Memory prices are skyrocketing to outrageous levels, and there seems to be no end in sight. Premium 64GB DDR5 kits are retailing for more than a Sony PS5, and brick-and-mortar retailers like Micro Center are removing price tags and relying on spot pricing in this unpredictable market. Spot pricing might be OK when we're talking about fresh fish from your favorite upscale restaurant, but for PC memory? That's unheard of for most people.
Since DRAM shortages are pricing many people out of a typically easy upgrade path, let's look to another area where you can get more bang for your buck with a PC upgrade: gaming monitors.
Your monitor is one of the most crucial pieces of hardware that encompasses your gaming PC. It is tasked not only with providing a crisp, bright picture when browsing your favorite websites, working on spreadsheets, or editing a picture in your favorite photo editor, but also with serving as a window into your virtual gaming world. A great monitor can deliver an unmatched immersive experience while extracting every bit of performance from your graphics card. A poor-performing monitor can make your experience land with a thud.
Bright, accurate, and curved for better immersion: Alienware AW3425DW
The Alienware AW3425DW is a 34-inch WQHD (3440 x 1440) resolution monitor featuring an excellent Quantum-Dot OLED (QD-OLED) panel. It maxes out with a 240 Hz refresh rate (AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync supported), and you get a maximum brightness rating of 1,000 nits in HDR mode. We reviewed the AW3425DW back in July and came away impressed by its colorful, accurate picture (straight out of the box), excellent video processing, and Creator mode aimed at the professional segment. The monitor typically sells for $799.99, but is currently on sale for $649.99 direct from Dell.
4K and fast refresh: MAG 321UPX QD-OLED
The MSI MAG 321UPX targets the premium gaming segment with a 32-inch 4K (3820 x 2160) QD-OLED panel. The monitor can crank its refresh rate up to 240 Hz, which will require a stout graphics card to maintain the frame rate.
The MSI's panel is DisplayHDR True Black 400 certified, offers a 0.03 ms response time, and gives VRR support for gaming consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Ports are also plentiful, with two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4a, and one USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode).
The MAG 321UPX carries an MSRP of $999.99, but is currently on sale at Amazon for $749.99.
The ultra-widest: Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 (LS49CG954ENXZA)
If you want an absolutely massive display to sit on your desk, look no further than the Samsung 49" Odyssey G9 Series. This monitor is available right now for $701 at Amazon, down from its MSRP of $1,299.
For the still-significant price, you get an expansive 49-inch DQHD (5120 x 1440) VA panel with a typical brightness of 450 nits, an impressive 2,500:1 contrast ratio, and HDR10+ support. Best of all, the panel supports a 240 Hz refresh rate. So, while the large panel will look great for gaming, the 32:9 aspect ratio is equally adept at handling your productivity needs.
Max refresh: Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF
Another monitor to keep an eye on is the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF. It is yet another brilliant monitor with a QD-OLED panel, but this one has some more impressive specs up its sleeve. It has a QHD resolution, but has a maximum refresh rate of 500 Hz. So, if you have the graphics muscle to push that kind of frame rate in eSports titles, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better monitor at this price point.
The G60SF retails for $999.99, but is currently on sale with a 25 percent discount, taking it to just $749.99 for Black Friday at Amazon. Samsung says the G60SF is also DisplayHDR True Black 500-certified and offers 1,000 nits of peak brightness.
