Best gaming monitor under 300

Best Gaming Monitor Under $300. Well, $300 might not seem like much when purchasing a gaming monitor. However, that’s the beauty of it. While this budget won’t be too demanding on your wallet, $300 ensures you get all the essential gaming monitor features at the most bang-for-the-buck value.

Sure, the best gaming monitors in this budget are typically smaller, but that won’t be an issue if you plan to use them while sitting at a desk (which we gamers usually do!).

And the thing about the best gaming monitor under 300 is that you can spend less and still get all the features you want. Whether it is 4K resolution or 240Hz, the following list will prove they are feasible in your gaming monitor under $300. So, without further ado, here’s our list of the best gaming monitors under 300.

1. ViewSonic XG2431  –      1080p  / 240Hz

2. LG 32UL500W         –      4K    / 60Hz

3. Acer XV272UV         –      1440p  / 144Hz

4. AOC CQ27G3S         –      1440p / 165Hz

5. Alienware AW2720HF –     1080p / 240Hz

Best gaming monitor under 300, here we go

1.   ViewSonic XG2431

This excellent gaming monitor can deliver high performance without taxing too much on your GPU. As is typically the case, unless you have a graphics card or a very hefty budget (for your entire gaming rig), you can have high resolution or the fastest frame rates. With this incredible value-for-money monitor, you can choose high frame rates – up to 240Hz.

Although the XG2431 is relatively smaller in size, the 24-inch display ensures you get superb picture quality. The colour quality is on-par with UHD displays, thanks to high pixel density, provided you don’t mind sitting close to the monitor or at your gaming desk.

The only real downside that we felt in this monitor is that the colour contrast at SDR could have been better compared to some of the other monitors. However, for the titles supporting HDR, such as Call of Duty or Doom Eternal, you get very rich colours, deep blacks, and bright whites.

 

2.   LG 32UL500W

Games can take us on a journey with amazing experiences filled with scenic displays and emotional roller coasters. Spider-man, God of War, and Assassin’s Creed are only some of the titles with extraordinary gameplay in every sense that must be enjoyed at the best graphics.

Therefore, this LG 32UL500W is perfect for games where resolution matters more than FPS (you can still get up to 60 FPS). The 4K resolution at a reasonably large 31.5-inch screen space is just what you need for an immersive gaming experience.

You also get a higher contrast ratio – 3,000:1 – with deeper blacks and a wider 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut.

Although these are vibrant colours, the drawback of the LG 32UL500W is that it is more suitable for a darker or moderately-lit room. It doesn’t get very bright and might cause some glares.

However, considering that’s somewhat easily manageable, this entry is one of the best gaming monitors under $300.

 

3.   Acer XV272UV

 

With the best gaming monitor under $300, you can get all the critical features and skip unnecessary fanciness. And what better choice is there than Acer XV272UV? It is a well-rounded monitor that displays attractive colours in a fast refresh rate environment.

This means you can enjoy head-shotting your opponents at a high resolution (although, for me, I am the one who’s always at the other end of the headshot LoL).

The monitor has a pretty bright display for a well-lit room; however, the contrast ratio is at 1,000:1 – meaning the blacks might not be as deep as some of the VA models. However, you do get wider viewing angles and much more consistent colours.

This is a versatile monitor and our favourite for the best gaming monitor under $300. It lies at the sweet spot so you can enjoy competitive and story-mode gaming without taxing too much on your GPU or the overall gaming rig.

 

4.   AOC CQ27G3S

The AOC CQ27G3S is the most popular entry on this list. It has a VA panel, which means you can enjoy games with better contrast ratios and more vibrant colors. It has a contrast ratio of 3,000:1 and is decently brightly lit with 250-nit peak luminance. Additionally, at a screen size of 27 inches, you also get a high pixel density for more crisp and sharper images.

This monitor delivers a balanced performance at 1440p and 165Hz, for both immersive and responsive gaming.

Although the colours of a VA panel are not as accurate as IPS displays, they are vibrant nonetheless. They appear more vivid to the human eye.

The downside of this monitor is that brightness flickering issues have been reported when the FPS wildly fluctuate, particularly when they go below 48 FPS. However, this is only reported in a few monitors, specifically when its FreeSync feature was enabled.

 

5.   Alienware AW2720HF

We have covered a lot of value-filled entries on this list, but the special thing about this Alienware AW2720HF is it is also fancy looking. Its thin bezels and sharp edges give it one of the most aesthetic feels, perfect for lighting up your gaming setup.

Now, coming to the more important features, it offers a very fast 1ms response time at 240Hz to give you an advantage in fast-paced competitive gaming sessions. It has native FreeSync support to minimize screen tearing and deliver consistent FPS; however, there is no G-Sync support.

Its 27-inch display is just the right size for nice-looking, sharp, and clear images; although that’s only at 1080p resolution, which might be low for some users.

It is a good monitor if your top priority is motion handling. However, that comes at a cost. The contrast ratios aren’t too good, especially in darker rooms. We would also have preferred if this Alienware model had native HDR support.

 

What To Look For When Buying A Gaming Monitor?

Whether you are on a budget or you want a great gaming monitor that to hold you over flawlessly until your next swanky gaming monitor, there are always some tips you should keep in mind. This will make sure you are spending your budget on the most heavy-hitter features to get the most value for your money.

 

Resolution

The resolution of the best monitor also refers to the number of pixels on the screen. Higher resolution will give you sharper images, but they will also be more expensive, as expected. For your best gaming monitor under $300, you will most likely find displays with 1080p or 1440p resolution.

However, 4K resolution displays are also easy to find, but you might have to give up on faster refresh rates. Besides, if you need faster refresh rates at 4K resolution, you will need an equally powerful GPU and a formidable entire gaming rig to avoid any bottlenecks.

 

Refresh Rates

The refresh rate refers to the number of times the monitor’s display refreshes in a single second and is denoted by Hertz (Hz). The higher the refresh rate, the more updated the information you get on your monitor.

The faster refresh rates will give you an edge in competitive gaming as you will be receiving info just a fraction of a second earlier than your opponent. Furthermore, a higher refresh rate results in smoother motion with less motion blur.

As covered in this list, you can find monitors with 60Hz, 144Hz, and even 240Hz easily. The resolution image quality of the display will, however, vary in this budget.

 

Display Size

The display size of your gaming monitor will depend on your personal preference. However, for a gaming monitor under $300, the display size might not be too large. However, you can still find displays with a 31.5-inch display at this budget.

If you plan to sit at a desk, which is what gamers typically do for gaming, screen size might not be too much of an issue. At a close range, a gigantic screen size will be too uncomfortable for the eyes.

Additionally, with a smaller display (say 24 inches), you will get high pixel density, resulting in crisp images with rich colours.

 

FAQs

Are VA panel monitors a better choice than IPS panels?

Both these panels have their pros and cons. VA panels offer better contrast ratios and deeper blacks, producing more dynamic and vivid images, particularly in darker scenes. This makes VA panels great for enjoying movies and games with an amazing storyline.

On the other hand, IPS panels offer accurate colours, faster refresh rates, and wide viewing angles. This makes IPS panels more suitable for photo or video editing, and for competitive gaming.

 

How much does it cost to ship a monitor?[SDAB1] 

Since you are looking for the best gaming monitor under $300, you can’t overlook the shipping prices. Typically, shipping a monitor domestically within the US can cost anywhere from $15 to $50, while international shipping can range from $50 to $200 or more.

The shipping costs depend on several factors including the monitor’s size, weight, distance, shipping method, etc. The good news is that many businesses and sellers have promotional offers going on all year round that offer sweet discounts, sometimes in the form of free shipping.

 

How to tell if your monitor is 4K?

The easiest way to determine if your monitor is 4K is to check for the manufacturer’s specifications. If you see 3840×2160 or 4096×2160, congratulations, your monitor’s resolution is 4K. You can also check in windows settings by right-clicking the desktop and selecting “display settings”. Under “resolution”, you should be able to see the familiar 4K numbers – 3840×2160 or 4096×2160.

 

Final Thoughts

Finding the best gaming monitor under $300 requires a bit of research, but the good news is there are plenty of amazing choices available at this price point. You can get a gaming monitor according to your preferences best to match your gaming categories.

If you are a competitive gamer and enjoy fast-paced games such as CS: GO, Apex Legends, or Call of Duty, you will want great monitors and faster response times. So, go for a 240Hz display.

For popular single-player titles such as The Last Of Us, God of War, or Elden Ring, you might prefer a gaming monitor with a higher resolution. 4K-60Hz displays might be more suitable for you.

Finally, if you are a versatile gamer who likes to enjoy games from all categories, your best choice will be a balanced 1440p-144Hz monitor.

 

 

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