The 7 Best Gaming Monitors - Spring 2021 Reviews

The Samsung Odyssey G7 is the best gaming monitor we've tested with native FreeSync support. It's an excellent gaming monitor with great picture quality and exceptional motion handling to deliver an amazing gaming experience. While we tested the 32 inch model, it's available in a 27 inch as well, so you can get the one you prefer the most. The larger one feels more immersive, but it has the same 1440p resolution, so images don't look as sharp due to a lower pixel density.

It has a 240Hz refresh rate and incredible response times, resulting in clear images in fast-moving scenes and outstanding responsiveness. It also has a Black Frame Insertion feature to further improve clarity, but it isn't usable while VRR is enabled. It supports FreeSync natively and is compatible with G-SYNC to reduce screen tearing, although the latter only works over a DisplayPort connection. Input lag is incredibly low, and it only increases slightly with VRR enabled, which shouldn't be noticeable to most people.

Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, so it isn't a good choice for co-op gaming as the image loses accuracy when viewed from the side. It's great for dark room gaming because it has a VA panel with a great native contrast ratio to display deep blacks. It's also a good choice for well-lit rooms because it has good reflection handling and gets bright enough to combat glare. All things considered, this is 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. It's well-built, and it has good ergonomics so that you can place the screen at 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 native 144Hz refresh rate that you can overclock up to 165Hz for a smoother gaming experience. Input lag is exceptionally low, and enabling VRR doesn't increase it all that much. The response time at max refresh rate is fantastic, and it remains excellent even when gaming at 60Hz. It has a Black Frame Insertion feature to improve motion clarity, but it can't be used with VRR enabled, and the flickering might be bothersome to some people. Sadly, it doesn't support HDR.

It has a few extra features, like built-in speakers, RGB illumination, and a USB hub so that you can charge your devices while gaming. 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. Overall, if having native G-SYNC support is important to you, this is one of the best gaming monitors we've tested.

The best gaming monitor for esports is the Dell Alienware AW2521H. This is 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 Black Frame Insertion 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. One thing to note is that 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 best gaming monitor with an ultrawide screen that we've tested is the LG 34GN850-B. The 21:9 aspect ratio and 3440x1440 resolution offer plenty of space to deliver an immersive gaming experience. This fairly well-built monitor is packed with gaming features like VRR support, and its native 144Hz refresh rate can be overclocked to 160Hz.

One of the stand-out aspects is its response time. It's exceptional at its max refresh rate, and it remains extremely quick at 60Hz. It has native FreeSync support, G-SYNC compatibility, and the input lag is very low. Its IPS panel provides fairly wide viewing angles, and its curved screen makes it easier to see the edges of the screen, especially if you sit up close. If you want to use it in a well-lit room, it has decent reflection handling and gets bright enough to combat glare.

Unfortunately, it has poor ergonomics as it doesn't offer any swivel adjustment, so it may be hard to place in an ideal viewing position. Also, it has a low contrast ratio and no local dimming, so blacks look gray when viewed in the dark. It delivers a decent HDR gaming experience as it has decent HDR peak brightness and a good HDR color gamut. Overall, this is one of the best gaming monitors we've tested, especially if you want an ultrawide screen.

The Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx is the best gaming monitor that you can get in the budget category. It's a well-rounded monitor with excellent 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 the pixel density, which 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. Additionally, 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.