Best gaming monitor 2024 – top picks for PC and console

Looking for the best gaming monitors to appreciate the beauty of all the latest games? Then you have come to the right place.

For gamers, the monitor is a window to the soul of the game, and just like any soul, the goal is to achieve balance and serenity. Of course, if immersing yourself in your favourite game appeals to you, consider our top picks for best ultrawide gaming monitors. If you’re more causal and fancy a top TV, make sure to check out our LG C2 review – which can double up as a fantastic gaming monitor.

Before launching in, you need to know what kind of gaming you’re using your monitor for. If you’re looking for the best monitor for PS5, you’ll need to look at monitors with an HDMI 2.1 port. Or maybe you need to cater to your graphics card, and need one of the best 1440p gaming monitors to prioritise fast response times. With this in mind, let’s get stuck in.

OLED gaming is no longer science fiction. Dell’s Alienware 34 QD-OLED gaming monitor is truly a feat of engineering, worthy of being the best monitor for F1 23. It offers some truly incredible features in performance, whilst opening the door for gamers to experience some of the best-looking gameplay that money can buy! 

Few monitors look as good as the AW3423DW compared to any other LCD-based monitors. With an ultra-wide display and OLED panel the pull of Dell’s Alienware 34 QD-OLED is certainly the image quality and display, so to deliver on performance puts this monitor leagues above the rest. 

The AW3423DW’s curved display makes a masterful complement to the stunning OLED capabilities. And if that curved 34-inch, 21:9 viewing wasn’t enough, the AW3423DW has two HDR modes (HDR 400 True Black or HDR Peak 1000) to make your gaming experience as immersive as possible through both wide angles and nuanced image control. 

Whilst the AW3423DW is by far the most capable monitor, it doesn’t boast as many inputs as other monitors on this list, including HDMI 2.1, meaning that console gaming might not make it the best fit for you, especially on the higher end of the price range. However, perhaps whilst not the most multi-purpose monitor, it’s highest capable output excels beyond the other monitors on this list. If HDMI 2.1 is what you need, we’ve researched the best HDMI 2.1 monitors that should be better suited to your needs.

If you got for this monitor make sure you check out the best ultrawide monitor arms, as one of these is often a savvy purchase that can stabilise your ultrawide monitor, as well as making it infinitely more adjustable.

LG’s premium 4K gaming monitor is one speedy bit of gear. You can rely on this monitor to deliver highly accurate color with 163 pixels per inch. This translates to an impressive display that allows you to sit close to the monitor without seeing dots.

We’ve chosen this monitor for its impressive refresh rate at 144 Hz. You’ll need a good graphics card to cope with the demands of this monitor as it boasts AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync Compatibility so if you’re all set in that department, this monitor is a sound investment.

If you are looking for a higher end graphics card, but feel like you can’t splash out, consider the best RTX 4070 graphics cards.

The Nitro XV282K is also an excellent all-round 4K monitor for gaming. If you need greater depth, make sure you check out WePC’s review. It’s able to keep up with high-quality image whilst maintaining extremely fast speeds. You can trust that this monitor is more than capable of anything that you chuck at it.

Coming in at 27in, smaller than the AW3423DW, it doesn’t have the luxury of ultrawide viewing. However, what it lacks in size compared to the top spot it certainly makes up for in terms of screen resolution. A smaller, yet fast and reactive 4K monitor is nothing to sniff at! With 3840 x 2160 resolution, the Nitro is amazing quality.

If the worry is that high res will result in slow response times and refresh rates, then worry not! The Nitro holds up 170Hz refresh rate with a blistering 1ms response time. Not only this, but it’s one of the first monitors to offer not one, but two HDMI 2.1 inputs (unlike the AW3423DW), so you can easily reach the full extent of that high refresh rate without compromise. It’s smooth, quick and input lag is very low.

The Nitro sports an IPS FreeSync panel type, meaning reduced screen tearing but an unfortunate low contrast ratio. This means that the Nitro performs less well in darker rooms than other monitors.

Overall, the HDMI 2.1 inputs and the all round stunning performance of the Nitro XV282K means it is perfect for console gamers, a factor in which it has the edge over the top spot.

If it is a little out of your budget, but you like the idea of gaming in 4K, check out the best budget 4K monitors.

The combination of affordability and features in gaming monitors is always a fine line to tread. With an IPS panel and 400 nit brightness, the X27q can even take on HDR. That’s right, if you want one of the best IPS or HDR monitors, then you’ve probably found it. No matter what you’re looking at, it’ll have depth and vibrancy, and that 1440p is a tested sweet spot for 27-inch screens. Granted, the X27q doesn’t have wider colour gamut support, and the contrast ratio of 1000:1 won’t be the best out there, but for this price, who’s complaining?

Certainly tailored to your faster-paced games out there, offering an impressive 165Hz at such a low price with IPS FreeSync adaptable technology NOT to mention a competitive 1ms response time which really gives more expensive monitors a run for their money.

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to include everything the non-budgeted monitors have to offer, so HP have not included many inputs, with only one HDMI 2.0 (and not HDMI 2.1), and a DisplayPort. However, this DisplayPort will make it super easy to connect to your PC, whilst the HDMI 2.0 will allow you to game on your console at 144Hz. Therefore, the X27q is able to cover most of the necessities. If you’re familiar with HP and trust the brand, take a look at the best HP gaming monitor.

The Gigabyte M32U is your perfect mid-range gaming monitor with some rather impressive tricks up its sleeve. A curved, 32-inch screen with 4K resolution, HDR, HDMI 2.1 ports AND built-in speakers make this monitor truly a swiss army knife when it comes to attractive features, and certainly ticks a lot of our boxes. For a total breakdown of the most important features, head over to WePC for a comprehensive review of the M32U.

The HDMI 2.1 ports make this an excellent choice for the console gamer, whilst the DisplayPort allows you to connect your PC stress-free. The 4K resolution does offer 120Hz gaming capabilities, which is markedly slower than some of the options on this list, however in tests it had very low input lag and operated smoothly with fast-paced objects.

Although not officially supported, it functions with NVIDIA’s G-SYNC Compatible feature. It’s also fully compatible with the PS5, and it supports most formats from the Xbox Series X. Pair this with a few built-in features like a built-in KVM switch (Keyboard Video and Mouse) which makes multitasking effortless, and you have the recipe for an outstanding mid-range monitor.

Despite performing poorly in scores for low contrast ratio (1000:1), and even worse for dimming features, the monitor cannot be denied as a worthy competitor on this list.

The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is one of those rare monitors that can do almost no wrong and is perfect for almost any situation you want to chuck at it. Any angle you want to come at it, this monitor will provide excellent performance. Consider the VG27AQ an empty canvas, and you, the gamer, are the artist.

When I say any angle, I do quite literally mean any angle. Thanks to the VG27AQ’s IPS panel, the image remains accurate at an angle. Unfortunately, as is the case with many IPS panels, the image may remain accurate, but blacks look grey in a dark room.

As far as speed and performance go, it’s very hard to find fault within the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ. Given the 165Hz refresh rate, and a remarkably low input lag with break-neck 1ms response time together with G-SYNC Compatible, eliminating ghosting and tearing, the VG27AQ looks quick, yet also retains image quality and clarity.

If this wasn’t enough, what sets it apart from other 1440p monitors on this list is a new feature called ELMB-Sync (Extreme Low Motion Blur-Sync). This is ASUS’ proprietary technology to reduce eye tracking motion blur. In short, it’s a form of backlight strobing tech that eradicates any blur on the display by effectively turning off the monitor backlight of the monitor between refreshes.

However, as space age as this seems, you will be capped at fixed framerates like 85Hz, 100Hz, and 120Hz. It is recommended that you use it at a higher frequency than 120Hz, but this will sacrifice the use of the HDR.

With some seriously impressive specifications, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is a sure-fire success for any gamer looking to spend around $300. Alternatively, if ASUS is your go-to brand for gaming, consider the best ASUS gaming monitors too.

Features to consider when choosing the best gaming monitor

Gaming monitor screen resolution

If you want your game to look good as well as feel good, prioritise picking the right resolution.

The resolution tells you the number of pixels displayed on your monitor in width x height. As a basic rule: the higher the resolution, the more pixels on the screen, the higher the picture quality.

2560 x 1440 (aka 1440p resolution) is the recommended resolution in 2024 for gaming.

You also need to match your monitor with your graphic card and the performance specifications of your PC. Gaming monitors vary in resolution so it’s always safe to double-check what your PC can handle. Some gaming monitors offer anything from the resolutions listed below. Don’t be off-put when aiming lower than the highest – the goal is to optimise your monitor’s performance. 

• 2560 x 1080
• 3440 x 1440
• 3840 x 1600
• 5120 x 2160 (4K resolution)
• 7680 x 4320 (8K resolution)

Gaming monitor response times

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to play a game on a slow monitor.

Response times tell us how long it takes the monitor to generate images. The faster the time, the more responsive the monitor, with smoother display and higher refresh rates. Generally, gaming monitors should be considered when the response time is 4ms or less.

Gaming monitor refresh rates

Response times and refresh rates work in unison. Your refresh rate tells you the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second, measured in hertz.

Quite the opposite to response times, the bigger this number is, the better. Typically for gaming, monitors offer around 120Hz, however, the minimum refresh rate needed is at least 75Hz.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I get a gaming monitor?

If you are intending to game using a monitor, and you’re interested in getting the most out of your gaming experience, you should definitely look to invest in a monitor that was designed specifically with gaming in mind. Whilst they might have great resolution, normal monitors 9/10 will not cut it on refresh rates and response times that are there top make sure powerful games are able to run smoothly.

What’s the average cost of a gaming monitor?

This answer varies greatly. In 2024, gaming monitors can range from anything like $120 at its very cheapest to nearing on $1,500 at the highest end. A good quality gaming monitor with all of your needs will set you back around the $400-700 neck of the woods.

Is 240Hz better than 144Hz?

On paper, 240Hz is a larger refresh rate and is therefore objectively better than 144Hz. However, there are monitors out there with capabilities of 360Hz and above, so there’s definitely always a bigger fish. Remember, the higher that number is the more strain it’ll put on your computer, and the less your chances of a fast response time. Whilst 120Hz is considered the gaming industry standard sweet spot, we can predict that this number will only increase with time, just as this pick of the best gaming monitors suggests.

What are the most important specs to look for in a monitor?

The most important specs include resolution, size and refresh rates.