The best budget 4K monitors are hard to come by, so, we set out to find only the best.
The monitors listed here have vibrant IPS or VA panels, and the best HDMI 2.1 connectivity. That said, when you’re looking for a budget 4K monitor – you do have to really consider the trade offs.
For example, if you’re budget is under $400, you might not get a really high refresh rate. Instead, you might consider having a look at our best 1440p gaming monitors, which offer refresh rates past 165Hz, 1440p resolution, and fairly amicable budget prices.
If you’re a competitive gamer – you’re going to want to hone in on that fast refresh rate display with a quick response time. This means you might consider the best 240Hz or even 360Hz gaming monitors. But, if you’re playing immersive and graphically intensive games 4k is a great choice.
With a 4K screen, you can really feel a part of the world you are gaming in. For example, if you get yourself a budget friendly 4K monitor with HDR like the ASUS VP32UQ, along with a great racing wheel and play a game like Need For Speed Unbound, there is a level of immersion there that a competitive level gaming monitor can’t offer.
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Equally, if you’re not after the best performance or the most immersive gameplay – the best gaming monitors under 300 will be an even better option than a budget 4K monitor.
Best budget 4K monitor
Our monitor selection is hand-picked with the opinions of WePC & Videogamer’s in-house monitor expert, Charles Noon, guiding us. The monitors on this list meet his expectations, whilst we also build off the reviews and technical testing of the best gaming monitors he has done for us.
Best budget 4K gaming monitor – ASUS TUF 28-inch VG289Q
ASUS TUF VG289Q
The ASUS TUF 28-inch VG289Q is one of the best budget 4K gaming monitors on the market right now. With a stunning IPS panel, 4K resolution and 5ms response time – you couldn’t ask for much more at this price range.
WePC’s monitor expert hails the monitor in his ASUS TUF VG289Q review, stating that “it ticks all the right boxes and offers the market something it was definitely lacking.”
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This is a great monitor not only for casual gaming, but also for graphic designers and video editors with the 99.7% sRGB, 82.8% Adobe RGB, and 87.4% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage.
If you’re a competitive gamer, it’s not recommended that you go after this monitor due to the capped 60Hz refresh rate, meaning that you could encounter screen tearing on some games. If you have used monitors above this refresh rate – you’re bound to notice it, however, when playing single player games and more immersive titles, the ASUS TUF 28-inch VG289Q is a great budget 4K monitor.
Best budget 4K monitor for photo editing – Samsung UJ590
Samsung UJ590
The Samsung UJ590 is another great budget 4K monitor more suited to creatives and content creators such as graphic designers, video editors, and programmers.
This monitor allows for 4K output up to 60Hz on one HDMI 2 port, however the Display Port and other HDMI 1.4 port only support 4K at 30Hz. This means that you’re limited in terms of connectivity, however, this should only be a problem if you’re a gamer. For content creators, this shouldn’t be a problem as you’re unlikely going to be needing to work past 60Hz in any creative suite.
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At 32-inches its one of the best monitor size for gaming. You’ll be seeing great 3840 x 2160 resolution visuals at a great 16:9 aspect ratio, while AMD FreeSync and ALLM optimise any gaming that you will undertake.
Overall, the Samsung UJ590 is a great budget 4K monitor.
Best budget 4K monitor under 200 – Sceptre U275W
Maybe the cheapest 4K monitor out there right now, the Sceptre U275W is the reason that nobody should be buying a monitor that is not 4K anymore. At just under $200, you won’t find a better price for 4K resolution.
With an IPS panel and up to 70Hz refresh rate, this is a great budget friendly and entry level monitor. With Display Port, you can use this monitor at 70Hz, one HDMI 2.1 allows for 60Hz, and the other HDMI ports allow for 30Hz. This isn’t ideal connectivity, though for the cheap price, you can’t really have any complaints.
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We don’t recommend this monitor for gamers who enjoy competitive gaming, but instead for those playing non-intensive single player games. If you’re a fan of Flight Simulator, you might pair this with one of the best flight sticks for MFS to immerse yourself in the skies.
You can buy the Sceptre U275W here.
Best budget 4K monitor with HDR – ASUS VP32UQ
The ASUS VP32UQ is a great budget 4K monitor with HDR 10+ compatibility. One of the slightly more expensive monitors on this list, this is for those who really need to nail down colour accuracy and visual representation. HDR 10+ exhumes the best quality and colours out of your monitor, and when you’re using a 4K monitor, you’d be severely missing out if you don’t have it.
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The IPS panel allows for a large viewing angle on the monitor which can become extremely bright, whilst the Adaptive Sync levels out screen-tearing and any visual artefacts from the display. Alongside that, there is Low Blue-Light tech installed via ASUS Eye Care, protecting your eyes from long-haul working sessions.
This is more suited to those seeking a 4K monitor for entertainment purposes – perhaps as a TV and movie hub for a bedroom that a TV might not fit into properly. It’s also great for gaming on with consoles, however, PC gamers might not feel entirely adequate with this monitor. You can check the price of the ASUS VP32UQ.
Best budget 4K curved monitor – Phillips E-Line 328E1CA
Phillips E-Line 328E1CA
The Phillips E-Line 328E1CA is a great budget option for those looking for a curved 4K monitor. With all the standard specifications we’d expect for a 4K monitor, including 60Hz refresh rate and a 4ms response time, this monitor also benefits from the curved viewing angle.
This is great for anyone playing immersive games and wants to experience an ergonomic angle that bolsters their gameplay, but perhaps even more likely this is great for anyone working on their computer for long hours and wants to increase their workflow and focus.
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One caveat is the lack of HDMI 2.1 and Display Port 1.6, though these aren’t really necessary for anyone who isn’t playing games past 60Hz, which you can’t on this monitor to begin with.
Overall, this is a good budget monitor for anyone interested in a curved screen, and you can check the price here: Phillips E-Line 328E1CA.
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s a few things to know before you head into buying a new monitor, and when you’re looking at the budget end of the spectrum there’s a few more things that might bottleneck your choices. We’ve covered the most important information for you here:
Are budget 4K monitors worth it?
Budget and cheap monitors are worth it due to the high resolution you’re offered, and low price. The downsides included limited refresh rates and panel types, which are only really a problem for gaming.
Who makes the best budget 4K monitors?
ASUS make the best budget 4K monitors, with their ASUS TUF monitors featuring on our list. Aside from that Samsung and BenQ make quality assured monitors you’d be perfectly happy with.
Is 2560 x 1440 a 4K monitor?
No, 4K resolution is 3840 x 2160.
Is 4K better than 1080p for gaming?
In terms of resolution, 4K trumps 1080p since it boasts over 4 times as many pixels. However, 4K demands a lot from your GPU, so if you want to high frame rates, 1080p is probably better than 4K.
What GPU do I need for a 4K gaming monitor?
We recommend at least Nvidia’s RTX 3080, with Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor to work well with 4K.
Is 4K noticeably better than 1440p?
Absolutely, with four times as many pixels as 1440p, 4K translates to a crisper, sharper image.
