Best Gaming Monitors 2021: Budget, 144Hz, G-Sync and More

Gaming monitor options keep expanding with new vendors, models and features. Yes, it's an exciting time to be a PC gamer, but it also means that picking the best gaming monitor for your rig is more complicated than ever. The selection can be overwhelming, from screen-smoothing technologies (Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync), to visually stunning refresh rates that can climb up to a mind-blowing 360 Hz. For pixel addicts, there are 4K screens that are as hard on the bank account as they are on graphics cards. Anyone else feeling like a kid in a toy store told to only "pick one?"

Choosing the Best Gaming Monitor for You

When seeking the best gaming monitor, there are different panel types vying for your eyeballs — IPS, TN, VA and even OLED — each with their own pros and cons. You can't forget about screen size and aspect ratio, which affect your views, desk space and, again, bank account. And we haven't even discussed bonuses like speakers, RGB or port selection (for the latter, check out our gaming analysis on DisplayPort vs. HDMI). How's a gamer to choose?

For a deep dive into how to pick the best monitor--gaming or otherwise--check out out PC Monitor Buying Guide. We also have general recommendations on our Best Computer Monitors page. For those only interested in 4K displays (lucky you), visit our Best 4K Gaming Monitors and Best Budget 4K Monitors pages for our top picks. 

Below is a list of the best gaming monitors out right now, based on our own testing. 

Quick Shopping Tips

When trying to buy the best gaming monitor for your PC, consider the following:

• G-Sync or FreeSync? G-Sync only works with PCs with Nvidia graphics cards, while FreeSync only works with systems using AMD ones. FreeSync monitors tend to be cheaper, but performance is comparable. You can technically run G-Sync on a FreeSync-only monitor, but performance isn't guaranteed. For a detailed comparison of the two technologies’ performance, see our Nvidia G-Sync vs. AMD FreeSync comparison article. 

• For image quality, TN < IPS < VA. Generally speaking. Typically, TN monitors are the fastest but cheapest, due to weaker viewing angles. IPS displays have slightly slower response times but better color than VA monitors. The best gaming monitors for contrast are VA, but VA also has slower response times.

• Refresh rates: bigger is better. This tells you the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second — stated in hertz (Hz) — and, therefore, how many frames per second (fps) the monitor can display. Bigger numbers equal smoother images. Refresh rate is especially important for gamers, so you’ll want to shoot for a monitor with at least 75 Hz (most gaming monitors offer at least 144 Hz), combined with the lowest response time you can find.

The Best Gaming Monitors You Can Buy Today

The Dell S3220DGF is the best gaming monitor for most. For starters, it boasts a fast refresh rate, low response time plus FreeSync Premium Pro for fighting screen tearing with both standard and HDR content. On top of that, this 32-inch monitor offers plenty of vertical screen real estate without the need for scrolling and 1440p resolution, the current sweet spot between image quality and gaming performance. Its 1800R curve also lends well to immersion, and in addition to gaming, we found that this is also a great monitor for general productivity and anything in between. 

Our testing proved the display has low input lag and quick panel response for competitive gamers, and we even got G-Sync Compatibility to work on it, despite it not being certified to do so. This is a fantastic monitor for those with mid to high-budget gaming PCs. 

Read: Dell S3220DGF review 

The Gigabyte G27F is the cheapest 27-inch on this page but still offers stellar gaming performance, elevated by a fantastic overdrive that’s one the best implementations we’ve seen lately. At max setting, the monitor’s overdrive offered a picture void of visible blur or ghosting artifacts.

In terms of speed, this 1080p screen held its own against other 144 Hz monitors when it came to response time and input lag.  And speaking of that FHD resolution, the G27F’s fast refresh rate made up for its low pixel density when reaching 144 fps.

In terms of image quality, this screen offers rich and saturated color ratio and contrast that hit an impressive 1,165:1 after our recommended calibration settings (see page 1 of our review). At this price, the G27F is hard to top in the 27-inch category. 

If you really want to stay under $200 though, check our our review of the Acer XFA240, which is usually $200 or cheaper. 

Read: Gigabyte G27F review

For a sharp, high-res, premium gaming experience, the LG 27GN950-B is the best 4K gaming monitor. This screen achieved some of the best input lag scores we’ve ever seen, with response time numbers falling in line with other 144 Hz monitors. If you have a powerful enough graphics card to support high frame rates in 4K, this monitor will have no problem keeping up. 

Games will look extra colorful on the LG 27GN950-B, thanks to a color gamut that extends up to a whopping 133.9% of sRGB. HDR, meanwhile, looks amazing, due the monitor’s edge array backlight and local dimming feature. HDR content enjoyed a 8,475.3:1 contrast ratio, making this a great substitute for a pricier FALD monitor.

But if you're looking for a larger 4K screen or other features, check out our best 4K gaming monitors list. 

Read: LG 27GN950-B review

If you like your games to look extra colorful, the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD is the best gaming monitor for your rig. This monitor posted the widest color gamut we’ve ever recorded: 112.19% of DCI-P3 after our recommended calibration. 90% of DCI-P3 would be impressive, so this is one color-saturated screen. 

Contrast is also strong for an IPS panel, hitting 1,129.1:1 after our calibration. And for those concerned about speed, this 165Hz screen kept up with the 170Hz Gigabyte M27Q in our testing 

Color purists, however, will lament the lack of an sRGB mode, considering the MAG274QRF-QD’s sRGB coverage is at 166.33%. Its backlight strobe for fighting motion blur is also a disappointment. You can’t use Adaptive-Sync with it, brightness goes down by about 50% and it created ghosting that resulted in a parallax effect with fast motion. On top of that, this is yet another gaming monitor to offer HDR but without any noticeable image boost over SDR.

But if you can get past those caveats, you’ll enjoy the most colorful monitor to ever hit our lab. 

Read: MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD review 

The Viotek GNV34DBE is a well-performing and affordable curved gaming monitor. Its 1500R curve proved to add an immersive touch while gaming, helping to fill our peripheral vision. Despite its tight curve, we still found the GNV34DBE fit for working. There was no distortion, and we enjoyed having multiple windows open for boosted productivity. 

But it’s not just about the GNV34DBE’s curve. You also get a 144 Hz refresh rate and response times and input lag that kept up with 144 Hz rivals during our testing. On the battlefield, we realized the high pixel density of a 1440p screen and smooth gaming without any screen tearing, thanks to FreeSync. Color and contrast was competitive with pricier gaming displays too. 

With its edge-lit backlight, the GNV34DBE also makes a good HDR display, offering a noticeable improvement over your typical SDR monitor. At its low price, the build quality of the stand is lacking. But for a speedy gaming monitor with an effective curve, the Viotek GNV34DBE is a solid deal. 

Read: Viotek GNV34DBE review

Gigabyte’s Aorus CV27Q is the best 1440p gaming monitor when it comes to high-speed gaming performance. With its impressive specs, it shined in our input lag and response time tests when pitted against 144 Hz rivals. Sure, you could get slightly better performance from the 1080p version, the Aorus CV27F, but then you wouldn’t be getting that sharper QHD resolution or higher pixel density (109ppi). 

With a VA panel offering 3,000:1 contrast, image quality is no joke either. The CV27Q has a low black level that made image depth look great, particularly with HDR titles. But as far as HDR goes, this monitor only goes up to 400 nits brightness; we prefer HDR displays that hit at least 600 nits.

Bonus features include Aorus’ active noise cancellation (ANC) feature, which uses two mics on the front bezel to reduce background noise others may hear coming from your gaming headset, a 1500R curve and RGB lighting on the back. But if money is (somehow) no object, the $2,300  Acer Predator X35 is a dream come true, and the Asus ROG Strix XG279Q on this page is a hair faster. 

Read: Aorus CV27Q review 

If you want to upgrade from 1080p to 1440p but don’t want to sacrifice speed, the Asus ROG Strix XG279Q (usually about $600 but currently available for $570) needs your attention. It’s the priciest of the 27-inch 1440p monitors here but offers the extra oomph in gaming performance that a hardcore enthusiasts might demand. In our testing, this monitor edged out the Aorus CV27Q on this page in response time by 1ms and beat the Aorus CV27Q and Aoris FI27Q (both on this page) in our absolute input lag testing. The typical gamer won’t notice these differences, but if you insist on the best of the best, you won’t want to overlook this pricey monitor.

That said, the ROG Strix XG279Q isn’t flawless. We noticed ghosting with motion blur on and blur when we opted for overdrive instead of motion blur (you can’t run both). Plus, you’ll likely need to do some tweaking. But you also get crazy sharp gaming with the combination of motion blur and Adaptive-Sync, plus fantastic HDR due to edge-lit backlighting and a healthy dose of RGB. 

Read: Asus ROG Strix XG279Q review

The Razer Raptor 27 is the best gaming monitor for 144Hz refresh rates. It'll make any gamer you know jealous with premium touches, like an RGB stand, flat green cables for cable management and drool-worthy build quality. Plus, HDR delivery is some of the best we’ve seen in an edge-lit panel yet. 

Despite its 144Hz refresh rate, the Raptor 27 was able to stay competitive with 165Hz monitors in our benchmarking. There wasn't significant motion blur, but finicky, pro-level players will have to choose between dealing with it or activating the backlight strobe, which limits you to 120Hz, reduces brightness by 40% and grays out FreeSync and G-Sync Compatibility. 

Read: Razer Raptor 27 review

For speed demons, a 240 Hz monitor hits the spot. Up until recently, that level of speed required two things: settling for 1080p resolution and a TN panel. But the Samsung 27-inch CRG5 (there’s also a 24-inch CRG5) is the best gaming monitor in this class. It's special because it manages that speed in our favorite type of LCD panel, VA. Not only does it deliver the high contrast and saturated color that makes VA popular, it’s the fastest monitor we’ve ever tested.

We encountered few flaws during testing. The biggest one in terms of image quality was an inaccurate HDMI Black Level setting. Plus, the only form of Adaptive-Sync is G-Sync Compatibility. But besides those small caveats, our gaming experience was a record-breaking pleasure.

Read: Samsung 27-Inch CRG5 review

The 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G7 is in a class all its own. It’s one of Samsung’s 1000R screens, meaning it’s one of the curviest gaming monitors you can find on the market. If you’re a fan of the immersive feel of a curved monitor, the 32” Odyssey G7 will elevate this experience even higher. 

At 32 inches, the Odyssey G7’s amazing 1000R curve drew us in, whether we were playing games or doing work. With this curvature we could view productivity apps without any image distortion, and when gaming our vision was filled with the action. The 32-inch, 16:9 build offers ample height for productivity and, coupled with 1440p resolution, hits a sweet spot for gaming. 

In terms of image quality, the 32-inch Odyssey G7 proved accurate before we even calibrated it while boasting a 2,121:1 contrast ratio, according to our testing. 

In our response time benchmarking, this monitor kept up with similarly specced screens, doing justice to the 240Hz category. If you’re looking for high-end speed, image quality and form factor, this is it. 

Read: Samsung Odyssey G7 32-inch review 

If you’re looking for the best gaming monitor in the 27-inch range, the Aorus FI27Q won’t disappoint. It has one of the best overdrive implementations on the market, and we saw no ghosting or motion blur with the right settings -- even without the blur reduction feature. The FI27Q goes the extra mile with a 165 Hz refresh rate, plus both flavors of Adaptive-Sync. It also bested 144 Hz rivals and even 165 Hz ones, including the Aorus CV27Q And Dell S3220DGF on this page, in our response time test. And it held its own in our input lag test too. 

IPS panels are known for great color, and the FI27Q's color implementation is near-perfect. It outshines in accuracy, besting also excellent competitors, like the Asus ROG Strix XG279Q above. With DCI-P3 being the FI27Q's native color space, the FI27Q packs extra color than what you’re used to on a native sRGB monitor. With SDR games, we enjoyed high color saturation, even if it wasn’t totally accurate. You don’t get the same contrast as you would with VA (1,000:1 contrast ratio), but black levels are better than any other IPS gaming monitor we’ve tested. 

This monitor supports HDR content, but isn’t the best HDR monitor. In fact, we hardly noticed a gain over an SDR monitor. Plus, you’re likely to find rivals with a better price-to-value ratio. But the FI27Q ultimately delivers a superb image with premium gaming capabilities. 

Read: Aorus FI27Q review

The Acer Predator X38 combines a large, 37.5-inch IPS panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio, 2300R and lots of speed for the best ultrawide gaming experience if you’re considering value too. The Acer Predator X35 below has a more premium FALD backlight compared to this monitor’s edge array one, resulting in superior HDR. But the HDR on this monitor is still quality. 

The curve isn’t as extreme as the 1000R curve found on the Samsung Odyssey G7 on this page, but it’s appropriate for both work and play. When gaming, we got the boost in immersion that we wanted, but productivity apps and CAD images weren’t distorted. Additionally, we didn’t have to keep swiveling our heads to take in all of the screen, and the extra height means a wide vertical field of view as well. 

While cheaper than the Predator X35, the Predator X38 is still an expensive monitor. But it comes with everything you need for high-end gaming, including HDR, high coverage of the DCI-P3 color space (92.6% after calibration, according to our test) and even two 7W speakers. 

Read: Acer Predator X38 review

Currently going for $660, the ViewSonic Elite XG350R-C is cheaper than many other 35-inch ultrawides and ultrawides with less features (there’s even RGB lighting on the back of the XG350R-C). But what you’ll really love about the the XG350R-C is its vivid and accurate color that makes textures pop, skin tones look natural and everything look more realistic. 

If you want life-changing HDR or to use HDR with Adaptive-Sync, look elsewhere. But in addition to a 21:9 aspect ratio, the Elite XG350R-C employs an 1800mm curve radius that engulfed us with strong image quality, making for an immersive ultrawide experience. 

Read: ViewSonic Elite XG350R-C review

A monitor at this price is out of the question for many, but the Acer Predator X35 is exemplary of the type of monitor we’d love to have if price weren’t an object. With an impressive 180 Hz refresh rate and 2ms response time, it surpassed the more expensive Acer Predator X27 and Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ in our response time and input lag tests. 

After calibration, contrast on this VA panel was 2,237:1, and HDR was fantastic, due to the Predator X35's full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight. Combined with certification to hit a max brightness of at least 1,000 nits, which our testing confirmed at 1,060.8 nits, the Predator X35 greatly outperformed other screens when it came to HDR gaming, starting with an HDR contrast ratio of 74,545.5:1, according to our benchmarks. 

Read: Acer Predator X35 review

If you’ve been wanting to try out an HDR monitor but can’t afford the best HDR monitors with FALD backlights, the ViewSonic Elite XG270QC is worth a look. It’s not quite FALD-quality, but with edge-lit backlighting, the runner-up, and a VA panel, this monitor’s HDR performance will definitely give you a noticeable upgrade over SDR. 

In our benchmarks, this monitor kept up with other 165 Hz screens, such as the Dell S3220DGF above. For under $450, the XG270QC also delivers 1440p resolution with on-point gamma. Even without HDR, contrast hit 2,897:1 with our calibration settings. Plus, you get a surprisingly loud pair of 3W speakers.

Read: ViewSonic Elite XG270QC review

The Asus TUF Gaming VG259QM isn’t the only 240 Hz monitor here, but it’s the only one that overclocks to an impressive 280 Hz so impressively. It’s not only about the high refresh rate though. It’s also the ability to incorporate FreeSync (despite lacking certification) or G-Sync Compatibility alongside Asus’ Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) feature that bests any monitor’s overdrive. With those features and 280 Hz, our inputs almost felt predicted. This is the kind of monitor that could actually help your game. Asus’ VG259QM topped our response time test and did admirably in terms of absolute input lag.

One of the downsides of this monitor is its HDR capability. Using an IPS panel with 1,000:1 contrast and only DisplayHDR 400 certification, HDR won’t look much better than SDR content. And, of course, you’ll need a decent graphics card to make the most out of this high-refresh screen.

But if you want one of the fastest monitors on the market, the VG259QM is up there. There are 360Hz monitors now, but 280 fps is more achievable than the 360 fps. And at $319, the VG259QM is favorably priced. 

Read: Asus TUF Gaming VG259QM review  

We've tested three 360Hz gaming monitors, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN, Alienware AW2521H and Acer Predator X25, and performance is so equal among the three that you could get either of them and not be able to tell the difference when it comes to speed and image quality. All three earned our Editor's Choice Award in comparison to other high-end gaming monitors. 

If we had to pick one though, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN offers slightly more contrast than the Alienware and Acer; (although, this is only a little noticeable at faster speeds). The Asus was also 1ms faster than the Alienware and 2ms faster than the Acer in our input lag test. 

However, this monitor lacks the Nvidia Reflex latency analyzer, which the Alienware and Acer include, but there's a version that has it, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR. It's more expensive ($800 instead of $700, as of writing) but also comes with a compatible Asus mouse.

While 360Hz is more speed than most gamers need and graphics cards can handle, if you're an eSports gamer (or hopeful) and want the fastest of the fast, a monitor with a 360Hz refresh rate is now the way to go. Gaming at 360Hz on the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN () actually brought a noticeable impact to our gameplay. With backgrounds and objects being completely blur-free no matter how fast the movement, we were tricked into thinking we were better gamers.

Read: Asus ROG Swift PG259QN review  

The Samsung 27-inch CRG5 provides amazing speed at 1080p resolution, and the Porsche Design AOC Agon PD27 takes things to the next level, including a higher resolution, shorter response time and a price tag that’s more than twice the size. 

For most, the CRG5 is in the sweet spot for a 240Hz monitor. Its 1080p resolution will require less graphics power than the 1440p PD27. When it came to our speed benchmarks, the PD27 was 1ms faster than the CRG5 in the response time test and 2ms slower in the absolute input lag test. Performance there is comparable, but the PD27 is also in a different style class.

With a unique metallic stand reminiscent of a racecar’s roll cage, LED lighting, including a projector that casts a customizable Porsche Design logo, and even its own remote, this monitor is as much about premium looks as it is about premium performance. If you want a little bit of it everything, it’s tough to beat this stylish monitor. 

Read: Porsche Design AOC Agon PD27 review 

Savings on Best Gaming Monitors

When shopping for any gaming monitor, including those above, you may save some money by checking out our lists of best computer monitor deals, Dell Coupon Codes, Lenovo coupon codes, LG coupon codes or Newegg coupon codes.