The 4 Best HDR Gaming Monitors - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best HDR monitor for gaming we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. You can buy the monitor directly through Dell's website. It's a 32-inch 4k monitor with a near-infinite contrast ratio thanks to its QD-OLED panel. It also displays extremely bright highlights, and there isn't any blooming around bright objects against dark backgrounds. It even displays an incredibly wide color gamut with a remarkable color volume, so your favorite games look stunningly vivid and life-like.

Another advantage of this monitor is its near-instantaneous response time, resulting in crystal-clear motion in games, with no distracting blur trail. It also natively supports NVIDIA's G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) technology, which helps reduce tearing. It's beneficial if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, though it also works well with AMD graphics cards. Note that burn-in might occur if you constantly play the same game and there are fixed, static elements on the screen. If this concerns you, check out the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. While the Dell has a faster response time and better color and contrast performance, the Samsung is still fantastic at gaming, and there's no risk of burn-in.

If you don't want a 4k monitor like the Dell Alienware AW3225QF and prefer a 1440p HDR gaming monitor or find the AW3225QF too expensive, check out the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. Because it's a 1440p monitor, you can use a less expensive graphics card than you'd need for a 4k display while achieving the same frame rate, and the monitor is also less expensive. Like the AW3225QF, the AW3423DWF has outstanding gaming performance. It has a fantastic response time at all refresh rates, so fast-moving objects look very crisp, and the monitor has extremely low input lag. While the AW3225QF has a great 165Hz refresh rate for smooth motion, it's slower than the 240Hz on the AW3225QF.

Like most QD-OLEDs, the AW3423DWF has fantastic HDR color performance despite its limited HDR brightness. Additionally, you need to update to the latest firmware for the best HDR performance, as HDR is less accurate otherwise. If you want something that performs better out of the box, consider the LG 27GR95QE-B. While it has a higher refresh rate, it often costs more, and colors appear less vivid in areas of high brightness.

If you don't need such a high-end monitor as the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF, you can save money by getting a mid-range monitor that performs well for HDR gaming, like the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. It has a different panel type, with a lower native contrast ratio, but it still displays deep blacks without much blooming thanks to its Mini LED local dimming feature, which is great for dark room gaming. Additionally, this monitor is an outstanding choice for brighter rooms, as it gets extremely bright compared to our selections above.

The Acer also displays a wide range of colors in HDR, but there are some tone mapping issues. It's a great choice if you tend to game at high refresh rates as it has a fast response time for crisp motion, but its gaming performance is worse at lower refresh rates. This is because it has increased input lag and more overshoot, so if that's a concern for you, you can also check out the Sony INZONE M9. However, it costs more, doesn't get as bright in HDR, and has a worse local dimming feature.

It can be tough to find good low-cost monitors if you're looking for the best HDR gaming monitor on a budget, as most budget monitors are mediocre with HDR. However, something like the Dell S3422DWG is inexpensive and decent enough for HDR. It's different from the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx because it has a wider 34-inch screen with a lower 1440p resolution, so you don't get the same sharp and detailed images, but you can see more of your game at once, thanks to its ultrawide screen.

It delivers a decent HDR performance as it has a VA panel with a good native contrast ratio, and while it doesn't have a local dimming feature like the Acer, blacks look deep, and the black uniformity is excellent. One of its advantages is that it has good HDR peak brightness and displays a wide range of colors with great color volume. You can also use it for HDR gaming from consoles as it downscales a 4k image, but because consoles don't support ultrawide formats, you'll see black bars on the sides.