Even if you want to use it for general desktop use, it delivers good picture quality with accurate colors and high peak brightness, meaning visibility is fine in well-lit rooms. It also has wide viewing angles, so it's a good choice if you often need to share your screen with someone else, but while it has decent ergonomics, it doesn't offer any swivel adjustment.
If you prefer something even cheaper, the LG 27GP850-B is a step-down model from the LG 27GR83Q-B that has a lower refresh rate. The lower 165Hz native refresh rate isn't as ideal for competitive gaming, but it has an overclock feature to boost it up to 180Hz, which is still good enough for most gamers. You can also find it sold as the 27GP83B-B at different retailers, but it doesn't have the same overclock feature. Both models offer a fast response time and have FreeSync VRR with G-SYNC compatibility for an excellent gaming experience.
The picture quality is also good, especially if you use it in a well-lit room, because it has great SDR peak brightness and good reflection handling. It also has wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides, which is great if you need to share your screen with someone else, but like the 27GR83Q-B, its stand doesn't offer swivel adjustments. If you want a monitor whose stand offers swivel adjustments, you can also consider the Dell Alienware AW2724DM. However, the text clarity is worse on that monitor, so it isn't as versatile for different uses like office work.
If you're looking for something on a budget, there are a few good 1440p monitors to choose from. The Gigabyte M27Q P is a great gaming monitor similar to the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B because it has a max 170Hz refresh rate, but its motion handling isn't as good as the LG. Regardless, it's still great for gaming, so you'll be happy if you're on a tight budget, and it has gaming features like VRR support.
Although designed for gaming, this monitor has a few extra features that make it versatile for other uses. It has a KVM switch that makes it easy to switch between devices connected to the monitor and use the same keyboard and mouse for each source. It's great if you work with two devices simultaneously and often switch between them. It also has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode to easily connect a laptop. That said, if you don't need these extra perks and prefer something simpler for gaming, you can also check out the Dell G2724D, which has better motion handling.
If you need a cheap and simple entry-level gaming monitor, look into the Gigabyte GS27QC. It's different from the Gigabyte M27Q P because it doesn't have many extra features, as it lacks a USB hub or KVM switch, but that's what you have to expect from something cheap. It also uses a different panel type with a better contrast ratio, making it the better choice if you want to use it in a dark room, but because it has worse viewing angles and terrible ergonomics, it's a bad choice if you need to share your screen with someone else. If that's important to you, you can also look into the Dell S2722DGM, which has wider viewing angles but is sometimes harder to find.
As for the Gigabyte, it excels with gaming because it has a fast response time at high refresh rates, and it even has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. While it has limited versatility for other uses, like if you want to use it in a well-lit room because it doesn't get bright enough to fight glare, images look life-like thanks to its accurate sRGB picture mode.
Feb 01, 2024: Replaced the Dell Alienware AW2723DF and the Dell S2722DGM with the LG 27GR83Q-B and the Gigabyte GS27QC for consistency with other articles; added the AOC Q27G3XMN to the Notable Mentions.
Nov 30, 2023: Removed the ASUS ROG Swift PG279QM because it isn't representative of the scope of the article; added the Dell S2722DGM as the 'Best Cheap Monitor'; added the LG 27GR83Q-B to Notable Mentions.
Oct 06, 2023: Replaced the Gigabyte M27Q with the Gigabyte M27Q P for consistency with other articles; added the Corsair XENEON 27QHD240 to Notable Mentions.
Aug 10, 2023: Replaced the LG 27GR95QE-B with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM for consistency with other articles; added the Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T to Notable Mentions.
Jun 15, 2023: Verified that the monitors are still available to purchase and updated text for clarity.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best 2k monitors currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price, and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our 2560x1440 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.