When you need to find a monitor for gaming purposes, there are a couple of things that you need to consider. As a result, the process can be too demanding and confusing at the same time. If you are new to the industry, the various words and phrases used to describe gaming monitors can be quite a challenge. Before stepping out to buy a monitor, it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the basics that will make the process easier. This is not as difficult as it appears; just know the difference between the real specs of the monitor and marketing terms that are used. Usually any gamer should look for a monitor that has a good refresh rate and one that will have the required display resolution and you will be good to go. In any case, any game that you will buy will have the minimum hardware required listed on the packaging, which may be used as a guide. However, you cannot be ignorant of the industry that keeps changing, as technology keeps advancing. With all these new changes, you can now easily get a monitor with top quality pixels at a lower price. You do not need to be wealthy to afford a good gaming monitor. As long as you are sure of what you really need, you can find a gaming monitor for less than $300. This article will try to shed some light on some of the basics that you should be keen on, when purchasing a gaming monitor.
Benefits
- In as much as these monitors are large in terms of their size, they are very light. This makes it easier to carry them around.
- With all these features, there is an advantage of the monitors being affordable. You can enjoy an ultimate gaming experience without having to spend all your savings.
- Most of the gaming monitors in this price range will have a high resolution, which ensures that all the images are clear and vibrant.
- There are those that have the TN panel technology and this will ensure that you get a fast response time.
- The screens come with ergonomic stands that will allow you to tilt the screen and even adjust the height.
- The VESA mounting option is a feature that you will find on most of the gaming monitors. As such you can easily mount them on the wall to get a comfortable viewing angle.
Drawbacks
- In some of the models, the stand is not really firm and may require some extra support to hold the screen steady.
- Due to the low budget, you may find that some of the critical features that gamers need may not be available.
- A good number will not have a wider viewing angle and as such you may be forced to sit in uncomfortable positions so as to use the screen effectively. This may cause strain on your back, neck and shoulder muscles.
- Some of the gaming monitors under 300 will have a low resolution and the overall image quality may be wanting.
Certainly, the advantages and outweigh the drawbacks as far as these monitors are concerned. You should take time to compare the various options available on the market so that you can easily buy the best gaming monitor under 300.
Who is it Ideal for?
The monitor is a critical element in the gaming industry, and in most cases, gamers are inhibited by the high price of gaming monitors. With the option of finding a gaming monitor that will cost less than $300, any player will find this deal quite tempting. In as much as $300 sounds like a low figure compared to the usual price tag placed on gaming monitors, you will certainly find one that suits your needs in the best way possible. Professional gamers will find functional monitors, which they can make use of and get the full gaming experience. The monitors come with high resolutions and a refresh rate that is suitable for fast-paced games. Besides gamers, these monitors can also be used by photo editors, graphic designers, architects and so many other professionals.
Key Considerations
You can be sure that you will find a functional monitor with less than $300. However, before going out to shop for such monitors, you should consider a number of factors. This is the only way that you will find a monitor that will serve its purpose without disappointments. Here are some of the key considerations:
- Refresh Rate: A gaming monitor should have a high refresh rate so as to ensure that the game keeps flowing without any input lags.
- Panel: You should decide if you want an IPS panel or a TN panel for your gaming monitor. IPS panels will give you superior color reproduction and wide viewing angles, but tend to have a lower response rate. The TN panel may not give you vibrancy, but has fast response time.
- Screen Size: Find a screen that has adequate size to give you ultimate entertainment when playing any games that you prefer.
- Resolution: The display resolution will determine the clarity of the images and graphics when playing your games. With this price range, you should be able to find a monitor with Full HD resolution.
Main Manufacturers
- Dell
- AOC
- LG
- HP
- BenQ
- Acer
- ViewSonic
- Asus
- Samsung
Review of Top Gaming Monitors Under 300
While it sounds like a far-fetched idea to get a gaming monitor under $300, it is not impossible. In order to help the buyer who may be looking for such monitors, we have reviewed a few gaming monitors, within that price range. This should serve as a great guide to finding the right gaming monitor.
ASUS VG248QE
The ASUS VG248QE is a great gaming monitor, which seems to work with any PC and can handle most tasks. The screen offers a very fast response rate of 2ms, which will guarantee that there is smooth flow in all media content that has playback motion. The Full HD resolution is responsible for the vivid, lifelike images that you will be viewing on the screen.
The 24-inch screen has a 1080p resolution and with the fast response time the issues of tracers and ghosting are completely eliminated. You can be sure of a fluid motion playback when you are using this screen. The screen comes with built-in speakers, which will spare you the hassle of having to plug in external audio devices. The Exclusive Splendid Video Intelligence technology will optimize the image quality with the perfect brightness, sharpness, contrast and color. The cable management feature will help you in keeping your workstation neat and well organized. The connection options available are HDMI, DVI, D-Sub and DisplayPort. This monitor used LED backlights, which is efficient for energy conservation.
Dell S2317HJ
Besides the Dell monitor being ideal for gaming and availed at an affordable rate, it had a stylish functionality. It has been designed in such a manner that it can be used to charge smartphones using the wireless charging Qi or PMA. The ergonomic stand is the one that will be used or charging purposes. You do not need to plug in anything to the phone; just place it near the stand and it will charge. In general, this monitor is ideal for any form of home entertainment. The screen is 23 inches and has Full HD clarity on and ultra wide viewing angles. The monitor offers an option to connect through multiple connections like Audio Line in, Audio Line Out, VGA and HDMI. This makes it easier and convenient to connect all peripherals and devices to the monitor. The thin glossy bezel of this monitor makes it possible for it to fit into any home, without altering the ambience. The 1080p Full HD will give you vivid graphics, with a refresh rate of 60Hz. There are two 3 watts, built in speakers which provide clear audio.
ViewSonic VX2757
This is a 27-inch Full HD monitor, which is designed for entertainment and gaming purposes. The monitor comes loaded with the VESA Adaptive-Sync Technology and a variable refresh rate. With these basic features the issues of stuttering and screen tearing are completely eliminated. As a result, you will enjoy a smooth and fluid game play, even during fast-paced action scenes. The response time of 2ms is quite fast and therefore you do not have to worry about input lag. Blurring and ghosting effects are completely eliminated on this monitor and it comes with hot keys to optimize MOBA, FPS and RTS games. The black stabilization feature is responsible for brightening the dark scenes in the game and maintains rich color, throughout. The monitor has DisplayPort, VGA and HDMI as the main connection options for your PC or gaming console. The AMD FreeSync technology will synchronize the frame rate between the monitor and the graphics card being used. The monitor comes with preset settings, which will enhance your gaming experience to a large extent.
AOC G2460PQU
This is a 24-inch monitor, with 24 inches being the viewable area, thanks to the slim profile and thin bezels. The monitor has a refresh rate of 144Hz, this means that the screen is redrawn up to 144 times every second. This will ensure that the motion playback is seamless and smooth. The 1ms response time will help in rendering graphics in a speedy manner and this will eliminate any delays. Every image that you will see on the screen will be vivid and clear since the screen has a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio, with a color support of 16.7 million colors. You can connect your gaming console through DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, DVI or the USB ports. The AOC gaming monitor can be mounted on the wall, for better viewing. It comes with integrated speakers that have high quality audio. The ergonomic stand will allow you to adjust the height of your monitor and you can also pivot it in portrait orientation. The monitor is affordable, yet has very high performance to handle all your entertainment needs.
BenQ ZOWIE RL2455HM
The RL2455HM is specifically designed as a gaming monitor, which is to be used with gaming console. The 24-inch LED monitor has all the modern features aimed at making sure that you have the best gaming experience. It has an ultra-fast response time of 1ms for a fluid game play. The Black equalizer is a feature that is meant to help you get visibility in the dark areas in the game. The frame is specially designed for professional gaming. There will be minimal distractions when you are using this monitor to play your games, due to the ergonomic features that it carries. The Smart Scaling and Display Mode features will facilitate screen size adjustment to suit the specific game that you are playing. The built-in speakers will complement the visuals with quality audio, to give you an all-round entertainment. If you want to spend hours on the monitor playing your games, the Flicker Free and Low Blue Light technology will reduce eye strain. You can use the HDMI, D-Sub or DVI-DL connection options for video display.
Acer G257HU
You will definitely like what the Acer G257HU has to offer at such an affordable price. The super slim profile is quite appealing and the X-shaped stand will make it easier to place the monitor on any space available. The 25” LCD screen comes with a remarkable 2560 x 1440 Wide Quad HD resolution, which will give you crisp images and vivid details. This is ideal for HD gaming as well as productivity applications and multimedia content. The 16:9 aspect ratio will give you a wide viewing area, without any alteration on the images that are displayed. The 100 million: 1 dynamic contrast ratio will also keep the display crystal clear. The response time of 4ms will ensure that moving images remain clear and sharp. You can either use the DisplayPort, DVI or HDMI video inputs to get an amazing view experience. The monitor has versatile features to offer, yet it is quite affordable for any average gamer.
Conclusion
There you have it; you can actually find a great gaming monitor under 300. As long as you are sure of what you are looking for, you will not have any problems finding the right gaming monitor. The key considerations when looking for a gaming monitor should be the color reproduction, viewing angle, refresh rate, response time and the resolution. Any monitor that satisfies these requirements will definitely serve the purpose. It is our sincere hope that this article has been helpful and will allow you to make an educated decision on your purchase. All the best!
