Best Gaming Monitor Under $300
For beginners and pro-gamers alike, the last thing you want to do is spend hundreds of dollars on a gaming monitor that doesn’t work properly. Nor do you want to pour hundreds of dollars down the drain when you could find a cheaper model that works just the same.
We understand the importance of finding a good quality gaming monitor whilst on a budget, which is why we have found the best gaming monitors under $300. We have also included a useful buyer’s guide and FAQ section to help you understand exactly what you need to buy!
OUR TOP PICK
This 27” ASUS gaming monitor ticks all of the boxes for any budding gamer or gamer-pro. With a resolution of 1920 x 1080, this is the ideal quality for enhanced gameplay on a monitor.
Usually, this is the minimum resolution expectation for monitors at 30”, which is what makes this monitor so impressive as it is 27”. This size also means it can fit on virtually any desk space without taking up too much room.
The screen can be adjusted to tilt and swivel and can be viewed from a 178 degree viewing angle with no distortion.
The stand-out feature for this monitor is the speed. Sometimes, low-quality monitors will lag or take time to load during a high-speed graphic, which can be detrimental to competitive gameplay.
This unit features an Extreme Low Motion Blur, which offers a 1ms response time to allow for crisp visuals regardless of the speed of the game. This is matched with a 165Hz refresh rate, which exceeds the ideal refresh rate of 144Hz, which essentially allows for professional gameplay.
What’s more, this product is equipped with a Shadow Boost to help to show the details in dark areas. No more having to wait for the dark cave to load in Minecraft!
Pros:
- Ideal resolution of 1920 x 1080 to provide crisp details
- 1ms response time to keep up with fast gameplay
- Shadow Boost offers detail to dark areas in games
- Tilt and swivel adjustments for comfortable viewing
Cons:
- Speakers are of general monitor quality - purchase separate speakers if you want to further enhance your gameplay experience
BEST RESOLUTION
If you’re looking for a budget gaming monitor with a high resolution for its screen size, this is the monitor for you. This 27” gaming monitor offers an impressive 2560 x 1440 resolution, producing a crisp pixel quality.
The 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate are both ideal for this size of monitor, though the refresh rate is slightly less than the ASUS TUF 27" VG279Q1A Gaming Monitor.
The quality of the image doesn’t stop at the high resolution, as this monitor can produce over 120% area coverage to enhance all of the colors. A huge upgrade from playing your favorite games on your small laptop!
This screen is also equipped with a low blue mode to prevent the eyes from straining after long gaming periods, which will prevent the risk of headaches.
This gaming monitor also features a 1500R curved screen, which enhances gameplay by producing an immersive atmosphere from every angle. This is most ideal for competitive gaming.
What’s more, this screen is frameless on 3 sides with very slim borders to further enhance the immersive experience. The height is also adjustable for comfortable viewing, and the monitor can be mounted on a wall.
Pros:
- High 2560 x 1440 resolution for crisp quality
- Curved screen for immersive gameplay
- Wall-mounting options to save desk space
- High-quality color display
- LowBlue mode to prevent eyes from straining
Cons:
- Presets and settings options cannot be saved, so toggling in the settings may occur to fit your personal preference
BEST VALUE
If you’re a beginner gamer looking for the ideal monitor to suit your gameplay whilst remaining well within a $300 budget, this monitor is for you. At 21.5”, this isn’t the largest budget monitor screen, but it’s the ideal size for fitting comfortably on a desk without taking up too much space.
To add to the limited footprint, this monitor is ultra-thin with a thin frame to make the most of the screen space. It can also tilt for comfortability and can be viewed up to 178 degrees at either a horizontal or vertical angle without distorting the graphics or colors.
Despite the screen size, this monitor still offers a good 1920 x 1080 resolution. The response time is the main downfall to this monitor, however, at only 4ms - though this is a suitable sacrifice to make for the price point. Still, it may not be beneficial to professional gamers who play fast games competitively.
Pros:
- Ideal monitor for beginners and those on a budget as specifications are met
- Thin and lightweight monitor for minimal desk footprint
- Tilt adjustments for comfortability with no distortion
- Affordable
Cons:
- No HDMI cable included (which would enhance visual quality)
- Slightly slower response time compared to other units
BEST BUILD QUALITY
Available in either a 24” or 27” size, this Dell gaming monitor offers the best build quality for gaming monitors under $300. This monitor offers adjustable height and tilts for comfortability in long gaming sessions.
The stand is slim yet sturdy, taking up minimal desk space and providing the right support for the monitor. However, this monitor cannot be turned to a vertical position - although most gamers prefer horizontal monitors.
The screen quality of this monitor is of high quality for the price point, with a 1080p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time.
These specifications mean that the monitor is equipped for fast gameplay and competitive gameplay, as the screen will not lag and will offer crisp graphics constantly.
The monitor also offers stutter-free technology to provide smooth gameplay without the screen stuttering - ideal for games that often lag on a desktop or laptop.
Pros:
- Sturdy yet slim build design, from the screen to stand
- Ideal resolution, refresh rate, and response time
- Stutter-free technology to prevent lagging
- Anti-glare for eye safety
Cons:
- No vertical rotation
BEST VISUAL QUALITY
This Sceptre gaming monitor stands out for its visual quality. Featuring either a 144Hz or an impressive 165Hz refresh rate, this monitor offers seamless transitions and virtually no lagging.
This is ideal for games that usually lag or stutter on a desktop or laptop. This refresh rate is matched with a decent 1080p resolution to offer a crisp visual experience.
What’s more, this unit comes with anti-flicker technology which prevents the backlight from flickering during intense gameplay.
The range of refresh rates is achieved by the multiple digital ports to suit each user’s preference.
The monitor itself is edgeless to increase the immersive experience and comes with built-in speakers - though some gamers like to purchase separate speakers if they want to further enhance their gameplay.
The screen also features a blue light shift to prevent eye strain and headaches for comfortable, long gaming sessions.
Pros:
- 144Hz/165Hz refresh rate for seamless graphics during fast gameplay
- High-quality visual features to prevent stuttering
- Edgeless design for immersive gameplay
- Multiple digital ports, including a DisplayPort cable for the fastest refresh rate
Cons:
- Not height adjustable
Best Gaming Monitor Under $300 Buying Guide
What to look for in a gaming monitor
A gaming monitor can enhance gameplay effortlessly. They can be an extra screen for a desktop, a larger screen version for a laptop, or a gaming setup for technology such as a Nintendo Switch.
Professional gamers usually have 2 or 3 monitors to provide even more screen space, especially if they stream their games or create YouTube videos, but this isn’t always doable for amateur gamers.
Some beginner gamers, student gamers, or young gamers might struggle to find a gaming monitor that fits a budget. It’s not often that you can find a decent gaming monitor under $300 - unless you know exactly what to look for. It’s not always about finding the cheapest model and hoping for the best.
Resolution:
The ideal resolution to look for in a monitor smaller than 30” and less than $300 is 1920 x 1080. This figure is also referred to as Full High Definition (FHD) or 1080p. Fortunately, all of the products we have recommended have this resolution (or better)!
The resolution tells you the maximum amount of pixels the monitor can display, horizontally and vertically. Generally speaking, the higher the resolution the better. However, some high-resolution monitors may experience lagging or stuttering due to the high amount of pixels displayed.
The higher the resolution = the more pixels displayed = the higher the graphics power required.
Response time:
The response time is the time it takes for pixels to turn on and off again, and is measured in milliseconds. A slower response time provides lagging and blurriness, whilst faster ones provide a crisp visual in fast games.
It’s best to look for the lowest response time figure for a gaming monitor. Generally speaking, the most common response time for budget monitors is 4ms, which is fine. The best figure to look for is 1ms and anything lower, as this is the best for competitive gaming.
Refresh rate:
The refresh rate shows the number of times a monitor can refresh an image per second. The best figure to look for is 144Hz, which shows that the monitor updates and refreshes 144 times per second.
As with the response time, this is important to avoid lagging and stuttering in gameplay. Anything higher than this will offer a faster refresh rate, which may be more beneficial for high-speed gaming.
Screen size and footprint:
It is important to consider the size of a monitor concerning how much desk space it will take up. Some monitor screens may not be adjustable by height, which limits how many items can be placed underneath the screen. Fortunately, most monitors are adjustable by height and feature a slim stand to limit the footprint.
It’s not often that budget gaming monitors can be wall-mounted, but this is a great option for providing space as it will not interfere with a desk.
Most budget gaming monitors are between 21-27” in size, as larger models tend to be more expensive due to the higher resolution. These monitors are also mostly flat, but some can come in a curved form which can create more immersive gameplay. The frame should also be considered for this, as edgeless monitors create an element of realism too.
Speakers:
The majority of gaming speakers come with built-in speakers, but the quality of this is never that great. These speakers are fine if you use the monitor for work meetings or listening to music in the background, but if you’re looking to enhance your gameplay we recommend purchasing separate speakers.
Most pro-gamers buy separate speakers, some of which can create an awesome surround sound effect to fully immerse the player into the game. Others may prefer to wear headphones but bear in mind that the audio quality directly from a gaming monitor won’t be brilliant.
Budget:
You don’t have to break the bank to find a decent gaming monitor. Generally speaking, gaming monitors under $300 are great for beginner gamers, amateur gamers, and those on a budget.
If you are a pro-gamer and looking for the best monitors to enhance your gaming experience, you may benefit from the features from larger and more expensive gaming monitors. Whilst the products we have recommended are great gaming monitors, they will not work in the same way as more expensive monitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best budget gaming monitor?
From our research, we think the best budget gaming monitor is the ASUS TUF 27" VG279Q1A Gaming Monitor.
This gaming monitor ticks all of the boxes, from the 1920 x 1080 resolution to the high refresh rate and response time. It’s also within a $300 budget, which is ideal for gamers who don’t want to go broke!
What is better, a curved or flat monitor?
This all depends on personal preference and budget. Some gamers just require a flat screen due to space constraints on a desk as they do not have as much of a footprint as curved monitors.
Other gamers prefer curved monitors to provide a more immersive gameplay experience. However, curved monitors can be more expensive and do take up slightly more desk space.
If you are on a $300 budget, some flat monitors can be adjusted by height or tilted, and also can be viewed from a variety of angles without offering distortion.
Are 144Hz monitors worth it?
The short answer is: absolutely!
The long answer is that 144Hz monitors mean that the monitor can refresh and update a screen 144 times a second. This is the minimum refresh rate figure to look for if you want a good gaming monitor - obviously some have a lower refresh rate, but this will provide more lag and stuttering.
Anything higher than 144Hz will probably be more expensive, but this does provide a faster refresh rate which may be more beneficial for fast and competitive gaming.
What resolution should I get on a 27” monitor?
The ideal resolution to look for in a 27” monitor is 1920 x 1080. This is also known as Full High Definition (FHD) and offers the best display of pixels for a screen of this size and smaller.
If your monitor screen is larger than 27”, you will need a larger resolution figure. The resolution figure indicates the number of pixels the monitor can display both horizontally and vertically. This is why larger screens require a higher resolution because there is more surface area for more pixels.
However, a resolution that is too high on a 27” monitor may cause lagging and stuttering as the monitor will not be able to display that many pixels at once.
Do you need an expensive monitor for gaming?
In a world where expensive equipment is mostly deceived as the “better option”, no! You don’t need an expensive monitor for gaming.
It is possible to find a gaming monitor for under $300. They will tick all of the boxes for great gameplay without breaking the bank. However, you can’t expect a budget gaming monitor to work in the same way as a larger $600 monitor, as it will not offer the same features and specifications.
If you are a beginner gamer, amateur gamer, or a gamer on a budget, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to find a good gaming monitor to suit your needs. If you are a pro-gamer looking for the highest quality monitor, however, a budget monitor may not be up to your standards.
