The 5 Best Gaming Monitors - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best monitor we've tested for gaming is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. This premium monitor features high-end perks like a 4k resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and QD-OLED panel, providing both outstanding picture quality and gaming performance. Motion looks extremely clear thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, so there's almost no blur behind fast-moving objects. On top of that, it supports all common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing. It's best to get this monitor directly from Dell's website if you can't find it easily available from retailers.

Besides its outstanding gaming performance, its QD-OLED panel delivers perfect blacks in dark rooms without any blooming around bright objects. It also gets bright enough for small highlights to pop and colors to look vivid. Thanks to its high resolution, images also look sharp and realistic, and it even has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern graphics cards. It also has a few extra features like Dolby Vision and eARC that help improve your overall experience, although you need to update it to the latest firmware for those to properly work.

If you don't need such a premium monitor with a high 4k resolution, like if your computer setup can't even take full advantage of the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, check out the Dell Alienware AW2725DF instead. It tends to cost slightly less than the AW3225QF, but with a lower 1440p resolution, images aren't as detailed. It also has fewer features like the lack of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so you can only reach the max refresh rate with a DisplayPort connection. On the plus side, it actually has an even higher 360Hz refresh rate, which makes it ideal for competitive gaming.

Besides that, the AW2725DF delivers the same outstanding gaming experience with a near-instantaneous response time for incredibly sharp motion. It also has a QD-OLED panel that displays deep and inky blacks, and it's fantastic for HDR gaming thanks to its bright and vivid colors. There are other high-end OLED monitors you can find for a bit less, like the LG 27GS95QE-B, but it doesn't display the same vivid colors as the AW2725DF and has a lower refresh rate, so it doesn't provide as good performance.

If you don't need an OLED's high-end performance and picture quality and prefer saving some money, check out a mid-range option like the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. There are a few trade-offs as it doesn't deliver the same deep blacks or have a near-instantaneous response time like the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. This monitor also has a lower refresh rate, but the 160Hz refresh rate is still good for most gamers, and it has a higher 4k resolution for sharper images. Luckily, it's a versatile gaming monitor that has good motion handling across its VRR range, so there isn't too much blur with fast-moving objects.

On top of its gaming perks, it has decent picture quality whether you're gaming in SDR or HDR. It has a decent Mini LED local dimming feature that helps it display deep blacks next to bright highlights, and it also gets bright enough to make highlights pop. There are some downsides, though, as it has increased input lag at 60Hz, which is disappointing for playing games at low refresh rates. If that bothers you, the LG 32GR93U-B is a decent alternative but has worse picture quality.

As you get into lower-end monitors, you get fewer features than high-end models, but there are some that still offer both good gaming performance and picture quality. That's the case with the AOC Q27G3XMN, which has Mini LED backlighting like the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx and is one of the few lower-cost monitors to have it. Combined with its high native contrast ratio, it displays deep blacks next to bright highlights, and there isn't too much blooming, either. It also gets very bright in HDR, so highlights pop against the rest of the image.

However, there are a few trade-offs versus the Acer, as it has a lower 1440p resolution, so images aren't as detailed. While it has a fast response time without much blur behind fast-moving objects, it has more black smearing than the Acer, which is one of the downsides of its VA panel. Although it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of HDMI 2.1 graphics cards, this is typical of lower-end monitors, and you can still reach its max refresh rate with a DisplayPort connection.

If you want a simple and budget-friendly gaming monitor, check out the Dell G2724D. It has similar specs to the AOC Q27G3XMN as it also has a 27-inch, 1440p screen, but it doesn't have Mini LED backlighting, so it has much worse picture quality as blacks look gray in dark rooms. However, that's the trade-off for getting something cheaper, and you can often find the Dell for a low-cost directly from Dell's website. It offers good value as a pure gaming monitor as motion looks sharp, and it doesn't have black smearing like on the AOC.

Its 165Hz refresh rate is ideal for most gamers, especially if you have an entry-level gaming setup that can't take advantage of higher refresh rates. However, there are a few entry-level 240Hz monitors to get if you prefer a higher refresh rate, like the ViewSonic XG2431. That said, it has a lower 1080p resolution, so at least the Dell offers both detailed enough images and a smooth gaming feel.