The gaming monitor market is continuously growing, with plenty of options to choose from. There are different factors you'll have to consider when looking for a new gaming monitor, like the refresh rate and resolution. There's no perfect solution for everyone, and you have to consider the types of games you play. For example, competitive PC gamers may prefer higher refresh rates and lower resolutions, or you may want a 4k monitor for more detailed games. There are even high-resolution, high-refresh-rate displays available, but you need a premium gaming setup with high-bandwidth ports to take full advantage of them.
Besides that, having a fast response time for great motion handling is beneficial for playing action games. Low input lag is also important, but that's the case with most monitors. Having VRR support helps reduce screen tearing, and most monitors support common VRR formats. Lastly, high-end monitors usually have premium picture quality, particularly in HDR, with deep blacks, bright highlights, and vivid colors. Even some entry-level monitors have good picture quality, but these are less common.
We've bought and tested over 380 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best gaming monitors available. See our picks for the best monitors, the best 240Hz monitors, and the best monitor brands. If you want to complete your gaming setup, also check out the best gaming mouse, the best gaming keyboards, and the best gaming headsets.
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 Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming9.1Console Gaming9.4Response Time9.9HDR Picture9.4SDR Picture10Brightness7.2Size27"Panel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160The best gaming monitor we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's a premium 4k, 240Hz monitor with a QD-OLED panel. It provides both outstanding picture quality and fantastic gaming performance. Motion looks extremely clear thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, so there's almost no blur behind fast-moving objects. It also supports HDMI and DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern graphics cards and consoles. Additionally, it features some notable extras, including Dolby Vision support, a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, and a KVM switch.
Its QD-OLED panel delivers perfect blacks in dark rooms without any haloing around bright objects, and colors are vivid. It also gets bright enough to fight most glare in most well-lit rooms. However, keep in mind that blacks look purple in bright rooms as the black levels rise. You can check out the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG if you want a 4k, 240Hz OLED whose black levels remain low in bright rooms. It also has a dual-mode feature that boosts the refresh rate to 480Hz with a lower 1080p resolution. However, the XG32UCWMG lacks some features the PG27UCDM has, like DisplayPort 2.1 and Dolby Vision, and colors aren't as vivid, so the PG27UCDM is more well-rounded.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming9.4Console Gaming9.1Response Time9.8HDR Picture9.1SDR Picture10Brightness7.5Size27"Panel TypeOLEDMax Refresh Rate720 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you don't need a 4k option like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, check out the lower-end LG 27GX790B-B instead. The main difference is that it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed, and text isn't as sharp. That said, it's a much better choice for competitive gaming because it has a higher 540Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel. Plus, it has a dual-mode feature to boost it to 720Hz with a lower 720p resolution, giving it versatility for playing different types of games.
Besides that, it's very similar in terms of features. It also features HDMI and DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern gaming consoles and graphics cards. One difference with the ASUS is its panel. The LG uses an RGB Tandem OLED panel that doesn't have the same vivid colors as the ASUS, but it has a few other advantages. It gets brighter in HDR as small highlights pop more, and it maintains low black levels better in well-lit rooms. Unfortunately, an issue with this panel is that it has vertical banding with dark grays. You can consider the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG if you prefer a QD-OLED option without these problems, but it has a lower 360Hz refresh rate than the LG.
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Best Mid-Range Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming7.7Console Gaming8.5Response Time7.5HDR Picture6.8SDR Picture7.1Brightness8.7Size27"Panel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If the LG 27GX790B-B is still too much out of your price range, there are some great mid-range options you can consider, like the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It differs from both the LG and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM in that it lacks an OLED panel, resulting in poorer picture quality. It has a Mini LED local dimming feature that turns on in HDR to make it incredibly bright and improve the picture quality with deeper blacks in dark scenes. However, it's far from perfect, as there's haloing around bright objects, and it has black crush. The picture quality is significantly worse in SDR, as you cannot utilize this local dimming feature.
While it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the LG or the ASUS, motion still looks good. Its response time remains consistently fast at any refresh rate. It also has a native 4k resolution and 160Hz refresh rate that you can change to 1080p, 320Hz, so it's versatile for playing different types of games. Plus, it has an HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to support most signals from gaming consoles. Overall, despite some drawbacks, it still offers solid gaming value at its price point.
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Best Budget Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming8.2Console Gaming7.4Response Time8.5HDR Picture8.0SDR Picture8.2Brightness8.3Size27"Panel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440As you get into budget monitors, you get fewer features than with high-end models, but some still offer good gaming performance and picture quality. That's the case with the AOC Q27G3XMN, one of the few low-cost monitors with Mini LED backlighting, similar to the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It actually has better picture quality than the Acer because its local dimming feature is more effective at improving the picture quality with less haloing around bright objects. You can also turn it on in SDR, so it has great picture quality whether you game in SDR or HDR.
However, there are a few trade-offs versus the Acer, which is what you can expect from a budget monitor. It has a lower 1440p resolution, so images are less sharp. You can't boost its 180Hz refresh rate to anything further, either. It also lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can't make full use of gaming consoles. While it has a fast response time, it has some black smearing, which is one of the downsides of its VA panel. If this doesn't bother you, you can also check out the similar AOC Q27G40XMN if you can find it available in your region. It performs similarly for the most part and even has better local dimming, but it has worse motion handling.
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Best Cheap Gaming Monitor
PC Gaming7.0Console Gaming5.1Response Time7.5HDR Picture4.8SDR Picture6.5Brightness7.0Size24"Panel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1920 x 1080If you're on a tight budget and you need a simple and cheap gaming monitor, check out the LG 24GS65F-B. It's smaller and has a lower resolution than the AOC Q27G3XMN, so it doesn't offer the same immersive gaming experience. However, this is what you can expect at this price point. It also has worse picture quality than the AOC because it lacks a local dimming feature and has a low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray, and highlights don't pop when gaming in HDR.
Despite worse picture quality, it still offers the basics for gaming. It features a 180Hz refresh rate with VRR support, reducing screen tearing. It also has a consistent response time across its VRR range, so motion looks sharp for the most part, and it has less black smearing than the AOC. While it's a decent choice for PC gaming, one of its downsides is that it has limited compatibility with consoles. If you want an option that supports more signals from consoles, you can also check out the 1440p Dell Alienware AW2725DM. However, it sometimes costs more than the LG.
Notable Mentions
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Dell Alienware AW2725Q:
The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's a cheaper alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It performs similarly but has fewer features, as it lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth and a KVM switch. That said, it's still worth considering if you don't need the features on the ASUS.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is a premium 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's a larger alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It performs similarly for the most part, but it lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth like the PG27UCDM.
See our review -
LG 27GX790A-B:
The LG 27GX790A-B is older than the LG 27GX790B-B, but it's worth considering if you can find it for less. The 27GX790A-B has a high 480Hz refresh rate for a smooth feel. However, it isn't as bright as the 27GX790B-B.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW2725DF:
The Dell Alienware AW2725DF is a cheaper and lower-end alternative to the LG 27GX790B-B if you find the LG too expensive. The Dell has better picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel. However, it has a lower refresh rate and fewer features.
See our review -
MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M:
The MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M is a mid-range Mini LED monitor that competes with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It has many of the same features, including the dual mode, and performs similarly for the most part. The MSI also has slightly better motion handling. However, it can be harder to find.
See our review
Recent Updates
Feb 25, 2026:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG with the LG 27GX790B-B, as it has a higher refresh rate. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF.
Feb 02, 2026:
We replaced the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX with the MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M in the Notable Mentions.
Nov 20, 2025:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx because it's cheaper and has a higher 4k resolution. We also replaced the MSI G274QPF-QD with the LG 24GS65F-B for consistency with other recommendations. Lastly, we added the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM to the Notable Mentions.
Aug 15, 2025:
We replaced the Dell G2524H with the MSI G274QPF-QD, as it gets much brighter, displays a wider range of colors, and has a higher resolution. We also removed the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM from the Notable Mentions.
Jul 14, 2025:
We replaced the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG because the MSI is hard to find. We also replaced the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, which has a higher refresh rate and better motion handling. Lastly, we replaced the XG27ACDNG and the Sony INZONE M10S with the LG 27GX790A-B and the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX in the Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors for gaming on PCs and consoles currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our 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.