Within the PC gaming community, 1440p and 4K monitors dominate the conversation. But, according to Steam's Hardware Survey, the majority of gamers enjoy 1080p. There's a lot of reasons for this, cost and ease of performance ranking high among them. If you're shopping for a new monitor, this also means that you'll find the market flooded with new monitors with options and no clear answer about which is best.
Well, fear not, because that's exactly what I'm here for. I've been covering gaming monitors for years and know exactly what it takes for a monitor to rise from merely acceptable to legendary, like my top pick here, the Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM. If you're ready to save time shopping and instead devote that to having a great gaming experience, look no further. These are the best 1080p gaming monitors of 2025.
TL;DR – These Are the Best 1080p Gaming Monitors:
Opting for a 1080p gaming monitor comes with several advantages. They tend to cost significantly less than their 1440p and 4K competitors, can offer high refresh rates all the way up to 500Hz (and inching higher all the time), and can still offer support for things like AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync.
One of their biggest advantages is simply that they are easier to run and don't require high-powered and high-priced graphics cards to push to their limits since they have fewer pixels overall. It's possible to have a great gaming experience even on an entry-level GPU.
They're not as crisp, however, and can look noticeably soft above 27 inches. If you're looking for something with a higher resolution, be sure to check out our list of the best gaming monitors of 2025.
1. Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM
Best 1080p Gaming Monitor
The best 1080p gaming monitor for most people is the Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM. For less than $300, you get a fast and deliciously colorful screen that's able to run at a rapid 280Hz. It comes with low input lag, variable refresh rate support, and a high peak brightness to ensure that your games always look their best and that you can enjoy a great picture with crisp motion clarity when you need it the most.
I didn't review this monitor personally, but our reviewer was very impressed at how well it balances its features. Whether you're running an AMD or an Nvidia GPU, you can count on variable refresh rate support with AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync. Screen tearing isn't an issue because of these features, but you can also count on near instantaneous response time thanks to its exceptionally fast 280Hz refresh rate.
It's also the perfect size for its resolution: 27 inches is big enough to feel spacious without making the image look noticeably soft or revealing individual pixels. Its brightness is also quite good at 400 nits, so you can use it in a brightly lit room, even if you're not gaming in direct sunlight. Its high peak brightness allows it to offer improved dynamic range and makes colors pop off the screen.
It's also DisplayHDR 400 certified, though you shouldn't count on the kind of dynamic range "true" HDR typically requires 1,000 nits, so it's best to keep your expectations in check.
The VG279QM is truly the sum of its parts. Between its price, features, and performance, it sits as king of the hill so far in 2025.
2. Samsung Odyssey G30D
Best Budget 1080p Monitor
Shopping for a gaming monitor on a budget can feel perilous. There are lots of brands, usually that you've never heard of before, all promising great things. In cases like this, I recommend the Samsung Odyssey G30D. It's a very affordable 24-inch monitor from a major brand that promises good colors and solid responsiveness for about $120.
For this cost, you're getting an IPS panel that offers vibrant colors and a gaming-grade 1ms response time. It's also able to run at a high 180Hz refresh rate for even better responsiveness and motion clarity. At the same time, it offers variable refresh rate support with compatibility with AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. The combination of high refresh rate and VRR support means that gameplay will not only be smooth, it will be free of any tearing, and will still offer an enjoyable experience between 30 and 60fps if you're running an older GPU.
For the money, it's a surprisingly full-featured package, but there are two main sacrifices. The first is that it only offers a single HDMI port and DisplayPort each. This isn't a monitor designed to connect multiple devices at once, but if you're only using it with one computer, it's not a major drawback. Instead, much more meaningfully, is that its peak brightness isn't that high. On average, it's rated for 250 nits, which does impact its vibrancy some and your ability to use it in direct sunlight. In typical room lighting, it's fine. In low light scenarios, you aren't likely to notice it at all.
But let's be real here. Part of what you're paying for with this monitor is the assurance of buying from a well-known brand. Should anything go wrong, it comes with a one-year warranty that you'll actually be able to draw on. This model seems to be quite reliable, but that peace of mind has a value of its own.
Overall, it's a full-featured package at a very reasonable price. Its shortcomings are workable, and its gaming performance is great, making it an excellent value for gamers on a budget.
3. AOC Gaming C27G2Z
Best Curved 1080p Monitor
Coming in around $150, we have the AOC Gaming C27G2Z, a curved 240Hz gaming monitor that aims to redefine value for the dollar. This display features a 1500R curve, 300cd/m² of average brightness, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 0.5ms response time. With this display, your games will not only look great, but every move will feel instantaneous for that competitive edge you crave.
The C27G2Z's 1500R curve is what I like to call the Goldilocks curve. It's a bit more pronounced than the very gentle 1800R curvature, but significantly less arched than the 800R, which seems to wrap into your peripheral vision. In other words, it offers just enough to help elicit the feeling of being drawn into the center of the screen and adding a bit more depth to your gaming experience without the drawback of text warping.
This monitor uses a VA panel. While a number of 1080p monitors use IPS panels for their richer colors, rest assured that it's no slouch. Its VA panel is still color-rich, and it offers a 3000:1 contrast ratio for improved blacks and shadows. This improved dynamic range directly translates to picture quality, and with calibration, can be quite accurate.
Its biggest selling point is easily its responsiveness. It comes with a 240Hz refresh rate, complete with VRR support for both AMD and Nvidia. AOC has also driven the panel such that it's able to offer a 0.5ms response time, enhancing its competitive capabilities. This positions the monitor squarely in the category of being competitively capable without carrying the usual premium of other esports monitors.
The most notable drawback is that its out-of-the-box settings aren't dialed in for the best picture quality. Turning it on for the first time, both colors and contrast lacked the usual pop I expected from AOC. But, this is a simple fix if you're willing to spend some time adjust its picture settings. Likewise, creative professionals will want to perform their own calibration using a colorimeter since it looks good for gaming but can be improved for creative work with additional fine tuning.
For only $150, and even if it was a bit more under the $200 mark, the AOC C27G2Z is a great value for 1080p gaming between its spacious screen, great responsiveness, and Goldilocks curve. It's an easy recommendation for me to make.
4. Acer Nitro ED6 (ED306C Xbmiippx)
Best Ultrawide 1080p Monitor
One of the newest options on this list, and also one of the best, is the Acer Nitro ED6. This monitor features a spacious 30-inch screen with an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio. Its VA panel is capable of great colors and contrast, and Acer has overdriven it to run at an impressively rapid 200Hz for smooth and crystal-clear single-player and competitive gaming.
Its screen truly makes this monitor something special. At 30 inches, it's just about the perfect size for its 2560x1080 resolution. While that's technically greater than 1080p, it's the ultra-wide variant of it, and because its vertical height is close to that of a 24-inch monitor, you don't need to worry about the image appearing soft or individuals pixels being visible. In fact, this display approximates having two 24-inch monitors side-by-side without that pesky bezel in the middle.
Like many of the best gaming monitors around this price, the Acer Nitro ED6 uses a high-quality VA panel with a 3000:1 contrast ratio. Its color reproduction is very good, and its contrast is deep, paired with its 200Hz refresh rate. It checks virtually every box that you would hope for from an affordable 1080p monitor in both picture quality and performance.
Its design allows it to be versatile for different types of games. You can just as easily play a single-player RPG and get lost in a virtual world as you can play a competitive shooter at a high level. Its 1500R curve is both gentle enough and pronounced enough to make the gaming experience more engaging, and you'll experience very good motion clarity this side of 240Hz (aka dedicated esports territory).
Acer was clearly out to impress with this monitor. Its fantastic balance of design, price, and performance makes it the premier pick for a 1080p ultrawide. Since it's coming from one of the biggest brands in the business, you know that you can count on proper warranty support should you ever need it. For any 1080p gamer looking for their ultrawide fix, look no further.
5. BenQ Zowie XL2586X+
Best 1080p Monitor for Esports
In competitive gaming, speed and accuracy are everything. And that's where the BenQ Zowie XL2586X+ sweeps in to save the day. This is the 1080p monitor to choose if you're looking at the game of your life and need every advantage possible. Or – because, honestly, that's not something that happens very often – you want to remove every glass ceiling over your performance.
If you've watched competitive esports at all, then you've probably already seen a Zowie monitor. The brand has been a staple in esports tournaments for years due to its exceptional reliability and performance when it matters most. This display is its highest performing yet and a likely candidate to appear on the desks of the highest level athletes operating in esports today. But because Zowie also knows its stuff and the usual limitations, it has outfitted the XL2586X+ with additional tech and key features to make it appealing even outside of a life or death match.
The biggest selling point of this monitor is its incredibly fast 600Hz refresh rate. You thought 240Hz was fast? 360Hz? Both of those can move over because the XL2586X+ puts it to shame. 600Hz is so fast that motion blur is simply a non-issue, and its input latency is nothing short of class-leading. As of this writing, it is currently the best of the best for competitive gaming, and it really isn't even that close.
It's able to pull off such incredible responsiveness by using a fast TN panel. This usually isn't a panel type I recommend because, frankly, for most gamers, it's not the best choice. It doesn't offer the best colors, viewing angles, or contrast, and is really a technology that has seen its use case slim down dramatically over the years. But for competitive gaming, it's still the fastest panel type out there.
Still, if you're considering spending so much money on this monitor, it's only fair to expect that it offers an excellent picture inside and outside of competitive esports. To address some of the panel type shortcomings, Zowie has implemented a special VividFilm layer that enhances color reproduction in a noticeable way. It's not just a gimmick either. Zowie's TN panels simply look better than any other TN gaming monitor that I've tried.
Zowie has also implemented its DyAc2 technology into this display. Standing for Dynamic Accuracy, this technology implements dual backlights to clearly define motion on the screen. While it won't overcome pure skill, it is effective at drawing your eyes to moving objects, which is perfect for ranged battles and picking off enemy snipers.
At $999, this is an expensive monitor that isn't for everybody. But even if it were half or a quarter of that price, it still wouldn't be for everybody because not everybody needs this level of responsiveness or the other sacrifices that go with its TN panel. For competitive esports, however, it's simply the number one choice... if you can afford it.
How to Choose a 1080p Monitor
If you're shopping for a 1080p monitor, there are a few key things you should be on the lookout for. These break down to size, panel type, refresh rate, brightness, and any additional features it may offer, increasing its value.
Size: Choose a monitor that matches your space. Going too big or too small can easily introduce barriers to an enjoyable gaming experience. To avoid visible pixels (aka the screen door effect), I recommend limiting size to no more than 27 inches.
Panel Type: These days there are two key panel types to choose from, and one less common that is best avoided unless you're aiming to play high-level competitive esports. The two primary types of panels are in-plane switching (IPS) and vertical alignment (VA). Twisted Nematic (TN) panels have largely been phased out and I suggest leaving them as relics of the past.
IPS panels offer the best colors and viewing angles at the expense of comparatively low contrast. VA panels offer good colors, if less accuracte than IPS, and much better contrast but have worse viewing angles. They also are not susceptible to backlight bleed due to how the technology handles light.
Since most gaming monitors claim 1ms or less response time, issues of ghosting or poor responsiveness are much less of a concern than they have been in the past. As long as the panels you're choosing between offer at least 1ms of response time, you can be free to choose the panel type that resonates more with your particular tastes and needs.
TN panels, on the other hand, can really only claim fast response time. Their colors tend to look washed out, and both contrast and viewing angles are lackluster. Yet, for esports, BenQ Zowie is still an incredibly popular brand for the routinely fantastic responsiveness, motion clarity, and reliability of its monitors. In general, TN isn't the best choice for most people, but for competitive esports, it's still the fastest option.
Refresh Rate: A monitor's refresh rate is how many times it updates the image on its screen per second (measured in hertz). A productivity monitor typically runs at a 60Hz refresh rate. These days, the majority of 1080p gaming monitors are able to offer 120Hz or higher refresh rates. Compared to 60Hz, this offers a significantly smoother gaming experience with better motion clarity. Anything above 200Hz tends to cost more and is best suited for competitive shooters and esports. Generally speaking, 144Hz is considered a sweet spot.
Brightness: How bright a monitor can get is measured in nits or candela per meter squared (cdm/2). The best 1080p gaming monitors are able to hit 400 nits or higher, which allows them to offer a bright, vivid picture. Many land in between 300 nits and 400 nits, which, away from direct sunlight, is still very usable. Anything below 300 nits, however, is likely to look a bit dim and isn't suited for use in direct sunlight.
Additional Features: The best gaming monitors offer additional features to increase their value. One of the most common is variable refresh rate support, which aligns the monitor's refresh rate with your in-game fps to eliminate screen tearing and create a smoother gaming experience. For AMD, this is known as FreeSync, and for Nvidia, it's G-Sync, though both accomplish the same task and at 1080p will be mostly indistinguishable from one another. Keep an eye out for other features like on-screen reticles and timers, software support, or hotkeys to quickly access its different settings.
1080p Gaming Monitor FAQ
Is a 1080p monitor worse than 1440p?
To answer this question, we first have to understand what each of those terms means. A 1080p monitor is one with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. This totals 2.07 million pixels. 1440p, on the other hand, refers to a resolution of 2560x1440, or 3.69 million pixels. Naturally, a 1440p monitor is going to offer a crisper image.
There's more to the story than simple pixel count, however. The size of your monitor also makes a big difference. At 24 inches, for example, you aren't likely to notice a major difference in picture clarity. What you will notice is how much more difficult 1440p is to run.
Its ease to run and relatively low cost are the two biggest reasons most people choose a 1080p gaming monitor with most graphics cards designed to hit 1080p resolution as a baseline, and many significantly higher. It's easier to run games at high frame rates and high settings with a less expensive GPU, like an Nvidia RTX 4050. This card is comparatively cheap but is very capable of running even demanding games at 1080p resolution. An xx60 or xx70 series card or their AMD equivalents will achieve higher frame rates but at a significantly higher cost and with minimal impact on the smoothness of your actual gaming experience (depending on the game, of course).
What is the best size for a 1080p monitor?
I recommend sticking to 27 inches or below. 1080p resolution is perfectly fine for displays at this size and under. While larger monitors are available, they are likely to make individual pixels visible and lead to a screen door effect and an overall softer image. The ideal size for 1080p for crispness, clarity, and space is around 25 inches.
How much should I pay for a 1080p monitor?
This depends on its size, capabilities, and features. But in general, 1080p gaming monitors should be significantly less expensive than 1440p or 4K displays. It's perfectly possible to get a very good 1080p monitor for under $200. I would suggest new PC gamers shopping for their first monitor to target this price point but allow themselves a little wiggle room for features and specs that best meet their needs.
Christopher Coke has been a regular contributor to IGN since 2019 and has been covering games and technology since 2013. He has covered tech ranging from gaming controllers to graphics cards, gaming chairs and gaming monitors, headphones, IEMs, and more for sites such as MMORPG.com, Tom’s Hardware, Popular Science, USA Today’s Reviewed, and Popular Mechanics. Find Chris on Twitter @gamebynight.
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