Your gaming setup doesn’t have to cost the earth. Although PC gaming has often been thought of as a prohibitively expensive pastime that necessitates spending thousands of pounds, this simply isn’t true anymore; you can game on your PC using budget components and peripherals and still have a great time. In many cases, the monitors we’re about to list can be bought with £500 loans from a reputable provider, such is their low price point, but you’re not compromising on quality, either. Here are the best budget gaming monitors to buy in 2022.
Asus VP28UQG
For 4K gaming on a budget, look no further than the Asus VP28UQG. Boasting a latency of just a single millisecond (making it ideal for esports) and a sharp TN panel, the VP28UQG also sports AMD FreeSync technology, minimising screen tearing and keeping your gaming sessions zippy and responsive. The panel’s bezels are a little thick, but when you’re getting 4K gaming for under £250, that’s really not something to complain about.
Alienware AW2521HF
Now this monitor is an esports enthusiast’s dream. As you’ll know if you play any esports game, refresh rates and frame rates are far more important than graphical fidelity, which is why this budget Alienware offering sports an incredible 240Hz refresh rate. When every single digit counts – as it does when you’re playing competitive games – a 240Hz refresh rate could be the difference between victory and defeat. Luckily, this panel also has great picture quality and several USB ports for connectivity, too.
Gigabyte M27Q
If you like your gaming monitors to be fairly unobtrusive and simple, then the Gigabyte M27Q is for you. It’s got a clean, very “un-gamer” design; you won’t find any sharp edges or LED lighting here. What you will find is a sharp, crisp 1440p panel with excellent colour reproduction. You won’t be able to reposition it too much, as your options for customising its positioning and angle are a little limited. However, for our money, the M27Q is the real deal.
ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC
Ultrawide monitors have really come into their own in the past few years, and nowhere is that better exemplified than in the ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC. It pairs a 3440×1440 resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate, making it excellent for protracted gaming sessions. The bezels are virtually nonexistent, so you’re getting a lot of screen for your buck here. The set suffers a little from colour reproduction issues, but considering the price, that shouldn’t be too much of an issue for you.
Z-Edge UG24
It must be said that most monitors really do have terrible names. They might not be among the worst product names in history, but they could be snappier. Not so with the Z-Edge UG24, which has a short and sweet name to match its simple yet effective design. It’s an ultra-budget curved gaming display with a full HD resolution and a 180Hz refresh rate. You’ll notice the bezels, and there’s no HDR support, but this is an excellent budget unit.
Sceptre IPS 27” Monitor
Sceptre’s monitors are sold under the “Edgeless” branding, which means they pride themselves on having virtually invisible bezels. We’re not entirely sure about that, but we can vouch for this 27” full HD panel. This monitor also boasts rear-firing speakers and LED lighting, but given that you’re looking at the screen a lot of the time, you likely won’t notice the latter. If you’re looking for a solid, no-nonsense gaming panel that won’t break the bank, this one has you covered.
Dell S3222DGM
Dell, Dell, Dell. Your monitor technology is so great, but your naming conventions really could use some work. This bafflingly-monikered little wonder is a 32-inch QHD panel with a 165Hz refresh rate. It’s curved, allowing for excellent visuals when you’re looking at it head-on, and it also has a relatively unobtrusive profile, allowing it to sit in pretty much any office or location without intruding on the space. It’s a little on the large side, but if that’s what you want, you’ve found your monitor.
Asus TUF Gaming VG259QM
Another contender for the “great monitor, shame about the name” award, the VG259QM is a super-high refresh rate display that probably won’t do you much good if you’re a console gamer, as it has some noticeable input lag in its 60Hz mode. However, if you’re a PC gamer who cares a great deal about refresh rates, then this full HD display should be all you need, and for a reasonable price as well. It’s an IPS panel, which means it has great colour reproduction and excellent viewing angles, too.
LG UltraGear 27GN800-B
Part of LG’s UItraGear gaming range, the 27GN800-B has all the things you’d expect from an excellent gaming monitor: a 1ms response time, quad HD resolution, and a 144Hz refresh rate, which is all most gamers are going to need. It’s a beautiful monitor, too, adding a sleek and minimalist feel to your desktop. This monitor is also compatible with Nvidia G-Sync, which should all but eliminate screen tearing in most games, allowing you to enjoy a smooth and unblemished picture when you’re gaming.
We hope these budget gaming monitors scratch your itch for great gear at low prices. The market for budget monitors is pretty saturated; if you don’t like what you see here, you’re bound to find something else that tickles your fancy if you look for long enough. What’s your favourite budget gaming monitor? Which ones did we miss?
