The best gaming monitors will give you an immersive experience whatever game you're playing. With crystal-clear images and ultra-fast response time, you can really up your game-play.
Gone are the days where lag means you miss out on hitting the top of the leaderboard. This curated list goes way beyond your best 4K monitors and best monitors for MacBook Pro and instead feature only the best-of-the-best for gaming specifically.
We've noted down all the important specs so you can see them at a glance and compare each monitor to choose the right one for you. And while there are some seriously impressive higher-end models for those who want to invest their money, we've also opted for some more budget-friendly options that still pack a serious punch.
Best gaming monitors 2023
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All hail the excellent LG UltraGear 27GP950-B, which is our current pick for the best gaming monitor for most people in 2023. Other monitors beat it in specific areas, but as an all-round package – including the price – this 4K model is the one that gets you the most bang for your buck when it comes to monitors on sale right now.
That 4K resolution means crisp and clear pictures, while the 1ms response time means the action is going to move as quickly as you do. There's support for HDR 10, DisplayHDR 600, and Nvidia G-Sync, so you're well covered as far as cutting-edge technologies go, and there's customisable lighting included on this monitor as well.
Away from gaming, the LG 27GP950-B can cope with everything else you need to do, and it boasts excellent colour accuracy and coverage. It's the sort of monitor you fall in love with as soon as you set it up and switch it on, and if 27 inches is the size you think you want to go, for then you'll really struggle to do any better than this.
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is an absolute monster of a monitor, and undoubtedly one of the best gaming monitors of 2023. In fact it might just be the best full stop, if you have the budget to be able to afford it – and enough space on your desk to take this giant, 49-inch curved screen and its screen and base.
To give you an idea of some of the specs we're dealing with here, the curved screen offers a huge 2,000 nits of maximum brightness, a refresh rate of up to 240Hz, a response time of 1ms, and support for both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Pro. Those are credentials that just about every gamer is going to be happy with.
Words don't really do the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 justice – you really have to see it for yourself. With great colour coverage as well, it's perfect for boosting your productivity too, because it's like having multiple monitors attached to each other in one device. Highly recommended, as long as you can justify the asking price.
The BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 delivers top gaming features at a very affordable price point.
"The BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 delivers everything a PC gamer shopping on a budget could want from a gaming monitor – including HDRi, a 144Hz refresh rate and a rapid 1ms response time. Yes, the resolution is only FHD and the size is a modest 27 inches, and it isn't as punchy in terms of aesthetics as some rival panels, but for the price it is a proper bargain." – T3's BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 review
As we note in our BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 review, this monitor is a budget gamer's dream screen, as it delivers top gaming tech, like a 1ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate and HDR, for a low price point.
Indeed, many other monitors that cost hundreds more only deliver the same ballpark package, so the fact that this screen is so cheap new really does mean it will be ideal for many gamers.
The only real thing to consider before ringing it up is whether or not you are happy with a resolution limit of FHD, as this monitor cannot go higher than 1,920 x 1,080. Equally, this screen does not come with a curve, and is a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio affair as well.
Honestly, though, apart from those caveats it's a great gaming monitor. So, unless you need more or have a markedly bigger budget to spend, then the BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 should be one of the first screens you consider.
MSI's MPG Artymis 343CQR has a super-wide panel that doesn't skimp on quality or features.
"If you want a big curved screen to give you the ultimate gaming experience, the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR has 34inch VA panel with 1000R curvature. It’s not a monitor that skimps on specs so it truly delivers smooth and realistic gameplay free from blur or ghosting." – T3's MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR review
You'll feel completely immersed in the action with the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR gaming monitor. It has a 1000R curvature that matches the natural shape of the human eye, making it easy to see the whole screen at once.
34-inches of gaming bliss, this monitor boasts a super-smooth 165Hz refresh rate through the DisplayPort and USB-C connectivity, paired with just 1ms response time. Then, it adds in a peak brightness of 550 nits, top viewing angles of 178/178 and a super-wide 21:9 aspect ratio to deliver an impressive experience with balanced colors and seriously crisp detail. It's compatible with PCs, Macs and consoles - and you can project your mobile phone screen onto it.
What's more is that it looks seriously smart, and even has customizable RGB lights on the back. Of course, it doesn't come cheap but if you have the money to spend, it's definitely worth it.
We've been very impressed with what the LG UltraGear 34GN850 has shown us during our testing: it has fantastic response times and refresh rates, very decent colour, brightness and contrast levels, and a respectable HDR mode that keeps the darkest and the lightest areas of a picture in view.
The main reason that you're going to get this monitor, however, is that it's a 34-inch ultrawide monster that will dominate your gaming centre (or your office desk). You get nearly 5 million pixels on show here, as well as coverage of 98 percent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, so this is a display that isn't messing around (and the price you'll have to pay reflects that).
We also like the broad array of ports you get with the LG UltraGear 34GN850, and how easily those ports can be accessed around the back (though a little more cable management wouldn't go amiss). All in all, one of the best gaming monitors around, especially if you need to use it for other stuff as well.
Need more proof this is a banger of a gaming monitor? Then consider the fact that the LG UltraGear 34GN850 went and won the Best Gaming Monitor award at the T3 Awards 2021.
As T3 notes in its Dell Curved Gaming Monitor S2721HGF review, this a super affordable panel that packs powerful gaming performance. In short, you really do get a lot of monitor for your money here, with the S2721HGF offering up a Full HD panel with 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, two things that are music to gamer ears.
It's not a large monitor, but at 27 inches it sits in that sweet spot for many gamers, which is something backed up by its Full HD resolution – this is a monitor that will be ideal for anyone with a medium-spec gaming rig. If you've got a powerhouse PC loaded with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, then you've probably got pockets deep enough to shop above this monitor's price bracket.
This is really a gaming monitor that nails the basics really well, but doesn't offer much in terms of fancy features like RGB lighting or mad adjustability. It is curved, though, which helps immersion, and there are both HDMI and DisplayPort connections on offer.
"A huge curved screen paired with decent enough specs, the Lenovo Legion Y44W-10 is out to impress. It won’t be for everyone but those who are dedicated to feeling completely immersed in the action are bound to feel satisfied with this gaming monitor." – T3's Lenovo Legion Y44W-10 review
Whichever way you look at it, the Lenovo Legion Y44W-10 is a seriously impressive piece of equipment: It's one of the best-looking monitors we've come across in a while, with its huge 43.4 inches of curved screen space, 32:10 aspect ratio, and subtle blue trim at the bottom of the stand. Have no doubt about it, this is a beautiful beast.
In use, the display – 3,840 x 1,200 pixels – looks really good, with both games and more mundane apps like web browsers and spreadsheet programs appearing crisp and vibrant (the viewing angles are more than decent too). It's really like having a dual monitor setup, without the gap in the middle, and both Windows and macOS make it easy enough to get your programs up side by side.
As far as gaming goes, the cutting-edge 144Hz refresh rate, 4ms response time and AMD FreeSync 2 certification are all going to make gamers sit up and take note. We noticed very little ghosting or lag in use, as well as excellent black and color reproduction. You do need to find games that support that ultra, ultrawide 32:10 aspect ratio, of course, otherwise you'll get black bars down the side.
What you get with ports are one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0, two USB-C and four standard USB-A 3.0 for connecting up and charging peripherals. That means you can have, for example, one computer and two consoles hooked up if you need to – it's another tick in the positives column for the Legion Y44W-10.
The only real downside of the Lenovo Legion Y44W-10 is the price, which is quite substantial, but you do get a lot of gaming monitor for your money. It's going to be too much for some people, but if you want the flexibility and room of an ultrawide gaming display, then get this somewhere on your shortlist.
While the Philips 346B1C is built primarily for productivity, it can also turn its hand to gaming – helped out by impressive response times, refresh rates, and contrast ratios. While you can find other monitors that beat this one in terms of raw specs, the Philips 346B1C brings everything together well in one cohesive whole.
What you're paying most of your money for is that 34-inch, 3440 x 1440 pixel display, which makes everything from games to spreadsheets look clear and immersive (there's a 1500R curvature as well, if you're into that). Despite the size and specs of the display, it's actually available at a very reasonable price – check the widgets on this page for the latest online deals.
The Philips 346B1C comes packed with ports and connectivity options too: you can even charge your laptop from this monitor, or connect up a keyboard and mouse and use them with the display to switch between two different computers. All you need for productivity and for gaming.
The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is quite insanely expensive, but when you look at what it delivers, that price suddenly seems more apt. That's because the UP3218K is a 8K resolution monitor that not only delivers jaw-dropping fidelity and crispness, but also some of the highest quality colour reproduction available on any monitor.
Naturally, because it is Dell, build quality is also superb. Obviously it isn't for everyone, the price largely sees to that, but if you've got the cash and the gaming setup to deal with outputting games at a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320, then this is the monitor for you.
Don't forget that you're going to need a particularly powerful rig in order to drive that many pixels to this screen, but more and more GPUs are capable of this now. We wanted to include the UP3218K to give you an idea of where gaming is going – and as always, prices will inevitably come down over time.
What kind of monitor is best for gaming?
PCs do most of the pioneering when it comes to gaming graphics, but it doesn't matter how packed with power your graphics card is if you don't have a monitor that can keep up with all that pixel-pushing.
And be under no illusion, if you want to get serious about your gaming you need more than just a beefed-up hard drive. You need a good screen – after all, that's what you'll be staring at during your extended gaming sessions.
Naturally, a great gaming monitor has to look good, but most importantly it has to give you the specs that can give you a jump on your opponents: quick refresh rates, high picture quality and those all-important slick response times. The monitors that follow have these qualities and plenty more besides.
Do make sure you get a gaming monitor that comes with ports, modes, and connectivity options that you'll ideally want to use. It's no good spending money on a quality gaming monitor only to find out it doesn't have a specific input or auxiliary function you need.
The dedicated gaming monitor market is incredibly diverse, with premium gaming monitors that deliver 144Hz or higher refresh rates, ghost-killing response times such as 0.5ms and incredible, eye-popping HDR that delivers unprecedented immersion and many more features the pros need to play their best. But there are also budget gaming monitors that do a better job than ordinary monitors without costing an absolute fortune.
When we're testing gaming monitors we use a rig equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU so we can test high resolutions, high frame rates and all the next-gen eye candy, such as real-time ray tracing and DLSS 2.0.
Every game rig and every gamer is different, and that means the choice of gaming monitor will be different for different people too. Some monitors have ultra-wide and/or curved displays for extra immersion; others, incredible HDR so you don't miss the smallest details. There are FHD displays, QHD and Ultra HD 4K displays, and there are gaming monitors to suit every genre of game and every size of budget.
It's easy to get carried away with the tech on offer, but it's important to tailor your monitor to your current system and any upgrading you plan to do. If you're currently rocking something like an RTX 3060Ti, there's no real need to get a 4K display: if you upgrade your card later, the cost of those displays will have dropped so you'll get more bang for your buck if you wait. Whereas if you've dropped big bucks on an RTX 3080, you need to give it a suitable canvas to work its wonders. You wouldn't ask Picasso to paint on a Post-It note.
Overall, when picking an upgrade be sure to identify your budget and intended usage scenario first, and then start narrowing down your range of options based on clutch or unwanted features.
What gaming monitors do pros use?
When it comes to professional gaming, you're going to want to grab a monitor that not only provides fast response times but smooth framerates, low input delay and high resolutions.
If you're looking to play with the best, you'll want at least a 144Hz gaming monitor. This is more than double the industry standard 60Hz we're all used to, and provides for a much smoother experience overall. High frame rates, however, are not the only thing that can improve your gaming skills.
You'll also want a monitor that has ultra fast response times. Look for a maximum of 4ms response time but aim for 1ms where possible. These will come with a higher price, but when it comes to pro eSport gaming every movement and input counts, and higher response times can cause input delays that could make or break a game winning moment.
In terms of size, a solid 27 inch or 32 inch is the best choice to go with. It provides plenty of real estate for gaming while not being so large as to require increased head movement. Your eyes should be the only thing scanning the screen as you play, and the more you have to turn your head the slower your reaction time will be.
Resolution wise, 1080p will work for most gamers out there but push it to 4K where possible. This will provide a much more immersive experience and provide details lower resolutions just can't display. This in turn helps you identify other players or key objectives quicker.
Are 240Hz gaming monitors worth it?
The latest tech in gaming monitors is pushing the limits of just how many frames per second can be kicked out, with more ad more monitors offering 144Hz and 240Hz refresh rates alongside NVIDIA's G-SYNC technology as well as AMD's FreeSync variable refresh rate.
With a proper PC setup, many titles can be pushed to frame rates of 200+ and more. For those who've had the chance to actually game on with an FPS limit this high, they'll be quick to tell you that indeed 240Hz gaming monitors are well worth it. That is, of course, if you can afford them.
Many monitors that include 240Hz refresh rates will run a pretty penny, starting around a minimum of $300 to $400 at least. That said, anyone who can kick out the cash for a 240Hz gaming monitor should absolutely do so. The smoothness is unparalleled and brings new life to games you didn't think would need it.
Is 144Hz better than 165Hz?
In most cases, 144Hz is marginally lower on the scale than a 165Hz monitor. While 144Hz is widely considered the gaming standard of today, the higher refresh rate the monitor can provide the better.
165Hz monitors provide smoother gameplay and in most cases, faster response times and less input delay. This is especially important in high-speed quick reaction games. The slower your monitor kicks out frames, the more input delay you'll have which means other games who use these monitors will have an advantage in some cases. It's a small advantage of course, but one that any pro gamer won't risk.
Are curved monitors better for gaming?
Many will argue that curved monitors may be too large or have too much real estate, but thanks to their curved design these two main issues are alleviated thanks to the reduced head turning needed with these types of displays.
While it is true that these monitors are larger and can display higher resolutions, what gamers will truly appreciate about curved gaming monitors is just how immersive and accurate they can be. Usually providing 4K native in most cases, these displays offer a wider field of view without the strain of constant head movement and adjustment larger flat monitors can require.
We'd argue that depending on the monitor, a curved monitor is definitely better for gaming on over a standard flatscreen. The added real estate with a concave display makes for a real treat with the improved visuals, added FOV and reduced eye and head strain.
Lastly, remember that T3 also has comprehensive guides to everything you need to create a super sweet gaming setup, such as to the best gaming laptops, best gaming chairs and best gaming headsets.
We've also got authoritative roundups of the best gaming mice and best gaming keyboards, too, so make sure that you upgrade to better speed and precision in more than just your gaming monitor. For better connectivity while gaming you should also consider one of the best mesh networks.
- Best 4K monitors: which is the top Ultra HD monitor?
- Best monitors for MacBook Pro
- These are the best laptops for work and play
