The 5 Best 27-Inch Gaming Monitors - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best 27-inch gaming monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It's a 1440p QD-OLED monitor with fantastic picture quality and gaming performance. Its picture quality is particularly good if you're gaming in a darker room. This is because it has a near-infinite contrast ratio for deep blacks. However, like other QD-OLEDS, if a considerable amount of ambient light shines on the display, deep blacks can appear slightly purple. The monitor also gets bright enough to make highlights pop, and colors appear extremely vivid and rich.

It also has outstanding gaming performance, as it has a 360Hz refresh rate for a smooth and responsive feel, and it provides a near-instantaneous response time, so fast-moving objects look extremely crisp. One downside is that OLEDs risk permanent burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, so it's better to play a variety of games on this monitor to reduce this risk.

If the Dell Alienware AW2725DF is too expensive, or you're gaming in a room with a lot of ambient light, look at the LG 27GS95QE-B. Though it has a lower 240Hz refresh rate, it still provides an extremely smooth and responsive gaming experience. It also has the same near-instantaneous response time as the Dell, so fast-moving objects look very sharp.

The LG isn't a QD-OLED, so colors don't look as vivid. However, because the LG is a W-OLED it doesn't appear slightly purple when there's lots of ambient light shining on the screen. Additionally, the LG gets brighter than the Dell, particularly in SDR, so you may prefer the LG if you're gaming in a brighter environment, like a room with a large window. If the LG isn't on sale, and you're looking for an OLED with a lower retail price, consider the Acer Predator X27U bmiipruzx. However, the Acer doesn't get as bright and has a higher input lag.

If you're concerned about permanent burn-in risk or just want something slightly cheaper, consider the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx. Without an OLED panel, it doesn't deliver the same deep blacks as the LG 27GS95QE-B. However, it has a local dimming feature that improves the black levels, and it also gets bright enough for highlights to pop. In fact, it has exceptional brightness and can overcome glare in extremely bright environments better than the LG or the Dell Alienware AW2725DF.

One advantage of the Acer over the LG and the Dell is that it has a higher 4k resolution, which results in more detailed and sharper images. Regarding its gaming performance, fast-moving objects look quite crisp, but it has a max refresh rate of 160Hz, much lower than the 240Hz on the LG, so it doesn't feel as smooth and responsive. It also has considerably increased input lag at 60Hz compared to the LG, so games are less responsive if you're playing 60Hz games, like on consoles.

If you don't need a 4k monitor like the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx or want to spend much less money, the AOC Q27G3XMN is a superb choice. While it has a lower resolution display for a less detailed image and disappointing viewing angles, it's otherwise very comparable to the Acer in terms of performance. It's almost as bright as the Acer in HDR, and it overcomes glare effectively in SDR. The AOC also displays rich, vibrant colors in HDR, though they appear slightly less vibrant than on the Acer.

However, you may prefer the AOC over the Acer in some situations. The AOC has significantly better contrast, so you can see deep blacks next to bright highlights, even in SDR, making it an outstanding choice for darker rooms. The AOC also has slightly better motion handling, so fast-moving objects look slightly sharper than on the Acer. However, the AOC has dark trails behind dark, fast-moving objects, and the Acer doesn't.

If you want a basic and cheap 27-inch gaming monitor, check out the Dell G2724D, which you can buy directly through Dell's website. Like the AOC Q27G3XMN, it has a 1440p resolution but far worse picture quality, particularly in HDR. Colors appear far less vivid and life-like than on the AOC. Additionally, deep blacks appear gray in a dark room on the Dell, and highlights don't pop.

However, despite its lackluster HDR performance, the Dell is still a great choice for gaming. Though fast-moving objects look slightly sharper on the AOC, they still look quite sharp on the Dell. The Dell also doesn't display dark trails behind dark, fast-moving objects like the AOC does. Additionally, if you frequently play local co-op games on your monitor, you may prefer the Dell, as it has much better viewing angles.