The 5 Best Monitors For Xbox Series S - Fall 2024

The best monitor for Xbox Series S is the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's a premium monitor with both outstanding picture quality and high-end gaming performance. 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 HDR signals at 120Hz.

Regarding picture quality, it 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 displays a wide range of bright and dark colors without any issues. One downside is that it doesn't have an audio port, and if you want a monitor with one, you can also consider the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED, but it has a higher input lag than the Dell.

If the Dell Alienware AW2725DF is 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. The LG has an OLED panel, so it displays deep blacks in dark rooms, but it's a WOLED panel, so it doesn't display the same vivid colors and bright highlights as the Dell's QD-OLED. However, one advantage of using a WOLED is that blacks don't look purple in bright rooms like on a QD-OLED panel, so it's a good choice no matter the environment in which you game.

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.

If you don't need a premium monitor for your Xbox Series S and prefer saving some money, check out the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, which often goes on sale for a lower cost than the LG 27GS95QE-B. It's different from the LG because it doesn't have an OLED panel, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks without any blooming. That said, it uses Mini LED backlighting with a decent local dimming feature, so it still displays deep enough blacks for a good dark room gaming experience, and it also gets bright, which is great for gaming in well-lit rooms.

It also has a higher resolution than the LG, leading to more detailed images, and it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the Xbox Series S. One thing to note is that it has low input lag as long as you use 120Hz signals from the console, but the input lag increases with 60Hz signals, leading to a less responsive feel. On the plus side, it has a fast response time for sharp motion.

If you're on a tight budget, then the AOC Q27G3XMN is a great option that you can get for a low cost. It has a lower resolution than the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, so images aren't as detailed, and it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the Xbox Series S, but it still supports 1440p signals up to 120Hz. Besides those differences, it also uses Mini LED backlighting, so it displays deep blacks and bright highlights. This makes it a great choice for HDR gaming, even better than other low-cost monitors.

It also has lower input lag than the Acer, even at 60Hz, leading to a more responsive feel. While it has a fast overall response time, there's still some smearing, which is a trade-off of using its VA panel. It's important to know that this monitor sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it, also check out the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx, which is another budget monitor with Mini LED backlighting. However, it has worse motion handling than the AOC.

If you need a simple and cheap monitor, look into the Dell G2724D, which you can often find for a low cost on Dell's website. It has a 1440p resolution like the AOC Q27G3XMN, but the biggest trade-off is that it has worse picture quality. Its local dimming feature performs terribly, so its HDR picture quality is limited, and it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray in dark rooms. However, that's what you have to expect for such a cheap display.

Besides the differences in picture quality, it still offers good gaming performance with a fast response time, and it works with 1440p signals from the Xbox up to 120Hz. On top of that, it also downscales a 4k signal, which at least allows you to play games in HDR if that's what you prefer. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an audio output, so connecting speakers to the monitor is difficult.