There are a good number of gaming monitors you can find for under or around $300. While you won't get all of the premium features or performance of higher-end monitors, they're still great for gaming with low input lag and features like VRR support. Some even have great perks, like Mini LED backlighting for good picture quality, but those are rare. You can find options in this price range in different sizes, but most are available in 24- or 27-inch screen sizes.
Most of these models are available either with a 1080p resolution and a high refresh rate or a 1440p resolution with a lower refresh rate. So, when looking for a monitor, you must consider whether you want a smooth gaming experience or detailed images. Besides the refresh rate and resolution, there are a few things to consider when looking for a gaming monitor. Those with a fast response time have minimal motion blur, so this is another factor to consider for the best gaming experience.
We've bought and tested more than 370 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best gaming monitors under $300. See our recommendations for the best monitors under $200, the best budget and cheap gaming monitors, and, if you don't mind spending more, the best monitors under $500.
Quick Look
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Best Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC Gaming8.2Console Gaming7.4Response Time8.5HDR Picture8.0SDR Picture8.2Brightness8.3Size27"Pixel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440The best gaming monitor under $300 is the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's a unique monitor with more features and better performance than similarly priced displays. It has Mini LED local dimming, which is something mainly more expensive monitors have. This helps the monitor improve its already excellent native contrast ratio by further deepening blacks, which is great if you want to use it in a dark room. It also displays bright highlights that pop in HDR, and colors are vivid.
In terms of gaming, it has a high 180Hz refresh rate and supports FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. It also has a quick response time, but there's smearing with fast-moving objects. It's even good for console gaming as it supports most signals, though without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it can't take full advantage of consoles, but that's the case with most budget gaming monitors. If you can't find it available, a similar monitor to this is the newer AOC Q27G40XMN, which is only sold at Best Buy in North America. It performs similarly, and has a few advantages, like its better local dimming feature with more zones, but it has worse ergonomics and a slower response time.
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Best Cheap Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC Gaming7.0Console Gaming5.1Response Time7.5HDR Picture4.8SDR Picture6.5Brightness7.0Size24"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1920 x 1080If you're on a tight budget and want a cheap monitor that costs less than the AOC Q27G3XMN, then look into the LG 24GS65F-B. It's different from the AOC because it has a lower 1080p resolution and a smaller 24-inch screen, so it doesn't deliver the same detailed images. It also has much worse picture quality because it has a low contrast ratio, making blacks look gray, and it lacks a local dimming feature. This means even though it supports HDR, it doesn't add much because of its limited picture quality.
That said, it's a decent choice if you need a PC gaming monitor, as it has a 180Hz refresh rate. While it has a slower overall response time than the AOC, motion actually looks better on it because it doesn't have any black smearing in dark scenes like on the AOC. Plus, it supports most common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing, but like other entry-level monitors, it doesn't support VRR with the PS5.
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Best 24-Inch Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC Gaming7.2Console Gaming5.9Response Time8.1HDR Picture4.6SDR Picture6.2Brightness7.5Size24"Pixel TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1920 x 1080If you like the small screen of the LG 24GS65F-B, but you're willing to get something closer to $300 to get better performance, then look into the ViewSonic XG2431. It has the same 1080p resolution as the LG, but it has a higher 240Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel when playing games at high frame rates. The main advantage of spending extra to get this over the LG is that it has a unique backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur that you can customize to your liking. You can adjust the flicker of it, which is a nice touch for an entry-level monitor, and makes it easy to find what you like in terms of motion.
While this feature doesn't work at the same time as VRR, it still supports FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing when you aren't using the backlight strobing feature. It also has a fast response time, resulting in better motion than the LG, so there isn't much blur behind fast-moving objects.
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Best 32-Inch Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC Gaming7.6Console Gaming7.3Response Time7.8HDR Picture6.4SDR Picture7.6Brightness7.7Size32"Pixel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440Should you find the 24 to 27-inch monitors recommended above too small, there are some cost-friendly 32-inch monitors you can get, but these usually aren't as good as smaller displays. They at least offer a more immersive gaming feel thanks to their larger screen. If that's what you want, look into the Dell Alienware AW3225DM, which you can often get for under $300 directly from Dell's website. It has the same 1440p resolution as the AOC Q27G3XMN, but because of its larger size and lower pixel density, images and text aren't as sharp. Despite having a high native contrast ratio, it also has worse picture quality than the AOC because it has a terrible local dimming feature that results in haloing around bright objects in HDR.
That said, it's still a good gaming monitor with a 180Hz refresh rate and support for FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility. While it has a low input lag for a responsive feel, the main downside of using it for gaming is that it has smearing behind fast-moving objects. This is something to consider if you play fast-paced games, but it's still fine for most gamers.
Notable Mentions
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ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS:
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS is a low-cost 1440p gaming monitor that's slightly cheaper than the AOC Q27G3XMN and doesn't have smearing with fast-moving objects. However, it has worse picture quality than the AOC, especially for HDR.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW3425DWM:
The Dell Alienware AW3425DWM is an ultrawide gaming monitor useful if you find the 16:9 aspect ratio of the Dell Alienware AW3225DM too narrow. It's worth getting when it's on sale for under $300, but it usually costs more.
See our review -
Dell G2524H:
The Dell G2524H is an entry-level gaming monitor with a 25-inch screen and 1080p resolution, similar to the ViewSonic XG2431. It has a slightly higher 280Hz refresh rate and can sometimes cost less, but it doesn't have a customizable backlight strobing feature.
See our review -
MSI G274QPF-QD:
The MSI G274QPF-QD is a cheap 1440p gaming monitor that's worth considering over the LG 24GS65F-B if you want a more detailed image. That said, it can be harder to find than the LG.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 14, 2025:
We replaced the Dell G2524H with the LG 24GS65F-B, which is cheaper, and we replaced the LG 32GN650-B/32GN63T-B with the newer Dell Alienware AW3225DM. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Dell S3422DWG and the AOC 24G15N with the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM, the MSI G274QPF-QD, and the G2524H.
Jun 12, 2025:
We removed the Dell Alienware AW2724DM as it's hard to find and renamed the Dell G2524H to the 'Best Cheap Monitor.' We also removed the Dell S3422DWG because it's over $300 and added the LG 32GN650-B/32GN63T-B as the 'Best 32-Inch Monitor.' In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B and replaced the 32GN650-B/32GN63T-B with the S3422DWG.
Mar 13, 2025:
We replaced the LG 27GP850-B/28GP83B-B with the Dell Alienware AW2724DM because it's cheaper, and we replaced the AOC 24G15N with the Dell G2524H, which is better for gaming. We added the 27GP850-B and the 24G15N to the Notable Mentions.
Feb 19, 2025:
We replaced the Dell G2724D with the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B because the Dell is hard to find. We also added the AOC 24G15N and the Dell S3422DWG to their respective categories to give more options, and we added the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS to the Notable Mentions. Lastly, we introduced a new format to the article and updated the text to reflect these changes.
Dec 11, 2024:
Replaced the Dell Alienware AW2523HF with the ViewSonic XG2431, as it costs less and has better motion handling.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best gaming monitors that are currently available for under or around $300. They are adapted to be valid for most people. 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 our reviews for monitors around $300. 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.