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Due to what folks that aren't me may deem a cruel twist of fate, I've ended up with a blooming lovely OLED gaming monitor in my home office. While it's vibrant and illuminates the darkest crevices of my gamer den, it is kind of overkill for all the hours I've been pouring into Titanium Court. For most of what I play, a 1440p gaming monitor would more than suit.
As a lover of smaller games less obsessed with showing you every pore of a character's face, I know I'm not alone on that front. So, I've found deals on two 1440p gaming monitors very much alike in dignity.
Quick list
- ASRock Phantom PG27QFT1B | 27-inches 1080p 180 Hz | $130 @ Newegg
- Acer Nitro XV272U | 27-inches 1080p 240 Hz | $180 @ Amazon
Gaming monitor deals
If you frequently peruse best gaming monitor deals guide, then you'll know the cheapest 1440p gaming monitor that the hardware team recommends is the 27-inch ASRock Phantom PG27QFT1B. As an IPS panel, it's not as face-meltingly bright as an OLED, but it will offer colours that are accurate and plenty vibrant for the money—and speaking of, you can make this screen part of your own gamer scene for just $130 from Newegg.
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For those with particularly good memories, you'll note that it's now a few bucks more affordable than the last time we cast the deal spotlight on it a few months back. The ASRock Phantom also has AMD FreeSync and offers a refresh rate of 180 Hz. That's definitely not nothing at this price point. However, for all you esports fiends on a budget, I do have one more deal to draw your attention to.
On all the product images of the Acer Nitro XV272U, a legally distinct kaiju graces its IPS panel—that feels fitting because there's about to be a rumble in the budget jungle. For just fifty bucks more than the ASRock Phantom, the also 27-inch Acer Nitro offers a refresh rate of up to 240 Hz. That's definitely appealing for only $180 from Amazon.
I say 'up to' because that high refresh rate is only available via the Display Port—if you're connecting via the HDMI port, you'll be stuck with a 144 Hz refresh rate. At this price point, there's bound to be some compromise, but it may be worth it if you really want that 0.5 Ms response time.
Otherwise, there's really not much difference between the two monitors. Both are 1440p, both are 27-inch IPS panels, and both even enjoy AMD FreeSync for those with a team red rig. But 50 bucks is 50 bucks, and that refresh rate might just make all the difference for you. Not me though—last night, I literally spent two hours putting away virtual books in Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Library, and I have very few regrets.
1. Best overall / 4K:
MSI MPG 321URX
2. Best budget 4K:
Asus ROG Strix XG27UCG
3. Best 1440p:
MSI MPG 271QRX
4. Best budget 1440p:
KTC H27T22C-3
5. Best 1080p:
AOC Gaming C27G4ZXE
6. Best Ultrawide:
Gigabyte MO34WQC2
7. Best budget ultrawide:
Xiaomi G34WQi
8. Best 32:9:
Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
9. Best dual-mode:
Alienware AW2725QF
