• The list in brief
1. Best OLED
2. Best LCD
3. Best 4K
4. Best curved
5. Best widescreen
6. Best for Xbox
7. Best budget
8. Best premium
9. Best high refresh rate
Gaming at your desktop is at its most enjoyable when you do it with a quality gaming monitor in front of you, regardless of whether you're playing on a traditional PC tower or a console like one of Microsoft's Xbox systems. However, choosing one to get isn't easy, and with the hundreds of options that're all over the market today, narrowing down which gaming monitor best suits your needs, your gaming setup, and your budget has never been harder.
To help you out, we've done the tough job for you by highlighting the very best options from our favorite, most consistent gaming monitor manufacturers. LG, Samsung, ASUS, Dell, Acer, and many other companies have a chance to earn a spot on this list if they deliver well-designed, high-quality, reliable products that offer the features PC gaming players are looking for. This includes high refresh rates, fast response times, a great balance of size and resolution, and even extra features like wide or curved screens, HDR support, and adaptive sync tech like NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync.
Best gaming monitors: The quick list
This glorious 32-inch QD-OLED from HP brings a jaw-dropping 4K gaming experience to those that can afford its hefty price tag. With gorgeous colors, a 240Hz refresh rate, an absurdly fast 0.3ms response time, and more, it stands as one of the best displays (a lot of) money can buy.
Alienware's flagship 27" LCD monitor dominates the combination because of its balanced QHD resolution and blistering fast 280Hz refresh rate. This is the best of both worlds before hitting OLED prices.
With beautiful colors and clarity, a 180Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms of response time, and the option to swap over to FHD at 360Hz for competitive gaming, this 4K panel from Alienware is an extremely versatile and reasonably priced 4K offering. In terms of overall bang for your buck, it sits above the competition.
Many curved monitors are also widescreen, but not this one. It's a standard 27-inch, 1440p display, but with a 240Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, and a tight 1000R curve perfect for keeping seeing everything at all times.
Alienware's premium curved gaming monitor uses Quantum Dot and OLED screen technologies to provide stunning picture quality and doesn't skimp on the gaming specs with a 165Hz refresh rate and 0.1ms response time.
The HP OMEN 27k isn't just one of the best gaming monitors for Xbox, it's all-around simply an awesome monitor for productivity, especially if you use multiple devices. Here, you're getting HDMI 2.1, 4K at 144Hz, HDR support, and KVM.
Budget monitors may be far cheaper than more premium offerings, but that doesn't mean they're bad. In fact, this one from Lenovo offers stellar value, with clean and colorful 1080p visuals at 240Hz (up to 280Hz with overclocking) and a 0.5ms response time. If you're on a budget, this is a must-buy.
"Ridiculous" doesn't even begin to cover the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 gaming monitor, a truly insane ultra-premium offering that aims to do it all, as long as you're willing to pay the exorbitant price tag. It's incredible, as you'd hope.
This is a high-performance 360Hz refresh rate gaming monitor, but doesn't compromise in any other category like competing options. It's still a gorgeous 27-inch, 1440p, QD-OLED panel with excellent color accuracy.
Best OLED gaming monitor
OLED displays are considerably more expensive than traditional LCD displays, but they feature significantly improved color gamuts, peak brightness levels, and contrast compared to their older counterparts. A variation of OLED called Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) further improves color and brightness for another bump up in price, and we'd be remiss if we didn't spotlight our favorite QD-OLED available right now: the HP OMEN Transcend 32.
Coming in at 32-inches, the HP OMEN Transcend 32 is pretty much the best gaming monitor a hardcore gamer with a beefy PC rig could ask for. The benefits of QD-OLED shine brightly — literally — on this gorgeous 4K panel, with a 240Hz refresh rate, jaw-dropping color accuracy, and impeccable brightness and contrast all ensuring that your experience will be as stunning as it is smooth. A ridiculously fast 0.3ms response time and support for both AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-SYNC mean that you'll never need to worry about input lag or screen tearing, also.
The Transcend's fantastic performance is complemented by the monitor's beautiful white and black two-tone design, with thin bezels, backlighting from a tasteful RGB strip, and a suite of bells and whistles like impressive speakers and a useful on-screen display (OSD) all making the panel a joy to use. The display's stand isn't as premium-feeling as we'd like it to be and the charging brick for peripherals is on the large side, though.
Ultimately, the HP OMEN Transcend 32 is a phenomenal gaming monitor, and easily one of the best (if not the best) OLED displays that money can buy. It's far from cheap, mind you, but you'll get what you paid for and then some. If you're after the ultimate 4K experience, don't overlook it.
Read our in-depth HP OMEN Transcend 32 review.
Best LCD gaming monitor
Alienware is one of the most popular gaming brands in the world, making a wide range of gaming hardware, accessories, and peripherals for every budget. The Alienware 27" Gaming Monitor (AW2723DF) sits in the higher echelons of Alienware's monitors, offering a high-end gaming experience with a backlit, LCD display.
Here, you're getting a 27-inch, 1440p screen with rock-solid build quality, support for every adaptive sync technology under the sun, eye-scorching max brightness, excellent color accuracy, and up to 280Hz refresh rate with display overclocking. Yeah, if your computer can handle it, you can crank up the refresh rate even higher than it is out of the box. There's also a plenty-fast 1ms response time, which is similar to other LCD gaming monitors.
This monitor excels in every category it aims at, plain and simple. It's insanely easy to set up (Dell typically does a great job with this), feels premium and durable, and dominates all the basic categories without getting too crazy. If you're like me and believe that 27-inches and 1440p is the sweet spot for a gaming monitor, this is the best you can get without spending a lot more on an OLED alternative.
It's well-calibrated out of the box, with high brightness and great HDR support that will make HDR content really pop on the screen. One of its only weaknesses is one that affects many LCD displays, and that's the existence of backlight bleed at low brightness levels, which results in some bright spots when the entire screen is dark. At the end of the day, this is one of the best monitors in its class, as long as you're willing to pay the price for it. There are a ton of more affordable 27-inch, 1440p monitors on the market, but none of them will be the same caliber as Alienware's AW2723DF.
It can also frequently be found on sale, which is a fantastic way to save some money and still get the monitor of your dreams. Unless you really need an ultrawide, curved, or 4K monitor, I easily recommend considering putting this monitor on your desk.
Read our in-depth Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor (AW2723DF) review.
Best 4K gaming monitor
4K monitors are often quite pricey compared to panels with lower resolutions, but that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to get one worth using. In fact, one of the best 4K displays we've ever used, Alienware's 27-inch AW2725QF model, is very reasonably priced considering how much you get with it. It's still a little pricier than other IPS 4K panels, but it also offers more value.
While it's not nearly as flashy as something like the aforementioned HP OMEN Transcend 32, this monitor still impresses with its sharp and color-accurate display that's complete with a high 180Hz refresh rate and an impressively low 0.5ms response time. You also get HDR support, and design-wise, the AW2725QF is very sleek and well-built.
What makes the AW2725QF stand out the most, though, is Alienware's inclusion of an alternative FHD mode that lowers the resolution down to 1080p, but boosts the refresh rate up to a sky-high 360Hz. That means you have the option of sacrificing sharpness for framerates of 300+, which makes this monitor incredibly versatile; you can stick to 4K 180Hz while playing more graphically impressive games, then swap over to FHD 360Hz when you switch to a competitive performance-focused title.
The display isn't perfect — its brightness in HDR is a bit too dim for our liking, and there's no audio jack to use with the best gaming headsets with (but you can connect those to your PC) — but it's great nevertheless, and a monitor we highly recommend if you like the sound of reasonably priced 4K excellence.
Read our in-depth Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor (AW2725QF) review.
Best curved gaming monitor
Samsung's foray into gaming monitors has seen a lot of successes so far, including the Samsung Odyssey G7 27-inch curved gaming monitor pictured above. This monitor shirks the trend of other curved displays by retaining the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio (versus the wider aspect ratios of other monitors), and brings a tight 1000R curve that will be immediately noticeable the moment you unbox it.
This aggressive curve is supposed to match the curvature of your eye, providing unmatched peripheral vision and letting you see all of the screen at once. Samsung combined this curve with a pixel dense 1440p resolution, a blistering fast 240Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, and support for both NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro adaptive sync technologies.
The initial assembly can be awkward (few companies make it as easy as Dell does), and you may need to calibrate the display a little during setup. Once you're situated, though, the Odyssey G7 looks incredible. The QLED panel is bright, fast, and responsive, and that curve can be beneficial for gaming and productivity. You also get HDR600 support, so HDR content really pops on this colorful display.
A high contrast ratio further aids HDR content and generally raises the picture quality, while a healthy number of ports (DisplayPort, HDMI, and a handful of USB ports for peripherals) gives you plenty of options for connectivity.
If you're looking for a curved display that isn't widescreen, this is easily among the very best. Of course, it's also on the pricey side of things, although you can now usually find it on sale to save some money. Curved monitors are very popular with gamers for the tangible benefits, but you usually have to pay a little bit more for the privilege. Samsung's offering gives you quality, features, and that lovely curve in one attractive package.
Best widescreen gaming monitor
Alienware makes another appearance on the list, this time with the QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor 34". This is a premium display through and through and boasts a wide 21:9 aspect ratio with a 1800R curve for a lot more screen real estate. For those who want to multitask like a pro or play ultrawide games, this is the monitor to buy.
Alienware combined OLED and Quantum Dot technologies for incredible color reproduction, resulting in a gorgeous, vivid, and bright image. You may have to calibrate the monitor out of the box to get the image you want, but you'll be able to get it. It's not the brightest monitor, but Alienware does take full advantage of the HDR400 standard to support HDR games and other content.
Of course, this is also a gaming monitor. The QD-OLED 34-inch display supports up to 175Hz, with a 0.1ms response time with its fastest settings and NVIDIA G-SYNC Ultimate for the best adaptive sync you can get. There are also additional USB ports for peripheral connectivity, which is always nice to see. If you love your cable management and don't want to see all of those ports, the well-designed chassis also includes a seamless cover to hide it all away.
Alienware has put in thought to combat OLED burn-in over the years, too, with plenty of thermal management, a pixel refresh feature, and a three-year warranty to service the monitor or get replacements should you ever be afflicted with OLED burn-in. This problem is much less prominent than in years past, but it's still good to see companies put in further effort to improve matters.
It's an incredible gaming monitor, through and through, but there's one caveat — It's expensive. The AW3423DW monitor retails for $1,299.99, so you'll have to ensure you want a display of this caliber before pulling the trigger. If you want to save a fair bit of cash, though, the Alienware AW3423DWF is available from Dell for hundreds less. It's almost the exact same monitor, too, but you are losing NVIDIA G-SYNC Ultimate (you get AMD FreeSync Premium Pro instead) and a 165Hz refresh rate.
Read our in-depth Alienware 34 QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF) review.
Best gaming monitor for Xbox
The Xbox Series X is a beast of a console, with a lot of high-end gaming features for players to enjoy. Normally, you'd want to connect your Xbox to a large-screen TV in the living room, but the best 4K TVs that fully support the Xbox Series X's capabilities can be expensive. If you want to play at your desk and save a bit of cash in the process, the HP OMEN 27k is an excellent gaming monitor... And it works great with other devices, too.
This 27-inch monitor has all the features it needs to make your Xbox Series X shine. It features a 4K, IPS LCD display with great colors and detail plus a 144Hz refresh rate. That means you can play all the best Xbox games at up to 4K and 120FPS with ease on the Xbox Series X. HP's monitor also features a 1ms response time, VESA DisplayHDR 400 support, and both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC for variable refresh rate support.
An HDMI 2.1 port plus plenty of other input and data ports means the OMEN 27k is well set-up to power your gaming sessions, but the HP OMEN 27k happens to be a great monitor for work and play. That's because it features a KVM switch that allows you to control multiple devices with one keyboard and mouse. If you prefer to console game at a desk, you can still get work done on the side quickly and easily. Built-in speakers also mean you don't have to use one of the best Xbox headsets, although those speakers aren't great in terms of quality.
HP has priced this monitor competitively considering the feature set and overall quality, but it can still feel a little costly at full price. Fortunately, I frequently see the OMEN 27k go on sale, making it a bargain for a high-performance 4K gaming monitor with solid picture quality and color accuracy.
If the Xbox console you're planning to use is the Xbox Series S, this monitor is a little overkill, as the Series S supports up to 1440p and 120FPS and uses up to HDMI 2.0. I suggest taking a look at the next monitor, our top budget pick, which is great at 1080p and 120Hz. There are monitors in between that fill the sweet spot for the Xbox Series S, so keep on eye on this page as we update it with more of the best gaming monitors you can buy.
Read our in-depth HP OMEN 27k review.
Best budget gaming monitor
Lots of low-cost budget gaming monitors give you decent visuals and features, but a select few punch above their price points and provide serious bang for your buck. One such display is Lenovo's Legion R27fc-30, a panel that released last November to much acclaim from reviewers and gamers alike.
Despite coming in well under the $250 mark, this monitor still delivers some impressive performance with a 240Hz refresh rate (overclockable up to 280Hz), a very speedy 0.5ms response time, and great colors and contrast. It's only 1080p and doesn't come with the fancy features you'll find on the pricier monitors discussed in this list, but it's still better than most cheaper displays you'll find on the market.
It's got a few problems — mainly that its stand is very large and takes up a lot of desk space, and that its onboard speakers are pretty weak — but aside from that, it's a simple, yet very capable FHD monitor with a better refresh rate and response time than what you'll find on alternatives. For that reason, it's undoubtedly one of the best budget gaming monitors available, and the one we recommend.
Read our in-depth Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 review.
Best premium gaming monitor
Need the most ludicrous monitor money can buy and have the money to spend on it? Look no further than the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 49", one of the most feature-packed and premium gaming monitors we've seen from the company so far. This monitor does it all, but it's going to charge you a very pretty penny for the privilege of having it on your desk.
The ultrawide 32:9 display is the equivalent of two normal QHD 1440p monitors fused together, with OLED screen tech providing beautiful and vibrant colors, perfect contrast, and excellent gaming features like a 240Hz refresh rate, a 0.3ms response time, AMD FreeSync Premium support, and more. Words can scarcely describe how impressive this monitor is, but you'll need to make sure it can even fit on your desk.
This is a curved monitor with a 1800R curve, which makes it easier to view all the many, many things you can display on it. It's all encased in a premium, well-built body with thin bezels and a sturdy stand, with Samsung's Gaming Hub software baked in for good measure. You also get HDR400 support, but this monitor's average brightness means this isn't the very best monitor for HDR content. Built-in speakers provide a great built-in audio experience, and included USB ports give you more ways to connect your peripherals.
It's a brilliant blend of design and features for those who need a ton of multitasking space, want a flagship gaming experience, and desire the benefits that OLED provides. There are a lot of good things about this monitor, but it is incredibly expensive. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 retails for $2,199.99, which is as much as a solid gaming PC.
If you want a lot of this same experience but at a lower price, Samsung also makes a QLED version of the Samsung Odyssey G9. It's the same size, but you lose the contrast and vibrant colors of OLED, get a 1000R curve, and get a slower (but still great) 1ms response rate. You do get better HDR support with a much higher brightness, though, and the Samsung Odyssey QLED G9 49" can be had for $1,499.99 at Samsung.
Best high refresh rate gaming monitor
When it comes to competitive gaming, two specs matter more than anything in your monitor: refresh rates and response times. The former is how quickly your monitor refreshes to display new information, and the latter is how quickly your monitor can react to changes. These go hand-in-hand to reduce end-to-end latency and ensure that in a one-on-one confrontation, you always have the upper hand. Historically, though, high refresh rate monitors often sacrificed on either screen size or resolution (or both). That's changing, now.
The Alienware 27 QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF) is a marvel of a gaming display, pairing the latest QD-OLED panel with some of the best specs on the market. You're getting a roomy 27-inch display with a blisteringly fast 360Hz refresh rate and the 0.03ms response time only possible with high-end OLED displays. The best part? This monitor still boasts a 1440p resolution, ensuring the games you play are as sharp as they are smooth.
You'd expect this beast of a monitor to compromise in some areas, but it really doesn't. This QD-OLED panel is bright, colorful, vibrant, and surprisingly color accurate. There are plenty of ports to connect your devices and peripherals, too. And you get all of this for just $899.99 at Dell; yes, that's still quite expensive for a monitor, but it's surprisingly competitive considering the features and capabilities of the AW2725DF. This is an extremely well-balanced monitor that would stand out in the best ways at an esports event.
It's not perfect, though. For one, there is no official NVIDIA G-SYNC support, limiting you to AMD FreeSync Premium Pro or VESA Adaptive Sync. That's fine for most people, but is still a potential downside. There's also no built-in speakers or webcams, and the Alienware Command Center software is still a little rough around the edges. That's really it, though. This is an incredible monitor.
Read our in-depth Alienware 27 QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF) review.
What do you need from your gaming monitor?
Monitors are complicated peripherals, with a lot of hardware and technology combining in different ways for different purposes. Creative displays will prioritize consistent, industry-leading color accuracy, high resolutions, and features like greater mounting options. General productivity displays may focus on value, durable builds, greater connectivity, and multitasking features.
Gaming monitors prioritize performance over anything. This means higher refresh rates so that your monitor matches your computer's performance to deliver smooth gameplay. It means fast response times, so your monitor can keep up with even the most hectic, fast-paced action and your input. It means supporting features like NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync to ensure that your computer and monitor are always in perfect sync. Sometimes, it also means fancy features like an outlandish design or RGB lighting.
For most people, the budget will be the first consideration for your gaming monitor. You can find decent gaming monitors starting at around the $250-300 mark, but prices can quickly rise as you add more features and higher end specs. Some monitors can cost as much as a great gaming PC! After you decide your budget, you'll want to decide what you want from your monitor.
Do you want a higher resolution for greater graphical fidelity? Or do you prefer a higher refresh rate for competitive, high-performance gaming? What size monitor do you want? Do you want it to be curved or even ultrawide? Do you need HDR support, like Dolby Vision? What kind of display type do you want? If you need more info on display types, you can check our guide on OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs miniLED. The answers to all of these questions can help you narrow down what kind of monitor you want. Hopefully, we have the perfect option listed above.
