We tested some of the most popular budget-friendly gaming monitors to find the best one
If you’re looking for a gaming monitor, it’s easy to be swayed by fancy OLED and 4K monitors with high-level specs and all the bells and whistles you could want. Unfortunately, these monitors can cost well over $1,000 and aren’t obtainable for all types of gamers.
However, with a few hundred dollars, you can still get a solid gaming monitor for your setup. To find out which ones are worth it, I tried out a number of affordable options in the BestReviews Testing Lab. My personal favorite is the ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch Monitor (specifically model number VG27AQ, though the entire line is fantastic).
This monitor retails for just over $300 but frequently goes on sale. With a 1440p resolution and a refresh rate of 165 hertz, it packs great specs into a low price point, making it a perfect choice even for those not on a budget. But don’t worry. If $300 still seems like too much, we have even more budget-friendly choices.
My Personal Favorite: The ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch 2K HDR Gaming Monitor (VG27AQ)
The ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch monitor provides impressive specs for a budget model.
Whether you’re dedicated to that first-person-shooter grind or you play role-playing games the day they come out, this ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch Monitor is perfect. It features a vibrant 27-inch 1440p screen, which is great for high-frame-rate FPS gaming or enjoying graphics-heavy games in high definition. The refresh rate is also impressive at 165 hertz. Most budget monitors you’ll find often feature lower resolutions or lower refresh rates, but this one doesn’t play around.
Not only are the specs impressive, but it performs impressively, too. I played various different games, including Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite and Valorant with it, using the highest refresh rate and its max resolution, and experienced very minimal image tearing or motion blur. I wasn’t able to take advantage of the NVIDIA G-SYNC it’s equipped with because I have an AMD graphics card, but even without it the image was still clear, sharp and smooth.
I’m also a huge fan of the design of this monitor and all the others in its line. This one, the VG27AQ, has a removable plate on the back of the stand that makes cable management super easy. You just have to remove the plate, place your cables in the recessed area and position the plate back on top. It keeps them in place and out of sight. I also love that it has both DisplayPort and HDMI connectivity; since my graphics card only has one HDMI port, it makes it much easier to set up multiple monitors when there are options.
Another gaming monitor that stood out during testing
Of the monitors we tested, there really weren’t any bad options. They all had their strong points and weaknesses, but the Sceptre curved 24-inch gaming monitor stood out for being especially budget-friendly, and it could be a great choice if you like FPS gaming.
The Sceptre Curved 24-inch Gaming Monitor offers vibrant colors on a 1080p screen.
Best budget-friendly gaming monitor for FPS gamers
The Sceptre Curved 24-inch Gaming Monitor costs around $100, making it the cheapest option of the monitors we tested. This curved monitor has a 24-inch 1080p screen and a refresh rate of 100 hertz. It definitely doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive gaming monitor, but it will do the trick if you’re working with a tight budget.
This monitor has two HDMI ports and a VGA port, and it takes up very little space, making it a great option for small budgets and small desks. However, I did experience some issues with the stand. It can be tricky to get it to connect properly. Not only that but there’s no height or tilt adjustment, which is common with lower-cost monitors.
However, for the cost, the colors are quite vibrant, and I didn’t experience too many issues with image tearing or motion blur. If you’re mainly playing competitive games like Valorant or other first-person shooters, this would be a fine option for your setup. However, if you’re playing more graphics-heavy games, you might be disappointed by what this monitor has to offer.
Behind the scenes: Testing the gaming monitors
The four gaming monitors we tested saw rigorous gaming. On each monitor, I played a variety of different games, from graphics-heavy triple-A tycoons like Cyberpunk 2077 to competitive first-person shooters like Valorant, while keeping a close eye on any potential issues.
Setup and connectivity
I have an AMD graphics card with three DisplayPorts and one HDMI port. My secondary monitor already takes up that HDMI port because it doesn’t have DisplayPort connectivity. For me, the first test was whether these monitors had DisplayPort connectivity. I personally prefer that monitors have both HDMI and DisplayPort options to make connecting multiple monitors much easier. The ASUS monitor has both, while the Sceptre has HDMI and VGA. A loss for the Sceptre in my book.
During this initial test, I also took notes on the ease of setup. For example, how easy was it to connect the stand and secure the base? For the ASUS monitor, it was incredibly simple. For the Sceptre monitor, I struggled for a long time trying to get the arm and the base to connect.
Brightness, color and image quality
The most important thing to me when testing a gaming monitor is its wow factor. When you boot up a new game, how does it look? Are the colors impressive and vibrant? Are the blacks dark and rich or washed out and gray? With the ASUS TUF gaming monitor, I was blown away when I booted up Cyberpunk 2077. The game looked truly beautiful with super vibrant colors and great contrast. Even though the blacks were a little grayer than I would have liked, the overall picture was still stunning.
With the Sceptre, the colors are a little bit less vibrant, and it kind of has a washed-out feeling to it overall. However, it’s bright, and it’s really not an issue if you aren’t playing graphics-heavy games. Most people don’t care about their Valorant session looking as high-definition as possible. And with its lower resolution, you can make use of the higher frame rate with ease.
Image tearing, motion blur and lag
For each monitor, I played at least eight hours of games, four hours of graphics-heavy games (often Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and more) and four hours of competitive FPS games like Valorant and Fortnite. In those eight hours, I took note of any image tearing, motion blur, lag or other visual issues. With the ASUS monitor, there weren’t any instances of these types of issues. With the Sceptre monitor, there were a few instances of image tearing when playing Cyberpunk 2077, but this was easily solved by turning off motion blur in the graphics settings.
Final thoughts on the best budget-friendly gaming monitors
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly gaming monitor, you really can’t go wrong with the ASUS TUF Gaming 27-inch VG27AQ. For around $300 you’re getting a middle-of-the-road 1440p monitor with a high refresh rate of 165 hertz. For higher specs, you’d have to spend a lot more, making this a great high-end option that won’t totally break the bank. But if you still feel like $300 is a lot, the Sceptre 24-inch curved monitor is a great option for less than $100. No matter which you choose, I hope you enjoy your gaming experience.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
Copyright 2024 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
