Updated Sep 10, 2024 at 03:21 pm
By Scott James
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Although gaming monitors are coming out with higher refresh rates, you still need a high-end PC gaming setup to take full advantage of those monitors. As such, there are still benefits to gaming at 144Hz, especially if your setup can't consistently maintain high frame rates. The market for monitors with a native 144Hz refresh rate is getting smaller, and there are many gaming monitors coming out with refresh rates slightly higher than 144Hz, like up to 180Hz. Because of that, the recommended monitors below reflect the current market and have refresh rates as high as 180Hz, and you can easily use them at 144Hz instead.
There are a few factors to consider when looking for a gaming monitor. Having a fast response time is important for sharp motion handling so that there isn't much blur behind fast-moving objects. Getting a monitor with low input lag also makes gaming feel responsive, but most monitors have low input lag anyway. You can also consider a monitor's picture quality if you care about detailed images, but many entry-level and budget-friendly monitors have a limited picture quality.
We've bought and tested over 325 monitors, and below are our picks for the best 144Hz monitors, including those with refresh rates up to 180Hz. See our recommendations for thebest 1440p 144Hz monitors, the best 4k 144Hz monitors, and, if you want a higher refresh rate, the best 240Hz monitors.
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Best 144Hz Monitor
Dell Alienware AW3423DWF 96
PC Gaming
8.9
Performance Usages: Brightness
6.7
Response Time
9.9
HDR Picture
9.3
SDR Picture
9.9
Color Accuracy
9.4
Size
34"Pixel Type
QD-OLEDNative Refresh Rate
165 HzMax Refresh Rate
165 HzNative Resolution
3440 x 1440See all our test results
The best 144Hz monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. It delivers both high-end picture quality and a smooth gaming feel. You can sometimes find it for a low cost directly from Dell's website. It has a 165Hz refresh rate, which is a slight advantage over a native 144Hz monitor, but it still offers the same outstanding performance at 144Hz.This is because it has a near-instantaneous response time at any refresh rate, including at 144Hz, so fast-moving objects are crisp without any noticeable blur. It also supports all common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing.
What makes this such a fantastic monitor is that it delivers outstanding picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel. It displays deep and inky blacks in dark rooms, and there isn't any blooming around bright objects either. You'll also be happy to know that it displays bright highlights and vivid colors in HDR, which is ideal if you like playing HDR games. Lastly, its 34-inch, ultrawide screen is great for playing immersive games as you can see more of your game at once.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range 144Hz Monitor
Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx 112
PC Gaming
7.7
Performance Usages: Brightness
8.8
Response Time
7.9
HDR Picture
7.2
SDR Picture
7.2
Color Accuracy
9.0
Size
27"Pixel Type
IPSNative Refresh Rate
160 HzMax Refresh Rate
160 HzNative Resolution
3840 x 2160See all our test results
If you don't need a high-end premium monitor like the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF, the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is an excellent mid-range option. It's different from the Dell because it has a smaller 27-inch screen anddoesn't have a QD-OLED panel, so it doesn't display the same deep and inky blacks without any blooming. That said, it has a higher 4k resolution to help deliver a more detailed image, and it still uses Mini LED backlighting with a decent local dimming feature that helps improve the contrast ratio, which is great for gaming in dark rooms. It's also a great choice if you want to use it in a bright room, as it easily gets bright enough to fight glare.
Like the Dell, it has a native refresh rate slightly above 144Hz, as it goes up to 160Hz. While motion isn't as sharp as on the Dell, it still has a fast enough response time, soit doesn't have much blur behind fast-moving objects, including when gaming at 144Hz.
See our review
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Best Budget 144Hz Monitor
AOC Q27G3XMN 299
PC Gaming
8.2
Performance Usages: Brightness
8.3
Response Time
8.5
HDR Picture
8.0
SDR Picture
8.2
Color Accuracy
8.8
Size
27"Pixel Type
VANative Refresh Rate
165 HzMax Refresh Rate
180 HzNative Resolution
2560 x 1440See all our test results
If you're looking for the bestbudget 144Hz monitor, the AOC Q27G3XMN is a great lower-cost alternative to the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. It also uses Mini LED backlighting, so it displays deep blacks without much blooming andmakes highlights pop in HDR, but the main difference with the Acer is that it has a lower 1440p resolution. This means it doesn't display the same detailed images, but this is what you have to expect for a low-cost model.
It has a native 165Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 180Hz with a Displayport connection, but the max refresh rate over HDMI is 144Hz. It has an even faster response time than the Acer, but there's black smearing with fast-moving objects. One downside is that it has noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates in dark scenes, but you can just disable VRR if that bothers you.This monitor sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it available, the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx is a similar monitor you can get for a low cost, but it has worse motion handling.
See our review
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Best Cheap 144Hz Monitor
Dell G2724D 428
PC Gaming
7.3
Performance Usages: Brightness
7.5
Response Time
7.8
HDR Picture
5.4
SDR Picture
7.2
Color Accuracy
8.9
Size
27"Pixel Type
IPSNative Refresh Rate
165 HzMax Refresh Rate
165 HzNative Resolution
2560 x 1440See all our test results
If you want a simple and cheap monitor,look into the Dell G2724D, which you can often find for a low cost directly from Dell's website. Ithas a 27-inch, 1440p screen like the AOC Q27G3XMN, but it's different in a few ways because it doesn't have Mini LED backlighting, so it doesn't display the same deep blacks and has worse overall picture quality. However, that's what you have to expect from an entry-level monitor.
It's still good for gaming as it has a 165Hz max refresh rate, but like the AOC, the max refresh rate over HDMI is 144Hz. While its response time isn't as quick as on the AOC, it has less black smearing with fast-moving objects. It also supports all common VRR formats, which is rare for an entry-level monitor, meaning its VRR support even works with NVIDIA graphics cards over HDMI, which the AOC can't do.
See our review
Notable Mentions
- Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85: The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85 is a competitor to the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF and is sometimes cheaper. It's a great choice if you're on a tighter budget or want power delivery over USB-C, but it has worse color accuracy than the Dell in both HDR and SDR. See our review
- Gigabyte M27U: The Gigabyte M27U is a cheaper alternative to the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx and has a 4k resolution and good gaming performance. However, it has worse picture quality, so the Acer still offers the best performance. See our review
Recent Updates
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Sep 10, 2024: Confirmed that our selections are consistent and up-to-date, and replaced the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED with the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85 as a Notable Mention, as it's cheaper and easier to find.
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Jun 17, 2024: Added the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx as the 'Best Mid-Range Monitor' to better represent the current monitor market. Added the AOC Q27G3XMN as the 'Best Budget' and renamed the Dell G2724D to the 'Best Cheap' for consistency with other recommendations. Removed the ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A as the Dell is better for gaming. Added the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED and the Gigabyte M27U to the Notable Mentions.
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Apr 25, 2024: Restructured article to reflect how people are looking for 144Hz monitors, including removing the Sony INZONE M9 and the LG 27GR93U-B to avoid recommending any 4k monitors as it doesn't represent expectations for the market. Added the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF as our top pick and replaced the LG 27GL850-B/27GL83A-B and Gigabyte GS27QC with the Dell G2724D and ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A as they have better motion handling. Updated Notable Mentions based on changes.
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Feb 09, 2024: Replaced the Gigabyte M32U and the LG 32GR93U-B with the LG 27GR93U-B as it's more representative of the market and mid-range monitors; added the Gigabyte GS27QC as the 'Best Cheap' monitor, as even if it has a higher refresh rate, it's worth getting; removed the Gigabyte M32UC and the Dell G3223Q from Notable Mentions and added the Gigabyte M27U.
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Dec 06, 2023: Replaced the LG 32GQ950-B with the Sony INZONE M9 for consistency with other articles as it has better picture quality; moved the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx to Notable Mentions because it's hard to find; added the LG 27GP950-B to Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors with a 144Hz or 165Hz refresh ratecurrently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people, in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our monitors with a minimum refresh rate of 144Hz. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.