Say whatever you want about the GPU market or the general atmosphere of the games industry at the moment, but gaming (particularly, PC gaming) probably isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
It’s just unfortunate that some of the best-looking and best-feeling screens that’ve ever existed are finally coming down in price at a time when so many people are unable to get their hands on high-end video game hardware and gaming PC components.
That’s why I compiled a list of the top 10 best designed gaming monitors on the market in 2023, spanning everything from 1080p to 4k and ultrawide – making room for gamers on a budget while showcasing some of the best gaming displays you can find. Note that it’s a little bit different than the list I already created that specifically targets ultrawide monitors that use OLED displays.
1. Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (Best all around)
Alienware’s AW3423DWF is the best all-around PC gaming monitor, featuring a curved 34-inch 3440x1440p 21:9 ultrawide display with 1800R curvature, HDR 400 support, VRR, 0.1 ms response times, and support for both DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0.
Why is it noteworthy?
The AW3423DWF hits that incredibly hard-to-reach sweet spot in PC gaming monitors, blending the richness of QD-OLED with the wide field of view provided by ultrawide monitors. It somehow manages to juggle all the best parts of high-end gaming displays while remaining, miraculously, under the $1000 MSRP ballpark.
What we like
- Low price for the volume of modern features
- Ultrawide
- QD-OLED display with 1000 nits peak brightness
- Extremely low 0.1 ms response time
What we dislike
- Relatively low maximum (165 Hz DisplayPort 1.4 / 100 Hz HDMI 2.0) refresh rates
- You have to choose between FreeSync Premium Pro support and Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate support
2. ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM (Best 1440p)
ASUS’s ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM is a feature-packed 27-inch 2k OLED gaming display that pushes impressive refresh rates and over 1000 nits peak brightness in HDR mode.
Why is it noteworthy?
OLED is still an expensive luxury in modern gaming monitors, and the ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM packs a lot of high-end goodies like a 240 Hz refresh rate, 0.03 ms response times, and intelligent voltage optimization (to combat burn-in) to name just a few – all for $999.
What we like
- Fantastic price performance
- OLED display with 1000 nits peak brightness
- Blazing fast
What we dislike
- No FreeSync support out of the box
3. LG UltraGear 32GN650-B (Best budget 1440p)
LG UltraGear monitors are generally great across the board, but if you want to play games in 2k for a low price, the 32-inch LG UltraGear 32GN650-B is a fantastic option at between $250-400, depending on whether you find a good deal.
Why is it noteworthy?
It balances strong performance with a relatively low asking price, featuring a relatively high maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz, HDR 10 support, and 1 ms Motion Blur Reduction.
What we like
- It’s a 32-inch 2k monitor with decent specs for less than $400
- 165 Hz refresh rate and 5 ms GtG response times are great for this price range
What we dislike
- Underwhelming contrast ratio
- Low peak brightness
4. LG UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE (Best 21:9 ultrawide)
The LG UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE is a bit more feature-packed than the Alienware we mentioned earlier, only narrowly taking the trophy for best 21:9 ultrawide. It’s a fantastic 45-inch ultrawide 2k monitor, both blazing fast and featuring incredible HDR support thanks to its OLED display.
Why is it noteworthy?
The UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE is a massive, 45-inch OLED 3440x1440p gaming display with support for 240 Hz refresh rates, all types of VRR out of the box, HDR 400 with a 1500000:1 contrast ratio, and a 0.03 ms response time.
What we like
- It’s probably the best 45-inch ultrawide gaming display you can buy right now without delving into 32:9 or 4k territory
What we dislike
- Only 800R curvature, meaning the far edges of the screen will seem farther apart
5. Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (Best 32:9 ultrawide)
The Samsung OLED G9 is an absurdly impressive super ultrawide (5440x1440p) gaming display, spanning a 32:9 aspect ratio with a visual style that makes it look like a piece of futuristic art, thanks to its chrome look and LED back array.
Why is it noteworthy?
It’s the world’s first OLED super ultrawide display. That alone is a huge deal, but it even has all the bells and whistles you could want: 240 Hz refresh rate, 0.03 response time, TrueBlack HDR 400, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
What we like
- 32:9 aspect ratio looks incredible with QD-OLED
- Samsung Gaming Hub means you don’t even need a PC to play games on it
What we dislike
- It costs $1799 – even though the price is coming down slowly
6. ASRock PHANTOM GAMING PG34WQ15R2B (Best budget ultrawide)
The ASRock PHANTOM GAMING PG34WQ15R2B is a powerful 34-inch 3440x1440p ultrawide gaming monitor that gets rid of a few bells and whistles to maintain wildly good cost performance.
Why is it noteworthy?
It’s hard to call this a bad purchase when it’s literally a 2k ultrawide gaming monitor for $379. It doesn’t include an OLED display or G-Sync Ultimate support, and its VESA DisplayHDR 400 is probably questionable without the former – but that’s a ridiculously low price for something this feature-packed. Its 165 Hz refresh rate, FreeSync support, and 1 ms response times make it a steal at that price.
What we like
- Mind-boggling cost performance at $379
- 21:9 ultrawide with 1500R for immersive 2k gaming
- Relatively high refresh rate/response time for cost
What we dislike
- It’s not an OLED, and the HDR probably suffers for it
7. Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 UHD (Best 4k)
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 UHD is a high-performance 32-inch 4k curved gaming display – which even won a CES Best of Innovation award in 2022.
Why is it noteworthy?
It was the world’s first 4k gaming display with a 240 Hz refresh rate. More importantly, it’s also an ultrawide display with HDR 2000 support – meaning its peak brightness goes up to 2000 nits.
What we like
- High performance 4k ultrawide
- Deeply impressive HDR 2000 support thanks to Quantum Dot technology
- 240 Hz refresh rate
What we dislike
- A bit small for an ultrawide with 4k resolution
- Like all 4k monitors, it’s quite expensive at around $1499
8. GIGABYTE M27U Gaming Monitor (Best budget 4k)
The Gigabyte M27U is a well-balanced 27-inch 4k gaming display that does some genuinely interesting stuff for its low price of $549.99.
Why is it noteworthy?
It pushes 2160p resolutions at 160 Hz, while maintaining a tight 1 ms response time. At a price below $600, this makes it one of the stronger performers, and is a great alternative to a similarly-priced 2k monitor if you have the horsepower to drive games in 4k.
What we like
- Strong cost performance
- Multiple HDMI connections – making it a good console gaming monitor
What we dislike
- It’s a bit small for a 4k display at 27 inches
9. ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM (Best 1080p)
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM is an impressive 27-inch 1080p gaming display that checks every single box you could possibly want, minus OLED.
Why is it noteworthy?
If you value extremely high frame rates over fidelity, you can’t get a much better display than the ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM. Not only does its 1080p max resolution make it a lot friendlier with older gaming hardware, but it can also run at up to 280 Hz refresh rates, has excellent support for motion blur reduction, and it even does HDR 400.
What we like
- One of the fastest monitors on the market thanks to 280 Hz max refresh
- Gorgeous IPS display
What we dislike
- At $299, it’s a bit pricy for a 1080p display
10. Samsung Odyssey Ark (Most excessive)
The Samsung Odyssey Ark is an oddity; this 55-inch Quantum Mini LED monitor shifts between being a 1000R 4k ultrawide display and something totally different once it turns vertically and enters cockpit mode.
Why is it noteworthy?
It’s an absurdly large 4k ultrawide monitor with a 1000R “sound dome” and the ability to turn vertically, enabling cockpit mode – which lets you stack up to three 16:9 windows vertically instead of having a single 55-inch 21:9 view. This allows it a level of versatility unseen in any other monitor that – mixed with its Quantum Mini-LED display – combines to produce an experience that can only be described as excessive for most gamers in 2023.
What we like
- Its Quantum Mini-LED display makes its colors pop and produces incredibly rich blacks
- It’s huge at 55 inches
- You can switch between ultrawide and cockpit mode
What we dislike
- It probably won’t fit on smaller desks
- Its 165 Hz refresh and 1 ms response times underwhelm for the price and size
- It’s expensive at $2699
