The 7 Best Gaming Monitors - Spring 2022 Reviews

The best gaming monitor that we've tested is the Samsung LC32G75TQSNXZA. It has excellent gaming performance that should please most gamers. 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 results are also valid for the 27 inch model.

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'll 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. There are also reports of the backlight flickering with VRR enabled in certain types of content, but not everyone sees this, so your experience can be different. It has okay ergonomics, but the stand has a narrow swivel range. Overall, it's one of the best monitors we've tested if you want native FreeSync support.

The best gaming monitor with native G-SYNC support we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift PG279QM. It's an excellent gaming monitor, especially if you have a recent NVIDIA graphics card, as it has native support for G-SYNC, delivering a tear-free, visually consistent gaming experience at any refresh rate. Even if you have another PC or gaming console with an AMD graphics card, FreeSync also works on it. Additionally, the 1440p resolution helps deliver crisp images on the large 27 inch screen.

It has an incredibly high 240Hz refresh rate, and motion handling is fantastic. It has a fast response time at its max refresh rate that results in almost no motion blur, but there's overshoot in most transitions. It has an even better response time at 60Hz, but this is because it doubles the number of frames with 60Hz content for smoother motion. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you can take advantage of the NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer the monitor has, which measures the input latency of your computer.

Sadly, it's not a good choice for dark room gaming. It has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray, and even though it has a local dimming feature, it performs terribly and causes blooming around bright objects. It's also not the best choice for HDR gaming because its HDR peak brightness is just okay. If that doesn't bother you, it's the best G-SYNC gaming monitor we've tested.

The best 4k gaming monitor that we've tested is the Gigabyte M32U. It's an excellent gaming monitor with a large 32 inch screen that provides enough screen space for an immersive gaming experience. The high resolution delivers an incredibly sharp and detailed gaming experience, as well as sharp text. Motion looks exceptionally smooth thanks to the quick response time, and it has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, as long as you update it to the latest firmware.

It has a 144Hz panel, which you can achieve over a DisplayPort connection. Thankfully, even over HDMI, you can hit a max refresh rate of 120Hz with a 4k resolution thanks to the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which is ideal for console gaming on the Xbox Series X and PS5. However, it doesn't support full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1, as it's limited to 24 Gbps, so you're limited to chroma 4:2:0 from the PS5.

Unfortunately, it's not a good choice for dark room gaming because it has a low contrast ratio. Even though it has an edge-lit local dimming feature, it performs terribly and causes blooming around bright objects. It also doesn't deliver a good HDR experience because it can't get bright enough to make highlights pop. Regardless, it's still one of the best monitors for gaming that we've tested.

The best gaming monitor for esports players is the Dell Alienware AW2521H. It has an extremely fast refresh rate, resulting in crystal-clear motion with almost no noticeable ghosting and almost no persistent blur. It has exceptionally low input lag, ensuring your actions are always in-sync with what you see on screen. It natively supports NVIDIA G-SYNC variable refresh rate technology, ensuring a nearly tear-free gaming experience.

It has a decent selection of extra gaming features, including an optional backlight strobing feature to improve the appearance of motion. There's also a built-in USB hub, and you can use one of the ports with NVIDIA's Reflex Latency Analyzer, which can help you identify sources of latency in your gaming setup and improve your overall performance.

The low resolution is great for esports games, as it's easier for your graphics card to sustain high frame rates, but it's not very good for multitasking, so overall, it's not a very versatile monitor. If you're mainly looking for a monitor for esports, then it's an excellent choice, though.

The LG 27GP950-B is the best monitor for PS5 and Xbox Series S|X gamers we've tested. It delivers a similar gaming experience as the Gigabyte M32U. Thanks to the 40Gbps bandwidth supported on both of its HDMI 2.1 ports, it's fully compatible with everything the Xbox and PS5 offer. It has a fantastic response time at the max refresh rate, resulting in extremely clear motion, with no distracting overshoot or ghosting behind fast-moving objects.

It also has fantastic low input lag when gaming at 120Hz, so there's almost no delay between your actions and the action on-screen. It's fully compatible with both FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatible variable refresh rate technologies, resulting in a nearly tear-free gaming experience from almost any source. The PS5 doesn't support VRR yet, but when it does, this monitor will likely be compatible.

Unfortunately, it's not a good choice for late-night gaming in a dark room, as it has low contrast, so blacks appear gray in the dark. As long as you have some lights on, it's a great monitor.

The best ultrawide gaming monitor we've tested is the Gigabyte M34WQ. It's an excellent gaming monitor with a 3440x1440 resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio, which provides a more immersive gaming experience than typical 16:9 monitors as it offers more horizontal screen space. It also has wide viewing angles, meaning the edges of the screen remain accurate if you sit too close.

It has a 144Hz panel with native FreeSync support to reduce screen tearing, and even if it's not officially certified by NVIDIA, G-SYNC compatibility works on it. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, and you won't notice motion blur thanks to its quick response time. It also has a backlight-strobing feature that works with VRR enabled, which is rare for a monitor, but it only works within a narrow range. If you like to game in a room with a few lights on, visibility won't be a problem because it has high peak brightness and great reflection handling.

Sadly, it doesn't perform as well in a dark room because it has a low contrast ratio, and it doesn't have a local dimming feature to improve it. Even if you game in HDR, it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop, which is disappointing. Besides that, it's the best ultrawide gaming monitor we've tested.

The best budget gaming monitor we've tested is the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx. At 24 inches in size, it's a bit smaller than other gaming monitors in this recommendation, but it offers excellent gaming performance at a low cost. It has gaming features like a 144Hz refresh rate that can overclock to 165Hz and native FreeSync support with G-SYNC compatibility.

It has an incredible response time whether you're gaming at its max refresh rate or 60Hz, so motion looks smooth, and you won't notice any delay while gaming, thanks to its low input lag. It gets bright enough to fight glare and has good reflection handling, meaning visibility won't be an issue in most rooms. It also has wide viewing angles if you want to use it for co-op gaming, and the round stand on the base allows you to turn the screen a full 360 degrees.

Sadly, it can't display a wide color gamut, and its HDR peak brightness is just okay. It has a low contrast ratio, so it's not a good choice for HDR gaming because highlights don't pop, and blacks look gray. Our unit has excellent out-of-the-box accuracy, so you won't need to get it calibrated to enjoy it to the fullest. All in all, it's one of the best budget monitors for gaming that we've tested.