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Finder's team extensively researched more than 100 gaming monitors, making these top picks based on reviews left by real customers. We looked into the core features of each monitor and selected the best option for each use case.
LG's UltraGear 27GN950-B has been hard for anyone to get their hands on since it launched in mid-2020, yet its stunning 4K IPS display and multitude of features make it by far the best gaming monitor on the market today. The monitor's impressive spec sheet and performance net it near perfect review scores from customers and professional reviewers alike.
With the 27GN950-B, 4K doesn't mean slow. The panel outputs supremely crisp video at a refresh rate of 144Hz, and boasts a 1ms GtG response time, making it equipped for even the most competitive gaming scenarios. With G-Sync compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, you won't have to worry about screen tearing either.
With a 10-bit panel, the 27GN950-B can reproduce 1.07 billion colours, a significant step up over many gaming monitors with 8-bit panels which output just 16.7 million colours. With incredible colour reproduction and 98% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space, this gaming-centric monitor can be used for even the most colour-intensive creative and professional workloads. If that wasn't enough, it also has VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification.
Around the back of the monitor, you'll find two HDMI 2.0 ports and a single DisplayPort 1.4 port, which you'll have to use if you intend to make full use of the display's high-resolution, high refresh rate capabilities. You'll also find an RGB light ring wrapped around the back of the monitor, which can even sync with the image on your monitor to provide greater immersion and alleviate eye strain if you're gaming in low-light conditions.
The included stand is one of the monitor's weakest points. With no swivel functionality and a cheap-feeling build, it feels misplaced on such a high-end panel. That's not to say it isn't usable, though. It does still have height, pivot and tilt adjustability. If you're still not satisfied, you can mount the 27GN950-B on a monitor arm via its 100x100mm VESA mount.
Samsung's budget line of curved gaming monitors has served gamers well since it launched, and with a 4.5 out of 5 rating from more than 1,000 reviews on Google, it's hard to go wrong with the 24-inch CRG50 at its price. The monitor is also Finder's best overall budget gaming monitor.
Samsung went for an 8-bit VA panel for its 24-inch curved gaming monitor, which with its improved colour and viewing angles over TN display tech is a welcomed touch. That 8-bit colour depth might make the monitor a little less than ideal for colour-sensitive work such as video or photo editing, but will be more than fine for gaming.
The panel's 1920x1080 resolution isn't super impressive, but it's enough to provide PC and console gamers alike with an enjoyable gaming experience. With AMD's FreeSync technology built-in, the CRG50 kicks screen tearing to the kerb. You need not worry about those pesky artifacts interrupting your play when the variable refresh rate feature is enabled.
The CRG50 features a relatively standard curvature of 1800R, a middle ground between having a completely flat display and an extreme 1000R curve, like that found on Samsung's higher-end Odyssey gaming monitors. Realistically, the display's shape doesn't make it a better or worse performer. Whether it's a desired addition or a hindrance is a matter of personal preference.
At a retail price of $309, the CRG50 is relatively affordable, especially compared to many gaming monitors currently on the market. What's even better is that you can find the curved monitor going for up to $50 off at plenty of retailers.
Some customers said they experienced some artifacting problems, including ghosting, on the CRG50, which isn't ideal for those wanting an interruption-free gaming experience. Customers also mentioned that the fixed stand without any of your typical adjustment options was a little inconvenient, but it does have a sturdy, well-built design overall.
BenQ has often been a trusted brand for high-quality monitors, both in the professional and gaming spaces. With a respectable 4.6 out of 5 rating from hundreds of reviews on Google, the 27-inch GL2780 is the best gaming monitor for those with a $200 budget.
The GL2780 was designed with gamers in mind, featuring a 1ms response time for a quick-feeling gaming experience across platforms. Unfortunately, the monitor lacks many features today's gamers might want. You won't find variable refresh rate technology like G-Sync or FreeSync, nor will you find a high refresh rate. But you will find built-in speakers, which actually might be the least impressive part of this great value monitor.
BenQ's GL2780 sports the same bulky and thick-bezelled look its displays have donned for the last few years, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. These monitors are sturdy and dependable. And while the TN panel helps keep costs down, you shouldn't expect to be blown away by its colours or viewing angles. You definitely won't want to be using this monitor for anything other than gaming or light web browsing.
The GL2780 has your conventional connectivity options, including HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort, but it also has DVI and VGA ports for more ancient connections. Those using legacy consoles or computers might find the additional ports useful, whereas others (the vast majority of users) will ignore them in their entirety.
Many customers praised the monitor's versatility with multiple ports and labelled it a stellar value-for-money investment. Though with its lacklustre performance, this really shouldn't be your first pick if you're looking to play super-competitive titles like Valorant or Overwatch.
Samsung has long been a leader in the monitor industry, and it's utilised its expertise to create one of the best gaming monitors you can buy today with its latest generation Odyssey line-up. With a 4.2 out of 5 rating from more than 500 reviews on Google, the 32-inch variant of the Odyssey G7 is the best curved gaming monitor available right now.
The most striking feature of the G7 is its 1000R curve, which is said to be about equivalent to the human eye. Samsung calls it "supreme", and touts it as enabling an incredibly immersive gaming experience. Many people, myself included, find the curvature to be a little excessive. In reviews, customers mention that they got used to using the massively curved display over time.
The G7 is made for gaming in every way, shape and form. It sports a 1ms response time, Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and most impressively, a 240Hz refresh rate. If your graphics card can output that many frames, you'll be blown away by the snappy feeling of a monitor which refreshes 240 times per second. As an added bonus, the G7 sports VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification.
The monitor has two USB ports alongside the two DisplayPort 1.4 and single HDMI 2.0 port, which might help anyone looking to plug a couple more USB devices into their computer. Unfortunately, though, there's no USB-C port for laptop users.
Several customers praised the monitor's 240Hz refresh rate, alongside its impressive colour reproduction in their reviews online. Some customers were uninspired by the HDR capabilities of the G7, but others mentioned that it depended on the game you were playing as to whether HDR made a difference.
By far the most expensive monitor on this list, Asus's ROG Swift PG35VQ leads the market with an eye-searingly bright and high-performance ultrawide gaming display. With a 4.3 out of 5 star rating on Amazon, the almost $4,000 monitor is the best ultrawide gaming monitor currently on the market.
The PG35VQ has basically everything you could ever ask for from a high-end gaming monitor. You get a relatively quick 2ms GtG response time, Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate, VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification, and you can overclock the monitor to hit a 200Hz refresh rate (over DisplayPort only). The VA panel on the PG35VQ boasts 90% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, making it suitable for both gaming and some creative work.
While the performance specifications of the PG35VG are impressive, the included I/O is brutally barebones. For its $3,999 price tag, you get one DisplayPort and a lonesome HDMI output. For such an investment, the lack of ports is a hard pill to swallow. Asus does include two USB ports on the monitor, which is something of a consolation prize.
Fans of RGB lighting will be happy, with an Aura Sync-controlled logo LED on the rear of the monitor, and a bizarre projection from the stand which illuminates your desk with the ROG logo.
Customers were happy with the monitor's build quality, yet some were upset that such an expensive monitor opted for a VA panel over IPS. One purchaser also mentioned the PG35VQ was super challenging to slap onto a monitor arm due to its sheer size and weight.
As super ultrawide monitors become more refined with age, more people want to get their hands on one of the remarkably large displays. Seen by many as the benchmark for the ultimate gaming experience, Samsung's 49-inch G9 Odyssey is the best super ultrawide gaming monitor.
The G9 comes packing plenty of Samsung's high-end display tech, including a QLED panel, and HDR10+ with DisplayHDR 1000 certification. Sporting a maximum resolution of 5120x1440, the monitor also has many gaming-centric features, such as a speedy 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 240Hz.
Like its smaller sibling, the Odyssey G9 has a 1000R display curve. Given the sheer magnitude of the monitor, it makes sense to have an aggressively high curvature. While the curve helps fit all 49 inches of screen real estate into your peripheral vision, it might make some users motion sick.
With such a massive screen, you won't want to experience any artifacting or immersion-ruining screen tearing. Luckily, the G9 comes bearing AMD FreeSync Premium Pro variable refresh rate technology to make these issues things of the past. Though, given the almost $3,000 asking price, full G-Sync certification would make the monitor a better value for money buy.
The G9 has a serious gamer aesthetic, including a light-up centre which Samsung calls its "Infinity Core" lighting design. The monitor also has a handy headphone holder built into its stand. Unfortunately, the sheer size of the monitor makes the rear-mounted flip-out holder hard to access. Most probably won't ever end up using the otherwise hidden addition.
Some customers were impressed with the immersion of their gaming experience on the behemoth monitor. One customer mentioned that the monitor seemed a little unstable on the stand, which is expected given its size.
Competitive gamers need top-tier performance to enhance their play. Super high refresh rates, low input lag and impressive response times are usually at the top of the list for esports-focused gamers, and Alienware's AW2521H has all of the above.
Dell has equipped the AW2521H with a blazing-fast IPS panel, which is one of the first on the market to enjoy a 360Hz refresh rate. You're also spoiled with a 1ms response time, though this is while the "extreme" overdrive mode is enabled. Those wanting to make the most of the 360Hz-capable monitor will need to use DisplayPort, as you'll be locked to a refresh rate of 240Hz over HDMI. The AW2521H boasts both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync support for tearing-free gaming.
The AW2521 has the same familiar design language used across the Alienware range. It also features subtle lighting around the monitor, all of which is controllable through Alienware's AlienFX software or the on-screen display.
The limited availability of the AW2521H means you have just one place you can buy it from here in Australia: from Dell itself.
Due to the monitor's relatively small size and mediocre 1920x1080 resolution, it's not a great pick for anything other than highly-competitive gaming. And if you're a console gamer, a cheaper panel will serve you better. Even the latest and greatest PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles can't make full use of that 360Hz refresh rate.
Asus's 27-inch TUF VG27AQ is the best monitor for console gamers, particularly for those enjoying their new PS5s and Xbox Series X/S consoles.
The VG27AQ uses an IPS display with a native refresh rate of 144Hz, overclockable to 165Hz. The panel also sports a 1ms response time and HDR10 support. Many customers said the HDR experience was sub-par, though. Asus designed the VG27AQ to be G-Sync compatible, making it a solid pick for Xbox Series X and Series S users who can make the most out of the variable refresh rate technology. PS5 users might also want to gravitate towards a VRR-equipped panel, as the technology is slated to roll out on the console with future firmware updates.
The VG27AQ's QHD resolution is quickly becoming the standard for today's gaming monitors, so you don't have to worry about investing in technology that'll be outdated and irrelevant in 12 months. While the panel is 8-bit, it has impressive colour accuracy. With up to 99% coverage of the sRGB colour space, you'll enjoy seeing the games you play just as the developers intended.
Some users criticised the DisplayPort connection on the VG27AQ as being finicky and temperamental. Aside from that, many praised the monitor's responsiveness and quality colour reproduction.
Amazon prices last updated on 1 December, 2023 at 01:01 pmeBay prices last updated on 1 December, 2023 at 05:21 am
Methodology
21 Brands considered
140+ Products compared
8 Best products chosen
We thoroughly checked products from 21 brands to find the top gaming monitors for a range of use cases.
We made these picks based on our reviews, roundups and expertise, as well as through reading customer reviews and scrutinising each monitor's key selling points.
The products on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not selected based on commercial relationships.
We trawled through the details and specs of more than 100 gaming monitors from the brands listed below to find the best options for your gaming needs:
Acer
Alienware
Allied
AOC
Asus
BenQ
Dahua
Dell
Eizo
Gigabyte
HP
Kenowa
Kogan
Lenovo
LG
MSI
NexiGo
Philips
Samsung
ViewSonic
Xiaomi
We made sure to pick modern displays that were easy for Australian consumers to get their hands on.
To make these final picks, we compared each option's display type and quality, response time, refresh rate, resolution, the range of inputs and outputs, HDR performance, build quality and (where applicable) the type of variable refresh rate technology.
Following in-depth research of the latest, most popular gaming monitors on the market, and after reading through hundreds of corresponding customer reviews, we made our top 8 picks to help those wanting an upgrade make their decision.
We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. However, Finder may receive compensation when you click some links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners and why you can trust our guides.
What is a gaming monitor?
Gaming monitors are the filter through which everything else, from the pretty new game you're playing to the GPU powering it, reaches you.
Unlike standard PC monitors, gaming monitors place a large emphasis on fast response times and refresh rates – crucial factors that determine just how well a game plays. Some even come loaded with visual enhancement measures that sync directly with your PC's graphics card in order to display the smoothest possible image.
It's easy to view monitors as passively displaying an image created elsewhere inside your PC, but the truth is that your monitor is an integral part of creating that image. A quality monitor can help generate a high resolution, high frame rate, stutter-free gaming experience.
Panel technology: IPS vs TN vs VA
While looking for a gaming monitor, you'll encounter three different LCD panel technologies: in-plane switching (IPS), twisted nematic (TN) and vertical alignment (VA).
It's not important to know the mechanical particulars, but essentially each utilises the liquid crystals inside the display differently, resulting in different visual characteristics. This is where trade-offs come into play, and where knowing whether you value performance or picture quality most is helpful.
Whichever option you choose, as a general rule, the more you spend, the more you'll be able to mitigate the weaknesses of each category.
TN monitors are the speedy performance option. If you're competing in esports, this is your best bet. They have the fastest refresh rates and response times, resulting in gameplay that is more fluid. But they also have less impressive contrast ratios and limited viewing angles, meaning they appear washed out from anywhere other than directly in front. TN monitors are the cheapest.
IPS monitors are suited to graphics aficionados. They can present a sharp, colourful image with good contrast ratios, colour reproduction and viewing angles, but they have the slowest refresh rates and slower response times than TN. They're generally the most expensive monitor type.
VA monitors are considered the jack of all trades option. Viewing angles and colour reproduction sit at the midpoint between TN and IPS panels. They generally have the longest response times, but they can have decent refresh rates at the premium end of the line. VA displays also have the best contrast ratio and can show the blackest blacks and whitest whites.
How to compare gaming monitors
When choosing between gaming monitors, consider the following factors:
Graphics cards
The most important part of buying a gaming monitor has nothing to do with the monitor itself. There's little point spending a small fortune on an ultra-fast, ultra-wide, high-resolution monitor if your graphics card can't output at these settings. More pixels, faster frame rates and deeper colours all require more grunt from your GPU. Check to see what your card is capable of and then find a monitor that suits. Or, alternatively, purchase your dream monitor and then upgrade your graphics card to match. Monitors and graphics cards are the core of your PC set-up and work best when they're in harmony.
Curved vs flat screens
The first PC monitors used cathode-ray tubes and were convex shaped. When LCDs replaced them, flat screens became the dominant design. Now, the latest trend in monitor bulge is concave displays. The idea behind these new curved screens is that they envelope more of your field of vision, creating a heightened sense of immersion. They're not necessarily better, it's just a different approach.
We recommend going into a store and trying one out before purchasing because they're definitely not for everyone. It's also worth keeping in mind that, in order to get the full effect, they need to be large and have an ultra-wide aspect ratio, otherwise you've just got a normal screen that happens to warp around the edges.
Screen size
Larger monitors provide a more immersive, atmospheric gaming experience – but remember, in order to display a clear, sharp image, they need to render more pixels. This, in turn, requires more grunt from your graphics card.
Gaming monitors don't need to be as large as your TV because you sit closer to them. Anything 27 inches or larger will feel impressive.
Resolution and DPI
There are three common resolution options to choose from: full HD (1080p), QHD (2560x1440) or 4K (3840 × 2160). Resolution should be considered alongside screen size because the density of pixels per inch determines how sharp a picture is.
Although 4K is the standard for TVs, it's slightly less important in PC gaming because monitors tend to be smaller. 4K monitors also require an inordinately powerful PC to utilise them at their maximum resolution, so if you want to save some money, we'd recommend checking out QHD screens. Full HD should only be considered if speed and performance are the only things that matter to you and you're opting for a smaller screen.
Response time
Response time measures how quickly pixels in a monitor can change colour. Faster response times result in less ghosting and motion blur, particularly when games are moving quickly during action sequences. TN panels, the fastest variety, can have response times as low as 1ms. We'd advise trying to get something no slower than 4ms.
Refresh rate
Measured in hertz (Hz), refresh rate is the number of times a monitor can update and display a new image each second. A monitor running at 60Hz is displaying 60 frames per second. Higher refresh rates result in smoother gameplay experiences, but above a certain rate, many people cannot perceive the difference. 240Hz monitors have hit the market, but they're expensive and you'll struggle to run games at 240 frames per second on anything but the latest PC. In terms of price/performance balance, 144Hz is the current sweet spot – this is what you should aim for.
Contrast ratio
Contrast ratio is the difference between the whitest white and the blackest black. Most gaming monitors tend to hover between 1000:1 and 3000:1. When it comes to contrast ratio, higher is better because colours will be more differentiated; you'll see more shades rather than large uniform colour blocks.
G-Sync vs FreeSync
Screen tearing occurs when your monitor's refresh rate doesn't match the frame rate your PC is outputting; as an example, if your monitor is set to 144Hz but your PC is only running at 60fps, you'll notice stuttering and ghostly vestiges of old frames. G-Sync and FreeSync are competing technologies that solve this problem for you, automatically syncing your monitor with your graphics card. Which one you opt for should depend entirely on which graphics card you own. G-Sync is compatible with Nvidia cards, while FreeSync works with AMD cards. Match them.
Four things to consider
Measure your desk. It's easy to get carried away with the excitement of a flash new widescreen monitor, but always remember it needs to work in the space you have available. (And don't forget to account for the footprint of the display stand.)
HDR isn't quite there yet. Although current-gen consoles and most new TVs support high dynamic range (HDR), getting it to work properly on a PC isn't easy. You need a lot of grunt, and many PC monitors that claim to support HDR aren't bright enough to get the most out of it anyway. What's more, many new PC games don't even support HDR. It will ultimately become ubiquitous, but at this point, this might be a good area to consider skimping on and saving money.
Some monitors have in-built speakers. They're rarely amazing, but it's nice to have the option of playing without your headset or setting up external speakers if you're just having a quick session.
Consider what you're playing. A limited budget could force you to choose between performance and picture quality, so consider the types of games you play most. If fast-paced shooters or competitive multiplayer games take up most of your time, opt for speed. If you're drawn to cinematic narrative-driven games, go for picture quality.
Jack Baker was a freelance content writer with Finder. Over his time, he worked across a wide range of niches including technology and gaming issues. Jack is keen on PC gaming hardware and peripherals and Android phones, and he's always hunting down the best deals. Before joining Finder, he was the Editor of Tech Snack Media Group, where he spent 2 years running the technology and gaming site. Jack is studying a Bachelor of Business/ Arts majoring in journalism and digital media.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is an astonishing monitor. You'll be amazed by the size, intrigued by the curve and left more than a little bit less well off if you buy one.
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