10 Best Gaming Monitors Under $200 – Buyer’s Guide

Technology has taken us to an age where even monitors have become optimized for gaming. While earlier monitors used to deliver constant frame-rates, there are now newer technologies which enable monitors to deliver as many frames as your graphics card can render. Not only that, but modern gaming monitors also aim to give you crisp contrast, an extended display which is more compatible with your natural senses, an ability to focus without straining your eyes and so much more. As a result, a gaming monitor has become more or less a necessity if you want to take your gaming experience to the next level, be it professional or amateur. Check out the following list of gaming monitors which we have personally tested and compiled for your comfort and let us know which you would rather choose. We’ve made sure to keep them within a reasonable budget so that most people can afford them.

1. Acer R240HY: HD Gaming Monitor

• 23.8” IPS Display capable of Full-HD.
• A fixed refresh rate of 60 Hz.
• Response time of 4 ms.
• Pixel Pitch of 0.2745mm.
• 178 Degree Wide Viewing Angle.
• 16.7 million display colors.
• The frameless screen provides maximum viewing experience.

Starting off with a rather simple gaming monitor, the Acer R240HY is a pretty good Acer gaming monitor which lives up to the standards of the company. It is quite suitable for gaming within a fixed budget as well as an entry-level gaming monitor. While the frame rate on the monitor is more or less fixed, the good thing about the monitor in addition to the vibrant display is the IPS panel which ensures that viewing angles don’t interfere with your gaming experience. To add to the clarity, the monitor can also support a full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. Even the pixel pitch is quite low, meaning that you won’t have to strain your eyes while gaming on this monitor. The 178-degree viewing angle gives you a comfortable view to enable better depth-of-field with relevant technologies such as bump mapping. The wide field of view also means that you can better see whatever is on the screen, no matter which angle you view the monitor from, making it better for watching movies in addition to playing games on it. Perhaps the best part about this monitor is the fact that it has a ‘Zero-frame design’ which means that not only does it look sleeker, there is more viewing surface on the monitor. Combine that with the ergonomic tilting capability for better viewing as well as the proprietary Acer flicker-less technology and you have the best Acer Gaming Monitor. All in all, the R240HY is one amazing gaming monitor for as an entry level gaming monitor under $200. Its IPS display, frameless design, along with the broad viewing angle gives utmost comfort to use the monitor while using it for gaming or otherwise.

Pros

• The monitor has sleek looks.
• The zero-frame design gives extra viewing surface.
• Capable of Full HD 1080p resolutions.
• Ergonomic tilt with 178-degree wide viewing angle makes viewing easier.
• Anti-flicker technology makes looking at the screen less strenuous.

Cons

• Frame-rate is locked at 60 FPS.
• The colors on the monitor aren’t all too vibrant.
• The IPS display panel may cause ghosting on the screen.
• Cannot be mounted on a wall.

2. Asus VG248QE: 24-inch Gaming Monitor

• Fast 144Hz refresh rate.
• 1ms response time.
• 16.7 million display colors.
• Capable of Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolutions.
• 3D ready display.
• Can be tilted, swiveled, and mounted.
• Built-in speakers.

Next up is a beast of a gaming monitor. The Asus VG248QE is an extremely powerful monitor that has been optimized for one sole purpose: gaming. The monitor has all it takes to make gaming not only a better experience for you but also boost it in the process. The first thing which helps you play games better is the 144 Hz refresh rate found on this monitor. While most graphics cards can render up to 300 FPS, most of them go to waste. This monitor makes your gaming experience much smoother by enabling you to catch most of those wasted frames without an issue. It may cause some strain to your eyes, although. Next up, this monitor comes with the lightning fast response speed of 1 ms, meaning that there’ll be a minimal delay between the frames rendered by your CPU and the monitor itself, making your gameplay not only smoother but also faster. Apart from that, the Full-HD 1080p display produces crisp, colorful images which have a great tone of contrast to them. More often than not, contrast is a key ingredient in gaming. However, the colors which the monitor produces seem to be a bit too colorful and vibrant, making things look a little less realistic. The monitor also comes with two built-in speakers which can be used for watching movies and other things of the sort. However, using the same for video games is not recommended as they’re merely stereo speakers and are not intended to give you three-dimensional audio feedback. The monitor is also quite flexible when it comes to ergonomics as it can be used in a variety of ways. You can tilt the monitor to accommodate your viewing angle, swivel it to have others view it along with you, use it in the landscape or portrait mode and mount it on the given stand in the same manner, and even mount it on a wall. The monitor can also be used for 3D applications as it comes 3D-ready. This includes movies, images, and games. However, you can expect the frame rate to drop a little when using it for 3D gaming. All in all, the VG248QE is one hell of an Asus gaming monitor which can boost your gaming experience by leaps and bounds. A lot of users find themselves reluctant to game at 60 Hz after gaming at 144Hz and that’s just the tip of the iceberg with the rest of the features that this has to offer.

Pros

• Capable of Full-HD 1080p resolutions.
• A high refresh rate of 144 Hz.
• The monitor comes 3D ready.
• Ergonomic design includes a variety of accommodation.
• The monitor comes with in-built speakers.

Cons

• The monitor doesn’t have a wider viewing angle.
• The high frame rate might cause strain to the eyes.
• The brightness and saturation make things look a little less realistic.
• In-built speakers not the best for gaming.
• The monitor itself looks a little weird.

3. Acer GN246HL: Acer Gaming Monitor

• Capable of Full-HD 1080p resolutions.
• 160 to 170-degree wide viewing angles.
• Fast 5 ms response time.
• A high refresh rate of 144 Hz.
• 3D application ready.

The Acer GN246HL is a splendid 24-inch gaming monitor. The monitor is made for all purposes gaming and doesn’t really provide much apart from what it is meant to be. That being said, you can use this monitor to meet all your gaming needs, no matter what they may be, including online multiplayer gaming. The monitor fixes the problem of missed frame rates with its 144Hz refresh rate. This means that you’ll find that your games run much smoother when you run it on 144 frames per second instead of the default 60 Hz which normal monitors are bound to. Furthermore, the 5 ms response time only serves to make your gameplay much faster without any latency. Most monitors have long response times, but a response time of 5ms makes your entire system extremely fast even though it is borderline overkill. The 1920 x 1080 display has got some amazing contrast to it and comes with the Acer Flicker-Less technology which makes sure that your eyes don’t get strained even while viewing the monitor at high frame rates. The amazing display exhibits the most vibrant and realistic colors to go along with the stylish looks of the monitor, as should be expected from an LED monitor such as this. While the monitor itself looks fit for show-off in your living room, it also uses NVIDIA 3D Lightboost to go along with its 3D rendering which makes sure that you get crisp, bright images while watching movies and playing games in 3D. It also supports multiple 3D glasses at the same time. However, ergonomics is not the strongest point of this monitor. While the monitor can be wall mounted and tilted forwards and backward, it cannot be swiveled or mounted in other positions. The broader viewing angles do take care of most viewing angles, but 3D content still must be viewed head-on for the best viewing experience. The Acer GN246HL is a pretty good gaming monitor which can compete with those of much higher price ranges while being not only cheap but also quite stylish and reliable. It is a good option if you’re looking for a nice entry level gaming monitor under the $200 price range.

Pros

• Capable of Full-HD 1080p resolutions.
• A high refresh rate of 144 Hz.
• Fast response time of 5 ms.
• Crisp, vibrant, high-contrast display.
• 3D monitor powered by NVIDIA Lightboost technology.
• Can be wall-mounted and tilted.
• The monitor looks pretty stylish in itself.

Cons

• The monitor is not the most ergonomically sound.
• While the viewing angle is quite wide, the colors do differ quite a lot to influence gaming.
• 3D content has to be viewed from the front for the best experience.
• The display can prove to be a little too bright at times.

4. Sceptre E205W: Best Cheap Gaming Monitor

• Maximum resolution of 1600 x 900.
• A bright 20” LED screen.
• Refresh rate locked at 60 Hz.
• Fast 5 ms response time.
• Built-in stereo speakers.
• Can be wall mounted with a VESA wall mount.

The Scepter E205W is not the best monitor out there, especially so for gaming. However, it is the best among cheaper gaming monitors if you’re restricted by a really tight budget. This monitor is for those of you who can’t afford most other ones listed here, but are looking for a good monitor for gaming anyway. There isn’t really much remarkable about the monitor. It is ordinary for the most part unless you take a look at the price tag. The screen is a smaller 20 inches but is powered by LEDs which makes the picture on your screen much brighter and full of lively and dynamic contrast. The monitor is capable of a maximum resolution of 1600 x 900, which isn’t really all that great in all honesty but is still quite good as far as gaming is concerned. Furthermore, it’ll also help your graphics card render frames with greater ease as compared to a higher resolution. The response time isn’t the best available, but it is still fast enough for gaming, primarily since it is much faster than the natural human reflex or even a trained one. The frame rate is fixed at 60 Hz, which won’t really enable you to make the most out of your gaming experience. However, it will make sure that there aren’t any frames that are choppy. The monitor also comes with a pair of stereo speakers which can be used for specific occasions when you don’t really want to use headphones. However, these speakers have a horrible sound quality and you stand better not using them at all. Even the monitor itself looks more like an ugly cross between an LCD monitor and an old CRT monitor. While looks and aesthetic sense are more subjective than factual, we sincerely did not like the way it looked one bit. The monitor can also be wall-mounted and tilted anywhere between 5 degrees forward and 15 degrees backward. The viewing angle is so broad, however, with the contrast and colors being more or less lost as you keep moving away from the perpendicular viewing angle, be it horizontally or vertically. However, mounting it isn’t easy as the leg doesn’t want to come off as easily in addition to your requirements of having to be gentle lest you break something. All in all, the Scepter E205W is not the best gaming monitor out there. But given the price range, it is a pretty good gaming monitor which makes it rather difficult to find elsewhere. It isn’t the best out there, but this is better than most other alternatives if you’re on a really tight budget.

Pros

• Quite cheap.
• An okay resolution of 1600 x 900.
• A bright LED powered screen.
• Crisper contrast and vibrancy.
• Good enough refresh-rate of 60 Hz.
• Can be wall mounted and has a 20 degree wide tilt.

Cons

• The size feels smaller than most other monitors.
• The monitor itself looks quite ugly.
• The viewing angle isn’t as wide and conforms you to being in front of the monitor.
• The speakers are better off left unused.
• The lower resolution might not be preferred at all.
• The leg cannot be taken off with ease in case you wish to mount the monitor.
• Has only one HDMI port.

5. Dell SE2417HG: Dell Gaming Monitor

• Full-HD 1080p resolutions.
• Matte-screen with an LED TN panel.
• Refresh rate locked at 60 Hz.
• Fast 2 ms response time.
• Unconventional looks.

Next up is the Dell SE2417HG. This is a pretty good monitor, especially for its certain price range of Dell monitors. Although it is not entirely meant to be a gaming monitor, it certainly does have a few features which are mostly found in gaming monitors. The Full-HD 1080p capable screen looks quite well along with the Matte finish on the screen. While this gives the overall display a more rustic look, the LED screen also ensures brightness and vibrancy. Apart from that, there isn’t much to the display including shallow contrast and depth to the images. However, the TN Panel is a bit of a problem, especially when it is locked at 60 Hz refresh rate. The primary benefit to TN panels is the fact that they can provide very fast refresh rates at the expense of color-quality and flexible viewing angles. However, with the framerate limited on the monitor, they’re taking the edge away from TN Panels. The officially stated viewing widths range from 160 degrees to 170 degrees of latency. However, the TN panel again causes the colors and contrast on the screen to become increasingly distorted, especially more so the further you view the screen at an angle until reaching almost all-black. The response time remains quite fast and is suitable for gaming. The best way to use this monitor is by viewing it from directly in front of you. The monitor can be tilted. However, watching the monitor from the wrong angle can severely affect the colors presented on the screen. Plus, the monitor cannot be mounted on a wall. All in all, the monitor performs pretty well and all things said and done, the monitor is an entry level peripheral from Dell. It does have some unconventional looks which we do find rather stylish just as you might. It is not the best of Dell monitors, but it is a good start within a budget nonetheless.

Pros

• Full-HD 1080p display resolutions.
• A somber screen with a matte finish and an LED panel.
• Delivers quick response times of 2 ms.
• Frame rate locked at playable frame-rates of 60 Hz.
• The matte screen makes sure that there is minimal glare.
• The monitor has unconventionally good looks.

Cons

• The TN panel makes for lossy color and contrast despite vibrancy.
• The screen cannot be viewed from any angle except 90 degrees.
• The monitor cannot be mounted on a wall.
• The monitor is not ergonomically sound.

6. BenQ GL2460HM: Best Budget Gaming Monitor

• Full 1080p display resolutions.
• A higher refresh rate of 75 Hz.
• Quick response time of 2 ms.
• The monitor comes with in-built speakers.
• The monitor has an in-built blue-light filter.
• Operates on zero-flicker technology.

BenQ is more or less a pretty reputed brand for monitors and displays, primarily because of the reliability of its monitors. The GL2460HM is no exception to that as it proves to be a pretty good BenQ gaming monitor in itself. It is packed with a few basic features which really do aim gaming better. The Full-HD display looks pretty stunning with the variety of vibrant hues and sharp colors which it is able to generate. The monitor generates some interesting contrast in the colors presented on screen. However, the saturation can be a bit too much at times and make things pop out too much, making them look less realistic. The monitor is also capable of representing a deep field of view which really helps you whenever you’re gaming. The short 2 ms response time works ideally to help you see things better and faster than other players especially during online multiplayer to give you an edge. The sharpness of the images, however, might be a cause of complaint to some people as the monitor does tend to compromise sharpness for a more dynamic depth-of-field. The high refresh rate of 75 Hz is more than the standard 60 Hz. It might not be the best, but it is certainly better than most and can help you significantly while gaming. Apart from that, the monitor also comes with two in-built speakers which are actually pretty good for a change. Obviously, you cannot game with them, but it would seem that the quality of the speakers comes at the cost of loudness as the speakers stand to be barely audible while being used. The monitor comes with two proprietary technologies, the blue-light filter which removes all excess blue-light from the backlight to effectively reduce damage to your eyes while using the monitor, and the zero-flicker technology makes sure that the backlight does not flicker and hence causes less irritation to your eyes when focusing on your screen for longer durations. The monitor can also be wall mounted using a VESA wall mount. However, the monitor cannot be tilted, swiveled, or mounted in any other manner. It can accommodate other devices such as gaming consoles, but it only has one HDMI port, so switching between PC and Console isn’t a choice unless you have a DVI-D or VGA input. In the end, the GL2460HM is a powerful monitor by BenQ which can greatly aid gaming as well as watching movies and other media without putting much strain on your eyes as you continue focusing for longer periods of time.

Pros

• Full-HD 1080p display resolutions.
• Fast 2 ms response time.
• The colors on the display are bright and vibrant.
• Higher 75 Hz monitor refresh rate.
• Has a glossy look to it.
• The blue-light filter ensures the safety of the eyes.
• Zero-flicker technology makes sure that there is less strain on the eyes.
• Comes with in-built speakers.

Cons

• Speakers aren’t loud and headphones come recommended.
• The shapes on the monitor aren’t sharp enough and the edges are a bit blurry.
• Colors tend to change with the angle of viewing, but not too drastically.
• The monitor is not ergonomically sound.
• The monitor has only one HDMI port.

7. Viotek NB24CB: FreeSync Gaming Monitor

• Full-HD 1080p display.
• Fast 5 ms response rate.
• Higher 75 Hz refresh rate.
• 1800R Curved LED screen.
• Freesync enabled.
• Can be wall-mounted and tilted.
• Stylish looks.
• Blue light filter with anti-glare coating.

The Viotek NB24CB is a great gaming monitor under $200 if you can afford it. It has all the features which make it worth the price to pay as far as gaming concerned.  The Full-HD 1080p capable display produces some vibrant hues with a sharp contrast to them. The screen is backed by an LED panel which makes the colors even brighter, dynamic, and lively. Even the screen is curved to give you a well-rounded view over the entire desktop through your peripheral vision and give you a superior depth-of-field. It does have its share of drawbacks though as you are getting much more expensive technology for much cheaper with this monitor. This curved screen comes at the price of ghosting wherein all the vibrant colors burn into the screen over time and can interfere with the colors, contrast, and overall capability of the monitor to display anything with clarity in the long term. The screen has a maximum refresh rate of 75 Hz. We say maximum here since it is based on the FreeSync technology which makes sure that the amount of frames rendered by the monitor is the exact same as the number of frames generated by the graphics card. However, while 75 Hz is faster than that the conventional 60 Hz, it is more or less a waste to limit FreeSync to just 75 Hz. The screen also has a blue-light filter on it to ensure that none of the ultraviolet light ever harms your eyes over long periods of exposure. The monitor itself looks quite stylish with the curved LED screen, the minimalistic border around it, the sleek size as well as the stands which it is usually mounted on. Did we mention the anti-glare coating? In case you’re not in the mode to use the stands, you can always mount the monitor on a wall using the VESA wall-mount. It can also be tilted backward and forward for viewing comfort. The VA Panel also makes sure that you don’t lose much color or contrast over a wider angle while maintaining the impressive depth of field. All in all, the Viotek NB24CB is a good monitor with a ton of expensive features packed into a much smaller price range. It is not that good for the long run or even longer durations of usage. However, it is good as a starter if you want to see what a good gaming monitor feels like. It can also be used as a cheaper budget monitor anyway.

Pros

• Full-HD 1080p display.
• 1800R Curved LED backlit screen for depth and immersion.
• Uses a VA panel for greater depth-of-field and contrast.
• Look quite stylish.
• A maximum frame rate of 75 Hz as adjusted by FreeSync.
• UV light filter and anti-glare coating to protect your eyes.
• Can be wall mounted and tilted.

Cons

• Not the fastest response time, might be even slower than the claimed 5 ms.
• The display gets burned in over time, compromising clarity.
• The monitor lacks a DVI-D port.
• Longer terms of usage may cause dead pixels to form on your screen to the burn-in.

8. MSI Optix G24C: Best Curved Gaming Monitor

• Full-HD 1080p display.
• 1800R Curved LED Screen.
• Lightning fast 1 ms response time.
• A maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz with AMD FreeSync technology.
• Deeper color depth and wider viewing angles.
• Stylish looks.
• Can be wall-mounted and tilted.

MSI is a Chinese brand which competes against Intel to make microprocessor chips. They’ve recently entered the gaming market and have decided to start making graphics processors for gaming and gaming monitors. The MSI Optix G24C is the same as the Viotek NB24CB, but better. While the latter has its own advantages, the former is much better at its job. Starting off with the display, it is capable of full-HD 1920 x 1080 pixels worth of resolution. Not only that, but the screen is powered by LED backlights which enhances all the colors, making them even more vibrant. To add on top of that, the contrast and sharpness of images are on point, making for a great experience. The depth-of-field, however, is more to be desired. The 1ms response time along with the 144 Hz refresh rate makes sure that the screen does not tear and keeps the entire gaming experience as smooth as possible, even at exceptionally high frame rates. The FreeSync technology also helps further smooth the game by utilizing only as many frames as the graphics processor can render. The screen does tear a little when the FPS fluctuates over a wider range. The screen is also curved inwards at a 1.8-meter radius. This gives you a proper sense of depth and adds more immersion to your gameplay. It also makes keeping track of all things on your screen much easier through your peripheral vision. It can enable you to spot things which you otherwise might have missed before. The monitor can also be wall-mounted using the wall-mount provided behind it and it can also be tilted to suit a better angle. The wide viewing angle gives you optimal comfort to use it as you see fit. It looks stylishly modern even when it is not mounted on a wall. A few things that are missing in this model include the anti-glare screen and the blue-light filter. All in all, the MSI Optix G24C is a splendid curved screen gaming monitor designed to give you every edge possible while gaming. It is significantly better than most other monitors in its price range, and better so exactly where it counts even though it may leave a few things to be desired here and there.

Pros

• Full-HD display resolutions.
• LED backlight for vibrant colors and contrast.
• 1800R curved screen for depth and immersion.
• Lightning fast 1 ms response time.
• A maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz powered by AMD FreeSync,
• Stylish looks.
• A wide viewing angle of 178 degrees.
• Can be wall-mounted and tilted.

Cons

• The display lacks a sense of depth.
• The display and colors can be too bright and vibrant at times.
• The colors may seem a little less realistic at times.
• The screen may tear with greater fluctuations in frame rate.

9. Asus VG245H: Adaptive Sync Gaming Monitor

• Full-HD 1080p display resolutions.
• Ultra-fast 1ms response time.
• A maximum frame rate of 75 Hz.
• Powered by AMD FreeSync.
• Six different gaming profiles.
• Blue light filter for eye care.
• Flicker-free technology for less strain on eyes.

The second entry in this list by Asus, the VG245H is a powerful adaptive sync monitor, not by virtue of hardware or features, but by virtue of its software components that come along with the monitor to make gaming easy. The rest of the monitor is pretty much like the others in this list in regards to features. Starting off with the display itself, it is capable of Full-HD 1080p resolutions giving you the cutting edge gaming graphics that you deserve while gaming. The display is flat like others, and it apparently uses an IPS display as is evident by the wide viewing angle and the sharpness of the colors involved. The colors do lack a certain depth to them. The response time is super fast at 1ms and the maximum frame rate is 75 Hz. The AMD FreeSync Adaptive Sync technology works between the frame rates of 40 FPS and 75 FPS, making the gameplay much smoother for you, of course, if your graphics card can handle it. For lower framerates, however, the game remains choppy. Furthermore, at higher frame rates such as above 65 FPS, you may experience some ghosting at times. The monitor comes with Asus’s own proprietary Blue light filter as well flicker-less backlight technology which drastically reduces stress on your eyes throughout the entire course of using the monitor, giving you more time to enjoy your game. To add to that, Asus has come up with another unique feature for gaming. The Asus GameFast technology makes the response time much slower on the device, reflecting changes much faster. To add to that, Asus GamePlus technology combined with Asus GameVisual technology gives you the option of setting six-game display settings profiles which you can change directly from the monitor while gaming. Apart from this, the monitor can be wall mounted and tilted as well, but there’s not much room for anything else. Even the tilt feels a little stiff and could probably use a bit of fixing. The monitor does, however, come with two HDMI ports which enables you to connect two devices to it at the same time. Most people use this to switch between PCs and Consoles. It can also be raised or lowered in height. In the end, the Asus VG245H is a good gaming monitor with adaptive sync technology. While it is certainly not the best at what it does, it is still quite good and gives you a fair variety of options to choose from. Enough to make it to this list of good gaming monitors under $200.

Pros

• Full-HD display resolutions.
• Lightning fast 1 ms response time.
• A maximum refresh rate of 75 Hz as set by AMD FreeSync.
• Stylish looks.
• A wide viewing angle of 178 degrees.
• Proprietary Asus Display Profiles for pre-set display modes which can be switched on and off while gaming.
• Can be wall-mounted with ease.
• Hosts two HDMI ports for simple switching between two devices.
• The height can be changed through the base.

Cons

• The adaptive sync may cause ghosting at higher framerates.
• FreeSync only works between 40 to 75 frames per second, making lower frame rates choppier.
• The monitor can be tilted, but it feels a little off to do so.
• The display lacks a sense of depth.
• The colors could be more vibrant.

10. ViewSonic VX2458-MHD: High Contrast Gaming Monitor

• Full-HD 1080p display resolutions.
• 1 ms response rate.
• 144 Hz refresh rate powered by AMD FreeSync.
• Twisted Nematic panel for dynamic effects.
• Gaming mode display profiles.
• Darkness Stabilization technology.
• Flicker-free backlight and Blue-light technology.

People wouldn’t really expect much from a lesser reputed brand such as ViewSonic. And they’re right to do so, as the VX2458-MHD does sacrifice rather essential things to deliver what it does. But if you’re looking for a better gaming monitor at the same price point, you would not find the same performance elsewhere. The display is capable of 1920 x 1080 pixels in total, giving you a well-detailed visual of what you’re watching or playing. It uses a TN Panel which comes cheap and has a few advantages. However, this compromises a lot of colors and sharpness overall. That being said, their proprietary Darkness Stabilisation gives you a better contrast in the darkness than it does elsewhere. Essentially, their technology lightens dark areas without compromising any of the shadows involved in the media, giving you a better look at the situation, and a borderline unfair edge while gaming in typically darker games. The TN panel has its advantages in the fact that it allows for amazingly fast response times and nearly zero input lag, showing you exactly what you’ve done as soon as you’ve done it. That’s the primary reason behind its 1 ms response time. However, the TN Panel does come with its disadvantages as it fails to reproduce the intended colors accurately, especially lighter ones in this case. The TN panel also causes a great variation in the colors as you start to move away from the monitor. Apart from that, the monitor also has an impressive frame rate controlled by the AMD FreeSync technology which can synchronize the frame rate with the refresh rate up to a maximum of 144 Hz. This does, however, produce a ghosting effect which is more noticeable as the frame rate keeps rising, especially well beyond 144 FPS. The monitor also has its own Display Profiles which can be used when you’re gaming to switch between one profile and then next, which you’ll have to set on your own. It also has a blue-light filter and a flicker-free technology which ensures the longevity of your eyesight over prolonged usage. Despite all that, the monitor seems to have made a few minor changes to the overall build quality. It not only feels cheap but also looks the part, turning what has the potential to be quite stylish, into something which doesn’t exactly look so good. It can be mounted on a wall and tilted, but these operations might just end up breaking the monitor if you’re not careful. At the end of the day, the ViewSonic VX2458-MHD is one monitor which you should look to purchase if you’re looking for a higher level commodity at lower prices. It has a lot of value to offer, but it is quite lacking in other areas as well.

Pros

• Full-HD 1080p display capabilities.
• Lightning fast 1 ms response time.
• Zero input lag.
• Uses proprietary Darkness Stabilization technique to provide high contrast shadow detail.
• Possesses flicker-less backlight and blue light filter.
• A maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz powered by AMD FreeSync.
• Different display profiles which can be immediately changed in-game.

Cons

• The colors lack a deeper contrast or even detail to them.
• The hues and edges are not vibrant.
• The field of view is quite narrow and limited.
• The build quality is rather cheap.
• The monitor looks quite cheap primarily due to cheap build quality.

Buyer’s Guide

Things are often more than what meets the eye. There are many things to consider when you’ve got options to choose from. Taking the time to learn about what’s good for you and what’s not is probably a good idea which can be instrumental in making the best out of such an opportunity. Hence, we have taken the time out to make a list of factors which you need to look out for while purchasing a good gaming monitor. The list above is only restricted to monitors which are within $200. That makes it even more important to understand what each one of them offers so that you end up making the choice that you won’t regret. Here are the things to look out for when buying a gaming monitor.

1. Resolution

Resolution is the term for the maximum amount of pixels which can be rendered on a monitor. The display of a monitor is made up of countless dots which produce any combination of three colors: red, green, and blue. These colors combine to give you another color entirely and that is what makes up the screen of your computer. A pixel is a software-based representation of dots on a paper. If you’re looking to make a picture using only dots, the smaller the dots and the closer they are to each other, the better your picture would be. As a result, the more pixels a monitor can render, the finer your graphics. That being said, there are limits to what the human eye can see. Typically 1080p is considered the most realistic resolution with anything beyond that being called overkill. Furthermore, the more your resolution, the greater the load on your graphics processor to render said pixels. Hence, you should get a monitor with as many pixels as your graphics card can possibly render without being too slow or choppy.

2. Screen Size

There’s no real mystery involved here. A bigger screen makes looking at things and spotting them much easier. A bigger screen also makes you feel more immersed in your gaming experience. However, screens can also be too big. If you sit close to a screen so large that you can’t see it entirely, the screen might be a little too large. The same goes for when the images on your screen start getting blurry. When this happens, you’re sitting too close to a screen that’s too big. Also, big screens are much more difficult to carry around, making them less portable.

3. Panel Technology

Monitors are made in a variety of ways and consequently, there are a variety of technologies to form the panel of any monitor. In modern monitors, the one thing for certain is the fact that all of them are Liquid Crystal Display monitors. Meaning that they use Liquid Crystals to light. The following are a few common technologies: LED: LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. These diodes produce a lot of light at the expense of a nominal amount of electricity. LED, AMOLED, OLED panels are usually simple LCD panels with LED lights acting as the backlight instead of a CCFL light. These increase the vibrancy of colors as well as the brightness of the images by a huge factor. It can be combined with any other penal technology. TN Panel: TN stands for Twisted Nematic. It is a kind of LCD panel where the liquid crystals are accompanied by transistors to give the liquid crystals their respective colors. These account for the fastest monitors in terms of response speeds and usually have higher refresh rates. These are also the cheapest to make. However, they are rather bad at reproducing colors and it has a very tiny viewing angle as the colors keep deteriorating the more you look at the screen at an angle. IPS: IPS refers to In-Plane Switching. These are the most expensive kinds of LCD panels out there. These are also slower when it comes to response times and usually, do not provide a fast enough refresh rate for gaming even though such a feat can be accomplished. They work on the same technology as the TN Panel, but the liquid crystal cells have a different orientation. This addresses the problem of poor viewing angles and color reproduction at the cost of a minor sacrifice of speed. VA: VA stands for Vertical Alignment. It has many variants such as PVA, SVA, MVA, and others. This sort of technology is the slowest of all monitor panel technologies. While modern VA panels have impressive refresh rates and response times of up to 1 ms, they are quite rare and expensive. This sort of panel reproduces extremely deep colors including black and white. VA panels also have the most depth-of-field to their display. They also tackle the problem of viewing angles wherein the colors do shift if the monitor is viewed from an angle, but they don’t change as much as they do on a TN panel.

4. Color Range

Based on the technology of the monitor, and primarily the panel used in the monitor has a very specific range of colors which it can render. The color range is nothing but the number of colors which any monitor can reproduce. TN panels have an extremely poor color range, while IPS planes can produce as many as 16 millions colors. VA panels, being the best for color reproduction, have a very diverse range of colors which it can generate, usually nearing 30 or even 32 million colors. A monitor with a good color range can easily help you work better by making sure that you can distinguish one object from the rest. Not only that, but this also helps you find more vibrant hues on your display.

5. Response Time

The response time of any monitor is basically the amount of time the monitor takes in order to turn one liquid crystal from one color to another. This is usually measured in milliseconds and the shorter, the better in this case. A good response time serves two purposes, the first being that it keeps the game smooth and free of choppy frames. Second, it ensures that you perform the action which you wanted to perform in the game as you pressed the button for it.

6. Supported Connectors

A good monitor should have a variety of connectivity options along with it. There are three primary types of display connections still in use today. VGA: VGA stands for Video Graphics Array. They are connections between the PC and the monitor. They were more predominant towards the older days of computing even though modern computers are usually found more often using DVI and HDMI cables instead. HDMI: HDMI stands for High Definition Media Input. These cables can transfer both videos at resolutions of 1080p as well as audio. DVI: DVI stands for Direct Visual Interface and it refers to the kinds of connections which transfer only high-quality videos straight to the monitor. The connectors are usually the only ones which allow higher frame rates and faster response times when being used through the same connectors. It is important that you have all the ports that you might need on your monitor. Some people like to find monitors with two HDMI ports so that they can switch between their PCs and their consoles on demand. Some people prefer to not use the VGA port at all since it more or less being washed out.

7. Adaptive Sync

Adaptive-Sync is one of the many features of modern LCD monitors where the refresh rate of the monitor can be controlled to match the number of frames rendered by the graphics processor of a PC. This not only makes the gameplay smoother by limiting choppiness and cut frames but it also utilizes every single frame produced by the graphics processor, making animations and transitions even smoother without any latency or interruption. There are currently two technologies which provide Adaptive Sync, AMD FreeSync, and NVIDIA GSync. While the former is free is inexpensive, the latter is proprietary and much more powerful and expensive.

8. Additional Features

There are quite a lot of other features which you may want in your gaming monitor. The following is the list of common features which you could wish for in your gaming monitor: Speakers: Some gaming monitors come with a pair of stereo speakers built into them. While gaming is not recommended on stereo speakers such as these which do not provide any sense of surround sound, you can still use these while watching other media or if you don’t want to invest separately into a pair of speakers. Curved screen: As the name suggests, a curved screen monitor has a screen which is curved inwards. This makes the display much more dynamic by giving it an enhanced sense of depth, particularly evident in 3D games, and hence adding immersion to it. It can also help you keep the edges of the monitor within your peripheral vision, making it easier for you to spot things which you would’ve otherwise missed or neglected. Wall-mount: A monitor can also be wall-mounted. This saves a lot of space on your desktop in case you wish to keep it free and frees up the monitor from the limits of personal use so that you can use it as a common screen while gaming or watching movies. Sometimes, you may want to arrange your monitor such that you can use it from more comfortable positions. A wall-mount enables you to do just that. Usually, people opt for this option when they wish to use their monitor as a Television set or as a display for console gaming. Ergonomics:  Ergonomics simply means comfort and efficiency packed together. An ergonomic monitor is not only practically efficient, but it is also comfortable to use. This includes the ability to tilt, swivel, mount, spin or even change the orientation of the said monitor. Anti-glare screen: An anti-glare screen on a monitor will make sure that excess light such as sunlight or the light emanating from a bright bulb in your room. It makes sure that the surface of the screen does not reflect any of the light back at you, blocking your view from whatever your currently working on, be it work, coding, or gaming. Flicker-free technology: Monitors which do not have an LED panel behind them usually use a CCFL bulb instead of it. The problem with the CCFL bulb is that the light flickers at frequencies of around 200 Hz which can be strenuous to the eyes over longer durations of usage. Flicker-free technology takes care of that by eliminating the flickering of the CCFL bulb or by eliminating the bulb entirely and using an LED panel instead. Blue-light filter: The computer screen can make quite a significant amount of ultraviolet rays which are quite harmful to your eyes, especially in the darkness. A blue-light filter simply does not let the blue light from the computer screen pass through so that it does not harm your eyes no matter how long you stare at the computer screen.

9. Budget

Obviously, there’s no need to go over your budget to buy something which you cannot afford. Always go for the monitor which appropriately fits your budgets. But again, there’s just a little more to it than that. You should go for the monitor which suits your needs best while giving you the best features within your budget.

FAQs

Is a monitor better than a TV for gaming?

A monitor is much more preferable over a TV as far as competitive gaming is concerned. TVs are designed to deliver beautiful visual imagery, while monitors may or may not do that. But monitors are meant for faster response speed and other features which are usually missing in television sets such as antialiasing, adaptive refresh rates, ergonomics and so forth. While it’s perfectly fine to be gaming on a TV, you should opt for a monitor if you’re playing competitive, or if the lack of finer detail irks you.

How much does a gaming monitor cost?

Gaming monitors can start from as cheap as $120, but they may lack quite a lot of features which gaming monitors should have. Normally, gaming monitors with a Full-HD 1080p display can easily cost anywhere between $160 to $200. However, even these monitors have something or the other which they are comprising for the lower price tag. In the end, if you want the best gaming monitors to go pro, it can easily cost you around $600 to $800 for features like 4K resolutions, NVIDIA GSync, Curved OLED Screens, Unlimited Refresh Rates and more.

Which is the best cheap monitor?

According to our list above, the best cheap gaming monitor would have to be the Sceptre E205W. The monitor does not have a full-HD capable screen or even higher frame rates or faster response times. However, it is much more efficient than most other monitors at the meager price of $70. Looking at the price tag and comparing that to the features, we decided to let the smaller screen and related issues rest for once.

What makes a gaming monitor good?

In short, it’s the features which you experience while playing your favorite game. A good gaming monitor instantly responds to whatever input you give and displays the changes on the screen immediately. Furthermore, they can also handle higher frame rates without much of an issue or having the screen tear every now and then. Lastly, good gaming monitors provide good color and visuals which make it easier for you to do what you’re doing, be it playing a shooter, racing, or fighting game or simply even watching a movie. Kindly refer to our Buyer’s Guide section to know exactly what to look for in a gaming monitor.

Which monitor size is the best for gaming?

While it’s usually the case that bigger is better, too big can be problematic. Your monitor should be big enough for you to see things clearly, or even better than other players in a competitive multiplayer environment. However, if the monitor gets too large, then keeping track of all the things on the screen becomes quite a difficult task, even though it does indulge you in immersion. Lastly, the number of pixels per square inch of your computer isn’t changing. If you take a monitor which is too large and doesn’t have the appropriate resolution, you’ll end up with bloated images which are out of focus, making the display feel a bit off. After all, larger displays are meant to be viewed from a greater distance.

Is a 4K monitor good for gaming?

Whether a 4K monitor is good for gaming or not, depends entirely upon your graphics processor and ultimately how powerful your gaming rig is. While you’ll have an unparalleled definition in the images on the screen, it will also put tons of pressure on your graphics processor and RAM to actually render those images. Hence, if your Gaming Rig isn’t built to handle gaming at 4K resolutions, it is best not to. Otherwise, nothing can beat the immersion and definition found while gaming in 4K.

What resolution do pros play on?

Now, this is something that we get asked a lot. And here is the answer which we give every single time. Pros play at the resolution which makes the game run the smoothest. While most pro players have enough money to build a beastly gaming rig which can easily run a game at 4K while meditating for inner peace, professionals have been known to lower their resolution and settings down to where they get faster response times and more playable frame rates including 1080p and even lower. It is always performance over aesthetics for professionals since beauty isn’t going to help them get every single advantage that they can get while playing a match. However, that doesn’t need to be your choice as well. Feel free to be oriented towards aesthetics if that’s what you like about gaming. After all, you define your fun.

Is a curved monitor better for gaming?

Short answer, yes. A curved monitor helps you focus your eyes better on a 3D environment. This has two benefits to it. You can now easily catch things that you would’ve otherwise missed by virtue of your peripheral vision. Furthermore, it gives you an added sense of depth to your games, increasing the level of immersion during gaming. As a result, you can now focus better and enjoy things even more.

Should I get a GSync or a FreeSync monitor?

Let’s start off by clearing something. FreeSync is the free, open-source Adaptive sync technology created by AMD. It synchronizes the refresh rate with the frame rate using the HDMI or DVI communication channels while you’re playing a game to dynamically change the refresh rate of your monitor to better match the frame rate of your GPU. It is not perfect and it does occasionally produce screen tearing and ghosting, especially at wildly variable and high frame rates. However, it is cheaper and inexpensive to implement, so you can find this technology on cheaper gaming monitors. GSync is a proprietary technology by NVIDIA which uses a chipset inside the monitor to achieve the same thing which FreeSync does. However, GSync is simply much more powerful than FreeSync and as such, it is also quite expensive. You can expect to find this on higher-end monitors. So, to answer your question, go for GSync if you can afford to do so. However, if you are following a rather tight budget, it would be better to go for a FreeSync monitor instead and get other features along with it instead of blowing all your money on a GSync monitor without many other features. Either of them doesn’t really make as much of a difference while gaming as other technologies and features do.

Verdict

There are different kinds of gaming monitors out there. And when you’re looking for those that are below the price range of $200, you’ll need to be quite picky about what you want unless you get a cheaper version of it all. You can simply go for the cheapest of the lot with the Sceptre E205W if you’re on a budget which is too tight. Alternatively, you can also opt for the BenQ GL2460HM if you’re looking for something more reliable. The Viotek NB24CB is more of a jack of all trades, while the MSI Optix G24C is a good curved screen gaming monitor. In case you’re looking to find a brand which you can trust, you can go for the Acer GN246HL, Dell SE2417HG, or the Asus VG245H. In case you want performance and don’t really mind aesthetics all that much, you should definitely go for the ViewSonic VX2458-MHD. And if you’re interested in the games with good graphics, you might want to go for the Acer R240HY. In the end, there are quite a lot of choices for you. However, the one which you choose depends entirely upon your requirements. So think hard and make a good choice which you won’t regret. Also, let us know below what you chose from the list which we have created above.