Best 1080p monitor: Cheap Full HD displays for work and gaming
Whether you’re upgrading your home office or building a gaming rig, these are the best 1080p monitors to complete your setup
When shopping for the perfect display, you could be forgiven for ignoring 1080p monitors entirely. With a vast selection of pixel-packed WQHD, 4K, HDR and ultrawide displays all urging you to big deep into your wallet, even the best 1080p monitors on the market can seem rather unexciting. You’d be making a mistake, though. Choose wisely, and the best 1080p monitors reward you with eye-popping images and handy features for a fraction of the price of upmarket options.
It doesn’t matter what you’re into, either – there’s a Full HD monitor out there for every person, be they gamer, home worker or everyday PC tinkerer. Whether you’re after a cheap monitor for working from home, a monitor with an ultra-high refresh rate for competitive gaming, or something in between the two, there’s a display that will fit the bill.
Those with a focus on home working can opt for an affordable 1080p display with a solid, adjustable stand for maintaining good posture, while wannabe gaming stars can opt for a gaming monitor with low latency panel technology and refresh rates as high as 360Hz for unbelievably fluid, responsive gameplay.
In this article, we’ll explain what the pros and cons of 1080p monitors are, and suggest some of our favourite models to suit every user. If you just want to start shopping, feel free to jump straight to our favourite products below. Otherwise, read on, and our brief buying guide will help to point you in the right direction.
READ NEXT: Best 1440p monitors
Best 1080p monitor: At a glance
How to choose the best 1080p monitor for you
Do I need a 1080p monitor?
If you’re looking for a monitor for gaming or work that doesn’t cost a fortune, a 1080p monitor is ideal. These monitors don’t put much strain on your hardware, making them ideal for modest gaming rigs or laptops with weakling graphics chips. What’s more, the money you save by opting for a lower-resolution monitor allows you to budget for work-friendly features such as adjustable stands and USB hubs.
READ NEXT: Best monitors for home offices
Are 1080p monitors good for gaming?
Yes! You can take your pick from modestly priced gaming panels, or blow your budget on a high-end 1080p gaming monitor designed specifically for competitive gamers. As we’ve already touched on, these monitors swap high resolutions for low input lag and high refresh rates to give you an edge in your favourite shooter. The lower pixel count on a 1080p monitor also gives your graphics card an easier ride, so even lower-end GPUs have a fighting chance of hitting triple-figure frame rates.
Console gamers who haven’t made the jump to PS5 or Xbox Series X (or even PS4 Pro or Xbox One X) might also want to consider a 1080p monitor, if they intend to game at a desk. It’s a good, cheap alternative to a TV.
If, on the other hand, you have a bit more cash to spend, or a PC/laptop that’s packing a decent set of processors, you don’t have to settle for 1080p. Check out our roundup of the best 1440p monitors; the difference in resolution is marked.
READ NEXT: Best 4K monitors
How much should I spend?
It depends entirely on which features you need. The cheapest monitor in this roundup costs just above £100, while the most expensive 1080p gaming monitor we’ve ever tested comes in at closer to £400.
If you’re on a tight budget, it’s possible to nab a good 1080p monitor for £100-£150. Competitive gamers, on the other hand, can spend between £200-£400. Either way, 1080p monitors tend to be cheaper than their higher-resolution counterparts.
What size should I buy?
For any given resolution, a larger monitor means bigger pixels, and the low pixel density of Full HD monitors is painfully obvious once you move up to larger screen sizes.
Many 1080p monitors measure 24in across the diagonal as this offers a good balance between screen size and pixel density. We wouldn’t recommend going any higher than 27in – if you need a larger monitor, consider a higher resolution.
READ NEXT: Best ultrawide monitors
What specifications should I watch out for?
Resolution: This is always 1,920 x 1,080.
Refresh rate: While officer workers can settle for 60Hz-75Hz, gamers can explore triple-figure refresh rates. These can reach as high as 360Hz, with 240Hz fast becoming the norm for 1080p esports monitors.
Panel technology: Unlike other kinds of monitors, 1080p monitors occasionally use older TN LCD panel technology. TN panels produce the lowest latency of the bunch, which is why they’re still common on 1080p gaming monitors, but they suffer from poor viewing angles and less vivid colours. They’re cheap to manufacture, however.
Modern 1080p panels often also use IPS LCD technology, which offers great colours and viewing angles, good contrast and acceptable latency. Or VA LCD technology, which means very high contrast, good colours but inferior viewing angles and higher latency.
HDR: High dynamic range delivers more impactful colours and contrast for your favourite games and movies, but it’s not something you should be too concerned about. It won’t be available on cheap 1080p monitors and has little to no benefit for competitive gamers.
If you must have HDR, look out for a DisplayHDR certification (DisplayHDR 400, 600, 800 or 1,000, where higher is better) and ideally local dimming support. Again, these things will be very uncommon on 1080p monitors.
Connectivity: USB hubs for mice, keyboards and other peripherals are a huge bonus, and you may even want to look out for USB-C for modern laptops that lack other means of displaying video. Then you simply need to keep your eyes peeled for the video inputs you’ll need the most – HDMI, DisplayPort or even VGA. Gamers will have a similar set of priorities here.
Adjustability: To maintain good posture, a monitor mounted on a height-adjustable stand is important. Ideally, you want the big four: swivel, tilt, pivot and height adjustment. These things become less common in the 1080p monitor market since these monitors tend to be cheaper, but unless you’re happy to put your display on books or magazines, an adjustable stand is a real boon.
How we test 1080p monitors
When we receive a new monitor for testing, we take measurements of colour gamut coverage, accuracy and temperature, as well as peak luminance, black point, contrast and panel uniformity, using an X-Rite colorimeter and DisplayCal calibration software. We then use Blur Busters’ web-based tools to measure ghosting, inverse ghosting and motion blur, noting how overdrive or MBR settings influence these things (if applicable). For monitors with HDR and local dimming, we also use a HDR video of a bright, moving shape to spot the zones in operation.
It’s then simply a case of using the monitor daily (for work and play) for at least a week. We stress-test the build quality and assess the port situation and the versatility of the stand. In addition, we compare the monitor to others in its price range to determine whether it represents decent value.
You can find our test results in our full-length reviews, linked below.
The best 1080p monitors you can buy in 2023
1. BenQ GW2785TC: Best 1080p monitor
Price: £200 | Check price at Box
The BenQ GW2785TC is our new favourite 1080p monitor. This deceptively simple 27in office monitor is packing almost all the features you need, and at a frankly outrageous price to boot.
The stand provides all four major adjustment options – including 130mm of height adjustment and 45 degrees of left/right swivel – while the rear of the panel houses a lovely selection of ports. You’ve got one HDMI port and two DP ports, one of which is a downstream port capable of transmitting a video signal to a connected device (ie. another monitor). That means you could buy two GW2785TCs, string them together and connect the whole lot to your laptop. This monitor has USB-C, too, so you can charge your laptop while it’s connected.
The panel performed well on test, producing vibrant and accurate colours particularly in sRGB mode. It’s reasonably bright and punchy, with a tested peak brightness of 272cd/m² and a contrast of 1,165:1.
The biggest downside here is the lack of a USB hub, but given the presence of USB-C and the overall value this monitor represents, it’s hard to complain too much. If you want something smaller, consider the near-identical BenQ GW2485TC – it has the same great feature set and an even lower price tag.
Read our full BenQ GW2785TC review / BenQ GW2485TC review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 75Hz; Response time: 5ms G2G; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 out; Other ports: 1 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm
2. BenQ Mobiuz EX2710: Best-value 1080p gaming monitor
Price: £179 | Check price at Box
While it’s normally a touch on the pricey side by the standards of most 1080p monitors, but the EX2710 is still relatively inexpensive, and it represents phenomenal value for money. It’s a 27in panel with all the trimmings: 144Hz refresh rate, 2ms G2G response time, AMD FreeSync Premium and an entry-level HDR certification are but a few of the features that stand out.
The display nailed our tests, producing rich and accurate colours in the sRGB colour space used by the majority of the content you’ll be viewing on your PC. It didn’t quite reach the kinds of brightness or contrast levels we’d usually associate with a strong HDR performer, but this is pretty common for panels with an entry-level DisplayHDR 400 specification. What this means is that with HDR engaged, you’ll enjoy vibrant colours but miss the inky shadows.
We like the stand, which offers an unusual amount of adjustability for a budget gaming monitor, including tilt, swivel and 130mm of upwards/downwards movement. The port selection is a touch more limited – there’s no USB hub here, just HDMI and DP for video duties – but this is the only true drawback.
Read our full BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 1ms MPRT; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
3. BenQ GL2780: Best budget 1080p monitor
Price: £164 | Check price at Amazon
Yes, BenQ features pretty heavily on this roundup, but there is a reason for that: the brand offers sensational value for money. If you don’t mind a larger screen for work, consider the BenQ GL2780. This borderline utilitarian display is the cheapest 27in panel we’d happily recommend; it might not have all the bells and whistles of some of the other entries on this list, but it covers the basics phenomenally well.
The panel itself is the star of the show here: for the price, you’re getting remarkably accurate colours and decent brightness/contrast. The resolution is a tiny bit low for the size of the screen but we’re confident it’s not an issue unless you sit far, far too close.
Unusually for a modern monitor, the BenQ supports DVI-D and D-SUB alongside HDMI and DisplayPort and is therefore well suited to anyone with an ageing PC or laptop. The stand is on the basic side, but you’ve at least got a bit of backwards tilt to work with. Gamers will also be pleased to note the 75Hz refresh rate, which when paired with the low input lag should make for a half-decent post-work game session.
Read our full BenQ GL2780 review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: TN; Refresh rate: 75Hz; Response time: 1ms G2G; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x DVI-D, 1 x D-SUB
4. Acer Predator XB253QGX: Best 1080p gaming monitor
Price: £350 | Check price at Amazon
Proving that 1080p monitors aren’t always synonymous with “budget”, the Acer Predator XB253QGX is a high-end display that’s tailor-made for anyone who invests serious time in FPS titles such as Counter-Strike. The panel is lightning fast, with a 0.5ms motion picture response time (MPRT) and an astonishing 240Hz refresh rate complemented by the bare minimum amount of ghosting and a great set of results in our tests.
Out of the box, the XB253QGX delivered excellent colour accuracy and pleasingly high brightness (higher than 400 nits) and contrast ratio (around 1,200:1). The latter results help the XB253QGX produce halfway decent HDR – a DisplayHDR 400 certification is hardly going to blow your mind but at the very least, this monitor earns it with no compromises.
Better still, the XB253QGX is exceptionally practical. Included on the rear is a four-port USB hub that sits alongside the HDMI and DP ports you’ll be using for transmitting video – that’s more ports than most. To top it off, the stand pivots, swivels, tilts and rises/sinks by 115mm, so you have no excuse not to look after your eyes and back.
Read our full Acer Predator XB253QGX review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 25in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 240Hz; Response time: 0.5ms MPRT; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2a
5. Philips 243B9H: Best 1080p home office monitor
Price: £300 | Check price at Amazon
This Philips monitor is one of our absolute favourites. It packs in every conceivable feature and specification and – like others on this list – manages to do so at a surprisingly low price.
As you might have guessed, a built-in webcam is the highlight of this particular monitor. But we’re also fond of the stand, which has all four crucial adjustment options (including 150mm of height adjustment); the panel, which scored highly in practically every single one of our tests; and the port selection, which includes the highly desirable USB-C alongside a USB-A hub, HDMI and DP.
The webcam itself is a dream: it’s a 2MP affair that’s compatible with Windows Hello (so you can use it to sign in to your PC) and tucks away inside the body of the monitor when not in use. If you’re anything like us, and you’re intimately familiar with Zoom at this point, the Philips 243B9H is the monitor for you.
Read our full Philips 243B9H review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 24in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 75Hz; Response time: 4ms G2G; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x USB-C
6. AOC AGON Pro AG254FG: Best 360Hz 1080p gaming monitor
Price: £680 | Check price at Amazon
The AOC AGON Pro AG254FG is a high-end 360Hz gaming monitor for esports pros. This 24.5in IPS panel is ridiculously fast and smooth, with excellent motion handling and Nvidia G-Sync support to eliminate tearing. If you can bear to lock it to 240Hz, the AG254FG has a very good Ultra-Low Motion Blur (ULMB) mode capable of improving image clarity drastically – this also limits the peak luminance to 101cd/m² (from an impressive high of 452cd/m²), but AOC thoughtfully includes a monitor hood in the box so you can improve visibility at the lower brightness.
In our tests, the AG254FG performed well, delivering great sRGB colour gamut coverage and the aforementioned peak brightness along with strong viewing angles and a decent contrast ratio. It’s even colour-accurate to sRGB (with an average Delta E of 0.98), which while surplus to requirements definitely earns this monitor a few extra points.
The AG254FG is fully featured and surprisingly versatile. The stand supports 130mm of height adjustment, 90 degrees of pivot into portrait orientation, 30 degrees of swivel and 23 degrees of backwards tilt, which is pretty sensational for a gaming monitor. It has a USB hub on the rear for your peripherals – including one USB-A port for a Nvidia Reflex-compatible mouse – and even a hook for your headphones. Sure, it’s not the most attractive-looking monitor on the planet, but it delivers the important stuff in spades.
Read our full AOC AGON Pro AG254FG review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 24.5in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 360Hz; Response time: 1ms G2G; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 4 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB-B 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x 3.5mm
7. Dell P2422HE: Most versatile 1080p office monitor
Price: £260 | Check price at Amazon
The Dell P2422HE is packed with features. We say that about a lot of our top-rated monitors, but this one still manages to put the others to shame. Alongside the usual four-port USB-A hub and USB-C port, the P2422HE also has a DisplayPort Out port, so you can create a daisy-chain configuration with a second monitor; and an RJ45 ethernet port, so you can hard-wire the internet connection of your connected device (ie. a laptop) even if it doesn’t have its own ethernet port. That’s a remarkable feature set, and it comes at a surprisingly low price (albeit one that has plummeted since launch).
The P2422HE performed reasonably well on test, but it’s not one for gamers or those with a need for colour accuracy. This is instead a purebred office monitor, complete with energy saving modes, low blue light filters and an exceptionally versatile stand that provides 150mm of height adjustment plus tilt, pivot and swivel. It’s a good-looking monitor, too, and it won’t take up much room on your desk.
The downside? Inexplicably, the P2422HE lacks speakers or a 3.5mm jack. But when you’re faced with so many other features at such a good price, it’s hard to be too upset.
Read our full Dell P2422HE review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 24.5in; Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 60Hz; Response time: 8ms G2G; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 In, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 Out; Other ports: 4 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x RJ45 Ethernet
