The 7 Best Gaming Monitors - Fall 2021 Reviews

The best monitor for gaming that we've tested with native FreeSync support is the Samsung LC32G75TQSNXZA. It has excellent gaming performance that should please most people. It's one of the few monitors available in both a 27 and 32 inch size, and even though we tested the 32 inch variant, the 27 inch model should perform the same.

It has native FreeSync support to reduce screen tearing, and if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, it's G-SYNC compatible. The variable refresh rate (VRR) support goes along with its 240Hz refresh rate, and you can achieve its full refresh rate range over a DisplayPort connection. Gaming feels smooth and responsive thanks to the quick response time and low input lag. However, it has a slow response time in dark transitions, meaning you may see some black smearing typical of VA panels. It has a high contrast ratio, so it's a good choice for dark room gaming.

Unfortunately, it has a terrible local dimming feature that causes intense blooming around bright objects. We've also read reports of the backlight flickering with VRR enabled in certain types of content, but we haven't noticed that problem with our unit, so your experience may be different. It has okay ergonomics, but the stand has a narrow swivel range. Overall, it's one of the best gaming monitors we've tested.

The best gaming monitor with native G-SYNC support that we've tested is the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG. It's an excellent gaming monitor with a 27 inch screen and a 1440p resolution. Input lag is exceptionally low, and the response time at max refresh rate is fantastic, remaining excellent even when gaming at 60Hz. It has a backlight strobing feature to improve motion clarity, but you can't use it with variable refresh rate (VRR) enabled.

It's a fairly versatile monitor with good performance overall. It's well-built, and it has good ergonomics so that you can place the screen in an ideal viewing position. It has wide viewing angles, making it great for co-op gaming, and it provides good visibility in well-lit rooms thanks to its great reflection handling and high peak brightness. It has a few extra features, like built-in speakers, RGB bias-lighting, and a USB hub so that you can charge your devices while gaming.

Sadly, our unit has terrible out-of-the-box color accuracy, so you may need to get it calibrated to enjoy it to the fullest. That said, this can also vary between units. It also can't display very deep blacks, and our unit has poor black uniformity, so it's not the best choice for a dark room. Overall, if having native G-SYNC support is important to you, this is one of the best PC gaming monitors we've tested.

The best gaming monitor for esports is the Dell Alienware AW2521H. It's an excellent compact gaming model that delivers a remarkably responsive gaming experience for esports players. It's well-built, and it has a clean and modern design that fits easily into most setups. The stand allows for a good amount of ergonomic adjustments, and its IPS panel has wide viewing angles, making it great for playing co-op games.

It has an incredibly fast response time and a 360Hz refresh rate, resulting in almost no blur trail behind fast-moving objects. It has a backlight strobing feature; however, it only works within a narrow refresh rate range, and you can't use it while variable refresh rate is active. Regarding its VRR, it supports G-SYNC natively, but it isn't FreeSync compatible. You can only get the full 360Hz over a DisplayPort connection, so it's important to make sure your graphics card has the same port.

It supports HDR, but it can't display a wide color gamut and doesn't get bright enough to make highlights stand out. It has four USB 3.0 ports to charge your mobile devices, and you can add a virtual crosshair or timer on the screen. The backlight is entirely flicker-free, which helps reduce eye strain. All in all, it's an excellent choice for both casual gamers and professional esports players.

The Gigabyte M28U is the best 4k gaming monitor that we've tested. It's a great monitor with a 28 inch IPS screen, and it has HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a great choice for next-gen console gamers. It supports both FreeSync and G-SYNC compatible modes for a nearly tear-free gaming experience. It has an outstanding response time at the max refresh rate, resulting in clear motion with very little blur behind fast-moving objects and just a bit of overshoot.

The IPS panel delivers wide viewing angles, great for co-op gaming. It has decent peak brightness, so glare shouldn't be an issue unless you're in a bright room. On the other hand, the IPS panel also results in low contrast, so it's not the best choice for a dark room. There's a local dimming feature, but it's pretty bad, so we don't recommend using it. The 4k native resolution delivers extremely sharp text, and it's amazing for atmospheric games or RPGs.

Unfortunately, you may experience some input lag, especially at 60Hz, if your monitor isn't updated to the latest firmware. While most users won't notice the difference, Gigabyte released an update to lower the input lag so there aren't any issues with it. This means you'll need to make sure you have that update. Overall, it's an impressive gaming monitor that should please most people.

The LG 34GP83A-B is the best gaming monitor available in an ultrawide format that we've tested. It's very similar to the LG 34GN850-B, which may be harder to find, so it's worth getting this one instead. It offers impressive gaming performance and performs well for other uses as well. The 34 inch screen and 21:9 aspect ratio help deliver an immersive gaming experience.

This monitor has a native 144Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 160Hz over a DisplayPort connection. It has native FreeSync support with G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing, and it has a fantastic response time whether you're gaming at its max refresh rate or 60Hz. It doesn't have a backlight strobing feature, but it's unlikely you'll need it as motion already looks so smooth, and input is really low. It has a few gamer-oriented features, like the ability to add a virtual crosshair on the screen.

Unfortunately, ergonomics aren't the best as the stand doesn't allow for any swivel adjustments, and as expected from most ultrawide options, you can't rotate it into portrait mode. It has a slightly curved screen that makes it a bit easier to see the edges of the screen, and it has wide viewing angles in case you need to share the screen with someone else. Overall, it's one of the best PC gaming monitors we've tested.

The Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx is the best gaming monitor that you can get in the budget category that we've tested. It's a well-rounded monitor with amazing gaming performance that competes with higher-end models. It has excellent ergonomics with a unique stand that rotates freely, allowing you to turn the screen a full 360 degrees. As is expected of most IPS panels, it has excellent viewing angles, so images remain accurate when viewed from the side.

Its 24 inch screen isn't the most immersive, but it does increase pixel density; this results in sharper images. Also, the lower resolution puts a lighter load on the graphics card, allowing it to push out higher frame rates. It has a 165Hz refresh rate and exceptional response times to deliver smooth motion with fast-moving content. The backlight is flicker-free, which is great for reducing eye strain on those long gaming sessions.

It supports HDR10, but like most budget monitors, it doesn't deliver a true HDR experience because it can't display a wide color gamut, and its HDR peak brightness is just okay. Also, its low contrast ratio makes blacks appear gray when viewed in the dark. It has built-in speakers, but sadly, no USB ports. Nonetheless, this is one of the best gaming monitors we've tested, and best of all, it's easy on the wallet.