5 Top Picks
4 Reviewers
25 Hours of Research
23 Options Considered
Computers are already pretty expensive, even before you factor in all the additional costs for accessories and monitors. To that end, lots of people aim for a budget display when putting together a computer build. One of the best budget monitors on the market can even provide you with a great viewing experience for streaming or video games.
Top 3 Budget Monitors
4.9/5
The Samsung C27F398 is my final choice for a great budget monitor, and for good reason. It’s a curved screens model that gives you an immersive viewing experience no matter what media you choose to pair with it.
2. [Best for the Money] AOPEN 27HC1R
4.7/5
The AOPEN 27 HC1R is a great tight budget monitor that is not only wallet-friendly, but it has gaming characteristics that you wouldn’t normally find with this budget. Features like AMD FreeSync support and G SYNC compatibility brings users to fully immerse in their gaming experience.
The ViewSonic XG2402 is my choice for the best budget gaming monitor for several reasons. For starters, it comes built with full HD 1080p resolution and an ultrafast 1 ms response time.
In this guide, we’ll go over my top picks for an excellent cheap monitor. I chose these based on overall functionality and affordability combined rather than just looking at their features or cost. After all, you want something worthwhile and affordable, not just dirt cheap. For Mac Mini monitors, I suggest reading my in depth reviews of suitable monitors in this post.
We treated the best monitor for trading as a special category and the best bezel less monitor for those who need more screen space. As for the budget monitors in general, let's see what they have to offer!
Best Budget Monitor Reviews
1. [Best Overall] Samsung C27F398
4.9/5
As for a great cheap monitor, Samsung C27F398 is my final choice, and for good reason. It’s a curved monitor that gives you an immersive viewing experience no matter what media you choose to pair with it.
It also features a slim frame design and a glossy black finish. All these aspects combined make it extremely modern and sleek, as well as perfect for combining with minimalist desk aesthetics.
In terms of specs, it has a rapid 4 ms response time that’s great for viewing media and a 60 Hz refresh rate. It’s also fairly configurable in terms of brightness and accurate color contrast ratio. All in all, it’s an excellent general purpose monitor that provides lots of high-quality viewing power without breaking the bank.
Samsung C27F398 Pros
Samsung C27F398 Cons
2. AOPEN 27HC1R
4.7/5
The AOPEN 27 HC1R is a great tight cheap monitor that is not only wallet-friendly, but it has gaming characteristics that you wouldn’t normally find with this budget. Features like AMD FreeSync support and G SYNC compatibility brings users to fully immerse in their gaming experience.
There are other notable design features in this monitor that some found surprising in this price range. The fact that this more than decent monitor itself is a curved screen design gives of a modern and sleek finish. For ports on this monitor, it comes with 1 HDMI port, 1 DP, and 1 DVI port with only the HDMI cable included. This best monitor itself is tilt adjustable with a 5°-15° angle, but it makes up with the fact that’s VESA mounting compliant, if you have mounting holes.
With an input lag of 4ms motion blur response time, it stacks up decently with other monitors. This average response time isn’t noticeable for most people. It’s also important to note that its panels are FHD and not type IPS panel which can affect graphics viewing experience.
AOPEN 27HC1R Pros
AOPEN 27HC1R Cons
3. [Best Cheap Gaming Monitor] ViewSonic XG2402
4.5/5
As for the best affordable gaming monitor, this monitor is great for several reasons. For starters, ViewSonic XG2402 comes built with full HD 1080p resolution and an ultrafast 1 ms response time. Why does this matter? When it comes to competitive gaming, any low input lag and what is displayed on this larger screen could cost you a match or place you at a disadvantage. This is why we reviewed the best budget 144hz monitors: better performance without breaking the bank.
Having such a fast response time means you’ll be able to stay competitive with even the best gamers in your field or title. The monitor is also built with an amazing 144Hz refresh rate. In a nutshell, it comes packed with all the hardware you need to enjoy your gaming experiences to their greatest extent.
It’s also bolstered by AMD FreeSync tech, which reduces tearing and stuttering even if you're playing games and move around quickly.
The screen measures in at 24 inches, which is excellent for most gaming and media viewing needs. It also comes with a set of customizable visual modes that are perfectly optimized for different gaming experiences. You’ll be able to optimize your color distribution and viewing pleasure for FPS, RTS, or even sports games.
To make things even better, it can work with laptops or any other type of computer thanks to its versatile HDMI and USB ports. It also comes with a three-year warranty, so you’ll be able to replace the monitor or get technical support if you run into any issues.
ViewSonic XG2402 Pros
ViewSonic XG2402 Cons
4.4/5
The Sceptre IPS panels 24” Monitor is an all-around versatile monitor that caters to not only gaming but for heavy-duty processing work like media editing. The type IPS panel is built to refresh at 144 Hz on a standard basis and can push up to 165 Hz if overclocked. It does have a slower motion blur rate at 7.5ms, which is slower than most, but not as noticeable for most people. It features an edgeless design that enhances the build quality to give it a modern finish. This monitor is perfect for gamers, photo editors and other content related work out there!
Other noticeable ergonomic features is the plethora of ports available for you to plug in other devices. There are 3 HDMI ports and 1 DisplayPort Cable available at the back of the monitor, so you can connect a second screen too. What’s even better is that it comes with an actual DP cable in the box.
The monitor also comes with its own basic stand that has tilt adjustment, although many users suggest getting a VEGA stand to help adjust the flexibility, like height adjustment, of this monitor and cable management. Don’t have a headset? Well, you’re in luck, with this monitor you get built-in speakers, a feature that is not found in most gaming monitors. In the box it comes in, you will receive all of the contents you need to properly set-up. Other than the monitor itself, the package comes with stands, screwdrivers/screws, DP cable, HDMI cable, and a power plug, so this monitor is worth paying.
Sceptre IPS E248B-FPT168 Pros
Sceptre IPS E248B-FPT168 Cons
5. Dell P2419H
4.3/5
One of the best budget computer monitors through and through, Dell PS419H features a 24-inch screen and an LED display with a black border: a classic and sleek design that many will appreciate for their set up. But this Dell monitor does a great job of providing consistent and rich colors thanks to specialized In-Plane switching technology which helps provide unbeatable image quality at this price range. In a nutshell, this keeps color vibrancy the same no matter where you sit in relation to the monitor’s viewing angle.
It also features a really thin frame and built-in speakers. In this way, the monitor is an excellent choice if you want to combine it with other displays. You'll be able to easily chain two or three monitors together for a wide variety of gaming or media viewing experience.
With its relatively thin adjustable stand, the monitor is wide enough to afford significant stability and prevent the monitor from easily toppling over if your desk shakes.
The actual neck of this best monitor is fairly thick and provides phenomenal stability as well as an easy place to grip the screen if you need to move it.
To make things even better, it can easily connect to Blu-ray players, multiple types of smart TVs, gaming systems, and any other HDMI port enabled device. You’ll even be able to share an Internet connection with a dedicated ethernet port.
This monitor meets the latest HDMI standards, so it's perfectly fine for 4K video at 60 Hz and other advanced video broadcasting standards. In other words, you'll be able to use this budget monitor for just about any media viewing for a relatively low asking price.
The original bundle comes with an HDMI cable. But you can also get it for slightly less money if you have a working cable already. This is an excellent additional option to save a few extra bucks.
Overall, it's a must have for anyone and easily the #1 on our list. With excellent color accuracy, good contrast ratio, and everything you want in an affordable monitor without the bells and whistles.
Dell P2419H Pros
Dell P2419H Cons
4.2/5
Another choice for a budget monitor, LG 32MA70HY-P comes with solid SRGB color gamut. It’s built up 32 inches and brings a full HD display. The full HD clarity and color reproduction enhances your projects and media viewing and makes this a great work computer if you operate with Photoshop or other programs frequently.
You’ll also be able to make use of an on-screen optimizer control that lets you fine-tune the monitor for the job at hand. Several software modes are baked into its feature list, like a reader mode that reduces eye strain if you have to spend lots of time using the monitor at work.
You'll also be able to use a special split-screen software configuration that lets you use up to four multiple windows at a single time. There are 14 possible configurations, so you can truly customize your workspace as you desire with this monitor.
LG 32MA70HY-P Pros
LG 32MA70HY-P Cons
4.1/5
As one of the best cheap 1080 P monitors, Acer SB220Q is ideal for those who want a quality onscreen display for all their media experiences. It’s 21.5 inches across and displays its images and videos in full HD resolution. That’s 1920x1080, which is perfect for a monitor of this screen size.
The monitor utilizes AMD FreeSync technology to reduce frame rate variation between the monitor your computer. This will allow you to enjoy a smooth gaming experiences and other complex media without any screen tearing or stuttering as a result of frame rate differences. It has a default refresh rate of 75 Hz, which I found to be great for a monitor with 1080p resolution and at this price range.
The frame of the monitor is something I really liked as well. It’s ultrathin at 0.24 inches, so pairing it with additional monitors to extend your displays pretty easy and aesthetically pleasing.
It also makes the screen appear to pop more vibrantly than otherwise. The accurate colors don’t differ depending on your viewing angle, which is another big plus. This makes it easy for groups to gather around the monitor and enjoy a piece of media together without losing any color accuracy or vibrancy.
With a 4 ms response time, I thought this good monitor did a fine job of seeming responsive and snappy when I swung a cursor around or played games.
It’s also great in terms of wide viewing angles. You’ll be able to modify the neck of the monitor from a range of -5 degrees to 15 degrees. In other words, you’ll be able to view this monitor from a multitude of sitting or standing positions without having to crane your neck. It has a default 178-degree viewing angle around its horizontal axis, too.
Acer SB220Q Pros
Acer SB220Q Cons
4.0/5
The VIOTEK GFV22CB is another monitor that is available in the market today. With a refresh rate at a maximum of 144 hz, and coming in at a pixel density of 1920 by 1080, this monitor emulates an experience you’d probably find in higher budget monitors.
In terms of the design, this monitor is smaller than others as it only measures at 22 inches. So this is perfect if you have limited desk space. You can easily tilt the monitor at a 5°-15° angle, and to increase flexibility it’s VESA wall mount compatible, if you have VESA mount holes. The outer frame of the monitor’s screen is a stripe of chrome but it’s hardly noticeable. With ports, there are 2 HDMI, 1 DP, and 1 audio jack available for use. It’s important to note that you only get the DP cable from the box.
With graphics, this monitor has an FHD panel that has its own settings to calibrate for sharp, and true-to-life vivid colors. It has a motion blur response rate of 5ms, which isn’t too noticeable, but it’s slower than most. This monitor features good contrast and a good gamma range for the ability to properly calibrate with ease. In addition to graphic settings, this monitor is compatible with G-SYNC, and FreeSync modes which make it quite versatile.
VIOTEK GFV22CB Pros
VIOTEK GFV22CB Cons
What to Look for in the Best Budget Monitor
Before you finalize a purchase or decide on one of the best cheap monitor picks below, consider the following factors. Not every budget monitor is great for everyone, as some best monitors prioritize different features or might have different aspects that will be useful to you. In the end, you should always focus on a best cheap monitor that has the stuff you need to fully enjoy your desktop computer setup. You can even get the best budget gaming monitor under $100, if you're lucky enough to get them on sales.
As an example, don’t bother going after one of the best budget gaming monitors if you aren’t a gamer yourself. Only prioritize extra features that you actually need and will use.
Budget Gaming Monitor Features
If you are a gamer, however, you should definitely focus on the features that the monitor includes. These are things like various customization settings, ports for headphones or microphones, remotes, or even FreeSync tech. Make sure that the gaming monitor has features specifically designed for gaming.
Graphics Properties
These are things like resolution and color spread. Some monitor models display better color in different frequencies or ranges than others. If you plan to watch a lot of shows or play games with your monitor, pick something that has vibrant colors and which might even allow you to optimize those for your comfortable viewing.
Consider resolution, too. Don’t go for 1920 x 1080 for anything above a 24-inch monitor. You don’t want too much resolution for a monitor that’s too wide to take advantage of it.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics matter for overall comfort. You’ll want a monitor that is easy to look at for long hours on end. Try to find something that’s an appropriate height and style so you don’t strain your neck toward the monitor too often. An ideal monitor will let you see the full picture at a resting seated posture.
Design and Style
Finally, consider the design and style of a monitor before finalizing a purchase. Try to match the monitor with your overall computer set up for aesthetics. At the same time, make sure the monitor is easy to control, whether that means it comes with a separate remote or not. A monitor should always be easily controlled via buttons on its actual surface in case a remote ever goes missing.
What Types of Panels are Best for Budget Monitors ?
IPS/PLS displays generally have the best colour accuracy and viewing angles, but are also the most expensive, although the price gap between IPS/PLS, VA and TN has narrowed in recent years.
Best Resolution in a Budget Monitor?
With most displays in this price range, you can expect a native resolution of Full HD ( 1080p, or 1,920 X 1,080 pixels), which is fine for a 22-inch or a 24-inch monitor, but is borderline low for a 27-inch or bigger monitors. The smaller the screen size for a given resolution, the higher the pixel density, and (all else being equal) the sharper the image.
What Ports Are Standard in Budget Monitors?
Most budget monitors include a basic pair of ports: HDMI and VGA. A few budget monitors come with a second HDMI port or a DisplayPort connector. USB Type-C ports are rare in budget monitors, apart from portable monitors, where it has become the standard. HDMI 2.1 remains a higher-end option for now.
FAQs:
1. Which brand is best for budget monitor?
Here are the Top 3 Budget Monitors that we can recommend.
1. Dell P2419H - The Dell PS419H is one of the best budget computer monitors through and through. It features a 24-inch screen real estate and an LED display with a black border: a classic design that many will appreciate for their set up.
2. Acer SB220Q - The Acer SB220Q is one of the best cheap 1080 P monitors for those who want a quality display for all their media experiences. It’s 21.5 inches across and displays its images and videos in full HD resolution
3. ViewSonic XG2402 - The ViewSonic monitor is a great choice as the best budget gaming monitor for several reasons. For starters, it comes built with full HD 1080 P resolution and an ultrafast 1 ms response times, as well as built in speakers.
2. What is a good price for a monitor?
A budget-friendly LCD monitor costs between $100 and $200. This type of LCD monitor is an affordable option for students and general-purpose users looking to upgrade from an older CRT unit. Expect a 15- to 20 inch display in either 4:3 or widescreen format, with a maximum resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels, at a low price.
3. Are expensive monitors worth it?
There is a general belief that if something is more expensive, it must be better. But this isn't always the case. Expensive monitors are not always worth the extra money.
Some cheaper monitors offer just as many features as the more expensive models. And in some cases, the more expensive monitors have problems that the cheaper ones don't.
So before you spend your hard-earned money on an expensive monitor, make sure that it's really what you need and that you're getting your money's worth.
4. What size computer monitor is best?
The optimal monitor screen size is determined primarily by the monitor's pixel density and the distance between you and the screen. Some people believe that 1920x1080 should not be used on displays larger than 25 inches; 1440p is ideal for displays more significant than 27 inches; and 4K is perfect for displays more significant than 27 inches to 43 inches, depending on personal preference.
5. What should I look for when buying a monitor?
When you're shopping for a monitor, there are a lot of factors to consider. Our recommendation is to start by figuring out how you plan to use the monitor.
For example, if you're a gamer, you'll want to look for a model with high refresh rates and low response times. If you're mainly going to be using your monitor for work or school, then you'll want one with good viewing angles and accurate colors.
Other things to keep in mind when shopping for a monitor include the size of the screen, the type of ports it has, and whether or not it's adjustable. Be sure to compare prices between different models before making a purchase, as monitors can vary significantly in price.
