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 the games you play, and your preferred 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, at the cost of a lower refresh rate. 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 for a responsive feel, but that's the case with most monitors. Having VRR support helps reduce screen tearing when there are unstable frame rates, 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 405 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 PictureBrightnessSize32"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 PG32UCDM Gen3. It's a premium 4k, 240Hz monitor with a QD-OLED panel that 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 perks, including Dolby Vision support and a KVM switch, which is ideal if you have more than one computer connected to it.
It delivers perfect blacks in dark rooms without any haloing around bright objects against dark backgrounds, and colors are vivid for an impactful HDR experience. It also gets bright enough to fight most glare in most well-lit rooms. Although it uses a BlackShield glossy coating that aims to minimize black level raise in bright rooms, blacks still look gray with ambient light. However, 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 PG32UCDM3 has, like DisplayPort 2.1 and Dolby Vision, and colors aren't as vivid, so the PG32UCDM3 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 premium option like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3, 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 a bit 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 for clearer images. 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 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 to boost the refresh rate. 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 panel type than the LG. The Dell's QD-OLED panel has more vivid colors for an impactful HDR gaming experience. The downside is that blacks look purple in bright environments, though. It provides other benefits of an OLED, like its deep blacks in dark rooms, near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion, and highlights that pop in HDR. It's not very bright, though, and if you want something brighter to fight glare in a well-lit room, you should consider a Tandem OLED like the LG 27GX700A-B. That said, it has a lower 280Hz refresh rate than the Dell.
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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 Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It's worth getting when it's on sale for cheaper than the Dell. It differs from higher-end options in that it lacks an OLED panel, resulting in poorer picture quality without the same deep blacks and no haloing around bright objects. Instead, it has a Mini LED local dimming feature that makes it incredibly bright and improves the black levels in dark scenes, resulting in an impactful HDR viewing experience. That said, it's not perfect, as there's haloing around bright objects and black crush in dark scenes, resulting in a loss of details, particularly in shadows. You can only use this local dimming feature in HDR, though, and not outside of it.
While it doesn't have the same near-instantaneous response time as the Dell, motion still looks good as there's minimal blur. 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 Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx. It actually has better picture quality than the Acer because its local dimming feature is more effective at improving the picture quality with less black crush and haloing in dark scenes. You can also enable it as you wish, both in and out of HDR. Plus, it has a higher native contrast ratio than the Acer, so it displays deeper blacks if you don't use its local dimming feature.
However, there are a few trade-offs versus the Acer, which is what you can expect from a budget monitor. It has a lower 1440p resolution, so images are less sharp and detailed. 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 with fast-moving content in dark scenes, which is one of the downsides of its VA panel. You may want to check out the KOORUI S2721PM if this bothers you, as it doesn't have this smearing. It's another 1440p Mini LED option, but it has slightly worse picture quality due to its lower native contrast ratio.
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Best Cheap Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize24"Panel TypeLCDSub-TypeIPSMax Refresh Rate240 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 Dell SE2426HGS. 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's still decent for gaming. It features a 240Hz 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 SE2426HGS.
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Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitor
PC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeHDR PictureSDR PictureBrightnessSize34"Panel TypeOLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate360 HzSee all our test resultsNative Resolution3440 x 1440While the recommended monitors above all have screens with 16:9 aspect ratios, there's another class of gaming monitors with an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio. These offer more horizontal screen space, giving you an immersive gaming experience, particularly for flight or sim racing games. If that's what you're interested in, then check out the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN. It has a 34-inch screen with a 3440x1440 resolution, so images aren't as detailed as other high-end options, like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. That said, it offers advantages in other ways, especially if you want the extra screen space for a more immersive gaming experience.
For example, this monitor has a higher 360Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel. It also offers all the other benefits of an OLED, including sharp motion and incredible picture quality. Like the top pick, the PG32UCDM Gen3, it gets bright and has a coating that's better than other QD-OLEDs at minimizing black level raise in bright rooms. However, blacks still look gray in a well-lit space. If you want an ultrawide that maintains deep blacks in dark rooms, the LG 39GX950B-B is a good alternative. It's a 39-inch display with a 5k2k resolution and a Tandem OLED panel that gets brighter. That said, it costs more than the PG34WCDN, and its colors aren't as vivid.
Notable Mentions
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Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SH S32HG802S:
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SH S32HG802S is a high-end 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that competes directly with the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. Despite using the same panel, one difference is that the Samsung has a matte panel with better reflection handling, but that means images look hazier.
See our review -
ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM:
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM is a premium 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that's a smaller and cheaper alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3. It's mostly similar, but it isn't as bright.
See our review -
Samsung Odyssey OLED G73SH S32HG732S:
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G73SH S32HG732S is an upper mid-range OLED that's an alternative to the LG 27GX790B-B if you want something with a 4k resolution. Images are more detailed on the Samsung because of this. That said, it has a lower refresh rate than the LG.
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 -
HyperX OMEN OLED 27q:
The HyperX OMEN OLED 27q 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 Dell.
See our review -
LG 24GS65F-B:
The LG 24GS65F-B is a cheap, entry-level gaming monitor that gets brighter than the Dell SE2426HGS. The LG is a bit more well-rounded when it comes to picture quality, but it has a lower refresh rate and costs more than the Dell.
See our review -
Dell Alienware AW3426DW:
The Dell Alienware AW3426DW is an ultrawide QD-OLED that's a cheaper alternative to the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN. The downside is that the Dell has a lower 280Hz refresh rate, so gaming doesn't feel as smooth. The Dell also lacks a few features the ASUS has, like DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth.
See our review
Recent Updates
Sep 02, 2026:
We made several changes to the Notable Mentions due to changes in availability and to better represent the current market. We removed the Dell Alienware AW2725Q and the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36, and we added the Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SH S32HG802S, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G73SH S32HG732S, and the Dell Alienware AW3426DW.
Jul 21, 2026:
We replaced the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM with the newer and brighter ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen3, the hard-to-find KOORUI S2741LM with the Acer Nitro XV275K P5biipruzx, and the LG 24GS65F-B with the Dell SE2426HGS, which has a higher refresh rate. We moved the PG27UCDM and the 24GS65F-B to the Notable Mentions.
Jun 09, 2026:
We added the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN as the 'Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitor' to give another option. In the Notable Mentions, we replaced the Dell Alienware AW2726DM with the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q, and we added the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36.
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.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors for gaming on PCs and consoles currently available in the United States. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, feedback from visitors, and price. For example, two monitors may perform the same, but the cheaper one will be recommended. We also consider availability, as we don't recommend a monitor that's hard to find.
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.