The 5 Best 1440p Gaming Monitors - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best 1440p monitor for gaming we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. It's an excellent gaming monitor with an ultrawide 3440x1440 screen, meaning it offers more horizontal screen space than other 1440p displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It's great for atmospheric and FPS gaming, as you can see more of your game at once without moving around as much. It's excellent for gaming thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, resulting in extremely smooth motion with fast-moving objects. It also has a 175Hz refresh rate with native G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) support, which is ideal if you use an NVIDIA graphics card.

Even if you have an AMD graphics card, the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF or even the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED are cheaper alternatives. They offer nearly the same performance with FreeSync support, so you can choose whichever monitor works better with your graphics card. Whether you get the Dell monitors or the MSI, they each have the same QD-OLED panel with a near-infinite contrast ratio and bright colors. However, it's important to remember that OLEDs are prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, but this isn't a major concern for gaming.

If you don't like the ultrawide format of the Dell Alienware AW3423DW or you prefer something a bit cheaper, consider the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM. It's different from the Dell Alienware AW3423DW because of its smaller screen, different aspect ratio, and different type of OLED panel. It isn't a QD-OLED panel like on the Dell, so colors aren't as bright and vibrant, but at least it has the same near-infinite contrast that makes it a fantastic choice for dark room gaming.

It's still a fantastic gaming monitor with a few advantages over the Dell, like its fast 240Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for competitive PC gaming. It has a fast response time across its entire refresh rate range, and it has FreeSync VRR support with G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. While it has a lower input lag than the Dell monitor, you need to update it to the latest firmware to get the best performance, as the input lag is higher on its original firmware. However, if you want something with low input lag and fewer bugs out of the box, the LG 27GR95QE-B is an alternative with the same panel. However, it doesn't get as bright as the ASUS, and it has more overshoot, so the ASUS still offers the best performance.

If you're looking for a 1440p gaming monitor in the mid-range price category, consider the Dell Alienware AW2723DF. It has a 27-inch screen like the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM, but without an OLED panel, it doesn't deliver the same perfect blacks in dark rooms, and there's blooming around bright objects. However, there are some advantages to getting an LED-backlit LCD monitor like this one, as it gets brighter in SDR than the ASUS, making it a good choice if you want to use it in a bright room. The Dell doesn't risk permanent burn-in with exposure to the same static elements over time either.

Besides the differences in panel technology, it's still an excellent gaming monitor with a native 240Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 280Hz. It also has FreeSync VRR support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. Lastly, it provides a smooth gaming experience with a very fast response time across its entire refresh rate range, as there's minimal blur trail with fast-moving objects. If you still find it out of your price range, consider the Gigabyte M27Q X, another 240Hz gaming monitor that performs very well but has worse motion handling at lower refresh rates.

If you want something cheaper but aren't necessarily looking for a budget monitor, the LG 27GP850-B is a good alternative in the lower mid-range price category. As you go down in price, there are a few sacrifices you need to make, and in this case, the LG has a lower 180Hz max refresh rate compared to the 280Hz refresh rate on the Dell Alienware AW2723DF. This means it isn't as good of a choice if you're a competitive gamer who needs the highest refresh rate, as games don't feel as smooth, but it's good enough for most casual gamers.

Luckily, motion handling is incredible as it has a fantastic response time at high refresh rates and remains quick even with 60Hz signals. This monitor is also available as the 27GP83B-B at different retailers, but it doesn't have a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur like the 27GP850-B version. However, that feature only works within a narrow refresh rate range and not at the same time as VRR, so if you aren't going to use it, you'll be happy with either variant. You can also consider the LG 32GP850-B, which has a larger 32-inch screen, but it costs more for minimal difference in performance.

If you're looking for the best 1440p gaming monitor on a budget, a few good options are still available, like the Gigabyte M27Q P. It's similar to the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B but has a slightly lower 170Hz refresh rate and worse motion handling. Luckily, it offers an impressive gaming experience as the response time is still fast enough for gaming, and it also has a backlight strobing feature that works simultaneously as VRR, unlike the LG. It supports FreeSync to reduce screen tearing, and its G-SYNC compatibility is also great if you have an NVIDIA graphics card.

The Gigabyte has a few extra gaming features that the LG doesn't have, like a dashboard that shows vital information from your PC, like the CPU temperatures. It also has a virtual crosshair that gives you a competitive advantage in FPS games, as your game's anti-cheat tool won't detect it, and its black equalizer feature makes it easier to see opponents in dark areas of games. This monitor is a newer version of the popular Gigabyte M27Q, which is also great for gaming, but that monitor is available in two different versions with different panels, so it's better to go for the M27Q P if you want to know what you'll get.