Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Products

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best gaming monitors under $300

Jacob Roach
By

You don’t need to spend a ton to get a great gaming monitor. ViewSonic, Dell, Asus, and multiple other manufacturers offer displays with high refresh rates, low response times, and features like G-Sync and FreeSync for a low price. We’ve rounded up the best gaming monitors under $300, with options for 1440p gamers, ultrawide enthusiasts, and everyone in between.

The best gaming monitors under $300 at a glance

The best gaming monitor under $300: ViewSonic Elite XG240R

Arif Bacchus/Digital Trends

You usually have to give up features on a gaming monitor under $300, but the ViewSonic Elite XG240R sacrifices very little. It’s a 24-inch full HD monitor that comes with all the features gamers need. That includes a fast 144Hz refresh rate, 1-millisecond response time, and AMD FreeSync on a TN panel. The XG240R comes with some extras, too, including RGB illumination built into the back of the monitor.

The panel quality is surprisingly high, given the price. Although it still suffers from the poor viewing angles and color production that are typical of TN panels, the XG240R gets bright and produces natural colors. In our testing, the XG240R produced 98% of the sRGB spectrum out of the box and only improved slightly after calibration. It’s not great for photo or video editing, but for watching movies and playing games, the XG240R still looks great.

Related

Additionally, the XG240R comes with 22 levels of black stabilization to balance high-contrast scenes, pre-calibrated game modes for different genres, and a refresh-rate cap. For connectively, The XG240R comes with two HDMI 1.4 ports, a DisplayPort Connection, two USB 3.0 ports, and a 3.5mm audio out.

Overall, the ViewSonic Elite XG240R is a budget monitor that never feels that way. It comes with all the specs gamers need to play at high frame rates and even goes further with RGB lighting and decent color accuracy.

Read our ViewSonic Elite XG240R review

The best 1440p gaming monitor under $300: Gigabyte G27QC

Image used with permission by copyright holder

There are a lot of 1080p monitors under $300 but few 1440p ones. The Gigabyte G27QC is one of the better 1440p monitors on the market, even ignoring our price limit. It’s a 27-inch display with all the key specs gamers need: A 165Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time, and solid connectivity options. The 1500R curve is nice, too, especially if you sit close to your monitor.

The VA panel still has poor viewing angles and black uniformity. Still, the color accuracy is good out of the box and even better after calibration. In addition to a black level equalizer, the G27QC comes with an overlay that shows your hardware information and frame rate, automatic updates, and a settings menu that you can actually use with your keyboard and mouse.

You can connect using one of the two HDMI 2.0 ports or the DisplayPort 1.2 connection, the latter of which has full HDR support. It doesn’t have a DisplayHDR certification, though, so don’t expect amazing HDR brightness.

Even with that quibble, the Gigabyte G27QC is a great 1440p gaming monitor that has features where they count.

The best ultrawide gaming monitor under $300: AOC CQ34G2

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you want an ultrawide gaming monitor under $300, you have to give up a little bit. Still, the AOC CQ34G2 manages to offer decent specs for gamers in a 21:9 format. It comes with a 75Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time, and FreeSync support on a VA panel. Although the viewing angles aren’t great, the 1500R curve bends the extra horizontal screen real estate in to keep everything looking even.

The CQ34G2 is a 34-inch monitor, which is big. You really need the extra size for an ultrawide, though. There are multiple 29-inch ultrawide options under $300, but it’s important to remember the 21:9 aspect ratio — 29-inch ultrawide monitors don’t feel like a 16:9 monitor with some extra screen on the sides, but rather a 16:9 monitor with the top and bottom cut off. The CQ34G2 is large enough for the full ultrawide experience.

The port selection includes two HDMI 1.4 ports and a single DisplayPort 1.4 connection. For under $300, the AOC CQ34G2 is easily the best ultrawide you can buy. That said, if you’re interested in an ultrawide monitor, you may want to spend a little more (read our guide to the best ultrawide monitors for recommendations).

The best 27-inch gaming monitor under $300: Dell Gaming S2721HGF

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Dell Gaming S2721HGF is a great value if you’re in the market for a 27-inch display. It offers super-thin bezels considering the price, a nice 1500R curve, 144Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time, and full HD resolution. It’s all you need for ultra-fast 1080p, and it comes in only slightly above $200.

On top of key gaming specs, the S2721HGF is G-Sync Compatible and certified for FreeSync Premium. Regardless of the graphics card you’re using, you can use adaptive refresh technology for tear-free gaming. Most monitors offer one or the other, but it’s rare to find both in the same display.

As for ports, you have access to two HDMI 1.4 ports, a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection, and a 3.5mm audio line out. Dell includes an HDMI cable in the box, but you’ll want to connect your PC with the DisplayPort connection to take advantage of the high refresh rate.

The Dell Gaming S2721HGF is an excellent monitor from top to bottom, which makes its low price all the more impressive.

The best FreeSync gaming monitor under $300: Asus Tuf Gaming VG24VQR

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Asus Tuf Gaming VG24VQR has no business being as cheap as it is. For around $200, you’re getting a 23.6-inch full HD monitor with a 165Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time, and, above all, FreeSync Premium. FreeSync Premium still offers tear-free gaming with a variable refresh rate, but over the standard version, it also offers low frame rate compensation and a verified minimum refresh rate of 120Hz.

It comes with several unique features, too, including Asus Shadow Boost, which raises the brightness of shadows in a scene without affecting the highlights. Additionally, you have access to multiple levels of a blue light filter, GameVisual mode to optimize different genres of games, and verified flicker-free monitor technology.

On the back, you have access to two HDMI 1.4 ports — great for 120Hz on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 — and a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection. The included monitor stand features 150mm of height adjustment, 62 degrees of swivel, 23 degrees of tilt, and a full 90 degrees of pivot.

The best G-Sync gaming monitor under $300: Asus VG278QR

Image used with permission by copyright holder

There aren’t many gaming monitors under $300 with a G-Sync module inside. Nvidia’s proprietary hardware is expensive. Thankfully, there are G-Sync compatible monitors to fill the gap, and that’s what the Asus VG278QR is. G-Sync compatible monitors don’t use the Nvidia hardware, but they’ve been validated to offer a variable refresh rate with no visual artifacts.

As for the Asus VG278QR, it’s a 27-inch full HD monitor with a 165Hz refresh rate and 0.5 ms response time. That ultra-low response time comes from Asus’ Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) technology, which reduces motion blur to provide more unique frames each second. It causes some ghosting, but thankfully, you can turn ELMB off and still achieve a very fast response time. Additionally, the monitor comes with an overlay timer so you can track your time while playing, plus a frames-per-second counter.

For ports, the Asus VG278QR comes with Dual Link DVI, DisplayPort 1.2, and HDMI 1.4. You can route your cables through the included monitor stand, which includes a full 90-degree pivot, 90-degree swivel, 130mm of height adjustment, and 33 degrees of tilt.

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for in a gaming monitor?

The two most important specs on a gaming monitor are resolution and refresh rate. Most gamers prefer a 1080p or 1440p gaming monitor, but there are 4K gaming monitors if you don’t mind paying extra — just be aware that you’ll need a powerful graphics card to play at that resolution. Refresh rate is how quickly the monitor refreshes the image. You want a high refresh rate for gaming (above 60Hz, at least, but 144Hz is ideal). Otherwise, pay attention to the response time — lower is better — and adaptive syncing features like FreeSync and G-Sync.

What type of monitor is best for gaming?

A monitor with a high refresh rate and low response time is best for gaming. Twisted nematic (TN) and vertical alignment (VA) monitor panels are generally best for gaming, as they offer high refresh rates at the cost of viewing angles and color accuracy. In-Plane Switching (IPS) monitor panels are popular, too. They have better viewing angles and color accuracy, though you’ll generally spend more for an IPS monitor with a high refresh rate and low response time.

Which is better for gaming, a 24- or 27-inch monitor?

Between a 24- and 27-inch monitor, there isn’t a better option for gaming. You can choose either size without any issues. That said, larger monitors look better with higher resolutions. As the size of the monitor increases, the pixel density goes down, making large, low-resolution monitors look blurry. That said, 24-inch monitors are good for full HD (1080p), and 27-inch monitors are good for 1440p.

Outside of resolution, pay attention to your viewing distance. The closer you are to the monitor, the smaller the monitor should be, and vice versa.

FreeSync and G-Sync: What’s the difference?

In practice, FreeSync and G-Sync are the same. They both dynamically adjust the refresh rate of your monitor to match the frame rate of your graphics card. However, FreeSync is meant for AMD graphics cards, while G-Sync is for Nvidia cards. Additionally, FreeSync uses an open DisplayPort standard, while G-Sync uses a proprietary hardware module, so FreeSync monitors are usually cheaper.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jacob Roach
Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
Acer’s new gaming laptop bring Nvidia RTX 40-series GPUs under $1,000
Two Acer gaming laptops over a dark blue background.

You can find Nvidia's RTX 40-series graphics cards in some of the best gaming laptops, but the downside is that they're all expensive, if not overpriced. Previously, that meant you'd be forced to choose between getting something affordable or getting access to Nvidia's GPU cheat code -- DLSS 3. Now, there's finally some hope on the horizon, as Acer is launching a budget-friendly laptop that can still run modern games. We're talking about the Acer Nitro V 15.

The new laptop will be available in a few different configurations, each equipped with Intel's latest 13th-Gen CPUs, including either Core i5 or Core i7 models. All of them also come with a 15.6-inch 144Hz display. While every configuration also features a Nvidia graphics card, not all of those GPUs are equally thrilling. The cheapest model, priced at $700, features a Core i5-13420H CPU and an RTX 2050 GPU. This comes paired with just 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

Read more
The best gaming PCs for 2023: Dell, Origin, Lenovo, and more
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i gaming PC sitting on a table.

You don't need to build your own computer to get the best gaming PC. While that still provides the best value, brands like Lenovo, Alienware, Acer, and Origin have gotten fiercely competitive in the past few years, and these companies are producing some of the best gaming desktops you can buy.

Our top pick is Lenovo's Legion Tower 7i Gen 8. It comes with the latest CPU and GPU options from Intel and Nvidia, and it's reasonably priced, especially considering its excellent thermal management. Plus, we have over half a dozen other picks for different budgets and gaming needs that we identified through our extensive collection of desktop reviews.

Read more
Best gaming laptop deals: Save on Alienware, Razer, HP and more
The Corsair Voyager a1600 gaming laptop set up with a monitor and other accessories on a desk.

Many of the best laptops are great for multi-purpose use, but if you’re looking to take on some of the best PC games, you’re going to want to get yourself a gaming laptop. The best gaming laptops offer hardware geared specifically for gameplay action, and many of them offer some savings. That’s certainly the case right now, as there are a lot of gaming laptop deals taking place. Many of the best laptop brands have gaming laptop deals taking place, and the likes of big time gaming brands like Alienware and Razer have models discounted right now as well.
HP Victus 16 — $600, was $900

With the HP Victus 16 you’re getting an incredible gaming laptop. As it’s built for this deal it has specs that are closer to entry-level gaming laptops, but that shouldn’t be any reason to stay away if you’re shopping on a budget. It has a 15.6-inch Full HD display, a 13-generation Intel processor, and 8GB of RAM. It also has a popular mobile graphics card in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. The HP Victus 16 comes with Windows 11 preinstalled, and should have you gaming in no time once you get it out of the box.

Read more