We took a look at some of the best 1440P 144Hz gaming monitors currently available. This guide breaks down the top options for 2K 144Hz monitors for 2022, including the best G-Sync options and FreeSync options.
If you’re a serious gamer who wants to gain every competitive advantage possible, as well as play your games with the highest detail and best visuals, you’ll likely want to get either a 1440P 144Hz monitor, or a 1440P 240Hz monitor.
In this extensive buyer’s guide, we’re going to present you with the best 1440P 144Hz monitors currently available. While 1440P 240Hz monitors and 4K 144Hz monitors currently offer either a better resolution or a higher refresh rate, they are also incredibly expensive. However, 1440P 144Hz monitor strike a nice balance between offering an upgraded resolution and a high refresh rate without having a huge pricetag associated with them.
So, if you have a moderate budget to spend on your monitor and your in-game visuals and performance are of paramount importance to you, then you’ll want to consider one of these monitors below.
Also, to help you make your decision, we’ve made selections for the top G-Sync 1440P 144Hz monitors and Freesync 1440P 144Hz monitors. If you have an AMD graphics card, you’ll want a Freesync monitor. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, either a G-Sync monitor or FreeSync monitor will work.
Table of Contents
Quick-Look: The Best 1440P 144Hz Monitors for Gamers
For a quick rundown of our top picks for the best 1440P 144Hz monitors for gaming, the table below showcases four of the best options currently available.
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Name | SPECS | RATING | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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G-SYNC
|
 |
ASUS PG278QR 27″ |
|
/10 | |
|
FREESYNC
|
 |
Samsung C32HG70 32″ |
|
/10 | |
|
CURVE
|
 |
ASUS PG27VQ 27” |
|
/10 | |
|
BUDGET
|
 |
AOC AG271QX 27″ |
|
/10 |
*To read more about each of the monitors in the table above, click on the “Read Review »” link to skip down to our overview on the specific monitor. You can also keep scrolling further down to see our other options as well.
1. ASUS PG278QR 27″
The best 1440P 165Hz G-Sync display
If you’ve got an unlimited budget and you want the best-of-the-best, the first option you’ll want to check out is the ASUS ROG PG278QR 27″ monitor. The PG278QR is a 2560×1440 monitor that has a 165Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time.
It’s a WQHD TN panel monitor that has a slim bevel design and is G-Sync compatible.
It also comes with 16.7 million display colors and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. It offers one DisplayPort and HDMI port, as well as two USB 3.0 ports.
The high price tag on this ASUS 1440P 165Hz monitor will scare a lot of gamers away. However, if you have the budget and a high-resolution monitor that performs incredibly well is at the top of your list, the PG278QR might be worth the cost for you.
Overall, this monitor is a serious financial committment. Not only do you need a big budget in order to accommodate it, but you also need a high-end PC to run it.
So, if you don’t quite have the money to spend on the PG278QR, or the hardware necessary to utilize it to its fullest, you might want to go with another option. (Some of the budget-friendly 1440P 144Hz monitors below will give you extra to spend on hardware upgrades if necessary.)
2. Samsung C32HG70 32″
A solid FreeSync 1440P 144Hz monitor
If you’re looking for a large display that comes with a 1440P resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate and you don’t mind paying a premium for some nice additional features, then the Samsung C32HG70 might be an option you’ll want to consider.
The C32HG70 sports a 32-inch curved VA panel, a 144Hz refresh rate, a 2560 x 1440 resolution, and a 1ms response time. And, while there are plenty of other 1440P 144Hz FreeSync monitors out there, the C32HG70 stands out with its curved display, it’s sharp VA panel, and it’s 1ms response time.
With the VA panel you get better viewing angles and a sharper pictures without having to sacrifice on the response time (which is the case for monitors that opt for a TN panel).
The one downside, though, is that at a little over $500, the C32HG70 is significantly more expensive than most of the other 1440P 144Hz FreeSync monitors currently on the market. But, if you have large budget and you don’t want to sacrifice on either your response time or your viewing angles, the C32HG70 makes for a compelling option when compared to the other monitors on this list.
3. ASUS PG27VQ 27”
The best curved 1440P 165Hz monitor
Two of the most interesting monitors on this list are the ASUS PG27VQ and the VIOTEK GN32DR. Both are 2560×1440 monitors with curved panels. However, there are some key differences.
First, ASUS’ PG27VQ sports a 165Hz refresh rate whereash VIOTEK’s GN32DR only has a 144Hz refresh rate. VIOTEK has the larger panel, though, at 32″. The PG27VQ is a 27″ monitor.
The ASUS PG27VQ comes with a TN panel, whereas the GN32DR has a VA panel. The TN panel gives the PG27VQ a faster response time (1ms), but the GN32DR brings wider viewing angles.
Also, the two monitors have different adaptive sync technologies. The PG27VQ is a G-Sync monitor, whereas the VIOTEK GN32DR is a Freesync monitor. So, if you want a 2560×1440 curved monitor with a high refresh rate, it be your GPU (AMD or NVIDIA) that determines which of these options you can get.
And, finally, perhaps the biggest difference is in price. The ASUS PG27VQ is over $200 more experience than the GN32DR at the moment.
However, part of that is that VIOTEK is a relatively unknown monitor manufacturer. And, ASUS’ brand recognition likely contributes to the higher cost.
Overall, the TN panel on the ASUS PG27VQ makes it a better option if the fastest possible response time is important to you. If it were up to me, I likely would want a little better panel for nearly $800. However, the low response time that TN panels offer will likely make the PG27VQ an option that pro gamers consider. And, the PG27VQ is definitely one of the best curved gaming monitors currently on the market.
4. VIOTEK GFV27DAB 27”
The cheapest 1440P 144Hz monitor available
VIOTEK doesn’t quite pack the brand name that ASUS, Acer, and BenQ do among gamers, but they have become more well known in the past few years.
And, they have done so in part by offering high quality monitors at lower prices than the bigger brands.
The AVIOTEK GFV27DAB is no different. At a bit under $300, the GFV27DAB is nearly the cheapest 1440P 165Hz 27″ gaming monitor available.
The GFV27DAB has a VA panel and a 1ms response time, so it is a nice budget-friendly option for gamers who prefer the faster response time over the better viewing angles of an IPS panel monitor.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for an affordable 2560 x 1440 165Hz monitor with a 1ms response time, this VIOTEK monitor would be a good option
5. Acer Predator XB271HU 27″
Honorable mention #1
Acer’s Predator XB271HU 27″ gaming monitor is a nice alternative to ASUS’ PG278QR. Like the PG278QR, the Acer XB271HU is a 1440P 27-inch monitor that comes with G-Sync technology and a high refresh rate.
The Acer Predator 1440P 144Hz IPS gaming monitor also has a conrast ratio of 1,000:1.
The only realy differences between the PG278QR and the XB271HU (spec-wise) are the XB271HU’s 144Hz refresh rate versus the PG278QR’s 165Hz refresh rate and the XB271HU’s IPS panel versus the PG278QR’s TN panel. However, the XB271HU can be overclocked to reach 165Hz.
What the XB271HU has over the PG278QR, though, is a much lower price tag (~$80 difference). And, ultimately, there probably aren’t a whole lot of gamers who will notice the difference between 144Hz and 165Hz.
So, if you want to save some money without seeing a sizable performance drop and you don’t mind going for a slightly lower response time, the Acer Predator is probably your best bet.
Either way you choose, though, you’re going to land yourself a high-end monitor.
6. ViewSonic XG2760 27”
Honorable mention #2
The ViewSonic XG2760 27-inch 1440P monitor is another solid option for competitive gamers. The main standout feature on the XG2760 is the fact that it comes with a 165Hz refresh rate instead of a 144Hz refresh rate. And, along with its 165Hz refresh ratethe XG2760 comes with a 1ms response time. That is due to the fact that it comes with a faster TN panel instead of an IPS panel.
And, while the TN panel might not offer as good of viewing angles as an IPS panel, it will deliver a faster response time. As a comparison, the ASUS PG278QR comes with an IPS panel and a 4ms response time (gray-to-gray), whereas the XG2760’s TN panel is able to deliver a 1ms response time.
The real-world difference between 1ms and 4ms isn’t significant for the average user, but for ultra-competitive gamers, that small of a difference in response time can have an impact.
So, the bottom line is that, if you’re a serious esports gamer that needs as much performance as possible, the faster response time on the XG2760 might make it a better option for you than the Acer XB271HU. Although, even if you play esports games—but not at the upper levels of competition—the XB271HU will still work just fine.
The only downside of the XG2760 right now is the fact that the ASUS PG278QR offers essentially the same specs and features while costing about $20 less. So, unless the XG2760 goes on sale, you’d probably be better offer saving a bit of cash and opting for the PG278QR instead.
Pro Gamers Need High-End Gaming Monitors
There’s a reason why today’s top gamers and Twitch streamers use 1440P 144Hz monitors. (Besides the fact that they get them for free…)
And, that is that they offer the most performance advantage over their competitors.
Yes, it does take a high-end gaming PC with an expensive graphics card in order to handle a 2K 144Hz+ refresh rate monitor. But, if you are serious about your gaming, you’ll want to make sure the gear you game with is the best it can possibly be.
The guide above will help you pick out the best gaming monitor for eSports and highly-competitive gaming. And, if you want to know a little more on choosing the right option, check out our guide on what to look for in a gaming monitor.
Dan King says
Hey I know this article is old but it’s the first one that pops up on a google search. Nvidia recently released an update for their GPU’s so they can interact with certain Freesync enabled monitors! Just wanted to let anyone know to check their website if there was a particular price point or model they were looking for!
George says
400 dollars in the budget zone? Oh well. These monitors are still a distant dream for me. I’ll just keep on playing with my 75 Hz TV for a while lol.