Best gaming monitors under $150: 2023 reviews & top picks
You might not need to spend a fortune to get the gaming display you desire
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If you’re on the hunt for the best gaming monitor under $150, we’ve got you covered right here, and with Black Friday monitor deals rolling in, now may be the best time to get one!
Some of the top of the line gaming monitors can tip the scales at above $1000, but you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a decent display. Sure, you may have to make some concessions when it comes to HDR, resolution, refresh rates, and perhaps even speakers – but it is possible to grab something for less than you’d think that ticks more than a few boxes.
What you’ll likely get is something which is 1080p (FHD), probably under 27 inches, and maybe something with an IPS display, although the max brightness may not be mind-blowing when compared against some higher end models. You’ll also find that they’re a bit smaller, which is good if you don’t have a load of desk space.
Best gaming monitor under $150: Products at a glance
LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
AOC Curved C24G1
Acer Curved ED242QR
Acer Nitro VG240Y
BenQ GW2480
You may be asking – why go for one? Well, spending less on your monitor is a great way of saving money for other components, whether it’s a new motherboard or GPU, or perhaps even a new console.
If you do however want something slightly higher spec than the options we’ve chosen in this guide, it may be worth taking advantage of sales periods – especially Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There you can find some cracking deals, with even some of the best 4K monitors dropping to around $200 – $250…not too bad relatively speaking.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s out there so you can kick off your search in the best way possible.
Best gaming monitor under $150: Our top picks
Best Gaming Monitors Under $150: in-depth reviews
LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
- Fast response time
- Fast refresh rate
- Sturdy stand
- Freesync
- Basic design
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
- Fantastic value for money
- 144Hz refresh rate
- Decent colour accuracy
- Curved display
- 24″ not ideal for curved panels
- Limited stand adjustment
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
- 144Hz refresh rate
- Thin, curved display
- Freesync
- VA panel has decent viewing angles
- Average response time
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
- Fast response time
- VESA compatible
- Sleek design
- Freesync
- Bulkier than others
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
- Great color reproduction
- IPS panel
- Great Overall Build Quality
- Mediocre response time
- 60Hz refresh rate
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.
How We Choose
Whether we’re reviewing the best gaming monitors under $150 or the best GPUs on the market, choosing the right hardware can always be a tricky task.
It requires hours of product research, performance benchmarking, and reviewing user feedback to get anywhere close to a definitive conclusion on what to recommend.
If you aren’t tech-savvy and struggle to put the time aside to go through the above requirements, you may end up purchasing a gaming monitor that isn’t right for you.
Fear not though, friends! Here at WePC, we like to take the stress of research away, and transform the whole process into an easy-to-follow, complete buyers guide. That’s right, our team of PC enthusiasts has done all the hard work for you!
How We Test
Testing the products we recommend is a huge part of the overall selection process in our best of guides. It’s a way to make sure what we recommend is, without a doubt, the best option in its specific category.
To be sure a gaming monitor is “the best,” it must show excellent performance in our tests, and display better qualities and features than the competition it faces.
Most of the products we recommend here at WePC have gone through a strict testing process that involves everything from the price and performance, to build quality, efficiency, and aesthetics. Each product is pushed to the limit to see how it performs under intense stress to make sure it warrants our coveted top spot.
Doing this enables us to provide you with the most accurate review of how the product performs and, ultimately, whether it’s worth your hard-earned cash.
Things to Consider
Regardless of if you are spending upwards of $300+ or going for a gaming monitor for under $150, knowing what to look for is an important part of the process. Below, we have gone over a few key factors that you should consider before making your final purchase. These key factors will not only make choosing your next monitor easier but they will ensure you get a product that fits your needs and limit the risk of wasting any money.
Response Time
A low response time is one of the more important factors and something we can often take for granted.
Response times can vary dramatically from monitor to monitor, even with gaming monitors, but 1ms is very common these days. Most gaming monitors for under $150 will be under 5ms, and as a general rule of thumb, the faster the response time, the better that monitor is going to be for gaming. Lower response time is especially important for competitive players who have a lot of fast-moving imagery on their screen that needs to be seen as quickly as possible.
Refresh Rate
Unless you are on a tight budget or are looking into 4K gaming, a refresh rate is of high importance. A monitor’s refresh rate is measured in Hz(Hertz) and is a way of measuring how fast a particular monitor can refresh the image on the screen.
Refresh rates vary from 60Hz to 240Hz, with some even higher coming out more recently but, generally speaking, the faster the refresh rate the better, with the odd exception to this rule.
60Hz is fine for gaming but should be avoided if and where possible unless you are planning on buying a 4K monitor. 60Hz can also be a great option for those on tighter budgets or just looking for a casual monitor.
144Hz could be considered the new benchmark of where you want to be and a monitor that features 144Hz should always be considered first, even if it means you may have to save for a little longer. Jumping from 60Hz to 144Hz is a very noticeable difference and the quicker refresh rates are ideal for any FPS competitive players out there.
Screen Resolution
When it comes to the best gaming monitors for under $150, you aren’t really going to see a variety in screen resolution. In fact, the majority of options available in this price range are going to be 1080p.
The screen’s resolution can have a direct impact on performance you are playing a demanding game so if your PC is old or features slower components you may want to avoid going for 1440p gaming monitors and up. On the flip side of that argument, if you have an excellent gaming computer, it may be worth investing in a 1440p gaming monitors to show off your games and future proof your setup further.
Panel Types
Today, most modern monitors are manufactured using a TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor – liquid crystal display) technology. There are other technologies too, each with its own plus points and drawbacks. Each panel type performs best in different situations, for example, some are more responsive, whereas others boast better viewing angles or color accuracy.
The three main panel types are TN (twisted nematic), VA (vertical alignment), and IPS (in-plane switching). To better understand the differences take a quick look at the table below and if you still want to know more, check out this page all about the different panel types:
Best gaming monitor under $150 video
Gaming monitors under $150 FAQs
What is the best gaming monitor under 150?
It’s tough picking the best gaming monitor for under $150 when there are so many options to choose from. However, the below options are what we consider the best in today’s market:
- Editor’s Pick: LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
- Runner Up: AOC Curved C24G1
- Curved Pick: Acer Curved ED242QR
- IPS Pick: Acer Nitro VG240Y
- Budget Pick: BenQ GW2480
Are Gaming Monitors Under $150 Good?
Monitor technology is evolving all the time, and with it, prices drop to make way for new and exciting offerings. That said, can you really get a good monitor for under $150? Well, the answer is fairly simple, yes.
Today’s high-end monitor will likely be tomorrow’s budget pick – or something like that. The point I’m making is, monitors from a few years ago that were considered high-end – and still offer good gaming performance today – are rapidly falling in price. Many of which currently feature for under $150. Furthermore, with manufacturing methods becoming more efficient, the cost of cheaper technologies is naturally falling.
What Is The Cheapest 144Hz Monitor?
To reiterate what we said in the above question, monitor technology has now surpassed 144Hz refresh rates – and by a considerable amount. Modern-day panels now come equipped with up to 360Hz refresh rates, making 144hz alternatives quite a bit cheaper.
As you can see from the article we’ve published, many of the monitors under $150 do actually fall into the 144hz category. The cheapest in today’s market can be found for around $130-150.
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.
2 thoughts on “Best gaming monitors under $150: 2023 reviews & top picks”
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WTF, none of them are under $150. What a waste of article
Hi Lewis, four of them used to be under $150, however, amazon prices do tend to fluctuate and the global pandemic didn’t help either. Either way, this page looks like it needs a refresh, thanks for pointing that out.