BUDGET GAMING MONITORS

BUYER’S GUIDE

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A GAMING MONITOR.

FREESYNC

You will need an AMD GPU to be able to use FreeSync, but it does give a wonderfully smooth gaming experience.

REFRESH RATE

A higher refresh rate allows your to actually see high frame rates and even just 75Hz makes a big difference when gaming.

PANEL TYPE

Most gaming panels are TN based, but for those who want accurate colours and wider viewing angles, there are a few that use IPS.

RESOLUTION

At the affordable end of the spectrum, 1,920 x 1,080 is the most common resolution and easily pushed to higher frame rates with low- to mid-range GPUs.

GAME MODES

Game modes can help tweak your experience for different genres, and having a black equaliser helps enhance dark areas.

CONSOLE VS PC

While most gaming monitors are aimed at those with PCs, there are also some with features for those who like to use a console.

STAND

The better monitors have a fully adjustable stand, which makes it easy to set at the perfect height and angle for comfortable gaming sessions.

ACCESSORIES

Check what is included in the box — some monitors don’t include anything beyond a DVI cable, with the necessary HDMI or DisplayPort cables needing to be bought separately.