Finding the best gaming monitor is crucial to your gaming experience. Given the plethora of options available in the gaming monitor market, this can result in considerable confusion if you’re looking to make a purchase that gives you value and meets your needs at the same time. From 1440p monitors,4K displays, high refresh rate monitors, and from 24-inch IPS panels to 30+ inch OLED panels, things can get pretty frustrating considering there are plenty of monitors in every price range.
Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
ASUS ROG Swift PG34WCDM
Keeping all factors in mind, the Game Rant team analyzed and compiled a list of the best gaming monitors to buy in 2024, which offer incredible picture quality, high responsiveness, various gaming tech,and great fluidity. Interested in pairing your new gaming monitor with a keyboard? Check Game Rant’s guide for thebest gaming keyboards in 2024!
Updated on May 24th, 2024 by Sarfraz Khan:Ultrawide gaming monitors are increasing in popularity since they offer a wider field of view and are best for AAA titles. Considering users have fewer options in the ultrawide category that also come with premium specs like 200+Hz refresh rate and fast response, Game Rant has updated this list by replacing the existing entry for the best ultrawide gaming monitor with the current ultrawide king.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Gaming Monitors in 2024
Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDM
The ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQDM is a 27-inch OLED gaming monitor that boasts a 2560x1440 resolution, 240 Hz refresh rate, and 0.03ms response time for an incredible gaming experience. With HDR10 support and 1000 nits peak HDR brightness, the ROG Swift PG27AQDM delivers a consistent and crisp visual experience. There is an ROG logo on the back as well as an ROG projection at the bottom of the stand. On top of the stand is a 1/4-inch tripod socket for mounting accessories.
From a plethora of tier-1 gaming monitors, the ROG Swift PG27AQDM stands as a nearly perfect gaming monitor.The monitor boasts a 27-inch OLED panelwith a 10-bit color depth to reproduce over one billion colors, making the visuals on the screen very colorful. The wide color gamut covering 99% DCI-P3 and 135% sRGB color spaces further enhances the color vibrancy, resulting in beautiful and mesmerizing stages in games. This gaming monitor is one of the rare ones that is also incredible for color grading, with Delta E< 2 accuracy making sure the colors reproduced are identical to the reference once.
The PG27AQDM runs pretty fast with a 240Hz refresh rate, has AMD FreeSync Premium for eliminating screen tearing, and has an ultra-low 0.03ms of response time to transition to the next frame in no time. Through its OLED panel, it achieves a 1.5M:1 contrast ratio for true blacks and vivid picture quality and doesn’t lack the brightness you need in well-lit environments. Typically, the OLED panels suffer from low brightness, but the PG27AQDM offers 450 nits of brightness and up to 1000 nits of dynamic brightness in HDR mode.The stand is also ergonomic, offering various adjustments for comfortable usage and a beautiful ROG logo projection is situated at the bottom for a pleasant effect on the desk. It’s expensive, but it is the pinnacle of competitive and immersive gaming.
Alienware AW2524H Gaming Monitor
The 24-inch Alienware AW2524H comes with a suite of excellent features for under $1000. Buyers get a mind-blowing 480Hz refresh rate which, along with an NVIDIA G-SYNC certification, translates into tear-free gameplay and lucid visuals. The monitor also prioritizes eye care as the ComfortView Plus Low Blue Light Feature helps prevent fatigue after long periods of gaming.
Our pick for the best high-refresh rate monitor for gaming is the Alienware AW2524H Gaming Monitor, which has emerged as the new king of the hill for high refresh rate monitors thanks to multiple price cuts by Dell, making it a uniquely affordable gaming monitor. It does, however, offer more than just a high refresh rate with native G-Sync support. It also features Nvidia’s integrated Reflex latency analyzer tool, allowing users to tweak their monitor and presets to get the best low-latency gaming available to them.
The Alienware AW2524H high refresh rate monitor is a godsend if you’re a multiplayer-centric gamer, offering a refresh rate that few modern games can max out,even on the latest hardware. Games such asCounter-Strike 2andValorantare more akin to what comes to mind, since they are designed with high refresh rates in mind, in addition to the ability to work well with a vast swathe of PC hardware currently.
The AW2425H does benefit from its new pricing as a competitive entry for a high refresh rate monitor and warrants serious consideration if you’re looking to play at the sub 500Hz refresh rate it offers.
ASUS TUF Gaming VG259QM
ASUS TUF Gaming VG259QM takes 1080p gaming to a whole new level by introducing a 280Hz refresh rate on a fast IPS panel that is highly responsive for competitive gaming. Equipped with FreeSync Premium for a tear-free experience and minimal ghosting, the VG259QM is a killer 1080p gaming monitor for enthusiasts.
The Tuf Gaming VG259QM is Game Rant’s pick for the best budget gaming monitor. 1080p or full HD resolution is still the most popular one in gaming monitors due to its affordability as a cheap gaming monitor. This is the sole reason why monitor manufacturers are more aggressive in the category with a plethora of options to choose from. Starting from under $100 to over $300, there are many 1080p gaming monitors that promise to deliver exceptional performance and functionality, but after weighing all the pros and cons of various monitors, the Game Rant team also decided to pick the Tuf Gaming VG259QM asthe best 1080p gaming monitor.
Powered by a Fast IPS panel that is super responsive, it’s well-suited for competitive gamers, particularly those who are serious about fast-paced games such asCS2,andValorant.The display runs at 280Hz and supports DisplayHDR400 to provide better details. The HDR may not be the best one, but considering its price tag, it’s better to have one than to go with a monitor that boasts a standard brightness of 250 nits. On top of that, the FreeSync Premium is available to eliminate screen-tearing, which helps in enhancing the overall gaming experience.
LG 27" UltraGear QHD Gaming Monitor
LG 27" UltraGear 27GR83Q-B monitor is aimed towards enthusiasts who would like to have a high refresh rate display with good color accuracy without breaking the bank. The display supports AMD FreeSync Premium, and HDR and has a fast IPS panel to provide high responsiveness. Its wide color gamut makes it ideal even for color grading and the gaming world will be filled with vibrant colors.
Our pick for the best QHD gaming monitor is the LG UltraGear 27GR83Q-B. The QHD resolution provides 1.77x more pixels than the FHD. This means more details to see on the screen, which is why the 2560x1440p resolution is receiving huge popularity amongst enthusiasts. Typically,QHD gaming monitorsare much more expensive than FHD ones, especially when equipped with top-notch premium features such as a 200+ refresh rate, fast IPS panel, and Adaptive Sync support. The LG 27" UltraGear 27GR83Q-B monitor brings everything to the table for around 400 dollars and doesn’t disappoint in any area.
Its 27-inch screen size is sufficient for a wide field of view and will provide sharper images compared to QHD monitors with screen sizes above 30 inches. It boasts an IPS panel with a 1ms GtG response time and runs at a 240Hz refresh rate, making it a solid choice if you refuse to compromise on the picture quality. The color vibrance is also impressive with 95% DCI-P3 color space and the HDR400 support brings vividness to the frames. It eliminates any kind of ghosting and lag and also provides FreeSync Premium support for a tear-free experience. Had it been equipped with speakers and featured a high contrast ratio, it could have been the perfect alternative to the best overall choice considering its price tag, which is significantly lower than the OLED model.
Samsung 32" Odyssey Neo G8 Gaming Monitor
The Samsung 32" Odyssey Neo G8 features Quantum Matrix Technology and UHD resolution. These technologies work together to deliver a crystal-clear picture with high-quality colors. The monitor also has a 240 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time. These specs contribute to smoother and more responsive gameplay.The display of the Odyssey Neo G8 is matte which reduces glare. The monitor’s 1000R curvature is designed to mirror the human eye for the optimal viewing angle.
Moving on to 4K gaming monitors, Game Rant recommends the Odyssey Neo G8 as the best 4K gaming monitor in 2024. It is a killer gaming monitor that won’t make you regret your decision. Boasting a 3840x2160p resolution on a 32-inch panel, the details will look sharper and vivid. Its unmatched Q-LED panel is what makes the monitor stand out amongother 4K gaming displaysas it provides an excellent color reproduction with a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut, but what’s better is its contrast ratio, which provides richer image quality with true blacks.
Despite being a 4K display, the gaming monitor doesn’t lack the responsiveness or fluidity required for competitive gaming. Its 1ms GtG response time makes transitioning to the next frame unnoticeable and the 240Hz refresh rate provides a high fluidity in movements that will be loved by esports and competitive players. Being a quantum display, the brightness is far better than the standard OLED panel without any reduction in the picture quality. Combine that with FreeSync Premium Pro, and you will have gameplay free of any tearing.
Ultrawide Goodness
The Samsung G95SC G9 OLED Ultra-Ultra Wide Monitor is Samsung’s latest take on the premium ultra-wide monitor G9 lineup. It harnesses OLED technology for better display quality and infinite contrast while offering 240Hz refresh rates and 0.03ms response times.
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (also known as the G95SC) is Samsung’s current king of the hill ultra-wide offering, at least until its dual 4K 57-inch sibling shows up sometime later this year. It packs in an impressive amount of tech around its OLED panel, boasting the G9’s 240Hz refresh rate but with a much lower response time of just 0.03ms. It happens to also be Samsung’s best-in-class offering (available to purchase) for an OLED monitor to date, while also doubling as a smart TV thanks to the built-in Tizen OS.
With an aspect ratio of 32:9, it is essentially two screens fused into one in terms of screen real estate, making it great for both gaming and productivity while offering immersion at another level for users who like larger screens. Unlike its predecessor, theG95SC uses a gentler 1800R curvature, which seems to make it a lot less encompassing but makes the monitor look significantly larger. A much thinner profile – thanks to its OLED panel – also makes it look futuristic.
All in all, the Samsung G95SC is a pricey but excellent monitor that is worth considering if you want an immersive gaming experience or have productivity needs. It tends to be the priciest recommendation on this list but does easily deliver the goods for one of the best gaming monitors in 2024.
The Odyssey G9’s OLED variant does benefit from a considerably large price cut in anticipation of some degree of cannibalization from the dual 4K gaming monitor from Samsung.The 57-inch G9 that comes in at $1700does add some pricing pressure that enables the G9 to push well below $1500, putting it directly in competition with its own MiniLED and LED models.
ASUS ROG Swift PG34WCDM is the latest addition to the Ultrawide monitor family in Asus’s catalog. Featuring a curved panel with a 34-inch display size, it is very immersive for gaming. Through an OLED panel, it offers unmatched picture quality and has premium specs for competitive gaming. From ergonomics to connectivity, everything is top-of-the-line.
The Asus ROG Swift PG34WCDM is a beast and is one of the best ultrawide gaming monitors on the planet at the moment. It pushes the limits you generally see even onhigh-end ultrawide displaysby offering a 240Hz refresh rate. Bringing an OLED panel to the table, you will have the best color reproduction and an extremely accurate display with delta E<2 accuracy. It’s as good as the best overall recommendation, except that you get a wider field of view for triple-A titles to have a better immersion.
The 800R curvaturefurther elevates this immersion as the display edges wrap up your field of view to make viewing more comfortable. Despite boasting a 34-inch panel, the left and right edges will be closer to your eyes, and it’s recommended to sit no further than 0.8m from the screen if you want to grasp everything at once. Connectivity is on a whole other level, offering a 90W power delivery USB-C port, a Smart KVM, multiple USB Type-A ports, the latest display outputs, and an optical port for audio devices. It supports HDR for vivid details and FreeSync Premium for tear-free gameplay.
Things to Consider when Buying a Gaming Monitor
Choosing a gaming monitor from an ocean of options can be a daunting task, especially when not much is known about monitors in general. To help you make the right decision about your next monitor, below are some factors to strongly consider.
Screen Size: Like TVs, you need to know the right screen size that fits your needs. 24" to 32" screens are considered the perfect choice for many people, particularly those who don’t have bigger desks. However, those keen on getting a larger screen estate can explore sizes above 32". It’s worth noting that those tend to cost more and often come in ultra-wide form-factor, which isn’t ideal for competitive games.
Refresh Rate: A crucial factor for choosing monitors; a 60 Hz monitor should deliver the kind of performance that casual gamers can’t complain about. However, those who play FPS titles or just want more responsive gameplay often go after high refresh rate monitors, offering between 144Hz and up to 360Hz. If you are a competitive gamer, it’s recommended that your monitor offer no less than 165Hz, while professionals should aim for 240Hz as the best starting point. It should also be kept in mind that with such high refresh rates, you should also own apremium gaming buildthat can keep up with the game demands.
Connectivity Ports: While monitors come with ports, gamers with specific needs will insist on the availability of certain ports. For instance, HDMI 2.1 ports allow one to unleash the full potential of their current-gen consoles. Those with older-gen consoles should be comfortable with a HDMI 2.0 port. When shopping for a new monitor, ensure that it has the right number of ports for one’s consoles and peripherals. Some modern gaming monitors also come with power delivery USB Type C ports apart from regular Type-A ports for peripheral connection. These can be quite handy if you want to hook up your phone or laptop for quick charging.
Input Lag: When it comes to gaming monitors, you should avoid options that offer high input lag. Monitors with ultra-low input lag enable you to make quick in-game decisions, giving them a competitive edge over opponents. Most modern gaming monitors offer VA and Rapid IPS panels with 1ms GtG response time, which is ideal for competitive gaming, but some monitors come with an incredibly lower response time, particularly OLED panels, which provide 0.03 or 0.01ms GtG response time for serious professionals.
FAQ
Q: Should gamers get an ultrawide monitor for their PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S?
No, console gamers would be better off not getting an ultrawide monitor for their setup. In principle, an ultrawide monitor will work fine for both modern console lineups. Given that games on consoles are optimized for only certain resolutions, it means being forced to play at a 16:9 aspect ratio irrespective of which screen you may connect. That means wasted screen real estate if you go that route.
Q: How Important is a monitor’s refresh rate for gamers?
Refresh rates historically centered around the 60Hz mark as an optimal target. Since then, a burgeoning Esports industry fueled by FPS games has pushed repeatedly for better refresh rates in a bid to offer a better experience to gamers. This has resulted in 144Hz/165Hz being used as industry standards for gaming monitors with higher refresh rates (240Hz, 360Hz and even 500Hz) available at higher price points for competitive gamers, making it an essential purchase in a bid to secure an advantage while multiplayer gaming.
Q: How many Hz is good for gaming?
While 60 Hz is acceptable for casual gamers, competitive players may want something higher. Fortunately, there are high refresh rate monitors on the market.
Q: What is a 4K gaming monitor?
A 4K monitor offers four times the resolution of a 1080p monitor, allowing it to offer users better picture quality and improved visuals.
