Best gaming monitors you can buy in 2024 | Expert Reviews

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 supports 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 as the Goldilocks zone for PC gaming, though 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.

Panel type

There are four main types of monitor panel, all of which are based on either LCD, LED or OLED technology. In the past, 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.

TN – At the bottom of the pile, these are cheap, fast and less colourful than other types. There might still be some sub-£200 monitors of a few years old around; but these are best avoided.

VA – More costly than TN but less than IPS models, these offer decent colours and great contrast. Weak viewing angles were an issue, but improvements mean they’re now much the same as IPS displays. You’ll find them in curved gaming monitors and those gaming models that sit between budget and high-end.

IPS – Pricier, as well as more colourful, this panel type’s weakness is black levels or contrast. Recently, we’ve seen them squeezed out of the gaming monitor sector by better OLED monitors from above, and cheaper VA monitors from below.

OLED – These offer outstanding motion fidelity, but in general, OLED panels aren’t as bright as IPS and VA panels (at least when it comes to whole-screen brightness) and are more expensive, too.

Response time

To reduce input lag and get the edge on your opponent, you’ll require a panel with the lowest possible response time – quoted response times from manufacturers are G2G (grey-to-grey), with 1ms the fastest time achievable. 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

In a nutshell, you want a monitor with as high a refresh rate as you can afford, with 144Hz the minimum requirement for gaming. Most gaming monitors these days refresh at 165Hz, 180Hz or 240Hz, with some pushing to 360Hz or even 500Hz. The current sweet spot for PC gaming monitors is Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) at either 165Hz, 180Hz or 240Hz.

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 output by your gaming PC’s GPU.

AMD’s FreeSync is found on most monitors since it’s an open-source standard, while fewer monitors are compatible with Nvidia’s G-Sync – an increasing number are now listed as “G-Sync compatible”, though. 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 decent TV will do HDR far better for the most part, thanks to superior algorithmic image wrangling.

For a decent HDR experience on a gaming monitor, look for certifications of DisplayHDR 600 or higher and either an OLED panel or an IPS panel with mini-LED local dimming support. The latter allows the backlight to adjust in sections rather than as one unit, which delivers more nuanced control over dark/bright patches.

If HDR is your thing, consider splashing the cash on an OLED monitor. The high small-area brightness levels and infinite contrast ratios are inherent side effects of OLED panels being able to display perfect blacks, making them perfect for HDR content. Mini-LED IPS panels are almost as good.

Design and features

Stand – The more you spend, the more versatile the stand. If you can, plump for a monitor with all four major adjustment types (height adjustment, tilt back/forth, swivel left/right and portrait mode pivot); cheaper options will likely deliver one or two (height and tilt, most commonly).

Mount – All of the monitors here are VESA-compatible, which means they can be mounted on an aftermarket stand or an articulated arm.

Ports – Again, the more you spend, the more you’ll get. In general, gaming monitors aren’t as well connected as their office brethren, so check our specs list before you buy.

Plus, ask yourself if you need a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch, which enables you to connect two sources to your monitor (one via a Type-C DP Alt Mode port, usually a laptop) and then swap back and forth between them using the same keyboard and mouse.