The best monitors for Xbox Series X/S to buy
Enjoy next-gen gaming at your desk with the best monitors for Xbox Series X and Series S
The Xbox Series X and Series S are formidable gaming consoles. If you want to enjoy everything these next-gen machines have to offer, however, you’re going to need the best gaming monitor you can afford.
Traditionally, you might have considered a gaming-ready TV for that job, but there is another way: a desktop gaming monitor. It’s becoming increasingly common for manufacturers to build monitors specifically for the Xbox Series X and Series S; monitors with HDMI 2.1 ports, high refresh rates and glorious 4K HDR displays. These monitors have the added benefit of catering to the PC gaming audience far better than a 48in TV.
In order to help you pick out the best monitor for your Xbox Series X or Series S, we’ve created this roundup. Below, you’ll find our guide to choosing the right monitor for your next-gen Xbox console, followed by a list of our favourite 1080p, 1440p and 4K gaming monitors. Whether you’re a staunch Xbox console enthusiast or a multi-platform gamer, there’s a monitor here for you.
How to choose the best monitor for your Xbox Series X/S
Do I need a 4K monitor?
No! The Xbox Series X supports 1080p, 1440p and 4K resolutions natively. A 4K monitor will deliver the highest fidelity experience but at the very least, we’d recommend looking for a monitor that supports some kind of adaptive sync and 120Hz refresh rates. The range of supported resolutions and adaptive sync technologies will make this easier to achieve.
The Xbox Series S can’t play games in 4K (only 1080p or 1440p) but it can play/stream other 4K media eg. films or TV shows.
READ NEXT: The best 1440p monitors to buy
How much should I spend?
You can buy a cheap-ish 1080p monitor with adaptive sync of some sort and a high refresh rate for £200-£300, but you’ll be missing out on good HDR and general graphical fidelity. A budget 4K (60Hz, usually) monitor costs a similar amount, but again, you’re sacrificing good HDR as well as high refresh rates.
For the best experience on a gaming monitor, you’re looking at spending £700-£900 for HDMI 2.1, VRR, 4K, decent HDR support and a high refresh rate. For comparison’s sake, 4K HDR TVs start at a similar price.
READ NEXT: The best monitors for PS5
What size should I buy?
Most of the monitors you’ll be considering will sit within the 27in-32in size range, although it is possible to go smaller if you’re eyeing up a 1080p panel. This size range is the sweet spot, so it comes down to how much space you have – a 32in monitor will dominate your desk.
READ NEXT: The best ultrawide monitors to buy
What specifications should I watch out for?
Resolution: FHD (1,920 x 1,080), WQHD (2,560 x 1,440) or 4K (3,840 x 2,160). The Xbox Series X and Series S do not support ultrawide resolutions (eg. 3,440 x 1,440).
Refresh rate: The Xbox Series X/S can play games at up to 120fps. To fully take advantage of that, you’ll be looking for a monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate (confusingly). If you’re not fussed about 120fps/144Hz, 60Hz is fine – there aren’t many games that run at 120fps at the moment anyway.
Panel technology: There are three main panel technologies: VA, IPS and TN. Most modern panels use the first two types. VA panels are known for excellent contrast but poor viewing angles; IPS panels, for vivid colours but poor contrast. Don’t limit yourself to a single panel type: this information is here just so that you know what’s normal.
Adaptive sync: Unlike the PS5, the Xbox Series X and Series S officially support both VRR and AMD Freesync, with reports of unofficial Nvidia G-Sync support, too. All this means is that if you care about avoiding screen tearing or enjoying variable refresh rates, you’re not limited to buying a VRR-compatible monitor.
HDR: If you want a decent HDR experience, you’ll want a monitor with a VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification (at least) and local dimming of some sort. The former simply tells us that the monitor is nice and bright; the latter, that the monitor can switch off small sections of its backlight individually, thus making dark corners look darker.
Connectivity: Console gamers shouldn’t worry about extra ports – as long as the monitor has an HDMI 2.1 port, you’re good to go. If you’re also a PC gamer, however, you might want extras such as USB-A ports for mice/keyboards.
Adjustability: We always recommend spending a bit more on a monitor with all four major adjustment options: height, tilt, pivot and swivel. A cheaper monitor will forego at least a couple of these, which isn’t great for your posture.
READ NEXT: The best 4K monitors to buy
How we test monitors for Xbox Series X/S
Every monitor that we review undergoes the same tests using a colorimeter from X-Rite and DisplayCal’s calibration software. We measure colour gamut coverage, colour accuracy and colour temperature; contrast, luminance and black point; and panel uniformity. We use Blur Busters’ online tools to measure ghosting, inverse ghosting and motion blur, taking note of how overdrive and MBR affect these things. If a monitor is HDR-enabled and has local dimming, we use a video of a brightly lit, moving shape against a black background so we can see the dimming zones in action.
We then spend at least a week gaming on the monitor (not solidly, that’d be ridiculous), using titles with good HDR implentation and 4K/VRR/120Hz support where applicable. We assess the viewing angles, build quality, ports and stand and navigate the OSD to dig out any other features. We also make comparisons with other similar monitors for the sake of assessing value for money.
The best monitors for Xbox Series X/S you can buy in 2023
1. Philips Momentum 279M1RV: Best 4K monitor for Xbox Series X/S
Price when reviewed: £720 | Check price at Amazon
The Philips Momentum 279M1RV is our current favourite 4K gaming monitor for next-gen consoles. It’s officially made for Xbox Series X, although in truth it has nothing that would prevent a PS5 owner from using it as well – just HDMI 2.1, VRR/AMD FreeSync/Nvidia G-Sync and a 144Hz refresh rate.
The 279M1RV has a DisplayHDR 600 certification (ignore the DisplayHDR 400 logo in the above image) and a backlight with 16 zones that can be switched off independently. The result is a higher calibre of HDR than most gaming monitors can deliver – it helps that the 279M1RV produces a wide gamut of colours with high accuracy. It also has great viewing angles and exhibits very little input lag or ghosting, even with overdrive set to the optimal level 3 (of 4).
Elsewhere, the Momentum 279M1RV continues to impress. The stand provides swivel, tilt and height adjustment, while the rear of the cabinet houses four USB-A ports and even a USB-C port for charging connected devices and transmitting a video signal. The speakers are better than average, and the Ambiglow lighting lining the rear is definitely more impactful than the usual RGB LED fare.
If you can look past the unassuming exterior, this one seriously impressive monitor.
Read our full Philips Momentum 279M1RV review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 1ms; HDR: DisplayHDR 600; Local dimming: 16 zone, edge lit; Video inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 4 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm
2. Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ: Best big 4K monitor for Xbox Series X/S
Price when reviewed: £850 | Check price at Argos
The Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ is a mighty 4K monitor with a 32in wingspan and a blisteringly bright DisplayHDR 600-certified panel. It supports VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync and has a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz.
On test, the PG32UQ produced an exceptionally wide colour gamut but was also capable of delivering accurate results when locked to sRGB or Adobe RGB. This is one of the most eye-watering panels we’ve ever seen on a gaming monitor – particularly with HDR engaged. The 16-zone local-dimming backlight helped deliver a superior experience to many gaming monitors.
The PG32UQ is fairly practical: there are two USB-A ports on the rear and the stand provides tilt, swivel and height adjustment. We’re not fond of the OSD controls, which are an irritating mixture of joystick and buttons, but on balance we feel that this is a minor flaw in what is an otherwise thoroughly impressive 4K gaming monitor.
Read our full Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 32in; Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160; Screen technology: IPS; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 1ms; HDR: DisplayHDR 600; Local dimming: 16 zone, edge lit; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm
3. Samsung Odyssey G7: Best 1440p monitor for Xbox Series X/S
Price when reviewed: £470 | Check price at Samsung
Widely considered to be one of the best gaming monitors around, the Samsung Odyssey G7 is a great choice if you don’t care much about 4K. This 27in 1440p QLED VA panel has fantastic motion handling, a 240Hz refresh rate and – crucially – support for AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. It also has a DisplayHDR 600 certification and eight backlight zones that aid HDR performance.
On test, the Odyssey G7 proved to be a vibrant, colour-accurate monitor with good wide-gamut colour production. Unusually for a VA panel – and thanks no doubt to the QLED backlight – the Odyssey G7 exhibits very little ghosting. It also has surprisingly good viewing angles: the aggressive 1000R curvature helps massively here. In brief, gaming on this panel is magnificent.
This is a practical monitor, too: the stand provides all four major adjustment options and the rear of the panel houses two USB-A ports for peripherals. There’s very little that the Odyssey G7 can’t do, in fact: if you don’t mind the step down from 4K to 1440p, this is a superb monitor.
Read our full Samsung Odyssey G7 review for details
Key specs – Screen size: 27in; Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440; Screen technology: VA (QLED); Refresh rate: 240Hz; Response time: 1ms; HDR: DisplayHDR 600; Local dimming: 8 zone, edge lit; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm
4. BenQ Mobiuz EX2710: Best budget monitor for Xbox Series X/S
Price when reviewed: £179 | Check price at Box
Our favourite budget monitor, the BenQ Mobiuz EX2710 is a 27in 1080p panel that offers great value for money. The panel supports AMD FreeSync and refreshes at 144Hz, so while you aren’t getting high resolutions you’ll certainly be able to eke a little bit more than the bare minimum out of your next-gen Xbox.
This is a colourful, accurate gaming monitor that nails the basics. It has great viewing angles and very little input lag or motion blur, thanks mostly to its IPS panel. There’s no DisplayHDR certification here, just HDR10 decoding and a couple of emulated “HDRi” modes, but that’s hardly an issue at this price.
The stand is no less impressive than most of the others on this list, offering tilt, swivel and height adjustment. The only drawback is the lack of ports – there’s no USB hub here, just HDMI and DP ports plus a 3.5mm headphone jack. But to reiterate: at this price, it’s remarkable how much BenQ has squeezed in.
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; HDR: HDR10 (None); Local dimming: None; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 1 x 3.5mm
