The best 1440p gaming monitors to buy

A 1440p gaming monitor is the best way to make the most of your gaming PC. This is a fundamental truth: in terms of price, performance and hardware strain, 1440p sits between the ultra-cheap 1080p options and the luxurious and often unattainable 4K panels.

Because it occupies this sweet spot, 1440p is a hugely popular resolution, and as a result the market is flooded with 1440p gaming monitors. This makes choosing one exceptionally tricky, especially if you’re new to the world of gaming displays. After all, there’s much, much more to a monitor than its resolution.

We’re constantly testing gaming monitors of all shapes and sizes and have been busy cherry-picking our favourite 1440p models to make your life easier. Below, you’ll find the 1440p gaming monitors that we’ve tried, tested and loved the most; before that, you’ll find a detailed buying guide that explains exactly what you need to know before you buy.

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Best 1440p gaming monitor: At a glance

• Best 1440p gaming monitor | Samsung Odyssey G7
• Best budget 1440p gaming monitor | HP X27qc
• Best 144Hz 1440p gaming monitor | LG UltraGear Ergo

How to choose the best 1440p gaming monitor for you

How much should I spend?

Even high-end 1440p gaming monitors rarely exceed the £600 mark. A good budget 1440p monitor could cost you as little as £200, although you won’t find many dedicated gaming monitors at that price and resolution. Instead, we recommend monitors that start at around £275 and top out at £550. You don’t need to spend more than that.

What size should I buy?

Generally, it’s agreed that 27in delivers the best experience on a 1440p gaming monitor. It’s also the smallest available size for many such gaming monitors, with the largest usually being 32in.

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What specs should I look out for?

Resolution: It pays to read the specifications carefully. While traditional 16:9 ratio 1440p displays have a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, you may also see some monitors listed as ultrawide 1440p. These ultrawide monitors still have a 1,440 pixel vertical resolution, but the ultra-widescreen format means that the horizontal resolution can be as wide as 5,120 pixels. If that sounds like a tempting option, bear in mind that you’ll need a powerful GPU to handle such a huge resolution. If you think yours is up to the job, then click here to read our Best ultrawide monitors guide.

Refresh rate: Initially, 144Hz was considered the perfect refresh rate for 1440p gaming monitors. These days, however, many manufacturers are nudging that up to 165Hz – the difference will be negligible, but it’s worth knowing, because these kinds of monitors are rapidly replacing the 1440p, 144Hz kind.

You can also find 1440p gaming monitors with refresh rates as high as 240Hz, but these are more expensive. If you’re confident that your GPU can push those kinds of frame rates, and you think your gaming skills are honed enough to notice the difference, then it may be worth paying the premium.

Panel technology: There are two types of panel in play here: IPS and VA. You shouldn’t limit yourself to a single type – we only mention them here so you know what to expect from the product you choose.

As a general rule, IPS panels have great colour reproduction, viewing angles and motion handling but tend to have mediocre contrast. VA panels have great contrast and good colour reproduction but usually suffer from poor viewing angles and a bit of motion blur. VA panels are also cheaper than IPS panels.

HDR: Most 1440p gaming monitors settle for the bare minimum where HDR is concerned. This means they lack local dimming – vital for proper HDR – and top out at around 400 nits, which earns them a DisplayHDR 400 certification at best. At this level, HDR and SDR will look very similar.

If you want acceptable HDR performance, look for a monitor with a DisplayHDR 600 certification (or higher) and local dimming support as a bare minimum.

Connectivity: For gamers, extra ports are less important (you probably have plenty on your gaming PC/laptop). Most of our recommendations have extra USB-A ports for connecting keyboards/mice, however, and some go as far as to offer USB-C for charging a connected device. These things are nice to have if you work at the same PC you game on.

Adjustability: The best monitor stands can rise/sink, swivel left/right and tilt backwards/forwards, and some can also pivot into a portrait orientation. Take care of your back, neck and eyes by grabbing a monitor with as many of these adjustment options as you can afford.

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How we test 1440p gaming monitors

We strongly believe that a good monitor review should be supported by comprehensive testing processes. When we receive a monitor for testing, we first measure luminance, black point, contrast, colour gamut coverage, colour accuracy, colour temperature and panel uniformity using DisplayCal’s calibration softare and an X-Rite colorimeter. We’ll then use Blur Busters’ online motion handling assessment tools to check for ghosting, inverse ghosting and motion blur, and we’ll engage overdrive and MBR settings if applicable to juddge how they affect the results. Monitors with HDR and local dimming also undergo a dimming zone test, whereby we try to spot the zones in action using a HDR-ready video (a moving white object against a black background).

After quantitative testing, we continue to use the monitor for at least one week, working and gaming on it to form a subjective verdict. We stress-test the stand, viewing angles and build quality and compare the number of ports to rival monitors to make sure you’re getting the best product for the money.

The best 1440p gaming monitors to buy in 2023

1. Samsung Odyssey G7: Best 1440p gaming monitor

Price when reviewed: £550 | Size: 27in | Check price at Samsung

You might be familiar with the Samsung Odyssey G7. This 1440p, 240Hz gaming monitor broke new ground when it launched, becoming the first of its kind to use QLED technology and the first with an aggressive 1000R curve. It’s available in both 27in and 32in varieties, but we’re recommending the 27in model here, as it represents remarkably good value.

The G7 has a DisplayHDR 600 certification and eight-zone local dimming, which means HDR on this monitor is far better than average; the QLED panel contributes here too, producing good contrast (over 2,300:1 in HDR) and a peak luminance of 551cd/m².

Gaming on the G7 is immensely enjoyable: this monitor handles motion impeccably well and exhibits very little ghosting. Better yet, Samsung hasn’t neglected the practical side of things – the G7 has a two-port USB-A hub and a fully adjustable stand. This is still the monitor to beat.

Read our full Samsung Odyssey G7 review for details

Key specs – Screen technology: VA (QLED); Refresh rate: 240Hz; Response time: 1ms; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync compatible; Video inputs: 1 x HDMI 2, 2 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm

Check price at Samsung

2. HP X27qc: Best budget 1440p gaming monitor

Price when reviewed: £279 | Size: 27in | Check price at Very

We were very impressed by the HP X27qc. It’s one of a number of 165Hz 1440p gaming monitors that use a VA panel to produce excellent contrast and a 1500R curvature to remedy the poor viewing angles associated with the panel technology. It’s exceptionally bright and covers a wide gamut of colours with impressive accuracy.

The HP X27qc is best suited to games that don’t require rapid motion, such as RPGs or strategy games. The colourful panel and immersive curvature are great for getting lost in the glorious landscapes of a Ubisoft open-world game, but the ghosting caused by the VA panel won’t appeal to hardcore CS:GO players (or similar).

Mounted on a stand with 100mm of height adjustment and 20mm of backwards tilt, the X27qc is ergonomic enough to keep your back straight – and at this price, you shouldn’t expect much else. Speaking of which, the X27qc is sensationally good value. Finding a panel like this for under £300 is no mean feat, and that’s what earns this monitor a spot here.

Read our full HP X27qc review for details

Key specs – Screen technology: VA; Refresh rate: 165Hz; Response time: 1ms; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync compatible; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 1 x 3.5mm

Check price at Very

Also consider: Gigabyte G27QC (£275)

If your budget is slightly bigger, but you still want bang for your buck, the Gigabyte G27QC is a great pick. This is another 27in VA panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and a 1500R curvature, which means high contrast and high immersion but a little bit of noticeable ghosting. The G27QC has the added benefit of a two-port USB-A hub for your peripherals, although this normally makes it a touch more expensive than the X27qc above.

Check price at Box

3. LG UltraGear Ergo (27GN88A): Best 144Hz 1440p gaming monitor

Price when reviewed: £458 | Size: 27in | Check price at Amazon

While the LG UltraGear Ergo is a lovely monitor in its own right, it’s the stand that makes it worth your money. Clamp the mount to the edge of your desk and you can move the panel into whatever position you fancy: the arm supports 180mm of inwards and outwards movement, 130mm of upwards and downwards movement, 280 degrees of swivel left and right, 90 degrees of pivot into portrait mode and 25 degrees of backwards tilt.

In our tests, the Ergo performed well, producing a very wide gamut of colours and decent colour accuracy when tested against the DCI-P3 gamut. In brief, this monitor is incredibly vibrant, and it’s pretty bright, too – we measured a peak luminance of 378cd/m². Contrast needs to be better for decent HDR performance, but this is still a cracking panel. It’s responsive, fluid and exhibits virtually no ghosting.

Throw in a two-port USB-A hub and a sub-£500 price tag and you’re onto a winner.

Read our full LG UltraGear Ergo review for details

Key specs – Screen technology: nanoIPS; Refresh rate: 144Hz; Response time: 1ms; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm

Also consider: AOC AGON AG273QXP (£430)

AOC’s AG273QXP is quietly impressive. This 165Hz 27in nanoIPS monitor produces a glorious wide gamut of colours with remarkable accuracy for a gaming display. It has four USB-A ports and a fully adjustable stand and delivers a fluid, blur-free experience. If you want to save some cash and don’t need an ergonomic arm mount, this is a good alternative to the UltraGear Ergo above.

Check price at Box

4. BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R: Best 32in 1440p gaming monitor

Price when reviewed: £575 | Size: 32in | Check price at Amazon

If you want more screen real estate, consider the BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R. This 32in 1440p panel isn’t cheap, but if you can catch it at any kind of discount, you’re getting a lot of monitor for your money. The curved panel is bright and colour-accurate, and it handles motion remarkably well, particularly with ultra-low motion blur engaged – it exhibits a bit of ghosting, as you’d expect from a VA panel, but on the whole it’s very pleasant to game on. The combination of 32in panel and 1000R curvature is incredibly immersive.

From a practical perspective, the EX3210R delivers. It has a decent – albeit run-of-the-mill – selection of ports, including two USB-A ports for your peripherals, and it comes with a remote control that allows you to navigate the OSD and change the volume/source. The speakers are loud and surprisingly beefy, which means the EX3210R is a great candidate for some after-hours movie watching. Sure, the stand is a little limited, but overall the EX3210R wins our recommendation, although it’s a shame the price has crept back up recently.

Read our full BenQ Mobiuz EX3210R review for details

Key specs – Screen technology: VA; Refresh rate: 165Hz; Response time: 1ms; Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro; Video inputs: 2 x HDMI 2, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2; Other ports: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0, 1 x 3.5mm

Also consider: Samsung Odyssey G7 32in (£499)

That’s right: this monitor is on here twice. If you can’t catch the EX3210R above at a discount, the 32in G7 should be your next pick, as it delivers superior performance (especially in HDR) and a better feature set at a price that, while generally high, often dips as low as £500.

Check price at Samsung