Best 27-inch monitor 2023 - Our top picks


If you’re on the hunt for the best 27-inch monitor you can get your hands on, then we’ve got you covered right here with our top picks.

Although there's a plethora of great 32-inch and even 43-inch monitors on the market, 27-inch monitors still remain a popular choice, especially for gaming.

This is because they present all the action of your favourite video game title right in front of you, meaning you don't have to break eye contact to catch what's going on in your peripheral vision as you would do with a larger display.

With this in mind, we’ve mostly chosen monitors that we feel would upgrade almost any gaming setup. High refresh rates are a must here to keep the action fluid and help you remain focused on everything that's going on around you.

We've also picked out monitors featuring IPS panels and Display HDR to give wider viewing angles, faster response times, and greater contrasts in colours.

Although a 4K resolution is an added bonus, we wouldn't say it's the number one priority when it comes to competitive gaming. We have made sure to include one 4K option though if better picture quality is what you're after.

So, based on these specs as well as general reviews, we've put together a list of some amazing 27-inch monitors to kick off your search in the best way possible.

Without further ado, let's take a look at our top picks for 27-inch monitors...

Best 27-inch monitor

Best 27-inch monitor - ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQ

Best 27-inch monitor - ASUS black gaming monitor
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Credit: ASUS
Brand: ASUS | Screen size: 27" | Resolution: QHD | Display type: LED | Refresh rate: 170hz | Response time: 1ms | Aspect ratio: 16:9

The ASUS ROG Strix monitor is designed with gaming in mind, especially with its impressive 170hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, plus Fast IPS display.

As a combination, you should find the action on your screen to be fluid, and any inputs you make happen almost instantaneously. For games like Modern Warfare 2, this is particularly important as faster reactions can make all the difference between defeating or dying at the hands of your enemy.

Moreover, ASUS boasts its Fast IPS display is up to four times faster than conventional IPS panels. Therefore, you should find this improves the speed of your response times even further whilst also providing a greater colour contrast alongside DisplayHDR400 technology.

Read more: Best gaming monitor under 200

Being designed for gaming, the monitor also comes with several gameplay-improving features. For instance, Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB Sync) technology combines both ELMB and Adaptive Sync to help eliminate screen tearing and stuttering during crucial moments online.

Moreover, it comes with ASUS Dynamic Shadow Boost, which is designed to make darker areas of your game look brighter and clearer. This will be a big help when you’re trying to spot enemies who are hiding in low-light areas of the map.

Last but not least, you get ASUS’ exclusive GamePlus feature. This can be particularly useful when playing FPS titles as it allows you to view your framerate counter, provides information on your game time, plus allows you to set a permanent crosshair on your screen so, even when hip firing, you should remain accurate.

Best HDMI 2.1 27-inch monitor - LG 27GP950-B

Best 27-inch monitor - LG HDMI 2.1 black monitor
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Credit: LG
Brand: LG | Screen size: 27" | Resolution: 4K | Display type: LCD | Refresh rate: 144hz | Response time: 1ms | Aspect ratio: 16:9

HDMI 2.1 is becoming increasingly important now that the next-gen consoles are becoming more accessible as a connection of this kind means you can play your favourite titles in 4K with a 120Hz refresh rate.

This is exactly why we've chosen to include this LG monitor on our list as it's arguably one of the best HDMI 2.1 monitors available right now, so should be a great option to consider if you're looking to take your gaming setup to the next level.

It comes with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, so you should find your gameplay to be smooth and all your inputs happen as quickly as you're able to react to the action.

This monitor is also NVIDIA G-Sync compatible and features AMD FreeSync Premium Pro to deliver highly accurate luminance and a wide colour gamut for an exceptional HDR visual gaming experience.

Read more: Best budget 4K monitor

You can even adjust the 'mode' of the monitor according to the type of game you're playing. For instance, you can choose between Gamer, FPS (First Person Shooter), or RTS (Real-Time Strategy) to boost certain specs, like the refresh rate for FPS games, to help maximise your performance.

Also, the monitor even comes with a Black Stabiliser. This means the monitor will reduce backlighting during low-light gameplay to help you spot enemies when they're lurking in the shadows.

Best QHD 27-inch monitor - Gigabyte M27Q

Best 27-inch monitor - Gigabyte QHD black gaming monitor
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Credit: Gigabyte
Brand: Gigabyte | Screen size: 27" | Resolution: QHD | Display type: W-LED | Refresh rate: 170hz | Response time: 0.5ms | Aspect ratio: 16:9

When it comes to playing graphically-intense games like God of War, it pays to have a monitor that can showcase all the action at the highest settings possible.

With its QHD resolution, this Gigabyte M27Q should definitely deliver on this front. With its IPS display as well, you should find every inch of gameplay is showcased in detail with its wider viewing angles, despite the screen only measuring 270-inches.

Plus, you get Display HDR400 to give true 8-bit image quality with a peak luminance of 400 cd/m2, which is better than any SDR display, for brighter, more vibrant visuals.

Read more: Best budget portable monitor

Having a 170hz refresh rate and 0.5 response time also helps make this one of the best gaming monitors around. In fact, it features one of the lowest response times we've seen, meaning your in-game actions should sync pretty instantaneously to your inputs.

If that wasn’t enough, it also comes with an Aim Stabilizer, which Gigabyte describes as having the ability to reduce motion blur in fast-moving games, and Black Equalizer to reduce backlighting during darker gameplay.

Also, you shouldn't have to worry about playing your favourite video games for long periods of time as the screen features Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free technologies, resulting in the monitor achieving an Eyesafe Display Standards certification.

Ultimately, if it's a powerful monitor you're after with a high-quality resolution, then make sure you check out this Gigabyte display.

Best 4K 27-inch monitor - ViewSonic VP2785-4K

Best 27-inch monitor - ViewSonic editing black monitor
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Credit: ViewSonic
Brand: ViewSonic | Screen size: 27" | Resolution: 4K | Display type: LCD | Refresh rate: 60hz | Response time: 5ms | Aspect ratio: 16:9

While a 4K resolution isn't necessarily the most important element for gaming, we feel 27-inch, 4K displays definitely have their place.

For instance, this ViewSonic VP2785 looks to be a particularly good choice for photo or video editing thanks to its 4K resolution, IPS display panel, HDR10, plus 99% Adobe RGB colour space to give a wider range of tones on-screen.

In fact, we'd argue this is perhaps one of the best photo editing monitors around, despite its relatively small 27" screen. That said, it comes with a near-frameless design, so you shouldn't find the monitor overly small to work on.

Read more: Best graphic design monitor

Other notable features that can benefit your design work include its 14-bit display and 3D LUTs (Look-Up Tables), providing you with 4.39 trillion colours.

Also, it has a 6-Axis Colour Enhancement tool so you can adjust yellow, red, green, cyan, blue and magenta to whatever colour depth you need for your work.

Finally, the monitor features flicker-free technology and a Blue Light Filter to combat eye strain if you find yourself editing your photos for long periods of time.

Best curved 27-inch monitor - AOC CQ27G2

Best 27-inch monitor - AOC curved black monitor
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Credit: AOC
Brand: AOC | Screen size: 27" | Resolution: QHD | Display type: LCD | Refresh rate: 144hz | Response time: 1ms | Aspect ratio: 16:9

When it comes to immersing yourself in your favourite video game, we'd argue that opting for a curved monitor, like this AOC CQ27G2, is the way to go.

This particular monitor comes with 1500R curvature, QHD resolution, plus a 144hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. As touched on before, the latter should be beneficial for gaming to ensure quicker, more fluid gameplay, while the 2560 × 1440 resolution displays the action in exceptional quality.

Read more: Best 75hz monitor

Additionally, this monitor features FreeSync Premium to deliver tear-free gameplay by keeping your monitor's refresh rate synced with your processor's to help you maintain your immersion in the action.

You also get a VA panel that, AOC boasts, delivers 178/178-degree viewing angles whilst maintaining consistent image quality and colours from all positions.

The monitor even comes with AOC's Low Input Lag mode which decreases the display quality and ensures the monitor is focused solely on instantaneous response times to give you the ultimate edge in a hair-trigger standoff.

Overall, if it's a 27" curved monitor you're after, we'd suggest checking out this AOC display.

Frequently asked questions

Below we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about 27-inch monitors to give you a little helping hand if you want to know more about them.

Is it worth getting a 27-inch monitor?

We'd say it's definitely worth getting a 27-inch monitor. While there are plenty of larger displays out there, 27-inch monitors remain popular, particularly for gaming.

This is because the entire screen should fit within your immediate field of view, so you shouldn't need to move your head from side to side constantly to keep on top of everything happening in your peripherals.

As a result, you may find your reaction times improve as you can remain focused on all of your surroundings at once.

A 27-inch monitor should also save on desk space. So, if you're limited by the size of your desk, then we'd say a 27-inch display is well worth considering.

Is a 27-inch monitor good for office work?

Yes, a 27-inch monitor can be good for office work.

As mentioned previously, a monitor of this size tends to hit the right balance between wanting a larger screen for your work, but not being too big that it takes up your entire desk.

However, we'd argue that the size of the screen isn't as important as the resolution, particularly for design and editing, or its connectivity options as you'll want to ensure the display is compatible with all the accessories you need for your job.

What resolution is best for a 27-inch monitor?

A 27-inch monitor works well with a variety of different resolutions, from Full HD to 4K.

We'd say that a 4K resolution is the best option for general use; however, for gaming, it's sometimes beneficial going for a lower-quality resolution if you end up gaining a higher refresh rate and lower response time as a result.

Of course, having a higher resolution will allow you to see more detail on your screen. So, if you're playing a graphics-heavy title that doesn't rely as much on your reactions, then going for something with a higher resolution may be the best way to go.

Ultimately, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to resolution. Just make sure you're picking one that suits your intended use for the monitor.

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