best gaming lcd monitors under 200 free sample

Of all the monitors we tested, we found that the Sceptre E248W-19203R 24” is the best gaming monitor under $200. With an excellent response time, ultra-thin bezels, and adaptive sync technology, this gaming display offers unparalleled high-quality visuals. If you like the sound of this monitor, check out our guide to the best computer monitors for more options.

While most PC gamers spend a lot of time choosing a case, and internal parts — like a top-notch graphics card — that won’t matter if it’s not paired with one of the best gaming monitors under $200. There are more expensive options, but you can’t beat the feature to price ratio of the best budget monitors. We spent over 20 hours researching the best monitors, considering specs like image quality, adaptive sync support, and response times. We also reviewed refresh rates, choosing only monitors that offer a rate of 60Hz or above. We believe these features are vital to playing our favorite games in all their vivid, and immersive glory, like the best gaming monitor for CS GO. Keep reading to learn more about the Sceptre monitor, and other high-quality gaming monitors under $200 available for purchase.

On the rear are 2 HDMI ports, one of which can be converted to DVI, along with a VGA port, and 3.5mm audio in, and audio-out ports. It’s VESA wall mount ready if you want to install it to a wall. A pair of built-in speakers also adds audio support, if you don’t already have desktop speakers. Alongside being one of, if not the best 1080p monitor, this is also amongst thebest ultra wide gaming monitors you can find at this price point.

Rather than offering fast and vivid action, this monitor has several eye-care functions that reduce ocular strain, which tends to occur during long sessions. Proprietary eye-care support offers intelligent and adaptive brightness, low blue-light tech, zero-flicker functionality, and optimized images. Together, these features help to prevent headaches, strain, and stress. As for visuals, this IPS panel type offers good image quality and supports full-HD 1080P resolutions at 60Hz with 8ms response times. If you’re a regular Fortnite gamer, with this gaming monitor Fortnite will look seamless and sharp, enhancing your gaming experience.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This monitor features a 75Hz refresh rate — HDMI only — and supports full-HD 1080P resolutions, but offers some of the best adaptive AMD FreeSync options including various game presets.

Designed almost exclusively for use with AMD’s FreeSync adaptive sync technology, this monitor offers unique gaming presets that enhance both overall performance and color accuracy. Color accuracy can also be improved using the color profiles on Window. The result is a highly-responsive and visually stimulating experience while playing games through an AMD graphics card. For visual specs, this top-rated FreeSync monitor can handle 40Hz to 75Hz refresh rates, at full-HD 1080P resolutions with a blazing-fast response time of 1ms. Built-in eye-care technology is also available, with a blue-light filter and flicker-free streams. The ASUS flicker-free technology uses Smart Dynamic Backlight Adjustment to avoid backlight flickering.

Additional features include a “game fast” responsive input mode, dual-HDMI, brand-specific GamePlus and GameVisual applications with visual presets, and an ergonomic stand with height, tilt, pivot, and swivel options. If you want to upgrade your monitor to 1440p, give our review of the best 1440p monitor a read. On the left side of the monitor — where you’ll find the ports for your connectivity options — are dual HDMI ports, a single VGA, and a 3.5mm audio input/output. It’s Energy-Star compliant and meets several other power standards. For more options with G-Sync compatibility, consider taking a look at the top FreeSync monitors with G Sync.

This monitor is one of the most uniquely designed, with thin bezels, minimal aesthetics, and a strange yet attractive 3-point stand. All of it makes for a more practical, space-saving design that allows for a lot of desk space despite the monitor size. Plus, it’s VESA-ready, so the monitor can be mounted to the wall if you prefer to do that. For visual specs, this 22” monitor supports full-HD 1080P resolutions, at 144Hz with response times of 5ms, and a 16:9 aspect ratio. If you’re using Mac OS you may need to play around with the resolution setting since the system prefers a 16:10 ratio, unlike the more common 16:9 resolution on Windows. Moreover, it supports adaptive sync technology for both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards: G-sync and FreeSync. If you’re a big Apple product user, we recommend giving the best monitor for Mac Mini a try to get that Mac interface on your monitor.

Additional features include a low blue-light filter to help reduce eye strain, flicker-free video, and a wide 170-degree viewing angle. On the rear, you’ll find a high-performance DisplayPort, 2 HDMI, and a 3.5mm audio output. Finally, FPS and RTS players will be happy to see an optimized display mode specifically for these types of games with an integrated GAMEPLUS targeting and crosshairs system. If despite these features you still want a curved monitor, take a look at our guide to the best-curved monitor.

The bezels around the monitor are slightly thicker than most, but they’re not unsightly. Moreover, the monitor is VESA-ready so you can mount it to the wall and remove the stand. On the rear, you’ll find one each of a v1.2 DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI inputs. Brand-specific eye-care tech is also built-in including a blue light flicker, flicker-free video, and low-dimming functions. This is among thebest budget gaming monitor’s that you’ll find.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This monitor comes in a wrap-around style, which enhances visual immersion for one of the best all-around gaming experiences. It’s also FreeSync-ready and supports full-HD 1080P resolutions at 144Hz with 1ms response times.

Eye-care solutions are integrated into this monitor, including a low blue-light filter and flicker-free video without direct current backlighting. The 2 functions work together to reduce eye strain over long play sessions. The panel has a sleek, frameless design with super-thin bezels — they’re barely visible on 3 sides. On the rear, connectivity options include a VGA, DisplayPort 1.2, and 2 HDMI (v1.4) ports. It is VESA-ready and wall mountable. If you’re looking for the best gaming monitor, your search may be over.

Not only is this display one of the largest, but it offers remarkably precise color production thanks to a 3000:1 contrast ratio and 102% to 104% sRGB. On-screen colors are vibrant, beautiful, and sharp without looking too bright or washed out. That’s not something you generally see with larger-sized monitors. This 32-inch screen size monitor offers a 75Hz refresh rate at full-HD 1080P resolutions, with a 4ms response time. While that response time might be slower, again, with a larger display like this, that’s an impressive rate that helps this model compete amongst the best 32 inch monitors. Plus, the curved body is much more immersive and supports wider viewing angles.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This display rotates to allow for landscape and portrait-based views, but the base also supports height and tilt adjustments. Overall, it’s one of the most versatile monitors around.

Generally, monitors can be repositioned to display in horizontal or vertical views — also known as landscape and portrait — but often it requires removing the display from the stand and refastening it. This monitor offers 4-way maneuverability built into the stand. The 23.8-inch screen size monitor is also height adjustable and can be tilted. It has good image quality and supports full-HD 1080P resolutions at 60Hz, with response times of 5ms.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This monitor offers the best overall compatibility with laptops, PCs, and other devices thanks to HDMI, DVI, and VGA support. Several pre-set visual game modes are available out-of-the-box, too.

This model is a well-rounded, gaming, and media display with mid-grade performance. While it does have fast 2ms response times, the refresh rate tops out at 60Hz. The 22-inch screen size monitor supports full-HD 1080P resolutions though, which is always excellent. You can also use the ViewSplit software developed by ViewSonic that allows division of your screen into multiple windows. The exterior design is traditional, with thicker bezels and a more generic stand. One of the best features is that it offers extended compatibility, via HDMI, DVI, and VGA inputs. It even comes bundled with several cables, including DVI, VGA, and audio.

A bevy of pre-set game and media modes allows users to quickly, fine-tune experiences. Just choose one and go as opposed to customizing individual settings. Moreover, it offers one of the craziest dynamic contrast ratios, at 50,000,000:1 for super sharp and crisp visuals and colors. Dual 2W speakers offer some exceptional audio, which is unusual as most monitors have low-quality speakers.

During our search, one of the most important features we looked for was a solid combination of framerate and resolution. Every monitor on the list handles, at least, full-HD 1080P resolutions at 60Hz. For graphic-intensive applications and games, a higher framerate and resolution combination means better visuals and an optimized experience. Onscreen movements and actions tend to be more fluid and realistic at higher framerates, and frankly, they look a lot better. Unfortunately, most monitors below $200 are going to be capped at a resolution of 1080P, because 4K resolution displays still tend to be pricey. Until budget displays with true 4K hit the market, be wary of cheap monitors that claim to offer high-resolution support.

Another feature, or specification, is the monitors’ response time, generally indicated in ms or milliseconds. In layman’s terms, response time is the total time it takes for a monitor to react to a particular input, essentially shifting from one color to another. Most measurements consider the time it takes a display to shift from black to white and then back to black again. The average response time is 8 milliseconds or under. The higher the number, the slower the monitor’s response time. While gaming, a lower response time means exceptional visual performance and less jarring transitions, especially for high-latency games like fighters or twitch-based first-person shooters.

We also considered the general design of each screen display, opting for monitors that have minimal bezels or less-intrusive edges. The thinner the bezel, the closer to the action you are. Thicker bezels can ruin immersion especially when you have a multi-monitor setup. The base or stand matters too and should offer suitable movement range to adjust the view and angle of the display. Moreover, when it matters, VESA-mount support is a big deal if the plan is to mount the screen display to a wall.

Let’s be real, if you’re after one of the best budget gaming monitors under $200, then you’re searching for something that’s not going to break the bank. There’s nothing wrong with that, and we applaud you, but you’re still going to want to look for a budget gaming display that offers an exceptional price to value ratio. In other words, the price relates to the features and functions of the monitor. At a price closer to the $200 limit you’re going to want more features, it makes sense. The cheaper you go, the more you’ll have to sacrifice, but the hit should never come from mission-critical features such as refresh rate, resolution, or response times.

Generally, the higher the resolution the better the picture quality. Similarly, a higher refresh rate means a faster, more fluid experience overall — thanks to higher framerates. Full-HD 1080P and a 60Hz refresh rate should be the bare minimum you look for when buying a monitor specifically for gaming. You won’t find many 4K monitors at this price point, but a 144Hz refresh rate is a gold standard.

There are 3 primary LCD panel types or formats, and they make up the bulk of all monitors sold on the market currently.TN Panel – TN stands for Twisted Nematic. These panels tend to have a sub-par color range and questionable brightness options, but they offer the fastest response times. As is the case with most monitors labeled for gaming, TN tends to be used for faster performance.

IPS Panel – IPS stands for In-Plane Switching. These panels tend to be more expensive but that’s because they offer vibrant colors, with higher accuracy and better image quality. They tend to be preferred by graphic designers, artists and photographers — professions that require enhanced color support. They tend to have higher response times than even TN panels, which makes them a secondary choice for gaming.

VA Panel – VA stands for Vertical Alignment. This type of panel is newer and bridges the gap between TN and IPS panels. This panel type pairs the fast response time of the former display, with the vivid and detailed colors of the latter. It’s one of the better options for gaming overall, as most VA panels feature a super-low response time of 1ms.

Are you going to sit the monitor on a desk or table, or are you going to mount it to the wall? If you’re mounting, you’ll want to make sure the monitor you choose is VESA-ready. VESA is a mounting standard, and most TV or monitor mounts you can buy fit the specification. If you’re placing the monitor on a desk, you’ll want to find a stand or base that matches the base. For lower seating, the monitor should offer tilt and height adjustments. If you’re sitting higher, you’ll want swivel and height adjustments. Viewing angle is also another consideration, as wider viewing angles offer the best compatibility based on where you’re positioned in front of the monitor.

Mistakes to AvoidFocusing On the Lingo: This is a danger primarily for new buyers. Monitors use a lot of made-up words to describe what they do, like “dynamic action link” and “Splendid Video Intelligence Technology” and “Smart Contrast Ratio.” As we like to tell shoppers, try to ignore all of this. They are just made-up phrases that don’t tell you anything useful. Contrast ratio, for example, is based largely on in-house manufacturer tests that can be created to say whatever the brand wants. Instead of looking at the lingo, drill-down and study what a monitor actually does. It’s less exciting but far better for making a smart purchase.

Thinking Only About One Monitor: A couple of our top gaming monitors under $200, such as the LG model support easy linking to spread images across more than one screen. This can be useful for both work and gaming, and is an alternative option worth considering.

Not Watching the Price:IPS panel gaming monitors like the ones we reviewed at a sub-$200 price point are often fluctuating in price. If you aren’t ready to purchase just yet, we recommend you constantly check the price on Amazon or other online retailers for sales and deals. And look at a VA panel monitor too.

A good monitor is an essential piece of workstation equipment for everyone, from remote workers to gamers and creatives. Even if you typically work on a laptop, adding a second screen to your desk space for everyday use can make a huge difference in your productivity. You don"t have to drop $500 or more to get your hands on a decent display. We"ve rounded up some of the top monitors on the market right now that you can pick up without setting you back too much. Check out the options we"ve found for the best monitor under $200 below.

There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for the best monitors: When buying a budget monitor, you should check out the listing to see what"s included. Make sure it"s not missing items that you would have to purchase separately and that would drive the price above that "cheap monitor" threshold, like a stand or cables. The stand might not be an issue if you"re planning to use the VESA mount to put it on a wall or arm. But in that case, you should ensure the mount screws on the back of the monitor match yours: The bulk of these have 100x100-millimeter mounts, but in some cases, they have 200x200mm or 75x75mm mounts -- or they don"t support a VESA mount at all.

Unless you"re a hardcore gamer or creative professional, many of the most technical specs -- latency and color gamut, for example -- won"t really matter to you (though many of these could serve as a budget gaming monitor). You should always take them with a grain of salt, anyway.

For less than $200, you can generally expect to get:A maximum of 1,920x1,080-pixel screen resolution (dubbed by marketers as "Full HD resolution" and also referred to as 1080p or 2K for its roughly 2,000 pixels across). Below 27 inches, that"s fine. At 27 inches or larger, it"s not great except in one important case. Essentially, the reason you buy a 27-inch monitor over a 24-inch is usually because you want to fit more on to it. But if it"s using the same number of pixels, it just makes everything bigger -- it doesn"t put more on the screen. And because it"s spreading them across a bigger screen, some people (like me) may get annoyed at seeing the pixel grid. I find a pixel density (the number of pixels per inch, or ppi) of at least 90 a good balance, but YMMV. The exception? If you actually need things like text to be bigger, such as if you have impaired vision.

Up to 75Hz refresh rate for an IPS (which stands for in-plane switching) monitor or 144Hz refresh rate for a TN (twisted nematic). A high refresh rate matters if you"re planning to play a lot of FPS, racing, fighting or other motion-sensitive gaming. An IPS monitor is better for general-purpose use, since it"s superior for off-angle viewing and typically has better color. But the fastest IPS monitor you"ll find for the money is 75Hz. A TN monitor is better for fast gaming and a better gaming experience; it has a higher contrast ratio, but poorer viewing angle -- color accuracy and contrast changes as you move further from looking straight-on.

A curved monitor, which can make a wide display fit into your field of view without requiring you to sit too far back, isn"t worth paying more for in monitors 27 inches or smaller; then the bezels are too far within your field of view. One potential exception is if you plan to span across three identical monitors for gameplay. Then they wrap around you better than three flat screens.

Upping your budget to between $200 and $300 will bring more 32-inch screen size options and 2,560x1,440 resolution. And, of course, the more you"re willing to spend, the more you"re likely to find something in stock and ready to ship.

If you are looking for budget gaming monitors, this budget FHD monitor"s 75Hz refresh gives you a little latitude for gaming and has an IPS panel for better color and viewing angle in the sea of VA competitors; plus, this cheap gaming monitor option is pretty attractive with thin bezels and a stand that"s less clunky-looking than some. You"ll get an HDMI cable in the box, and it has a 100x100 VESA mount. There are some drawbacks, such as some backlight bleed that buyers have noticed, and it has an HDMI 1.4 connection instead of 2.0 (if you care), plus the stand only allows the screen to tilt, not raise or lower.

The LG is a solid, attractive general-purpose choice with some gaming perks. Though I"d hardly call it a gaming monitor, it has features for a good gaming experience, such as AMD FreeSync support, the ability to overdrive the response time, a 1ms motion-blur reduction mode and an optional center crosshair. It"s slightly brighter than most, and there"s a Photo mode that seems to improve the color accuracy. It"s got a VGA connector in addition to the two HDMIs (though that"s not uncommon in this price range) if you"ve got a really old device to connect. The 24-inch is a smaller version of the 27-inch monitor we tested which has since been discontinued (though still available in places at a much higher price).

This looks to be a more recent follow-up to the 27MK600M-B we tested, with a different stand and a DisplayPort connection instead of the second HDMI. Like that one, it"s got some gaming perks, identical to the 24-inch LG I mentioned above.

This big "un doesn"t have ultraskinny bezels or a curved screen -- it"s four years old -- but when you consider its size, a 75Hz refresh rate and USB-C DisplayPort connector (as well as two HDMI 1.4 ports), you get a lot for the money. It often lists for closer to $300, but right now you can snag it for less than $200 at Amazon and Walmart, making it a pretty good value for the features.  There"s a slightly more game-oriented model for $200, the29WP60G-B, with FreeSync support, thinner bezels and a slightly sleeker design, but don"t get FOMO over the "HDR" you"ll see in the name; it has the same color and brightness specs as the cheaper model. LG has simply added decoding hardware that lets it more-or-less intelligently cram real HDR content to the dim, small gamut display, which is never pretty.

I don"t like curved 27-inch monitors or VA panels much, but in a sea of 75Hz options, the Gigabyte is a refreshing 165Hz. That makes it a lot more suited to gaming than all the 75Hz models. It also has a greater-than-sRGB color gamut, low-power stereo speakers and a USB hub, which you rarely find together in this price class. The lowest price you"ll find on this monitor right now is $230, but we"re keeping it on this list for the moment as we"ve often seen it discounted to $200 or even lower.

First things first: You should set your sights relatively low if you have $200 or less to spend on your new gaming monitor. The best monitors—the ones that support 4K, high refresh rates, and superior color accuracy—often cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Not everyone needs the best of the best, though. Many older and/or less expensive systems can’t take advantage of resource-intensive specialty features. The best gaming monitors under $200 meet PC players’ basic needs, bringing their games to life for as little as possible.

As a critic covering games and gaming hardware, I’ve written about computing and monitors for Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, and NBC Select. I’ve researched, tested, and reviewed dozens of gaming monitors, and have a strong sense of which specs are important, and which are not.

To pick the best gaming monitors under $200, we relied on my mix of hands-on testing, peer suggestions, user impressions, and information from professional reviews. We focused on core specifications crucial to a great gaming monitor: resolution, frame rate, connectivity options, and price.

The best gaming monitors under $200 come from a few well-known monitor manufacturers, primarily Acer and AOC. Many of our recommendations feature similar specs, including a 1080p resolution, a 24-inch screen, a VA panel, and a 144Hz response time. Though the range of specs is limited, they can still make your games look good.

Plenty of monitors hit 1080p, a 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time, but very few give it to you for the same price as the AOC G2490VX. This essentialist monitor may lack some of the trapping found in more expensive displays like extra ports and HDR, but its core specs are right on the money.

Does it have the finer points that the best monitors for PS5 and Xbox Series systems sing? It does not. The Nitro QG241Y is a 1080p, 144Hz monitor, but it has two HDMI ports, one of which is HDMI 2.0, which supports 1080p at 120Hz, opening the door for high frame rates in games like Destiny 2 and DOOM Eternal, which run at 120 frames-per-second in 1080p on the PS5 and Series X.

With a tight budget and room for only one or two little luxuries, a 27-inch monitor doesn’t really seem like a great way to get the best bang for your buck. Still, size matters most to some people, so we wanted to make sure you know that you can find a 27-inch display for less than $200.

Sometimes you just need a display. When you need a new gaming monitor and want to spend as little as humanly possible, the Sceptre E248W-19203R offers an impressively cheap screen. While its performance won’t turn heads, its price tag is one of the lowest in the gaming space. For less than $150, you get a slim, utilitarian 1080p VA panel with multiple HDMI ports and built-in speakers.

More than the other monitors on this list, this Sceptre screen comes with some very serious tradeoffs. You only get a 75Hz refresh rate, which may be fine for players with cheaper systems, but seriously limits the lifespan of the monitor. Likewise, it features a reported 5ms response time, which shouldn’t ruin any game, but is dramatically higher than most other displays.

In this case, our budget—targeting the best gaming monitors under $200—thankfully narrows down our options. Still, you will have to make a choice and we want you to be able to do so confidently. Let’s go over the essential qualities that can make or break a monitor at any price so that you can find the perfect complement to a budget gaming PC.

Nearly all gaming monitors under $200 have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, commonly called 1080p or “Full HD.” In 2022, 1080p is the baseline resolution for PC monitors. Baseline doesn’t necessarily mean bad, though: A 1080p monitor looks sharp on a 24-inch screen, the smallest of the three common monitor sizes. That said, small details can start to look a little less clear on 27- and 32-inch displays, so we recommend sticking with a 24-inch monitor. That said, we do have an especially strong 27-inch option on our list for players who insist on a larger screen.

Refresh rate, measured in Hertz (Hz), refers to the number of times your monitor can draw a new image each second. Refresh rate is especially important for gaming since your monitor’s refresh rate effectively sets your maximum frame rate. In competitive circles, a high refresh rate may take priority over resolution: In fast-paced competitive games like Fortniteor Apex Legends, having the smoothest, fastest frame rate can give you a competitive edge.

Generally, we recommend looking for a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming monitors, which allows you to run many games at the maximum frame rate your PC can handle. For $200, nearly all of our picks hit that basic threshold, though there are some exceptions, which will make more sense for casual players and those with older systems.

Every computer you use has a slight delay between pressing a key and seeing an action take place on screen. While most of this delay has to do with processing time, your monitor’s response time plays a role in generating input lag. Most gaming monitors advertise a very low response time, usually 1 millisecond or less. As with frame rate, competitive players will want the lowest possible response time since even a single frame can be consequential. Most of the monitors we recommend, even at a sub-$200 price point, feature a 1ms response time.

Gaming monitors rely on one of two variable refresh rate formats: Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. These technologies, particularly G-Sync, were designed to pair with graphics cards made by Nvidia and AMD, respectively. That said, there is an increasing amount of cross-compatibility between the two.

Make sure you know whether a monitor supports variable refresh rate and, if so, whether it features G-Sync or FreeSync. We generally recommend getting a G-Sync monitor if you use an Nvidia graphics card. FreeSync is more popular among budget monitors, and every monitor on our list supports it.

Many players, especially those with older gaming PCs or using a PC made for the office, can find a gaming monitor that fits their needs for $200. At this price, you’re aiming for a stripped-down experience, but you can get two of the core specs we look for—1080p and 144Hz—in the best gaming monitors under $200.

The refresh rate you want to target, measured in Hertz (Hz), will vary based on your PC and what games you’re playing. Your monitor’s frame rate simply sets the upper limit of what it can show you. Given that, we recommend 144Hz frame rate monitor for gaming, which should allow most players with midrange or powerful PCs to play a large number of games at frame rates well above 60Hz in 1080p.

A curved monitor can offer a more immersive feel in cinematic single-player games and first-person experiences. That said, there’s nothing inherently “better” about using one. Some people prefer a flat panel, some prefer curved when it comes to gaming monitors.

The best gaming monitors under $200 offer surprisingly solid performance for an affordable price. For the most part, these are not “great” monitors by any stretch, but they hit many of the basic benchmarks we look for in a gaming display. If you’re a PC player that needs a new screen and you’re on a tight budget, these will get the job done.

The array of decent monitors under $200 is rather vast, so it will be difficult to find two models with the exact same capabilities, specifications and quality.

For our overview, we have picked out 11 best computer monitors under 200 dollars that are unlikely to disappoint you with their efficiency. The detailed descriptions of each model will help you make the final decision.

Since HP EliteDisplay is meant mostly for work-related tasks, its accurate and even strict design doesn’t come off as a surprise. It is the best IPS monitor under 200 for standalone and collaborative projects, as well as all sorts of teamwork.

The Dell 21.5" monitor is aimed at making the user’s workspace as convenient as productive as possible. The model’s location, height and angle may be effortlessly regulated to achieve the marvelous picture on several monitors.

In case you are after decent IPS monitors under $200, pay attention to this Dell model with its wide viewing angles, thin Infinity Edge frames, and wonderful 1.920 x 1080 resolution.

LG 27MK600M-B is undoubtedly the best 27 inch monitor under $200 for work-related assignments and watching multimedia content. Its IPS matrix highlights the remarkable efficiency of LCD displays.

It is the best computer monitor under 200 for those who take the eye protection seriously and wish to eliminate the damage done to the eyesight. The model incorporates a qualitative 8-bit IPS-matrix with a W-LED backlight.

The sophisticated IPS panel guarantees saturated colors together with wide viewing angles. AOC 24V2H is an incredible 24 inch monitor under $200 in terms of the produced picture, which appears precise and exceptional no matter the position of people who are looking at the screen.

If we consider the frame-free design of this small monitor, it can’t be referred to as the low-cost one, mainly due to its robust specifications. Still, Dell S2419H is the best monitor under $200 found in its category of frameless models.

Philips 326E8FJSB is one of the best PC monitors under 200 dollars due to its robust specifications, like max brightness of 250 cd / m2, a response time of 5ms, the static contrast of 3000: 1, and the dynamic contrast of 20 000 000: 1.

In case you are after the model that will remain relevant for several years to come, pay close attention to the matrix type. Apart from the widespread IPS matrix, LCD VA / PVA / MVA or OLED types guarantee a more qualitative picture.

Besides, the market presents models based on the “quantum dots”. It unites LCD and OLED matrices and combines their benefits. These monitors are rather expensive.

The significant parameters for gaming monitors greatly differ from that of, for instance, monitors for graphics. First and foremost, low input delay matters (a value beyond above 1ms is already a lot). The refresh rate is relevant as well – higher values (up to 144Hz) are advisable. But if you are interested in models with high refresh rates, get ready to invest much money.

As for resolution, Full HD is considered insufficient for gaming purposes. An unofficial standard is the 2560x1440 (WQHD) resolution. Mind that a 30” WQHD display features the identical pixel density as a 23” Full HD one. But a diagonal of 30 inches for the monitor is a bit excessive.

A certain monitor is required for drawing and process graphics, as well as creating layouts. Such a model is supposed to have a triple monitor stand, to boast remarkable color rendering and long response time (in comparison with the gaming analog).

This monitor will be best used for gaming because of the 24” curved 1920×1080 VA panel at its core. This gives the monitor an excellent contrast ratio of 3000:1, meaning dark blacks compared to IPS or TN panels.

When it comes to gaming, with a 1ms response time and 144hz refreshing rate, you’ll be able to enjoy smooth frame rates with little stuttering or ghosting. Besides that, the C24G1A has a low input lag mode that adjusts the monitor’s settings to favor response time over everything else, giving you a competitive edge and lowering other aspects of the display.Plus, the AOC C24G1A comes equipped with FlickerFree and LowBlue light technologies, allowing you to game longer with less eye fatigue.

Construction-wise, the AOC C24G1A is made out of your typical black plastic common with budget monitors. The stand is made of the same material and has wide feet making it really stable. It allows for height adjustments up to a max of 130mm and a roughly 45° swivel in either direction. It cannot pivot, however.

For under $200, you could do worse, but you could also do better. There are a few downsides that struck us as a big deal. For one, the text is fuzzier than most VA panels, and the motion blur reduction settings drop backlight intensity. While not a bad monitor in the least, the AOC C24G1A leaves some things to be desired.

In recent years, ASUS has made great strides in the gaming community by producing quality components targeted at budget-conscious gamers. And the ASUS VG248QG is a perfect example of this.

The ASUS VG248QG is a 24in 1920×1080 flat-screen TN panel monitor with excellent custom adjustability options and extra features that may surprise you. While the ASUS VG248QG may not have a frameless design like other monitors, the screen bezels are pretty thin and give this monitor a nice look.

Under everything is what we would consider one of the biggest selling points of this monitor, the base. Its made out of the same sturdy black plastic but with a stylish red ring and allows the monitor to swivel 90° in either direction, rise and lower 130mm, rotate 90° right or left, and tilt from a -5° to a maximum of 33°. Furthermore, you can attach a mount (sold separately) if you so desire.

Unfortunately, the downside is the VG248QG will not do so well for color-accurate work. This is because TN Panels have a lesser ability to display accurate colors and cause text to have a fuzzy look.Moreover, these types of panels have a very narrow viewing angle. The more off-center you are, the darker and fainter the image appears. So if this is important to you, then this monitor may not be the best choice.

Overall, the ASUS VG248QG is a top contender for the gaming crowd due to its crazy fast response time. The performance, in combination with the high amount of adjustability and customization, is impressive for the price. The only drawback of this monitor is the panel; however, the performance you get for under $200 is unheard of.

Samsung has been a leader in the monitor market for years, and with the Samsung CRG5, they offer an excellent balance between price and performance. With all the experience that Samsung has with budget-friendly monitors, it’s easy to see why this monitor ranks so high on our list. If you’re looking for a cheap 144hz monitor, it would be hard not to consider one from Samsung, especially the CRG5.

At the heart of the Samsung CRG5 is a VA panel with a 3000:1 contrast ratio which is pretty good and gives you great black-to-white contrast and sharpens your image. This also makes it somewhat of a general-use monitor, but with all the features, like Freesync, and a suite of settings dedicated to gaming, it’s clearly made for gamers.

With no fancy accents or any frills to the look, the Samsung CRG5’s shell is made of dull black plastic. The stand is also made of the same material and only tilts., so again, if you need an ergonomic monitor, this one won’t be the best option.

On the back right side, you will find a joystick and button combo; this is where you will access the settings menu and change your display settings or turn the game mode on or off. In addition, the Samsung CRG5 has a low input lag mode. This setting will adjust the display to favor frame rate and response time over anything else, giving you the fastest performance for competitive gaming.

What’s more, there are settings for eye saver mode, which reduces flickering and lessens the amount of blue light emitted from your monitor. This is excellent news for your eye health, as these things cause eye fatigue and can leave you feeling strained after long gaming sessions.

You can also access Samsungs “Super Arena Gaming UX” which is a settings suite with all the functions typical gamers would want access to, which we found to be extremely helpful.

All in all, the Samsung CRG5 is another fantastic and cheap 144hz gaming monitor. It’s definitely not perfect, with some ghosting issues and limited stand articulation; however, it’s got a wide array of gaming features and a great VA panel display with strong gaming performance. For under $200, you will find it more than satisfying for your needs.

BenQ has delivered a budget monitor geared directly toward gamers that care about raw performance. Founded in 2001, BenQ is a relative newcomer to the game compared to other well-renowned manufacturers but has made its mark on the gaming industry nonetheless.

The Zowie XL2411K is one of the most ergonomic monitors on this list and comes with a few downsides; however, that could be considered deal-breakers to some, but for others, they may only be minor inconveniences.

This includes not only a tilt feature which is universal to most monitors, but it also swivels roughly 45° in either direction. It has an impressive height adjustment of up to 443mm and even allows you to pivot the monitor to 90° in either direction. What’s more, there are little red hashes near these adjustment points to fine-tune your positioning. There’s even a little metal handle on the stand for added convenience.

Now, the worst part of this monitor is the panel. It’s a TN panel, an outdated technology, which delivers by far the worst picture quality and viewing angles out of any other panel technology. It does, however, deliver great gaming performance, which, combined with the highly adjustable stand, may be a worthy sacrifice for some gamers.

The screen itself is rather typical of TN panels, maybe even less than that in some aspects. With a coverage of 72% of the DCI-P3 and 93% of the sRGB gamuts, the BenQ Zowie XL2411K isn’t very impressive, even for a TN panel. This won’t matter much if you’re using it for gaming, but if you need a monitor for practically any other reason, this monitor is not the best option.

For just under $200, the BenQ Zowie XL2411K is a decent gaming monitor with outstanding ergonomics and lightning-fast response times. By far the biggest drawback of this monitor is its outdated panel technology which brings down the picture quality and reduces the viewing angles. But still, at this price point, there’s a lot to like about this monitor.

Acer typically does a great job with budget gaming monitors, but for some reason, the KG251Q has a few noticeable shortcomings. This monitor may be second-to-last on our list, but it is, by no means, a bad monitor. There are just too many significant flaws that make it fall short of being the best budget 144hz monitor of 2023.

Right off the bat, the Acer KG251Q surprises with some great features– It’s a frameless 144hz monitor with a response time of 1ms. That makes it ideal for gaming as input lag and response time will be low enough for the competitive scene. And with a frameless design, it will work well in a multi-display setup.

For the price, the Acer KG251Q does well and is overall a good monitor for gaming, but not so much anything else. Compared to VA and especially IPS panels, the color and crispness are lacking. The gaming performance is good, but in comparison to other monitors, there isn’t anything that would make it stand out from the crowd.

As far as budget 144hz gaming monitors go, the Philips 242E1GSJ is what you would expect. However, something you wouldn’t expect is a low quality vs. performance ratio from a well-known brand like Philips.

Additionally, you can save your own presets, so customizing your display couldn’t be easier. But to tell the truth, the factory presets are pretty good. And with a decent sRGB color gamut of 126%, the colors will be great for gaming and casual viewing. But like most VA panels, the color accuracy isn’t the best.

Overall, the price point for the Philips 242E1GSJ is a little high. Yeah, it’s a 144hz VA panel with a 1ms response time in 1080p, but it just seems cheap. The input panel isn’t placed well, and any cables you stick in there will be sticking right back out. For barely missing the $200 mark, you could do better. But in the end, it’s not a bad monitor if you don’t mind a few downsides build-wise.

Besides that, if you have any additional questions or are still not sure which monitor is best for your needs, feel free to reach out to us, and we’ll be more than happy to help you out.

If $200 is all you can give away for your new display, do not despair — you won’t need a $500+ monitor to enjoy crisp image quality and smooth gaming performance.

The Gigabyte G24F-2 is a 24″ 1080p 165Hz (180Hz OC) IPS gaming monitor with a quick pixel response time speed and a wide color gamut, ensuring both an immersive and responsive gaming experience.

As it’s the case with all IPS monitors, there’s some IPS glow and the native contrast ratio is mediocre at ~1,100:1, so you won’t get as deep blacks as that of VA panel monitors with a contrast ratio of around 3,000:1. However, VA technology has other disadvantages, which we’ll get into later.

Keep in mind that you can also find a 27″ 1440p 144Hz IPS gaming monitor for $200 – $250 on sale sometimes, such as the ViewSonic VX2768-2KP, the Acer XV272UV or the HP X27q.

Further, there are some 1080p 240Hz IPS models that can go on sale for below $200, including the Dell S2522HG, the Dell AW2521HFL and the LG 27GN/GP750.

In comparison to the previously mentioned 144Hz monitors, the VA panel of the AOC C24G1A has a slower response time speed, resulting in noticeable trailing behind fast-moving objects, especially in dark scenes.

Unfortunately, some units of the AOC C24G1A (and most other monitors based on VA panels) are affected by the brightness flickering issue when VRR is enabled.

Nowadays, you can even get an ultrawide monitor for under 200 USD. This type of monitor offers a 21:9 aspect ratio as opposed to the standard 16:9 giving you extra horizontal space for a more cinematic viewing experience.

The LG 29WQ500 is the only 21:9 monitor available for under $200. Note that the monitor is 29-inch in diagonal but longer in width than a standard display. So, the monitor is as tall as a regular 23-inch 16:9 monitor, but wider — which may take some time getting used to.

There’s also the LG 29WQ600 model with a USB-C port (DP Alt Mode, no Power Delivery) and dual 7W integrated speakers. It’s more expensive, but can be found on sale for $200.

Even though it’s $50 – $100 cheaper than most budget 4K monitors, the Sceptre U275W-UPT features an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, 99% sRGB color gamut and a strong peak brightness of 350-nits!

4K UHD resolution results in a high pixel density of 163 PPI on 27″ monitors, which translates to plenty of screen real estate with crystal-clear details and text!

In case you’re more of a single-player kind of gamer and don’t care about scoreboards, the AOC C24G1A will provide you with a more immersive gaming experience thanks to its high contrast ratio.

Finally, in case you don’t care much for high frame rates and fast-paced gaming, the LG 29WQ500 offers decent performance, but a more immersive image quality as well as accurate and consistent colors.

– Checked up on the guide to ensure that our picks are still the best options available. Be sure to check out ‘Alternatives’ for monitors that go for below $200 on sales.

While higher-resolution monitors are becoming more and more popular, the truth is that, for competitive gamers, those higher resolution monitors can be a hindrance in their success against their competitors. The higher the resolution they play at, the fewer framerates they’re going to get, and the more of a disadvantage they’ll be at when playing highly competitive games (like first-person shooters.)

So, for most competitive gamers, 1080P offers the perfect balance of picture quality and performance. And, fortunately, a solid 1080P gaming monitor won’t set you back nearly as much as a high-end 1440P 144Hz monitor, or a 4K monitor will. In this guide, we’ve listed seven of the best gaming monitors under $200 at a variety of price points for a range of use cases.

If you’re looking for a quick run-down of our favorite gaming monitors for under $200, the table below gives you our top overall pick, our runner-up pick, our pick for the best curve monitor under $200, and our selection for the best budget gaming monitor in the sub-$200 price range. NAME SPECS RATING

*To read more about each of these sub-$200 gaming monitors, click on “Read Review »” to jump to the overview we’ve written on that specific monitor. You can also scroll further down in this post to see our Honorable Mention selections.

The Acer XFA240 24″ monitor was our Best Value Pick in our guide on the Best Cheap 144Hz Monitors and it is also our top pick for the best gaming monitor under $200. It’s not hard to figure out why, either…

It’s a 24-inch monitor with a 1080P resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, and it is both G-Sync and FreeSync compatible. So, if you have a solid NVIDIA or AMD graphics card in your system (or are planning on building a PC with one in it), the XFA240 will essentially give you an ideal 1080P gaming experience with its high refresh rate and fast response time.

The best part is, that it won’t even take a high-end system to run, either. So, along with this $200 gaming monitor being a high-end (but budget-friendly) 1080P option, it will also pair well with our $700 gaming PC build and our $800 gaming PC build.

The prices on the two monitors are also very similar as well, with each coming in under $200. The XFA240 is currently ~$15 less expensive, though, making it the better buy at the moment.

We cheated a little bit with this pick as MSI’s Optix G24C 24″ monitor comes in at slightly above $200. However, it’s worth noting because, while it is very similar to the two monitor options listed above, it has one other standout feature that might sway you to pay the small premium to get it: it has a curved panel display.

Like the two monitors listed above, the Optix G24C 24″ monitor has a 1080P resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time. The Optix G24C does opt for Adaptive Sync technology rather than FreeSync, though.

If you’re just looking for an affordable gaming monitor and you need the high refresh rate that the options above come with then the BenQ GL2760H is worth considering. It’s not built specifically for gamers like some of the other options on this list, but it does have one thing going for it that the others don’t: it comes with a 27″ display.

So, if all you really need is a 1080P 60Hz monitor for less competitive gaming, and having more screen real estate would be more beneficial to you, then the BenQ GL2760H would be a solid option for you.

Again, it comes with a 27″ 1080P display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It has a 2ms response time and comes with both DVI and HDMI ports. Those features alone might not help this monitor stand out, but at just under $150, this is one of the most affordable 27-inch monitors currently on the market.

Acer’s GN246HL 24″ monitor became a really popular option after its release, mostly due to the fact that it was the first 144Hz refresh rate monitor to be released for under $200. And, it’s still the least expensive 144Hz monitor currently on the market.

On the other hand, though, the GN246HL will work well with a mid-range gaming PC that can push non-demanding eSports titles (League of Legends, Dota 2, Rocket League, etc.) at really high framerates, as at those higher framerates, the screen tearing will be less of an issue.

The Samsung CF390 is really just a standard 1080P 60Hz monitor that comes in at a fairly affordable price. However, it does come with a curved panel display, which is a rare find on a monitor at this price range (just under ~$140).

The CF390 is obviously not going to be the absolute best option for competitive gamers that play games like PUBG, CS:GO, Battlefield, etc. However, if you’re not a hardcore eSports gamer, or you’re working with a tighter budget that puts the top three monitors on this list out of your price range, then the CF390 will be a decent alternative.

Samsung’s CF390 does come with AMD’s FreeSync technology, though, so in terms of 1080P 60Hz monitors, it is one of the better options for budget-oriented eSports gamers.

If your main concern is price and you’re working with a really tight budget, you might want to consider the Sceptre E225W-19203R. It’s one of the better 1080P monitors under $100 currently available.

It comes with a 22″ screen and up to a 75Hz refresh rate. Its 5ms response time isn’t ideal for hardcore gaming, but if you just need a cheap monitor that will allow at least give you a decent-quality 1080P picture, this is an okay choice.

Ultimately, the Sceptre E225W-19203R isn’t a long-term monitor option for gaming. But if you need something to hold you over until you can afford a true gaming monitor, the E225W-19203R is really cheap and will give you a decent 1080P display while you save up for something more suited for hardcore gaming.

Yes, there are a lot of fancy monitor options out there that cost $500 or more. You’ve got high-resolution ultrawide monitors, 1440P 165Hz monitors, G-Sync monitors, 4K monitors (and, now, 4K 144Hz monitors), and plenty more. But, if you’re a serious gamer you don’t necessarily need those expensive monitor solutions. In fact, for ultra-competitive gamers, those higher-resolution monitors require a much more powerful system in order to run properly—and if you don’t have a high-end gaming computer to push them properly, you’ll actually end up hurting your in-game performance as a result.

Fortunately, if you are a competitive gamer, you can grab a nice 1080P 144Hz monitor for under $200, or, if you’re more of a casual gamer, you can get a solid 1080P 60Hz monitor for even less. Ultimately, the options above are our choices for the best gaming monitors under $200 and there is likely a choice there that will suit your own individual needs.

We"ve rounded up the best cheap gaming monitor deals available right now, so you get a top-quality display for your gaming rig at a fantastic price. We"ve included some of our favorite budget-friendly and value-for-money gaming monitors below. So, scroll down for our top picks featuring a range of different screen sizes and manufacturers.

There are options if you want a high-end monitor that can output in 4K resolution or would prefer a display with a fast refresh rate to give you the most responsive gaming experience. We"ve also considered many other specs and features, too, including G-Sync or AMD FreeSync support, curved or ultrawide screens, and more. And while they may be cheap, they can still be some of the best gaming monitors you can buy today.

If you need more gaming tech, you can always check out the latest cheap gaming laptop deals available now. We"ve also got hubs you can browse through with our favourite cheap gaming keyboards, cheap gaming mice and cheap gaming headsets. Then, you can assemble everything on top of one of these cheap gaming desks.

So you"re looking for the cheapest of our cheap gaming monitor deals but you don"t want to skimp on the specs? The Asus VP228HE is meeting you right there. You"re getting a fantastic display quality, with bright color contrast and vivid picture worthy of a much higher price tag. Sure, that 60Hz refresh rate might put a high-octane user off, but there"s Asus"s own Flicker-Free tech built into this particular cheap gaming monitor, along with a 1ms response time, keeping everything zipping along nicely.

You"ll struggle to find a 4K gaming monitor worth running such resolution on cheaper than this Asus model. You"re getting fantastic value for money, with an impressive display quality working beautifully in tandem with some of Asus" best gaming features. Color clarity and the process of highlighting darker shadows during gameplay has always been a big draw to Asus" line of cheap gaming monitors, but in 4K everything shines tenfold. Plus, you"re picking up a FreeSync and G-Sync compatible screen here - a valuable bonus feature.

The perfect next-gen console monitor offers HDMI 2.1 with 4K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, the perfect next-gen console monitor doesn"t exist - yet. While brands are developing their HDMI 2.1 displays, however, the BenQ EX2510(opens in new tab) offers the next best thing for those not looking to break the bank before the big guns are released.

4K monitors with a 120Hz refresh rate will still cost you a pretty penny, and as it stands today, the PS5 doesn"t support native 1440p resolution (running a 1080p output on a 1440p display can also open you up to a whole host of new issues as well). While the BenQ does come in a smaller display size, then, that sacrifice in real estate will offer a boost in picture quality at 1080p then.

If you"re working with a smaller space this 25-inch Alienware monitor might be perfectly suited to your high speed gaming needs. A 240Hz refresh rate makes this an exceedingly smooth experience - aided by having both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync under the hood for even better motion handling. On top of its speed, though, you"re also getting an excellent 1080p IPS panel on here.

If you"re a firm believer in curved gaming monitors, the AOC C32G2 offers an excellent budget display that still carries plenty of the features you"ll likely find in more expensive models. With a stunning 165Hz refresh rate, the AOC will serve up an incredibly smooth image, especially with AMD FreeSync enabled. Plus, you"re still getting a full 178 / 178 range of viewing angles here as well.

Overdrive mode puts a stop to most of the ghosting you might find on first load, and you may also need to fiddle around with the settings to source the best configurations for your games and environment. Once it"s all set up, though, you"ll be thankful you didn"t spring for a far more expensive curved gaming monitor.

At its core, this is a high-quality gaming monitor at a low low price tag. While that may mean a little extra TLC required to get it set up properly, a larger screen size will not only make for more immersive gaming, but you"ll also find benefits to productivity as well - with plenty of space for multi-tasking on that vast panel. That makes this an excellent all-rounder, perfect if you"re looking to easily switch from working to playing from home.

In your quest for a cheap gaming monitor, you"re probably already eagle-eyed to obvious specs; size, resolution, and extra features for example. However, there are two more factors that those looking specifically for a cheap gaming monitor will want to take into account when shopping gaming monitor sales - refresh rates and response times.

Essentially, both of these factors work to keep your monitor updated with as many images as possible as quickly as possible. The response time dictates how long it takes for a pixel to change color onscreen and the refresh rate suggests how many images will be displayed in the space of a second. When it comes to twitch reflexes and muscle memory, you"ll want to pick up the smallest response time and the largest refresh rate possible in any cheap gaming monitor deals you come across.

That said, there"s no point picking up a cheap gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate if your GPU can"t output to that speed. Check the maximum refresh rate on your particular graphics system to make sure you"ll be able to make the most of a high-spec display. If not, it may be worth it to future-proof your purchase, however.

You can pay anything from $50 to $1,500 for a gaming monitor these days, but if you"re looking for workable specs that matter, with some FreeSync flavor in there for style, you"ll be able to easily find cheap gaming monitor deals for under $200 / £200. If you"re looking for higher resolution displays like a QHD or 4K panel, you"re looking more in the $250 / £250 region.

Cheap gaming monitors tend to offer different specifications to everyday displays for work or web browsing, or even more creative industrial projects that require finely nuanced color balance. While you"re going to be more interested in a lower response time and faster refresh rate to make sure you"re not missing a single second of the action, a good gaming monitor also handles darker colors with ease without amping up the exposure of the brighter hues.

Plus, because of the high octane action that often occurs on a gaming monitor"s screen, tearing and ghosting are factors to take into account when shopping cheap gaming monitor deals as well. The best gaming monitors will offer FreeSync, or even G-Sync, support to match framerates with a GPU"s output and avoid stuttering effects entirely.

Whether you"re looking to connect your next-gen console to a smaller screen, or you"re wondering whether to grab a cheap 4K TV for your PC, there are a few differences between monitors and televisions that should be noted when it comes to gaming.

In short, gaming monitors are far better suited to desktop use than TVs - not least because 4K TV sizes tend to begin at 43-inches and will offer lower resolutions that make up-close viewing particularly nauseating.

Monitors offer lower input lag and faster response times than TVs. If you want tournament-grade precision and speed in your Overwatch bouts, then, you"ll find a gaming monitor deal is far better suited.

Not only that, but gaming monitors generally have higher refresh rates than (most) TVs - which means you"ll get a smoother experience overall as well.

However, if you"re not going to be running your setup from a gaming desk and you"re after the biggest panel you can fit we"d recommend picking up an OLED TV deal for the best result.

OLED displays will cost you significantly more than the average gaming monitor, but they have faster response times, excellent contrast ratios, and plenty offer 120Hz refresh rates as well. You won"t find many OLED gaming monitors on the shelves right now, and the ones that are available are vastly more expensive than OLED TVs.

4K monitors are a curious beast. They cram a ton of pixels, but whether or not that"s useful heavily depends on the size of the screen and how far you sit from it. TVs benefit from 4K panels because they"re huge and you don"t sit too far away to not notice the difference. Meanwhile, phones rarely have 4K displays because the pixels they cram into such a small frame are so close to your face and are already imperceptible.

A 4K monitor like this one from Monoprice would need to be pretty big to be worthwhile. Fortunately, the 28-inch frame here is at least the minimum you"d need to feel a difference. It also supports HDR and its colors are suitably vibrant. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu used it in both a Mac and Windows setup and says it worked great in both. He VESA mounted it, but do note that the mounting holes are recessed—you can use longer M3 screws to make it work. The stand is easy to attach and is height adjustable too. Whichever way you set it up, if you do a lot of video editing—especially 4K footage—or you just want the highest possible resolution on a monitor without spending a boatload of cash, then this is the best we"ve tested.

You’ve spent a good portion of your PC build budget on a powerful CPU, stunning graphics card, and beefy RAM, and now a gaming monitor is the final piece of your battle station. However, monitors can get pretty pricey, so you’re looking to save a little and snag a more affordable option. Or maybe, you’ve got a gaming laptop but found you’d like some additional screen real estate while playing at home. Competitive and immersive games look and play better on a standalone monitor. Even a modest 24-inch monitor is a big upgrade over a laptop display.

Gaming monitors have an expensive reputation, but there are plenty of options for gamers on a tight budget. You can easily grab a display with a high pixel density and refresh rate for a few hundred dollars. 4K gaming monitors or a 360Hz refresh rate are even within reach. All of our picks are sure to tote VRR technology to keep you fully immersed in your game"s action as well. You really aren’t missing much by saving a whole lot. Check out our favorites below – and click here to see them in the UK.

Best Budget Gaming MonitorScreen Size: 27” | Aspect Ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 | Panel type: IPS FreeSync | Brightness: 400 cd/m2 | Refresh rate: 165Hz | Response time: 1ms | Inputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort

Combining affordability and quality features, the HP X27q is a monitor that might make you wonder why you ever paid more. It totes an IPS panel with a 400 nit peak brightness, making it possible to take advantage of HDR. Whatever you’re viewing will look rich and vibrant, while the 1440p resolution hits the sweet spot with the 27-inch display, ensuring crisp, clean graphics in every frame. Just be aware, the contrast ratio isn’t the best out there, and it does lack wide color gamut support, but it’s no worse than other monitors of this type. Still, at a typica