The 5 Best Gaming Monitors Under $300 - Summer 2020
Reviews

The ViewSonic XG2402 is the best gaming monitor under $300 that we've tested so far. It's a 1080p monitor with a fairly sturdy build and good ergonomics, although its thick bezels aren't the most stylish. There are red LEDs on the back of the monitor and on the stand to give it a bit of flair, and it comes with basic cable management to keep your setup clean.

It has a TN panel, which has an outstanding response time and low input lag, providing a responsive gaming experience with almost no noticeable motion blur. It has a 144Hz refresh rate and it supports FreeSync, which helps to reduce screen tearing. Those with a recent NVIDIA graphics card can also take advantage of the variable refresh rate technology, although it only works through a DisplayPort connection. And even at this price, it comes with integrated speakers as well as a USB hub to charge your mobile devices.

Unfortunately, like most TN panels, contrast ratio and black uniformity are disappointing, so it's not the most ideal monitor for dark room gaming. Viewing angles are also disappointing causing the picture to look washed out when viewed from the side. However, this monitor is well-suited for bright rooms, as it has a good peak brightness and great reflection handling. Overall, this is a great budget-friendly gaming monitor that won't take up too much space on your desk.

The most versatile gaming monitor for under $300 we've seen so far is the Dell U2518D. It's a good 1440p IPS monitor with wide viewing angles and a great stand. It has great peak brightness, as well as a great stand, so it's a good choice for almost any room.

In terms of gaming performance, it's a decent monitor. It has a good response time, but there's still some motion blur and it doesn't have a black frame insertion feature to improve the appearance of motion. It has a fairly low input lag, but it might not be enough for more serious gamers. It's also a good choice for productivity due to its high resolution, excellent ergonomics, and outstanding out-of-the-box color accuracy. It also has good coverage of the Adobe RGB color space if you want to use it for photo editing, but it might be too limiting for professional editors.

Unfortunately, it doesn't support VRR, and some people may be disappointed by the 60Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR, which is very surprising at this price point, but it can't take full advantage of it as it can't get very bright and can't display a wide color gamut so, unfortunately, HDR doesn't add much. If you can find this monitor for under $300, it's the most versatile gaming monitor at this price range we've tested so far.

The best 27 inch gaming monitor under $300 we've tested so far is the ASUS VG279Q. It's a good overall 144Hz, 1080p monitor that's an impressive choice for gaming, and for its price, most people should be happy with its performance.

It has everything you need in a gaming monitor. It has a very fast response time at its max refresh rate and it's still good at 60Hz, which is ideal for console gamers. It has a black frame insertion feature to help reduce motion, it supports FreeSync VRR, it's G-SYNC compatible, and the input lag is incredibly low, ensuring you get a responsive gaming experience. Despite having a 1080p resolution, this monitor still delivers a good picture quality thanks to its impressive brightness, wide viewing angles, and excellent out-of-the-box color accuracy.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most IPS panels, it has a low contrast ratio and disappointing black uniformity, so it's not ideal to use in dark rooms. It also doesn't support HDR, but it has other good features like built-in speakers and the option to add a virtual crosshair for FPS games. Overall, this is the best 27 inch gaming monitor under $300 we've seen so far.