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Since gamers frequently prioritize choosing the most acceptable PC, keyboard, and mouse for their needs, monitors are sometimes disregarded when creating a gaming setup, much like gaming desks. While peripherals are crucial for peak performance, a decent gaming monitor may help you use your PC’s full performance potential.
A gaming monitor is needed because of its quick response times and high refresh rates, enhancing your entire experience. These characteristics enable players to respond quickly and remain at the forefront of their opponents in strategic FPS games like Overwatch, CS:GO, and VALORANT. A gaming monitor may also assist you in stealing a game-changing drake or Baron Nashor in MOBAs like League of Legends.
In-plane switching, or IPS, panels are available on most gaming monitors. IPS panels feature far better viewing angles and color reproduction than the past’s twisted nematic, or TN, displays. However, owing to their quicker, sometimes 1ms reaction times, TN displays still appeal to professional gamers who value performance above visual quality.
Whenever you’re going out in a market to purchase an eSports monitor for yourself, you’ll be overwhelmed by the choices and begin to question which would be best suitable for you in terms of budget, performance, and quality; the options are endless, but we’ve assembled this piece to help you consider a monitor according to your budget and what you’re looking for in each monitor.
1. Acer Nitro XV273X
The 27-inch Acer Nitro XV273X has a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The display is capable of Free Sync and supports an IPS. With the 240 Hz refresh rate and one-millisecond gray-to-gray (G2G) reaction time, the XV273X is a fantastic option for gaming.
G2G is the time it takes for a pixel on display to transition from grey to white. To provide a fluid gaming experience, competitive players want reduced G2G reaction times paired with high refresh rates.
This monitor also maintains its image quality from various angles but does so at the cost of some contrast ratio. The construction quality is excellent, and the colors are pretty accurate.
2. ASUS ROG Swift PG279QZ
Previously, 24-inch gaming monitors were the standard size. But it appears that the industry norm is shifting toward 27-inch versions now that ASUS has entered the game. The ROG Swift PG279QZ supports an IPS panel and has a display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440.
Most gaming monitors use IPS screens because of their vivid colors, which simplify spotting enemies. The PG279QZ features a reaction time of four milliseconds and an increased refresh rate of 165 Hz. The G-Sync compliant display doesn’t cause you to experience any input lag, even though some may find its reaction speed unsettling.
3. AOC 24G2 / 24G2U
Restricted to spending no more than $200 or £200? Don’t give up. We believe that a high-refresh monitor with a good IPS panel could be the best gaming monitor for many people. Enter the AOC 24G2 and its sister, the AOC 24G2U, which are closely connected. Compromises inevitably need to be made. A small 24-inch monitor, the 24G2 / 24G2U has a low 1920 by 1080 resolution or 1080p. What distinguishes the two? The 24G2U adds a USB hub.
They are capable of a remarkably snappy 1ms pixel response and operate at a hefty 144Hz, which testing proved to us. They also allow changing refresh rates and include a reduced input lag mode. That has a far lesser resolution than a 4K display with only 25% as many pixels.
In terms of specifications, HDR capabilities of any type are clearly missing. However, based on our observations, few displays give a whole HDR experience. At least AOC doesn’t tempt you with the promise of HDR before letting you down in the end. Furthermore, this panel doesn’t feel or appear to be a low-cost alternative, thanks to its thin bezels and height and tilt adjustments.
4. ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ
Although the ASUS TUF VG27AQ isn’t precisely a spectacular addition to our list of the best gaming monitors, it is packed to the gills with quality. It has a simple appearance, but we weren’t fooled because it has a powerful processor and a lightning-fast gaming display.
It is compatible with G-Sync and FreeSync, with a 165Hz refresh rate (including Adaptive Sync Support) and a 1ms response time. The in-game images this monitor produces are some of the smoothest and most delicate on a 1440p panel when you combine them with ASUS’ proprietary Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync technology.
It’s not just about the quickness when we examined the monitor; the visual quality was also really sharp. They are some of the best photos we’ve seen on a 1440p when HDR10 high dynamic range for color and brightness levels are added. The VG27AQ does a fantastic job of balancing general picture quality, processing speeds, and—most importantly—price. It’s a tremendous all-purpose display that, in our opinion, will be useful for both PC and console games.
5. BenQ Zowie XL2540
One of BenQ’s most technologically sophisticated displays is the XL2540. The XL2540 builds on the existing popular model while delivering new quality-of-life features if you want greater firepower than entry-level products.
The 24.5-inch monitor supports TN panels and offers a 1080p resolution. The monitor supports FreeSync and has two covers on the sides to block sunlight intrusion or peering during LAN gatherings.
Given that the 240 Hz refresh rate and one-millisecond G2G reaction time of the monitor give you the impression that you are playing the game, BenQ probably had eSports players in mind when designing the XL2540. The display has a clever switch that allows you to flip between your saved color profiles even though the color profiles need some adjustment. It can save time if you love playing video games and watching stuff on your display.