The best gaming monitors in 2021
The best gaming monitors offer the perfect mix of resolution, refresh rate, and size to immerse you in your favorite gaming worlds.
The best gaming monitor 2021 will be able to make the most of what your CPU and GPU can achieve, and if you've got an old display, you're probably looking at a washed out, inaccurate image that isn't doing your gaming experience any favours. If you're still at 60Hz, we think you'll be delighted by an upgrade to 144Hz or higher.
It's important to note that your graphics card will dictate the kind of monitor it's worth getting. There's not much point in grabbing a 4K screen, or an ultrawide equivalent, if you're planning on keeping hold of your GeForce GTX 1060. The best screens need the best graphics cards to reach full potential—which is obviously a bit of a problem right now.
For those lucky few packing an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti, or AMD's RX 6000-series, your options are wide open. These new GPUs will handle 4K panels at silky-smooth frame rates, and even the best high refresh rate monitors. If your GPU isn't quite up to the task of beating 60 fps at 4K (you have an RTX 2060 or RTX 2070, as examples), we recommend using a 1440p resolution. To futureproof your setup, you could get a 4K display and just run games at 1440p.
We've tested a staggering amount of monitors recently to make sure your money is well spent on the best gaming monitor for you, so right now we're still curating a huge list of Cyber Monday deals left over from the weekend, as well as a whole hub especially for Cyber Monday gaming monitor deals as we go on through Cyber Week. We'll keep this list updated but the deals will be running out soon enough, so now's the time to get last minute gaming monitor deals.
Our favorite Cyber Monday gaming monitor dealsAsus ROG Strix XG279QASUS Republic of Gamers STRIX XG279Q | 27-inch | 1440p | IPS | 170 Hz | $599.99 $399.99 at B&H Photo (save $200)
Not the lowest price we've seen on a 170Hz 1440p monitor during Cyber Monday, but a good deal on a quality monitor that you won't have to replace for a long time (as long as you don't mind the ROG "gamer" aesthetic).
VIEW DEALMSI GF65Gigabyte M32Q | 32-inch | 1440p | IPS | 165Hz | 1ms | FreeSync | $499.99 $359.99 at Newegg (save $140)
The M32Q is a larger version of one of our favorite gaming monitors, the 27-inch Gigabyte G27Q.
VIEW DEALSamsung Odyssey G5 | 27-inch | 1440p | IPS | 165Hz | $499.99Samsung Odyssey G5 | 27-inch | 1440p | IPS | 165Hz |$499.99 $399.99 at Amazon (save $100)
Pricier that the Gigabyte above but with similar specs. For the extra money, you get a better stand which swivels and pivots, certified G-Sync support, and according to one reviewer, a little less glare.
VIEW DEALAlienware 25 Gaming Monitor: AW2521HFAlienware AW2521HF | 25-inch | 1080p | IPS | 240Hz | $380 $279 at Gamestop (save $101)
It may not be the widest, screen nor the highest resolution around, but with a true 1ms grey-to-grey response and a ridiculous 240Hz refresh, it'll give you some serious speed—provided your PC can pump out the high frame rates it deserves.
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Best gaming monitorImage 1 of 4
(Image credit: LG)
(Image credit: LG)
(Image credit: LG)
(Image credit: LG)1. LG 27GN950-BThe fastest, most responsive 4K gaming monitorSPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 27-inchPanel type: Nano IPSAspect ratio: 16:9Resolution: 3840 x 2160Response time: 1 msRefresh rate: 144 HzWeight: 16.9 lbsRefresh rate technology: G-Sync Compatible, FreeSync Premium Pro
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REASONS TO BUY
+Bright vivid colors
+G-Sync/FreeSync compatible
+Excellent response time for a 4K monitor
REASONS TO AVOID
-Oversaturated sRGB mode
4K gaming is a premium endeavor. You need a colossal amount of rendering power to hit decent frame rates at such a high resolution. But if you're rocking a top-shelf graphics card, like an RTX 3080, RTX 3090, or RX 6800 XT then this dream can be a reality, at last.
The LG UltraGear is the first 4K Nano IPS 1ms gaming monitor that'll properly show off your superpowered GPU. This 4K 27-inch HDR monitor has a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, which is kind of wild for a 4K monitor. What is most impressive, however, is the Nano IPS tech that offers a wider color gamut and stellar viewing angles.
The LG UltraGear 27GN950-B bags you a terrific panel with exquisite IPS image quality. Despite the lesser HDR capabilities, it also nets beautiful colors and contrast for your games too. G-Sync offers stable pictures and smoothness, and the speedy refresh rate and response times back this up too.
It's the whole package and truly the best gaming monitor going.
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(Image credit: GIGABYTE)
(Image credit: GIGABYTE)
(Image credit: GIGABYTE)
(Image credit: Gigabyte)2. Gigabyte G27QThe best FreeSync gaming monitorSPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 27-inchPanel type: IPSAspect ratio: 16:9Resolution: 2560 x 1440Response time: 1 msRefresh rate: 144 HzWeight: 20.9 lbsRefresh rate technology: FreeSync Premium
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REASONS TO BUY
+Fantastic picture quality
+Excellent gaming performance
+Lots of useful utilities
REASONS TO AVOID
-Bland design
-Basic stand
The G27Q proves that you don't need to spend a fortune for a decent IPS 1440p display. At $330, Gigabyte's 27-incher packs in plenty of sought-after features, but more importantly, it provides rich color and smooth gameplay. The 144Hz refresh rate doesn't hurt, either.
The Gigabyte G27Q is a bit of a plain Jane compared to other more pricey options. It's a flat, 27-inch display and a design that wouldn't stand out in an office environment. But it's actually one of the best gaming monitors I've had the pleasure of using. Not only does it have a gorgeous, vibrant panel, but it's also HDR capable and packs plenty of useful features designed to enhance your gaming pleasure.
Read our full Gigabyte G27Q review.
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(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)3. Dell S2722DGMA classic, affordable mix of 27-inch frame and 1440p resolutionSPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 27-inchPanel type: VAAspect ratio: 16:9Resolution: 2560 x 1440Response time: 1 msRefresh rate: 165 HzWeight: 9.35 lbsRefresh rate technology: FreeSync Premium
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REASONS TO BUY
+1440p and 165Hz is a very nice combo
+Strong inherent contrast from VA panel
+Affordable for a gaming panel
REASONS TO AVOID
-1440p and 165Hz is a very nice combo
-Strong inherent contrast from VA panel
-Affordable for a gaming panel
Much like the mystical ways of the Force, PC gaming is all about balance. There's little point weighting your system too heavily in one direction without paying attention to the whole package. Why bother pairing your RTX 3080 Ti with a 60Hz 1080p screen? Likewise why spend big on a 4K monitor when you're only sporting a Radeon RX 6600?
The classic 27-inch Dell S2722DGM marries that screen real estate with a 2560 x 1440 native resolution, which gives you a great pixel pitch for fine detail. At 1440p it's also a decent resolution for getting high frame rates without the GPU demands of a 4K display.
It's also capable of delivering that resolution at 165Hz, higher than the IPS-based Gigabyte above it. This VA panel also means it has a far higher contrast ratio, too, given the technology's inherent strong contrast. It's also a great price. Dell delivers high quality gaming panels, with all the features you need and few extraneous ones to bump up the price. And that makes it one of the best gaming monitors for most PC gamers today.
Read our full Dell S2722DGM review.
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(Image credit: Alienware)
(Image credit: Alienware)
(Image credit: Alienware)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)4. Alienware 25 AW2521HFThe best 240Hz gaming monitorSPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 25-inchPanel type: IPSAspect ratio: 16:9Resolution: 1920 x 1080Response time: 1 msRefresh rate: 240 HzWeight: 7.8 lbsRefresh rate technology: G-Sync Compatible, FreeSync Premium
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REASONS TO BUY
+Great viewing angles
+Fast response times
REASONS TO AVOID
-No HDR
It may have once been a niche, but 240Hz gaming has become more widespread, and Alienware has set itself ahead of the pack with the gorgeous AW2521HF gaming monitor. While not the cheapest on the market, it has the style and performance to make you want it on your desk.
Gamers will dig the Alienware 25's lightning-fast response time in games like Valorant and Destiny 2 with little to no ghosting or artifacts. This 1080p IPS panel is bright and vivid too.
If you work or game in a bright room, the Alienware 25 handles even the most obnoxious glares. More importantly, the AW252HF has some impressive viewing angles regardless if you have it set in the middle of your desk for gaming or off to the side as a second monitor in portrait mode while you work. Our only real complaints are the lack of HDR support, along with a lack of contrast, but it remains one of the best gaming monitors.
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(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)
(Image credit: Dell)5. Dell S3222DGMBig screen gaming without a big price tagSPECIFICATIONS
Screen size: 32-inchPanel type: VAAspect ratio: 16:9Resolution: 2560 x 1440Response time: 1 msRefresh rate: 165 HzWeight: 16.40 lbsRefresh rate technology: FreeSync Premium
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REASONS TO BUY
+Awesome value for money
+Decent all-round image quality
+Reasonably quick and responsive
REASONS TO AVOID
-"Only" 1440p
-No HDR support
-Not terribly punchy
We'd all love to have a thousand bucks burning a hole in our back pockets to blow on a new gaming monitor. But back in the real world, the Dell S3222DGM wants a crack at the kind of budget most of us actually have.
It's a 32-inch beast with a VA panel running at up to 165Hz and delivering 2560 by 1440 pixels. Yup, the tried and tested 1440p resolution, the sweetspot for real-world gaming according to many, the perfect balance between performance and visual detail. The catch is all that normally applies to 27-inch models. 32 inches? That makes for a pretty big panel for 1440p in terms of pixel density.
Where the low pixel density hurts most is actually in Windows. If you like crisp fonts and lots of desktop real estate, this isn’t the monitor for you. For everyone else, well, it comes down to the value proposition. There are faster monitors. There are monitors with superior IPS-powered image quality. There are monitors with all kinds of HDR support not found here. And others with far more pixels or more dramatic aspect ratios.
But it's worth remembering that pricing for this class of display - a 32-inch 165Hz 1440p panel - extends all the way up to $800 in the Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165. So, while the Dell S3222DGM isn't all that exciting from a technical point of view, for the money, it's pretty convincing.