The 7 Best Gaming Monitors - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best monitor for gaming that we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. It's an ultrawide gaming monitor that doesn't have the highest resolution or refresh rate compared to other monitors, but it combines excellent picture quality with fantastic gaming performance. It has a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in incredibly smooth motion without visible blur. It also has a 175Hz refresh rate and natively supports G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) technology to reduce screen tearing, which is beneficial if you have an NVIDIA graphics card.

If you have an AMD graphics card and don't need native G-SYNC support, the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is a similar monitor that's cheaper. It offers nearly the same performance, and both monitors have a QD-OLED panel that makes blacks look deep and inky in dark rooms, and they display a wide range of vivid colors with bright highlights. If you want a QD-OLED panel but want something even bigger with a higher 240Hz refresh rate, consider the super ultrawide Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95. However, not everyone may like its large 49-inch screen, and it also costs more, so only go for it if you want such a big display.

If you want something cheaper or simply prefer a smaller screen, then the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM is a great alternative with a 27-inch screen. It uses a different type of OLED panel than the Dell Alienware AW3423DW that doesn't display the same vivid and bright colors, so the picture quality isn't as good, but it still displays the same deep blacks without any blooming. Despite the differences in picture quality, it's another fantastic gaming monitor with an even higher 240Hz refresh rate that's ideal for competitive gamers.

It has a near-instantaneous response time that results in smooth motion handling, no matter the refresh rate you're gaming at. It also has FreeSync VRR support with G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. Lastly, it has low input lag for a responsive feel, but you must update it to the latest firmware for the lowest input lag. If that's a concern for you, and you want something with fewer bugs out of the box, the LG 27GR95QE-B is another great option with the same panel, but it doesn't get as bright. You can also consider the cheaper Corsair XENEON 27QHD240, but it doesn't get as bright and has some input lag issues.

If you have current-gen gaming consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and want to take full advantage of them, consider the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. It's different from the Dell Alienware AW3423DW and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM because it doesn't have an OLED panel for the same deep blacks. However, it has a higher 4k resolution that delivers more details, and it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth that lets you play 4k games up to 120Hz from gaming consoles. While those consoles won't take advantage of the monitor's 240Hz refresh rate, this is at least beneficial if you also want to hook up your gaming PC. If you don't need such a high refresh rate, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is a cheaper alternative with a 165Hz refresh rate, and it performs similarly.

The Neo G8 has everything you'd expect to find in a gaming monitor, like VRR support and a fast response time, so motion looks smooth. It also has great picture quality as it has a high native contrast ratio and a decent local dimming feature. It also has decent HDR brightness, but if you want something even brighter, the INNOCN 27M2V is another great choice, but it can sometimes be harder to find.

If you don't need the best gaming monitors for all-around use and prefer saving money by getting something that's still reliable, check out the Gigabyte M27U instead. It has many similar features to the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 because it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for console gaming, so you can take full advantage of the Xbox Series X|S and PS5. However, because it supports 24 Gbps bandwidth and not the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, it needs to use compression to reach demanding signals, like if you want to use it for PC gaming.

Another difference with the Samsung is that it doesn't feature Mini LED backlighting and has a much lower contrast ratio, so it's worse for dark room gaming, but that's the trade-off for getting something cheaper. On the plus side, it's versatile for PC gaming, thanks to its 160Hz max refresh rate, VRR support, and fast response time across its entire refresh rate range. If you find the 27-inch screen size too small, the Gigabyte M32U is a very similar monitor with a larger screen, but it costs more for a minimal difference in performance.

If you don't need a high-resolution monitor and prefer looking for the best monitor for gaming in the lower mid-range price category, check out the LG 27GP850-B. You can also find it available as the 27GP83B-B at different retailers, and both variants are excellent for gaming. They each have a native 165Hz refresh rate, with the 27GP850-B having an overclock feature to boost it up to 180Hz. However, it has a lower 1440p resolution than the Gigabyte M27U, so images aren't as detailed and sharp.

Motion looks excellent, as the response time is fantastic at any refresh rate. The 27GP850-B model has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur, but it only works within a narrow range and not at the same time as VRR, and the 27GP83B-B doesn't have the same feature. Luckily, both variants have FreeSync VRR support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. However, it doesn't support HDMI Forum VRR, which is the VRR format that the PS5 uses, meaning it doesn't support VRR at all with the console. If you want something that does, consider the Dell Alienware AW2724DM, but it lacks a backlight strobing feature.

There are plenty of options if you want the best monitor for gaming on a budget. You'll have to sacrifice a few features, but you can still get a monitor with impressive gaming performance, like the ViewSonic XG2431. It has a lower resolution than the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B and a smaller screen, so it doesn't deliver the same immersive gaming experience. While images aren't very sharp due to this resolution, the image clarity is still decent enough to see details in your games. If the resolution is important to you, check out the Gigabyte M27Q P, a budget-friendly 1440p monitor with a lower 170Hz refresh rate.

What makes the ViewSonic great for gaming is that it has a high 240Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for competitive PC gaming, and due to its low resolution, it isn't taxing on your graphics card either. Its high refresh rate helps provide an extremely fast response time, and it also has an optional backlight strobing feature. This helps improve the appearance of motion by reducing persistence blur. Unlike many monitors, you can customize its flicker, which is a nice addition to a budget monitor.

If you need the best gaming monitor for cheap, consider the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx. It has a 1080p resolution and 24-inch screen size like the ViewSonic XG2431, but with a lower 165Hz refresh rate, this monitor is better if you need something basic for your first gaming setup. While its motion handling isn't as good as on the ViewSonic, it still has an excellent response time at high refresh rates. However, there's overshoot when you have VRR enabled at 60Hz, meaning there's a white trail behind fast-moving objects. Disabling VRR results in better motion handling at 60Hz, as there's less overshoot, which means you can see screen tearing if your game's frame rate fluctuates.

It has FreeSync support and is also G-SYNC compatible, which is useful if you have an NVIDIA graphics card. It also has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur, but it isn't as customizable as that on the ViewSonic. Even if you prefer not to use it, the backlight remains flicker-free, which can help reduce eye strain during long gaming sessions, especially if you're sensitive to flicker.