It's Memorial Day deals time, folks, and I can't think of a better upgrade for your PC than a new monitor. Unlike CPUs and GPUs, monitors don't tend to date overnight when a new model with twice the performance appears.
What's more, while the price of so many PC components has been going up of late, screens have been getting cheaper. Don't believe me? Today you can get a big-brand 34-inch ultrawide 1440p panel using IPS technology and offering 144Hz for under $250. Or you can go 16:9, 1440p, and 170Hz for well under $200.
A little higher up the scale, high refresh 4K gaming is attainable for just over $400. There are even deals on some OLED monitors, with Samsung having already slashed $500 off its 49-inch G9 uber-wide monster. OK, it's still $1,100 and OLED monitors remain pricey as a rule. But even they are coming down.
Anyway, let's kick off with what I think is the best overall bang for your buck right now, a 34-inch ultrawide panel. It's my favourite form factor both for work and play. I love the added immersion of the 21:9 aspect ratio for gaming, it really sucks you in.
The 3,440 by 1,440 pixel res, meanwhile, makes for decent image detail while not hammering your GPU nearly as badly a 4K panel. It adds up to around five million pixels versus over eight million for 4K. Fewer pixels to pumps means higher frame rates.
The 34-inch ultrawide form factor is fab for daily duties, too. It's perfect for running two or even three app windows side-by-side. Personally, I always feel just a little constrained by comparison when using a 'conventional' 16:9 widescreen display.
Ultrawide: Gigabyte M34WQ
Anyway, if that's my favourite form factor, how much does it cost? The cheapest option with an IPS panel and at least 144Hz refresh is the Acer Gaming XV340CK from Newegg for just $249.99. It's an awful lot of monitor for the money.
My only reservation is that it's limited to 250 nits. If you can stretch a little further, I'd recommend the Gigabyte M34WQ above. It's quite a bit more at $359.99, again from Newegg, but it ups the ante to 400 nits and adds HDR400 certification into the mix along with reasonable 91% coverage of DCi-P3. So, there are few if any compromises. If there is a catch, it's that it's not curved, which I prefer on this type of display.
1080p: ASRock Phantom Gaming 27
Right down at the entry level, if you're looking for high-refresh IPS gaming on the cheap, you could do a lot worse than the ASRock Phantom Gaming 27-inch model.
OK, it's only 1080p rather than 1440p. But it's good for 165Hz and it's only $119.99 from Newegg. If you're on a tight budget you can't argue with that kind of value for IPS high-refresh gaming, right?
1440p: Acer Nitro XV320QU
Well, except to say that 1440p ought to be a minimum requirement, in which case the fun starts from as little as $189.99 for a Gigabyte 27-inch panel, the 170Hz GS27QC. I mean, a 170Hz 1440p gaming panel for well under $200?
That uses VA technology which isn't the best for response, so I'd recommend adding $30 for the IPS-equipped Acer Nitro XV320QU, on sale for $219.99 at Newegg. The catch with the Acer is that it's 32 inches, not 27. That's nice for scale, less so for pixel density.
It really depends on your gaming-to-work ratio and how much slightly rough looking fonts bother you. 1440p is arguably still pretty decent in terms of image detail for gaming. But you will notice the fatter pixel pitch on the desktop. Some you win…
4K: MSI G321CU
In the 4K space, Dave's muse the Dough Spectrum Glossy looks pretty sweet at just $499, currently. That's a pretty amazing deal considering the Dough was once a $1,100 panel.
However, I think 4K works best at 32 inches, so I'd be aiming for the MSI G321CU. Priced rather precisely at $415.68 and running at 144Hz, it's an awful lot of monitor for the money.
It's VA, not IPS, so not the best choice for, say, online shooters. But then no 4K 144Hz panel is optimal for that. I'm more willing to compromise on VA versus IPS for this type of display where speed isn't the very top priority.
OLED: Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC OLED
Finally, we have OLED monitors. If you find one, they always sell out very quickly when a new batch arrives, the 4K 240Hz MSI MAG 321UPX is a relative steal at $899. The Alienware 34 AW3423DWF is nice at $799, too.
However, both feel so very pricey next to LCD monitors in the same form factor. So, I'd actually go for the Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC OLED. It's a 49-inch uber-wide monster but not all that much expensive at $1,099.
It's not perfect, the pixel density is the same as a 27-inch 1440p panel where I'd prefer something that at least matches 4K 32-inch. But the scale is very impressive, the Samsung QD-OLED panel is fabulous, and you certainly feel like you're getting a lot of screen for your money.
