Best gaming monitors under $150: 2022 reviews & top picks
You might not need to spend a fortune to get the gaming display you desire
Finding a great gaming monitor on a budget can often be a tricky task – even more so if you aren’t fully up to speed with the latest monitor technology. The best gaming monitors provide you with immersion for your single-player games but can also boost responsiveness and give you the edge over your rivals in the competitive sphere. When it comes to finding the best gaming monitor for under 0 it is still no walk in the park but there are more and more options becoming available.
In the world of PC gaming, people tend to focus their budget on components for their build rather than on the display and peripherals. For many, that leaves little left in the budget for a high-end gaming monitor. Luckily, there are plenty of great monitors in the sub $150 price point and we’ve rounded up the best of the best to save you the stress.
Let’s take a closer look.
Best gaming monitor under $150 video
Our Top Picks
Gaming Monitors Under $150
In-depth Review
LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
Recently coming down in price is this fantastic gaming monitor from LG. The UltraGear 24GL600F-B is the perfect monitor for any gamer but especially those who enjoy a competitive FPS title.
While this may not offer the best viewing angles due to its TN panel, it more than makes up for that with its gamer orientated specs. This monitor comes with a lighting fast 144HZ refresh rate and !ms response time, making it ideal for the competitive sphere in games like CS:GO, Fortnite, and Valorant.
The monitor also comes with AMD’s Freesync technology to eliminate screen tearing and really created the smoothest gaming experience you can get at an affordable price. Furthermore, this 1080p 24-inch monitor comes with Black Stabilizer, helping you sport the enemy even in the darkest of settings.
The design is what some would consider “boring” but it is essentially just a matte black gaming monitor with the only real flare coming from the angled stand and the red accents at the back. The stand its self is very sturdy and limits monitor movement (even when you get a little ragey).
Overall we have an excellent gaming monitor for under $150, offering everything you could need at this price bracket and more. It is also worth mentioning that LG are renowned for the quality of their monitors and build quality can’t be sniffed at when working with a budget.
AOC Curved C24G1
AOC Curved C24G1
The AOC C24G1 is a frameless curved beast and features everything you could want for a budget gaming monitor.
Our top curved selection comes in the form of this gaming monitor from AOC. The C24G1 features a rapid 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate to give competitive gamers a superb option at a pinch. The gaming specs don’t end there though, with this monitor also shipping with AMD’s Freesync, VESA compatibility, and a three-year guarantee on zero dead pixels.
The VA display is 1080p and fully HD, giving off excellent colors and providing gamers with great viewing angles, making this more than just for gaming.
Looks-wise, this AOC monitor certainly features one of the nicest designs in this roundup and that is helped by the impressive looking stand that is built to help you get the perfect height while playing. Adding to the looks is the frameless looking bezels and overall thin profile, a great gaming monitor for under $150 here.
Acer Curved ED242QR
Acer Curved ED242QR
This Acer gaming monitor brings a lot to the table and narrowly misses out on top spot due to its slightly slower response time. Don’t let the response time put you off though, it is barely noticeable for many and the curved monitor makes this one of the best options in this price bracket.
This curved display comes with some impressive specs under the hood and has great viewing angles for the price thanks to its VA panel. Behind the panel we see a 144Hz refresh rate, giving you a slight competitive edge for a low amount of money and although the response time is 4ms, it is still responsive enough to make it into our top five recommendations.
This 1080p display comes with AMD’s Freesync, meaning you can pair up your computer frame rate with the fast refresh rate for some buttery smooth gameplay when it counts and eliminate that screen-tear altogether.
The design is pretty basic but the curved panel really looks superb on any desk and the relatively thin profile is very aesthetically pleasing.
Overall, a great monitor here for the price and our top curved pick for under $150.
Acer Nitro VG240Y
Acer Nitro VG240Y
The Acer Nitro VG240Y is the bigger brother to the smaller 22″ version that features on our best monitors for under $100 article. Out of the box, it’s a very visually appealing monitor with plenty of good gaming features too!
This monitor boasts a crisp IPS display which delivers great colour performance that isn’t compromised by viewing angles! Not only do games look good on this monitor but they are completely responsive too with the response time on this being only 1ms. The monitor also features AMD’s Freesync technology which is great meaning you can play your favourite games without getting any lag input resulting in a screen tear.
This model features Acer’s’ Game View Technology’ which can quickly tune your monitor’s settings to optimised the colours depending on what game you are playing. These settings are predetermined and can be found as presets in the OSD controls.
The design is simple but sleek and looks really clean and professional with a touch of flare coming from the unique looking stand. Acer calls this a zero frame and it looks great but there are plenty of thinner bezels than this on the market if that is what you are into. It is worth noting its quite a bulky monitor especially compared to the ultra-thin selections that also feature. The monitor is VESA mountable giving a variety of options depending on your setup.
For the price, this 1080p monitor is a bargain and will enhance your overall gaming experience if that’s what you want this for, don’t forget with its IPS display this could be used for media too!
BenQ GW2480
BenQ GW2480
The BenQ GW2480 monitor is more optimized for home and office use but its IPS panel, incredible color accuracy, and 5ms response time give gamers a great low-cost option.
The design is that classic BenQ look, with thin bezels and a sturdy stand to boot. While the stand only features a bit of tilt, there is a compartment to hide your cables inside, leaving your setup looking cleaner than ever.
While there may not be many gaming features for this budget option, the 24″ IPS panel is beautiful and delivers colors with incredible accuracy for the price. Surprisingly this comes with a 5ms response time, which we consider to be the upper limit for gamers but you aren’t going to notice any difference unless you play a lot of competitive games.
As this is a BenQ, you get their proprietary eye-care technology and some built-in speakers for use straight out of the box. The viewing angles are very wide thanks to the IPS panel, leaving you with a monitor you can use for much more than just gaming.
Overall, this 1080p monitor is a great budget option, coming way under the $150 mark. While it may not be the best for gaming, it has plenty of features for the price, plus that BenQ build quality.
Final Word
With prices dropping year on year, it is becoming much easier to find the best gaming monitors for under $150, with 144Hz options now starting to appear. You no longer have to compromise too much with refresh rates, giving those on tighter budgets more options than ever before.
The LG UltraGear gaming monitor stood head and shoulders above the rest in our round-up, with a low 1ms response time, fast 144Hz refresh rate, and high build quality that you would expect from LG.
The runner up best gaming monitor for under $150 is no slouch. The AOC C24G1 has a wonderful curved panel and some of the best aesthetics on this list. Looks aside, this monitor comes with a rapid 144HZ refresh rate and 1ms response time for superb gaming performance.
Our curved pick, the Acer ED242QR may not be as good as the top two recommendations but it still has plenty to offer for under $150. The response time is average at 4ms, however, its 144Hz refresh rate is not to be sniffed at.
For those looking to get better color accuracy and wider viewing angles, you’re going to want to get the Acer Nitro VG240Y. This IPS monitor brings more vibrancy out fo your games and while it doesn’t feature a particularly fast refresh rate, it is still a great contender.
Our budget option, surprisingly, is this gaming monitor from BenQ. This is another IPS panel, that delivers incredible color reproduction and will give you some excellent viewing angles, meaning this can be used for more than just gaming.
Overall, any of these monitors would be a solid addition but if this is still a little steep for your budget, then consider one of our under $100 picks. If you can save a few extra pennies and stretch your monitor budget to over $200, this is where you start to see some monitors optimal for gaming with many improved features.