When it comes to gaming, there are a few components we focus on. Most of us get excited about a new graphics card as we think of the high-end titles we'll finally be able to play. Others get excited over the lightning-fast speed of their new RAM or their quick-loading SSD. But what about the part of your build that you'll spend every second interacting with?
Your monitor is one of the most important parts - as well as one of the most fun to buy! If you're curious about finding the best monitors, we're here to help guide you. Here are our favorite 1440p monitors so you can make the most out of your new hardware.
Updated June 6, 2024 by Kenny Kimberly: There's no such thing as too many monitors! We've come back to blow the dust off this piece and offer two more suggestions, which you'll find at the top of the list. Enjoy!
AOC Gaming CU34G3S Monitor
Best Curved Monitor See at AmazonBenQ MOBIUZ EX3415R
Best Built-In Speakers $600 at WalmartASUS ROG Strix XG349C
Premium Pick $799 at WalmartASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch QHD 180Hz Gaming Monitor
Editor's Choice See at AmazonLG UltraGear 27GL83A-B 27-inch QHD 144Hz Gaming Monitor
Best Wide Angle Viewable Monitor See at Amazon- See More
GIGABYTE GS27QC 27-inch QHD 165Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
Best Budget Monitor See at AmazonSceptre C345B-QUT168 34-inch QHD 165Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
Best Affordable Large Monitor See at AmazonAOC Gaming CQ27G3S Frameless QHD 165Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
Best Budget Editing Monitor See at Amazon
Best 1440p Monitors
Best Curved MonitorAOC Gaming CU34G3S Monitor
See every pixel
The AOC Gaming CU34G3S monitor is a great choice for a gaming monitor. Its curved display meshes with its 165Hz refresh rate to give you some of the best views gaming can offer.
Pros & Cons- Staggering 165Hz refresh rate
- Curved display for ultimate fidelity
- Built solely for gaming
- Since it's focused on gaming, other media can suffer
Looking for a curved display and aren't sure where to start? We love the AOC Gaming CU34G3S monitor for its exceptional budget, coming in at a more affordable price than most curved displays out there. But there's more at work than a cheap price tag here - this curved display offers exceptional fidelity.
With a staggering 165Hz refresh rate, your gaming won't suffer for a second. In fact, this whole monitor is built solely to go with your intense gaming sessions. That does come with the drawback that it isn't as good for viewing media - though, frankly, we don't think you'll believe that once you load up your favorite movie. Overall, this is a phenomenal piece on a decent budget.
Best Built-In SpeakersBenQ MOBIUZ EX3415R
Great for simplifying your setup
Looking to simplify your setup? The BenQ MOBIUZ EX3415R monitor comes with built-in speakers so you can trim down on peripherals for your gaming setup.
Pros & Cons- Ultrawide gaming goodness
- Great 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time
- Built-in speakers help you keep your audio active
- The speakers aren't as good as a full speaker system
From great headsets to our favorite gaming mice, peripherals are part of customizing your gaming setup. But what if you're trying to simplify your setup and cut down on some of the items on your desk? If your speakers are in your way, the BenQ MOBIUZ EX3415R monitor may be able to help!
This monitor's built-in speakers provide some decent audio for what they are. While that's a great benefit, the real draw is the curved ultra-wide 144Hz display. With response times of 1ms, you'll love gaming on this monitor. While the speakers aren't as good as dedicated speakers, they're still more than impressive!
Premium PickASUS ROG Strix XG349C
Gaming like you've never experienced before
The Asus Rog Strix features a 34-inch screen that runs at a maximum resolution of 3440 x 1440 at a frame rate of 180Hz. It's capable of HDR and is G-Sync compatible, so you'll get the best quality without screen tearing. It also offers a USB-C and HDMI port, a DisplayPort, and a USB 3.0 hub.
Pros & Cons- Very high frame rate
- The USB 3.0 hub is very convenient
- Quite a large screen
The Asus Rog Strix is the crème de la crème of monitors. It's ultrawide at a high resolution (3440 x 1440), so you won't really need a second monitor, and the curved design is ergonomic (you won't have to turn your head to see the whole screen). The height of the monitor can be adjusted, and it can be tilted and swiveled, so you can adjust it for maximum comfort.
What makes this monitor great is the extreme low motion blur sync technology Asus uses in combination with G-Sync capabilities and the 1ms response time; ghosting and screen tearing are a thing of the past. In terms of color, it looks better than reality with its 135 percent sRGB. Also, the built-in USB 3.0 hub means you can have a clean set-up without having 100 things connected to your PC.
Editor's ChoiceASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch QHD 180Hz Gaming Monitor
A great entry level choice to premium quality monitors
This Asus TUF gaming monitor features a 27-inch HDR display at a clean 2560 x 1440 resolution, a perfect balance between quality and performance. It also uses Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync to keep up with the high 180Hz frame rate. You'll also get a 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription with your purchase.
Pros & Cons- Great value for its price point
- Extreme color accuracy
- The 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription is great
The Asus TUF VG27AQ3A monitor is a great alternative to the Rog Strix if you want similar capabilities but on a budget. It also features a high color gamut coverage at 130% sRGB, which is great for gaming and any kind of editing. It also features the same low-motion blur sync technology and G-Sync capabilities at the same refresh rate of 180Hz.
Related: Best Budget Gaming Monitors In 2024
What sets this monitor apart is that it offers built-in speakers, which is great if you primarily use headphones and don't want to get a set of desktop speakers when watching an occasional movie with friends. It has a frameless design, which makes it look really sleek and modern, has a blue light filter, and is flicker-free, so gaming or working for hours is very comfortable on the eyes. Plus, it comes with a three month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for free, which is amazing if you're into editing and are looking for a new monitor.
Best Wide Angle Viewable MonitorLG UltraGear 27GL83A-B 27-inch QHD 144Hz Gaming Monitor
Bring on the dark in-games caves and starless nights
This LG UltraGear 27-inch monitor provides a buttery smooth viewing experience at 144Hz on its 2560 x 1440 resolution screen. Experience accurate color with sRGB 99 percent and forget about screen tearing with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium.The monitor also promises a 1-millisecond (GtG) response time, so you're never behind the action.
Pros & Cons- The black stabilizers are great for in-game clarity
- Wide viewing angles allow for visibility when shifting around
- Really fast response time
The LG UltraGear 27-inch monitor provides relatively high frame rates at 144Hz and has an amazing 1-millisecond (GtG) response time. In other words, it's a great choice if you need a monitor for gaming. If you have an Nvidia or AMD card that supports G-Sync or FreeSync, this monitor is compatible, so you won't experience screen tearing.
It runs at a resolution of 2560 x 1440, and your gameplay will be brought to life with its color accuracy of sRGB 99 percent. The monitor is also capable of being adjusted to a variety of viewing angles and can be seen clearly up to 178° horizontal and 178° vertical. Three things make this monitor great for gaming: the actual screen space isn't reduced by large bezels, the 16:9 resolution is very common, so compatibility with graphics settings won't be an issue, and it has a cool feature where dark scenes are dynamically brightened through the use of black stabilizers.
Best Budget MonitorGIGABYTE GS27QC 27-inch QHD 165Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
Great quality and it's affordable, what more do you need?
This Gigabyte GS27QC monitor provides a high refresh rate of 165Hz on its 2560 x 1440 flicker-free, anti-glare screen. If you need accurate color, you'll get that with its 108 percent sRGB accuracy. Connectivity won't be a problem either with two HDMI 2.0 ports, a Displayport, and an earphone jack.
Pros & Cons- Great color accuracy
- Wall mount compatible
- Anti-glare and flicker-free
If you're a hardcore gamer, streamer, or you plan on using the monitor for long hours at a time for work purposes, the Gigabyte GS27QC is a steal. It's quite large at 27 inches and runs at 165Hz, allowing you to get a lot of frames in. It also has a 1ms response time, is compatible with a Vesa wall mount, and has a plethora of connection points.
But why is it good for hardcore gamers, streamers, or working professionals? You'll get great quality from its 2560x1440 resolution, and it offers a color accuracy of sRGB 108%. It's also HDR ready and is compatible with FreeSync. More than that, it has an anti-glare screen that's flicker-free, so you won't strain your eyes, plus the height is adjustable, so an aching neck is not something to worry about.
Best Affordable Large MonitorSceptre C345B-QUT168 34-inch QHD 165Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
Trading some hertz for size, and still looking good
This Sceptre C345B-QUT168 monitor features a 34-inch curved screen with a resolution of 3440 x 1440. It also offers a 1ms response time to illuminate instantly and eliminate ghosting. The screen is ultrawide, which gives you 30 percent more screen space.
Pros & Cons- Big frameless display
- Quad HD resolution
- 30 percent more screen space than traditional monitors
Looking for something large, modern, and with a price tag that's affordable? Enter the Sceptre C345B-QUT168 34-inch monitor, with a curved design and ultrawide screen. Honestly, the design of this monitor is a work of art, and you may end up spending more time just looking at it than actually using it (no one will judge you). It runs at a smooth 165Hz refresh rate and offers a maximum resolution of 3440 x 1440.
Don't want ghosting or screen tearing? That won't happen with a response time of 1ms. With a resolution of 3440 x 1440, you'll have 30 percent more screen space than the regular 1920 x 1080 monitor, thanks to its 21:9 aspect ratio, which is great for working professionals and streamers who don't want a dual or triple monitor set-up. The monitor can also be tilted and has a blue light filter to reduce eye strain. The combination of being frameless and having a vibrant LED light that illuminates the back cover makes this monitor a thing of beauty to behold.
Best Budget Editing MonitorAOC Gaming CQ27G3S Frameless QHD 165Hz Curved Gaming Monitor
Everything you need to get started
This AOC CQ27G3S 27-inch monitor features a curved, frameless screen that runs at 165Hz, with a resolution of 2560 x 1440. The 1ms response MPRT, combined with Nvidia G-Sync capabilities and AOC Low Input Lag, reduces screen tearing and provides maximum in-game visual responsiveness. With an 80,000,000:1 SmartContrast ratio and a 99 percent sRGB, you'll experience color like never before.
Pros & Cons- Great value at this price point
- Amazing color range at a 80,000,000:1 SmartContrast ratio
- Compatible with consoles that run at 120Hz
If you don't quite have the space for a large monitor, but you still want the curved design and high-quality performance, then the AOC CQ27G3S is a great option. It offers a quad HD resolution of 2560 x 1440 that runs at a high refresh rate of 165Hz. It's compatible with both G-Sync and FreeSync and has a 1ms response time, so no missing shots on moving targets and no ghosting with fast-moving objects.
In terms of color quality, you can expect almost perfect colors at sRGB 99 percent (which may seem low compared to other options on this list, but it has an 80,000,000:1 SmartContrast ratio, which means brighter colors will be bright, and darker colors will have a wider range rather than just appearing black). In terms of the design, it's a beautiful monitor with a frameless finish, and the height can be adjusted to suit your ergonomic preferences.
Conclusion
Overall, the best monitor depends on your needs. Our favorite is the AOC CU34G3S 34" Frameless Curved Ultrawide up top. This monitor provides incredible fidelity and a solid size with a curved display while coming at a price tag that isn't much higher than some standard monitors of the same quality.
FAQ
Do Curved Displays Make A Difference?
Curved displays can provide a fuller, deeper breadth of view than a standard "flat" monitor does. They're great for ultra-wides, as these monitors become a bit clunky if they just stretch straight out.
Where Can I Find Good Monitors?
Our chosen vendors are Amazon and Walmart for their quick service and large variety of monitors to search for. You should also check a local Best Buy or any tech store near you.
How Do I Decide On The Best Monitor?
Honestly, it comes down to your preferences and how much enjoyment you'll get from the monitor. It also depends on what you're using the monitor for and what your hardware can get out of it. If you're using a monitor with a resolution of 5120 x 1440, but your graphics card is only capable of 1080p, that's a bit pointless.
NextBest Ultrawide Gaming Monitors In 2024
Looking for an ultrawide? Here are our favorite ultrawide gaming monitors in 2024!
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