best gaming monitor

Best Gaming Monitor in 2024

A closer look at the market’s leading gaming monitors in 2024

Silent PC Review is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

Table of Contents

Picking the best gaming monitor for your setup is exciting….and overwhelming, with a ton of ever-expanding options (G Sync? IPS? HDR?) and constantly climbing refresh rates.

Just shopping around makes you really want to throw caution to the winds and empty your bank account for the most expensive 4k display. Just imagine playing on one of those, though?

Never fear, we’re here to help you sort through the specs and find a dream monitor within your budget.

Best gaming monitor 2024: In-depth reviews

In the following section, we’ll take a closer look at the market’s best gaming monitors, reviewing each to showcase their main features and benefits.

Best gaming monitor

01

Alienware AW2721D Gaming Monitor

Refresh Rate

240Hz (DisplayPort) Or 144Hz (HDMI)

Response time

1ms (GTG)

Screen size

27″

Resolution

2560 x 1440

Pros
  • High 240Hz refresh rate
  • 1ms GTG response time
  • Exceptional build qulaity
  • Great viewing angles
Cons
  • Expensive

The Alienware AW2721D is our top pick for a gaming monitor, as it offers an exceptional gaming experience.

In our May 2021 review, we found that this monitor delivers on all fronts and has everything you could want from a high-end gaming display.

The visuals are sharp and the colors are superb, providing a stunning visual experience right out of the box.

The Nano IPS technology used in this 240Hz monitor enhances color reproduction, resulting in a more immersive experience.

It also boasts a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut and a peak brightness of 600 nits, making it capable of delivering good HDR performance.

In terms of gaming performance, the Alienware AW2721D’s advertised 1ms “true” response time is not far from the truth. We did not experience any smearing or ghosting issues, with overshoot kept in check by the monitor’s built-in overdrive settings.

The Alienware AW2721D also looks great, with a snow-grey color scheme and subtle RGB lighting on the rear. Overall, it’s difficult to find any faults with this panel, except perhaps for the price.

Best Dell Monitor

02

Dell S3221QS

Size

31.5″

Refresh Rate

60Hz

Response Time

4ms

Panel

VA

Maximum Resolution

3840 x 2160

Pros
  • One of highest-contrast displays
  • FreeSync 2 HDR (and unofficial G-Sync)
  • High build and screen quality
Cons
  • No sRGB mode

A very affordable, crisp QHD screen enables you to go up to a large 32 inches without loss in quality, and on top of that, it’s 1800R curved, for the perfect immersive gaming experience.

It tops our list due to the extreme value for money. You’re getting a premium-calibre TV from a great brand at an economical cost.

The QHD means you can get away with a mid-range GPU to get high frame rates on your games. Pixel density is a solid 93 ppi, meaning so long as you don’t sit less than 3 feet away, you’re not going to see any jagged lines.

The look is clean and the stand is rock-solid. It’s just 2.5 inches thick, with a super-thin 7mm bezel, except for the bottom which is 19mm. It even appears bezel-free when switched off.

It’s very adjustable with a 30° swivel, 21° tilt, and 6-inch height allowance.

There’s 12 picture modes, 8 for different gaming styles and four custom ones. No sRGB mode, though.

Gameplay is super-responsive with a strong 165Hz refresh rate.

The DCI-P3 means colors really look vibrant, and it has one of the highest-contrast displays at over 3,300:1 in SDR and over 18,000:1 in HDR. Screen quality is also top-notch compared to competitors with no areas of bleed or glow.

The contrast is perfect for Call of Duty night scenes, clearly rendering the finest of details with rich shadows. 

To give you an idea, Tomb Raider and Call of Duty: WWII ran at 60-80fps with a Radeon R9 285 using FreeSync.

Overall, a great value high-contrast, curved QHD monitor for incredible gameplay visuals.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Razer Raptor 27 – another popular model with a higher pixel density, but a smaller screen and much higher cost.

Best OLED gaming monitor

03

ASUS ROG Swift PG42UQ OLED

Refresh Rate

138Hz (overclockable)

Response time

0.1ms GTG

Screen size

41.5″ display

Resolution

3840 x 2160

Pros
  • OLED panel technology
  • Stunning image quality
  • Infinite contrast ratio
Cons
  • Pricy

This gaming monitor boasts a UHD OLED panel that delivers outstanding contrast and HDR performance.

It offers perfect blacks and striking colors, straight out of the box, with a color gamut equivalent to 130% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3. The FO48U from Gigabyte is equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 support, making it the perfect choice for next-gen console gamers.

With VRR technology, this monitor is a great choice for PlayStation 5 owners who are concerned about recent VRR announcements from Sony.

The motion handling of the FO48U is excellent, with a low average response time. Furthermore, unlike similarly sized TVs, this monitor features a fully versatile OSD that allows complete control over picture quality and response time.

The inputs include DisplayPort and several USB ports, making it ideal for people with multiple devices. However, like TVs, the FO48U does not come with any stand adjustments, such as tilt and swivel functionality.

Best budget gaming monitor

04

ASUS VG279Q

Size

27″

Refresh Rate

144Hz

Response Time

1ms

Panel Type

IPS

Resolution

1920 x 1080

Pros
  • Extremely affordable
  • FreeSync and G-Sync
  • Amazing fps
Cons
  • Viewing angle not great
  • Low pixel density
  • Limited 1080p perforamnce

This 1080p 27-inch screen offers ultra-high frame rates for even the most intense action game sequences, without having to fork out on a high-end GPU.

We’re talking 80-100fps here with a pretty good GPU, or a crazy 144fps with an Nvidia GeForce 30 series or above.

Tomb Raider and Call of Duty WWII ran at well over 100fps with a Nvidia Geforce 3060 Ti

The only downside is the pixel density is a little on the low side, resulting in a below-average viewing experience when consuming TV shows and movies.

It supports FreeSync and, unofficially, G-Sync as well.

The default color settings are awesome with good contrast and excellent color accuracy in the sRGB range, so you won’t need to tinker around if you don’t want to.

But if you do, it’s got amazing calibration options for the price, including 5 picture modes (1 custom), and detailed color management.

In color gamut testing, the ASUS beats most similar competitors, which just goes to show the value you’re getting.

Viewing angles aren’t great but it’s good enough that sitting slightly off-centre won’t ruin your experience.

The response rate is 144Hz, which is more than enough for most AAA titles – with competitive players also benefitting from the smoothness this refresh rate provides.

The parts are light but the build quality is high, with metal cores and a large, stable square base. It remains cool even after long hours of play. The styling is basic, the only embellishment a red ring around the base. The thickness if average and the bezels are 14mm, not the narrowest, but the screen is anti-glare, a useful feature.

Overall, this monitor hits the perfect budget sweet spot and delivers lightning-fast gameplay.

Honorable Mentions: 

  • BenQ Zowie XL2540 – another 24-inch monitor with a better refresh rate, but slightly lower pixel density.

Best FreeSync gaming monitor

05

ViewSonic ELITE XG270QC

Size

27″

Refresh Rate

165Hz

Response Time

1ms

Panel

MVA

Maximum Resolution

2560 x 1440

Pros
  • Amazing color accuracy
  • Excellent contrast
  • Great value for a 27 inch 165Hz monitor
Cons
  • HDR a bit disappointing

A 27-inch QHD with both MVA and HDR for well under $1000? Sign us up.

The VA ensures high contrast, but this model boasts an insane 2,500:1 contrast, allowing excellent image depth in SDR and HDR. The image depth is incredible.

There’s a strong 165Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync gives 48-165Hz. G-Sync is also unofficially supported.

The build comes with a sturdy base and is fairly slick-looking in all black.

It comes with Elite RGB lighting across the back that works with Razer, Thermaltake, and Cooler Master, so you can hook up your keyboards, fans, and PSUs.

We just would have liked to have seen narrower bezels, which are 13mm except for the bottom.

The OSD options are numerous, though it has such good default color that you probably don’t need to calibrate. HDR is slightly disappointing since there doesn’t seem to be much visual difference compared to SDR mode, plus FreeSync isn’t HDR-supported.

Overall, it seems better to use FreeSync and go without the HDR. You can get around 100fps playing Call of Duty: WWII with a GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition GPU with no screen tearing.

This model is sRGB rather than DCI-P3, but the colors are so vivid, warm, and high-contrast you don’t miss it. Even skin tones looked dead-on natural so that characters look eerily realistic. Color gamut accuracy measured 1.81dE, equal to many more expensive models.

A joystick is included and there are two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, one USB 3.0, and two downstream.

Overall, an extremely good value mid-range 27 inch monitor.

Honorable Mentions: 

  • HP Omen X 35 – a similar 35-inch model, but not as many features

Best ultrawide gaming monitor

06

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (S49AG95NC)

Refresh Rate

240Hz

Response time

1ms GTG

Screen size

48.8″

Resolution

5120 x 1440

Panel Type

VA (CSOT)

Pros
  • 49-inch monitor
  • Stunning visuals
  • Can divide it in two
Cons
  • Too large for some
  • Expensive

If you want the ultimate gaming experience, have a big desk and around $2000 to burn, you can’t get better than this.

This 49-inch monitor is an absolute beast, a QLED with a whopping 5,120 x 1,440 resolution and HDR 1000. It also supports FreeSync. For all that you’re getting, we think it’s pretty cheap.

It’s one-of-a-kind, equivalent to two 27-inch monitors tied together, or almost as tall as a human.

The screen is just bright and beautiful right out of the box; you really don’t need to change anything. The stats speak for themselves; a staggering 1,000 nits peak brightness and 125% sRGB.

It’s also extremely responsive with a 240Hz refresh rate, incredible at this res, and a 1ms response time.

For the best of monitors, you need the best GPU such as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 to have an adequate gaming experience.

It’s attractive looking with all-black bezels except the bottom which have a metallic finish. Buttons are on the bottom. However, oddly there’s no hole in the stand for cable routing.

You can even divide the screen in two (which makes sense given the size), so you can have a game on one side and a guide on the other.

Best 4K gaming monitor

07

ASUS ROG SWIFT PG32UQX

Refresh Rate

144hz

Response time

4ms GTG

Screen size

32”

Resolution

3840 x 2160

Pros
  • 144Hz refresh rate
  • Excellent picture quality
  • HDR10 with full-array backlighht
Cons
  • Extremely expensive
  • No ultra low motion blur

If ‘budget’ isn’t in your vocabulary, this is the best 4k 27-inch monitor around.

The specs are as high-end as you can get. It’s got a tight 163ppi pixel density, and the inclusion of a full-array backlight with HDR10 really sets it out from the crowd.

Another rare feature is its true 1,000-nit brightness capability with a wide contrast ratio – combined with over 90% DCI-P3 color space to really make the visuals shine.

The refresh rate is 144Hz which is the only ‘meh’ spec, but pairs nicely with the panel’s 4K screen resolution.

And of course, G-Sync is supported, but it’s a shame there’s no ultra low motion blur for the price.

The OSD has tons of options, the best of which is Variable Backlight, which improves black levels for record-high contrast ratios for both SDR and HDR.

Build quality is exceptional, and it’s got a great anti-glare screen.

A monster of a GPU is required to game with this baby, such as a RTX 4090.

But it’s worth it; Call of Duty: WWII is a mind-bender, making textures such as clouds, razor stubble and wet uniform extremely life-like, as well as incredible rendering of sunlight reflecting of metals.

Expect frame rates of 100+fps for COD, and 100+fps for Tomb Raider.

It’s one of the best for Ultra HD movie viewing too. Put on Planet Earth II and be blown away.

It’s prohibitively expensive for most, of course, but definitely future-proof.

Honorable Mentions: 

  • Acer Predator X27 – extremely similar to the ROG Swift

Best Mini LED monitor

08

Acer Predator X32

Refresh Rate

160Hz (Overclock)

Response time

1ms GTG

Screen size

32″

Resolution

3840 x 2160

Pros
  • Sharp pixel density
  • Mini-LED panel technology
  • Stylish
Cons
  • Only 27-inch
  • No USB-C

Easily one of the best mini-LED monitors on the market, equipped with all the high-end features you could want.

It’s fairly slick-looking in our opinion, with an elegant silver stand that’s robust.

The panel is IPS with a maximum refresh of 144Hz – overclockable to a tasty 160Hz. The pixel density is stand-out, a super-sharp at 163 ppi, and it’s got vibrant DCI-P3 color and even HDR.

Since it’s 4k, with so many pixels packed into just a 27 inch screen, the result is outstanding detail with a razor-sharp image.

The color balance is vibrant, though the default calibration could use some tweaking in the black and white scales. The viewing angles aren’t bad.

For gaming, you get a winning combination stunning, vibrant visuals and a high refresh rate with the IPS panel (as long as you have the GPU to match, of course – we recommend a RTX 3060 Ti minimum). With this, you can get around 100fps in 4k.

There’s FreeSync support and Nvidia works too, though unfortunately it’s limited to 144Hz in FreeSync mode, which is a bit of a bummer. However, in practice you can’t really notice a difference.

It’s also a shame there’s no USB-C here.

Honorable Mentions: 

  • Acer Predator XB3 – more expensive, but with G-Sync with HDR.
  • BenQ PD3200U – another affordable 4k monitor that’s a bit larger at 32 inches.

What Makes a Good Gaming Monitor?

First, let’s breakdown the main specs you need to look out for in gaming monitors:

Resolution

4k is one of the best resolutions right now, so it’s future-proof, and 4k gaming is popular. However, you’ll pay a lot extra to get this, and bear in mind you’ll need a stellar GPU to enable comfortable 4k gameplay, such as a Vega 64 or 1070 Ti.

FHD (Full High Definition) is 1080p, so the resolution isn’t as sharp but it’s much cheaper, only requires a mid-range GPU, and you’ll get higher refresh rates.

However, image quality is going to suffer if your 1080p screen is above 27 inches.

QHD (Quad High Definition) is 1440p, and UHD (Ultra High Definition) is 2160p. They’re both in between 4k and FHD, and make a good compromise for a lot of gamers. 

HDR (High Dynamic Range) is kind of a separate add-on that can be applied to any of the resolutions above. It uses an imaging technique to improve the range of color and contrast.

Refresh rate

With refresh rate, it’s simple: bigger is better.

Refresh rate is how often your monitor refreshes per second, updating it with new information. It’s measured in Hz. For gaming, you want at least around 80 Hz. However, obviously the higher it is, the smoother the gameplay. But the larger the res, the more likely it is to dip.

Panel type – VA, IPS or TN?

This is the type of panel the monitor uses.

IPS and VA panels are generally considered superior to TN, however it’s not so simple.

TN has the poorest visuals, but the fastest response times (and is the cheapest).

IPS has the best visuals, but slightly slower response times.

VA has almost as good visuals as IPS (in terms of color reproduction and viewing angles), and also has better contrast. However, it has the slowest response times of all three.

It all depends on the types of games you play. If fast-paced competitive games are your thing, refresh rates might be your priority.

But if you want the best visuals for your open-world games like Final Fantasy XV, then you might prefer VA or IPS. Night scenes also work best with VA since it has the best contrast.

G-Sync or Freesync?

Monitors can support G-Sync or FreeSync, which sync up to your GPU for smoother frame rates. G-Sync is Nvidia only, whilst FreeSync is AMD. So, you used to have to go for the one that supports your GPU type.

However, thanks to Nvidia’s recent driver updates, FreeSync is now supported by Nvidia graphics cards.

G-Sync is more sophisticated and FreeSync monitors tend to be cheaper.

Curved or non-curved

Curved monitors are more immersive for gaming, but they’re pretty pointless below 30 inches, and you obviously have to pay extra.

How We Choose Gaming Monitors

Usability and Performance

Specs are important, but testing is even better. You need to actually test out things like the color gamut and viewing angles.

You also need to actually game on it to see what the experience is like: how bright, rich and realistic the colors and lights/shadows are, how it copes with night scenes, and what kind of frame rates you get.

Purpose

We always bear the user purpose in mind, instead of just going for the highest specs. Different types of gamers want different types of monitors, there’s no one-size-fits-all.

Value for money

Monitors vary wildly in price, so don’t spend more than you need. And the most important question is, can you get more for your money elsewhere?

Which Gaming Monitor Should I Buy?

The Dell S3220DGF is a great choice for most, an affordable 32-inch QHD curved VA monitor with DCI-P3 and a 165Hz refresh rate. Mid-range GPUs work well with this.

If you’re on a tight budget, the Acer XFA240 is a quality 24-inch 1080p offering zippy gameplay, including both FreeSync and G-Sync.

For those who want to go bigger and curved for full immersion, we recommend the ViewSonic Elite XG350R-C for 35-inches, the Acer XR382CQK for 38-inches, and the Samsung CRG9 for insane 49 inches.

If your heart is set on 4k, the Acer Nitro XV273K is an affordable option, or if you’ve got extremely deep pockets, the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is the best of the best.

About the Author