The 5 Best Monitors For Xbox Series S - Fall 2024

The best monitor for Xbox Series S is the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED. It's a premium monitor with both outstanding picture quality and high-end gaming performance. It has a 1440p resolution that's ideal for playing games on the Series S, and while the console can't take advantage of its max 360Hz refresh rate, it's at least useful if you want to use it for PC gaming when you aren't gaming on your Xbox. It has a QD-OLED panel that delivers a near-instantaneous response time for crisp motion, and it even supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to support any signal from the Series S, including downscaled 4k signals.

Regarding picture quality, it displays near-perfect blacks without any blooming around bright objects, which is ideal for gaming in dark rooms. Games in HDR also look vivid and realistic, as the monitor makes small highlights pop and displays a wide range of bright and dark colors without any issues. If you can't find this monitor available in your region, you can also check out the Dell Alienware AW2725DF, which delivers similar picture quality, but without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it doesn't take full advantage of the console.

If the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED is out of your price range or you don't need its high-end features, check out the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, which you can usually find for a bit less. The ASUS has an OLED panel, so it displays deep blacks in dark rooms, but it's a WOLED panel, so colors aren't as vivid as on the MSI. However, one advantage of using a WOLED is that blacks don't look purple in bright rooms like on a QD-OLED panel, so it's a good choice no matter the environment in which you game. Plus, it's one of the brightest OLEDs available thanks to its MLA+ technology, and it fights glare well.

The ASUS also has a lower refresh rate than the MSI, but that really doesn't make a difference for gaming on your Series S, and it should only be something you consider if you have a high-end PC gaming setup. Besides that, the ASUS has everything you'd expect from a gaming monitor, like sharp motion handling and low input lag, but because it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it doesn't downscale 4k @ 120Hz signals but supports any other signal from the console.

If you don't need a premium monitor for your Xbox Series S and prefer saving some money, check out the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, which often goes on sale for a lower cost than the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG. It's different from the ASUS because it doesn't have an OLED panel, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks without any blooming. That said, it uses Mini LED backlighting with a decent local dimming feature, so it still displays deep enough blacks for a good dark room gaming experience, and it also gets bright, which is great for gaming in well-lit rooms.

It also has a higher resolution than the ASUS, leading to more detailed images, and it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the Xbox Series S. One thing to note is that it has low input lag as long as you use 120Hz signals from the console, but the input lag increases with 60Hz signals, leading to a less responsive feel if you're gaming at that refresh rate. On the plus side, it has a fast response time for sharp motion.

If you're on a tight budget, then the AOC Q27G3XMN is a great option that you can get for a low cost. It has a lower resolution than the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, so images aren't as detailed, and it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the Xbox Series S, but it still supports 1440p signals up to 120Hz. Besides those differences, it also uses Mini LED backlighting, so it displays deep blacks and bright highlights. This makes it a great choice for HDR gaming, even better than other low-cost monitors.

It also has lower input lag than the Acer, even at 60Hz, leading to a more responsive feel. While it has a fast overall response time, there's still some smearing, which is a trade-off of using its VA panel. It's important to know that this monitor sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it, also check out the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx, which is another budget monitor with Mini LED backlighting. However, it has worse motion handling than the AOC.

If you need a simple and cheap monitor, look into the Dell G2724D, which you can often find for a low cost on Dell's website. It has a 1440p resolution like the AOC Q27G3XMN, but the biggest trade-off is that it has worse picture quality. Its local dimming feature performs terribly, so its HDR picture quality is limited, and blacks look gray against bright highlights. However, that's what you have to expect for such a cheap display.

Besides the differences in picture quality, it still offers good gaming performance with a fast response time, and it works with 1440p signals from the Xbox up to 120Hz. On top of that, it also downscales a 4k signal, which at least allows you to play games in HDR if that's what you prefer. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an audio output, so if you have headphones, you'd need to connect to the controller directly, or you would have to think of alternative ways of connecting speakers.