The Best Gaming Monitors for Every Type of Gamer

A monitor is the best gaming accessory to make the most of the stunning graphics and speedy refresh rates your gaming PC is capable of. What’s the point of investing in a rig with a top-tier graphics card and CPU if your display can’t keep up? That’s why we’ve found the best gaming monitors with crisp pictures and motion fidelity to play all the best PC games as intended.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Gaming Monitors:

Your gaming monitor should offer specs that match up with your PC; there’s no point in grabbing one of the best 4K monitors if games will be virtually unplayable with a GeForce RTX 4060 at that resolution. Likewise, pairing a Radeon RX 7900 XTX with a 1080p display is a waste. The best gaming monitors will show off all the capabilities of the rig you’ve invested in, delivering solid picture quality, speedy response times, and a host of gaming features. Of course, high refresh rates help frames remain silky smooth and those extra milliseconds could mean life or death for competitive gamers.

Whether you’re after a beastly future-proof option with a sharp 4K picture, OLED panel, and wild 240Hz refresh rate – like our top pick, the Gigabyte FO32U2 Pro – or you have a more modest setup that's better suited for a great budget monitor, we’ve got you covered. All our favorite gaming monitors have been thoroughly vetted by me and my colleagues and are ready to suit just about any need.

Additional contributions by Jacqueline Thomas, Georgie Peru, and Danielle Abraham

Looking for savings? Be sure to check out the best gaming monitor deals happening right now.

1. Gigabyte FO32U2 Pro

Best Gaming Monitor

If you want proof that OLED is the new mainstream for the best gaming monitors, just take a look at my thorough review of the Gigabyte FO32U2 Pro. This is a gorgeous 32-inch 4K gaming monitor with an extremely thin panel and one of the brightest displays I've ever had the pleasure of using. And while it is a bit on the pricey side, the best is never the cheapest option, and you'll be well rewarded for the money you invest in this gorgeous piece of kit.

This gaming monitor is extremely forward-facing, too. While most of the best graphics cards aren't really able to drive a 4K gaming monitor at 240Hz, the Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2 supports that high refresh rate anyways. That means even after upgrading your PC a few times over the next few years, you won't really need to buy an all-new gaming monitor for a very long time. Hell, this monitor supports DisplayPort 2.1 technology, which isn't even in most current-generation gaming PCs right now.

But even in the current day, the gorgeous OLED panel is extremely color accurate. Supporting up to 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, you'd be hard pressed to find any screen with better color representation, at least without forking over the cash for a display meant for creative professionals. Combine that with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits and a contrast ratio of 1.5M:1 and this will make any game, movie, or even your desktop seem like it's popping off of your screen.

Of course, because it's a flagship gaming monitor in 2024, it also comes with quality-of-life features like picture-in-picture and an automatic black equalizer that'll help you tune how your monitor looks. You can even download the Gigabyte Control Center, plug the monitor into an open USB port (in addition to your standard HDMI/DP port, obviously), and control image settings on your desktop rather than fiddling with an OSD.

This is a dream gaming monitor, and while it's a bit expensive, you're genuinely getting what you pay for.

2. Xiaomi G Pro 27i Mini-LED Gaming Monitor

Best Budget Gaming Monitor

The Xiaomi G Pro 27i is the best budget gaming monitor we've seen this year, and it's a new high water mark for what you should expect at this price. It seems that Xiaomi wanted to make a statement with this release, offering features and picture quality that are usually reserved for monitors well over double its price. At around $330, it's not the absolute cheapest but it is an incredible value and well worth saving up for if you're on a limited budget. To be frank, it blew me away.

What makes this monitor so great is its mini-LED backlight. It's not the only monitor around this price to offer this technology but it sets itself apart with its number of local dimming zones. Under $500 (with a few exceptions, really under $1,000), it's rare to find gaming monitors with more than 550 local dimming zones. The G Pro 27i has a whopping 1,152, giving it much finer control over the dark and light areas of the screen. It completely sidesteps the usual weakness of backlight bleed that effects IPS panels and delivers a picture that's surprisingly close to the best OLED gaming monitors. Given that those displays usually start at $700 and extend well over $1,000, that's more than a little impressive.

If that weren't enough, those tiny LEDs get exceptionally bright and allow the G Pro 27i to achieve a 1,000-nit peak brightness rating. Between it's high brightness and deep, mini-LED contrast, it offers a killer HDR gaming and movie watching experience.

Of course, to hit that price, some things had to be left behind. There's no USB connectivity, for one, and the "gaming features" are limited to its 180Hz refresh rate and support for AMD FreeSync (Nvidia G-Sync also works fine). There's technically a Game Mode, but it only offers a few picture presets for FPS, MOBA, and RPG genres that aren't noticeably different from its normal picture modes. But, to find this kind of picture quality and performance at this price, I consider it well worth the sacrifice and will because its core gaming experience is outstanding.

3. Acer Predator X34 OLED

Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitor

The Acer Predator X34 OLED is my top pick for an ultrawide gaming monitor in 2025. On top of its spacious 34-inch 21:9 display, it checks every box you would hope for from a flagship gaming monitor. It's bright, fast, immersive, and an absolute feast for the eyes.

This isn't the first Predator X34 that Acer has released, but it's in a class of its own thanks to its deeply curved OLED display. You may have gamed on a curved monitor before, but the X34 takes it to the next level with a deeper, 800R curvature. Most gaming monitors are 1800R or 1500R – gentle curves that really don't amount to much. The lower the number, the deeper the curve, and this panel is designed to wrap straight into your peripheral vision for a deeply immersive gaming experience. Just be aware that, while great for gaming, such a deep curve can lead to slight text warping that takes some time to get used to and may not be the best for productivity.

Like other OLED monitors, it's incredibly responsive with a 0.03ms response time. IPS, VA, and even TN panels simply cannot compete with that level of speed. At its full refresh rate of 240Hz, input latency is virtually non-existant so your muscle memory can really take over in clutchg moments.

It's a common refrain at this point, OLED monitors tend to look amazing, and that's absolutely the case here. It still manages to set itself apart, however, with a peak brightness that's higher than most other gaming monitors, even those that purport to offer brighter viewing experiences thanks to quantum dots. It's rated for 1,300 nits of peak brightness, so prepare for lifelike highlights and infinite blacks.

Its biggest drawback, and a genuinely puzzling omission, is that it lacks an sRGB mode for content creation. Given its wide color gamut and quality factory calibration, that's strange. It does feature a DCI-P3 mode, however, so content creators and digital artists still have a reference preset that they can rely on.

4. Dell Alienware AW2725Q

Best 4K Gaming Monitor

The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a top-tier pick for stunning visuals and performance at 4K. This display is an update to our last pick for a best 4K monitor, which also happened to be an Alienware 27-inch. Unlike that monitor, however, this display uses an upgraded QD-OLED panel and a faster 240Hz refresh rate. It also features a refreshed design from the brand, which is slightly more minimal, but still appealingly contoured with a sci-fi inspired design. The short version is that it should fit in with more gaming setups than ever before and provide an upgraded gaming experience compared to the majority of monitors below its price point and even some above.

At 27 inches, this monitor offers a high pixel density of 166PPI. It balances its generous screen real estate with high resolution so every detail looks crisp and well-defined. Thanks to its OLED panel, you can also count on outstanding colors so the picture is as engaging as it is clear. It also offers VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification and Dolby Vision HDR for fantastic image quality in games and movies that support high dynamic range.

When I tested the Alienware AW2725Q for my review, I was immediately impressed by its great picture quality. There are lots of different preset modes to choose from, both in SDR and HDR, and includes three-axis RGB controls and six-axis saturation controls to calibrate it to your taste. If you're a content creator, you'll also appreciate that it comes well factory calibrated straight out of the box.

Since it's an OLED, its SDR brightness isn't great. If you're using it indoors away from direct sunlight, you'll be able to enjoy it perfectly well, and in HDR the brightness is able to reach a full 1,000 nits for highlights. While SDR might be a drawback that it shares with other OLED gaming monitors, it also shares the same incredible response time of 0.03ms. Paired with its 240Hz refresh rate, it's the perfect pick for when motion clarity matters most, such as esports and competitive shooters.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this monitor only supports DisplayPort 1.4, not the newer DP 2.1 standard. That means that there's no way to run it at its full resolution and refresh rate without Display Stream Compression. It's visually lossless, however, so this really only matters if you're using multiple displays or want to avoid a few-second black screen when alt-tabbing from a full-screen game.

At $899 at launch, it's a solid value for what it offers and should only get more affordable with time.

5. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP

Best 1440p Gaming Monitor

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP is the best 1440p monitor for esports and everything else. Priced below than many of its competitors, this monitor has something for everyone. It has great HDR performance thanks to the exceptional peak brightness and infinite contrast of its WOLED panel and impressive out-of-the-box color accuracy, one of the best I've tested and reviewed so far.

What really sets it apart is its incredibly fast refresh rate. The monitor is able to hit a top speed of 480Hz, putting it a hair's distance away from the fastest gaming monitors you can buy today (which currently peak at 500Hz). It's so close, in fact, that even pros would be hard pressed to tell the difference. And for the paltry 20Hz it lacks in comparison, it offers a much better picture. Unlike the 4K variant which has a 480Hz "mode," you don't sacrifice image quality just to achieve that high frame rate.

The screen is seriously gorgeous. You don't need to be a display expert to appreciate its rich colors and impeccable contrast. Playing games on it is a joy thanks to its stunning picture, but so is watching movies, and even pretty much anything with photo or video content. During my review, I just couldn't get enough and boxing it back up to return was a sad day indeed.

Its fast refresh rate and the incredible 0.03ms responsiveness all but eliminate motion blur. You can perform quick flips and snaps without the usual smearing. It's a noticeable improvement even over 240Hz monitors, which themselves are better than the 120Hz to 180Hz monitors widely available today.

The PG27AQDP also features the widest array of OLED protections I've encountered. It features the usual pixel shifting and pixel refresh cycles, but it's also able to detect and dim static elements like your task bar. There's even a mode to dynamically dim different parts of your screen in real time based on what's being displayed to ward off image retention. Internally, a high performance cooling system is at play to draw heat away, also reducing the risk of burn-in. And if you do happen to get unlucky and face issues, Asus offers a three-year warranty with burn-in coverage.

There's no KVM or USB video input, which is a bit disappointing, but when considered with everything you're getting here, this is a monitor that's tough to beat.

6. Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM

Best 1080p Gaming Monitor

How to Choose a Gaming Monitor

There are four key things to consider when shopping for a gaming monitor: screen size, resolution, panel type, and aspect ratio. We’ll also briefly explain a few of the more technical aspects of computer displays, such as refresh rate and the variable refresh rate technology, to help you make the best shopping decision.

Screen size: “How big?” will probably be the first question, and the answer really comes down to your unique situation. Are you in a tiny dorm with barely any room or looking for a gaming monitor that's capable of replacing your TV? How you answer will ultimately determine the display size you need, so take note of your space and bust out the measuring tape if necessary.

As a general rule of thumb, here are some guidelines to ensure your size and resolution are well matched and images remain crisp, without screen door effect. For 1080p, which is the easiest to run, anything up to 27 inches will work well. For 1440p, 27 to 32 inches is a good choice. For 4K, 32 inches is a good choice for a typical viewing distance at a desk. If you'll be sitting back farther, a 43-inch monitor or even larger can be a good choice.

Aspect ratio: The aspect ratio of your monitor is closely related to its size because it determines which shape your display will have. The majority of monitors fall into the widescreen category with 16:9 aspect ratios. Ultrawide displays have been rising in popularity recently, and these screens often feature the 21:9 aspect ratio you would typically see at the movie theater. Modern displays have only been getting even wider, and there’s a growing crop of 32:9 displays as well.

Screen resolution: This determines how sharp your gaming monitor will be and, for the most part, there are three choices: Full HD (1920x1080), Quad HD (2560x1440), and Ultra HD or 4K (3840x2160). Like screen size, as the numbers go up so does the price, and they'll require a higher-end graphics card if you hope to maintain a high frame rate.

Panel type: Although most monitors might look the same on the surface, a few different panel types offer specific benefits and shortcomings. Twisted Nematic (TN) panels are the worst and should be avoided. While they used to be the fastest you could buy, the advancement of technology has minimized that benefit such that there is little to no reason to choose this type of monitor today.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) is the next-most prevalent type of display. Rather than focusing on speed, IPS panels are known for rendering excellent colors while offering wider viewing angles in exchange for slightly slower response time, usually hovering around 3–5ms. So-called "Fast IPS" and "SuperSpeed IPS" panels are common options and can lower that to 1ms.

Vertical Alignment (VA) panels split the difference between TN and IPS panels, offering great image quality with decently quick response times and better contrast the competing IPS displays. VA panels aren’t perfect, though. Sometimes fast-moving objects will give off ghosting effects due to the slower response time. This varies display to display, so it's important to read reviews.

The final types are mini-LED and OLED (organic light-emitting diode). Mini-LED is technically not a panel type by itself but is instead a kind of backlighting technology that provides monitors with a large amount of local dimming zones and improved brightness. It can be great, but has the downside of causing light objects to glow in dark scenes (this is known as "blooming"). Monitors using mini-LEDs are often marketed with this technology as a leading feature, so true "panel type" or not, it's important to know what they offer.

Finally, there are OLED monitors. These displays control their brightness pixel by pixel. This allows them to offer the best contrast and HDR experience of any monitor type. Their picture quality is often applauded for their vibrant colors and deep, inky blacks. These displays use more power and can suffer from image retention (a.k.a. burn-in), so they can't maintain high levels of brightness for extended periods. They're not a good fit for use in direct sunlight because of this but can be just fine in most rooms otherwise. The best OLED monitors are rated for peak brightness above 1,000 nits, allowing for fine highlights that seem to jump from the screen. They require more care and taking best practice steps like auto-hiding your taskbar and desktop icons, but can deliver a truly next-level gaming experience.

Response time: Competitive shooters and MOBAs demand the quickest response times, so it’s best to play these types of games on monitors that offer a 1ms response time. Playing indie games and most single-player experiences shouldn’t be a problem on a display with a response time between 3-5ms – and it's pretty much impossible to find a monitor slower than this. The fastest monitors currently used OLED panels. Typically, these panels offer response times around 0.03ms. Paired with a high refresh rate of at least 144Hz, and preferably 240Hz, they offer the lowest input latency possible.

Refresh rate: This is another important measure of how responsive the display is, and it defines how often your screen can display a completely new image – essentially, it dictates your frame rate. 60Hz is the standard refresh rate for silky smooth PC gaming, but there’s a long list of monitor options that feature even higher refresh rates of 120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, 360Hz, and even up to 500Hz.

Basically, the higher the refresh rates, the more times the image on your screen will update every second, resulting in a smoother gameplay experience. Beyond the visual appeal of high refresh rate displays, they can be useful for gamers who need to keep up with the rapid movements competitive games demand. Generally, you’ll be at an advantage if you see your opponents and react before they do.

G-Sync vs FreeSync: Variable refresh rate (VRR) technology is a technology that ensures consistently smooth and responsive gaming experiences. Currently, there are two types of VRR – Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync – and they come with the prerequisite that you own a compatible graphics card from the corresponding brand. Nvidia GeForce cards allow you to enable VRR on any FreeSync monitor, but your results will vary.

At the most basic level, VRR syncs your monitor’s refresh rate with the number of frames your GPU outputs. This prevents screen tearing caused by the graphics card feeding your display multiple frames while it's in the middle of refreshing its picture. If your graphics card is running your game at 60fps, you’ll see your monitor refresh at exactly 60Hz with wonderfully smooth gameplay.

Our only other piece of advice when buying a gaming monitor is to make sure your video card can handle the resolution and refresh rate of the display you’re considering. It would be a waste of money to buy a 4K monitor when your GPU can only handle 1080p gaming.

Gaming Monitor vs. Gaming TV: Which Is Best for You?

Choosing a display to game with depends on personal preference and how you want to play. For a big screen gaming experience, opting for a great gaming TV can be a smart decision, but it's not the perfect fit for everyone.

Both gaming monitors and TVs have their own advantages when it comes to image quality. Mid-range and high-end TVs excel in brightness, contrast, and color due to their OLED panels or mini-LED backlights. That also lets them take on HDR content better than many monitors and sometimes do so at a lower cost than a comparable, smaller gaming monitor. That's not always the case, however, and depends highly on what specific features you're looking for.

As for gaming performance, you want a display with a low-input lag, high refresh rate, and solid pixel response times. Generally, this is where monitors go a notch above even the best 4K TVs.

The majority of monitors offer a super low-input lag, often adding just a few milliseconds delay between the input and the input appearing on screen. TVs are hit or miss, so it’s important to do your research before purchasing.

As for refresh rate, even budget monitors hit high frame rates, though you sacrifice resolution. These days, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a gaming monitor with a refresh rate below 120Hz, with some going up to 360Hz or even 500Hz. There’s also probably some type of VRR baked in for the smoothest frames possible. Gaming TVs still lag behind, with most 4K options landing on either 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rates, while adaptive sync technology is sometimes included.

Then there’s pixel response time, which is essential to avoid ghosting on screen. Both monitors and TVs perform similarly, though OLED panels often seen in TVs have an almost instantaneous response time.

Gaming monitors often provide better value in terms of price. Monitors that go for $200 still offer a wealth of gaming features, including a high refresh rate and adaptive sync. TVs around that same price are more than likely going to lack any type of gaming features. Even budget gaming TVs will set you back a good chunk of change with limited gaming features.

Many gaming TVs also lack important features that are common to gaming monitors. For example, it's common for OLED gaming TVs to lack any kind of standby mode. If you are using it for productivity at your PC, this can increase your risk of burn-in. Likewise, since televisions are designed to display content in motion at all times, typical productivity tasks like typing sometimes fail to trigger automatic dimming features.

Size is another important differentiation. Gaming monitors larger than 43 inches can be hard to come by, and even at that size, options are limited. If you plan to play games using a controller sitting back on a couch, this may be too small, making a gaming TV the better choice. If you instead want to use a very large screen at your desk to enhance your immersion, you'll also need to consider viewing distance. Large displays require you to sit further back to prevent needing to turn your head to every part of the screen. Gaming TVs typically lack adjustable stands, so you may need to look into a strong monitor arm or wall mount.

The added size can be a big benefit, however. For a number of years, I used a 48-inch monitor at my desk, mounted on the wall. While I did have to turn my head slightly, this allowed me to tile windows akin to a multi-monitor setup without the inconvenience of bezels separating the screens. If you are a multitasker, it can absolutely increase your productivity. For gaming, it was also very engaging since the screen took up far more of my field of view and made it easier to get lost in the games I played.

Gaming Monitor FAQ

What's the difference between Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync?

AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync are similar, using VRR technologies to synchronize the refresh rate of the display and the frame rate of the PC or console you’re gaming on. Both types of monitors have the same VESA Adaptive-Sync technical standard, and most FreeSync displays work as G-Sync-compatible, or vice versa, even if manufacturers can’t make the claim outright.

Each company offers different tiers of its VRR tech. On Team Green, Nvidia, you have G-Sync Compatible, G-Sync, and G-Sync Ultimate. G-Sync Compatible monitors have no special hardware or technology but are tested to ensure they will work with G-Sync using Nvidia graphics cards. Standard G-Sync takes that up a notch and offers daptive sync through a display’s entire refresh rate – other VRR systems usually begin at 48Hz and stop before the monitor's maximum output. G-Sync Ultimate monitors have special onboard processors and have been rigorously validated to ensure completely tear-free gameplay, great color reproduction, and "lifelike HDR."

Over at Team Red - that is, AMD - you'll also find monitors certified as FreeSync, FreeSync Premium, and FreeSync Premium Pro. Like G-Sync Compatible, basic FreeSync simply syncs your monitor with your graphics card to remove screen tearing. FreeSync Premium adds Low Framerate Compensation, a technology that helps ensure your gameplay remains smooth even if you're playing below 60 FPS. Finally, FreeSync Premium Pro adds support for HDR and wide color gamut and guarantees a refresh rate of at least 120Hz with low input latency.

What’s the best resolution for a gaming monitor?

The ideal resolution for your display really depends on your needs. If you’re after ultra-high refresh rates or have a more modest graphics card, 1080p is the way to go. These monitors are also going to be the most budget-friendly option.

For those that prefer a crisp display, 4K monitors keep pixel peeping to a minimum and are ideal for a 27-inch screen size or bigger. However, you won’t hit 500Hz like some Full HD offerings, and to enjoy a speedy refresh rate – like what the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM offers – you need to be willing to drop a good chunk of change. Driving those high frame rates will also be taxing on your system.

That leads us to the perfect middle ground: a 1440p display. You’ll enjoy a sharper resolution than 1080p, and hit impressively high frame rates. You will still need a mid-range or better graphics card, but if you have the hardware, these monitors are great for competitive gaming. Plus, you’ll find they’re often cheaper than UHD options.

Is HDR worth it?

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, typically brings more vivid colors, improved brightness, and better contrast than SDR, or Standard Dynamic Range on supported monitors, making images pop. In HDR games, that increased clarity provides richer details for a more enjoyable viewing experience and can possibly give you an edge over opponents. For those who gravitate towards those cinematic games, it’s worth finding a solid HDR monitor.

However, not all monitors that claim HDR support deliver a true HDR experience. True HDR, as I and many other display aficianados consider it, begins with a minimum of 1000 nits of peak brightness. Despite this, you can still enjoy a wider color gamut and better highlights and details with brightnesses above 600 nits. Contrast is also important and an area where many monitors fall short. Monitors using OLED or Mini-LED panels deliver the best contrast, with VA and IPS following in that order. Note that many monitors, even those from major brands, claim HDR support while only offering 400-nits or less of peak brightness. These monitors should be considered HDR compatible in that the can interpret and HDR signal but are unable to produce actual high dynamic range. Check out our guide on HDR for more info.

When is the best time to get a gaming monitor?

It's no secret that gaming monitors can get pretty pricey, so it's definitely worth checking out some of the big sales events that happen every year. Some of the best gaming monitor deals are available during Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Otherwise, whenever big tech companies like Asus or Dell announce new lineups of gaming monitors, you should check whether retailers have put previous models on sale.

Christopher Coke has been a regular contributor to IGN since 2019 and has been covering games and technology since 2013. He has covered tech ranging from gaming controllers to graphics cards, gaming chairs and gaming monitors, headphones, IEMs, and more for sites such as MMORPG.com, Tom’s Hardware, Popular Science, USA Today’s Reviewed, and Popular Mechanics. Find Chris on Twitter @gamebynight.