The 5 Best Monitors For Xbox Series S - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best monitor for Xbox Series S that we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's a premium monitor that provides both outstanding picture quality and high-end gaming performance, and you can get it directly from Dell's website. 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 although it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the Series S, that just means it doesn't support 4k signals up to 120Hz. Additionally, HDR is limited to 60Hz. If you want another QD-OLED with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, you can also consider the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED, but it has a higher input lag than the Dell.

Regarding picture quality, the Dell 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 can display a wide range of bright and dark colors without any issues.

If you find the Dell Alienware AW2725DF out of your price range or you don't need its high-end features, check out the LG 27GS95QE-B, which you can usually find for a bit less. While the LG has an OLED panel, it's a bit different from the Dell because it doesn't display the same vivid colors and bright highlights as the Dell's QD-OLED. However, you still get all the advantages of an OLED for dark room gaming, as it displays deep and inky blacks.

The LG also has a lower refresh rate than the Dell, 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, too. Besides that, the LG has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the Xbox and has a near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion. It also has lower input lag than the Dell, leading to a responsive feel while gaming.

If you prefer saving money with a mid-range monitor, consider the LG 27GR83Q-B. The main downside of getting this monitor for a lower cost is that it has worse picture quality than the LG 27GS95QE-B, especially in dark rooms, due to its low contrast ratio as it doesn't have an OLED panel. It doesn't have a near-instantaneous response time like the 27GS95QE-B either, meaning there's more blur with fast-moving objects, but it still has a fast enough response time so that blur is minimal.

Besides the differences between their panel types, the 27GR83Q-B offers many of the same features as the 27GS95QE-B, including a max refresh rate of 240Hz and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. This means it can take full advantage of the Series S, including supporting 4k HDR signals up to 120Hz. That said, it has limited picture quality in HDR as it fails to make highlights stand out and colors look vivid, which is the trade-off for getting something less than the 27GS95QE-B.

If you don't need anything fancy and want to save money, check out the Dell Alienware AW2724DM. It has a lower refresh rate than the LG 27GR83Q-B, but considering the console can't take advantage of either monitor's max refresh rate, this doesn't make a difference. It also has the same 1440p resolution. It doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth either, so it doesn't support 4k HDR signals up to 120Hz, but it still supports 1440p signals up to 120Hz, and it doesn't need to downscale that resolution.

In terms of gaming, motion looks sharp, similar to the LG, as it has a fast response time at 120Hz and 60Hz. One downside is that it doesn't have an audio output, which is disappointing if you want to connect speakers while gaming. If that's the case, the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B is a good alternative with an audio output, but it doesn't get as bright as the Dell.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly monitor for your Xbox Series S, check out the Dell G2724D, which you can often find for a low cost on Dell's website. It's a lower-end version of the Dell Alienware AW2724DM, so it has fewer features as it lacks a USB hub, so you can't charge devices with your monitor, but that's the trade-off for getting a lower-cost display. It also has a lower refresh rate than the AW2724DM, but that only makes a difference if you're also going to connect a gaming PC to it.

Aside from that, it performs similarly to the AW2724DM as fast-moving objects look sharp, and it supports 1440p signals up to 120Hz on the Series S. It only supports 4k HDR up to 60Hz, but it has limited HDR picture quality anyway as it has a low contrast ratio, and highlights don't pop. If that's important for you, the AOC Q27G3XMN is a good alternative with much better HDR picture quality thanks to its Mini LED backlighting, but it's harder to find.