For the gamer who is truly into the gaming experience, the monitor he or she uses is critical. The experience lives or dies on how smooth the game transitions from one frame to the next, and whether or not stuttering or tearing is minimal. The right monitor transforms the game from just something to do into an intensive, personal experience.
The best monitors for gaming are LEDs; the best ones minimize fatigue from flicker and exposure to shortwave blue light. Confused by all the choices? Here’s a list of the top ten best LED monitors to get you started:
10. Philips 328E9QJAB 31.5″ Curved Frameless Monitor
The Philips curved frameless monitor is 32 inches in size, with 31.5 inches viewable. The curved panel gives accurate color reproduction, wide-viewing angles and an immersive gaming experience.
The Philips Ultra Wide Color technology gives the user impressive colors, with 128% sRGB and 102% NTSC color coverage.
The monitor has a 5ms response time and a 75Hz refresh rate; combined with AMD Free Synch, the monitor provides a fluid, artifact-free gaming performance.
The Philips monitor has a Low Blue mode, to reduce exposure to shortwave Blue light.
The monitor comes with a 4-year warranty, with a 4-year advance replacement policy on models sold in the US.
9. VIOTEK GN32DB 32-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor
The VIOTEK 32-inch Curved Gaming Monitor is built for the serious gamer. The 2540x1440p WQHD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate seamlessly transitions between frames, and Automatic Overdrive gives a blistering 4ms response time.
The monitor provides dynamic colors, giving 115% of the sRGB color spectrum, while the anti-glare screen has a 1M:1 dynamic color contrast ratio over 16.7M colors.
The monitor is wall-mountable, or you can use any 75×75 VESA mount monitor stand.
Designed with gamers in mind, the VIOTEK monitor comes with a 1-year limited warranty; however VIOTEK has a zero-tolerance dead pixel policy, meaning if any of the monitor’s pixels burn out, they will fix it.
8. AOC 22V2H 22″ Full HD 1920×1080 Ultra-Slim Monitor
The AOC Ultra Slim monitor is 21.5 inches wide, straight-edge LED monitor. The monitor is frameless, for wide-viewing angles without losing colors. The 1980×1080 resolution and 75Hz refresh rate combine with Free Sync technology to give the user a stutter-free experience. VGA and HDMI compatible.
7. Dell U-Series 38″ Screen LED-Lit Monitor
This monitor gives some serious visuals to the user. At 38 inches wide, with a WQHD+ curved screen with Infinity Edge technology, the gaming experience is both immersive and amazing.
The monitor is suitable for work and play; sharp detail, intense visuals and accurate colors make work a breeze, and takes home entertainment to the next level. The monitor can handle up to six RF devices at a time, and is Bluetooth 4.0-enabled.
The monitor has a KVM feature, allowing you to use it with two computers at once, and has a single-cable interface for use with laptops.
6. Samsung 32-inch Curved LED Monitor
The Samsung 32-inch Curved LED Monitor utilizes an 1800R curvature to give the user a fully immersive gaming experience.
The monitor is ultra slim, coming in at 28.5 inches wide and only 3.7 inches thick without a monitor stand.
The monitor employs game mode technology, providing smooth scenes at all times.
Using Active Crystal Technology, the monitor gives the user amazingly bright, intense colors; the 5000:1 contrast ratio delivers true blacks and vivid whites.
5. MSI Full HD Free Sync Gaming Monitor
The MSI Full HD Free Sync Gaming monitor delivers an immersive gaming experience like no other. This monitor is designed for fast-paced, intensive games, requiring smooth transitions at all times.
At 24 inches wide, the non-glare curved screen provides 1920×1080 resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate and an astounding 1ms response time. The monitor provides true colors, and reduces fatigue with anti-flicker technology and reduced blue light emissions.
4. Samsung LU28E85KRS/GO 28″ U28E850R 3840×2160 UHD Monitor for Business
This 28-inch monitor powers your business to a higher level. The 3840×2160 resolution gives crisp, clear images, and the monitor supports 1.07 Billion colors, for vivid, intense visuals.
The monitor uses AMD Free Sync technology and a 1ms response time, giving seamless frame transitions, with no stuttering or tearing of the images.
The monitor supports simultaneous display from two different input sources, with picture-in-picture (PIP) or picture-by-picture (PBP) images.
The monitor supports multiple inputs – HDMI, display port, or mini display port.
The monitor has an integrated USB hub, for peripherals, in a slim, VESA mountable panel.
3. Samsung 23.5″ FHD Curved LED-Lit Free Sync Monitor
The Samsung 23.5-inch Curved LED Free Sync Monitor is an inexpensive model; it uses Free Sync technology to smooth out images, but the 60Hz refresh rate promotes fatigue.
The monitor has a 4ms response time, giving the user a decent experience, but this monitor is not meant for the fast-paced, intensive action style of gaming.
2. AOC C32V1Q 31.5″ Full HD 1920×1080 Monitor
The AOC 31.5-inch, full HD monitor is a solid monitor for the gamer. It provides an immersion experience, with an 1800R curvature to the screen, 1920×1080 resolution, and a VA panel for wide-viewing angles and uniform colors.
The monitor is 3-sided frameless, giving it a sleek look; it fits seamlessly into your workspace.
The monitor is HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA compatible; the refresh rate for the DisplayPort connectivity is 75Hz; however, it is 60Hz for the other two.
The monitor minimizes fatigue, with flicker-free technology, for a smooth viewing experience, and it has a Low Blue mode, to minimize blue light emissions.
The monitor is VESA wall-mountable; however the mounting hardware is not included.
1. Alienware 1900R 34.1″, Curved Gaming Monitor
This 34-inch viewable, curved monitor is intended for the gamer who really gets into the games.
A 1900R curvature to the screen, combined with WQHD 3440x1440p resolution truly immerses the gamer into the game. A 4ms response time is not the best for fast-paced, intensive games, but it’s great for games not moving at such a clip.
The 120Hz overclocked refresh rate keeps the images smooth and flowing during the experience.
The monitor is HDMI and DisplayPort compatible, and it has a USB 3.0 hub for peripherals.
Last Thoughts
LED monitors run the gamut from inexpensive all the way up to outrageously expensive; before you plunk down your hard-earned money on one, research it to find the best monitor for your gaming needs, and get the best one you can for the lowest price. A good monitor is the cornerstone to a good gaming experience, so choose wisely – you’ll enjoy the experience that much more when you know you did it right!
