When it comes to monitors, a 1440p resolution, otherwise known as 2560 x 1440 is pretty ideal. This is due to the fact that this resolution is viable for most tasks, be it for office use, everyday use or gaming.
That's right, you won't need to specifically get one of the best gaming monitors to have a smooth, stutter-free and immersive gaming experience, and you won't have to spend an exorbitant amount of money on it either.
A 1440p resolution monitor strikes the perfect balance between purchasing a state-of-the-art gaming monitor with top end specs and a respectable, excellent monitor which is also budget-friendly. Another great advantage of 1440p monitors is that many of them come with high refresh rates, such as 144Hz. Refresh rates are particularly important for gaming, as they can help you potentially see or anticipate other players' moves and catch on to what they haven't.
Before deciding which monitor deserves your money, you may also want to consider screen size. As for gamers, a larger screen size can provide a more immersive experience, and you can truly sink into the game. 1440p monitors come in a wide range of sizes, starting at 24 inches and ranging all the way up to 32 inches.
The best budget 1440p monitors
Editor's pick
Gigabyte have managed to bring a feature-packed monitor at a very reasonable price. It boasts excellent viewing angles, so even when viewed from the side, the images remain accurate, with a very fast refresh rate of 144Hz, and in bright lighting, the screen gives off little to no glare. The integrated speakers produce crisp audio, and it also has two USB ports. Ultimately we highly recommend this for gaming, it is less suited for office work as it has poor ergonomics.
Pros
- Overcomes glare easily
- Excellent viewing angles
Cons
- Below average ergonomics
| Screen: | 27 inches |
| Resolution: | 1440p |
| Refresh rate: | 144Hz |
| VRR: | FreeSync |
Best budget 1440p monitor for gaming
A very close contender is the ASUS ROG Strix XG27WQ. It boasts a 1440p curved screen which is excellent for gaming, a VA panel, and an incredibly quick 165Hz refresh rate. With an excellent sRGB coverage of 125%, you'll be getting incredibly bright, vibrant and sharp colours.
Pros
- Crisp, vivid colours
- Fast refresh rate
Cons
- Quite costly
| Screen: | 27 inches |
| Resolution: | 1440p |
| Refresh rate: | 165Hz |
| VRR: | FreeSync Premium Pro |
Best budget 1440p monitor for everything
If you're looking for a more versatile monitor, then this might just be it, it's excellent for gaming as well as any office tasks. With a large 31.5-inch screen, you'll have a great display size for any zoom meetings or work you'll need to do. It's also ideal for anyone searching for a more immersive gaming experience, and also boasts plenty of ports.
Pros
- Large screen
- Fast refresh rate
Cons
- No HDR support
| Screen: | 31.5 inches |
| Resolution: | 1440p |
| Refresh rate: | 144Hz |
| VRR: | FreeSync |
Best budget 1440p monitor overall
Of course this is a guide on the best budget 1440p monitors after all, so if you're truly looking to spend as little as possible without compromising on quality, we recommend the ASUS ProArt Display. It's excellent for gamers and professionals alike, as it features an sRGB coverage of 100% and has superb ergonomics. It's important to note that the refresh rate is a little on the slower side, so if you're a serious gamer, this may not be the monitor for you.
Pros
- Very wide viewing angles
- Superb ergonomics
Cons
- Average refresh rate
| Screen: | 27 inches |
| Resolution: | 1440p |
| Refresh rate: | 75Hz |
| VRR: | Adaptive Sync |
This model brought by MSI delivers everything you'd need from a monitor. With plenty of ports, reduced blue light, which lessens eye strain, a superb response time and excellent gaming performance, there's very little this monitor isn't suited for. We especially love its sleek design and curved screen, as this provides quite an immersive gaming experience.
Pros
- Excellent response time
- Plenty of ports
Cons
- Not the best colour performance
| Screen: | 27 inches |
| Resolution: | 1440p |
| Refresh rate: | 165Hz |
| VRR: | FreeSync |
What is VRR?
This stands for Variable Refresh Rate. This essentially allows your monitor to adjust how frequently it refreshes the image to match the frame rate from your PC or console, ensuring you have a very seamless gaming experience in terms of the imagery displayed.
What monitor size should I go for?
In relation to gaming, the monitor size will depend on the pixel density and how far away you're sitting from the screen. A high pixel density means the display can show more detail, this is why we don't recommend anything below 24 inches as it won't have a good enough display.
For professional use and everyday use, it will again depend on how far away you're sitting from the screen, as you won't want to strain your eyesight either way. We recommend between 24 to 32 inches maximum. Anything smaller or larger, and you're risking getting migraines or eye fatigue.
Isabel Martins is a Commercial Content Writer for What's The Best, specialising in technology.
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