Gaming monitors are quite expensive, even for a low-budget model. But, since it's so important for gamers, who are looking to get the best quality monitor in their price range, we decided to make TOP-5 best gaming monitors for a low budget.
This list includes different models of monitors with different screen sizes and resolutions. There is something here for everyone. However, most people can't afford to buy more than one monitor, so that's why each monitor on this list is quite unique in its own way.
ASUS VA24DQ
Specifications
- 24" 1920x1080p Full HD Panel
- 60Hz Refresh Rate
- 5ms Response Time
- 178° Viewing Angle
- Adjustable Height Stand (max 130mm)
- Wall-Mountable VESA 100mm x 100mm
- Input: D-Sub, DVI
- Built-in Speakers (2 x 2W)
- Freesync Enabled for AMD Graphics Cards
Performance
This monitor is one of the best "bang for your buck" monitors on offer. And let's face it, most people can't afford to spend more than $100-$150 on a monitor, let alone buying 2-3 of them. This ASUS monitor is great for playing games with high-resolution textures and very detailed graphics at low to medium settings. It has VA panels that produce deep, rich colors that are truly beautiful once tweaked properly with color profiles, etc.
This is a great all-around monitor for both gaming and browsing/work purposes. And, since it's an ASUS monitor, you will have access to the very functional and easy-to-use built-in ASUS Splendid color profile manager, which allows you to tweak display colors, contrast, etc. in a way that best suits your needs with ease.
It doesn't get much easier than this when it comes to adjusting monitor colors. But, even if you don't tweak anything in display settings there are multiple prebuilt "Splendid" color profiles that change brightness, saturation, etc. according to what activity you are doing - watching movies/videos, playing games, etc..
Design
ASUS VA243 is a very simple monitor with a beautiful silver/black finish. It's not too flashy, so it won't draw too much attention when used in an office or bedroom setup. It looks professional and minimalist at the same time.
All ports are located on the back of the monitor, to maximize space usage on the front part of the display bezels. All ports face downward - DVI, VGA, and two speakers connectors all converge right below the ASUS logo engraved in the center bottom part of this monitor's stand.
The way you can route your cables behind the monitor and make them less visible will make your setup look much cleaner and more professional looking (especially if you wall mount it). This also allows you to use front USB ports in case you decide to connect one or two of your devices there.
The stand is made out of metal and feels very sturdy. It's an ergonomically designed stand that allows you to adjust the height, tilt, pivot this monitor up to 90 degrees for portrait orientation, etc. You can also mount it on a wall with VESA 100mm x 100mm mounting holes.
Image and Colors
Asus gives users a choice between two different panel types: VA and TN. VA panels provide very good color reproduction, contrast and viewing angles (178 degrees horizontal and vertical). They tend to have less motion blur than the TN panels, but their response time is usually worse than that of TN.
TN monitors are not as vibrant when it comes to colors, but they excel in terms of response times so they feature very little motion blur while playing games or watching movies. Also, colors will look washed out if you use them from an angle - this type of panel has the worst viewing angles overall.
This ASUS monitor uses a 1920x1080p Full HD resolution panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms time (which is very decent for a standard 60Hz monitor).
It features an Anti-Glare 3H surface treatment that will minimize the number of reflections you get while using this monitor in your home or office - you can easily use it to watch movies, play games, etc. even if there is a bright light source close to you. This panel has 178 degrees horizontal and vertical viewing angles so colors will look rich no matter what angle you are watching them from.
Dell S2522HG
Specifications
- Screen Size: 25"
- Panel Type: TN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Resolution: 1920x1080p Full HD
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time (GTG): 2ms (5ms average)
- Connectivity: VGA, DVI-D, HDMI 1.4
- Input: Analog VGA, Digital DVI-D
- Ports: 2x USB 2.0 Ports, Headphone Jack
Performance
Dell S2522Hg is a very basic monitor that should cover all of your needs and then some. The only reason why we decided to include this one on our list was that it offers great value for the price - you get almost as good image quality as you would from ASUS VA243 but for half the money.
With the TN panel's 2ms response time, Dell S2522Hg features around 5ms average response time (which means there might be small white/dark dots that will appear when moving the mouse cursor across the screen). Keep in mind that if you want something better than that, you'll need to go with an IPS or PLS panel (which will cost much more).
While not as vibrant and colorful as an IPS panel, the TN panel works great with games and movies because it has very low motion blur. If you decide to go with Dell S2522Hg, expect colors from an angle to look washed out but at the same time, don't expect much ghosting while playing FPS games for example.
Design
Dell S2522Hg has a simplistic and interesting look. The overall construction is solid and the monitor feels quite sturdy - well, at least in my opinion it does. You can wall-mount this unit if you prefer that or just keep it stationary and use height adjustment to make its viewing more comfortable.
This monitor features various connectivity options such as a VGA port (for analog signal), DVI-D port (to digitally transfer video from your computer to display), and HDMI 1.4 (which allows you to connect an audio device via a 3.5mm jack). Keep in mind that after plugging additional devices into USB ports on this monitor, expect them not to work anymore until you the input cable which plugs into those USB ports.
Image and Colors
Dell S2522Hg features Full HD resolution along with a 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms average response time (when using Dual-Link DVI). It comes with VGA and HDMI connections so you can use your favorite gaming console or Blu-ray player in order to enjoy Full HD content without any problems.
Color quality from an angle is not as good as VA panels offer but it's much better than the one you get with TN panels. The image quality is very decent for a monitor of this price and size, plus it has a nice response time which will make your experience more enjoyable when playing games or watching movies/videos.
Dell S2522Hg features Anti-Glare 3H surface treatment that reduces the number of light reflections - while sitting in front of this monitor, your viewing angles should be comfortable no matter what light source is close to you (e.g. windows, lamps, etc.).
MSI MAG301RF
Specifications
- Screen Size: 30"
- Panel Type: VA
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Resolution: 1920x1080p Full HD (16:9)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time (GTG): 4ms (6ms average)
- Connectivity: VGA, DVI-D, HDMI 1.4
- Inputs/Outputs Port(s): 2x USB 3.0 Ports, Headphone Jack, Microphone Jack , Audio Line-in (3.5mm), Component/Composite Inputs, S-Video Loop Through Ports (2x), PC Audio in Port (3.5mm)
Performance
MSI MAG301RF is another budget monitor that's actually worth its price. It features a VA panel with a 4ms response time (which is very good for gaming).
While MSI MAG301RF doesn't have any stunning features, it offers decent picture quality and great value. Keep in mind that this monitor also has no Game mode or anything else which can significantly improve your gameplay - if you're looking for this kind of stuff, check out BenQ XL2411Z.
The stand on this unit is sturdy enough but the monitor feels like it will fall over when playing games or watching movies/videos with fast motion - if you want to use a VESA mount system to make your viewing more comfortable, feel free to do so.
Design
MSI MAG301RF is a big monitor with a black matte plastic frame and metallic stand which gives it an elegant look. On the bottom side of its stand, you can find a special place where you can store your headphones when not using them - this is a great idea, especially for gamers who always carry their headsets to LAN parties or just don't like wires in general.
MSI MAG301RF features ergonomic design so you will be able to change viewing angles easily but keep in mind that its viewing angles won't be as good as VA panels offer.
As we've already mentioned, MSI MAG301RF has no game mode or anything else which can improve your gaming experience but one thing that surprised us is the built-in Speakers.
Since this monitor has 2x USB 3.0 Ports, you can use headphones and a microphone at the same time - one connected to the USB port on your PC and the other connected to your monitor via its headphone jack.
Image and Colors
MSI MAG301RF features Full HD resolution along with a 60Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time (when using Dual-Link DVI). TN panel used here is capable of producing 16.7 million colors so you won't have any issues when watching movies/images/videos or playing games.
Keep in mind that the viewing angles are narrow due to this monitor's panel type but the color quality is decent enough. You will also be able to enjoy fast-paced videos thanks to their quick response time which will make your experience more enjoyable.
Image quality is very similar to what you get with BenQ XL2420T, except for the fact that it lacks certain settings like Black Stabilizer or Motion Blur Reduction.
ASUS VG289Q
Specifications
- Screen Size: 27"
- Panel Type: IPS
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9, 1.78-by-1.09
- Resolution: 1920x1080p Full HD (16:9)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Communication Features: EPG, Game First II Technology, ASUS Game Replay, NVIDIA G-Sync Gaming Technologies Exclusive Features, Turbo Key, QuickFit Virtual Scale Function, SPLENDID Video Intelligence Technology
Performance
This monitor is one of the best choices if you want a big screen for playing games.
ASUS VG279Q offers decent picture quality and great performance which is exactly what gamers are looking for - it provides smooth gameplay so feel free to play even the most demanding games.
IPS panel used in this monitor is a great choice because it's much better than TN panels from both color reproduction and viewing angles perspectives. To be honest, ASUS VG27AQ looks a lot like BenQ XL2420T but gaming performance isn't that good due to slower response time (4ms vs 1ms).
Design
ASUS VG27AQ has a very similar design when compared with other gaming monitors from Asus' ROG series. It features a matte black finish combined with red accents on both the stand and back of the monitor.
In order to adjust viewing angles, you have to use some sort of tool because ASUS VG27AQ doesn't have this feature - if you're looking for more advanced adjustments, check out ViewSonic XG2700-4K.
Another thing that's worth mentioning is that this screen doesn't have built-in speakers so don't expect to have any sound when using headphones or an external speaker system.
ASUS VG279Q has a decent assortment of ports so it will be easy for you to plug all your peripherals without any issues. Keep in mind that the HDMI port on this monitor supports 4K input (30Hz) but DisplayPort can only do 2560x1440 at 60Hz.
Image and Colors
ASUS VG279Q features Full HD resolution along with a 144Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time. IPS panel used here offers great colors and amazing viewing angles so this monitor is a perfect choice for those who want to enjoy fast-paced videos without any issues related to color quality or something similar.
In addition, ASUS VG27AQ has NVIDIA G-Sync support so your games will look even better - you won't have problems with screen tearing or stuttering because this technology ensures that every single frame is displayed as smoothly as possible.
If you're looking for a decent gaming monitor but can't afford high-end models, take a look at ASUS VG279Q since it's definitely one of the best choices if you want to have a great gaming experience without spending too much money on your monitor.
LG 32UL500
Specifications
- Screen Size: 32"
- Panel Type: IPS
- Aspect Ratio: 21:9
- Resolution: 3840x1600p (UltraWide)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Communication Features: EPG, Game First II Technology, ASUS Game Replay, NVIDIA G-Sync Gaming Technologies Exclusive Features, Turbo Key, QuickFit Virtual Scale Function, SPLENDID Video Intelligence Technology
Performance
This monitor is a good choice if you want a big screen for playing games. It offers decent picture quality along with amazing performance which is exactly what gamers are looking for - it provides smooth gameplay so feel free to play even the most demanding games. On the other, the IPS panel used in this monitor is a great choice because it's much better than TN panels from both color reproduction and viewing angles perspectives.
LG 32UL500 has a decent assortment of ports so it will be easy for you to plug all your peripherals without any issues. Keep in mind that the HDMI port on this monitor supports 4K input (60Hz) but DisplayPort can only do 2560x1080 at 60Hz, not 3840x1600p like advertised. This monitor doesn't have built-in speakers so don't expect to have sound when using headphones or an external speaker system.
Design
LG 32UL500 features a matte black finish combined with red accents on a stand which makes it look similar to ROG series monitors from Asus' - if you're looking for more advanced adjustments, check out ViewSonic XG2700-4K.
LG 32UL500 is VESA mount compatible so you can easily attach it to any monitor stand or something similar. Keep in mind that this screen doesn't have built-in speakers so don't expect to have any sound when using headphones or an external speaker system.
Image and Colors
LG 32UL500 features an UltraWide screen with 3840x1600 resolution that's good for playing the most demanding games. In addition, it has AMD FreeSync support so your gameplay will look amazingly smooth - you won't have issues with screen tearing or stuttering because this technology ensures that every single frame is displayed as smoothly as possible.
This monitor doesn't have built-in speakers so don't expect to have sound when using headphones or an external speaker system.