The Best 4K Gaming Monitors for All Budgets
Posted by GAVIN PHILLIPS
4K gaming brings the best video games in the land to you in super-high definition. However, you need the correct hardware to bring these 4K games to life. That means a suitable CPU, GPU, and enough system RAM. Furthermore, you need a suitable 4K gaming monitor to let those high definition graphics really shine.
So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the best 4K gaming monitors you can buy today.
1. Acer Predator XB271HK
Features: 27-inch | 16:9 aspect ratio | IPS panel | 4ms response time | 60Hz refresh rate | Nvidia G-Sync | 1 x HDMI | 1 x DisplayPort | 4 x USB 3.0
The Acer Predator XB271HK is a 27-inch 4K gaming monitor that comes with a 4ms response time and a 16:9 aspect ratio. So far, so good. Furthermore, the Predator is an IPS screen with an excellent depth of color. The Predator XB271HK is also Nvidia G-Sync ready, meaning Nvidia GPU owners can get the best out of their graphics card.
(Nvidia’s G-Sync technology requires special monitors to use, whereas AMD’s FreeSync doesn’t require any specific hardware.)
The Acer Predator does have one drawback, however: the 60Hz refresh rate. For those gamers looking for that ultra-buttery smooth gaming experience, the 60Hz refresh rate just won’t do. (What is refresh rate?) Trust me, until you’ve tried it, you don’t know what you’re missing!
2. ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQ
Features: 27-inch | 16:9 aspect ratio | IPS panel | 4ms response time | 60Hz refresh rate | Nvidia G-Sync | 1 x HDMI | 1 x DisplayPort | 2 x USB 3.0
ASUS’ Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand is a long-established name in gaming hardware. The ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQ is another 27-inch 4K gaming monitor with a 4ms response time and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The Swift PG27AQ comes with an IPS panel with a 100% sRGB color gamut to give your gaming experience fantastic realism. Furthermore, the ASUS Swift PG27AQ is Nvidia G-Sync ready.
Something else I like about the Swift PG27AQ is the ergonomic stand. It tilts between +20° to -5°, swivels between +60° to -60°, and pivots 90° clockwise to give you a vertical display. The Swift PG27AQ has a slimline bezel, meaning it is well suited to a multi-monitor display.
However, the 60Hz refresh rate lets the monitor down a little bit—but not much.
3. LG 32UD60
Features: 31.5-inch | 16:9 aspect ratio | VA panel | 4ms response time | 60Hz refresh rate | AMD FreeSync | 1 x HDMI | 1 x DisplayPort
The LG 32UD60 is our first 32-inch (well, 31.5 inches!) 4K gaming monitor. It’s is also our first AMD FreeSync ready model, too. Another “firsts” for this list? The LG 32UD60 is a Vertical Alignment (VA) panel 4K gaming monitor, too.
What does a VA panel do, then? Typically, a VA panel has a smaller viewing angle and worse overall color production than an IPS panel. However, a VA panel is better at blocking unwanted light from the backlight, allowing greater contrast control than an IPS panel. Older VA panel gaming monitors suffered somewhat from motion blur, but modern VA panels have largely overcome that particular issue (through pixel overdrive techniques).
Back to the gaming monitor. In a further effort to combat perceived motion blur, the LG 32UD60 uses “Dynamic Action Sync,” LG’s effort to further minimize latency and screen refresh rates. The 32UD60 also features LG’s Screen Split technology, which is a bunch of integrated screen split and resize options to aid your workflow.
Downsides? The lack of integrated USB 3.0 ports will irritate some users, but it isn’t a major issue. Similarly, other users might find the 95% DCI-P3 color gamut lacking, but at this scale, it is difficult for most users to discern.
4. Dell P2415Q
Features: 24-inch | 16:9 aspect ratio | IPS panel | 6ms response time | 60Hz refresh rate | 1 x HDMI | 1 x DisplayPort | 1 x Mini DisplayPort | 1x DisplayPort Output | 3 x USB 3.0
The Dell P2415Q is a fantastic budget 4K gaming monitor that, at 24-inches, is also the smallest monitor on this list. But despite its slightly smaller size, the P2415Q can compete with the other, larger 4K gaming monitors in multiple areas.
For starters, the stand is a typical Dell design: strong, useful, and fairly ergonomic. In fact, the P2451Q stand can rotate through 90 degrees to give you a vertical monitor setup, which is very handy for those with different uses for their gaming setup.
In addition, the P2451Q offers the complete sRGB color gamut, and even a little bit of an extension, too. The color range is perfect for bringing all manner of games to life, no matter their underlying color scheme. Another positive for the smaller 4K gaming monitor is the pixel density. The 24-inch monitor packs in around 185 pixels per inch (PPI), bringing extra visual quality to your games.
On the flipside, and despite liking the sturdiness of the stand, the actual monitor bevel feels and looks a little cheap. It is also relatively thick compared to the slimline design seen on other 4K gaming monitors.
5. Samsung U28E590D
Features: 28-inch | 16:9 aspect ratio | PLS panel | 1ms response time | 60Hz refresh rate | AMD FreeSync | 2 x HDMI | 1 x DisplayPort
Samsung is no stranger to manufacturing high-quality gaming hardware, and its 4K monitors continue that tradition.
The Samsung U28E590D is a 28-inch 4K gaming monitor with a few differences from the other monitors on the list. For one, it has an almost-unfathomably fast 1ms response time—great for first-person shooters. Second, it uses Samsung’s proprietary panel technology, PLS. Samsung’s Plane to Line Switching (PLS) is very similar to regular IPS. However, Samsung claim their PLS panels are around 10% brighter, have better viewing angles, are cheaper to produce and will eventually allow for flexible screens.
The U28E590D has a sharp aesthetic, too, and will look good as part of a regular workstation setup if gaming isn’t your thing.
6. ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q
Features: 34-inch curved | 21:9 aspect ratio | IPS panel | 5ms response time | 100Hz refresh rate | Nvidia G-Sync | 1 x HDMI | 1 x DisplayPort | 1 x USB 3.0
The award-winning ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q is our final 4K gaming monitor—and what a beast it is. The Swift PG348Q is a 34-inch curved 4K gaming monitor that comes Nvidia G-Sync ready. Furthermore, it is an IPS panel with a flicker-free WLED backlight, offering up the full sRGB color gamut for an immersive gaming experience. (Want more ultra-wide monitors? Here are some ultra-wide monitors to suit all budgets.)
The Swift PG348Q comes with a few unique-ish tricks, too. For instance, it has a “Turbo Key” refresh rate selector to force a higher refresh rate, while the “GameVisual” presets are designed to boost the aesthetic of various game genres.
Finally, the Swift PG348Q has a distinguished design with a fantastic, ergonomic stand (that for some reason also features a light that projects the ASUS ROG logo onto your desk) that will suit almost any situation.
The Best 4K Gaming Experience
4K gaming is no longer a niche area for hardcore gamers. The price of hardware has drastically fallen, which means almost anyone can pick up a 4K gaming monitor and experience gaming like never before.
Other factors also make 4K gaming more feasible, too. Variable refresh rate technologies provide a smoother overall gaming experience across all hardware types. Developments in pixel overdrive technology reduce the likelihood of ghost pixels and pixel artifacts on your screen. This alone brings you a much cleaner and smoother transition in games with rapidly updating images.
A good proportion of the 4K gaming experience lies in the hardware you game on. Which raises the question, “Is it cheaper to build a high-spec gaming PC than buy the latest console?”
Image Credit: DaLiu/Depositphotos
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