30 inch monitor best buy

Gaming monitor options keep growing with new brands, features and ever-growing capabilities. It's an exciting time to be a PC gamer, but that also means that picking the best gaming monitor for your rig is growing more complicated every day. The selection can be overwhelming, from screen-smoothing technologies (Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync) to visually stunning refresh rates that can reach a mind-blowing Hz. For pixel addicts, there are dense 4K screens that are just as hard on the bank account as they are on graphics cards. Thankfully, we've got plenty of excellent picks for you to upgrade your tired old monitor.

Choosing the Best Gaming Monitor for You

When seeking the best gaming monitor for your rig, there are different panel types vying for your eyeballs — IPS, TN, VA and even OLED — each with its own pros and cons. You can't forget about screen size and aspect ratio, which affect your views, desk space and, again, bank account. And we haven't even discussed bonuses, like speakers, RGB or port selection. How's a gamer to choose with all of these options?

For a deep dive into how to pick the best monitor--gaming or otherwise--check out our PC Monitor Buying Guide. Below is a list of the best gaming monitors out right now, based on our own testing. 

Quick Shopping Tips

When trying to buy the best gaming monitor for your PC, consider the following:

• For image quality, TN < IPS < VA. Generally speaking. Typically, TN monitors are the fastest but cheapest, due to weaker viewing angles. IPS displays have slightly slower response times but better color than VA monitors. The best gaming monitors for contrast are VA, but VA also has slower response times.

• Refresh rates: bigger is better. This number explains the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second — stated in hertz (Hz) — and, therefore, how many frames per second (fps) the monitor can display. Bigger numbers mean smoother images. Refresh rate is especially important for gamers, so you’ll want to shoot for a monitor with at least 75 Hz (most gaming monitors offer at least Hz), combined with the lowest response time you can find.

The Best Gaming Monitors You Can Buy Today

The Dell SDGF is the best gaming monitor for most (currently available here). For starters, it boasts a fast refresh rate, low response time plus FreeSync Premium Pro for fighting screen tearing with both standard and HDR content. On top of that, this inch monitor offers plenty of vertical screen real estate without the need for scrolling and p resolution, the current sweet spot between image quality and gaming performance. Its R curve also lends well to immersion, and in addition to gaming, we found that this is also a great monitor for general productivity and anything in between. 

Our testing proved the display has low input lag and quick panel response for competitive gamers, and we even got G-Sync Compatibility to work on it, despite it not being certified to do so. This is a fantastic monitor for those with mid to high-budget gaming PCs. 

More:Dell SDGF review

If you can find it for around $ (we tested it when it was $) Gigabyte's G27F is the cheapest inch on this page but still offers stellar gaming performance, elevated by a fantastic overdrive that’s one of the best implementations we’ve seen lately. At max setting, the monitor’s overdrive offered a picture void of visible blur or ghosting artifacts.

In terms of speed, this p screen held its own against other Hz monitors when it came to response time and input lag. And speaking of that FHD resolution, the G27F’s fast refresh rate made up for its low pixel density when reaching fps.

In terms of image quality, this screen offers rich and saturated color ratio and contrast that hit an impressive 1, after our recommended calibration settings (see page 1 of our review). At this price, the G27F is hard to top in the inch category. 

If you really want to stay under $ though, check out our review of the Acer XFA, which is usually $ or cheaper. 

More: Gigabyte G27F review

For a sharp, high-res, premium gaming experience, the LG 27GNB is the best 4K gaming monitor. This screen achieved some of the best input lag scores we’ve ever seen, with response time numbers falling in line with other Hz monitors. If you have a powerful enough graphics card to support high frame rates in 4K, this monitor will have no problem keeping up. 

Games will look extra colorful on the LG 27GNB, thanks to a color gamut that extends up to a whopping % of sRGB. HDR, meanwhile, looks amazing, due to the monitor’s edge array backlight and local dimming feature. HDR content enjoyed an 8, contrast ratio, making this a great substitute for a pricier FALD monitor.

But if you're looking for a larger 4K screen or other features, check out our best 4K gaming monitors list. 

More: LG 27GNB review

If you like your games to look extra colorful, the MSI Optix MAGQRF-QD is the best gaming monitor for your rig. This monitor posted the widest color gamut we’ve ever recorded: % of DCI-P3 after our recommended calibration. 90% of DCI-P3 would be impressive, so this is one color-saturated screen. 

Contrast is also strong for an IPS panel, hitting 1, after our calibration. And for those concerned about speed, this Hz screen kept up with the Hz Gigabyte M27Q in our testing 

Color purists, however, will lament the lack of an sRGB mode, considering the MAGQRF-QD’s sRGB coverage is at %. Its backlight strobe for fighting motion blur is also a disappointment. You can’t use Adaptive-Sync with it, the brightness goes down by about 50% and it created ghosting that resulted in a parallax effect with fast motion. On top of that, this is yet another gaming monitor to offer HDR but without any noticeable image boost over SDR.

But if you can get past those caveats, you’ll enjoy the most colorful monitor to ever hit our lab. 

More: MSI Optix MAGQRF-QD review 

The Viotek GNV34DBE is a well-performing and affordable curved gaming monitor. Its R curve proved to add an immersive touch while gaming, helping to fill our peripheral vision. Despite its tight curve, we still found the GNV34DBE fit for working. There was no distortion, and we enjoyed having multiple windows open for boosted productivity. 

But it’s not just about the GNV34DBE’s curve. You also get a Hz refresh rate and response times and input lag that kept up with Hz rivals during our testing. On the battlefield, we realized the high pixel density of a p screen and smooth gaming without any screen tearing, thanks to FreeSync. Color and contrast were competitive with pricier gaming displays too. 

With its edge-lit backlight, the GNV34DBE also makes a good HDR display, offering a noticeable improvement over your typical SDR monitor. At its low price, the build quality of the stand is lacking. But for a speedy gaming monitor with an effective curve, the Viotek GNV34DBE is a solid deal. 

More: Viotek GNV34DBE review

Gigabyte’s Aorus CV27Q is the best p gaming monitor when it comes to high-speed gaming performance. With its impressive specs, it shined in our input lag and response time tests when pitted against Hz rivals. Sure, you could get slightly better performance from the p version, the Aorus CV27F, but then you wouldn’t be getting that sharper QHD resolution or higher pixel density (ppi). 

With a VA panel offering 3, contrast, image quality is no joke either. The CV27Q has a low black level that made image depth look great, particularly with HDR titles. But as far as HDR goes, this monitor only goes up to nits brightness; we prefer HDR displays that hit at least nits.

Bonus features include Aorus’ active noise cancellation (ANC) feature, which uses two mics on the front bezel to reduce background noise others may hear coming from your gaming headset, a R curve and RGB lighting on the back. The Asus ROG Strix XGQ on this page is a hair faster. 

Read:Aorus CV27Q review 

If you have extra room in your budget and want to squeeze out that additional drop of performance from your p screen, the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQ may be the best gaming monitor for you. This screen is ready to compete with the speediest of screens, competing well against other Hz screens in our response time test and falling just ms behind in our input lag test.

Out of the box, we recorded solid IPS contrast (1,). Of course, you’ll want to calibrate to get rid of some visible grayscale tracking errors, but our recommended settings can help you there. This is also an excellent HDR monitor, thanks to a dynamic contrast feature that bumps contrast up to a whopping 22, 

Not only does it have the sharper resolution of your dreams, but it’s one of the rare monitors to allow you to run blur reduction alongside side screen tear-fighting Adaptive-Sync. 

Alternatively, the Asus ROG Strix XGQ is another fantastic p option with similar performance. But for slightly less money as of writing ($ versus $, respectively), the XGQ features one of the best motion blur implementations we've seen and the rare ability to run motion blur alongside Adaptive-Sync. 

More: Asus ROG Strix XG27AQ review

The Razer Raptor 27 is the best gaming monitor for Hz refresh rates. It'll make any gamer you know jealous with premium touches, like an RGB stand, flat green cables for cable management and drool-worthy build quality. Plus, HDR delivery is some of the best we’ve seen in an edge-lit panel yet. 

Despite its Hz refresh rate, the Raptor 27 was able to stay competitive with Hz monitors in our benchmarking. There wasn't significant motion blur, but finicky, pro-level players will have to choose between dealing with it or activating the backlight strobe, which limits you to Hz, reduces brightness by 40% and grays out FreeSync and G-Sync Compatibility. 

If you like the Raptor 27's design but want more speed, the Razer Raptor 27 has a Hz refresh rate for $ more. 

More: Razer Raptor 27 review

For speed demons, a Hz monitor hits the spot. Up until recently, that level of speed required two things: settling for p resolution and a TN panel. But the Samsung inch CRG5 (there’s also a inch CRG5) is the best gaming monitor in this class. It's special because it manages that speed in our favorite type of LCD panel, VA. Not only does it deliver the high contrast and saturated color that makes VA popular, but it’s also the fastest monitor we’ve ever tested.

We encountered a few flaws during testing. The biggest one in terms of image quality was an inaccurate HDMI Black Level setting. Plus, the only form of Adaptive-Sync is G-Sync Compatibility. But besides those small caveats, our gaming experience was a record-breaking pleasure.

More:Samsung Inch CRG5 review

The inch Samsung Odyssey G7 is in a class all its own. It’s one of Samsung’s R screens, meaning it’s one of the curviest gaming monitors you can find on the market. If you’re a fan of the immersive feel of a curved monitor, the 32” Odyssey G7 will elevate this experience even higher. 

At 32 inches, the Odyssey G7’s amazing R curve drew us in, whether we were playing games or doing work. With this curvature, we could view productivity apps without any image distortion, and when gaming our vision was filled with action. The inch, build offers ample height for productivity and, coupled with p resolution, hits a sweet spot for gaming. 

In terms of image quality, the inch Odyssey G7 proved accurate before we even calibrated it while boasting a 2, contrast ratio, according to our testing. 

In our response time benchmarking, this monitor kept up with similarly specced screens, doing justice to the Hz category. If you’re looking for high-end speed, image quality and form factor, this is it. 

More:Samsung Odyssey G7 inch review 

The inch gaming monitor competition is crowded, but the Viotek GFI27DBXA stands out with an incredibly colorful image that’s also bright and sharp. The p panel covers % of the DCI-P3 color space, according to our testing. Contrast, meanwhile, proved comparable to your typical IPS panel, but the dynamic contrast feature helped when gaming. Combined with the wide color coverage, the image impressed during gaming. 

Speed-wise, the GFI27DBXA is ready to play. In our benchmarks, it showed a competitive 6ms response time. With a Hz refresh rate, it fell behind and Hz screens from more premium brands but only by ms. Plus, its overdrive is one of the best we’ve seen, ensuring zero perceivable delays for mainstream players. Plus, the monitor feels strong and reliable, despite its lower price.

For a strong alternative, consider the MSI Optix MAGCQR, which may also be cheaper.

More: Viotek GFI27DBXA review  

The Samsung Inch Odyssey G9 is one of the most extreme monitors on this page. Not only is it a massive 49 inches diagonally, but it also carries a R curve, the most dramatic curve offered on a gaming monitor today. From a feet distance, this panel will fill your view. It’s like having two inch, p monitors in one. You'll need nearly 4 feet of desk width and 17 inches of depth to accommodate it, but if you do, you’ll enjoy a wraparound gaming environment without image distortion. Are you looking for a smaller ultrawide? The Acer Predator X38 is also excellent. 

Testing of the Inch Odyssey G9 revealed excellent contrast (2, after calibration), which climbed to 58, when it came to HDR testing. This is a bright monitor with a sharp picture and accurate DCI-P3 and sRGB color. 

At this price, though, we’d expect a little more. For example, the monitor doesn’t offer any blur reduction. However, we typically opt for Adaptive-Sync over motion blur reduction, and motion blur shouldn’t be an issue if you have a powerful enough graphics card. You also don’t get any speakers or, oddly, a framerate counter. But with solid image quality and a whole lot of speed for an ultrawide, some sacrifices are worth making.

More: Samsung Inch Odyssey G9 review 

The best 27 inch monitor with a 4k resolution that we've tested is the LG 27GPB. It's a great monitor with a 4k resolution and fast Hz refresh rate. It's great for office use, as the high pixel density results in outstanding text clarity, and the wide viewing angles make it a great choice if you often have to share your screen with someone else. It's a great choice if you rely on accurate colors as well, as it has excellent gray uniformity, a superb color gamut, and incredible gradient handling.

It's also an impressive gaming monitor with low input lag, a fast response time, and support for both FreeSync and G-SYNC variable refresh rate technologies. It's also one of the few monitors on the market with HDMI support, making it an excellent choice for PS5 or Xbox Series S|X gamers. It even delivers a good HDR experience, with great peak brightness in HDR and a wide HDR color gamut.

Unfortunately, it might not be the best choice for every viewing environment, as it has disappointing reflection handling, low contrast, and poor black uniformity. Despite its flaws, it's still a great monitor for almost any use, and it's the best 27 inch 4k monitor we've tested.

A nice monitor is an essential component of your desktop PC, considering that it&#;s the primary interface for the actual hardware under the hood. But if the display you&#;re using is a bit long in the tooth and it&#;s time for an upgrade, or if you want to add an extra screen to your setup to take your productivity to the next level, you don&#;t have to pay as much as you might think. Black Friday deals have started early this year, including Black Friday monitor deals, and stock is running low, but we&#;ve already combed the web to bring you the best desktop monitor deals available right now.

Today&#;s best monitor deals

With 4K UHD quality, this LG monitor delivers crystal clear images and videos, be it with games or movies. You can also ensure noise-free quality when running high-graphics games.more

Buy at Amazon

This inch HP monitor offers a high-res 4K and edge-to-edge panel at one of the lowest prices. It also supports HDR for a more vibrant picture quality. more

Buy at Amazon

Enjoy a crisp, color-accurate Ultra HD picture on this excellent 4K curved monitor from Dell, which sits at a nice sweet spot in size at 32 inches.more

Buy at Dell

Includes remote

With its built-in smart streaming capabilities (yes, just like a smart TV), the Samsung M5 Series inch monitor is perfect for those who like to enjoy entertainment on their computers.more

Buy at Newegg

There's almost no better monitor option for an ultimate workspace than the huge inch Dell UltraSharp UQ. It's a massive screen that boasts lag-free, ear-to-ear, picturesque coverage.more

Buy at Dell

With a inch 4K IPS panel and AMD FreeSync technology, this slick Dell display is one of the best Ultra HD monitors you can get in this size class.more

Buy at Dell

With on-page coupon

Dual displays aren't just for desktops thanks to this inch USB-powered monitor from Lepow, which features a p IPS panel and is the perfect companion for laptops and mobile devices.more

Buy at Amazon

This innovative LG monitor frees up your work area, mounting to the edge of the desk with its adjustable C-clamp stand. You can easily rotate it sideways for use in vertical orientation as well.more

Buy Now

The AOC inch IPS monitor is a perfect (and extremely affordable) way to add a second display to your laptop or portable gaming setup. Includes a USB-C cable for power and video.more

Buy at Tiger Direct

4K Ultra HD

With a 4K resolution and AMD FreeSync technology, this inch UHD display from Samsung boasts some of the best features that modern monitors have to offer (and at a great price).more

Buy at Amazon

This inch Sceptre p monitor is a great well-rounded option for professionals and average users alike, offering crisp picture quality and minimal bezels for a sleek look.more

Buy at Amazon

Looking for an entry level 4k monitor that won't break the bank? Then this monitor is for you.more

Buy at Newegg

Enjoy huge discounts on select HP monitors and accessories $50 plus using the code BFCMDA5. You can also use the code BFCMDA10 to get 10% off on select HP monitors and accessories $ plus.more

Buy at HP

Enjoy discounts on all sorts of Dell monitors, from cheap p models to ultrawide gaming displays.more

Buy at Dell

A large 4K monitor allows you to see every detail for a more immersive experience. And with Radeon FreeSync technology, you're sure to enjoy smooth, lag-free performance.more

Buy at Tiger Direct

This is a solid bargain on a great, no-gimmicks p inch Dell monitor that gives you a nice upgrade over p for two Benjamins.more

Buy at Dell

With full HD resolution, the LG monitor delivers full color and crystal clear picture without straining your eyes. Why? Because it has low blue light and anti-flicker features to prevent eye fatigue. more

Buy at Buydig.com

You can't go wrong with a WQHD monitor when it comes to games and streaming movies. This " Acer monitor has x resolution, promising crystal-clear output every time.more

Buy at Newegg

This is a great monitor for work or entertainment and can even use AMDs FreeSync to reduce screen tearing to zero.more

Buy at Best Buy

If you're in a line of work that demands strict attention to detail, the inch Lenovo L28u UHD monitor gives you full control of your work, down to the last pixel, at an affordable price.more

Buy at Lenovo

Full HD monitor deals

Any good monitor on the market today will have a resolution of at least p (also known as “Full HD” or the abbreviated “FHD”), meaning that it features a vertical resolution of 1, pixels. This resolution dominates the to inch monitor category &#; any bigger than that and you’ll want to start looking at Quad HD (p) or 4K Ultra HD (p) – but for the vast majority of computing applications, p is still a fine place to be.

If you’re simply looking for an affordable, no-nonsense monitor for a desktop workstation, a p in the to inch range is more than likely what you’re after. The good news is that this is the cheapest type of monitor out there, particularly if you’re not interested in paying more for things like higher refresh rates or Vsync technologies (i.e. features you find on displays built for gaming). And with the above monitor deals, you might even be able to score a solid name-brand Full HD monitor for around bucks or so.

Gaming monitor deals

Gamers tend to demand a lot more from their computer hardware than average users, and this applies as much to gaming monitors as it does to everything else. A lousy display will quickly put a damper on your gaming enjoyment, and along with screen size and resolution, you need to consider things like refresh rate and Vsync features that will allow your display to keep up with your GPU (even a PC with the strongest graphics card will experience stutter and lag if it’s connected to a sub-par monitor).

Once you’ve decided upon a size and resolution &#; p Full HD, p Quad HD, or 4K Ultra HD &#; you’ll want to look for a monitor with a refresh rate of around Hz. The refresh rate dictates framerate, and a minimum of Hz is necessary to smoothly enjoy gaming 60 frames per second. Anything less and you will very likely experience on-screen stuttering and lag. A good gaming monitor should also have either Nvidia G-Sync or AMD FreeSync technologies (go with whichever one matches your graphics card) which greatly mitigates or eliminates obnoxious and immersion-breaking screen-tearing.

You’ll pay a bit more for these technologies, but don’t go super-cheap when you’re looking for gaming monitor to complete your gaming PC. These are popular items that are regularly on sale, however, so definitely keep an eye on our gaming monitor deals page to save you some cash.

Curved and ultrawide monitor deals

Curved and ultrawide monitors are a relatively new thing in the world of desktop displays and could be a good alternative to traditional monitors and multi-monitor setups depending on your needs. The idea behind a curved panel is that the entire screen is directed toward the viewer’s eyes; admittedly, however, the advantages of curved displays are largely subjective and dependent upon each user’s preferences, so it might be a good idea to look at some in-person before deciding whether or not a curved monitor is really your speed.

On the other hand, the advantages of ultrawide monitors are obvious, and if you’re going for one of those, it’s almost certain that you’ll be looking at a curved design which is simply easier to view at super-widescreen resolutions. Just be prepared to pay for it: Ultrawide displays are the most expensive of the bunch, but if you find the right deal, it might be worth it &#; and could even save you money if you were considering buying two or three separate monitors instead.

Standard-sized curved displays aren’t often more expensive than their non-curved counterparts, though, so if you decide this style is right for you, then we’ve made sure to include a few curved screens in the above monitor deals to help you find the right one for your battle station.

4K Ultra HD Monitor Deals

Ultra HD, more commonly known as “4K,” has pretty much become the standard for televisions now, but 4K monitors aren’t quite as common. That’s largely because PC displays are typically smaller than home televisions, but also because monitors are still considered peripherals and most people understandably don’t want to spend hundreds more on one – especially when the benefits of Ultra HD will be less notable on a smaller screen than they will on a big living room TV.

That said, you probably sit closer to your computer monitor than you do to your TV, and with the cost of 4K panels dropping drastically in recent years, now’s not a bad time to upgrade to a UHD display for your PC if you’re thinking about it. That’s especially true if you’ve built or are building a 4K-capable gaming machine. Along with ultrawide displays, 4K monitors are costly (as you’d expect), but they also provide some of the best opportunities for savings, so we’ll make sure to keep our deals list updated with any Ultra HD options that are available at the moment.

Should you buy a monitor now or wait until Black Friday?

It’s a known fact that Black Friday deals bring steep discounts on monitors. With a little more than a month to go until the annual shopping bonanza, we’d recommend holding out for the slew of Black Friday monitor deals we’re going to see.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.

Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors&#; Recommendations

The best cheap monitors offer a lot of advantages and benefits — without burning a hole in your wallet. They also offer impressive displays, decent brightness, accurate colors, VESA-mount compatibility and more, and you don't need to spend a fortune. You shouldn't have to break the bank to snag the best cheap monitor for yourself.

At Laptop Mag, we know a thing or two about the best affordable monitors. We've rounded up a best cheap monitors list — some were tested by us, others were thoroughly researched.  In the end, we did all the work so you don't have to.

The best cheap monitors that give you a lot of bang for your buck aren't easy to find, whether you're looking for a gaming monitor or a general-purpose monitor. There are so many aspects to consider, including brightness, color quality, resolution, size, refresh rates and more. That's why we've added a useful short guide at the end of this roundup to arm you with empowering information on how to buy a cheap monitor.

You should also know that an expensive price tag isn't an indicator of quality. While you're seeking to purchase the best budget monitor, you'll want to make sure you're getting the most value for your hard-earned money. At the same time, protecting your wallet comes with some sacrifices — you'll have to make some trade-offs somewhere, whether it's screen size, brightness, refresh rate or another attractive feature. This buying guide will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of our top picks for the best cheap monitors of This way, you can choose the monitor that's right for you.

If you don't want to make the mistake of buying the wrong budget monitor, stick around to find out top recommendations.

What is the best cheap monitor?

The best cheap monitor is the Acer RHY bidx monitor. The Acer Acer RHY bidx monitor has an Amazon review rating of out of 5 stars for a good reason. Its slim-bezel design that Acer calls "Zero Frame" gives you a more immersive viewing experience. 

The Acer RHY bidx monitor is also the best cheap monitor for productivity users who need a monitor for office use. Another reason this monitor is the best monitor is its embedded Acer Flicker-less technology, which prevents pesky screen flickering. The Acer RHY bidx monitor also has a zippy 4ms response time for its low price point. The monitor comes with p, inch, IPS display.

The Acer RHY bidx monitor can also tilt from -5 degrees to 15 degrees, allowing you to choose the best and most comfortable visual angle for media entertainment, office productivity and more.

The best cheap monitors you can buy today

The Acer RHY bidx monitor has a out of 5-star rating on Amazon, which is pretty darn close to perfection if you ask us! This inch stunner is one of the best monitors of because of its ultra-slim bezels and sleek design, gorgeous, vivid colors and wide viewing angles. 

Customers also praised the Acer KGQ Fbmidpx for its rich darks and bright hues. Users heralded the the Acer RHY bidx as an excellent choice for the external monitor experience and for hooking up with one's gaming console. Even professionals such as architects and digital designers were taken aback by the KGG bidx's color, brightness, and resolution. For the price, the Acer RHY bidx offers a lot of spectacular value.

The inch ViewSonic VP Professional is the best cheap monitor for users seeking a monitor with vivid and accurate color. This ViewSonic color has a Delta E score that is less than 2 — the closer to zero, the better. Delta-E tells you how accurate the colors on your monitor will be, so you can be rest assured than ViewSonic's color accuracy will be satisfactory for your viewing pleasures. The ViewSonic monitor will likely appeal to graphic designers and other digital artists.

The inch ViewSonic VP Professional is also a perfect budget monitor for productivity users. The monitor features a blue-light filter help boost productivity for all-day comfort. One trade off you'll have to make with this cheap monitor, however, is response time. The response time is 7ms.

The Asus VSH-P monitor is one of the best cheap monitors due to its bargain price, but it comes at the expense of screen size, offering a inch screen with a basic TN panel. 

The display itself is capable, if not impressive: It boasts an average brightness of nits and accurate color (Delta-E ) while covering a fair amount of the sRGB gamut ( %). The monitor also offers some versatility, thanks to VESA-mount compatibility and an audio jack for connecting speakers or headphones (when connected over HDMI). It comes with a generous three-year warranty. 

The AOC C24G1 inch Curved Frameless Gaming Monitor is one of the best cheap monitors you can get with a high refresh rate of Hz. There's a reason why it's got an Amazon rating of stars out of 5. Customers who've had the pleasure of taking this beautiful monitor home gush about its sharp, crisp visual quality -- it's not as visually pleasing as a 4K monitor, of course, but the picture quality is impressive.

The AOC C24G1 inch Curved Frameless Gaming Monitor has a quick response rate of 1ms, which is particularly useful for games requiring fast reflexes or precise timing. This is a great selling point for gamers: in gaming situations where the difference between life and death is measured in milliseconds, having a speedy response rate is crucial to have an edge over your opponents.

This monitor is compatible for VESA mounting so that you can neatly place it on your wall. This inch display is perfect if you're a budget-conscious consumer seeking cheap alternatives for your artistic, gaming or office needs.

HP sells the Omen in several display sizes, but let's zoom in on the HP Omen inch model that you can snag for around $ What we love about the HP Omen as the best cheap monitor is that it has everything a gamer needs to have a satisfying, immersive gaming experience.

It has a super-fast response rate of 1ms, it has a Hz refresh rate and it has AMD FreeSync, which is a technology that reduces input lag, screen tears and monitor stutter so that you can sweep the leaderboards and dominate fast-paced gameplay.

It also has an anti-glare panel, so if the sun is beaming at you through your windows, you won't be obstructed by its rays. This monitor also has tilt adjustment and wide viewing angles.

The Dell PH monitor has an impressive out of 5 stars on Amazon due its modern, thin-bezel design, variety of ports and angle versatility.  For those with sensitive eyes, Dell introduced a ComfortView feature that reduces blue-light emissions that can harm you. So if you tend to spend hours and hours at work on your monitor, you can reduce the straight on your eyesight.

You can also tilt, swivel , pivot and adjust the height of your monitor for a more comfortable setup.

Dell is targeting gamers with the SEHG monitor due to its 2ms response rate. Sure the the inch Dell SEHG monitor would make an OK entry-level gaming monitor, but customers lauded the Dell SEHG as a perfect monitor for family entertainment activities, such as browsing through the internet and watching Netflix. Amazon reviewers also gushed about the Dell SEHG monitor's sharp, high contrast picture quality.

The Dell SEHG is easy to assemble, has a robust stand and has a matte-finish screen. The latter helps to minimize reflections from indoor lighting for a better viewing experience.

It's also worth noting that this monitor is the highest-rated on this buying guide with out of 5 stars on Amazon.

The inch Asus VSH is a solid option for the bargain hunter. It offers a decent-size display, quick 2 millisecond response times and Asus’ standard three-year warranty. While the color accuracy (Delta-E of ) and gamut ( percent) aren’t anything special, it does offer some of the better brightness of the low-priced models we tested, averaging nits. Additionally, the monitor’s controls are easy to see and use, thanks to clear labels and placement along the bottom of the bezel. 

The SEHX is the best cheap monitor from Dell. It has an attractive price for a inch display. Viewing angles are quite good; thanks to an IPS panel. Its color accuracy is solid () -- if not the best we’ve seen -- and its % of the sRGB color gamut is in the middle of the pack. 

However, there are some trade offs for the cheaper price tag. The Dell SEHX monitor suffers from dimmer-than-average brightness (averaging nits) and slow response times (6 milliseconds) that result in image smearing when viewing fast-paced video or games. The monitor has an attractively sleek design with inputs for both HDMI and VGA, but it lacks any mounting support. It is covered by a one-year warranty. 

How to choose the best budget monitor for you

In this price range, expect screens that are less than 30 inches and have p ( x ) resolution, but not higher. Some of the budget monitors we looked at use IPS display technology, but the majority use the older TN panels, which often suffer from narrower viewing angles and less accurate color. You’ll also give up conveniences like built-in USB connections, faster refresh rates and height-adjustable stands.

Screen Size:

Let's talk screen size. Monitors can be anything from 20 inches to 49 inches, more or less, in size. But if you don't want to spend too much on a monitor, you'll have to settle for a screen display that's under 30 inches. 

Resolution:

You'll also want to consider resolution, which refers to the number of horizontal and vertical pixels -- the higher the number, the sharper your display will be. However, when it comes to cheap monitors, it's not likely that you'll get anything higher than  p resolution ( x pixels). The bigger your screen gets, the higher the resolution should be. For example, a p monitor might be fine on a inch monitor, but not so much on a inch monitor because it would have to "stretch" itself to fit more screen real estate.

Panels:

There are four main types of panels: TN, IPS, VA and OLED. TN and VA panels are usually the least expensive. On the plus side, TN panels feature decent response times and low input lag, but tend to offer not-so-great color richness and viewing angles. VA panels offer better contrast and vibrant colors, but typically are not recommended for budget gamers (TN may be a better choice for response rates, but you'll have to sacrifice image quality).  IPS  offers better image quality than TN and VA panels, but the response time may be subpar for a gamer. IPS panels are best for creators (e.g. video editors, image editors) seeking the best cheap monitor. OLED is the priciest option -- you likely won't find this premium panel on a cheap monitor.

VESA-mount compatibility:

If you're planning on mounting your monitor to a VESA mount, you'll want to make sure the monitor has VESA-mount compatibility. 

Tilt adjustment:

Perhaps you'll want a cheap monitor that change angles, and if that's the case, look out for cheap monitors with tilt adjustment capabilities.

Ports:

You'll also need to observe which ports you'll need. Most current laptops, for example, use one or more of the following for display connections: HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C (Thunderbolt 3). You'll want to double-check to see if your chosen monitor can effectively connect with your laptop.

Laptop Guide

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!