To see what your gaming PC can offer, a truly great gaming monitor is essential – it’s a window into your system’s tech-soul, allowing you to see its true level of performance.
Gaming monitors aren’t just standard monitors jammed into flashy casings. Much like dedicated gaming keyboard or gaming mouse, they are packed with ingenious tech solutions, each more brilliant than the last, each working to elevate your gaming experience. No more will frame stutters, dull-grey blacks, over-bright whites, and jagged edges, ruin your immersion.
In addition to the anticipated fare of impressive resolutions and quality panel types, the best gaming monitors will come loaded: high refresh rates to keep the frames pumping on through; lightspeed response times to reduce the input lag; proprietary synchronisation technologies G-Sync and FreeSync keep everything looking as can be, and more besides.
To help you find the one that will work for you, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite gaming monitors available today from all brands, budgets and for all specifications. It’s now up to you to make the choice that works for you – and remember to double-check that your system and GPU are compatible! Here are the best gaming monitors:
What's the best gaming monitor?
Ultimate gaming screen
This certified-unit from Samsung measures in at 49-inches, with an aspect ratio of 32:9, a resolution of 3840 X 1080, a refresh rate of 144Hz, and a response time of 1ms. The monitor operates as two separate monitors, having two inputs which are flawlessly aligned to create one curved, very long, unbroken display. It is the ultimate monitor for immersive gameplay (without a VR headset). You'll want to make sure that you've got the hardware to run it, but if you can you're in for an absolute treat.
- 49-inch screen
- 1800R curved panel
- QLED HDR
- 32:9 aspect ratio
- 3840 x 1080 resolution
- 144Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- AMD FreeSync2
- Connections: 2 HDMI, 1 DP
Editor’s choice
When we reviewed the AOC Q27G2U, we found it to be more than just another affordable gaming monitor. It's a 27-inch behemoth, loaded with a razor-sharp response time, stunning display, and enough customisable settings to keep even the most avid tinkerers happy. As a VA panel monitor with 121% sRGB coverage, the colour representation is deep and vibrant, and it's a real treat to be able to access its colour credentials with such respectable speeds. We used it for everything u2013 gaming on PC, PS4 Pro and Switch, watching Netflix, and even during the 9-5 workday. It's immersive, versatile, and an absolute bargain.
- 27-inch screen
- VA Panel
- HDR
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- QHD 2560x1440 resolution
- 144Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- Adaptive Sync
- Connections: 2 HDMI, 1 DP
Best curved monitor
MSI has delivered a spectacular monitor in the MAG272. The 27-inch curved display is elegant and immersive, the HDR and WQHD resolution produces a crisp and vibrant image, and the 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time keeps everything operating with a formidable fluidity. If you're looking to set up a multi-display battle station, the thin edge bezel makes MSI's offering an exciting choice.
- 27-inch screen
- 1500R curved panel
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- WQHD 2,560 x 1,440 screen resolution
- 165Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- AMD FreeSync
- Connections: HDMI, DP
Best for 4K
Rrp: £313.48
BenQ has created something quite special with the EL2870U. It's an unassuming 28-inch monitor, but inside lurks a huge 3,840 x 2,160 resolution or, Ultra HD 4K. This, coupled with the HDR, makes for a glorious image display. Four HDR modes can be selected on the fly via an onboard button, each allowing the most suitable clarity to be selected for the currently displayed content. The refresh rate is impressive too, sitting at 135Hz with a 1ms response time. The monitor shows what it's made of during single-player campaigns such as Middle-earth: Shadow of War or Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where you have ample time to stop and soak in the beauty. Just make sure you've got the hardware to run it.
- 28-inch screen
- TN pane
- HDR
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 resolution
- 135Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- AMD FreeSync
- Connections: 2 HDMI, 1 DP, 1 DVI
Best budget
This is easily one of our favourite budget gaming screens. The Japanese Iiyama don't have as widespread name recognition as some, but has earned a respectable following in gaming circles. The GB2530HSU-B1 is a hidden gem - it's got a great look, and its specs include an excellent screen size, resolution, colour representation, response time, low input lag, and AMD FreeSync. The ideal choice for an in-training competitive gamer. The 24.5-inch variant offers the same stats at an even more affordable price, too.
- 27-inch screen
- TN pane
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- 1980 x 1080 screen resolution
- 75Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- AMD FreeSync
- Connections: 1 HDMI, 1 DP, 1 D-Sub
Recommended
The Acer Nitro VG270 has a lot to offer, and comes in at a price that doesn't make your eyes water. The WQHD screen makes sure that gaming content looks well-defined and crisp, the IPS panels delivers a very respectable colour palette, full of accuracy and vibrancy. The 75Hz refresh rate is a little lower than some, but on most RPG and single-player tiles, this is more than adequate to deliver a smooth performance, reinforced, of course, by the 1ms response time.
- 27-inch screen
- IPS panel
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- WQHD 2,560 x 1,440 screen resolution
- 75Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
- AMD FreeSync
- Connections: HDMI, DP
Recommended
The AOC is a 31.5-inch curved monitor with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate, 4ms response time, and WQHD 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, meaning that the image is crisp and stutter-free. There's a reduced HDR feature, HDR400, which, while not as sharp as the full HDR quality, does provide the image an attractive pop, reinforced by the very respectable 3000:1 contrast ratio. The built-in speakers are a nice thought, but not necessary or comparable to a good set of external speakers.
- 31.5-inch screen
- VA curved panel
- HDR400
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- 2,560 x 1,440 resolution
- 144HZ refresh rate
- 4ms response time
- AMD FreeSync 2
- Connections: 2 HDMI, 1 DP, 1 VGA
If you're looking for something a little more affordable, be sure to read our rundown of the best budget gaming monitors, delivering you high refresh rate and impeccable response times, without the price tag. And don't forget to top off your immersive experience with one of the best gaming headsets.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio sets the width and height of screens display. Obsolete monitors and televisions ran at a ratio of 4:3, which gave the square image which now looks very dated. Most modern widescreen monitors run at an aspect ratio of 16:9, with some ultra-wide models will run up to 32:9. Essentially, the higher the aspect ratio the more content is displayed on screen.
Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of pixels that are available on the screen – the more pixels, the better the image. Full HD resolution sits at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, but many gaming monitors hit higher than this, with 4K monitors topping out at 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. It is worth considering that, if you plan on jumping above standard Full HD resolution, you’ll need to make sure your GPU hardware can handle the extra work. If in doubt, always check with manufacturers.
Response Time
Response time is a measurement that tells us the lag, or delay, between input and display. A quality gaming monitor will usually have a response time between one and four milliseconds. To get the tactical edge, lower numbers are preferred.
Refresh Rate
Refresh rate is to monitors what frames per second is to film. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image – low refresh rates can make fast paced displays appear to jump, stutter and jolt. Refresh rate is measured in Hertz (Hz), and most monitors will sit at 60Hz. This is fine for most situations, but as games are increasingly more graphically intense, 144Hz gaming monitors are quickly becoming the minimum standard for high quality, stutter free displays. If you’re into Counter Strike: Global Offensive or Apex Legends, you’ll certainly want a higher refresh rate – it’ll really help with scoping in. For player who prefer single player campaigns, a higher refresh rate is an acceptable compromise for a monitor with greater definition
Panel Type
The panel type used in a monitor will effectively dictate the display’s quality, clarity, and response time, amongst other things.
TN – Twisted nematic panels typically have narrow viewing angles and reduced colour depth. However, they have great response times and refresh rates, and are often more affordable.
IPS – In-plane switching panels have large colour depths and viewing angles. This quality of image can sacrifice response time and push up the price.
VA – Vertical alignment panels have large colours depth and a viewing angle that typically sits between TN and IPS. The response times tend to be less than impressive.
What is AMD FreeSync?
This bit of technology from AMD is implemented to support a monitor’s refresh rate by reducing stuttering and ‘tearing’, which is when multiple frames’ information is displayed at once, showing a splice, or tear, for one or more frames. This typically occurs during fast or busy gameplay segments, and FreeSync simply works its magic to keep everything squared away and ordered. FreeSync 2 is a newer version of the same process.