Most people building gaming rigs focus initially on finding the best CPU and graphics card around, but if you’re building a non-portable gaming PC, the quality of your monitor is going to be just as important. As monitor technology becomes gradually less expensive, you no longer need to spend a fortune for high-quality graphics.
$300 represents the best sweet spot between affordability and efficiency, but not every gaming monitor under $300 is going to be worth your time. For that reason, we’ve provided reviews for 10 challengers for the best gaming monitor under $300. We’ll also provide you with in-depth information on the specs and features that are most important when shopping for a gaming monitor with a price tag of under $300.
- The 10 Best Gaming Monitors under $300
- AOC CQ27G1 27″ Frameless Gaming Monitor
- Dell S-Series 27″ LED-Lit Monitor
- MSI Optix G27C2 27″ Curved Monitor
- Asus VG278Q 27″ Adaptive Sync Gaming Monitor
- LG 32UK50T-W 32″ 4K UHD Gaming monitor
- Sceptre 30″ Curved Gaming Monitor
- Acer Acer 24.5″ Gaming Monitor
- BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P 24″ Gaming Monitor
- ViewSonic XG2401 24″ Gaming Monitor
- Pixio PXC243 24″ 144Hz Premier Gaming Monitor
- Gaming Monitor Under $300 Buyer’s Guide
- Resolution
- Refresh Rate
- Response Time
- Adaptive Sync
- Color Reproduction
- Frequently Asked Questions
The 10 Best Gaming Monitors under $300
| Award | Design | Monitors | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curved for Ultimate Immersion |  | Check Price | |
| Killer Response and Refresh Rates |  | Check Price | |
| High Contrast, Vivid Color and Immersive Curvature<br> |  | Check Price | |
| Gaming Performance Through and Through |  | Check Price | |
| A Rare Graphical Treat |  | Check Price | |
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AOC CQ27G1 27″ Frameless Gaming Monitor
Curved for Ultimate Immersion
Curved monitors are often regarded as the latest and greatest trend in the field of monitor design, which is why it’s so refreshing to see a curved gaming monitor for under $300. The almost complete lack of a bezel here further advances your gaming experience.
This is a monitor that will especially benefit serious gaming rigs since it supports an impressive 2K QHD resolution. The 144 Hz refresh rate is assisted by a lightning-fast 1ms response time and AMD FreeSync technology to reduce tearing on the latest AAA games. An incredibly user-friendly OSD also allows you to switch up settings on the fly.
| Screen Size | |
| Resolution | |
| Refresh Rate | |
| Response Time | |
| Adaptive Sync |
Pros
- 1800R curved design for immersion
- Height stand is fully adjustable
- Support for AMD FreeSync tech
- Backed by a full three-year warranty
Cons
- Sometimes exhibits ghosting in dim games
Dell S-Series 27″ LED-Lit Monitor
Killer Response and Refresh Rates
For the best and most competitive of gamers, a more accurate response time is a whole lot more important than graphical fidelity. For that type of player, this monitor from Dell is going to be one of the top options. Its 155 Hz refresh rate provides a minor but valid edge in competitive gaming, and it’s well accompanied by a response rate of only one millisecond. And while this monitor doesn’t offer the level of contrast you’d find in a VA alternative, it does provide some exceptional color quality without even having to make any manual adjustments. And this sleek and lean monitor looks great without being as dramatically embellished as much of the competition.
| Screen Size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | 2K QHD |
| Refresh Rate | 155 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | AMD FreeSync |
Pros
- Very high refresh rate
- Above average input lag
- Easy syncing with multiple sources
- Vivid and accurate color reproduction
Cons
- Doesn’t support gamma adjustment
MSI Optix G27C2 27″ Curved Monitor
High Contrast, Vivid Color and Immersive Curvature
MSI may not be one of the bigger gaming monitor manufacturers, but they’re off to a promising start with the Optix G27C2. This monitor offers both the high contrast ratio of a VA screen with the immersive gaming experience that a curved monitor offers.
The experience of being right in the midst of your favorite games is made more immersive thanks to a bezel that’s barely even there. The screen on this gaming monitor is also anti-glare, so you don’t have to reserve your competitive playing to dark rooms. The color reproduction here also stands out, with MSI boasting 110% coverage of the sRGB color gamut.
| Screen Size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | AMD FreeSync |
Pros
- Bright and vivid visuals
- Substantive anti-glare coating
- 178-degree wide-angle screen
- Excellent contrast ratio and colors
Cons
- Requires tuning for optimal performance
Asus VG278Q 27″ Adaptive Sync Gaming Monitor
Gaming Performance Through and Through
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card and are dedicated to finding an inexpensive monitor for gaming, this ASUS gaming monitor is one of your best options. Currently available for under $250, this monitor supports NVIDIA G-SYNC technology in a VA panel design.
You have multiple connectivity options, so this monitor can easily be hooked up to a number of gaming consoles and gaming PCs at the same time. And you won’t need to invest in an external sound system either. This gaming monitor includes a pair of two-watt speakers for a better gaming experience without any additional investment. And it all runs at a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate.
| Screen Size | 27 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | NVIDIA G-SYNC |
Pros
- Includes dual two-watt speakers
- Variety of connectivity options
- GamePlus hotkeys for customization
- Ergonomically designed for long play sessions
Cons
- Preset color profiles are inconsistent
LG 32UK50T-W 32″ 4K UHD Gaming monitor
A Rare Graphical Treat
Gaming monitors under $300 with a higher resolution than Full HD are rare. Those that promise a full 4K resolution are even rarer still. With a 32 inch screen, this monitor is larger than average while offering above-average clarity in terms of graphics.
But with a refresh rate less than half that of many typical gaming monitors, it may be better suited for cooperative or solo play rather than more aggressively competitive online gaming. But if you’re more interested in exploring worlds than in your K/D ratio, this is one of your best choices. This VA monitor promises 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
| Screen Size | 32 inches |
| Resolution | 4K 2160p |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Response Time | 4 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | AMD Radeon FreeSync |
Pros
- DisplayPort and two HDMI ports
- Supports screen splitting
- In-depth on-screen display
- Top-notch 4K resolution
Cons
- Well below average refresh rate
Sceptre 30″ Curved Gaming Monitor
Need a monitor that’s built for competitive gaming but not happy with the relatively small size of most of the available monitors for under $300? This 30-inch Sceptre monitor could scratch your itch. It can achieve an absurd refresh rate of 200 Hz when connected by DisplayPort and a respectable 120 Hz refresh rate when connected via HDMI.
Longer sessions will benefit from the blue light technology, which can significantly reduce the strain that long-term gaming puts on your eyes. And don’t doubt that this is a monitor for gaming through and through. It includes some highly dedicated preset modes for both first-person shooters and real-time strategy games.
| Screen Size | 30 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 200 Hz |
| Response Time | 5 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | AMD Radeon FreeSync |
Pros
- Bright LED back cover lights
- Reduced eye strain from blue light
- Picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture
- 90% sRGB gamut coverage
Cons
- Suffers from some motion blur
Acer Acer 24.5″ Gaming Monitor
With its TN panel design, the Acer XF250Q Cbmiiprx is a monitor built with efficiency in mind above all else, even if that means sacrificing graphical fidelity. That allows Acer to keep pace with a Full HD resolution while still offering some of the highest refresh rates and a remarkable lack of motion blur.
Especially cool is Acer’s proprietary ergo stand which allows you to rotate your monitor by up to 90 degrees. Asus has also taken the fatigue that comes from longer gaming sessions into consideration. The inclusion of EyeProtect standards relies on blue light reduction and flicker-less technology.
| Screen Size | 24.5 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 240 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | NVIDIA G-SYNC |
Pros
- Best refresh rates around
- Rotates between landscape and portrait
- Aspect ratio of 16:9
- HDMI and DisplayPort inputs
Cons
- One of the smaller monitors
BenQ ZOWIE XL2411P 24″ Gaming Monitor
The BenQ Zowie is the best deal around right now. Normally retailing for almost $300, it’s currently available for almost half that price. And have no doubt about it: this is a monitor fully worth $300. It’s a smaller monitor, but it offers a 144 Hz refresh rate and a lightning-fast response time.
But BenQ hasn’t overlooked picture quality here either. It can run at a Full HD resolution, and special measures have been taken to tune the coloring for games. Customized settings and Black eQualizer technology allow you to create an environment that’s perfectly suited to all the games in your library.
| Screen Size | 24 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | Not available |
Pros
- Fully customizable color settings
- Widely adjustable viewing angles
- Available at a steep discount
- Includes headphone/mic input
Cons
- Color reproduction is weak
ViewSonic XG2401 24″ Gaming Monitor
With a comparable price of $200 (at retail rather than on discount), the ViewSonic XG2401 is a monitor targeted towards budget-level gamers. The combination of response time, refresh rate, and resolutions hit all the marks you’d expect from a more expensive monitor, and the fully adjustable ergonomic stand allows you to adjust the viewing angles to suit your needs.
And while you can adjust a wide variety of settings manually, this monitor also comes with a wealth of highly tuned genre-specific presets. HDMI, USB, and DisplayPort connectivity are all supported and allow you to hook up multiple devices at once.
| Screen Size | 24 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | AMD FreeSync |
Pros
- Some of the best value around
- Highly adjustable viewing angles
- Backed by a full three-year warranty
- Multiple customizable game modes
Cons
- Color reproduction isn’t great
Pixio PXC243 24″ 144Hz Premier Gaming Monitor
This Pixio monitor may only cost you $250, but it’s built with the needs of gamers in mind. It even sports a curved design to help you better evaluate the entire situation on the ground when you’re in the middle of a tense game. Viewing angles extend to 178 degrees, and there’s even an anti-glare coating to reduce the risk of distractions. And the health of pros is also taken into consideration here. This is a monitor that actively reduces flickering and employs blue light technology for reduced eye strain. It also supports the adaptive sync tech from both AMD and NVIDIA.
| Screen Size | 24 inches |
| Resolution | FHD 1080p |
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz |
| Response Time | 3 ms |
| Adaptive Sync | AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-SYNC |
Pros
- Incredibly low asking price
- Connects to consoles and PC
- Anti-flicker and blue light tech
- Backed by a two-year warranty
Cons
- Requires user calibration
Gaming Monitor Under $300 Buyer’s Guide
Some features and specs, like panel size and aesthetic design, are either obvious or predicated on personal preferences. Fortunately, gaming monitors typically have some pretty standard specs that can help you compare the best gaming monitors. It’s important to note that the best gaming monitor in one category often means making sacrifices in another. We’ll help you understand the value of the primary specs for gaming monitors below.
Resolution
- What it is: This spec refers to how sharp the actual picture quality of a panel is. Measured by the megapixels packed into the screen, there are a number of different formats available. If you want to play the latest games at the highest settings, finding a good resolution is one of the most important factors when shopping for gaming monitors.
- What it’s for: This is going to be one of the most important qualities for AAA games. From highly ambient survival horror games to competitive shooters, a high resolution will allow you to better achieve the gaming experience the developers intended and better read the environment. This spec will be less important in older games and indie titles.
- What to consider: We consider FHD 1080p to be the middle-of-the-road standard for gaming monitors under $300. Fortunately, gaming monitors in this price range typically don’t come with lower resolutions. If you really want the most immersive gameplay, you’ll also readily find many 2K gaming monitors at this price. Just keep in mind that normally means sacrificing other factors like refresh rate, and running at higher resolutions requires a fairly powerful gaming rig.
Refresh Rate
- What it is: While the action on the best monitors may look seamless, the fact is that they redraw the screen multiple times in a second. Faster rates mean a smoother gameplay experience and the ability to react to what’s happening on your monitor more effectively.
- Who it’s for: While all gamers will want a decent refresh rate, it’s especially important for competitive gamers. A slower refreshing monitor can mean the difference between a kill and a death – and for competitive gaming, the ability to respond quickly is far more important than the detail of the game environments.
- What to consider: The bare minimum we recommend for refresh rate is 60Hz, and we generally only recommend that for single-player games. If you’re a competitive gamer, getting a 144Hz refresh rate is more important than visual acuity. If you want the best of the best, you can also check out our guide to the best 240Hz gaming monitors. Monitors with a TN panel tend to offer the best refresh rates.
Response Time
- What it is: Response time is similar to refresh rate, but there are some important distinctions between them. Where refresh rate refers to the time it takes for a whole screen to refresh, response time refers to the amount of time it takes for a single pixel to change from white to black. A high response time can typically lead to ghosting or blurring in more modern games.
- Who it’s for: A slow response time will most affect AAA 3D games that require more complex rendering. It’s especially important for competitive gamers who can be put off by a slow response, but it can also quickly take you out of a single-player environment as well.
- What to consider: The best gaming monitors are going to offer a response time of at most 5 ms or less. More competitive gamers should aim for something closer to 1 ms. As with refresh rate, a TN panel is the best choice here.
Adaptive Sync
- What it is: Even with the best specs packed in, monitors used for gaming often suffer from jagged rendered edges as well as tearing and stuttering. Adaptive sync fixes that problem by automatically adjusting the vertical refresh rate in step with what’s happening in your game.
- Who it’s for: Adaptive sync is one of those nice bonuses that are generally expected when you invest in a monitor built for gaming, and it should be a minor but still present factor for most modern gamers.
- What to consider: There are currently two major adaptive sync technologies in production: G-SYNC by NVIDIA and FreeSync by AMD. Most monitors will support one but not both of these protocols. That means that the adaptive sync you should look for should be predicated on your graphics card. If you have an AMD GPU, look for monitors that offer FreeSync, and track down monitors with G-SYNC if you have an NVIDIA GeForce card.
Color Reproduction
- What it is: High color reproduction means more vivid environments. Blacks look blacker and gradients in color look more distinct. The result is the ability to better read your environment and more stunning game environments.
- Who it’s for: IPS panel designs offer the best color reproduction and viewing angles at the expense of responsiveness. That means that multiplayer gamers should consider a TN rather than an IPS panel and just recognize the cost of reduced color fidelity.
- What to consider: There are a number of different standards (or gamuts) that are used to measure color quality. You may need to dig a little deeper to truly evaluate the color quality on a lot of these monitors, but most manufacturers have these specs listed somewhere on their sites. If color reproduction is a top priority, you should consider an IPS panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Best Cheap Gaming Monitor?
The best gaming monitor for shoppers on a budget may very well be the Acer XF250Q Cbmiiprx. It recognizes the importance of responsive gaming and isn’t afraid to sacrifice image quality for the sake of some of the best refresh rates and response times.
What is the best 1440p 144Hz Monitor?
Unfortunately, no 144 Hz monitors with 1440p support earned a spot on our list. Fortunately, we’ve given you all the tools you need to shop smarter. Feel free to check out one of our other guides if you’re looking for higher performance.
Is a 32-Inch Monitor Good for Gaming?
That really depends on the monitor itself. A 32-inch monitor gives you more real estate to work with, but there’s a lot more to pay attention to. Our guide above can provide you with information on the specs you should be paying the most attention to.
Wrapping Up
The most important thing to consider when seeking out a gaming monitor for under $300 is that you get something that matches the capabilities of your computer. Monitors that offer a 144Hz refresh rate or 4K resolution aren’t going to be worth much if you don’t have the hardware in your computer case to keep up. Our list of the best gaming monitors can provide you with some context to better narrow down your choices.
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