PC gaming has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment for gamers. While a standard FHD 60Hz monitor is fine for casual gaming, a quality gaming monitor is an essential part of an immersive gaming experience.
However, with so many options available in the market, it can be tough to choose the right monitor, especially if you’re on a budget. In this article, we’ll discuss what to look for when buying a budget gaming monitor, and recommend five of the best budget gaming monitors to get started in PC gaming.
What to Look for When Buying a Budget Gaming Monitor
- Resolution: The resolution of a monitor is essential when it comes to gaming. Higher resolution monitors offer better image quality and a more immersive gaming experience. A 1080p monitor is the minimum resolution you should consider for a budget gaming monitor.
- Refresh rate: The refresh rate is the number of times the monitor updates the image per second. A higher refresh rate means a smoother and more fluid gaming experience. 144Hz is ideal for budget gaming monitors.
- Response time: The response time is the amount of time it takes for a pixel to change from one color to another. A lower response time means less motion blur and ghosting in fast-paced games. A response time between 1ms to 5ms is the best for gaming monitors.
- Panel type: There are three main types of panels: TN, IPS, and VA. TN panels are the most affordable and offer the fastest response times. IPS panels offer better color accuracy and viewing angles, but at a higher cost. VA panels offer the best contrast ratios, but their response times are slower.
- Size: The size of a monitor is a personal preference. Larger monitors offer a more immersive experience, but they are more expensive. However, if you get a large monitor, it is ideal with get ones with a higher resolution. A 24-inch FHD monitor is the minimum size you should consider, but a 27-inch QHD monitor is ideal.
Most Versatile Budget Gaming Monitor: Cooler Master GM27-FQS
The Cooler Master GM27-FQS is a 27-inch gaming monitor with a 1440p resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time. It is a popular choice for 1440p gaming due to its impressive specs and relatively affordable price point.
The Cooler Master GM27-FQS uses an IPS panel, which offers excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles. The monitor also has FreeSync technology, which synchronizes the refresh rate of the monitor with the graphics card to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering. This technology ensures a smoother gaming experience, especially during fast-paced games.
Another notable feature of the Cooler Master GM27-FQS is its addressable RGB base, allowing you to fine tune how the monitor looks on your desk.
To learn more about the Cooler Master GM27-FQS, check out our in-depth review here.
Where to buy: Shopee
Best Colour Gamut Budget Gaming Monitor: AOC Q27G2S
The AOC Q27G2S is the only 27-inch 1440p monitor on our list that is priced just under RM1,000. It is by far the most affordable 27-inch 1440p IPS monitor with a high refresh rate of 155Hz.
It also has an extensive colour gamut, with NTSC 114%, sRGB 131%, and DCI-P3 104%. You also get 1ms response times for a blazing fast and fluid gaming experience, perfect for FPS or MOBA gamers.
However, the AOCQ27G2S comes in a black and red aesthetic, which can deter some buyers who want to colour coordinate their desk setup. Also to achieve the 1ms response time, you will need to run the monitor on overdrive, increasing the chances of inverse ghosting.
Where to buy: Shopee and Lazada
Best Cheap Gaming Monitor: Viewsonic VX2428J
If you are on a tight budget, you can’t go wrong with the Viewsonic VX2428J. It is priced at RM559 (as time of writing), and delivers on the essential features for gaming.
The monitor is equipped with a 1080p IPS panel at a fast 165Hz refresh rate. While not as high as the 1440p resolution found on some monitors, it still provides clear and detailed images relative to its size, making it a great choice for gamers who want a good balance between resolution and performance.
While its colour gamut is not as impressive as the other contenders in this list, it costs half as much while still delivering a 103% sRGB colour gamut.
Where to buy: Shopee and Lazada
Best Large Screen Budget Gaming Monitor: Viewsonic VX3218C-2K
Just because you are on a budget, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get a large screen monitor. The Viewsonic VX3218C-2K comes in at 32-inches. It is a curved monitor with a 1440p resolution, allowing it to display sharp visuals despite the increased screen size.
Despite using a VA panel, it is still fast at 165Hz with an MPRT of 1ms. It also has a curvature of 1500R, delivering an immersive gaming experience that envelopes your field of view.
It does come with one drawback, however. Due to its price, you can only tilt the display up or down. It does have VESA mounts if you want to get a monitor arm separately. Regardless, it is still impressive that you can get a 32-inch budget gaming monitor with 1440p resolution at this price point.
Where to buy: Shopee and Lazada
Final Thoughts
That wraps up our list of budget gaming monitors for a more immersive gaming experience. For more buyer’s guides like this one, do check out our full list here.
