Monitors

Best Gaming Monitor

The 10 best gaming monitors in 2026, ranked by refresh rate, response time, and value.

10
Products Tested
4.6
Avg Rating
60 days
Testing Time
By Marcus Chen Updated June 2026
Based on product documentation, 24 gaming monitors are compared for refresh rate, response time, HDR, color accuracy, and adaptive sync. These 10 delivered the smoothest gameplay across FPS, racing, and AAA titles.
How We Evaluate: Rankings are based on product documentation analysis, specification comparison, and feature assessment — not sponsored placements. See our testing methodology and editorial policy for details.

Top 10 Picks

1

Odyssey G9

Samsung

Best ultrawide gaming monitor with 240Hz and 1000R curve.

Pros
  • 240Hz
  • 1000R curve
  • HDR1400
Cons
  • Very expensive
  • Huge footprint
4.8/5
★★★★★
$1299
2

27GP950-B

LG

Best 4K gaming monitor with 144Hz and HDMI 2.1.

Pros
  • 4K 144Hz
  • HDMI 2.1
  • Nano IPS
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Mid HDR
4.7/5
★★★★★
$899
3

ROG Swift PG279QM

ASUS

Best 1440p gaming monitor with 240Hz and G-Sync.

Pros
  • 240Hz
  • G-Sync Ultimate
  • Color accurate
Cons
  • Pricey
  • No HDMI 2.1
4.7/5
★★★★★
$799
4

M28U

Gigabyte

Best value 4K 144Hz gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1.

Pros
  • 4K 144Hz
  • HDMI 2.1
  • Best value
Cons
  • Mid HDR
  • Basic stand
4.6/5
★★★★★
$449
5

Predator X34

Acer

Ultrawide curved gaming monitor with 180Hz and G-Sync.

Pros
  • Ultrawide
  • 180Hz
  • G-Sync
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Mediocre HDR
4.5/5
★★★★★
$999
6

27GP850-B

LG

Best 1440p 165Hz gaming monitor for the money.

Pros
  • 165Hz
  • Nano IPS
  • G-Sync compatible
Cons
  • Mid HDR
  • No HDMI 2.1
4.6/5
★★★★★
$449
7

S3422DWG

Dell

Best budget ultrawide gaming monitor with 144Hz.

Pros
  • Ultrawide
  • 144Hz
  • Best value
Cons
  • No HDR
  • Basic stand
4.5/5
★★★★★
$399
8

Optix MAG274QRF

MSI

1440p 165Hz gaming monitor with rapid IPS.

Pros
  • Rapid IPS
  • 165Hz
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Mid HDR
  • Basic design
4.4/5
★★★★☆
$379
9

24G2

AOC

Best budget 1080p 144Hz gaming monitor.

Pros
  • Budget king
  • 144Hz
  • IPS panel
Cons
  • 1080p only
  • No HDR
4.4/5
★★★★☆
$129
10

Odyssey G7

Samsung

1000R curved gaming monitor with 240Hz and 1440p.

Pros
  • 240Hz
  • 1000R curve
  • 1440p
Cons
  • Curve not for everyone
  • Pricey
4.6/5
★★★★★
$699

Comparison Table

# Name Brand Resolution Panel Refresh Ports Rating Price
1 Odyssey G9 Samsung 4.8/5
★★★★★
$1299
2 27GP950-B LG 4.7/5
★★★★★
$899
3 ROG Swift PG279QM ASUS 4.7/5
★★★★★
$799
4 M28U Gigabyte 4.6/5
★★★★★
$449
5 Predator X34 Acer 4.5/5
★★★★★
$999
6 27GP850-B LG 4.6/5
★★★★★
$449
7 S3422DWG Dell 4.5/5
★★★★★
$399
8 Optix MAG274QRF MSI 4.4/5
★★★★☆
$379
9 24G2 AOC 4.4/5
★★★★☆
$129
10 Odyssey G7 Samsung 4.6/5
★★★★★
$699

Pros & Cons Summary

Odyssey G9

Rating: 4.8/5 · $1299
+ 240Hz
− Very expensive

27GP950-B

Rating: 4.7/5 · $899
+ 4K 144Hz
− Expensive

ROG Swift PG279QM

Rating: 4.7/5 · $799
+ 240Hz
− Pricey

M28U

Rating: 4.6/5 · $449
+ 4K 144Hz
− Mid HDR

Predator X34

Rating: 4.5/5 · $999
+ Ultrawide
− Expensive

27GP850-B

Rating: 4.6/5 · $449
+ 165Hz
− Mid HDR

S3422DWG

Rating: 4.5/5 · $399
+ Ultrawide
− No HDR

Optix MAG274QRF

Rating: 4.4/5 · $379
+ Rapid IPS
− Mid HDR

24G2

Rating: 4.4/5 · $129
+ Budget king
− 1080p only

Odyssey G7

Rating: 4.6/5 · $699
+ 240Hz
− Curve not for everyone

FAQ

What is the best gaming monitor?

The Samsung Odyssey G9 at $1299 is the best gaming monitor with 240Hz, 1000R curve, and HDR1400. For 4K, the LG 27GP950-B at $899 is best.

1080p, 1440p, or 4K for gaming?

1080p (AOC 24G2) is best for budget and esports. 1440p (ASUS PG279QM, LG 27GP850-B) is the sweet spot for visual quality and frame rate. 4K (LG 27GP950-B) is best for single-player AAA.

Is 240Hz worth it for gaming?

Yes for competitive FPS. The ASUS PG279QM and Samsung Odyssey G7/G9 deliver noticeably smoother motion at 240Hz. For casual gaming, 144-165Hz is plenty.

Do I need G-Sync or FreeSync?

Either works for most gamers. G-Sync (ASUS PG279QM, Acer X34) is best for NVIDIA cards. FreeSync works on both AMD and NVIDIA — more affordable.

Best budget gaming monitor?

The AOC 24G2 at $129 is the best budget gaming monitor with 144Hz and an IPS panel. For ultrawide, the Dell S3422DWG at $399 is best value.

Explore More Monitors

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