Best Gaming Monitor Under 500

Aaron CareyLast Updated: September 30, 2020

Monitors are created in different shapes and sizes to fulfill the expectations of gamers so they feel more than just players. Which monitor has great performance is an important concern among many users so while doing some deep research concerning the best gaming monitor under 500, I have compiled a list.

But you might have questions. Which monitor has the best resolution? Are monitors cheap? Are they filled with all the various features that you want? Which screen size is best for you?

Above mentioned questions always pop in a person’s mind as monitors have various features with all the qualities that a gamer will adore. So, let’s take a look at my picks.

Related: Best Gaming Monitor Under 300

Best Gaming Monitor Under 500

1.AOC CU34G2X

AOC CU34G2X 34" Curved Frameless Immersive...

• 34" Class (34" Viewable) AOC Gaming G2...
• Rapid 1ms response (MPRT) and 144Hz...
• 3-Sided frameless design with 1500R...
• VA panel for wide viewing angles and...
• AOC Re-Spawned 3-year zero-bright-dot...

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Design and style: This is the best gaming monitor under 500 by AOC that has a sleek, curved, frameless design with that height adjustment feature. It is made of standard build material and its ergonomic adjustment makes it easier for a gamer to adjust the screen whichever way he is comfortable. 

As adjusting the screen is quite a necessity, this monitor allows you to adjust the height or tilt it, swivel it or pivot it, and is mountable by a Vesa stand for more stability.

This gaming monitor is a perfect choice for gamers who are looking for an immersive gaming experience with high-speed gameplay. It has a 34 inches curved VA panel with wide-viewing angles having a WQHD resolution of 3440×1440. 

Picture and video quality: As far as the picture quality is concerned, this monitor’s VA panel gives 178 horizontal and 178 vertical degree viewing angles. Plus, the aspect ratio for the image to be filled with more quality is 21:9. It maintains consistent image quality and colors from all the viewing angles. 

For the monitor’s screen to not get fingerprints and smudges it has a matte anti-glare coating to repel it.

As many people face the eye fatigue problem but this monitor reduces it with its CU34G2X’s curvatures of 1500R. Because our eyes are curved and have a limited field of view, what this monitor does is it conforms to the way we see and helps reduce eye fatigue while putting you in the center of the action. 

Moreover, this monitor supports a 300 cd/m² brightness level that illuminates the screen. And the contrast ratio is 3,000:1 that produces the brightness colors as possible.

AOC’s monitor works with a wide range of vibrant colors that are 1.07 billion colors for a more exciting and amazing visual experience. The monitor supports 98% of Adobe RGB and 115% of sRGB that enhances the way you see colors on your screen. 

For gamers to enjoy fluid gaming this monitor has an AMD FreeSync premium technology that delivers no stuttering or tearing in the display. This technology synchronizes the display in a way to provide the smoothest, fastest, and visually stunning gaming graphics. 

Performance: AOC presents the best gaming monitor under 500 that has a flicker-free technology that alleviates eye strain, which gives an ideal display to the gamers who use PC for extended periods of time. Plus, it reduces headaches for those who are more sensitive to technology.  

Due to the fast refresh rate of 144Hz, it brings smoothness and fluidity to the games you play. And it responds to your mouse and keyboard in an instant.

With its speedy response time of 1ms (MPRT), it delivers an enhanced gaming experience without any fuzziness so that you can enjoy fast-moving action.

Connectivity: For connectivity, it has 2 display ports of 1.4, 2 ports of HDMI of 2.0, 4 USB ports of 3.0 so that you can connect multiple screens at the same time. 

Dimensions: This monitor has the dimensions of 35.5 x 21.4 x 11.1 inches so it is a pretty big curved screen for experiencing gaming with complete ease.

Bottom line: This best gaming monitor under 500 is jam-packed with eye-popping specs, like its 34-inch curved screen. It has an AMD FreeSync technology, a flicker-free, fast refresh rate with a speedy response, and multiple connectivity ports. These features are quite the selling points of this monitor. It’ll be perfect for serious gamers.

2.MSI (Optix AG32C), Black

MSI Full HD Gaming Red LED Non-Glare Super...

• 165Hz refresh rate - Display without...
• 1ms response time helps eliminate screen...
• R1800 curve panel design – Most...
• True color- NTSC 85%, SRGB 110%; Viewing...
• Optimized with MSI gaming VGA – make...

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Design and style: MSI Full HD Curved Gaming Monitor (Optix AG32C) is designed with an R1800 curved panel that has a good effect on the human eye. Plus, this design not only provides comfort but is also suitable for many applications whether for computing or gaming. 

Black color with red RGB lighting at the back provides a wonderful flare to the design.  

Though this gaming monitor has a slim design with extremely thin bezels, it is not very adjustable. You can only tilt the screen by -5degrees/15degrees or VESA mount it with a 100x100mm pattern. 

Moreover, VESA mounting can become difficult if you separate the screen from its base as some parts of the stand cannot be removed. Hence, you would require a VESA mount adapter for mounting the screen.

Picture and video quality: This best gaming monitor under $500 has an ultra-thin bezel with a multi-monitor 18-degree set up for an incredibly immersive gaming experience. Hence, with a large viewing angle, this monitor provides you with an optimal viewing experience. 

Also, you will find the colors and details to be way sharper than other monitors that have less viewing angles. Therefore, when you work or play games, you can have good connectivity between the screens to make your view better. 

MSI AG32C has a full HD resolution of 1920×1080 resolution that provides a pixel density of 70 pixels per inch on a 31.5-inches screen. Though this resolution would be more suited for a 24-inch monitor, it does not affect your computing, movie watching, or gaming in any way. 

Moreover, the monitor uses VA technology that provides true 8-bit color depth and 110% sRGB color gamut for flamboyant, lively, and realistic colors. The aspect ratio of 3,000:1 is pretty impressive as it presents the shadows of the image very clearly with true deep black areas. 

With an AMD GPU or an Xbox One console, you can enable FreeSync that will change the refresh rate drastically and completely remove screen tearing and stuttering. The FreeSync range of this monitor is 48 to 165Hz, therefore, if the FPS(Frames Per Second) rate stays within the range, you will not experience any screen tearing or stuttering. 

However, if the FPS rate goes below 48Hz, AMD Low Framerate Compensation technology makes the monitor multiply the GPU’s frame rate in order to lessen the visual artifacts until the FPS rate recovers.

There is an MSI Remote Display application available on an Android phone that allows you to control the gaming monitor. You can control contrast ratio, brightness, bright equalizer, etc. 

Performance: The flicker rate of generic monitor displays is generally 200 times per second which is not noticed by the eye but causes fatigue over time. This MSI monitor has an anti-flicker technology that reduces the amount of flicker, does not cause fatigue, and makes the viewing experience comfortable. 

Moreover, with AMD FreeSync technology, you get fluid, artifact-free performance at any framerate. 

The MSI gaming monitor is the best gaming monitor under $500 that has a response time of 4ms gtg (gray to gray) that can be taken to 1ms MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time) by going to the On-Screen Display menu and setting the ‘OverDrive’ setting to ‘Extreme’. On one hand, this feature will lower the perceived motion blur and ghosting of fast-moving objects but on the other, it will make the screen dimmer. 

(OSD-On Screen Display application is available for setting up your gaming monitor. This app also gives you the hotkey option to switch between different games comfortably.)

The refresh rate of MSI gaming monitors is 165Hz. Accompanied by the response time of 1ms the monitor enables you to play very fast games with precise movements providing an edge over other monitors. Hence, you can play fast-moving games like first-person shooters, fighters, racing sims, real-time strategy, sports, etc. pretty comfortably.  

The MSI gaming monitor reduces the total amount of light displayed by the monitor so that there is less stress on your eyes and you can play games for long time periods without any fatigue.

Connectivity: For connectivity, there is an HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and Dual-link DVI-D ports at the back of the monitor. HDMI and DP can support FreeSync up to 165HZ.

Dimensions: The monitor has 28.5 x 8.2 x 20.2 inches dimensions – large enough to provide you with an immersive gaming experience.

Bottom line: This best gaming monitor under $500 by MSI Optix AG32C features a 165Hz refresh rate that can reduce the after-image effect and make the image more clear. The R1800 curved design is suitable for your eye, sRGB 110% provides you with a real and clear display with vibrant colors. Plus, less Blue Light allows you to use the monitor without any stress or fatigue so you can play games for a longer period of time.

3.Asus VG248QE. Black

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ASUS VG248QE 24" Full HD 1920x1080 144Hz 1ms...

• Ultra smooth action with 144 Hertz rapid...
• Ergonomically designed stand with...
• A comfortable viewing experience with...
• Built in 2W stereo speakers for an...
• Featuring Display Port, Dual link DVI D,...

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Design and style: Asus VG248QE is the best gaming monitor for under 500 that has a lustrous black design with a shiny black bezel & cabinet. It has a round base with a Lazy Susan rotating mechanism. There is also a telescoping mounting arm that provides height with tilting adjustability. 

Although the base has a 3D logo that indicates that it is 3D ready, there is no 3D vision kit with the product. You would need to buy it separately.

Under the lower bezel on the right side, there are six buttons with clearly labeled functions. The power switch is included in those buttons. Many of these buttons provide quick access to picture presets and a GamePlus feature that provides you with a game timer and an aiming scope so that you can target your enemies accurately in the gameplay.  

Picture and video quality: This best gaming monitor for under 500 by Asus has narrow viewing angles. At around 25-degrees, there is some color shifting from the center from the side. But if you just take a look at the screen from the bottom the view of the screen becomes somewhat dark. It becomes a bit of a nuisance when you rotate the panel and the bottom angle becomes the left side angle.

It has great technology for picture presets. The six presets that this monitor has include scenery, standard, theater, game, sRGB, and night view modes. There are more picture settings including brightness, contrast, color saturation, skin tone, and color temperature. 

It also has a smart view setting for luminance on side angle viewing. However, when this setting is enabled, the center view is compromised. Hence, it is better to keep this view disabled. 

The monitor’s color accuracy isn’t perfect but is still quite good. The 1920×1080 panel produces greens that are oversaturated but the blues and reds are quite close to the International Commission-On-Illumination coordinates. 

Though the greens appear to be heavy but they do not cause any tinting. As far as the gray shades are concerned, it displays every shade of gray but the dark shades could have been a little bit darker. 

AMD FreeSync technology is not supported by ASUS VG248QE. However, it has NVIDIA 3D Vision and NVIDIA 3D LightBoost.

Performance: You get an awesome gaming experience with 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate. There is no lagging nor any image distortion even when playing heavy games or watching movies. You also get clear and stutter-free images when you pan the scenes.

With an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a contrast ratio of 80,000,000:1, it has excellent clarity and responsiveness.

The monitor has a gaming-related feature of GamePlus that enables you to customize crosshairs and on-screen timers so that there is better precision and timing in FPS(Frames Per Second), RTS (Real-Time Strategy), and RPG(Role Playing Games) video games.

Its performance is lacking in terms of viewing angles and 3D gaming. However, it delivers when smooth motion handling is needed. Plus, it has multiple ports and with a separate 3D vision kit you get good motion performance.

ASUS VG248QE monitor is not flicker-free because it makes use of PWM for the regulation of brightness. Moreover, it also lacks a low-blue light filter so anyone who is sensitive to screen flicker may get headaches or eye fatigue if the monitor is used for a long time.

Connectivity: For connectivity, there are three digital inputs– HDMI, DisplayPort, and dual-link DVI. All these ports are at the back of the cabinet facing downwards. There is also an audio input and a headphone jack alongside. 

This model does not have any USB ports or analog video input. It has a set of 2-watt speakers that are not very loud but produce a high-pitched sound. 

Dimensions: ASUS VG248QE 24-inch LED monitor has the dimensions of 22.42 x 9.10 x 19.68 inches. It provides ultra-smooth scenes in intense actions during the games. Plus, its 24 inches size makes it a good amount of screen space for productive purposes or even gaming whether it is used as a secondary or main monitor.

Bottom line: This is the best gaming monitor for under 500 as it has the fame of being among the first 144Hz monitors to have the LightBoost technology that provides impressive performance with excellent motion clarity and responsiveness. Therefore, it gained outstanding ratings and became very popular.

4.BenQ EW3270U

BenQ EW3270U 32 inch 4K Monitor | With...

• High resolution: 31. 5-Inch LED 4K UHD...
• Hdr support: HDR increases the dynamic...
• Brightness Intelligence Plus technology:...
• Eye-care technology: low Blue light and...
• Multiple connectivity: HDMI 2. 0, DP1....

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Design and style: BenQ EW3270U is the best 4k gaming monitor under 500 that is filled with many features. First of all its design is exquisite with a metallic grey color. This gaming monitor has a vertical alignment (VA) panel that provides great performance and great visuals. The only height adjustment this monitor gives is the tilt one – not the pivot or swivel. 

Picture and video quality: BenQ has great viewing angles of 178° horizontal and 178° vertical but there might be some minor contrast shifts when you watch the screen from certain off-angles. For resolution, it has a 4k Ultra HD resolution that is bound to provide vivid details with 3840 x 2160 pixels. 

This monitor supports 95% DCI-P3 wide color gamut along with a superior static contrast ratio of 3,000:1 to provide you with intense deep colors that are vibrant and have true black shades.

BenQ supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) content that enhances the image quality that increases the dynamic range for showcasing incredible clarity and details. A game played on PC or console or a video that supports HDR will have better colors. 

However, since the brightness of this monitor is a bit low – just 300-nit – so the picture may not be as eye-catching as that of a true HDR display that has better brightness and restrained dimming capabilities.

Performance: This gaming monitor has a response time of 4 ms so you can notice blur and ghosting in motion while playing fast games. However, for normal gaming, it does not make much of a difference and its input lag of around ~10ms would not create any apparent delays while playing games. 

You can increase the response time speed by using the Advanced Motion Accelerator option in the On-Screen Display menu. But this can result in overshoot or inverse ghosting.   

BenQ EW3270U has AMD FreeSync technology that lets you synchronize the GPU’s frame rate of the graphics card that is compatible with AMD FreeSync with the monitor’s refresh rate. In this way, you will not experience on-screen tearing and stuttering if it remains within the dynamic refresh rate. 

The FreeSync range both over DisplayPort and HDMI is 40-60Hz/FPS. Moreover, with a compatible NVIDIA G-SYNC graphics card, Freesync will work without any problem.

Connectivity: For connectivity, this best 4k gaming monitor under 500 has several ports that include 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB-C port that has a DisplayPort Alternate Mode but there is no power delivery. 

The monitor is VESA mount compatible with 100 x 100 holes, however, it only allows the tilt in the range of -5, 20 degrees. Plus, it has two 2W integrated speakers along with a headphones jack. You can also watch content from streaming services like Netflix in 4K resolution as all the display connectors support HDCP 2.2. 

Dimensions: BenQ EW3270U has dimensions of 522.2 x 726.4 x 215 mm. Hence, you can enjoy an immersive gaming experience with this monitor.

Bottom line: BenQ EW3270U is the best 4k gaming monitor under 500 that has a large screen for an ultimate gaming experience. It is not only great for console gaming but also for watching movies and everyday use of a PC. Its wide range of features along with excellent image quality provides top-quality performance.

5.Asus TUF VG27AQ

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ASUS TUF Gaming 27" 2K HDR Gaming Monitor...

• 27 inch WQHD (2560x1440) IPS gaming...
• ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB...
• Marathon ready with ASUS Eye Care...
• Compatible with industry-standard HDR10...
• Flexible connectivity options with...

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Design and style: Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ is a 27-inch WQHD (2560×1440) IPS gaming monitor. It has great features with good exterior design. It also has a swivel of 180-degrees and a tilt of 38-degrees. Plus you can also adjust the height as per your requirement. 

The monitor that weighs 5.8kg has a panel of good quality that has sturdy panels for the display. It is designed with a simple, flat base with no RGB LEDs. Setting it up takes some time as the stand needs to be placed with screws. 

It can be moved around easily to adjust according to your requirement. You can have a multi-monitor setup too due to the slim-bezels design. 

Picture and video quality: This is the best gaming monitor by ASUS that provides fantastic color quality with the screen’s color temperature of 6,298K that is very close to the ideal temperature of 6,500K. Hence, you get the perfect tones with lifelike pictures. The sRGB color gamut coverage level is 98.5% that is quite wonderful. 

Nevertheless, if the panel is lowered to 80% or less, the screen will not be able to handle the ranges of HDR-focused and professional color ranges.  

If you want the colors to be consistent, you need to keep the brightness of the screen at its maximum with the panel being at half its original brightness levels. In this way, you can maintain the color temperature, accuracy, and gamma levels as well. 

The default contrast ratio of 1,154:1 with a default brightness level of 0.24 nits is good for normal gaming and esports. Therefore, you can get games that look vigorous and vibrant with enough depth. The contrasts from full daytime, shadows, and the low light of night are pretty good.  

ASUS VG27AQ with its input lag of 6.3ms, colors, and refresh rate of 165Hz becomes a good monitor for fast-paced settings. Plus, the FPS, RTS, and RPG options are very bright but the Delta E figures are not very good nor are the warmer color temperature results. Hence, the images seem to be a bit redder with oversaturation.

Performance: This best gaming monitor can be attached either to the PC or the PS4 Pro for an incredible experience of instant clear, bright, and lifelike colors. The monitor provides a smooth and speedy picture with no jumps, tears, or smears even in the most frantic encounters like spotting enemies or spinning the ship. 

The default refresh rate leaves no eye strain even when you play games for longer time periods. 

You need to spend some time to know the settings menu to adjust the blacks, grays, and whites of the monitor. You can also adjust the fuzziness and haze around the edges of the flames and light sources. This can be done by adjusting the basic settings like contrast and brightness along with changing the shadow boost and switching to a different game preset like from FPS to sRGB Scenery. 

The monitor can provide a good multi-display panel when IPS panel is combined with its gaming specs and the overall picture quality. Also, it will provide a great view from any angle. The monitor has a 165Hz Nvidia G-Sync that provides fast & smooth gaming for esports and single-player games. Plus, the images are pretty clear with innovative motion-blur.  

Connectivity: As far as the connectivity is concerned, this gaming monitor has extensive connectivity options. It includes a DisplayPort of 1.2, 2 x HDMI of v 2.0 and you can also connect a wide variety of multimedia devices with it as well. Unfortunately, you won’t find any USB port anywhere on this display.

Dimensions: This monitor has 24.4 inches x 8.3 inches x 20 inches in terms of dimensions, comes with a stand, and weighs about 17.9 pounds. So, it won’t be heavy for you to adjust it as per your liking.

Bottom line: This is the best gaming monitor as it has a 27-inch screen that is a good screen space for a gamer. Fast response time with a fast refresh rate of 165 Hz. Due to its flicker-free G-Sync technology, you will experience smooth gaming. Plus you won’t face any ghosting and tearing with the sharp visuals due to its ELMB Sync technology. Moreover, with its ergonomic design, it lets you move the monitor in different directions for your convenience.

6.Dell S-Series (S2719DGF)

Dell S-Series 27-Inch Screen LED-Lit Gaming...

• Experience sharp, tear free graphics...
• Get blazing fast and responsive gameplay...
• Enjoy vivid edge to edge game play and...
• Brightness: 350 candela per square metre
• Note: The 27' measurement of a TV...

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Design and style: This best 1440p gaming monitor under 500 has 27-inches screen size. Plus, Dell S2719DGF is designed to be strong & sturdy and has a dark blue-gray finish with bright red color or RGB gaming colors. The height adjustment of the screen can be up to 130mm with a swivel of +/- 45°, pivoting of +/- 90°, tilting or -5°/21° or 100x100mm mounting on VESA mount pattern.

Picture and video quality: Dell S2719DGF has 160°/170° viewing angles with a standard contrast ratio of 1,000:1, response time speed of 1ms, a peak brightness of 350-nits, and true 8-bit color depth that provides 16.7 million colors and standard sRGB gamut. 

However, the lower contrast ratio would result in black shades that are not very deep or clear – in fact, a bit grayish. Similarly, the colors may not be too bright and vibrant but the response time speed provides ideal conditions for fast-paced games.

The viewing angles for this screen are narrow which may result in the shifting of contrast and color of the image if the screen is looked at skewed angles. However, it wouldn’t be a problem if you would look at the screen from the front.

The monitor has a 1440p resolution and dense pixel density of 108 pixels per inch that results in crisp & sharp image details with a lot of screen space availability.

The AMD FreeSync technology provides a variable refresh rate (VRR) so there is no tearing or stuttering on the screen. The VRR range is between 140Hz and 155Hz. It is also G-Sync compatible with NVIDIA cards (unofficially).

Performance: The response time speed of 1ms assists in lowering the input lag so you don’t see any trailing of fast-moving objects in FPS and racing games. Hence, you get an exceptional and immersive gaming experience. 

You can further improve the motion clarity by overclocking the refresh rate. For a small boost, you would simply have to overclock the monitor from 144Hz refresh rate to 155Hz.  

This is the best 1440p gaming monitor under 500 that provides exceptional performance with no dead or stuck pixels; nor is there any excessive backlight bleeding. In fact, the backlight is flicker-free with a low blue light filter that does not leave any strain on the eyes nor any headaches even if you have longer gaming sessions.

Connectivity: This best 1440p gaming monitor under 500 has multiple connectivity ports including 1 for the power connector, 1 for  Security-lock slot, 1 for Stand lock, 1 HDMI port of 1.4, 1 HDMI port of 2.0, 1 DisplayPort of 1.2, 1 Audio line out port, 3 USB ports, and finally 1 Headphone port.

Dimensions: The dimensions of this monitor are 24.00 x 7.20 x 15.50 inches and the weight of it is about 13.34 pounds. It’s quite lightweight and easy to carry and adjust wherever you might wish to place it.

Bottom line: Dell never ceases to amaze as this gaming monitor has a 27-inch screen that fits perfectly for a main or even secondary monitor. You can adjust this monitor whichever way you like and it’s completely ergonomic. AMD Free Sync technology so that you can have smooth gaming experience. Moreover, you have a fast refresh rate with fast response time and it has a TN panel that gives an extraordinary performance with amazing visuals.

How to choose the best gaming monitor under 500?

For many users or players choosing a gaming monitor that fits perfectly with their existing setup is not all that a user wants. Monitors have so many different features that a person who is new to gaming might end up with his head spinning. So, this part of choosing and not knowing what might be the features that one should look for can be quite tricky. 

Having a PC that possesses all the distinctive features is not enough; you need a gaming monitor that delivers exemplary performance. Any serious gamer, no matter how new to gaming, shouldn’t miss out on these features while on a lookout for amazing monitors just because they are a bit hard to understand. 

So, after a lot of research, I have come across some important features you should look for while on a hunt for the best gaming monitor. Consider the following:

• What is the size of the monitor?
• What panel does it have?
• What is its viewing angle?
• What is the maximum resolution?
• Does it flicker?
• Does it have a freesync?
• How many connectivity ports does it have?

Related: Gaming Monitor Guide

Conclusion

Now after the monitors have been reviewed in detail my best pick is the AOC CU34G2X gaming monitor that is filled with eye-popping specs. It has a large curved screen of 34 inches and has AMD FreeSync technology that makes for a smooth gaming experience. Plus, it’s flicker-free, it has a fast refresh rate with a speedy response and multiple connectivity ports. 

So what are you looking for in a monitor? Do you want the main monitor or a secondary one? What is the one thing that you absolutely need in your main screen?

Aaron Carey

Aaron is an avid gamer, and likes to try out all the new tech he can get his hands on. When he isn’t enjoying his gaming sessions in his small house in New York, he is bound to be out trekking or something similar with his buddies.

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