Gaming monitors have evolved over recent years. The advent of variable refresh rate technologies has drastically improved the gaming experience. There are two main competing VRR technologies: AMD's FreeSync and NVIDIA's G-SYNC technology. For the best VRR experience, your monitor should match the capabilities of your graphics card. Even though NVIDIA now supports Adaptive Sync with FreeSync monitors, they don't perform as well as native G-SYNC monitors. Learn more about NVIDIA's new G-SYNC compatible monitors here.
We've tested over 145 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best G-SYNC monitors to buy. Check out our recommendations for the best monitors, the best gaming monitors, and the best curved gaming monitors.
The best G-SYNC monitor we've tested is the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG. This is a well-built model with a style that fits into any office or gaming setup. The stand offers good ergonomics, and you shouldn't have any issues placing it in an optimal viewing position.
It offers excellent gaming performance. Its native 144Hz refresh rate can easily be overclocked to 165Hz, and the G-SYNC support allows it to drop to 20Hz, and like most monitors, it only supports VRR over a DisplayPort connection. It has an outstanding response time at its max refresh rate that stays really quick even at 60Hz. It has a Black Frame Insertion feature to help clear up motion blur, but it can't be used with G-SYNC enabled. Input lag is incredibly low, and even though it increases at 60Hz, it shouldn't be noticeable to most people. The 1440p resolution delivers clear and crisp images, and the IPS panel has wide viewing angles, making it an ideal choice for co-op gaming.
Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR, and our unit has bad out-of-the-box color accuracy, but this may vary between units. It also has a low contrast ratio, which is expected from an IPS panel. It has great extra features like a USB hub, built-in speakers, and RGB lighting on the back to set the mood in your gaming setup. There isn't much to complain about, making it the best G-SYNC monitor we've tested.
If you want something bigger than a 27 inch screen, the LG 32GK850G-B is a good alternative. It has the same 1440p resolution as the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG, so that means it has a lower pixel density, and images aren't as crisp. It also doesn't have wide viewing angles, but instead, its VA panel provides a much better contrast ratio that delivers deep blacks. It's great for gaming because of its outstanding response time, extremely low input lag, and like the ViewSonic, its 144Hz refresh rate can also be overclocked to 165Hz. Even when gaming at 60Hz, the response time is very quick, and the input lag remains low, but there's no Black Frame Insertion feature. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR, and it has limited ergonomics, so it may be difficult finding an ideal position for the screen. It doesn't have many extra features, but it does have a USB hub with two ports that support quick charging.
If you're looking for the best G-SYNC monitor, you should be satisfied with the ViewSonic, but if you prefer a bigger screen, then look into the LG.
The best G-SYNC monitor with a 360Hz refresh rate that we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW2521H. Although it has a smaller 25 inch screen and a 1080p resolution, it delivers an incredibly responsive gaming experience, enough to satisfy serious esports players. It has an excellent build quality, great ergonomics, and a sleek design that fits easily into most settings. It has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, so images remain accurate when viewed from the side, great for sharing content or playing co-op games.
Its motion handling is superb. It has an exceptionally fast response time with virtually no overshoot that can cause motion artifacts, and it has a whopping 360Hz refresh rate. It has a Black Frame Insertion feature that can further reduce motion blur; however, it can't be used simultaneously with VRR, and it only works within a narrow frequency range. It supports HDR, but like most monitors, it doesn't get bright enough for HDR content and can't display a wide color gamut.
While its IPS panel's wide viewing angles are great, it does come at the cost of a lower contrast ratio, which means that it isn't well-suited for dark rooms. On the flip side, it fights glare easily and provides great visibility in bright rooms. You can add a virtual crosshair or a frame rate counter on the screen, and there are four USB ports for charging. So, if you want the fastest monitor for the most responsive gaming experience, and you don't mind a smaller screen or a 1080p resolution, this one is worth checking out.
The best G-SYNC monitor with an ultrawide screen is the Dell Alienware AW3420DW. This is a well-built model, and despite its large size, it has a decent stand that allows for a wide swivel and tilt range. It can't rotate to portrait mode, although that's somewhat expected due to its ultrawide format and curved screen.
It has a native 120Hz refresh rate, and it supports Adaptive Sync, allowing you to use Free Sync when connected to a compatible source over a DisplayPort connection. The response time at its max refresh rate is excellent, resulting in minimal motion blur, and it's also great at 60Hz. Sadly, it doesn't have a Black Frame Insertion feature to clear up motion blur. Its input lag is also really low, and it stays low with VRR enabled, which is great. It has an IPS panel that provides wide viewing angles, and if you also want to use it for photo editing, it has an outstanding color gamut with excellent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space.
Unfortunately, it has a low contrast ratio, so blacks appear gray when viewed in the dark. It also doesn't support HDR, and if you want to use it in really bright rooms, it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare, thanks to its mediocre reflection handling. Regardless, it has some nice extra features like RGB lighting and a USB hub. All in all, this is the best G-SYNC monitor in the ultrawide category that we've tested.
If you game in dark environments and want a monitor that displays deep blacks, check out the Acer Predator Z35P. It doesn't have wide viewing angles like the Dell Alienware AW3420DW, which is expected from a VA panel. Instead, it has a good contrast ratio, and you can add crosshairs on the screen for FPS games. You can't overclock its 100Hz refresh rate to 120Hz like the Dell, but it still has excellent motion handling and an extremely low input lag. It has decent out-of-the-box color accuracy, decent peak brightness, and great reflection handling. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR, and it has poor black uniformity as there's visible backlight bleeding. On the upside, it's also well-built, and its ergonomics aren't bad for an ultrawide.
If you want the best ultrawide G-SYNC monitor that we've tested, look into the Dell, but if you prefer something with a VA panel for a better contrast ratio, the Acer is a good choice.
12/21/2020: Removed Dell S2417DG, added Dell Alienware AW2521H.
10/27/2020: Removed the Dell S2716DG.
08/28/2020: Replaced the ASUS VG27AQ with the LG 32GK850-B and renamed it to 'Larger Alternative'; replaced the Dell AW3418DW with the Dell AW3420DW.
06/30/2020: Replaced the ASUS PG279QZ with the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG and ASUS PG348Q with the Acer Predator Z35P.
05/01/2020: Replaced Gigabyte Aorus AD27QD with ASUS TUF VG27AQ.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best G-SYNC monitors currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people, in each price range. 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 our reviews of monitors with native G-SYNC support. 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.