If you're looking for a gaming monitor under $300, there are plenty of options. While you won't get all of the premium features or performance of higher-end monitors, they're still great for gaming. Some do have great perks, like Mini LED backlighting for good picture quality, but most models prioritize sharp motion handling over good picture quality. You can find options in this price range in different sizes, including 24 to 32-inch displays.
They're also available in different resolutions and refresh rates, including high refresh rates for a smooth feel. 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. Having low input lag also helps result in a responsive feel by adding minimal delay to your system's total latency, but that's the case with most monitors anyway.
We've bought and tested more than 415 monitors, and below are our recommendations for the best gaming monitors under $300. For more options, 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.
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 Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-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 mainly found on more expensive monitors. 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 offers a high 180Hz refresh rate and supports FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. It's even good for console gaming as it supports most signals with a PS5, PS5 Pro, or Xbox Series X|S. However, without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it can't take full advantage of consoles with 4k @ 120Hz signals, but that's the case with most budget gaming monitors. On the plus side, it also has a quick response time, but there's black smearing with fast-moving objects in dark scenes. You may want to check out the KOORUI S2721PM if you want a similar option with less black smearing. It also uses Mini LED backlighting, but because it has a lower native contrast ratio, blacks aren't as deep.
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Best High Refresh Rate Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate300 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you're a competitive PC gamer and want a high-refresh-rate monitor in this price range, the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV is a great alternative. While it costs just over $300 most of the time, it's worth stretching your budget for it or waiting until it goes on sale. Otherwise, the AOC remains the best option you can get under $300, whereas the MSI has some perks that make the jump a bit past this budget worth it. The main advantage of this over the AOC is its higher 300Hz refresh rate, which leads to a smoother feel. Despite this, it has a slower response time, so there's more blur and black smearing with fast-moving objects. Fortunately, the MSI has HDMI 2.1 ports that take full advantage of HDMI 2.1 sources, like gaming consoles or modern graphics cards.
Like the AOC Q27G3XMN, it's another 27-inch, 1440p option that uses Mini LED backlighting. It has similar picture quality because of that, with deep blacks alongside bright highlights. It actually gets brighter than the AOC and offers more vivid colors, delivering a more impactful HDR gaming experience.
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Best 32-Inch Gaming Monitor Under $300
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize32"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you find the 27-inch screens on the AOC Q27G3XMN or the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV too small, there are some budget-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. It has the same 1440p resolution as the AOC and MSI, 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 has worse picture quality than the two previously mentioned monitors because its local dimming feature results in haloing around bright objects in HDR. At least this local dimming only turns on in HDR, and not outside of it, so you don't get the haloing in SDR.
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 low input lag for a responsive feel, the main downside for gaming is 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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Dell Alienware AW2726DM:
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is an entry-level OLED gaming monitor that's better than the AOC Q27G3XMN. The Dell has better picture quality thanks to an OLED panel for deeper blacks, and it offers a higher 240Hz refresh rate. However, while the Dell offers good value, it costs more than the AOC.
See our review -
LG 27GR83Q-B:
The LG 27GR83Q-B is a budget-friendly 1440p gaming monitor with a high 240Hz refresh rate. It's worth considering instead of the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV if you find the other monitor too expensive. However, the downside is that the LG has worse picture quality, with blacks appearing gray and highlights not popping in HDR.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW3425DWM:
The Dell Alienware AW3425DWM is an ultrawide gaming monitor that's 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, as it performs similarly to the AW3225DM, but it usually costs more.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 09, 2026:
We removed the Dell SE2426HGS because it costs much less than $300, and added the MSI MAG 274QPF X30MV as the 'Best High Refresh Rate Gaming Monitor Under $300' to better reflect the current market. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the Dell Alienware AW2725DM and the LG 24GS65F-B, and we added the Dell Alienware AW2726DM and the LG 27GR83Q-B to reflect these changes.
Jul 13, 2026:
We removed the ViewSonic XG2431 as it's hard to find, and we replaced the LG 24GS65F-B with the Dell SE2426HGS, which has a higher refresh rate. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS with the LG 24GS65F-B to better reflect the current market.
Apr 22, 2026:
In the Notable Mentions, we removed the Dell G2524H and the MSI G274QPF-QD, and we added the Dell Alienware AW2725DM.
Jan 27, 2026:
We verified that all the recommended monitors are still available to purchase, and we updated the text for clarity throughout.
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.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we consider the best gaming monitors under $300 currently available in the United States. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each category. The rating is based on our review, visitor feedback, and price. We also consider availability, as we don't recommend a monitor that's hard to find.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's 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.