The 5 best budget gaming monitor in 2021

You want to improve your experience while playing games at home without needing to spend too much money? The best budget gaming monitors below are your solution. 


Besides a good PC, a monitor is the second most crucial thing to elevate your gaming experience. You might think that it will cost you an arm and a leg to be able to purchase a high-quality display for gaming. It will, but the good news is there are still a variety of budget-friendly gaming monitors for you to choose from. 

With a humble budget, your gaming screen can still fit your standard needs for a good monitor to play games, such as high resolution, refresh rate, and response time. However, we will have to admit the fact that the low-price gaming display might lack several advanced features, which you have to pay a little more to have on your monitor. 

Anyway, it would be fine to opt for a gaming monitor which is sold at a reasonable price. And this article will provide you with an overview of gaming monitors and the key factors that you should look at to buy the best one that suits your needs. Moreover, you will find the best gaming monitors from the top brands on the market so that shopping for a gaming screen next time can be done with minimal effort. 

Our top picks 

SAMSUNG LC24F396FHNXZA 23.5″ FHD Curved LED-Lit FreeSync Monitor

SAMSUNG LC24F396FHNXZA 23.5" FHD Curved LED-Lit FreeSync Monitor
SAMSUNG LC24F396FHNXZA 23.5″ FHD Curved LED-Lit FreeSync Monitor

Let’s start the list with a curved monitor from Samsung. With under $200 and now you can equip yourself with a curved screen that allows you to immerse yourself into the game and elevate your gaming experience. Although it has a humble refresh rate (60Hz) and response time (4ms), it is enough for you to play standard games without suffering any problem. This Samsung model features an excellent 3000:1 contrast ratio so that you can easily play games through the night with a clear distinction between dark and light modes. 

Notably, this gaming monitor will automatically adjust the brightness of your screen to be more suitable with the natural light, which will save your power and electric bill in the long term. At this price, this monitor will satisfy most of the average gamers. 

Sceptre Curved 30″ 21:9 Gaming LED Monitor

Sceptre Curved 30" 21:9 Gaming LED Monitor
Sceptre Curved 30″ 21:9 Gaming LED Monitor

Professional gamers can consider this suggested monitor from Sceptre. The reason why this screen is perfect to play games is that it offers the best response time with 1ms and an 85Hz refresh rate. It is superb for fast-moving games or watching action movies. 

The monitor minimizes the blue light to protect your eyes, especially for gamers who usually use it all night long. The ultra wide screen has a curved and edgeless design, providing users a realistic circumstance while playing games. The screen has two HDMI ports, one display port behind, and two side-by-side backlighting behind. The ergonomic tiltable display allows you to adjust and find the best position for your vision. With a little higher price than the first one, this Sceptre monitor is worth the price. 

Dell S2421HGF 24 Inch FHD TN, Anti-Glare Gaming Monitor

Dell S2421HGF 24 Inch FHD TN, Anti-Glare Gaming Monitor
Dell S2421HGF 24 Inch FHD TN, Anti-Glare Gaming Monitor

Dell is too famous for their gaming hardware, therefore, the monitor from this one is considered the best overall. You will get an advanced-feature monitor at a very reasonable price. The 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate keep you away from any motion blur or screen tearing, even when you are playing a really fast game. 

Although this is not a curved screen, the high-quality images and tiltable screen will actually provide the best immersive situation and the best comfort. No wonder why this is one of Amazon’s choices and has satisfied almost 100% of their customers who have bought this unit.  

ASUS VP249QGR 23.8” Gaming Monitor 144Hz Full HD

ASUS VP249QGR 23.8” Gaming Monitor 144Hz Full HD
ASUS VP249QGR 23.8” Gaming Monitor 144Hz Full HD

This is an IPS monitor from ASUS- a well-known brand for computer components. However, its price is very affordable, which is under $300. The ultimate 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time will deliver the best gaming experience. 

The special thing that many gamers, especially novice players love about this monitor is the built-in game center to practice and improve their skills. This program is built from professional gamers’ input, therefore, it will be very realistic and helpful. 

There are five levels of blue light mode for you to choose from to get your eyes relaxed while playing games for a long time. 

Acer XFA240 24″ Gaming Monitor 

Acer XFA240 24" Gaming Monitor
Acer XFA240 24″ Gaming Monitor 

The last one that we highly recommend is the Acer flat monitor. You will have all the excellent features at a very reasonable price. It provides you with 1920×1080 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time, which will give you the smoothest experience for all the racing and shooting shots. 

Especially, you can even adjust the screen to a 90-degree pivot, move up or down, backward, or toward to meet your most comfortable posture. This also helps you save space if your desk is not that large for a wide screen. 

What types of gaming monitors?

When it comes to gaming monitors, you can choose among different kinds of panels, which result in distinctive representations. Let’s look at the comparison table below to see the pros and cons of each type of the panel in the gaming monitors. 

IPS (In-Plant Switching)TN (Twisted Nematic)VA
Image qualityHighest quality of color.That means the characters in your games will look the most realistically and lively. The images are therefore sharp at any angle, making it ideal to share with a team game.Poorer color representation (look duller) than other types of displays.Average image quality, between the IPS and TN panels.This kind of panel is outstanding in contrast ratio, allowing you to play games at night without getting trouble to see the light and dark situations.
Refresh rateThe lowest refresh rate. Normally, an IPS gaming monitor with a high refresh rate will cost more than other panel types. Therefore, with an IPS monitor, you usually get a low refresh rate.The highest refresh rate (usually 144Hz), results in smoother actions so that you will have a better experience while playing some fast-moving games.Average refresh rate. Typically, you will find VA gaming monitors with 60Hz to 120Hz.
Response timeLow response time, about 4 milliseconds. However, it does not cause any severe problems, but you will still encounter ghosting motion when playing fast-moving games.Low response time, about 1 millisecond.This allows you to almost never suffer from motion blur in fast games.The highest response time, about 5 milliseconds.This means you might have to suffer from blurred lines while playing fast-moving games.
PriceMost expensive type of gaming monitorThe lowest priceAlso a little expensive, but more affordable

In a nutshell, TN monitors are the most popular type when it comes to choosing the best screen for gaming. Although the image and color might not look as sharp as in other counterparts, in the same range of price, they offer the best refresh rate and response time, which are likely to be more important when playing games. 

What to consider when buying a gaming monitor?

Here we provide useful buying guides that will help you choose the best gaming monitor among plenty of brands out there. 


It would be best to enjoy high-resolution gaming. The resolution measures the number of pixels in every dimension, which is displayed on your screen. Higher image quality has higher resolution, but it should be compatible with your gaming PC, too. That means if your PC doesn’t have adequate capacity to run a high-resolution monitor, it is of no use.

Size and design

Another factor that you need to consider when buying a powerful gaming monitor is the size and design of that screen. Although this aspect doesn’t relate to any technical features and more about your preference and comfort while playing games, it shouldn’t be underestimated.

For example, you can choose between a flat or curved screen. The latter is likely to offer a better vision but usually costs you more. Or you can also opt for a large or smaller display, and the size of your monitor will be equivalent to other technical features. A small screen might not need very high resolution but still represents good quality images.  

Refresh rate

Refresh rate is a measurement of the number of times the image is refreshed on your screen. When it comes to a refresh rate, more is less. A high refresh rate improves the responsiveness and reduces screen tearing, helping you experience better while playing fast games. 

Regular monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, and a good gaming monitor can reach up to 144Hz. A 144Hz screen used to be high-end in the past few decades, but with the development of technology, now it is more affordable.  

Response time 

This factor is usually confused with the refresh rate. It counts the time your monitor takes to change from one color to another, usually measured in milliseconds (ms). The lower the response time is, the better the quality of your games’ images is. Normally, 1ms monitors are the best. 


Although you have determined beforehand that the gaming monitor you will purchase will be less than $300, there is still a wide range of prices for you to choose from. Around $100, $200, or close to $300 monitors are all available, and you should also consider other aforementioned factors with the relative price tags to choose the most suitable one. 

FAQs about gaming monitors

Do gaming monitors work as regular monitors?

Yes, you can use gaming monitors and regular multimedia counterparts interchangeably. The reason is gaming monitors are just regular monitors with some higher quality features, therefore, they will definitely meet your requirements and perfectly work as a good regular monitor. 
The problem is although most features of a gaming monitor are likely to show more advantages than regular monitors, it doesn’t always offer better resolution. This is because monitors for gaming focus on the response times and refresh rates rather than the resolution. Whereas, a multimedia monitor for displaying clips and images also requires high-quality static images.  
So to buy a gaming monitor that also works for work or daily watching, you should opt for the one with a high resolution. 

What is HDR?

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, is a color technology that allows the monitor to display more colors and contrasts. If a monitor is packed with HDR technology, it can achieve brighter and more realistic images and videos with a variety of different tints. 
This technology comes in different types of brightness and colors. When it comes to gaming monitors that support HDR technology, they will allow you to see more detail in dark places, which is a crucial thing in games. 

How important is a 144Hz monitor for gaming?

A refresh rate (measured in Hz) will count the number of times an image is refreshed per second. This measurement affects motion handling, which means the bigger it is, the better the quality of the image or video is. 
While regular monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, today, many gaming monitors are equipped with a 120Hz, or 144Hz rate, which is much better than the 60Hz counterpart. These refresh rates are ideal for fast-moving content, so perfectly suitable for racing games. A 144Hz gaming monitor will refresh the image on the screen 144 times in one second, helping you get rid of frame loss that affects your performance while playing games.  

Is a curved monitor better for gaming?

A: Generally, a curved monitor is better for gaming, especially if you spend most of your time playing games. The purpose of using a curved monitor while playing a game is to immerse yourself in the character in the game so that your experience will be much more realistic. Technically, a curved monitor is nothing different from a flat screen, except for the curvature and the three-dimensional space it provides. 
With this design, you will have a better vision and can place yourself in the middle of the game. This will not only enhance your performance but also help your eyes relax because you only have to focus on smaller angles on the screen. The only minus of a curved gaming monitor will cost you more compared to the flat counterparts. 

Bottom line

So with under $300, you can still have a wide collection of gaming monitors to choose from. We believe you will find these screens not only affordable but also beyond expectation. It’s time to update your old and lagged screen at home and replace it with one of the best gaming monitors below: SAMSUNG 23.5″ FHD Curved LED-Lit FreeSync Monitor, Sceptre Curved 30″ 21:9 Gaming LED Monitor, Dell S2421HGF 24 Inch FHD TN, Anti-Glare Gaming Monitor, ASUS VP249QGR 23.8” Gaming Monitor 144Hz Full HD, and Acer XFA240 24″ Gaming Monitor.  

Tech Blazes Team

Tech Blazes

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