Our top gaming monitors for every budget
Gamers have specific needs when it comes to their gaming gear and the visual experience of the game you're playing is a critical part of that so the choice of monitor is very important.
From refresh rates, to curves, size and resolution there's a lot to take in.
Of course, most people's buying plans will be dictated by their budget and the reality here is that you get what you pay for.
Gaming monitors for every budget
In comparing a range of monitors, we've pulled together something for every budget to give you a taste of just what features are available across a range of prices.
The key things to be looking for in a gaming monitor start with the refresh rate. A normal PC monitor will have a refresh rate of 75 or 60Hz – in simple terms that's a measure of how often the picture on the screen is refreshed, which when working on spreadsheets or documents doesn't really matter – but when you're in a fast-paced game be it a first person shooter or a racing simulator, you want a smooth picture refreshing at the highest rate possible.
A second key measure of a gaming screen is the response time – this number could be as low as 1 millisecond, and measures how quickly a screen can switch from one colour to another, in simple terms on or off, as this is a critical part of lighting the screen you see in front of you.
Then there's resolution – the number of pixels on screen. The more there are the higher the detail on screen. While TVs are measured in simple HD, Full HD, 4K and 8K sizes, monitors are different simply because many monitors don't fit into the same 16:9 aspect ratio of a TV. So keep an eye on the vertical measurement (the second number in any resolution quoted) for some comparison.
Lenovo G24-10
There's a lot to love about this monitor from Lenovo. The only downside of it would be its size. At 23.8 inches it's no doubt the smallest, but for starting out with a gaming setup, you're better to sacrifice the overall size to get the kind of features we've talked about being important.
This Lenovo monitor is Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, and has a 3ms response time with AMD Radeon Freesync technology to eliminate "tearing" which happens on some games and PCs.
Additionally, with a 144Hz refresh rate you'll have a smoother view of fast-paced action.
Also features a great tilt function for the best comfort for the gamer.
AOC AGON CU34G3S
A pretty solid offering for the gamer this AOC screen is curved for an immersive gaming experience with a total diagonal display size of 34 inches.
Resolution is higher than Full HD vertically with a 3440x1440 total pixel count, but the standout feature is the 165Hz refresh rate.
For those looking to bring more USB ports to their accessible reach, this offers a hub expansion to allow for 4 x USB connections right on your monitor.
Many will love this just for the 1000R radius curved screen!
BenQ Zowie XL2746K
This may not be curved, or have the width of many others – but it's got some of the best gaming specs of them all.
A refresh rate of 240Hz is tough to find but for PC gamers this will be utterly smooth for you when you're manning the keyboard and mouse.
On a 27 inch widescreen you're getting Full HD resolution, which is probably the key downside of the device, but with that 240Hz refresh, you're levelling out your compromise.
Response time is also class leading at 0.5ms, while the three HDMI 2.0 ports give you plenty of input options. It's the little things here, like the little headphone stand the folds out from the back so you have somewhere to hang those gaming headphones when you're done. And if you're prone to distraction, the shields on the side will help prevent your glance drifting away from the screen.
BenQ MOBIUZ EX3210R
Continuing the curved theme, BenQ's offering has a 2560 x 1440 resolution at a 165Hz refresh rate.
Supporting 1ms response times you've got to pay to tick all those boxes.
Perhaps uniquely, the BenQ offers a superior sound performance built in with a 2.1 channel sound system, two 2W speakers are paired with a single 5W subwoofer and several sound modes.
For those connecting a console, you'll get 120Hz (120fps) from the latest Xbox Series X and PS5 devices.
LG Ultragear 38GL950G
Go big or go home – that's the theory when your budget allows for it and when you look at this one from LG's gaming brand "Ultra Gear" you're going to be impressed.
At 38 inches diagonally, it has a maximum vertical resolution of 1600 pixels (3840 x 1600), well over Full HD, and has that all important 1 millisecond response time.
Refresh rate at 144Hz means you're getting smooth gaming, along with HDR compatibility, plus there's expansion USB ports on the back, as well as wall-mounting capabilities though the stand it comes with has a good height adjustment capabilities.
The curve is subtle but works well at this width. If your budget can stretch, this extra width really improves the field of view when gaming.