Gaming monitors have been going through somewhat of a renaissance lately thanks to advancements in GPU technology. Instead of the boring Full HD monitors that have been around since forever, we now have displays with higher refresh rates, adaptive refresh rate technology, quantum dot panels, eye tracking, and much more. You basically can’t buy a basic 1080p 60Hz monitor anymore now that midrange graphics cards can easily drive a 1080p display at high frame rates, so it’s time to reassess what is the gold standard for your traditional gaming.In my humble opinion, the new sweet spot is at 27″ at 2,560 x 1,440 since it strikes the perfect balance between panel size, desktop real estate, price, and features. Throw in a 144Hz (or higher) refresh rate and adaptive refresh rate technology, and you have yourself quite the sweet setup for high-res, fluid gaming. Sure you could go for a 4K monitor, but most GPUs can’t run games at that resolution with all settings maxed, and on the other end of the spectrum 1080p is just too low-res for my tastes, though it is certainly good for high frame rates. With that all out of the way, let’s look at the best 27-inch monitors you can buy without breaking the bank.Speaking of saving, you’ll also want to check out the Black Friday pages we have on the best deals from Amazon and Walmart.
TL;DR: These are the Best 27-inch Gaming Monitors:
1. Asus ROG Swift PG279Q
Best 27-inch Gaming Monitor
The Asus ROG Swift PG279Q 144Hz G-Sync monitor sports a fast and pretty IPS panel. Thanks to all these fine qualities, this monitor sits near the top of the Asus Republic of Gamer’s (ROG) line of monitors.The ROG PG279Q is a fantastic choice for gaming thanks to its 1ms response time, refresh rate overclockable to 165Hz, and it features a really attractive design with razor-thin bezels on the sides.
2. Viotek GFT27D
Best Budget 27-inch Gaming Monitor
The Viotek GFT27DB (read our review) isn’t just one of the cheapest 27-inch gaming monitors you can buy, it’s also one of the most versatile displays on the market. Its a Freesync gaming monitor that works well with both gaming PCs and gaming laptops with AMD graphics, as well as the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. You’ll also be able to enjoy this display’s variable refresh rate technology with any Nvidia powered systems, even though it’s technically not listed to be G-Sync Compatible.As with all other monitors on this list, the Viotek GFT27D utilizes a 1440p display that can deliver a speedy 144Hz refresh rate. Thanks to its TN panel, it’s also a bit quicker on response time that can be short as 1ms. Also unlike most TN screens, this one has no trouble resolving deep blacks or bright colors.
3. Dell S-Series 27-inch (S2719DGF)
Best Freesync 27-inch Gaming Monitor
The Dell S-Series 27-inch (read our review) is another fantastically affordable 27-inch QHD gaming monitor that lets you step up from a ho-hum 24-inch 1080p display. What you get here is a factory-tuned 2,560 x 1,440 TN panel with 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time that also supports AMD FreeSync.Unlike most of the gaming monitors on this list, the S-Series 27-inch’s styling is fairly reserved. If anything, it looks more like one of Dell’s traditional consumer monitors between it’s clean, minimalist aesthetic and extremely slim bezels. It also has great ergonomics with a monitor stand that allows you to fully adjust the tilt, height, swivel, and pivot of this display.
4. LG 27GL850
Best G-Sync 27-inch gaming monitor
The LG 27GL850 is the 27-inch gaming monitor you should buy if you’re playing on an Nvidia-powered gaming system. Its G-Sync support will take your already smooth running 144Hz games and exterminate any possible screen tearing.What’s more, it’s a great-looking monitor thanks to LG’s Nano IPS technology. You get HDR10 colors that cover 98% of the DCI-P3 color space and an almost unheard of 1ms response time on an IPS display like this. As long as you’ve got a GPU that can actually render games at such a high-frame-rate and QHD, this is easily one of the best choices for gaming at 1440p.
5. Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ
Best G-Sync Compatible 27-inch Gaming Monitor
The Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ is the most full-featured 27-inch gaming monitor on this list. It has all the specs we expect from this class of display with a sharp 1440p picture and a quick 144Hz refresh rate. It might be a FreeSync 2 display by design, but it’s also G-Sync Compatible, so you’ll get a smooth gaming experience whether you’re gaming on an Nvidia or AMD-powered system.The Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ is pretty affordable too at only $430, so it’s one of the more affordable options on this list. And yet you get HDR10 support along with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time at this price point.
6. MSI Optix MPG27CQ
Best Curved 27-inch Gaming Monitor
A curved gaming monitor like the MSI Optix MPG27CQ (read our review) might not seem like it would make sense for monitors only 27-inches in size, but the added level of immersion isn’t something you should pass up, especially at a price this low. Wrapped around this gaming monitor’s 1800R curvature you get a 1440p resolution,144Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time.The MSI Optix MPG27CQ is also one of the few gaming monitors that have managed to integrate RGB lighting in a useful way. The five lights are arranged along the bottom of the display can be programmed with the SteelSeries GameSense software to show you critical in-game information such as your remaining health, ammo count, and cooldown status.
7. AOC Agon AG271QG
Best RGB 27-inch Gaming Monitor The AOC Agon AG271QG (read our review) pretty checks off all the boxes typical PC gamers have for a gaming monitor: 2560 x 1440 resolution, Nvidia’s G-Sync, and a super-fast 165Hz refresh rate.Aside from including the basic stuff, this gaming monitor has an exceptional IPS panel that produces great colors and deep blacks without any of the ghosting or glow issues that usually plague displays like it.
What to Look For in a 27-inch Gaming Monitor
If you’re already set on buying a 27-inch gaming monitor, you’ve already settled the big question of how large of a display is right for you. With that in mind, the biggest thing you need to consider is what resolution is right for you. At this screen size, it’s worth looking only into displays that are sharper than 1080p as the pixel you get from a Full HD resolution panel are starting to spread out too far on a display this large.Once you get into 27-inch monitors, it’s best to start looking at displays with at least a 2,560 x 1,440 or Quad HD resolution. 4K isn’t exactly necessary with a display this large, but it’s also not necessarily a waste as the 3,840 x 2,160 resolution will still look sharper. Just be aware as you go up in resolution so will the price of the gaming monitors you look at. [
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Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam