Choosing the best gaming monitor is as vital a part of your complete PC build as choosing the best graphics card. Indeed before buying a new GPU it’s important to know what screen you want to plug it in to. But what make the top gaming display? That’s a tough question right now, because there are so many different kinds of screen around it can be difficult to say what is the absolute best.
There are serious questions you need to ask yourself first. Do you favour image quality over lightning-fast pixel response? Do you need Nvidia’s G-Sync or AMD’s FreeSync? Does it even matter now that Nvidia is supporting FreeSync?
Are you into the pro-gaming, competitive esports world and crave the super-high monitor refresh rates of TN tech rather than a quality panel? Do you want a traditional 16:9 screen or have you been seduced by the ultra widescreen beauty of a 21:9 aspect ratio? Or does it absolutely, positively have to be 4K? And, finally, how convinced are you by the prospect of high dynamic range gaming?
What is the best gaming monitor in 2020?
Screen tech seems to change in leaps rather than a constant cadence, so our pick as the best gaming monitor hasn’t changed – it’s still the excellent Asus ROG Swift PG279Q. It’s a fantastic 165Hz IPS screen, with G-Sync, and one of the best gaming panels we’ve ever used.
But we’ve also lovingly tested the best Samsung, BenQ, AOC, Acer, LG, and Philips monitors to find out who else stands alongside the absolute best displays. And it’s important to make sure you get the best gaming monitor, because it’s likely to outlast every component in your PC.
As the technical options have grown it’s now harder to know what the best gaming monitor is for you. And that’s where we come in, with our expert eyes and obsessive hunger for the very best panels. You’re welcome.
Best gaming monitor
Asus ROG Swift PG279Q
Approx. $618 | £680
What we like…
Vibrant colour and solid black levels 165Hz refresh rate Nvidia G-Sync
It may be horrifically expensive for a 27-inch 1440p monitor, but the Asus Republic of Gamers PG279Q comes rocking absolutely the best gaming panel ever made: the AU Optronics Advanced Hyper Viewing Angle (AHVA) display. It looks absolutely gorgeous. The clarity is excellent, colours are vibrant and accurate, and white and black levels are genuinely impressive.
The slimline bezel frames the monitor beautifully, the stand is solid and the controls, via five-way joystick, are the best you can find in monitors today. It’s also clocked a little higher than its Swift brethren too, coming in at a maximum 165Hz refresh rate – before you say anything, you genuinely can tell the difference between 144Hz and 165Hz with the naked eye. And the PG279Q is still running G-Sync too. You won’t find a gaming panel as beautifully calibrated this side of a ludicrously priced $3,500 Dell OLED.
Great for performance
ACER PREDATOR XB271HU
Approx. $500 | £569
What we like… Fantastic AVHA panel 165Hz refresh rate Nvidia G-Sync
Unless you had this Acer Predator sat side-by-side with the Asus Swift PG279Q you’d be hard pushed to find any difference in the quality of image between them. That’s maybe not much of a surprise given they use the exact same AU Optronics panel.
The Asus has been better set up out-of-the-box, though, with its stand and surrounds being more pleasing. But, try as I might, I couldn’t get the Acer display to look as good as the Asus. That said, if you can find the Acer for significantly cheaper than the Asus, you’ll still have a beautiful monitor to game on.
Great for an alternative
LG 32GK850G
Approx. $497 | £658
What we like… Large, flat screen 165Hz refresh rate Glitter-free, anti-glare coating
There are a whole mess of curved gaming monitors hitting the market, so it’s actually kind of refreshing to have a resolutely flatscreen gaming monitor coming out of the LG skunkworks. And you know it’s gaming ‘cos of that ring of RGB LEDs on the rear of the panel.
Aside from that it’s actually a rather reserved-looking gaming monitor, but one that comes packed with solid gaming features. There’s the Nvidia G-Sync compatibility and that 165Hz refresh rate, but it’s also sporting an excellent AUO AMVA panel, which is crisp clear and great for gaming.
Read the full LG 32GK850G review.
Great for AMD Freesync 2 HDR
Asus ROG Strix XG32VQR
Approx. $540 | £560
What we like… Superb VA panel Responsive 144Hz refresh rate AMD FreeSync 2 HDR
This here Asus Strix screen replaces one of the finest FreeSync gaming monitors we’ve ever tested, the Asus ROG Strix XG32VQ, so you can be damned sure it’s a fine pick by today’s standards. With a superior VA panel to its predecessor, it offers a bright and colourful 1440p, 144Hz picture enhanced by HDR.
With Nvidia giving in to the pressures of adaptive sync, AMD Freesync panels like this one are of even greater value to gamers nowadays – even if HDR is still a big mess on Windows. And not to worry, it’s still got all those lovely RGB LEDs on the rear of the monitor and shining brightly from underneath the stand.
Read the full Asus ROG Strix XG32VQR review.
best 4K monitor
Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB
Approx. $910 | £606
What we like… Massive cinematic visuals HDR capable A solid monitor / TV hybrid
When you’re talking about the added benefits of 4K gaming then bigger is definitely better. That’s one of the reasons the 43-inch Philips has drawn me to it. For cinematic single player games it’s tough to beat, especially if you can take advantage of the MVA panel’s HDR capabilities.
It’s a quality panel too, delivering decent black levels, excellent white saturation, and quality contrast. Essentially the check list for good HDR performance. But it’s the fact that this package comes in at just over £700 is fantastic. It doesn’t have the G-Sync tech installed, but does have a mix of adaptive-sync and low input lag too.
Read our full Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB review.
Great for professionals
Asus ProArt PA32U
Approx. $1,549 | £1,883
What we like… Affordable 4K IPS panel Crystal clear visuals Thin bezels
I’ve fallen a little bit in love with Asus’ professional 4K screen. And yes, you’ll probably have taken a look at that price tag and spluttered out your coffee all over your keyboard. The PA32U has a great panel inside it, using genuine IPS instead of AU Optronics AHVA technology, featuring 384 zones of local dimming, 1,000 cd/m2 peak luminance, and full Rec.2020 colour support. It’s a HDR panel too, with genuinely stunning clarity, colour, and brightness.
It took a little getting used to, as it’s got some bizarre sharpness setting as default, but once that was gone my desktop looked sharp and colourful. Unfortunately it’s not the perfect 4K HDR gaming screen because, like with the Asus PG27UQ, IPS and AHVA tech struggles with black levels. That means it can’t deliver much detail in the darkest HDR scenes. It’s also limited to 60Hz, which might be a deal-breaker in terms of gaming, especially if you’re spending this much cash.
Great for G-Sync HDR
Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ
Approx. $1,500 | £2,199
What we like… 4K G-Sync 144Hz HDR Incredible colour
In terms of the 4K gaming monitor with the most advanced technology inside it the PG27UQ takes the award. It’s using the first panel to offer Nvidia’s 4K G-Sync 144Hz HDR technology. It offers a lovely image in both SDR and HDR, so long as you’re talking about colours. If you’re talking contrast then, like the beautiful-looking PA32U, it’s pretty dodgy. The PG27UQ is a bit better in-game, and doesn’t just lose all detail in the darkness, but there’s not a lot of definition.
And, while it does offer great colours and smooth gaming, it’s still only 27-inches, which is too small for a 4K gaming screen, and is the most expensive panel around. It’s also a first-gen option and that means it’s one for the 4K HDR early adopters only.
Read our full Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ review.
BEST ULTRAWIDE MONITOR
SAMSUNG C49RG90
Approx. £1,174
What we like… 32:9 aspect ratio Picture-By-Picture HDR1000
The Samsung C49RG90 might just be our dream monitor. It’s ultrawide, 120Hz, comes with a 1440p vertical resolution so you don’t feel quite so claustrophobic, and it finally gets PC HDR in-game pretty spot on.
Samsung has also seen fit to kit this alluring tech out with FreeSync 2 HDR, which we’ve found works pretty darn well with Nvidia’s G-Sync too, despite its lack of official Nvidia validation. If you’re looking for a monitor that will serve you well for years to come, and which is sure to settle your monitor envy, the Samsung C49RG90 is the gaming screen you need. Although you will have to pay top dollar for the privilege….
Read our full Samsung C49RG90 review.
Great for HDR gaming
Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ
Approx. $2,500 | £2,700
What we like… Genuine 200Hz refresh rate Great HDR experience Excellent panel
The Asus PG35VQ is one of the first PC gaming monitors I’ve tested that genuinely make HDR gaming pop. It’s taken a mighty fine VA panel, with 512 zones of LED backlighting, and an eye-wateringly high price tag to manage it, but it’s there.
Admittedly there is some strange dynamic backlighting weirdness to deal with when running SDR content, but that’s easily disabled and the curvy ultrawide then becomes an absolute joy to game on.
Read our full Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ review.
Great for productivity
Samsung C49J89
Approx. £816
What we like… Ultra-ultrawide Great VA panel Good viewing angles
Okay, on the face of it a 49-inch monitor might seem overkill, especially if you’re stretching it out over a 32:9 aspect ratio, but if you’re going ultrawide then you might as well GO ULTRAWIDE. This Samsung screen sports a VA panel, a 5ms response time and a 144Hz refresh rate. But it’s not rated as a ‘gaming’ screen despite all that.
With a 1080 pixel high native resolution, however, it’s not particularly great on the desktop for productivity stuff, but where it excels is in-game and in-particular in competitive games such as Fortnite where being able to see more than your opponents can be one hell of an advantage. It’s a genuinely stunning monitor and a big advantage in games that support its expansive resolution.
Read our full Samsung C49J89 review.
Great for budget ultrawide gaming
BenQ EX3501R
Approx. $746 | £570
What we like… Ultrawide VA with decent 100Hz refresh Little more affordable than competitors AMD FreeSync
BenQ has produced one of the finest ultrawide FreeSync monitors around, but is holding back from calling it a gaming monitor because of its Zowie brand hogging all that limelight. But with the 21:9 VA panel, 100Hz refresh rate, and decent HDR chops, the EX3501R is a quality display for games.
BenQ has done a great job with the EX3501R. It looks great and its panel makes games look just as good. Probably better. Of course you have to pay for this wide a gaming screen, and especially if you want such a smooth experience, but it’s still more than half the price of the ultrawide HDR G-Sync screens.
Read the full BenQ EX3501R review.
Best cheap gaming monitor
BenQ GW2270H
Approx. $138 | £80
What we like… Affordable as heck VA panel Easily outperforms budget TN panels
You can get some seriously cheap 1080p monitors these days, but our recommendation would be that youshouldabsolutely steer clear of anything labelled as a twisted nematic (TN) panel unless it’s one of the latest 25-inch versions. TN is the cheapest screen technology to manufacture, but also massively sacrifices image quality over other options. This BenQ GW2270H is one of the best-value, non-TN, Full HD screens you’ll find and is capable of presenting an impressive image too.
You get a decent vertical alignment (VA) panel, the next best thing after a bona fide IPS display. The colour reproduction is not quite as vibrant as the pricier tech, but has much greater clarity and depth than you’ll get with even the best TN monitors, with none of the washed-out look which blights that cheaper screen technology. Because it is only 21.5-inches the 1080p native resolution gives you a nice, tight pixel pitch, almost on par with the likes of a 27-inch 1440p monitor.
Great for one size fits all
AOC G2590FX
Approx. $200 | £190
What we like… Affordable gaming performance One of the best TN panels to date AMD FreeSync
From the genuinely impressive TN panel, which doesn’t often warrant praise, to the price-conscious build that somehow still offers slim bezels, the AOC G2590FX is one of the best all-round budget gaming monitors we’ve had in for review.
The AOC G2590FX covers the entire breadth of functionality you should want from an affordable, high-performance, 1080p gaming monitor. It has a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, AMD FreeSync support, and a TN panel that has even the most twisted of nematic sceptics truly impressed. A convincing monitor if you can stretch your budget.
Read our full AOC G2590FX review.
Great for budget ips
LG 24MC57HQ-P
Approx. $160
What we like… Great value IPS panel
This 24-inch LG screen may not be the sexiest screen around, but it’s a great price for a genuine IPS panel. The only issue you might have is the lack of inputs – it only comes sporting a single HDMI and one VGA connection.
It’s also not available in the UK either, but there is a similar LG 24MP58VQ available for just £134, which again comes with a 24-inch, 1080p IPS panel, but also gives you a DVI connection as well as HDMI and VGA.
It’s a lot to digest, which is quite amazing considering that monitor technology had been one of the slowest-moving sides of PC gaming hardware for many years. But now there are so many different options on offer, and some that are entirely dependent on what graphics card you happen to be running in your rig at the time.
For our money, the Asus PG279Q is still just about the best gaming monitor out there, though there are some fantastic options that use the exact same panel. The Acer Predator XB271HU, now it’s just £499 in the UK, has arguably made itself the better option, however.
In 4K terms we’d hoped the 4K G-Sync HDR Asus PG27UQ would be the ultimate gaming monitor, but we’ve tested much cheaper 4K HDR panels, with 1,000cd/m2 peak luminance ratings, perform far better in HDR gaming. It’s actually been a bit of a disappointment, made more interesting by the fact Acer seems to have entirely forgotten to release its version…
At the lower level, you can actually buy some stunning non-TN panels for less than $200 / £200 now, giving you fantastic 1080p visuals to go with your gaming PC.
But, as ever, spending money on your monitor is a worthy investment, it’s likely to outlast your current PC and graphics card, so take into account planning for your next rig too…
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