The best gaming monitor is something we sometimes neglect when putting together our setups, but it's essential if you want to maximise your experience and gain a competitive edge.
While many of us go for a good GPU or CPU first, the monitor can fall behind in the list of priorities, but it's a big mistake. After all, what good is an almighty GPU if the screen you're using can't handle more than 720p?
When looking for a good monitor, you'll generally want to look at the size, resolution, refresh rate, and response time. There are other features too like variable refresh rate, NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync, but those are becoming fairly standard at this point.
If you're someone who has already invested in things like an amazing gaming keyboard, then your next step, or maybe the one you should have just taken, is getting your hands on a top-tier gaming monitor to match.
Fortunately, we've gone ahead and made all of the monitors in the world fight to the death in a battle royale (we haven't, but you know what we mean), resulting in a comprehensive and detailed guide to some of the best monitors around.
We've gone on long enough now. Here are our top picks.
Best gaming monitors
- Alienware AW3423DW QD-OLED
- Koorui 24-Inch Gaming Monitor
- Sony Inzone M9
- Gigabyte AORUS FI32U
- Samsung Odyssey G9
- ASUS ROG Swift PG43UQ
click to enlarge
+ 61. Alienware AW3423DW QD-OLED
Best gaming monitor overall
The Alienware AW3423DW is a pretty special, well-rounded screen that we have no doubt can seriously improve your current setup. To begin with, it’s a QD-OLED monitor, which Alienware boasts can deliver higher peak luminance and a wider colour gamut when compared to white OLED displays.
The display itself measures 34 inches and features a 1440p resolution too. It also has an 1800R curve, so you can immerse yourself in all the action with a screen that engulfs you. Furthermore, the monitor has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and HDR support to give a more dynamic, atmospheric picture.
On top of all this, this monitor features up to a 175Hz rate, which is more than suitable for competitive gaming, and is teamed with an impressive 0.1ms GTG response time, meaning any inputs you make essentially happen almost instantaneously on screen. And, with NVIDIA G-SYNC, you can pretty much bid adieu to screen tearing.
Design-wise, this IPS-paneled monitor has a slim frame, and, with built-in cable management, you shouldn't have to worry about overcrowding your desk space either. So, if you’re looking for a powerful 1440p monitor for those immersive RPGs and competitive Battle Royales, we'd suggest checking out this Alienware device.
Read More: Best budget 4K monitors
click to enlarge + 62. KOORUI 24-Inch Gaming Monitor
Best budget gaming monitor
With a 24-inch 1080p screen, and a price tag under 200 quid most places you look, the KOORUI Gaming Monitor is an excellent choice for those who want to keep their spending low, yet still upgrade their setup in a pretty significant way.
Even at its budget-friendly price, you'll still be getting an impressive 165Hz refresh rate, and a low 1ms response time too, which means you'll have no issues with speed and fluidity in your gameplay. That makes it suitable for more reaction-reliant games like Valorant and Call of Duty Warzone, but also pretty enough for most RPGs too.
Adding to the above, this monitor also comes with AdaptiveSync, which is designed to help minimise many of the issues that can occur with monitors, including things like screen tearing and input lag, helping you stay one step ahead of your competition.
Ultimately, this makes for a good monitor whether you're just buying your first one, you want a handy second monitor, or you're just looking for a modern upgrade to an older screen.
Read More: Best budget portable monitors
click to enlarge + 63. Sony Inzone M9
Best gaming monitor for the PS5 or Xbox Series X
The Sony Inzone M9 sports a stunning 4K resolution and HDMI 2.1 connectivity, making it a seriously great contender for next-gen gameplay where you'll no doubt want to play your favourite titles in 4K at 120Hz. However, there's so much more to this monitor than just a fancy screen and great connectivity.
Firstly, you also get ‘Full Array Local Dimming’, which is designed to light up the right parts of the screen during gameplay to give better tone depth and highlights. Furthermore, the 4K resolution is complemented by a 95% DCI-P3 colour spectrum, HDR600, as well as 600 nits of brightness, ensuring every inch of detail is illuminated.
As far as gaming performance is concerned, you get a 144Hz refresh rate, which is particularly well-suited for competitive gameplay as mentioned above. It also features a 1ms GrG response time and NVIDIA G-SYNC to essentially eliminate screen-tearing and ghosting.
Finally, Sony’s monitor has the INZONE Hub PC software, which lets you configure the monitor settings to your personal preference. You can also assign specific picture modes to different applications to make changing settings quick and simple. So, if you’re looking for one of the best monitors for PS5 or Xbox Series X, then make sure you check out this Inzone bit of kit from Sony.
Read More: Best ultrawide monitors
click to enlarge + 64. Gigabyte AORUS FI32U
Best 4K gaming monitor
Gigabyte's AORUS FI32U gaming monitor is kind of a beast, but doesn't break the bank as hard as you might expect. With a 31.5" display and 4K visuals, this monitor will have your games looking incredibly good, even on its larger screen.
Don't let the higher resolution lead you to believe it suffers performance-wise either, as it even has a 144Hz refresh rate, which means you'll be able to enjoy a high frame rate no matter what you play, providing your PC can keep up.
It has beautiful colours as well, so if you're using it to watch something instead of playing something, you'll still benefit fully from the beautiful 4K visuals. It's a worthwhile investment for anyone who really wants to enjoy the power of their GPU.
We haven't even touched on its connections either, which isn't all that exciting, but functionality is the kind of thing that can be easily overlooked. USB-C, USB 3.0, and HDMI 2.1 all feature on this great 4K gaming monitor.
Read More: Best gaming monitor under 200
click to enlarge + 65. Samsung Odyssey G9
Best ultrawide gaming monitor
If it's an ultrawide display you're after, this Samsung Odyssey G9 could be the ideal monitor for you. It features a massive 49-inch display with a 1000R curve which, according to Samsung, keeps the monitor in line with the human eye for a more immersive experience. Moreover, it features a Dual QHD display, which essentially means the 49-inch screen is as wide as two QHD monitors side-by-side. Pretty impressive stuff so far...
Coming to performance, you get a hugely fast 240Hz refresh rate, which you should find gives you a significant competitive advantage when trying to top online leaderboards. Plus, you get a 1ms GTG response time to ensure any inputs you make happen almost instantaneously. To add to that, the monitor supports both NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync, thus helping the display keep the screen tearing and ghosting to a minimum.
Finally, Samsung has considered comfort. You can adjust the height, swivel it around, or tilt it to ensure you find a position that's comfortable for you. It’s also VESA-compatible to keep the setup simple. With Infinity Core Lighting as well, you can illuminate your display to match the rest of your gaming setup.
So, if an ultrawide display is what you're looking for, don't hesitate to check out this 49-inch monitor from Samsung.
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click to enlarge + 66. ASUS ROG Swift PG43UQ
Best 4K UHD gaming monitor
The ASUS ROG range is known for its quality gaming equipment, so it’s not surprising that they have a good range of monitors in their midst. The one we have here is the ROG Swift PG43UQ, a 4K monitor aimed at gamers and content creators alike.
To start with, the monitor sports a great 3840x2160 resolution, which is described as “4K Ultra HD”, on a 43-inch screen with an HDR 1000 certification, helping it deliver high contrast and great colours thanks to the 90% DCI-P3 professional colour gamut producing a wide range of tones to bring your favourite video games to life in bright, vibrant detail.
This monitor also features ‘Display Stream Compression’ (or DSC), which enables you to view 4K content via one single DisplayPort 1.4 by compressing files and then decompressing them without the loss of quality.
If that wasn't enough, it comes with a 144Hz refresh rate, which is combined with NVIDIA G-SYNC to provide a better, more fluid, stutter-free experience. You also get a 1ms response time, which means any inputs you make happen almost instantaneously in-game.
Don't worry about it feeling out of place as part of your setup either, as it comes with Aura Sync Lighting, aka customisable RGB lighting that you can adjust to suit your preference. With this attention to detail and more, the ASUS ROG Swift PG43UQ is definitely a top pick.
Read More: Best budget ultrawide monitors
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
While you're searching for the best gaming monitor, you might encounter these questions...
What refresh rate do you need for gaming?
For most video games, you need at least 60Hz. However, if you want to experience smoother visuals, then we'd suggest considering something with a 144Hz refresh rate as a minimum.
For more competitive gameplay, you may even want to push toward the 240Hz mark as, the higher the refresh rate, the 'smoother' the gameplay in theory. That said, while the difference between 60Hz and 144Hz is immediately noticeable, the difference between 144Hz and 240Hz is not necessarily as easily distinguishable.
Generally speaking, you also have to sacrifice the resolution when you push for a higher refresh rate as few monitors out there are capable of delivering 4K beyond the 144Hz mark. However, with HDMI 2.1 and a next-gen console, you're able to play titles in 4K at 120Hz if desired, which is worth keeping in mind if you're searching for a new display.
What resolution do you need for gaming?
This essentially comes down to personal preference and the type of game you're playing.
Graphical masterpieces, for instance, are perhaps best experienced on a 4K display or above. However, for fast-paced competitive action, having the most detailed graphics possible isn't exactly the most important factor in improving your gameplay. This is why there's some debate over whether a 1080p or a 1440p resolution is best for gaming, although it can be tricky at times to notice a huge difference.
What is important, though, is to match your monitor with the resolution settings on your console. If you don't match it, you'll find that the image quality will be affected, and you may lose some detail, especially on larger screens.
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