Best Gaming Monitor 2021: Top 10 screens for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X

The Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ is our absolute favourite gaming monitor right now. It has everything you’ll want in a gaming panel, including 3440 x 1440 resolution, DisplayHDR 1000 compatibility, Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate and a 200Hz overclocked refresh rate.

That 35-inch curved screen is also an ideal size for a desktop, while the twisted stand design adds some snazzy flair to set it apart from bland office gear.

Costing around £2500, this is a very expensive option. But with only niggling issues, such as a stingy port offering and a lack of integrated speakers, the Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ is the closest you’re going to get to gaming monitor perfection.

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is a widescreen gaming monitor that’s been upgraded with Mini LED technology, resulting in one of the absolute best pictures – especially with HDR activated – currently available.

The standard Odyssey G9 is still available at a lower price if you want to save money, but the Mini LED upgrade really does make a big improvement, resulting in deeper blacks and brighter colours for the Neo.

Of course, this monitor is only worth considering if you can accommodate that lengthy 49in 32:9 widescreen and have a powerful GPU to make the most of that high resolution. But if you fit that profile, we can’t recommend this monitor enough.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full review: Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 review

The Razer Raptor hits the sweet spot between price and performance, offering superb specs without seeing the price spiral into the thousands. You might not get 4K here, but the Quad HD IPS panel looks gorgeous with vivid colours and sharp detail.

It’s also loaded with gaming features, with a 144Hz refresh rate and support for both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. The only let down in this department is the 7ms response time, although you can push that all the way down to 1ms thanks to Razer’s clever software.

The Razer Raptor might not be the most extravagant gaming monitor then, but it has a really impressive spec sheet considering it only costs £699. It’s even more tempting to buy if you already own some Razer peripherals, so you can sync them all up for a mesmerising RGB light show.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Razer Raptor review

The Acer Predator XXB273UGS is arguably the best gaming monitor on this list for the majority of gamers. Its 27-inch screen size is small enough to easily fit on you desk, and the £499.99 price is very affordable when compared to some of its rivals.

A 1440p resolution also gives you a bump on Full HD, making it very good option for the Xbox Series S. A 165Hz refresh rate also ensures a snappy performance, which is very important for competitive shooters and the like.

There are a couple of issues here, such as mediocre contrast and an underwhelming performance when you’re sat in the dark, but this is otherwise as superb Quad HD gaming monitor that’s well worth considering.

Reviewer: Andrew Williams
Full review: Acer Predator XB273UGS review

If you want the best possible Quad HD gaming monitor – whether that’s for a gaming PC or the Xbox Series S – then the Samsung Odyssey G7 is one of our top recommendations. It’s significantly more expensive than the Acer Predator monitor above, but you get a lot of improved features in return.

Firstly, the G7 boasts an incredibly high 240Hz, which will give you a higher performance ceiling for eSports titles such as Apex Legends and Fortnite. The curved design also helps to make it look pretty suave and helps to make the large 32-inch panel more accommodating.

It’s not perfect, with the odd omission of USB-C and the lack of speakers forcing you to buy your own audio setup, but these are issues worth compromising on considering the quality of the display.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full review: Samsung Odyssey G7 review

The Dell S3220DGF is one of the best monitors available with a budget-friendly price. It’s an ideal all-rounder with some great image quality coming in a rather decent design.

There’s plenty of screen real estate thanks to a 32-inch 1440p display, providing some good mid-range gaming options that’ll run well on some of the higher-spec cards from both Nvidia and AMD. There are good adjustability options here too, making it easier to create the most comfortable setup.

But if you want a wicked-fast refresh rate or a crisp 4K gaming monitor, you’ll have to look elsewhere and increase your budget accordingly.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full review: Dell S3220DGF Gaming Monitor review

The Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR has an absurdly high refresh rate, coming in at a whopping 360Hz, which is significantly better than the majority of its rivals. This means it offers a blazing fast performance, giving you an edge in competitive games.

But that high refresh rate comes at a cost, as the resolution is capped to 1920 x 1080 and the screen size is relatively small at 24.5 inches. The Asus is also rather costly, with a mighty £799 price.

Still, if you exclusively play competitive multiplayer games and want the fastest gaming monitor on the market, then the Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR is our top recommendation.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR review

Huawei has entered gaming sphere to release its first ever gaming monitor: the MateView GT. This new monitor has a built-in soundbar, which means you’re not forced to buy your own speaker system.

Offering a good 34-inch widescreen panel means there’s plenty of space for gaming and a 21:9 aspect ratio should help to increase field of view within those high-intensity games of Call of Duty Warzone. In addition, its 4ms response time and 165Hz refresh rate are both ideal for most gamers.

For those wanting a good all-rounder and who don’t have to necessarily shell out on more speakers, then the MateView GT is a great choice. If you’re an eSports pro though, you’ll probably want something with a higher refresh rate and lower latency.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: Huawei MateView GT review

The Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor may look like a television, but features such as a 120Hz refresh rate, 0.5m response time and AMD FreeSync technology leave no room for questions over its gaming credentials.

Thanks to that 4K OLED panel, you’re arguably getting the best picture quality on this list, while the 55-inch size makes this an ideal monitor for living room gaming. It’s got all the credentials to make it an excellent option for the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

But with prices hovering around an intimidating £3000 price, this gaming monitor is incredibly expensive, especially when you factor in the lack of HDR support. For that reason, we only recommend the buy if you want to play games on a blockbuster screen without comprising on the ultra-speedy performance. We also suggest checking out our Best Gaming TV list if you’re keen on this form factor.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor review

The MSI Optix MAG272CQR feels like the perfect gaming monitor for the Xbox Series S. It has a Quad HD resolution, a high 165Hz refresh rate to make the most of the console’s 120fps performance and is available at a relatively affordable £400.

There are of course better specced Quad HD monitors out there, but paying for a monitor with a higher refresh rate is a needless expense for the Series S. You could also make an argument that non-competitive PC gamers don’t really need a higher refresh rate.

We did notice some slight ghosting issues when testing the monitor, but it’s hard to find another flaw. It’s even got a USB-C port, making it easier to hook up your gaming laptop.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: MSI Optix MAG272CQR review