Best 4K gaming monitors in 2024: the ultra hi-res panels I highly recommend

Two of the best 4K gaming monitors, the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED and the LG UltraGear 27GR93U on a grey background with the PC Gamer recommended logo in the top right corner
(Image credit: MSI, LG)

The best 4K gaming monitor can make way more than games look great. It's a big upgrade to any system that can showcase its potential. Games in particular make the best argument for the swap to 4K, highlighting just how vivid modern graphics can look at high resolution, but a good one should deliver on all fronts. No matter what you're viewing, a 4K display should look fantastic.

Right now, the best 4K gaming monitor is the MSI MPG321URX. With a gorgeous OLED panel delivering a crisp 4K resolution for less than the competition—it just makes so much sense to a PC gamer. The LG UltraGear 27GR93U is our favorite non-OLED 4K gaming monitor. It's got the best IPS panel, is supremely well-calibrated, and easily stands out above the rest of the pack.

You'll want a top-end GPU like the RTX 4080 Super to get the most from a 4K monitor. However, with tweaked settings and the use of upscaling tech, even cards lower down the stack like the RTX 4070 can output reasonable results at 4K.

Curated by...
Dave James
Curated by...
Dave James

Dave's been testing monitors for so long, he can spot a good one from a mile away. He's reviewed all types and sorts, shapes and sizes, and as a result he's the person best qualified to guide you into your next 4K monitor purchase. Whether you're looking for a huge TV replacement, a console players dream, or simply something fantastic looking to take pride of place on your desk, Dave's got you covered.

The quick list

Recent updates

Updated 22 November 2024 to add a note in the intro about Black Friday sales and where you can find the latest deals on 4K gaming monitors.

The best 4K gaming monitor

The best 4K gaming monitor

Specifications

Screen size: 32-inch
Panel type: QD-OLED
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Response time: 0.03 ms
Refresh rate: 240 Hz
Weight: 12.30 lbs (9.6 kg)
Refresh rate technology: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning QD-OLED panel
+
4K pixel density
+
240Hz refresh

Reasons to avoid

-
Usual HDR complications
-
ABL is not configurable
Buy if...

You want one of the best 4K OLED panels, for less: This Samsung-sourced panel features in some of our favorite OLED gaming monitors, but here you can get hold of one for much less than the competition.

Don't buy if...

You don't want to pay OLED prices: While it might be cheaper than its competition, that's in the OLED space. If you're prepared to go for something lesser, the savings will follow.

Sometimes, very rarely in fact, a monitor comes along that does almost everything the really expensive displays do, but cheaper. The MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED does just that, and as a result, it's the best 4K monitor we can recommend right now.

Simply put: There's not much point paying over the odds for any other monitor using a Samsung-sourced panel when this one exists. It's an absolutely phenomenal gaming monitor, for significantly less than the competition. Pretty easy when you look at it like that, isn't it?

So, let's run through why you want one of these: 32-inch, which is plenty large. 240 Hz refresh rate with a 0.03ms response time, which is fabulously fast. 250 nits full-screen brightness, which isn't that bright, but not bad for an OLED.

Oh, did I forget to mention that? It's an OLED, which means it's not just blazingly fast, but absolutely stunning to look at. All the OLED rumors you heard were true: It really is the most fabulous-looking monitor display tech you can get right now. The color reproduction here is immense, with games, media, and just about anything else you can throw at it looking the best you've ever seen them.

Unlike a lot of OLEDs though, it's the pixel density that really stands out. Text can suffer slightly on a lot of OLED displays, but here, blurriness and color fringing is simply a non-issue. That's a big OLED caveat right there, negated.

Of course, it's still got a couple of drawbacks. The lack of full-screen brightness compared to other screen tech is here, of course, but it still goes plenty bright enough for most uses. And there's still OLED burn-in to consider, although like all good monitors of this type, it's got plenty of tech to prevent it—and a three-year burn-in warranty to give you peace of mind.

That doesn't set it apart from other, brilliant displays using this panel. What does is the price. With an $899 MSRP compared to the $1,100 to $1,300 you'd pay for others, you're getting one of the best displays we've ever had the fortune of casting our eyes across for considerably less than the competition.

Unsurprisingly, this has led to the MSI MPG 321URX selling in huge numbers, and as a result, it can be a little hard to get hold of one. Grab it when it's available though, and you really won't be disappointed.

The LG Ultragear 27GR93U is absolutely worth a look if you can't find the MSI and don't want to pay out for an OLED, or if you're feeling particularly flush with cash, then the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE is the best high-end OLED 4K monitor we've tested to date. It really depends on how much money you're prepared to drop on your display, and if price isn't a concern, the LG is the one we'd go for. Just.

But thanks to a much more reasonable MSRP, the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED is still the best 4K monitor overall. Price matters to most, and here you're getting some serious bang for your buck.

Read our full MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED review.

The best non-OLED 4K gaming monitor

The best non-OLED 4K gaming monitor

Specifications

Screen size: 27-inch
Panel type: IPS
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Response time: 1 ms
Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Weight: 14.1 lbs | 6.4 kg
Refresh rate technology: FreeSync Premium | G-SYNC Compatible

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous 4K IPS Panel
+
Excellent calibration
+
Very, very fast

Reasons to avoid

-
A bit too expensive
-
Not a proper HDR panel
-
Build quality is a bit cheap
Buy if...

You want a fast and vivid 4K screen: LG makes some of the best IPS panels for monitors and the one here is absolutely top-notch.

Don't buy if...

You expect a bit of luxury for this kind of money: It's not super expensive but even so, it's not packed with features or premium materials.

The LG UltraGear 27GR93U is the best non-OLED 4K gaming monitor, thanks to its stunning IPS panel that's beautifully calibrated right out of the box. The combination of 4K and 27 inches results in a perfect pixel density, making it great for productivity tasks and the colour accuracy is ideal for content creation.

Its greatest strength, though, is in gaming. The pixel response time and 144 Hz G-SYNC Compatible variable refresh rate will suit almost all genres. The LG offers excellent clarity, even under very fast motion, which makes it a great pick for competitive shooters or anything that requires twitchy mouse movements.

In terms of connection options, you get two 48Gbps HMDI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4 connection, which makes it ideal for consoles and gaming PCs. Its HDR capabilities are limited to DisplayHDR 400, but the panel still does a great job of displaying SDR content in HDR mode.

The downsides are the high MSRP (around $630), though it's often on sale for a lot less, the relative lack of additional features, and the overall level of quality. Not the panel, as that's outstanding, but things like the stand and the plastics used for the body. Even the rear RGB lighting is nothing special.

However, LG sensibly chose to focus all its efforts on ensuring the panel itself is second to none in the 4K monitor sector, at least until you get to the majesty of a fantastic OLED like the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED or the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE. If you can't quite stretch to these prices, however, this really is a stunning display, with rich colours, great contrast, and superb pixel accuracy.

The LG Ultragear 27GR93U could well be the best non-OLED 4K gaming monitor for a good while, as it will take an awful lot to beat this. While it might be pricey for an IPS panel, it's easily as good as you'll get right now, and it'll likely be a while before we start seeing high-quality OLEDs for this sort of cash.

Read our full LG UltraGear 27GR93U review.

The best budget 4K gaming monitor

The best budget 4K gaming monitor

Specifications

Screen size: 28-inch
Panel type: IPS
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Response time: 2 ms
Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Weight: 15.3 lbs | 6.9 kg
Refresh rate technology: FreeSync Premium

Reasons to buy

+
Affordable 4K
+
144Hz refresh rate
+
Stunning IPS panel
+
Great for 4K gaming

Reasons to avoid

-
Cheap stand
-
Overdrive often overdoes it
Buy if...

You want high resolution, not a high price: 4K monitors used to be very expensive but not any more. The M28U is very reasonably priced.

Don't buy if...

You want an ultra-fast screen: It's not slow, but activating the pixel overdrive to get even higher response times just adds image artefacts.

The best budget 4K gaming monitor is the Gigabyte M28U for one very simple reason: it's a great display and doesn't cost a small fortune, like 4K monitors used to just a few years ago.

Its 28-inch IPS panel has exceptional colour depth and clarity. Black levels are very impressive, despite having a fairly low contrast ratio. As with many IPS gaming monitors these days, the M28U is rated to DisplayHDR 400 but it isn't a display you'd pick for HDR content. Certain games, like Cyberpunk 2077 will look fine, but that's about it.

Really cheap 4K monitors typically have fixed refresh rates of 60 Hz, but here you're getting 144 Hz with support for AMD's FreeSync Premium. Thanks to the presence of two HDMI 2.1 ports, it's a great option for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners, though PC gamers will want to stick with the DisplayPort 1.4 connection.

The pixel response is more than fast enough for most users, at 1 ms grey-to-grey (GtG), but the overdrive function isn't worth using, as it adds image artefacts as it tries to reduce ghosting.

Gigabyte obviously had to cut some corners in the M28U to get the price down, and the quality of the plastics and limited adjustability of the stand are the clearest examples of this. And you could argue that it would be a better monitor if the panel was 27 inches in size, as it would help to improve the pixel density.

But these are very minor issues when you take the monitor as a whole. You're getting an awful lot of fast, high-resolution screen, for a price that's very affordable for this segment. That makes it the best budget 4K monitor by far, and while it's not perfect, it's seriously good for the cash.

Read our full Gigabyte M28U review.

The best mid-range 4K gaming monitor

The best mid-range 4K gaming monitor

Specifications

Screen size: 32-inch
Panel type: IPS
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Response time: 2 ms
Refresh rate: 144 Hz (160 Hz overclocked)
Weight: 15.3 lbs | 6.9 kg
Refresh rate technology: FreeSync Premium

Reasons to buy

+
Affordable 4K
+
Up to 160Hz refresh overclocked
+
Great panel performance
+
No frills approach
+
Handy USB hub

Reasons to avoid

-
Stand is pretty basic
-
DisplayHDR 400 isn't much
Buy if...

You want a large 4K screen: While most 4K monitors tend to be 27-inch, sometimes that's just not quite big enough. No worries on that front here.

Don't buy if...

You want a proper HDR experience: As with all IPS panels, the dark colours and peak brightness just aren't good enough to get a proper HDR image.

Sometimes, all you want is a really big screen to give you lots of real estate to work and play on, at the right price, with great specs. And the best mid-range 4K monitor for this role is the Gigabyte M32UC.

Just like that in its smaller cousin, the M28U, the IPS panel is luscious and vibrant, with a fast pixel response and a high 144 Hz refresh rate. It's not ideal for HDR content, as its DisplayHDR 400 rating is the lowest level of certification, but it's more than good enough for everything else.

The extra size helps make room for additional connectivity and there's no shortage here: a DisplayPort 1.4 connection, two HDMI 2.1, one USB Type-C, three USB 3.2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Upstream, and a 3.5 mm jack for your headphones. All this makes it a great all-rounder for anyone wanting a monitor that's ideal for gaming and working from home.

In the case of the latter, the panel's size means the pixel density isn't very high, so you'll need to use a bit of desktop scaling to keep icons and text clear. And the 1500R curvature won't be to everyone's taste, especially for those who do a lot of productivity tasks.

Other than the chassis being very bland to look, there's little to complain about here and even the stand is a decent affair. Best of all, it's priced very reasonably, and most monitors this size are either way more expensive or just aren't suitable for gaming.

While we'd still recommend the M28U for most users, those of you wanting an impressively big screen to fill your vision without spending too much should head for the Gigabyte M32UC, the best mid-range 4K gaming monitor by far.

Read our full Gigabyte M32UC review.

The best 4K TV replacement

The best 4K TV replacement

Specifications

Screen size: 48-inch
Panel type: OLED
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Response time: 1 ms GtG
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Refresh rate: 138 Hz
Weight: 33 lbs | 15 kg
Refresh rate technology: FreeSync | G-SYNC Compatible

Reasons to buy

+
OLED for deep blacks
+
Fast response and high refresh
+
42-inch is the best large desktop size
+
Impressive array of ports and features
+
G-Sync compatible

Reasons to avoid

-
Low pixel density & text color fringing
-
OLED = risk of burn in
-
No height or swivel adjustment
-
42-inch LG C2 is cheaper with similar performance
Buy if...

You want a massive monitor for your gaming rig: At 42 inches in size, the Asus PG42UQ is sure to put you right in the middle of the action. If you like to sit back from your desk, this monitor is made for lounging in front of.

Don't buy if...

You're hoping to use it for more than gaming and media: Low pixel density, text fringing, and the risk of OLED burn-in doesn't make this ideal for desktop work.

Not everyone hunkers down in front of a small monitor to enjoy a spot of PC gaming, as there are plenty of folks who hook their rigs up to a TV, so they can sit back and relax. And the best 4K TV replacement monitor is the Asus ROG Swift PG42UQ.

As TVs go, it's a long way off being the largest you can get, at 'just' 42 inches in size, but as a monitor, it's mind-bogglingly big. But why would you pick this over a normal TV? Very few offer the combination of 4K, variable 144 Hz refresh rate, and ultra-low pixel response times.

And none will offer a DisplayPort 1.4 connection, let alone two 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 and two HDMI 2.0 ports, along with four 10Gbps USB Type-A sockets. It's as gaming-focused as you could possibly want, being ideal for PC and consoles.

The OLED panel produces wonderfully deep blacks and vividly rich colours, and while it's not the brightest you can get, HDR gaming is a sublime experience on the RG42UQ.

Just don't sit too close to it, as the huge size means the pixel density is very low and there's a fair amount of colour fringing around text. There's no height or swivel adjustment to the stand, of course, though there is a small degree of tilt available. But this is designed to be set down in a room and never to be moved again, just like any TV.

And that's because it essentially is a TV, as it uses the same panel as in LG's C9 range, and even includes a decent set of speakers and sub-woofer. Unfortunately, all the extra PC-related features add to the price, and it's very expensive for a monitor, with an MSRP of $1,400/AU$2,199.

But if you want a seriously huge monitor and you're willing to accept the drawbacks of OLED, then there's little to touch it in this segment.

Read our full Asus ROG Swift PG42UQ review.

The best ultrawide 4K gaming monitor

The best ultrawide 4K gaming monitor

Specifications

Screen size: 57-inch
Panel type: VA (mini-LED)
Aspect ratio: 32:9
Resolution: 7680 x 2160
Response time: 1 ms GtG
Refresh rate: 240 Hz
Weight: 42 lbs | 19 kg
Refresh rate technology: FreeSync

Reasons to buy

+
More pixels than you can possibly imagine
+
Much improved local dimming
+
Staggering gaming experience

Reasons to avoid

-
Mini-LED tech still has limitations
-
Ergonomics are questionable
-
Quite, er, expensive
Buy if...

You want two 4K monitors in one: Samsung markets this as an 8K/dual UHD screen but it's better to think of it as two high res displays in one handy but bulky package.

Don't buy if...

You don't have an enormous computer desk: The G95NC is Jurassic-era big and heavy, and it'll utterly dominate most desks.

4K monitors are so useful for productivity and content creation that many PC enthusiasts often have two of them. And that's literally what Samsung has done for the best 4K ultrawide monitor, by stitching two 4K panels together to make one humongous screen.

With a combined resolution of 7680 x 2160, you could argue that's not a 4K monitor and Samsung certainly agrees, as it markets the G95NC as an 8K/dual UHD display. However, since the vertical resolution is the same as any other 4K panel, it doesn't really feel like it's higher than this.

That is until you start gaming on it. While it's one of the very few monitors available that offers a DisplayPort 2.1 connection, you really need a top-end graphics card in order to push all those pixels around fast enough. A GeForce RTX 4090 can, though its DP output only supports a refresh rate of 120 Hz at 8K.

But if you have such a card, then you're in for a treat, because until you've experienced gaming on a 57-inch monitor, all wrapped around you with a tight 1000R curvature, you've not seen just what's possible in graphics.

The VA panel is backlit by mini-LEDs and while it doesn't have the highest of contrast ratios, it's still very impressive. HDR gaming is really good, thanks to the DisplayHDR 1000 rating, though we'd still take an OLED monitor for HDR content.

Samsung's monster monitor is surprisingly adept at being used in productivity and content creation tasks, although the curved panels means you'll be cranking your head around more than you'd like.

However, the Neo G9 G95NC's heart is in gaming. It's not just ultrawide, it's ultra-big, ultra-immersive, ultra-heavy, ultra-expensive. Ultra-gaming, if there's such a phrase.

Read our full Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 G95NC review.

The best high-end OLED 4K gaming monitor

The best high-end OLED 4K gaming monitor

Specifications

Screen size: 32-inch
Panel type: WOLED
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
Response time: 0.03 ms
Refresh rate: 240 Hz (480 Hz 1080p)
Weight: 12.8 kg
Refresh rate technology: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

Reasons to buy

+
Improved WOLED brightness
+
HDR sizzle
+
240Hz refresh

Reasons to avoid

-
Huge price tag
-
Matte panel coating
-
No USB-C
Buy if...

You want the very best OLED: It might be expensive, but what you're getting here is the best OLED monitor we've ever tested, and thereby one of the best 4K monitors, too.

Don't buy if...

You're looking to save some cash: There's no getting around it—at $1,400, it's very pricey.

Samsung's QD-OLED panel has been king for some time now, but here comes LG, swinging for the fences with a simply stunning 4K OLED display. It might not be cheap, but the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE is the best high-end 4K OLED monitor money can buy right now, and what you get for your cash is mightily impressive.

It's a 32-inch panel, with all the advantages that brings. Plenty of room here for multiple windows, plus a nice degree of immersion when sitting close up at a desk. And you'll want to get close to this monitor, because the image quality and motion it's capable of displaying is damned close to perfect.

It's a little brighter than Samsung-panel-using monitors, at 275 nits full screen compared to 250 nits—but it doesn't display a slightly too-warm color bias like some other OLED displays. It also avoids shifting slightly towards the grey when viewed in bright light, making sure those inky blacks stay that way in a well-lit room.

The HDR handling here is simply the best we've seen. Highlights positively sizzle, while dark, contrasted areas look superbly deep. The LG UltraGear 32GS95UE is also fast as you like, with a 240 Hz refresh rate and all the near-instantaneous pixel response you'd expect from a good OLED.

Of course, that's at 4K resolution. This is a dual-mode display, which means you can drop it to a pixel-doubled 1080p mode with a 480 Hz refresh rate. We'll be honest—the effect here isn't as impressive as we'd like. Still, it's a little better than standard interpolation, and might be of interest to the esports players, at the very least.

Other downsides? Well, it's not cheap. In fact, it's not even close to cheap. At a $1,400 MSRP, you'll be paying $500 more than the MSI MPG 321 URX QD-OLED—and while that monitor isn't quite as staggering as this one, it's still a phenomenal 32-inch display. Our favorite gaming monitor overall, in fact, given the price balance with what you end up receiving.

If you really want the very best, though, the LG is where you want to be, and the price is something you'll have to put up with. It's worth noting that while the UltraGear doesn't have our preferred glossy coating, the matte finish here actually doesn't have a lot of the caveats we'd expect to see in a non-glossy monitor. That's quite the party trick, and while we'd still prefer a glossy model, it doesn't hold this display back in the ways you might expect.

Speaking of party tricks, the LG has one more up its sleeve—and it's a good 'un. Ordinarily, HDR is a bit of a mess on Windows, with SDR content looking greyed out if the display is left in HDR mode all the time. Thanks to some clever calibration, you can quite happily leave the UltraGear 32GS95UE in HDR mode and forget about it, unless you're really into pro-level content creation. The effect is remarkably good, and puts it head and shoulders above the HDR/SDR handling in every other display.

The LG UltraGear 32GS95UE is gorgeous to behold, supremely fast, and even sorts out the whole HDR debacle in one fell swoop. That makes it one of the best 4K monitors you can buy, and the best high-end OLED overall, too.

Read our full LG UltraGear 32GS95UE review.

Also tested

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SDPC Gamer score: 60%

Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD
This would be a good monitor, if it wasn't for a lot of SmartTV extras that spoil the experience. Bit of a shame that, as Samsung displays are often brilliant.
PC Gamer score: 60%

Read our full Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED G80SD review.

Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2PC Gamer score: 86%

Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2
The Aorus FO32U2 is a great 4K OLED, but we prefer the color handling of others. It's still definitely worth a look if you're in the 32-inch 4K market, however.
PC Gamer score: 86%

Read our full Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2 review.

MSI MAG 274UPFPC Gamer score: 85%

MSI MAG 274UPF
It's a rather lovely thing, this 4K display, but it's something of a safe pair of hands. There's nothing particularly special about it compared to our top recommendations, but it's still a very good 4K monitor.
PC Gamer score: 85%

Read our full MSI MAG 274UPF review.