Getting a monitor that delivers optimal HDR picture quality is beneficial for playing the latest games. There are a few factors that make a monitor great for HDR. A high contrast ratio helps it display deep blacks against bright objects. Combining an effective local dimming feature and high brightness helps make those highlights pop against the rest of the image. You'll also want something that displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR so that images are realistic.
Although most monitors are still behind TVs in terms of overall image quality, there are models with OLED panels or Mini LED backlighting that provide fantastic performance. Even some budget-friendly options are good for HDR, but cheap, entry-level displays usually have limited HDR picture quality. Another advantage of getting a monitor instead of a TV for HDR gaming is that they have higher refresh rates, leading to a smoother feel. A fast response time also makes motion look sharp, and low input lag results in a responsive feel, although most monitors have low input lag.
We've bought and tested more than 390 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best HDR gaming monitors. Also, see our recommendations for the best OLED monitors, the best HDR monitors, and the best Mini LED monitors.
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 HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR PicturePC GamingConsole GamingHDR Color VolumeHDR Color GamutHDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionThe best HDR gaming monitor that we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It offers both high-end gaming performance and premium picture quality. It's a 27-inch, 4k monitor that's fantastic for gaming because of its near-instantaneous response time, which results in crystal-clear motion. Its 240Hz refresh rate benefits most gamers, and it has HDMI and DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of both gaming consoles and modern graphics cards. It also supports Dolby Vision, which is ideal for gaming with an Xbox, which also supports Dolby Vision.
On top of that, HDR content looks amazing because its QD-OLED panel has a near-infinite contrast ratio and highlights really pop. It even displays a wide range of vivid colors, so your favorite games look stunningly life-like, and the high resolution makes content appear full of detail. Lastly, it displays perfect blacks in dark rooms, but they look purple in bright rooms as ambient light causes the black levels to rise. If you want something with better black levels in bright conditions, check out the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG. It's a 4k WOLED that uses a TrueBlack glossy coating, but colors are less vivid than on the PG27UCDM.
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Best Upper Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR PicturePC GamingConsole GamingHDR Color VolumeHDR Color GamutHDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeWOLEDMax Refresh Rate720 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf you don't need a high-end 4k monitor like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, check out the LG 27GX790B-B instead. One main difference is that it has a lower resolution than the ASUS, so images aren't as detailed. It doesn't support Dolby Vision, either. It also uses a different OLED panel type with less vivid colors. However, its Tandem OLED display gets brighter in HDR and maintains lower black levels in bright rooms. Plus, it offers all the benefits of an OLED with deep blacks in dark rooms and no haloing around bright objects, so it's incredible for HDR.
Besides that, it's fantastic for gaming, with a near-instantaneous response time that keeps fast-moving objects sharp, and it even offers a higher 540Hz refresh rate. Plus, it has a dual-mode feature to boost the refresh rate to 720Hz with a lower 720p resolution, so it offers versatility for playing different types of games. Another difference with the ASUS is that this monitor has a matte coating that's more effective at reducing mirror-like reflections. However, if you prefer a glossy monitor, the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W is another 540Hz Tandem OLED option, but it costs more than the LG.
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Best Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR PicturePC GamingConsole GamingHDR Color VolumeHDR Color GamutHDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf you don't need higher-end OLEDs like the LG 27GX790B-B, you can still find the best HDR monitor for gaming in the mid-range price category with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's an OLED monitor, but unlike the higher-end LG, its QD-OLED panel has more vivid colors. However, it has worse black levels in bright rooms, as they look purple, and it doesn't get as bright. That said, it still offers incredible picture quality in HDR with deep blacks in dark rooms, and it makes small highlights pop.
Aside from those small differences, it provides everything you'd expect from a gaming monitor, like a near-instantaneous response time and support for all common VRR formats. It has a lower 360Hz refresh rate than the LG, and doesn't have a dual-mode feature to boost it to anything further. That said, this refresh rate offers a smooth enough feel for most gamers. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can't take full advantage of HDMI 2.1 sources like gaming consoles. If that's important to you, the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q is another QD-OLED that performs similarly and has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It costs less, too, but it isn't as bright.
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Best Lower Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR PicturePC GamingConsole GamingHDR Color VolumeHDR Color GamutHDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf you don't have the budget for an OLED, the KOORUI S2741LM is a cheaper alternative that offers great value, especially when you can find it on sale. It's different from the Dell Alienware AW2725DF because it lacks an OLED panel, so it doesn't have the same deep blacks with no haloing around bright objects. Instead, it uses Mini LED backlighting that gets much brighter, so it's the better choice to use in well-lit rooms. Plus, highlights really shine in HDR. It also has a decent local dimming feature that improves black levels with minimal haloing. However, it has black crush, resulting in a loss of details in dark scenes.
Although it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the Dell, there are some advantages to getting this for gaming. It has a higher 4k resolution for more detailed images, and it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. Despite having a 160Hz refresh rate, it also has a dual-mode feature that boosts its refresh rate to 320Hz with a lower 1080p resolution, so it offers versatility for playing different types of games. Motion also looks sharp for the most part as well.
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Best Budget HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR PicturePC GamingConsole GamingHDR Color VolumeHDR Color GamutHDR BrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionThere aren't as many monitors with good HDR performance in the budget category, but some are still ahead of the competition, like the AOC Q27G3XMN. It uses Mini LED backlighting like the KOORUI S2741LM. It actually delivers better HDR picture quality thanks to a strong local dimming feature that effectively improves black levels with less black crush. It also has a higher native contrast ratio for deep blacks, even without local dimming. Plus, it gets very bright in HDR, similar to the KOORUI, so highlights really pop. You can also check the similar AOC Q27G40XMN if you want something with better local dimming and an even brighter screen, but it has worse motion handling for gaming.
While the AOC improves picture quality, it takes a step back in gaming. It doesn't have a dual-mode feature to boost its 180Hz refresh rate to anything higher. Sadly, it has worse motion handling than the KOORUI with black smearing behind fast-moving objects. Also, it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of gaming consoles either, but that's what you have to expect for a budget monitor.
Notable Mentions
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Dell Alienware AW2725Q:
The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's cheaper than the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's a good choice if you're on a tighter budget, and it also supports Dolby Vision, but it doesn't get as bright as the ASUS.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG:
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG is an upper mid-range gaming monitor that costs less than the LG 27GX790B-B. The ASUS has the advantage for HDR picture quality because of its more vivid colors. However, it has a lower refresh rate than the LG, and isn't as bright.
See our review -
LG 27GX700A-B:
The LG 27GX700A-B is a mid-range gaming monitor that gets brighter than the Dell Alienware AW2725DF and has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. However, it has a lower refresh rate.
See our review -
LG 27GX704A-B:
The LG 27GX704A-B is an OLED gaming monitor that costs a bit less than the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's something to consider if you're on a tight budget, but it has a lower refresh rate and less vivid colors than the Dell.
See our review -
Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx:
The Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx is a 4k Mini LED monitor that competes with the KOORUI S2741LM. While the Acer is worth considering if you can find it for less, it has a less effective local dimming feature.
See our review
Recent Updates
May 08, 2026:
We made several changes to reflect new monitors on the market and to align with our other articles. We replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, and the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx with the LG 27GX790B-B, the Dell Alienware AW2725DF, and the KOORUI S2741LM. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 27GX790A-B and the Gigabyte MO27Q28G, and we added the LG 27GX700A-B, the LG 27GX704A-B, the XG27ACDNG, and the XV275K.
Feb 20, 2026:
We added the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx as the 'Best Lower Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor' to give another option. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 with the Gigabyte MO27Q28G.
Dec 05, 2025:
We updated text throughout to reflect the current monitor market. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Sony INZONE M10S and the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx with the LG 27GX790A-B and the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx for consistency with other recommendations.
Jul 09, 2025:
We removed the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED as it's hard to find, and renamed the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM to the 'Best Monitor.' We also replaced the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG for consistency with other recommendations, as the MSI is hard to find. Lastly, in the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, LG 32GS95UE-B, and the Xiaomi G Pro 27i with the Dell Alienware AW2725Q and the Sony INZONE M10S.
Apr 15, 2025:
We added the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM as the 'Best 27-Inch Monitor' to give another option. We also removed the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx because it's hard to find. Lastly, we replaced the Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SD S32DG80 and the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG with the Xiaomi G Pro 27i and the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 in the Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best HDR monitors for gaming 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 would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our HDR 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.