Play for Cheap With the Best Budget-Friendly Gaming Monitors

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When it comes to building a great PC gaming rig, it’s easy to focus on what’s inside the box and forget about what’s outside. While components like graphics cards and RAM are crucial, one peripheral that’s often overlooked is your display.

While inexpensive office monitors can generally cope with most work-based tasks, gaming monitors need more impressive specs to keep up with the action-heavy, detailed graphics of triple-A games. That said, it’s easy to get lost in the mire of super expensive 4K gaming monitors, and plenty of gamers can get away with cheap gaming monitors that look great and don’t cost a fortune.

For more great additions to your gaming setup, check out our picks for the best gaming laptops under $1000, best modems for gaming, and the best gaming webcams.

The Best Gaming Monitors Under $400

• Best Overall: AOC 31.5-Inch Full HD Curved Gaming LCD Monitor

• Best Premium: Gigabyte 27-Inch Gaming Monitor

• Best for Console Gaming: ASUS 27-Inch 2K HDR TUF Gaming Monitor

• Best Curved: Dell 27-Inch Gaming Monitor

• Best for E-Sports Games: ViewSonic OMNI 24-Inch Gaming Monitor

What to Consider

There’s a dizzying variety of specs to consider when buying a new monitor, including screen size, resolution, panel type, port selection, adjustability, mounting, viewing angles, brightness, pixel density, and aspect ratio. And when you factor in all the different manufacturers, too, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

When it comes to gaming monitors—especially when you’re operating on a budget—refresh rate, response time, panel type, and sync technology are the most important areas to focus on. You may also want to opt a curved model, which provides greater immersion and reportedly less eyestrain and blur, although increased glare is a tradeoff.

One of the overwhelming things about shopping for monitors is all the terminology. Here’s a brief summary of some terms you should know, and what the best choice is for saving on price.Pa

Panel Type

Most monitors (including those on this list) use LCD screens. Within this category, there are different types of screen panel technology. Twisted neumatic panels, a.k.a. TN panels, are generally preferred for most fast-paced gaming since they’re the cheapest and fastest, but they have poor color contrast and viewing angles, so these work best in a dark room.

In-plane switching, or IPS, panels are more expensive and slower than TN panels, but they have much better color range, contrast, and viewing angles, which makes them more versatile. Vertical alignment, or VA, panels are mid-range when it comes to price, and provide decent color and viewing angles—but they’re a bit slower.

Refresh Rate

Refresh rate, measured in Hertz, refers to how frequently the screen can display a new image. For instance, 60 Hertz means the display can refresh up to 60 times every second. Look for a refresh rate that matches or exceeds the frame rate of your favorite games.

Response Time

Measured in milliseconds, response time is the time it takes the pixels in the monitor to switch from one color to another, typically from black to white to black again. The smaller this number is, the faster the colors can shift—look for faster response times for graphics-heavy games.

Sync Technology

Some gaming monitors include syncing technologies that work to match your monitor’s refresh rate to your graphics card and your game—this is called variable refresh rate. Graphics processing unit manufacturers NVIDIA and AMD both offer sync technologies. NVIDIA offers G-Sync, while AMD offers FreeSync—both work to match your monitor’s refresh rate to your graphics card and your game for the best possible gaming experience.

How We Selected

We strive to rigorously test as many of the products we recommend as possible, but for those products we couldn't test ourselves, we performed intensive research, reviewing content from expert sources and consumer reviews. We chose these sub-$400 monitors based on their varying functions such as ultra fast response time, ultra wide display, 4K resolution, or ergonomics. As for reviewing the products themselves, we evaluated them on functionality, design, and cost.

2C32G2E 31.5-Inch Curved Gaming LCD Monitor

A 31.5-inch, curved Full HD monitor with HDR at under $300 might sound too good to be true, but AOC has created a monitor that’s a great all-round performer.

Firstly, it offers a strong curve game. This helps generate that immersive, wrap-around effect where you can get lost in the action. Additionally, its FreeSync Premium tech helps eliminate screen-tearing, while the 165-Hertz refresh rate keeps the action super smooth.

One glaring tradeoff is the lack of speakers, so don’t forget your separate units or headset. This model also has no USB ports and limited ergonomic functions save for a tilt, so you may need an adjustable stand for maximum comfort.

27-Inch 144Hz 1440P Gaming Monitor

While a super fast 4K gaming monitor is definitely outside the realm of “budget,” fast 1400-pixel displays are abundant. For anyone seeking a clearer, higher resolution display, the Gigabyte G27Q is a great option.

With a big 27-inch IPS display, wide color gamut, good color contrast, and HDR support, visuals definitely pop, especially when compared to monitors with TN panels. The G27Q is no slouch on speed either, with up to a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and FreeSync technology.

Combine the amazing display with built-in speakers, USB passthrough, and stand adjustability, and the G27Q is a great pick for gamers seeking quality graphics.

27-Inch 2K HDR TUF Gaming Monitor

The Asus TUF VG27AQ monitor is not just a great budget monitor—it’s a great monitor in general. Its mix of specs and extra features give you almost everything you could ask for in a 27-inch gaming monitor.

A 1440p resolution provides amazing detail for all sorts of content, not just gaming. In-game, the VG27AQ delivers with a fast refresh rate, response time, variable refresh rate options, and HDR10. However, HDR performance isn’t the VG27AQ’s strong suit, with a low color spectrum and weak brightness.

That said, this monitor pairs well with gaming consoles, as it has two HDMI 2.0 ports and built-in speakers.

144Hz 27-Inch Gaming Monitor

It wasn’t so long ago that curved monitor screens were exclusively for high-end buyers. But now, there are great curved monitors available at nearly every price range. While it’s a bit subjective, we think the slight curve creates a more immersive feeling, especially for larger monitors.

And when it comes to gaming, the 27-inch curved Dell S2721 is the real deal. Using a VA panel, it offers full HD resolution with 1ms response time and up to a 144Hz refresh rate. Unlike most monitors, this curved Dell comes with both G-Sync and FreeSync right from the start.

With easily navigable internal menus, Dell customer support, and an intuitive design, this curved monitor is easy to use and easy to enjoy.

OMNI XG2431 24-Inch Gaming Monitor

If you play a lot of fast-paced, esports-style games, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a super-fast gaming display like the ViewSonic OMNI XG2431 might give you the edge. With a refresh rate of 240 Hertz, this monitor is one of the fastest budget options available.

While 240 Hertz is overkill for most games, high-frame-rate esports titles can benefit from such fast speeds. And while the 24-inch display doesn’t rival others on this list for size, we’d say it’s ideal for taking to esports tournaments.

Add on a great selection of ports, FreeSync compatibility, HDR400, and built-in speakers, and this lightning-quick display is ready for anything.

C32G2ZE 32-Inch Curved Frameless Gaming Monitor

A lightning-quick display could give you the edge in the heat of an intense PVP match, so you’ll want to turn your attention to the AOC C32G2ZE. With a blistering 240-Hertz refresh rate and 0.5-millisecond response time, you’ll have the chance to make that split-second count.

This Full HD monitor also features a curvature of 1500R, providing a better immersive playing environment. We’re also impressed by its ultra-thin bezels, making a multi-monitor setup almost seamless.

With impressive specs in the speed department, one main drawback is the C32G2ZE’s image quality. Unless you don’t mind the drop in pixel density and need an uber-quick display, we’d be tempted to seek out a more balanced model.

TUF 28-Inch Gaming Monitor

Being on a budget doesn’t mean gamers have to pass up 4K resolution, as this model from ASUS proves. It offers HDR10, AMD FreeSync to help negate screen tearing, and an IPS screen delivering a rich depth of colors. And if you’re precious about your dark areas, the VG289Q utilizes Shadow Boost tech to enhance details in dark areas without compromising bright areas.

Naturally, with the boost in image quality, there is a drawback, which lies in its speed and response time. With a paltry refresh rate of 60 Hertz and response time of 5 milliseconds, there are speedier monitors out there.

That said, we’re impressed with the build quality of the VG289Q, making it an excellent entry-level 4K display.

KG271U Abmiipx 27-Inch Gaming Monitor

Many of the displays on this list trade off screen resolution for speed or vice versa. But what if you don’t want to compromise either?

Meet the Acer KG271U, an LED monitor that provides admirable specs in both camps. Featuring 2560 x 1440 WQHD resolution and 144-Hertz refresh rate and one-millisecond response time, it’s strong in pretty much every department. Additionally, AMD FreeSync tech mirrors the display’s frames with those of the graphics card, making choppy image outputs a thing of the past. There’s even blue light and comfort filters to help protect your eyes.

It also looks great on any desktop, with a practically frameless design that suits a multi-monitor set up and prongs that serve as the base, helping you maximize desk space.

MAG342CQM Curved Gaming Monitor

Provided you have the space, ultra wide monitors offer an unparalleled gaming experience, whether it’s offering better views of MS Flight Simulator’s skies or getting a better tactical look at the battlefield in COD: Warzone.

To that end, MSI brings this 34-inch behemoth with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 1440p resolution. To add to the impressive immersion, the model features a 1500R curvature, helping you truly dive into your virtual worlds. It’s not lacking in speed either, with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time.

With its sheer size, glare can be an issue, particularly with other light sources and windows in your room, while there’s also no speakers or HDR. However, given its curve, width and impressive specs and speed, it’s sure to offer an excellent gaming experience.

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