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 380 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 Picture9.4PC Gaming9.1Console Gaming9.4HDR Color Volume8.8HDR Color Gamut9.6HDR Brightness6.8Contrast10Size27"Panel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionYesThe 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 to use your monitor in a well-lit room and want something with better blacks 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 Picture9.5PC Gaming9.2Console Gaming9.1HDR Color Volume8.9HDR Color Gamut9.6HDR Brightness6.8Contrast10Size27"Panel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionNoIf you don't need a high-end 4k monitor like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, check out the lower-end ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. It has a QD-OLED panel like the higher-end PG27UCDM, so the picture quality is nearly the same in HDR. It has deep blacks in dark rooms and vivid colors, but there are a few trade-offs for getting the cheaper model. It has a lower resolution than the PG27UCDM, so images aren't as detailed. It doesn't support Dolby Vision, either, and lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth.
Besides that, it's still fantastic for gaming, with near-instantaneous response time that keeps fast-moving objects sharp, and it even offers a higher 360Hz refresh rate. It also has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take advantage of modern gaming sources. This includes supporting any signal from consoles, such as downscaled 4k @ 120Hz, which is useful because the Xbox Series X|S only supports HDR with 4k signals. However, like the PG27UCDM, blacks look purple in bright rooms, but this is a drawback of getting a QD-OLED. You can also check out the LG 27GX700A-B if you want a WOLED that maintains low black levels in bright rooms. It uses the new RGB Tandem OLED panel that gets brighter, but it's less accurate in HDR.
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Best Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR Picture9.0PC Gaming9.0Console Gaming8.3HDR Color Volume8.0HDR Color Gamut9.0HDR Brightness7.3Contrast10Size27"Panel TypeOLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionNoIf you don't need higher-end QD-OLEDs like the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG, you can still find the best HDR monitor for gaming in the mid-range price category with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG. It's an OLED monitor, but unlike the higher-end monitors, it has a WOLED panel and not a QD-OLED panel, so colors aren't as vivid. That said, it still offers incredible picture quality in HDR with deep blacks in dark rooms, and it also gets bright enough to make small highlights pop. Plus, blacks don't look purple in bright rooms like on the XG27ACDNG, as it maintains low black levels in a bright space.
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 240Hz refresh rate than the XG27ACDNG, but it's still fast enough 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 LG 27GS95QE-B is a similar monitor that supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but it doesn't get as bright as the ASUS.
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Best Lower Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR Picture6.8PC Gaming7.7Console Gaming8.5HDR Color Volume8.5HDR Color Gamut8.9HDR Brightness9.0Contrast6.2Size27"Panel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionNoIf you don't have the budget for an OLED, the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx is a cheaper alternative that offers great value, especially when you can find it on sale. It's different from the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG 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 passable local dimming feature that improves black levels, at the cost of extra haloing around bright objects.
Although it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the ASUS, 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, but there's some inverse ghosting with fast-moving objects.
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Best Budget HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR Picture8.0PC Gaming8.2Console Gaming7.4HDR Color Volume8.3HDR Color Gamut8.3HDR Brightness8.7Contrast8.8Size27"Panel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsDolby VisionNoThere 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 Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It actually delivers better HDR picture quality thanks to a strong local dimming feature that effectively improves black levels with minimal haloing. 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 Acer, 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 Acer, 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 -
LG 27GX790A-B:
The LG 27GX790A-B is an upper mid-range 480Hz gaming monitor that's an alternative to the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG if you want a higher refresh rate. It's fantastic for gaming, but because it has a WOLED panel and not QD-OLED, colors aren't as vivid.
See our review -
Gigabyte MO27Q28G:
The Gigabyte MO27Q28G is an upper mid-range OLED that gets brighter than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG thanks to its RGB Tandem OLED panel. However, it has a lower refresh rate than the ASUS.
See our review
Recent Updates
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.
Feb 19, 2025:
In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG. We also introduced a new format to the article and updated the text to reflect these changes.
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.