Monitors are often overlooked when building a gaming setup since gamers often prioritize finding the best PC, keyboard, and mouse for their needs.

Though peripherals are important to perform at the highest level, without a good gaming monitor, you may only play with half of what your PC has to offer in terms of performance.

A gaming monitor is a must-have to improve your overall experience with its low response time and high refresh rates. In tactical shooters like Overwatch, CS:GO and VALORANT, those traits allow players to react faster and be one step ahead of their enemies. And in MOBAs such as League of Legends, a gaming monitor can help you steal a game-changing drake or Baron Nashor.

There are a lot of options out there to consider since competition in the market is fierce. But we’re here to help you break down the best of the best in regards to competitive-ready monitors.

ASUS ROG Swift PG279QZ Gaming Monitor

The preferred size of gaming monitors used to be 24 inches. With ASUS joining the fray, however, it seems like the industry standard is moving towards 27-inch models.

The ROG Swift PG279QZ has a maximum resolution of 2560×1440 and supports an IPS panel. IPS panels are mostly preferred in gaming monitors due to their vibrant colors, which make spotting enemies easier.

The PG279QZ can turn up its refresh rate to 165 Hz and has a response time of four milliseconds. Though its response time may be concerning to some, the G-Sync compatible monitor doesn’t make you feel any input lag at all.

Acer Nitro XV273X Gaming Monitor

Acer Nitro XV273X is 27 inches with a 1920×1080 resolution. The monitor supports an IPS and is FreeSync capable.

The XV273X is a great choice for gaming with its 240 Hz refresh rate and one millisecond gray-to-gray (G2G) response time. G2G is the time that a pixel on the panel takes to change from grey to white then back to gray again. Competitive gamers prefer lower G2G response times alongside high refresh rates to assure a smooth gaming experience. 

This monitor retains its image quality from different angles as well but sacrifices some contrast ratio to do so. Its build quality is also solid and the colors are quite accurate.

Though the XV273X has everything a competitive gamer needs, the monitor’s color gamut is not wide enough for a great HDR experience. It’s still a great buy if you don’t need HDR and aren’t looking into gaming at 4K.

BenQ Zowie XL2411P Gaming Monitor

BenQ’s XL gaming monitor line-up includes some of the most popular gaming monitors among pro players. The main reasons behind its success are the affordable prices and esports-ready specs.

The XL2411P can be considered the entry-level offering of the lineup and is one of the cheapest competitive gaming monitors in the market. The 24-inch monitor supports a TN panel and has a resolution of 1920×1080. Though the monitor fails to keep up its image quality from different angles due to its panel, it makes up for it with its 144 Hz refresh rate and one-millisecond G2G response time.

The only drawback of the monitor is its out-of-the-box color settings, which need some tinkering to make it accurate. If you don’t want to waste any time with that, the pre-adjusted settings for various game types can also be enough.

Gigabyte Aorus FI27Q Gaming Monitor

The legendary motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte also makes some killer gaming equipment to go with its hardware.

The Aorus FI27Q is a 27-inch monitor that supports an IPS panel. With its 1440p resolution and max refresh rate of 165 Hz, it’s a great monitor to take advantage of your already powerful rig.

Though most 1440p monitors lack in the response time department, the Aorus FI27Q has a one-millisecond G2G response time and is also HDR compatible. 

Overall, its colors are accurate and the build quality is solid. Its only drawback seems to be its black uniformity, which shouldn’t be too restrictive if you don’t game in dark environments.

ASUS VG279Q Gaming Monitor

ASUS’ ROG line may be overkill to some that don’t have powerful rigs to take advantage of its offerings’ specs.

Compared to the ROG models, the VG279Q costs a lot less and trims down on some of their features. The 27-inch monitor has a 1080p resolution and supports an IPS panel. It requires almost no adjustment once it’s out of the box since it has a great color accuracy and vibrancy, alongside high peak brightness levels.

The VG279Q also supports FreeSync and has a response time of one millisecond. It’s a great monitor for competitive gaming unless you also need HDR for your console.

ViewSonic Elite XG270 Gaming Monitor

If you’re looking for a complete package without any drawbacks, you can’t go wrong with ViewSonic’s Elite XG270.

The 27-inch Elite XG270 comes with an IPS panel that has a 1080p resolution. The G-Sync compatible monitor delivers a smooth viewing experience with accurate and clear colors. The monitor’s viewing angles are also great, and it even features RGB lighting for those who prefer bling on their hardware.

The XG270’s 240 Hz refresh rate and one-millisecond G2G response time make it a great choice for competitive gaming. In addition to being esports-ready, the monitor is also HDR compatible and should have you covered if you also have a console you’re planning to use with your monitor.

BenQ Zowie XL2540 Gaming Monitor

The XL2540 is one of the most advanced monitors that BenQ has to offer. If you need more firing power than their entry-level offerings, the XL2540 improves upon the already successful formula while introducing new quality-of-life features.

The 24.5-inch monitor has a 1080p resolution and supports a TN panel. Alongside being FreeSynch compatible, the monitor also has two shields on the sides to prevent any sunlight disturbance or peeking during LAN parties.

BenQ likely designed the XL2540 with esports players in mind, since the monitor’s 240 Hz refresh rate and one-millisecond G2G response time makes you feel like you’re actually inside the game.

Though the color profiles require some adjusting, the monitor comes with a smart switch that lets you swap between your saved color profiles. If you play different games and also enjoy watching content on your monitor, it can be quite the time-saver.

This article includes affiliate links, which may provide small compensation to Dot Esports.

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