Searching for the best cheap gaming monitor doesn't have to difficult; it just means that you need to keep in mind what screen size, display resolution, refresh rate and form factor you want it in.
Fortunately, the days of 4K and Ultrawide monitors costing a limb or two appear to be long since over, meaning you're sure to find the perfect cheap gaming monitor for you in either Full HD or above in a host of sizes to suit your preference.
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If you want something a little more high-end than what's on offer here, our roundup on the best gaming monitors is sure to point you in the right direction. At the same time, if you're 4K all the way, then you surely expect nothing less than the best 4K monitor for gaming to experience the best of Ultra HD.
For its price point, this monitor features all the essentials needed for effective PC gaming in Full HD. This is due in part to the inclusion of support for AMD FreeSync Premium - which prevents screen tearing at low response latency for a smooth overall gaming experience.
At the same time, it's got a 144Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response rate - essential for competitive and fast gaming where every millisecond of delay matters. Due to its inexpensive nature and thin bezels, this monitor would be ideal as part of a dual - or even triple - monitor setup stretched out across your desk.
If all you're interested in is 1080p gaming at 60 fps then this ASUS monitor has all the essentials to provide a pleasant, no-frills experience with its 1ms response time and inclusion of AMD FreeSync support to rid the visuals of any screen-tearing when the action on-screen gets a little crazy.
If you're interested in picking this panel up for use on PC, it's important to note that there is no DisplayPort - just a pair of HDMI ports and VGA; something that seems like an oversight for a unit released in 2016. With that said, if you're still gaming on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or Xbox Series S and you want something cheap that looks the part - it's a good option for those systems.
Spend a bit more and you can bump the screen size and resolution up with all the same low latency, anti-screen-tearing technology, dual HDMI 2.0 ports, and - fortunately - a DisplayPort to make the most of Ultra HD gaming at 60FPS.
28-inch is a somewhat unconventional size for a monitor of this quality - not that we're complaining - as it's a fair amount of real estate to take advantage of the HDR technology and stellar colors that this panel can pump out. The only concession is in the refresh rate - you won't be able to get above 60 fps - if you're content to have higher fidelity visuals at the cost of a capped frame rate, this may be what you're been after; ideal for a dual monitor setup too.
Viotek has seemingly done something that's lesser seen from other monitor brands: built a competitively priced curved ultrawide with a 120Hz refresh rate. It's worth enforcing just how promising the form factor is - even if it's only limited to Full HD - for both gaming and working on with the added screen real estate.
That's normally the trade-off for having just a twitch-happy level of snappiness when considering the MSRP compared to similar offerings from Samsung and LG in their gaming ranges. If high frame rates and a wider screen are worth it for you, then this is difficult to beat.
The star of the show with this curved gaming monitor from Z-Edge is its 165Hz refresh rate. That's not to say that this panel's a slouch when it comes to other gaming-specific functions and specs: there's a 1ms response time, and support for the premium version of FreeSync which adds support for 120Hz and HDR while also reducing ghosting and screen tearing.
The form factor of the display is something to note as well; yes, it's curved but it also features very minimal bezels which means it's ideal for a dual monitor battle station setup too.
If you've been searching for something that's affordable and does the job for casual gaming, web surfing, and watching movies then this could be the right display for you. Or for a spare bedroom or as part of a dual/triple monitor setup.
With its 75Hz refresh rate, you can be sure that the screen won't ghost or cloud up under intense conditions - that's afforded by FreeSync as with some other panels in this roundup. For its size and price tag, the bevels are relatively thin, with the stand being adjustable as well.
For less than $200, there's an awful lot that this gaming monitor gets right. Offering a 1ms response time and a 165Hz refresh rate, there's also AMD FreeSync Premium support as well as built-in speakers.
It's worth noting that this is in fact a TN display, as opposed to the brighter IPS tech, but that's the trade-off with entry-level, budget monitors, and particularly those that offer a high refresh rate. That's not to count out the colors on this thing, unlike some other 165Hz monitors, there are virtually no reports of ghosting or greying (where blacks aren't dark enough resulting in mediocre contrast) to speak of.
If you're looking for an affordable screen to add to, or build, a multi-monitor HD gaming setup with then this could be what you've been searching for, especially given those ultra-slender bezels which make up the 'edgeless design'. Two or three of these things on a desk would be unbeatable.
Note: You rarely find Sceptre monitors available outside the US, so if you're not a US resident, you may want to check out the others on this page.
Have you been looking for that perfect gaming companion for your new console? If so, our guides to the best 120Hz 4K TV, the best gaming TV, and the best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X may help you find the right choice to make the most out of the current generation's full capabilities.
