Gaming monitors

LCD panels tuned for refresh rate and pixel response before anything else. The compromise is contrast: an IPS gaming panel shows grey where an OLED shows black, and its HDR badge is usually an edge-lit backlight with no dimming zones behind it.

25 models · 13 brands, $190–$800 · 7 with HDR hardware

Sharpest of the type
Sony INZONE M9 II69 pixels per degree
Fastest of the type
BenQ ZOWIE XL2566X+400 Hz
Cheapest of the type
AOC Gaming 24G2SP~$190
Sony INZONE M9 II monitor
Sony~$800

Sony INZONE M9 II

26.9″ · 3840×2160 · 160 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
69ppd · retina-class
HDR
Real HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • Full-array dimming
  • 4K at 160 Hz
  • Two HDMI 2.1
  • Console at full speed

Best for: Sharing one 4K screen between a console and a gaming PC

Dough Spectrum One monitor
Dough~$349

Dough Spectrum One

27″ · 3840×2160 · 144 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
68ppd · retina-class
HDR
Real HDR
  • 4K 144 Hz
  • Pick your coating
  • Stand-free
  • Console at full speed

Best for: A monitor-arm desk that wants 4K120 for a console and 144 Hz for a PC

Samsung Odyssey G7 G70D monitor
Samsung~$400

Samsung Odyssey G7 G70D

27″ · 3840×2160 · 144 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
68ppd · retina-class
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 4K at 144 Hz
  • Under $450
  • 2× HDMI 2.1

Best for: 4K at 144 Hz for a console and a PC, with streaming apps built in

Acer Nitro XV275K V3 monitor
Acer~$400

Acer Nitro XV275K V3

27″ · 3840×2160 · 160 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
68ppd · retina-class
HDR
Real HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 1,000 nits claimed
  • 4K 160 Hz
  • DisplayHDR 1000
  • Console at full speed

Best for: HDR gaming on a budget that will not stretch to an OLED

LG UltraGear 27GR93U monitor
LG~$500

LG UltraGear 27GR93U

27″ · 3840×2160 · 144 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
68ppd · retina-class
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 4K at 144 Hz
  • 2× HDMI 2.1
  • 95% DCI-P3
  • Console at full speed

Best for: One desk shared by a PC and a current console, without a bandwidth compromise on either

Gigabyte M27U monitor
Gigabyte~$530

Gigabyte M27U

27″ · 3840×2160 · 160 Hz · Fast IPS

Sharpness
68ppd · retina-class
HDR
Real HDR
  • 4K at 160 Hz
  • KVM built in
  • 2× HDMI 2.1
  • Console at full speed

Best for: A 4K gaming desk shared between a PC and a work laptop

Gigabyte M32U monitor
Gigabyte~$550

Gigabyte M32U

31.5″ · 3840×2160 · 144 Hz · Fast IPS

Sharpness
59ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
  • 32-inch 4K 144 Hz
  • KVM
  • Under $600
  • Console at full speed

Best for: A large 4K gaming desktop that also has to switch between two machines

LG UltraGear 32GR93U monitor
LG~$600

LG UltraGear 32GR93U

31.5″ · 3840×2160 · 144 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
59ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 32-inch 4K
  • 144 Hz
  • 2× HDMI 2.1
  • Console at full speed

Best for: A big desktop where 4K at 100% scaling is the point

BenQ MOBIUZ EX3210U monitor
BenQ~$700

BenQ MOBIUZ EX3210U

31.5″ · 3840×2160 · 144 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
59ppd · sharp
HDR
Real HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 4K 144 Hz
  • DisplayHDR 600
  • 2.1 audio with woofer
  • Console at full speed

Best for: A living-room-style desk running a PC and two consoles off one screen

INNOCN 32M2V monitor
Innocn~$500

INNOCN 32M2V

32″ · 3840×2160 · 160 Hz · Mini-LED IPS

Sharpness
58ppd · sharp
HDR
Real HDR
  • 2,304 zones
  • 4K 160 Hz
  • 100% Adobe RGB

Best for: The most local dimming per dollar on a 32-inch 4K desktop

Lenovo Legion R27qe monitor
Lenovo~$200

Lenovo Legion R27qe

27″ · 2560×1440 · 180 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 180 Hz 1440p
  • 450 nits
  • Portrait pivot

Best for: A first 1440p high-refresh monitor where the stand still has to move

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A monitor
ASUS~$209

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A

27″ · 2560×1440 · 180 Hz · Fast IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
No HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • ELMB Sync strobing
  • 180 Hz
  • Around $210

Best for: Motion clarity on a budget, via backlight strobing rather than raw refresh

AOC Gaming Q27G3XMN monitor
AOC~$270

AOC Gaming Q27G3XMN

27″ · 2560×1440 · 180 Hz · Mini-LED VA

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Real HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 336 dimming zones
  • DisplayHDR 1000
  • 180 Hz

Best for: Real HDR highlights on a budget that normally buys edge-lit DisplayHDR 400

Acer Nitro XV272U V3 monitor
Acer~$300

Acer Nitro XV272U V3

27″ · 2560×1440 · 180 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 180 Hz 1440p
  • 95% DCI-P3
  • Four-way stand

Best for: A mid-range gaming PC that needs refresh rate and colour more than ports

Samsung Odyssey G5 G50D monitor
Samsung~$350

Samsung Odyssey G5 G50D

27″ · 2560×1440 · 180 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 180 Hz for ~$350
  • Adjustable stand

Best for: A first 1440p high-refresh screen on a strict budget

Acer Predator XB273U V3 monitor
Acer~$350

Acer Predator XB273U V3

27″ · 2560×1440 · 180 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
No HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 180 Hz 1440p
  • FreeSync + G-Sync certified

Best for: An Nvidia build that wants certified G-Sync without paying for a hardware module

Gigabyte M27Q X monitor
Gigabyte~$400

Gigabyte M27Q X

27″ · 2560×1440 · 240 Hz · Fast IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
  • 240 Hz for ~$400
  • KVM
  • 92% DCI-P3

Best for: High-refresh 1440p and a KVM on the smallest budget that buys both

BenQ MOBIUZ EX2710Q monitor
BenQ~$400

BenQ MOBIUZ EX2710Q

27″ · 2560×1440 · 165 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 165 Hz 1440p IPS
  • 2.1 audio with woofer
  • Around $400

Best for: A single-monitor console-and-PC desk with no room for speakers

HP OMEN 27qs monitor
HP~$430

HP OMEN 27qs

27″ · 2560×1440 · 240 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
46ppd · sharp
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 240 Hz at 1440p
  • 95% DCI-P3
  • Portrait pivot

Best for: A first 240 Hz monitor without paying OLED money

HP OMEN 32q monitor
HP~$400

HP OMEN 32q

31.5″ · 2560×1440 · 165 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
39ppd · visible pixels
HDR
Accepts an HDR signal
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 31.5-inch 1440p
  • 165 Hz
  • 95% DCI-P3

Best for: The largest 1440p screen a modest budget will buy

AOC Gaming 24G2SP monitor
AOC~$190

AOC Gaming 24G2SP

23.8″ · 1920×1080 · 165 Hz · IPS

Sharpness
39ppd · visible pixels
HDR
No HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 165 Hz IPS
  • Four-way stand
  • Under $200

Best for: A first 1080p gaming monitor, or a second screen that still needs to move

BenQ ZOWIE XL2566X+ monitor
BenQ~$650

BenQ ZOWIE XL2566X+

24.1″ · 1920×1080 · 400 Hz · TN

Sharpness
38ppd · visible pixels
HDR
No HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 400 Hz Fast-TN
  • DyAc 2 strobing

Best for: Tournament-style FPS practice where motion clarity outranks everything else

BenQ ZOWIE XL2546X+ monitor
BenQNo price published

BenQ ZOWIE XL2546X+

24.1″ · 1920×1080 · 280 Hz · TN

Sharpness
38ppd · visible pixels
HDR
No HDR
USB-C power
No USB-C power
  • 280 Hz Fast-TN
  • DyAc 2 strobing
  • Smaller base

Best for: A competitive player who wants DyAc 2 without paying the 400 Hz premium