Gaming is incredible for oh-so-many reasons, giving us an excuse to get our hands on some shiny new tech - including budget gaming monitors. The only problem is that a love of gaming and tech can quickly get pretty expensive – adding a great monitor on top of the rig and the games themselves can cost a packet. Then there are peripherals to think of – a dedicated gaming mouse can transform your game, as can a gaming keyboard. Yes, it can all add up to a high-cost wish list.
A gaming monitor is a particularly exciting object, allowing us to get a true look at what our gaming machine is capable of – and it’s not just PC gamers who are interested in them. Console gamers have recently twigged that a gaming monitor hooked up to a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S really takes things up a notch. This is especially true for the Xbox Series S, which has a maximum output of 1440p - a sweet spot for gaming monitors.
Best budget gaming monitors of 2024 at a glance
• Best overall budget gaming monitor: iiyama G-Master G2740HSU-B1 - View at Amazon
• Best value budget gaming monitor: AOC Gaming 24G2SPU - 24 Inch FHD Gaming monitor - View at Amazon
• Best compact budget gaming monitor: LG UltraGear Monitor 24GN60R-B - View at Amazon
• Best 4K budget gaming monitor: Dell SE3223Q 31.5 Inch 4K UHD Monitor - View at Amazon
We’ve engaged our savvy shopping credentials to bring together all of the greatest and most affordable monitors. They might be affordable, but cheap and flimsy gaming monitors these are not. They’re all brilliant, high-spec products, jammed with 144Hz refresh rates, 1ms response times, and big screens. There are even some curved gaming monitors with 4K UHD HDR displays. So, If you’re in the market for a budget gaming monitor, it turns out you’ve got a lot of choices. Let's fire up those screens and take a look.
Best budget gaming monitors of 2024
All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.
Best overall budget gaming monitor
Description
The Japanese Iiyama aren't as well known in the wider marketplace as some, but they've earned a respectable following in gaming circles and the G2740HSU-B1 is a true hidden gem – it's got a great look, and its specs include an excellent screen size, resolution, colour representation, response time, low input lag, and AMD FreeSync. The ideal choice for a competitive gamer in training.
Pros
- A great-looking monitor that will fit with the rest of your gamer gear
- The IPS screen is typically brilliant as it's a product from iiyama
- Plenty of ports and built-in speakers make this a high-value one-stop-shop for gamers
Cons
- Some find the buttons to adjust monitor settings too fiddly
Best value budget gaming monitor
Description
The AOC 24G2SPU is loaded with all of the essential features. Featuring a widescreen, 1ms response time, and a 165Hz refresh rate, it even comes with AMD FreeSync Premium to keep your gaming framerates in sync. While the colour representation isn't as pin-sharp as some other models on the list, it still does a decent job – especially for the price. With speakers built-in and the whole AOC gamer look to the design, this is a lot of gaming monitor for the money.
Pros
- The refresh rate of 165hz is a step up from most and will make your gaming look slick and detailed
- The IPS panel is the ideal type, over standard VA or TN types, for colour and clarity
- A super-low 1ms response time means your gaming will be responsive and reflect your lightning-fast reactions
Cons
- The speakers are weak - if you want better sound, definitely look at a USB PC speaker instead
Best compact budget gaming monitor
Description
This affordable entry in the UltraGear range is a great pick, offering a full HD experience with crisp colours and stutter-free movement. There's even a Black Stabiliser feature that helps you spot competitors lurking in the shadows. The 99% sRGB coverage will appeal to creatives, and the physical design has a strong gamer aesthetic, too. As you may expect, the build is a little more lightweight than most, understandable given the compact 23.8-inch screen. All in all, you could pick this up alongside any portable gaming rig and take it anywhere.
Pros
- It packs some seriously useful gaming additions, like Black Stabiliser and a low 1ms latency for better gaming
- The 144hz refresh rate is stunning for a screen of this size and price
- AMD Freesync premium will reduce screen tear and keep things looking smooth and detailed
Cons
- The stand is not fully adjustable
Best 4K budget gaming monitor
Description
Dell's 31.5-inch 4K monitor is a fantastic value option for those who still are in search of gorgeous ultra-HD gaming for a great price. This well-sized 31.5-inch 4K monitor isn't the fastest on the market, to be sure, it's got a response time of around 4ms and a 60Hz refresh rate, which is fairly standard for a monitor, but that isn't to say gaming isn't excellent with it. Thanks to its ultra-thin bezels and reasonable price point, we think the Dell SE3223Q 4K monitor is more than worth its price - for gamers and all other PC users.
Pros
- You're not just getting a 4k display - you're getting 31.5 inches of it - stunning
- The simple yet refined design with a thin bezel will suit all gamer setups
- The inclusion of AMD Freesync is the ideal inclusion for tear-free gaming
Cons
- The 60hz refresh rate may not appeal to hardcore gamers
Best curved budget gaming monitor
Description
Gaming giant MSI has pulled it out of the bag with this offering, with the deep contrast ratio and crisp curved screen providing gamers with a new and exciting perspective on their favourite titles, while the 144hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and AMD FreeSync all operate to provide stunning visuals and a true tactical edge.
Pros
- The curved screen gives gamers a massive 178-degree viewing angle for maximum immersion
- Super low 1ms response time to lightning-fast reactions
- Great gamer features like AMD Freesync and the anti-flicker screen will keep you gaming for longer while enjoying smooth visuals
Cons
- No built-in speakers
Best high-end budget gaming monitor
Description
As the most expensive monitor on our list, you might be wondering how this monitor cracks it as a "budget" pick. Well, considering the features you receive in exchange for sub-£400, it's a real steal. It outputs at 4K/60fps (good for PCs and consoles), supports over a billion colours and has a rapid 4ms response time. It's also a curved monitor, so (other than the refresh rate being 60hz and the lack of speakers) it's a solid budget buy for anyone looking for the best features of many of the other monitors featured in our list.
Pros
- A great value combination of large screen, 4K resolution and a curved screen
- The Samsung build quality and design is second to none
- Supports over a billion colours, so you can enjoy accurate vibrant visuals
Cons
- The only slight letdown here for hardcore gamers is the 60hz refresh rate
Best budget gaming monitors of 2024: Buyer's guide
What should I be looking for in a cheap gaming monitor?
Just because your monitor budget is low, or you're saving up for a great gaming PC under £600, doesn't mean you need to lower your standards. If you know what you're looking for, then you'll be able to zero in on the monitor that is right for your needs.
Choose based on the games you play the most
What you need will largely depend on what type of gaming content you want to enjoy. Slower-paced titles, like RPGs and strategy titles, don't require super-fast visuals. This means you could opt for a higher-resolution monitor with a widescreen and slower refresh rates. It's all about detail and comfort at the end of the day. Just like investing in a decent gaming chair can keep you playing for hours, a monitor can take its toll on your eyes unless you choose wisely.
If you're all about off-the-wall FPS and racing action, then you may want to consider limiting your scope to standard HD monitors with high refresh rates. This way, your visual experience will be smooth and stutter-free - this, not resolution, is the real trick to getting ahead in fast-paced games. If you're more of a console gamer, you can hook your PlayStation 5 or any other modern console to any of our monitors as they all have HDMI ports. But remember - you'll also need headphones or an external soundbar to hear the sound if the monitor doesn't have built-in speakers.
Consider non-gaming uses too
While gaming monitors - as the name suggests - are designed for gaming, they’re actually highly versatile. The high response times (how quickly a pixel can change colour) and high refresh rates (how smooth and stutter-free the image is) have far-reaching benefits.
The most obvious activity outside of gaming that these stats positively affect is watching entertainment, from HD YouTube videos and Twitch streams to Netflix movies. However, the screens are also ideal for creative pursuits – photo editing benefits from a gaming monitor’s accurate colour representation, and film editing is made easier by the wide dimensions providing more working on-screen real estate.
Best budget gaming monitors of 2024: FAQs
What is Screen Resolution?
Resolution refers to the number of pixels that are available on the screen – the more pixels, the better the image. Full HD resolution sits at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, but many gaming monitors hit higher than this, with 4K monitors topping out at 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. It is worth considering that, if you plan on jumping above standard Full HD resolution, you’ll need to make sure your GPU hardware can handle the extra work. If in doubt, always check with the manufacturer. If you're looking to upgrade your rig, most of the best gaming PCs under £1,000 will have graphics cards that can handle the highest resolutions.
Resolution guide:
HD: 1280×720
Full HD: 1920×1080
Ultra HD/4K: 3840×2160
What is Response Time?
Response time is the time it takes for the screen to change to reflect your input. The longer this takes, the more latency you'll experience. A good response time for gaming is anything under 4 milliseconds. A quality budget gaming monitor will usually have a latency between one and four milliseconds (ms) and, if you've also invested in gaming speakers you'll appreciate the fact that low response time will also mean your sound syncs with your graphics.
What is Refresh Rate?
The refresh rate is to monitors what frames per second is to film. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image – low refresh rates can make fast-paced displays appear to jump, stutter and jolt. Refresh rate is measured in Hertz (Hz), and most monitors will sit at 60Hz. This is fine for most situations, but as games are only getting more graphically intense, 144Hz gaming monitors are quickly becoming the minimum standard for high-quality, stutter-free displays, with 75Hz operating as the generally affordable alternative.
If you’re into Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or Apex Legends, you’ll certainly want a budget gaming monitor with a higher refresh rate – it’ll really help with scoping in. For players who prefer single-player campaigns, a slightly lower refresh rate is an acceptable compromise for a monitor with greater definition – but this all comes down to personal choice.
Console gamers won’t need anything above 75Hz – that is, unless the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 offer enough performance and choice for your gaming needs.
What is AMD FreeSync?
This bit of technology from AMD is implemented to support a monitor’s refresh rate by reducing stuttering and ‘tearing’, which is when multiple frames’ information is displayed at once, showing a splice, or tear, for one or more frames. This typically occurs during fast or busy gameplay segments, and FreeSync simply works its magic to keep everything squared away and ordered.
What is Contrast Ratio?
Contrast ratio relates to how dark the darks of an image are compared to its brightest elements. Typically, you’ll want a monitor to sit between 1,000:1 and 3,000:1 – anything less and the image is poor, anything more and you probably won’t notice.
William Lobley is the Deputy Tech & Fitness Editor for What's The Best. Here, he oversees, curates and researches listicles and reviews as many products as his home office can handle.
He has spent nearly five years writing about tech, audio, outdoors and fitness and has reviewed everything from smartphones to ice baths. In addition, he's well-versed in sniffing out the best deals and savings the internet offers.
When not at his desk writing, reviewing or deal-hunting, he'll be relaxing with Japanese crime novels, bingeing some classic anime, strolling the countryside or at the gym listening to the heaviest metal Spotify has to offer.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the What’s The Best team.