The 4 Best Monitors Under $200 of 2025

The Gigabyte GS27QC is the best monitor we've tested that you can get for under $200. It's an entry-level 27-inch, 1440p model that's focused on gaming, and it's versatile enough for other uses. With a native 165Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 170Hz, it provides a smooth enough feel for most gamers. It also works well with consoles as it supports most signals from a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, except downscaled 4k @ 120Hz signals. The one downside is that motion looks blurry as there's smearing with fast-moving objects. It does have a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur, but it creates image duplication.

This monitor is also a good choice for gaming in dark rooms as it has an excellent contrast ratio, so blacks look deep next to bright highlights. However, without a local dimming feature, highlights don't pop for an impactful HDR experience. It doesn't get bright enough to fight glare in a very bright room either. If that's important for you, the MSI G274QPF-QD is a good alternative, and it also has better motion handling, but it costs a bit more than the Gigabyte.

If you're on a very limited budget and need a simple, low-cost display, then check out the AOC 24G15N. It's different from the Gigabyte GS27QC because it's a 24-inch monitor with a lower 1080p resolution, so it doesn't deliver the same detailed images, and there's less screen space for multitasking. It's also a step down in performance because it has even worse motion handling with distracting smearing behind fast-moving objects, but it still has a 180Hz refresh rate. While it has a high contrast ratio like the Gigabyte, and blacks look deep, it has limited picture quality as highlights don't pop in HDR.

Although its reflection handling is good enough to use it in a moderately lit room, it doesn't get bright enough to fight really intense glare, so it's best to use it in a dim environment. Besides that, it's a very basic monitor, which is what you should expect from such a cheap model. It doesn't have many extra features, but it has typical gaming perks like a frame rate counter and a Shadow Control setting to help see opponents better in dark scenes.

If you're looking for the best gaming monitor under $200, then the Dell G2524H is a good choice. Its 280Hz max refresh rate provides a smooth and responsive feel. This gives it an advantage over the Gigabyte GS27QC and the AOC 24G15N, especially if you want something with better motion handling and less smearing than those two options. However, it isn't as versatile for other uses as it doesn't support HDR at all, which is why it's something to get purely for gaming with fast-paced objects.

It performs well for gaming, as besides the high refresh rate, motion looks sharp thanks to its fast response time at any refresh rate. Unlike most entry-level monitors, it also supports all common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing. It even has less VRR flicker than the Gigabyte and AOC, which is something to consider if your frame rate often drops rapidly. Sadly, it has a lower contrast ratio than the Gigabyte and the AOC, so it performs worse in dark rooms, but with good peak brightness and great reflection handling, it's a good choice to use in a well-lit room.

If you need a simple and cheap monitor for work and don't need the gaming features of the Gigabyte GS27QC or the Dell G2524H, look into the Dell P2425H. If you can't find it through retailers, you can also get it directly from Dell's website. While more expensive options, like the Gigabyte, are good for productivity thanks to their 27-inch, 1440p screens, they don't have many work-specific features. That's something the P2425H has, as unlike most entry-level monitors, it has three USB-A ports and a USB-C port to connect various devices. However, because the USB-C port doesn't support DisplayPort Alt Mode, you can't use it to display any video signal, and it's really meant for data transfer or charging.

Besides that, it has good reflection handling, so it's fine if you want to use it in a room with a few lights around, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare. It also has wide viewing angles and fantastic ergonomics that make it easy to adjust your display or share your screen with someone else. Lastly, while it has a lower 1080p resolution than an option like the Gigabyte, it still has decent text clarity.