7 Best Gaming Monitors Under 300 USD Reviews 2023 | Get Great Displays At This Price

I don’t know about you, but I find a lot of enjoyment in getting the most out of my video games. Ever since I was a child way back in the dusty days of the Atari 2600 and Commodore 64, I loved to try out different monitors and cables in the hopes of getting a better picture or improved audio. Flash-forward to today, and little has changed. Investing in the best gaming monitors can make all the difference in the quality of your games, and I’d like to help you do just that.

For your convenience I have narrowed down and reviewed the most affordable entries to bring you the best gaming monitor under 300 USD. If that's still too much for you, check out our gaming monitor under $200 reviews. But before you jump to the rankings, I have some useful information that will aid you in your search for the right monitor for your needs. For those of you with a bigger budget, I recommend my reviews of the best gaming monitor under $500 and even general purpose PC monitors we reviewed, as well.

What to Consider When Choosing Between the Best Gaming Monitors Under 300 USD

I think we can all agree that great visuals are the driving motivation behind investing in a new monitor. But did you know that there’s actually a lot that goes into delivering you those pretty pixels?

Being armed with this knowledge will make it a lot easier for you to decide on the right model. The best gaming monitors under 300 bucks are surprisingly robust in their features and ability to provide you with high-quality graphics.

In the following categories, I’d like to break down the most important factors that affect your game’s presentation. I recommend familiarizing yourself with these so that you’re better prepared to make the right call when it comes time to buy.

If you can’t find a particular feature you’re looking for, you should consider checking out these slightly more expensive monitors that might have just what you need.

Best Gaming Monitor Under 300 USD Reviews

These are big ones, and it’s important to consider both. You can have the best screen resolution in the world, but it won’t matter if your gaming monitor isn’t the right size. This is because the bigger the screen gets, the fuzzier images will appear. 

There needs to be a good balance between screen size and resolution. This will yield the best results in picture quality. Imagine having a gaming monitor with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Sounds pretty good, right?

This is a bit of an extreme example, but picture that resolution on a display that measures 90 inches. The 1,920 horizontal and 1,080 vertical pixels are going to look pretty big, resulting in an image that isn’t sharp and detailed.

On a display that measures just 24 inches, however, those pixels are going to appear a lot smaller, thus delivering a picture that looks much crisper.

This is why you can’t consider one without the other. If you want the absolute best in image quality, pay close attention to screen size to get a better idea of how each monitor’s resolution will look.

If you plan on playing games for long periods of time, you should consider investing in a gaming monitor with eye care technology. 

Response Time

This is another vital component in ensuring that your gaming monitor is capable of doing your games justice. High response time is often the number-one culprit in a poor gaming experience.

Response time is responsible for your gaming monitor communicating with your game console or gaming PC. And when it comes to the flashy, demanding video games of the modern era, a low response time is necessary if you want great results.

If your gaming monitor has a low response time (within 1 to 5 milliseconds [ms]), you’re guaranteed to have less input lag. 

And as any serious gamer knows, even the slightest amount of input lag can make the difference between winning and losing. That's where the advanced features of the best gaming monitors come into play.

You want your gaming monitor to be able to keep up with your game system. By ensuring that it has a low response time, you’re going to have a much more enjoyable gaming experience.

Refresh Rate

Just as important as response time is refresh rate. This is essentially the rate in which your gaming monitor can draw images on the screen that are sent from your game. 

The faster the refresh, the truer your gameplay will be. Measured in hertz, you’ll find refresh rate listed under a monitor’s specifications as something like “60Hz”, or “144Hz”. The higher the number, the better movement is portrayed.

Since most modern games run at high frame rates, you need a gaming monitor that can match it. The general rule of thumb is that 1 hertz equals out to 1 second. That’s why 60-FPS games look great on a 60Hz gaming monitor.

Every frame is accounted for and delivered to you on-screen, making motion look fluid and lifelike. Higher hertz gaming monitors do an even better job of handling motion, to the point that it’s almost surreal in its appearance. 

Is There a 300 Hz Gaming Monitor?

AGON by AOC has just unveiled their latest flagship gaming monitor with the new AGON PRO AG274QS . The new gaming monitor has a native 2560 x 1440 resolution, with a huge 300Hz refresh rate and 1ms GtG response time.

IPS or TN?

In-Plane Switching (IPS) and Twisted Nematic (TN) panels are the most common in gaming monitor types you’ll see out in the wild. Is one better than the other? Well, that’s completely subjective, as it all depends on your preference. Allow me to elaborate.

IPS panels are typically the more balanced of the two. They are known for their ability to display images in their truest form. Colors appear bright and bold, and motion is handled reasonably well.

IPS variants are also capable of wider viewing angles. When looking at the gaming monitor from the side, for example, you won’t notice any loss in clarity.

TN panels, on the other hand, tend to lose their visual appeal if you aren’t looking at them dead-on. Images also don’t have quite the same oomph that you find with IPS monitors.

However, motion looks absolutely stunning on TN panel technology; even better than IPS. Basically, you’re sacrificing visuals for performance. Depending on which category you fall under, you might want one over the other.

But if you prefer your games to have a good balance of both visuals and performance, you’re better off sticking with an IPS model. 

How We Tested Best Gaming Monitor Under 300

To ensure that each entry presented to you is worthy of your time and money, I ran them through a series of tests. This included hooking them up to both a gaming PC and various gaming consoles.

I made sure each available port functioned as advertised and did its job accordingly. To make the grade as the best gaming monitor under 300 USD, it had to display visuals clearly and vividly, without compromising frame rates or input commands.

The build-quality and construction of each unit also had to appear capable of giving you lots of use. Anything that felt cheap or flimsy didn’t make the cut. Granted, some feel more solid than others. But all should be able to provide hours of gameplay.

Lastly, I ensured that the menus and navigation within each gaming monitor were both user-friendly and intuitive. Again, some are better than others,

FAQs:

1. What is the best monitor for 300?

These are the best 3 Gaming Monitors Under 300 USD that we tested and recommended.

1. ViewSonic XG2402 - ViewSonic’s XG2402 is a beast when it comes to properly displaying motion. This all due to the incredible 144Hz refresh rate. Games with high frame rates look fluid and true to life.
2. ASUS VG278Q - Every part of the VG278Q feels tough and durable. If you want to invest in a gaming monitor that is sure to provide you with plenty of use, this is a great buy.
3. ASUS VG279Q - ASUS makes back-to-back appearances, this time with the best 27 inch gaming monitor under 300 dollars, the VG279Q. Where this gaming monitor really shines is in its ability to protect your eyes during long stretches of gameplay.

2. Is IPS better than va?

IPS panels offer better viewing angles and color reproduction than VA panels. This makes them ideal for use in multi-monitor setups or in applications where accurate color reproduction is important. VA panels typically offer better contrast ratios than IPS panels, making them better suited for use in dark environments or in applications where black levels are important.

3.Is IPS good for gaming monitors?

IPS panels are good for gaming monitors because they offer wide viewing angles and accurate colors. This makes them ideal for gaming, where you may want to share the experience with others.

4. Is 60Hz good for gaming monitors?

60Hz is generally considered the standard refresh rate for televisions, and while it may be good for watching movies and general browsing, it's not the best for gaming monitors. A higher refresh rate will give you a smoother image and help to avoid any potential input lag. For the best gaming experience, we recommend a refresh rate of at least 120Hz.

5. Are VA panels bad for gaming monitors?

The VA displays are ideal for gaming monitors. The monitors' superior color reproduction capabilities make them ideal for color-critical work or for gamers who want the best picture quality possible. When gaming, this can result in more noticeable blurring. Additionally, the VA panels offer improved viewing angles and accurate color reproduction.