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 this with high brightness makes highlights pop against the rest of the image, especially in dark scenes. 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 without full-array backlighting have limited HDR picture quality. An 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 ensures it adds minimal delay to your setup's total latency, which is ideal for playing reaction-based games. All things considered, you'll want something that combines fantastic gaming performance with high-end picture quality for the best HDR gaming experience.
We've bought and tested more than 415 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 BrightnessSize32"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 PG32UCDM Gen3. It offers high-end gaming performance and premium picture quality. It's a 32-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, as it uses Dolby Vision with certain games.
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 lifelike, and the high resolution makes content appear full of detail. Lastly, it displays perfect blacks in dark rooms, but they look gray in bright rooms as ambient light causes the black levels to rise. This means you need to use it in a dark environment to get the best picture quality, but it still gets bright enough to fight some glare if you happen to have a few overhead lights or lamps around.
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Best Upper Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
HDR PicturePC GamingConsole GamingHDR Color VolumeHDR Color GamutHDR BrightnessSize32"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeWOLEDMax Refresh Rate480 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsDolby VisionIf the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3 is too expensive for your needs, the LG 32GX870B-B is a solid alternative that you can get for a bit cheaper. There are a few differences compared to the ASUS because it uses a WOLED panel instead. This means it doesn't have the same vivid colors, so some brighter content lacks a bit of punch. It also uses a matte screen coating compared to the glossy screen of the ASUS. Reflection handling is better on the LG because of this, but images look hazier instead. On the plus side, this monitor has less black level raise in bright rooms, so it displays those deep blacks that OLEDs are known for in any environment.
Like the ASUS, this monitor also has a native 4k resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, and its near-instantaneous response time ensures that motion looks sharp. Plus, the LG has a dual-mode feature that boosts the refresh rate to 480Hz with a lower 1080p resolution, so it's versatile for different types of games. Like the ASUS, it also has high-bandwidth HDMI and DisplayPort inputs to take advantage of the latest graphics cards and consoles. It doesn't support Dolby Vision, though, which is a downside for gaming with an Xbox.
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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 find that the LG 32GX870B-B is still too expensive for your budget, check out the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. The biggest downside versus the LG is that it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images are less detailed. It doesn't have high-bandwidth ports either, which is the trade-off for an OLED with good picture quality at a lower cost. While it doesn't have a dual-mode to boost its 360Hz refresh rate, it still offers a smooth feel alongside sharp motion thanks to its fast response time.
In terms of HDR picture quality, it brings many of the same benefits of any OLED, with the same deep blacks in dark rooms, no haloing around bright objects, and more vivid colors than the LG. However, it's a bit different from the higher-end LG because it uses a QD-OLED panel, so it has worse black level raise in bright rooms, with blacks that look purple. You can consider the LG 27GX700A-B if you want something brighter with deeper blacks in bright rooms. However, it has a lower refresh rate than the Dell, so gaming doesn't feel as smooth.
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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 and you want the best HDR monitor for gaming with good value, the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx is a cheaper alternative. It's worth getting when you can find it on sale for less than the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's different from the Dell 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 an alright local dimming feature that improves black levels in dark scenes, but there's haloing around bright objects and a loss of detail in dark scenes.
Although it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the Dell, motion looks sharp for the most part, and it's good enough for playing action games. There are some advantages to getting this for gaming as well. Despite its 160Hz refresh rate at native 4k resolution, it also has a dual-mode feature that boosts the refresh rate to 320Hz at a lower 1080p resolution, offering versatility for different types of games. Unlike the Dell, this monitor even supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to make full use of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles.
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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 still stand out from 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 less black crush, so it keeps details better in dark scenes. 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.
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. 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. Sadly, it has worse motion handling in dark scenes than the Acer, with black smearing behind dark, fast-moving objects. You may want to check out the KOORUI S2721PM if you prefer something with less black smearing, but it has a lower contrast ratio, so blacks aren't as deep.
Notable Mentions
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ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM is a high-end 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's a smaller and cheaper alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. The PG27UCDM performs similarly for the most part, but it isn't as bright.
See our review -
Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SH S32HG802S:
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SH S32HG802S is a 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that competes directly with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. It has the same panel, and the main difference is that the Samsung has a matte coating for better reflection handling than the ASUS. However, that means the Samsung has less clear images.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG:
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG is a 4k, 240Hz OLED gaming monitor that competes with the LG 32GX870B-B. The ASUS is still solid for gaming, as it also has a 1080p, 480Hz dual-mode feature. However, the ASUS has worse color volume, so HDR content isn't as punchy.
See our review -
TCL 32R84:
The TCL 32R84 is a 4k Mini LED gaming monitor that's slightly higher-end than the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. The TCL has a higher contrast ratio for deeper blacks, and it has a better local dimming feature. However, the TCL costs more.
See our review -
MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV:
The MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV is an entry-level 1440p gaming monitor with Mini LED backlighting, similar to the AOC Q27G3XMN. The MSI has a higher 300Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel. However, it costs more, so you're paying extra for that higher refresh rate.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 23, 2026:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG in the upper mid-range category with the LG 32GX870B-B, which has a higher resolution and a higher max refresh rate. We also replaced the LG 27GX700A-B with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF in the mid-range category because the Dell has more vivid colors. We made several changes in Notable Mentions to reflect these changes, including adding the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG, the TCL 32R84, and the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV.
Jul 29, 2026:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM with the newer and brighter ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. We also replaced the LG 27GX790B-B with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG, which has more vivid colors, and the Dell Alienware AW2725DF with the brighter LG 27GX700A-B. We replaced the hard-to-find KOORUI S2741LM with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. We made several changes in the Notable Mentions to reflect these newly recommended monitors.
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.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best HDR gaming monitors currently available in the United States. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, feedback from visitors, and price. For example, two monitors may perform the same, but the cheaper one will be recommended. We also consider availability, as we don't recommend a monitor that's hard to find.
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.