The best gaming monitors you can buy in 2023
Looking to upgrade your setup with a new display? These are the ten best gaming monitors we've tested
The best gaming monitor for you is the one that makes the most of your PC, laptop or games console. It's absolutely vital to pick a gaming monitor that matches your system perfectly. Underestimate your needs and you'll create a bottleneck that prevents your new graphics card or PS5 from performing at its best; overestimate, and you'll be left with an expensive mistake that your hardware can't utilise fully.
Of course, you probably know this. You're here because you want to simplify the complicated process of picking out the best gaming monitor. After all, there are literally hundreds of different gaming monitors on the market today, each claiming to deliver smooth, responsive gaming, vibrant colours and a veritable wagonload of features.
We're here to help. Below, you'll find our pick of the best gaming monitors of 2022: we've tested as many 1080p, 1440p, 4K and ultrawide gaming monitors as our eyes could stomach, taking into consideration models of varying prices and specifications to offer you the best possible spread of top gaming monitors to browse.
If you're not sure where to begin, you'll find our detailed guide to buying the best gaming monitor for you at the bottom of the page.
READ NEXT: Looking for the best budget gaming monitors? Check out our top picks here
The best gaming monitors you can buy in 2023
1. Samsung Odyssey G7 (C27G75T): Best gaming monitor
Price: £469 | Buy now from Samsung
Samsung's iconic 1440p gaming monitor has held its position at the very top of our rankings for quite a while now - and for good reason. Its VA panel has a refresh rate of 240Hz and a grey-to-grey (GTG) response time of 1ms, and it's as smooth and blur-free as any monitor you've ever seen. It supports HDR10 decoding, it has a DisplayHDR 600 certification and it's compatible with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. Games look utterly wonderful on this thing, and if you have a powerful enough GPU they run without stuttering or tearing.
The Odyssey G7's best feature, however, is its dramatic 1000R curvature, which wraps around your field of vision and puts you right at the heart of the action. It's an unbelievably good gaming monitor and, best of all, not particularly expensive, especially at the 27in size and especially after a couple of years of gradual price drops. If you can afford one, and your PC is powerful enough to run games at 1440p, go buy one now.
Read our full Samsung Odyssey G7 review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440; Screen technology: VA (QLED); Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 2, 2 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 2 x USB-A, 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 240Hz; Response time: 1ms
2. HP X27qc: Best value gaming monitor
Price: £279 | Buy now from Amazon
The HP X27qc is one of an increasing number of 1440p, 165Hz curved gaming monitors entering the market at the moment. It happens to be one of the better ones: this nondescript matte black monitor produced a peak luminance of over 500 nits and a staggering peak contrast ratio of over 5,700:1, a feat we still can’t quite explain. Even without this inexplicable backlight performance, however, the X27qc is a strong monitor, with only mild colour inaccuracies (it struggles with blue in particular) and high gamut volumes across sRGB and DCI-P3.
This is most definitely a gaming monitor. The X27qc lacks a USB hub and its stand offers only height and tilt adjustments, so it’s not particularly well suited to heavy-duty office work. That said, the curved panel – built to offset the poor viewing angles of the VA panel technology – is lovely, with fairly low response times and a decent PPI. The only real downside in this sense is the high amounts of ghosting; if you’re into shooters or other first-person games, consider one of the 1080p IPS monitors above/below.
There’s also no HDR support here, which is a shame given the performance of this monitor’s backlight. But it doesn’t matter: at this price and with these specifications, we can forgive a few oddities.
Read our full HP X27qc review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440; Screen technology: VA; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync compatible; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 165Hz; Response time: 1ms
3. Philips Momentum 279M1RV: Best 4K gaming monitor
Price: £717 | Buy now from Amazon
The Philips Momentum 279M1RV is our current favourite 4K gaming monitor. It’s officially built for Xbox Series X, but there’s plenty here for PlayStation 5 and PC gamers to enjoy, chief among which is a 144Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 (and VRR) support and a very decent DisplayHDR 600 certification.
This monitor rarely put a foot wrong on test. Out of the box it produced 136% of the sRGB colour gamut, 96% DCI-P3 and 94% Adobe RGB. The average Delta E in sRGB and DCI-P3 hovered below 2 at all times, which means that the 279M1RV is producing a phenomenally wide gamut with remarkable accuracy. Pair this vibrant colour reproduction with a 16-zone edge-lit backlight with local dimming AND a peak luminance in HDR of well over 600 nits and the result is cracking performance when displaying high dynamic range content.
And that’s not all. The 279M1RV has more ports than you’ll know what to do with, including three HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K 120fps gaming on PS5/XSX; four USB-A ports for your peripherals; and even a USB-C port capable of carrying a video signal or outputting 60W of power. While the stand is more restrictive than other Philips offerings, it still provides 130mm of height movement, 35 degrees of swivel left/right and 20 degrees of backwards tilt. The monitor even has Philips Ambiglow lighting that can throw colours onto a nearby wall.
The short version? This is the ultimate 4K gaming monitor for your next-gen console or PC.
Read our full Philips Momentum 279M1RV review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160; Screen technology: Nano IPS; Adaptive sync: HDMI forum VRR, AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync; Video inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 4 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 1ms
4. Acer Predator XB253QGX: Best 240Hz gaming monitor
Price: £350 | Buy now from Amazon
Gamers with a desire to push their frames as high as possible should consider the Acer Predator XB253QGX. This 1080p IPS monitor has a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz, alongside HDR 400 support, a response time of 1ms (grey-to-grey) and more on-board settings than you can shake a stick at.
The monitor is angular and striking, with all the hallmarks of an Acer Predator product packed into a small frame attached to spindly legs and a sturdy stand. That stand can swivel left and right, tilt backwards 25 degrees, rotate 90 degrees into a portrait orientation and raise/lower up to 115mm. It’s packing a good selection of ports, too, with a four-port USB hub accompanying two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DP 1.4 port on the rear. It’s just a shame there’s no USB-C.
This monitor delivers a lovely image for gaming, be that competitively or otherwise. And with adaptive sync support (Nvidia G-Sync) you’ll have no issues with screen tearing. All told, it's a stunning 240Hz monitor for anyone with a need for speed, be they a professional gamer or a perfectionistic amateur.
Read our full Acer Predator XB253QGX review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 24.5in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Adaptive sync: Nvidia G-Sync; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 4 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 240Hz; Response time: 1ms
5. Huawei MateView GT: Best cheap ultrawide gaming monitor
Price: £500 | Buy now from Argos
We were very impressed with the MateView GT. Huawei’s first ultrawide gaming monitor is on the whole a success, with a host of features and a very good panel for a price that will make you double take.
This 34in, 165Hz VA panel produced high contrast and a peak luminance in SDR of almost exactly 400 nits. Colours are generally well-reproduced, with the delta E colour variance score remaining below two in almost every mode (anything above three is visible to the naked eye). This monitor does produce a noticeable amount of ghosting with rapid movement, but it’s by no means slow, and on the whole the gaming experience is enjoyable.
We’re also fond of the fact that Huawei includes a USB-C port for displaying video, charging peripheral devices (at 10W maximum) and transferring data. It gives the MateView GT a competitive advantage by appealing to office workers as much as it does gamers – it’s also a woefully uncommon sight on gaming monitors across the board.
The MateView GT is an easy recommendation for anyone that needs a load of screen real estate – for work, play or both – at a wallet-friendly price.
Read our full Huawei MateView GT review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 34in; Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440; Screen technology: VA; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync compatible; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x USB-C; Other ports: 1 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 165Hz; Response time: 1ms
6. BenQ Mobiuz EX2710: Best 1080p gaming monitor
Price: £305 | Buy now from Amazon
The BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 has quite a lot going for it. The panel itself is only 1080p, but this is offset by a favourable 144Hz refresh rate, a 2ms response time, AMD FreeSync Premium and HDR 400 support. It’s also 27in across the diagonal, which is about as large as you’d want to go with an FHD panel – any bigger and you’d really notice the low pixel density.
What all this means is that the EX2710 is a good pick if you want the luxuries associated with more expensive monitors but don’t feel that your PC is powerful enough to make the most of the 1440p, 144Hz sweet spot. And luxury really is the name of the game here: the EX2710 sits atop a striking, adjustable stand with 130mm of upwards/downwards mobility, 20mm of swivel left/right and 20 degrees of backwards tilt. It lacks a USB hub and USB-C port, sadly, but offers the usual selection of HDMI 2.0 and DP 1.2 inputs plus a 3.5mm jack on the rear.
Where this monitor really excels is in the colour accuracy department. In sRGB mode, the EX2710 produced 94.5% of the sRGB colour gamut, with a delta E colour variance score of just 0.8 (below 1 is great). Brightness and contrast are less exciting, which means you probably won’t be using the monitor’s HDR mode much, but stick to sRGB mode and your games will look great.
Read our full BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in, Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 1.2, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 2ms
BenQ MOBIUZ EX2710 27 Inch 144Hz IPS Gaming Monitor | HDRi | 1080P 1ms | FreeSync Premium | Speakers
7. LG UltraGear Ergo (27GN88A): Best 144Hz gaming monitor
Price: £500 | Buy now from Amazon
The LG UltraGear Ergo carves a niche for itself by arriving with an ergonomic arm mount rather than a traditional monitor stand. This mount can swivel 280 degrees left and right, risk and sink 130mm, pivot 90 degrees into portrait mode and tilt 25 degrees backwards. This impressive level of versatility paired with the sturdy C-clamp makes the Ergo a fantastic way to jump into the world of arm-mounted monitors without risking an aftermarket product.
In order for this arrangement to really pay off, however, the Ergo’s panel has to deliver – and we’re pleased to report that it does. Producing 139% of sRGB and 99% of DCI-P3 gamuts, with a reasonably low colour variance score of 1.7, the Ergo’s 144Hz 1440p Nano IPS panel looks great and functions fluidly. HDR performance is lacklustre, but peak luminance is at least good enough for bright environments at 378cd/m².
The USB hub and HDMI/DP ports will suit most people’s purposes just fine, whether they’re working or playing.
If you want to save some hassle and buy both a good gaming monitor and a versatile arm mount in one package, then the UltraGear Ergo is a great choice.
Read our full LG UltraGear Ergo (27GN88A) review for more details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440; Screen technology: Nano IPS; Adaptive sync: Nvidia G-Sync; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 165Hz; Response time: 1ms
![Image of LG UltraGear 27GN88A 27 Inch Gaming Monitor QHD (2560 x 1440) - Nano IPS 1ms GtG 144Hz, G-SYNC Compatible, Black [Amazon Exclusive]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41E9P3D55yL._SL160_.jpg "Image of LG UltraGear 27GN88A 27 Inch Gaming Monitor QHD (2560 x 1440) - Nano IPS 1ms GtG 144Hz, G-SYNC Compatible, Black [Amazon Exclusive]")
8. Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ: Best big 4K gaming monitor
Price: £850 | Buy now from Argos
The Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ is a 4K HDR gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1 connectivity and VRR support for next-gen consoles. It takes everything a little bit further than most: the panel is 32in across the diagonal; the HDR certification is DisplayHDR 600; and the backlight has a total of 16 local dimming zones.
The panel is outrageously vibrant, producing upwards of 120% of the sRGB, DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB gamuts out of the box. Combined with a peak HDR luminance of 614 nits and those local dimming zones that work to offset the meagre peak SDR contrast, the PG32UQ produces very good HDR content for a gaming monitor.
In simple terms, the PG32UQ is a joy to use. The responsive, high-refresh-rate panel suits pretty much any genre of game down to the ground, and although the size of the thing will leave you a bit fatigued if you sit too close for too long it’s perfect for grabbing a controller and kicking back from your desk.
Ultimately, the PG32UQ is a very impressive gaming monitor, and if you’re struggling with the price, you might want to keep in mind that this montor covers both PC and next-gen console with equal ease – potentially saving you from buying two displays.
Read our full Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 32in; Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160; Screen technology: IPS; Adaptive sync: HDMI forum VRR, AMD FreeSync; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.2 gen 1, 1 x USB-B 3.2 gen 1, 1 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 1ms
9. AOC AGON Pro AG254FG: Best 360Hz gaming monitor
Price: £699 | Buy now from Amazon
The AOC AGON Pro AG254FG is a lightning-fast 360Hz IPS gaming monitor with a 1080p resolution. It’s part of a pretty elite club, which explains the price tag – but if you can afford it, and you’re determined to get the competitive edge, the AG254FG is a formidable pick.
The 24.5in 1080p panel is reasonably colour-accurate and suitably bright, which is far from the most crucial aspect of its performance but still nice to see. It’s the ridiculous responsiveness and total lack of motion blur that make the AG254FG stand out, however: it’s wonderful to play on in its default mode, but engaging ELMB (extreme low motion blur) mode makes a staggering difference to gameplay. You’ll catch every small movement, regardless of how much your own player character is moving.
Elsewhere, this is a surprisingly practical monitor. The stand supports height adjustment, tilt, pivot and swivel and the port selection is good, too, with four USB-A ports nudging the AG254FG ahead of rivals. One USB port is coloured green: connect a compatible mouse (wired or wireless) to this port and you can make use of Nvidia’s Reflex latency analysing technology, which ought to appeal to esports pros.
Read our full AOC AGON Pro AG254FG review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 24.5in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Adaptive sync: Nvidia G-Sync; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 4 x USB-A 3.2 gen 1, 1 x USB-B 3.2 gen 1, 3 x 3.5mm; Refresh rate: 360Hz; Response time: 1ms
How to choose the best gaming monitor for you
Here are the most important things to consider before you buy a gaming monitor.
Picking a resolution
A PS4 Slim or Xbox One S will only support gaming at Full HD (1,920 x 1,080), although the Xbox One S can run games in HDR and play 4K Blu-ray discs, so you may still benefit from a 4K monitor – if you can afford it.
The PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 Pro and Xbox One X all support 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolutions, meaning you can splash out on a 4K screen and enjoy the benefits of gaming on it. The Xbox Series X/S also support Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) resolutions, so you can purchase a cheaper monitor and still make the most of your console.
A gaming PC supports all commercially available resolutions from 720p to 4K and beyond. As a rule of thumb, Quad HD is widely accepted to be the sweet spot for PC gaming, although it depends heavily on your graphics card.
PC gamers can also uniquely enjoy Ultrawide monitors with 3,440 x 1,440 or even 5,120 x 1,440 resolutions – if they have the cash.
READ NEXT: The best monitors for PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series S/X
Panel type
There are three main types of monitor panel (plus various sub-types) all of which are based on either LCD or LED technology. It used to be the case that some panel types had obvious benefits over others, but these days the lines have become blurred, so don't limit yourself to one type of panel. Our favourite esports (240Hz) gaming monitor has an IPS panel, while our favourite gaming monitor overall has a form of VA panel.
TN panels are cheap, fast and less colourful than other types. You might find one on a sub-£200 monitor that's a few years old - they're becoming pretty uncommon in the industry these days.
IPS and Nano IPS panels are more expensive, more colourful and generally not so good with black levels or contrast. These are most prevalent in the gaming monitor industry on the whole, but particularly at the higher end.
VA and MVA panels are generally inexpensive and have decent colours, great contrast and weaker viewing angles. You'll find them on curved gaming monitors and gaming monitors that sit between budget and high-end.
READ NEXT: The best 1080p monitors to buy
Response time
To reduce input lag and get the edge on your opponent, you'll want to look for a panel with the lowest possible response time – quoted response times from manufacturers are G2G (grey-to-grey), with 1ms the fastest achievable time. That said, it's unlikely that you'll find a gaming monitor with a response time of more than 2ms nowadays.
Refresh rate vs frame rate
You want a monitor with as high a refresh rate as you can afford. 60Hz is an acceptable minimum but if you have a powerful graphics card, consider increasing that to 75Hz or 144Hz. The current sweet spot for PC gaming monitors is Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) at either 144Hz or 165Hz. There are monitors that refresh at 240Hz and even 360Hz, but you'll pay through the nose for the privilege.
READ NEXT: The best ultrawide monitors to buy
Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync
Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync are two similar technologies designed to prevent screen tearing by syncing the refresh rate of your monitor with the frame rate being outputted by your gaming PC's GPU.
AMD's FreeSync is found on most cheaper monitors, while only a selection of monitors are compatible with Nvidia G-Sync (you can find a list here). Both technologies are compatible with both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards. We actually have an entire article dedicated to explaining the differences between G-Sync and FreeSync, if that sort of thing interests you...
High Dynamic Range
You might be considering splashing the cash on a gaming monitor with HDR for gorgeous colours and inky shadows. While many monitors have official VESA DisplayHDR certifications, it tends to be entry-level stuff, so it's important that you temper your expectations. A good TV will do HDR far, far better for the most part.
If you want a decent HDR experience on a gaming monitor, look for certifications of DisplayHDR 600 or higher and local dimming support. The former simply indicates that the monitor is suitably bright, while local dimming allows the backlight to adjust in sections rather than as one unit, which makes for more nuanced control over dark/bright patches.
READ NEXT: The best 4K monitors to buy
Design and features
Stand: The more you spend, the more versatile the stand will be. We always suggest plumping for a monitor with all four major adjustment types (height adjustment, tilt back/forth, swivel left/right and portrait mode pivot) but if you want to save cash, the cheaper options on this roundup will stick with one or two (height and tilt, most commonly).
Mount: All of the monitors on this list are VESA-compatible, which means you can mount the panel on an aftermarket stand or even arm if you so desire.
Ports: Again, the more you spend, the more you'll get. This is a personal thing: do you need a USB-A hub? A USB-C port? a 3.5mm headphone jack? Generally, gaming monitors aren't as well-connected as their office brethren, so check our specs list before you buy if you need slots for peripherals.
How we test gaming monitors
We believe it's important to support our monitor reviews with in-depth testing. Whenever we receive a monitor for review, we use an X-Rite colorimeter and DisplayCal calibration software to measure colour gamut coverage and accuracy; luminance, black point and contrast; and panel uniformity and colour temperature. We also use Blur Busters' suite of web-based motion handling tools to test for ghosting/inverse ghosting and motion blur as well as the effects of various levels of overdrive and/or MBR. If a gaming monitor has HDR with local dimming, we use a looped video with a bright white moving shape to try and catch the zones in action.
After that, we simply use the monitor for at least a week, playing games on PC and PS5 known to have good HDR implementation (such as Borderlands or Battlefield) to qualitatively assess day-to-day performance. We judge build quality, viewing angles, ports and stand adjustability by exhaustively exploring each in turn, and we navigate the OSD thoroughly to try any extra features.
You can find the results of our tests in our full-length reviews, linked above.
