The gaming monitor market is continuously growing, with plenty of options to choose from. There are different factors you'll have to consider when looking for a new gaming monitor, like your games, the refresh rate, and resolution, so there's no perfect solution for everyone. For example, competitive PC gamers may prefer higher refresh rates and lower resolutions, or you may want a 4k monitor for more detailed games. There are even high-resolution, high-refresh-rate displays available, but you need a premium gaming setup with high-bandwidth ports to take full advantage of them.
Besides that, having a fast response time for great motion handling is beneficial for playing action games. Low input lag is also important, but that's the case with most monitors. Having VRR support helps reduce screen tearing, and most monitors support common VRR formats. Lastly, high-end monitors usually have premium picture quality, particularly in HDR, with deep blacks, bright highlights, and vivid colors. Even some entry-level monitors have good picture quality, but these are less common.
We've bought and tested over 390 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best gaming monitors available. See our picks for the best monitors, the best 240Hz monitors, and the best monitor brands. If you want to complete your gaming setup, also check out the best gaming mouse, the best gaming keyboards, and the best gaming headsets.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160The best gaming monitor we've tested is the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's a premium 4k, 240Hz monitor with a QD-OLED panel. It provides both outstanding picture quality and fantastic gaming performance. Motion looks extremely clear thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, so there's almost no blur behind fast-moving objects. It also supports HDMI and DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern graphics cards and consoles. Additionally, it features some notable extras, including Dolby Vision support, a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, and a KVM switch.
Its QD-OLED panel delivers perfect blacks in dark rooms without any haloing around bright objects, and colors are vivid. It also gets bright enough to fight most glare in most well-lit rooms. However, keep in mind that blacks look purple in bright rooms as the black levels rise. You can check out the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG if you want a 4k, 240Hz OLED whose black levels remain low in bright rooms. It also has a dual-mode feature that boosts the refresh rate to 480Hz with a lower 1080p resolution. However, the XG32UCWMG lacks some features the PG27UCDM has, like DisplayPort 2.1 and Dolby Vision, and colors aren't as vivid, so the PG27UCDM is more well-rounded.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeWOLEDMax Refresh Rate720 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If you don't need a 4k option like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, check out the lower-end LG 27GX790B-B instead. It's worth getting when it's on sale for less than the ASUS. The main difference is that it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed, and text isn't as sharp. That said, it's a much better choice for competitive gaming because it has a higher 540Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel. Plus, it has a dual-mode feature to boost it to 720Hz with a lower 720p resolution, giving it versatility for playing different types of games.
Besides that, it's very similar in terms of features. It also includes HDMI and DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern gaming consoles and graphics cards. One difference with the ASUS is its panel. The LG uses a Tandem OLED panel that doesn't have the same vivid colors as the ASUS, but it has a few other advantages. It gets brighter in HDR as small highlights pop more, and it maintains low black levels better in well-lit rooms. Its matte coating also absorbs light well in bright rooms. That said, you may prefer going for the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W if you want a glossy Tandem OLED instead. It usually costs more than the LG, though.
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Best Mid-Range Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440If the LG 27GX790B-B is too expensive for your needs, there are some great lower-cost OLEDs you can consider. One of those is the Dell Alienware AW2725DF, which is considerably cheaper than the LG. The main difference is that it has a lower 360Hz refresh rate, so gaming doesn't feel as smooth, and it lacks a dual-mode feature, too. It also has fewer features than the LG because it doesn't have high-bandwidth HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. This means you can only reach its max 360Hz refresh rate over a DisplayPort connection, and your graphics card needs to use compression to do so.
While it's also an OLED, it uses a different type than the LG. The Dell's QD-OLED panel has more vivid colors, with the downside being that blacks look purple in bright environments. It provides other benefits of an OLED, like its deep blacks in dark rooms, near-instantaneous response time, and highlights that pop. However, if you want something brighter, you should consider a Tandem OLED like the LG 27GX700A-B. That said, it has a lower refresh rate than the Dell and can sometimes cost more.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate320 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3840 x 2160If the Dell Alienware AW2725DF is still too much out of your price range, there are some great lower mid-range options you can check out, like the KOORUI S2741LM. It differs from higher-end options in that it lacks an OLED panel, resulting in poorer picture quality. It has a Mini LED local dimming feature that makes it incredibly bright and improve the black levels in dark scenes, resulting in an impactful HDR viewing experience. That said, it's not perfect, as there's black crush in dark scenes, resulting in a loss of details.
While it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the Dell, motion still looks good. Its response time remains consistently fast at any refresh rate. It also has a native 4k resolution and 160Hz refresh rate that you can change to 1080p, 320Hz, so it's versatile for playing different types of games. Plus, it has an HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to support most signals from gaming consoles. Overall, despite some drawbacks, it still offers solid gaming value at its price point.
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Best Budget Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize27"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution2560 x 1440As you get into budget monitors, you get fewer features than with high-end models, but some still offer good gaming performance and picture quality. That's the case with the AOC Q27G3XMN, one of the few low-cost monitors with Mini LED backlighting, similar to the KOORUI S2741LM. It actually has better picture quality than the KOORUI because its local dimming feature is more effective at improving the picture quality with less black crush in dark scenes. Plus, it has a higher native contrast ratio, so it displays deeper blacks if you don't use its local dimming feature.
However, there are a few trade-offs versus the KOORUI, which is what you can expect from a budget monitor. It has a lower 1440p resolution, so images are less sharp. You can't boost its 180Hz refresh rate to anything further, either. It also lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can't make full use of gaming consoles. While it has a fast response time, it has some black smearing, which is one of the downsides of its VA panel. If this doesn't bother you, you can also check out the similar AOC Q27G40XMN if you can find it available in your region. It performs similarly for the most part and even has better local dimming, but it has worse motion handling.
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Best Cheap Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize24"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate180 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1920 x 1080If you're on a tight budget and you need a simple and cheap gaming monitor, check out the LG 24GS65F-B. It's smaller and has a lower resolution than the AOC Q27G3XMN, so it doesn't offer the same immersive gaming experience. However, this is what you can expect at this price point. It also has worse picture quality than the AOC because it lacks a local dimming feature and has a low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray, and highlights don't pop when gaming in HDR.
Despite worse picture quality, it still offers the basics for gaming. It features a 180Hz refresh rate with VRR support, reducing screen tearing. It also has a consistent response time across its VRR range, so motion looks sharp for the most part, and it has less black smearing than the AOC. While it's a decent choice for PC gaming, one of its downsides is that it has limited compatibility with consoles. If you want an option that supports more signals from consoles, you can also check out the 1440p Dell Alienware AW2725DM. However, it usually costs more than the LG.
Notable Mentions
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Dell Alienware AW2725Q:
The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's a cheaper alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It performs similarly but has fewer features, as it lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth and a KVM switch. That said, it's still worth considering if you don't need the features on the ASUS.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is a premium 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's a larger alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM. It's mostly similar, but it lacks DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth like the PG27UCDM.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG:
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG competes with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF as it uses the same 1440p, 360Hz QD-OLED panel. It has a few extra features, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but it's usually more expensive.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW2726DM:
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is a lower-end and cheaper OLED compared to the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's a great choice if you're on a limited budget as it still offers nearly the same picture quality and motion handling. That said, it has a lower refresh rate than the AW2725DF, and it's dimmer.
See our review -
Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx:
The Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx is a lower mid-range Mini LED monitor that competes with the KOORUI S2741LM. It has many of the same features, including a dual mode, but one downside is that you can't use its local dimming in SDR. It also has worse motion handling than the KOORUI.
See our review -
Dell SE2426HGS:
The Dell SE2426HGS is a cheap, entry-level gaming monitor with a higher refresh rate than the LG 24GS65F-B. It's a solid choice if you need something basic for gaming and you're on a tight budget. That said, it can be harder to find than the LG.
See our review
Recent Updates
May 13, 2026:
We replaced the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx with the KOORUI S2741LM, which has better overall picture quality and motion handling. In the Notable Mentions, we removed the LG 27GX790A-B, the MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M, and the ASUS ROG Strix Pulsar XG27AQNGV, and added the Dell Alienware AW2726DM, the Dell SE2426HGS, and the Acer XV275K.
Apr 15, 2026:
We added the ASUS ROG Strix Pulsar XG27AQNGV as a Notable Mention.
Mar 20, 2026:
We added the Dell Alienware AW2725DF as the 'Best Mid-Range Gaming Monitor' to give another option and renamed the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx to the 'Best Lower Mid-Range Gaming Monitor.' We also added the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG to the Notable Mentions.
Feb 25, 2026:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG with the LG 27GX790B-B, as it has a higher refresh rate. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 with the Dell Alienware AW2725DF.
Feb 02, 2026:
We replaced the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX with the MSI MPG 274URDFW E16M in the Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors for gaming on PCs and consoles currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our monitor reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.