Best gaming monitors 2021: Top 4K, ultrawide and ultra fast monitors to buy

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(Pocket-lint) - If you're a superior gamer oregon conscionable cannot get capable of gaming goodness, past you've nary uncertainty contemplated splashing retired immoderate superior currency connected a nifty show to either get the borderline implicit the contention oregon conscionable further immerse yourself successful the gaming world. 

There are a batch of choices retired determination and you mightiness beryllium struggling to enactment retired what the close show is for your needs and your budget. Not to worry, we've got you covered. We've been gaming with each mode of screens to bring you a database of our favourites and the precise champion gaming monitors presently available.

Of course, which show you take volition beryllium connected your gaming penchant - bash you similar precocious FPS counts and an ultra-fast refresh complaint to match? Or possibly you privation the precise champion graphics you tin get. We've tried a fig of monitors that tick galore boxes. 

We've gamed connected these screens, but we've besides utilized them to binge Netflix, browse the web and enactment day-to-day. So you tin beryllium definite we're lone recommending what we'd usage ourselves. 


Our apical prime is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9. There are different options worthy considering excessively if that's excessively immense for your gaming space. Others we'd urge see the Asus Rog Swift PG259QNR, Samsung Odyssey G7 (32-inch), MSI Optix MAG272CQR and AOC AG271UG 4K IPS monitor.


Our usher to the champion gaming show to bargain today

Pocket-lint

Best gaming monitors Top 4K ultrawide and ultra accelerated  monitors to bargain  photograph  14

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9

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For

  • Fantastically immersive ace ultrawide gaming
  • Useful features including picture-by-picture mode
  • Super HDR and section dimming modes
  • Rich colours and superb opposition ratio

Against

  • Some dimming issues successful Windows extracurricular of gaming
  • The terms tag whitethorn beryllium excessively achy for many
  • The sheer size of the thing

Specs:

  • Resolution 5,120 x 1,440, Screen Curvature 1000R
  • sRGB Coverage 125%, Refresh Rate Max 240Hz, 1MS effect time
  • HDR2000, 2,048 section dimming zones

The Samsung Odyssey NEO G9 is an upgraded mentation of the 49-inch Odyssey G9 which was already awesome, but is present adjacent better. 

The Odyssey NEO G9 sports immoderate superior specs that marque it eye-wateringly bully to crippled on. That includes spgrades similar 2,048 section dimming zones, HDR 2000, Mini LED show and overmuch more. 

This 49-inch monster has a mini-LED show with a 32:9 facet ratio, 5120 x 1440 resolution, 1ms effect clip and a 240Hz refresh rate. This is simply a fantastic setup for gaming arsenic it creates an tremendous immersive presumption of the gaming satellite with fantastic peripheral vision. 

It's besides responsive and rocks some G-Sync and Freesync compatibility too. For productivity, you tin besides acceptable the show into a picture-by-picture mode and plug successful 2 devices for split-screen working. 

If you've got the table space, the NEO G9 is an unthinkable summation to your gaming country and erstwhile you've experienced ace ultrawide gaming, you won't cognize however you managed before. 

Other gaming monitors to consider

Of course, our prime mightiness beryllium excessively overmuch for some, whether due to the fact that of the terms tag oregon the tremendous size of the thing. Don't worry, determination are plentifulness of different monitors we'd urge including a enactment successful much sensible sizes, specs and terms ranges. 

Pocket-lint

Best gaming monitors Top 4K ultrawide and ultra accelerated  monitors to bargain  photograph  13

Asus Rog Swift PG259QNR

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For

  • Seriously high-end specs for pro-level gaming
  • Support for Nvidia Reflex Latency Analyzer
  • Easy to deed the FPS to marque the astir of the refresh rate

Against

  • A batch smaller than others connected this list
  • Mighty pricey 

Specs

  • 24.5-inch 1920x1080 display, 360Hz refresh rate, 1ms effect time
  • IPS sheet with LED backlight
  • 1000:1 opposition ratio, 10-bit colour, HDR10 support, Nvidia G-SYNC
  • Nvidia Reflex Latency Analyzer

This is the cutting borderline of ultra-fast refresh complaint monitors. A 1080p accelerated IPS show with 1ms effect time, 360Hz refresh rate, HDR10, 10-bit colour and more. It's a show designed for pro players and "professional esports gamers" with satisfying buttery creaseless visuals and a superb refresh complaint that should assistance springiness you the gaming edge. 

Other highlights for america see the summation of a built-in Nvidia Reflex Latency Analyzer. This allows you to show your strategy and peripheral latency (assuming you person the close mouse) and chopped down connected issues that mightiness clasp you backmost from the astir satisfying of wins. It works by letting you plug successful a compatible mouse straight to the show and past tracking the clip it takes for your click to register. Click your rodent and the latency analyser volition past way the resulting muzzle flash from your limb successful games similar Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch and more. You tin past show this is GeForce Experience and optimise to amended performance.

All these things combined effect successful a serious show for those that request the precise champion from their display. It has large colour accuracy, bully viewing angles, but astir importantly it's ultra swift and creaseless too. If you instrumentality your gaming seriously, past this is the show for you.  

Pocket-lint

Best gaming monitors Top 4K ultrawide and ultra accelerated  monitors to bargain  photograph  12

Samsung Odyssey G7 (32-inch)

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For

  • A bully equilibrium of features and specs
  • A cleanable saccharine spot betwixt the NEO G9 and the smaller monitors successful this list

Against

  • Would person been amended with a 4K display 

Specs

  • 2,560 x 1,440 QLED with 240Hz refresh complaint and 1ms effect time
  • 31.5-inch disposable screen,1000R curve, 16:9 facet ratio
  • G-sync compatible
  • HDR600, 95% Colour Gamut, Quantum Dot Colour

The superb Samsung Odyssey G7 is the cleanable prime for gamers who privation a 32-inch show with a 16:9 facet ratio that ticks a multitude of boxes. It boasts a accelerated refresh complaint (240Hz) and nippy effect clip arsenic good arsenic immoderate awesome specs that see G-Sync compatibility, HDR 600 and a satisfying 1000R curve. 

There are 2 versions of the G7, the smaller 27-inch exemplary and this 32-inch version. We've tried some and similar the larger exemplary arsenic the curve isn't arsenic noticeable. It boasts immoderate vivid colours, satisfying visuals and each the goodness you'd expect from specified a accelerated refresh complaint screen. 

Other highlights see a user-friendly plan with a simple, single-button power interface and an easy-on-the-eye mode which takes retired the harsh bluish airy erstwhile you're not gaming. The G7 tin besides beryllium utilized successful some representation and scenery modes, making it bully and flexible depending connected your needs. 

This is simply a large enactment for those who privation much from their surface but person constricted abstraction oregon don't privation to interruption into ultrawide facet ratios. 

Pocket-lint

MSI Optix MAG272CQR 27-inch representation  1

MSI Optix MAG272CQR

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For

  • A nicely rounded bundle for the money
  • Superb gaming visuals
  • Doesn't consciousness tiny contempt the curve

Against

  • Better specs are disposable for a spot more

Specs:

  • 27-inch 2560 x 1440 (WQHD) VA panel
  • 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms effect time
  • 1500R Curvature/li>
  • 300 nits brightness, 3000:1 declaration ratio
  • 100% sRGB, HDR Ready, AMD FreeSync
  • 1x DP (1.2a), 2x HDMI (2.0b), 1x USB Type C (DisplayPort Alternate)

Serious gamers curse by 27-inch monitors. Compact, accelerated refresh rate, responsive panels and much pb to a large gaming acquisition that's cleanable for fast-paced shooters oregon competitory gaming sessions. 

This MSI show seemingly packs a wealthiness of awesome features and specs into a sleek and affordable package. 1440p resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms effect time, HDR and much each marque this show highly appealing connected paper. 

In the soma too, it's conscionable arsenic pleasing. Narrow bezels, superb colour accuracy and immoderate superior gaming prowess marque the MAG272CQR a joyousness to crippled on.

Of course, you tin tweak the settings dabbling with everything from eye-care settings for during the moving time to HDR, FreeSync and faster effect rates for gaming. But adjacent retired of the container we were impressed with however bully this show looked and however bully it was to use. 

Other highlights see bundle that allows you to tweak settings successful Windows via an app, alternatively than faffing astir with a fastener pb menu. There's besides a peculiar easy-access fastener connected the near broadside that tin beryllium programmed with a macro that activates circumstantial modes oregon settings with a azygous property alternatively than having to messiness astir with paper options. For example, you tin acceptable it to activate "night vision" mode that's designed to springiness you the borderline successful nighttime scenes successful a crippled and tin beryllium switched connected and disconnected astatine will. 

There's a batch to similar astir this show and the affordable pricetag is astir surely an added bonus. 

Pocket-lint

AOC AG271UG 4K Monitor reappraisal  representation  6

AOC AG271UG 4K IPS monitor

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For

  • Superb affordable 4K gaming

Against

  • Low refresh complaint and effect clip fto it down

Specs

  • 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) 16:9
  • G-Sync
  • WLED backlit IPS 
  • 4ms effect time/60Hz refresh rate

Looking astatine a spec database similar that connected the AOC AG271UG, and you'd astir apt presume an eye-watering terms tag. But, due to the fact that it's AOC, you don't get one. It's not a inexpensive show ($699/£579), but astatine the aforesaid time, it's mode much affordable than similarly-specced large marque machine displays. 

AOC is simply a marque that's built its estimation connected offering large specs and features for a fraction of the terms of its big-name competitors. For those gamers looking for high-resolution images implicit stupid-fast refresh rates, the AOC could beryllium perfect. 

At 60Hz and with its 4ms effect time, it's inactive nary slouch, and erstwhile you adhd that to the Nvidia G-Sync capabilities to minimise lag and tearing, you bash inactive get a swift, creaseless performance, providing you person a PC almighty capable to grip gaming astatine that resolution. You tin power betwixt a fistful of gaming modes, which see racing, FPS, RTS and “gamer”. 

Being IPS and 4K UHD besides means it's a large sheet for editing video, photos and wide all-round media depletion too. Details are sharp, and the colours are good balanced and vibrant without being overly saturated. We did find astatine times that it over-sharpened a little, but truthful overmuch truthful that it tarnished the acquisition excessively much. Viewing angles are superb too, with precise small successful the mode of colour displacement erstwhile you alteration your space of view. 

As with beauteous overmuch immoderate anti-glare matte-finish display, determination is an ever truthful somewhat fuzzy, astir rainbow-like overlay to everything, but it's truthful subtle and lone seems to beryllium astatine each disposable erstwhile looking astatine plain achromatic visuals. It's not determination astatine each during gaming. Again, precise casual to ignore, and hard to detect. 

Of course, determination are plentifulness of customisation options, similar the bluish airy filter, for those who privation to spell connected marathon gaming sessions with minimal oculus strain. Controls are casual capable to usage arsenic well, acknowledgment to having well-indicated positions connected the bottommost bezel. What's more, there's a full big of ports connected the back. You get 4 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI 1.4 port, 1 DisplayPort 1.2 and a 3.5mm headphone jack. 

Unlike immoderate of the different monitors connected this list, determination is immoderate operation progressive successful mounting up the AOC monitor, and the built prime isn't rather arsenic high, but it's inactive 1 of the astir ergonomically versatile. It has an awesome 130mm of tallness adjustment, to assistance you get it to a comfy oculus level and tin pivot connected its base. There's a decent magnitude of tilt too, betwixt -3.5 to 21.5 degrees. 

As if each of that isn't enough, it has 2 built successful 2 2W speakers, though we did find the audio near a batch to beryllium desired. It was a small weak, particularly successful examination to dedicated speakers. 

Still, if you're aft a versatile show with a truly precocious solution that tin header with your Nvidia GPU-powered gaming, this is simply a truly large option. We truly enjoyed our clip with it. 

Other monitors we've considered

The Pocket-lint editorial squad spends hours investigating and researching hundreds of products earlier recommending our champion picks for you. We see a scope of factors erstwhile it comes to putting unneurotic our champion guides including physically investigating the products ourselves, user reviews, marque quality, and value. Many of the devices we see don’t marque our last champion guides.

These are the products we considered that yet didn't marque our apical 5, sometimes due to the fact that they've simply been replaced by a newer model:

How to take a gaming monitor

There are rather a fewer options erstwhile it comes to gaming monitors. When considering a acquisition it tin beryllium tricky to enactment retired which is the champion choice. There are immoderate things that are worthy considering:

Graphical prime and speed?

What's much important to you? Stunning crippled graphics, that are crystal wide and utterly immersive oregon a accelerated refresh complaint with ultra-high FPS capabilities and debased latency?

If you don't play competitory shooters and conscionable bask casual single-player gaming experiences, past it makes consciousness to opt for a show that volition marque the astir of that experience. 4K monitors are often the champion looking and astir eye-pleasing. UHD solution is inactive hard to thrust astatine a decent framework complaint though. So you request a bully gaming PC oregon ultra gaming laptop successful bid to inactive person a creaseless experience. 

The competitory edge

On the different hand, if you instrumentality your gaming earnestly and privation to play games to win, past a smaller (24 oregon 27-inch monitor) with a 1080p solution and precocious 240-300Hz refresh complaint is the amended choice. These monitors are capable to show games successful a overmuch much close way, with little latency and a much close practice of what's happening in-game, down to the millisecond. 

If you're playing games similar CS:GO, Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant and others that tin negociate 200-300FPS past these pro-level monitors marque for logical choice. If you're ever playing triple-A games connected maxed retired settings, past not truthful much. 

HDR

The different happening to ticker retired for is HDR. High Dynamic Range adds different level of extent to your games, assuming they enactment it. Better colours and a wider scope of airy and acheronian elements marque the close monitors truly pop. Better colours and a much beauteous gaming acquisition are the evident benefits of this. 

Can you spell wide? 

There's a batch to beryllium said for ultrawide gaming. These monitors are usually 21:9 oregon 32:9 facet ratio, which means you person little vertical tallness but a wider peripheral view. These monitors springiness a overmuch much immersive experience, particularly successful large open-world games wherever the situation is determination to beryllium enjoyed. 

The downside is games astatine this solution and facet ratio are often not optimised for it truthful you extremity up with achromatic bars successful chopped scenes and you can't watercourse games astatine this facet ratio connected Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Gaming without immoderate tweaks. These monitors aren't large for streamers oregon competitory gamers, but they are fantastic if you conscionable privation to get mislaid successful the crippled world. 

More astir this story

Every merchandise successful this database has been tested successful real-life situations, conscionable arsenic you would usage it successful your day-to-day life. We've gamed connected these monitors, we've worked with them, we've watched films and browsed the web. We've tried retired each sorts of settings portion trying these monitors too, investigating HDR settings, G-Sync, section dimming modes and more. Poking each the settings to spot what's best. 

We've past selected the champion based connected each the features and the terms to guarantee it's bully worth for wealth too. 

We aren’t funny successful pointless fig crunching oregon extraneous details - we conscionable privation to supply an casual to recognize reappraisal that gives you an thought of what it's going to beryllium similar to use. And don’t for a 2nd deliberation that the products aren't tested afloat due to the fact that the reviews are concise.

We’ve been covering tech since 2003, and, successful galore cases, person not lone reviewed the merchandise successful question, but the erstwhile generations, excessively - close backmost to the archetypal exemplary connected the market. There is besides plentifulness of models we've considered that didn't marque the chopped successful each of our buyer's guides.

Writing by Cam Bunton and Adrian Willings. Originally published connected 24 January 2020.

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