Monitors used to just be associated with PC gaming but many different types of gamers use them now. Various consoles, such as PS4, Xbox, and more, can hook up to monitors. Whatever game you’re playing, you need to make sure you have a good quality monitor. Games are hard to enjoy when the graphics aren’t top notch.
There are a ton of features that the best gaming monitors have to offer. Some of the features like a 1080p resolution and 60hz refresh rate are important for processing the game. Other features, like screen size, monitor shape, and more contribute to your comfort level while playing.
You’ll want to make sure you have a monitor that doesn’t cause eye strain so you can get hours of gaming in without worrying about headaches.
There are a lot of gaming monitors out there and those with similar features, like resolution and refresh rate, may all seem like the exact same. But this isn’t quite accurate. To help you understand your best options, here are the top 5 best 1080p 60hz monitors.
Best Overall
- Wide Angle And Slim Bezel
- Flicker-free And Anti-Glare
- Built-in Speakers
Best 1080p 60hz Monitor Comparison Table
These monitors share a few features, like the screen resolution and refresh rate. But there are also a few characteristics that are unique to the individual monitor. Some of these features make or break the gaming experience for people. To give you a quick snapshot of these features, here is a comparison table of our top picks for 1080p 60hz monitors.
1. BenQ GW2480 – Best Overall
Our top choice comes from BenQ, a very popular provider of gaming monitors. The GW2480 is part of a series of monitors, all of which are great choices for gaming. The GW2780 is very similar, with the main difference being the screen size (27 inches). This monitor has a 24 inch IPS panel screen. You can get the basic version or the upgraded version with the height adjustment feature for an upcharge. The GW2480 is a very good price.
Our Pick
BenQ GW2480
This monitor has a 178 degree wide viewing angle for clarity at any view. It also has an edge to edge slim bezel design. This thin bezel design is great if you also use this monitor for work or other tasks. It allows for multi-panel configurations that seem to blend together into a single screen.
The base of the monitor is small and the monitor also has and integrated cable system, meaning the cables store inside the monitor stand. These features help to save space and give it a more elegant design.
The GW2480 is flicker-free and has brightness intelligence, which adjusts the brightness automatically based on ambient light detection. This zero flicker, anti-glare, and low blue light design helps to prevent headaches and eye strain. This flat screen monitor has a VESA wall mount and two built-in speakers.
Pros
- Good price
- 24 inch and 27 inch options
- Wide angle and slim bezel
- Integrated cable management
- Flicker-free, anti-glare, low blue light
- Brightness intelligence
- VESA wall mount
- Built-in speakers
- Height adjustment option
- 5ms response
Cons
- No tilt adjustment
2. Dell SE2719H – Premium Pick
The Dell SE2719H is a 1080p 60hz monitor with a 27 inch ips screen. This is a bit larger than the typical recommended size but it will still work well for gaming. This monitor only comes in one size but you can also get it with many different cable and keyboard/mouse combinations. You can get the monitor on its own or with one of these combinations for a slight upcharge.
Our Premium Pick
Dell SE2719H
This monitor has a 178 degree wide viewing angle for consistent color and clarity at any view. It also has a compact design. The thin bezels give it a sleek and modern look. The stand is also 10% smaller than previous versions and has an integrated cable management system to keep the cables out of your way.
Dell incorporates a ComfortView feature which minimizes blue light to reduce eye strain and prevent headaches. The SE2719H also has anti-flicker and anti-glare technology. In addition, this monitor comes with Dell’s EasyArrange feature, which helps you to manage your applications in a visually appealing manner.
Pros
- Wide angle and slim bezel
- Compact
- Integrated cable management
- Low blue light
- Anti-flicker and anti-glare
- EasyArrange feature
- 5 ms response time
Cons
- Expensive
- 27 inches only
- No VESA wall mount
3. ViewSonic VS2210-H – Budget Pick
Our budget pick, the ViewSonic VS2210-H, is a reliable and affordable monitor for any gamer. This model is a 22 inch IPS screen but you also have choices of 22 inch VA, 24 inch VA, 24 inch IPS, and 27 inch VA all with 60hz. 22 inches is a bit smaller than the typically recommended screen size but it is still more than enough for gaming. This slightly smaller screen also saves you a lot of money compared to other, larger monitors.
Our Budget Pick
ViewSonic VS2210-H
This monitor, like the two above it, has a thin bezel design. This gives you a great view at any angle. It has a VESA wall mount and compact base. It also has a tilt adjustment (5 degrees front, 20 degrees back). This monitor also has an energy saving mode to make it eco-friendly.
This gaming monitor has ViewSonic’s MEGA Dynamic Contrast Ratio to give you ultra-sharp images while gaming. In addition, ViewSonic also has ViewMode presets including “Game”, “Movie”, “Web”, “Text”, and “Mono”. These help to optimize gamma curve, color temperature, contrast, and brightness based on the activity you’re doing. The VS2210-H has anti-flicker and low blue light technology to reduce eye strain.
Pros
- Cheap
- Several size options available
- Thin bezel
- Tilt adjustment
- Eco-friendly
- ViewMode presets
- Anti-flicker, low blue light
- VESA wall mount
- 5ms response time
Cons
- No height adjustment
- Very bright even on lowest setting
4. AOC 24B2XH
The 24B2XH from AOC is a great choice for budget conscious gamers. It comes at a pretty low price but still provides very high quality graphics. This particular model has a 24 inch IPS screen but you can also get a 27 inch IPS screen for an upcharge.
AOC 24B2XH
This gaming monitor has a sleek look about it so it will blend in with the rest of your gaming setup. It has slim bezels and a streamlined design, thanks to a 3-sided frameless structure. Again, features like this are very helpful should you ever need to use more than one monitor at a time.
This 1080p 60hz monitor is great for wide viewing angles and it has a 90 degree pivot mode. It gives you flexibility thanks to VESA compatibility and tilt adjustment. This monitor also has a built-in cable management system so they won’t get in your way while gaming.
The graphics quality on this monitor is great. This monitor has flicker-free and low blue light technology to protect your vision. It also has a matte finish to prevent glare. The graphical OSD menu is very user-friendly as well.
Pros
- Cheap
- 24 and 27 inch options
- Slim bezels and 3-sided frameless
- Wide viewing and 90 degree pivot
- Tilt adjustment
- VESA compatible
- Flicker-free, low blue light, and anti-glare
Cons
- No built-in speakers
- 7 ms response time
5. ASUS VE248H
This monitor from ASUS is part of a popular series from the company. Within this series, you get screen size options of 19 inches (with and without height adjustment; 5 ms response time), 20 inches (5 ms), 21.5 inches (5 ms or 1 ms), 23.6 inches (2 ms), and 24 inches (2 ms). There are two in this series that really stand out; 21.5 inch screen/1 ms response time and 24 inch screen/2 ms response time.
A 1 ms response time is very fast, though you likely won’t notice the difference between this and a 2 ms response. So, your best option here is the 24 inch monitor since it still has a very fast response time as well as the recommended screen size.
ASUS VE248H
This monitor has a slim bezel design and is VESA wall mount compatible. It also has tilt adjustment. This monitor has an aspect control function that lets you pick a preferred display mode for optimal viewing. This includes both gaming and movie modes that give you highly realistic graphics.
This monitor has the ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology which lets you easily change graphics settings. This technology also automatically optimizes color, brightness, contrast, and sharpness. This monitor also has a very high dynamic contrast (10,000,000:1) thanks to ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR). ASCR gives you a more defined image even in dark game areas. This monitor has low blue light and anti-glare features as well.
Pros
- Decent price
- Very fast response time (2 ms)
- Many screen size options
- VESA compatible
- Intelligent graphics optimization
- Very high contrast ratio
- Low blue light and anti-glare
Cons
- No height adjustment
- Speakers are not the best quality
How To Select The Best 1080p 60hz Monitor
In order to get the best gaming monitor for you, you will need to understand what each of the features mean. Some of these are crucial to gaming whereas others are more so for aesthetic appeal. Some features may be personal preference but there are also recommended characteristics as well.
These features affect user-friendliness, image quality, gaming quality, etc. To give you a better understanding on what you’re looking at, here are some of the features to take note of.
Screen Resolution
Every monitor on this list has the same screen resolution but you should still be aware of what this means. A monitor’s screen resolution refers to the number of pixels (color squares) on the screen. In general, the higher the screen resolution, the better. Each of these monitors has a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 (1080p), which is the minimum recommendation for gaming.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate refers to the number of times the monitor displays a new image every second. Since this is a frequency, it is measured in hertz (Hz). A higher refresh rate is always better and can help to prevent any screen lag. Each of these monitors has a 60hz refresh rate, which is another minimum recommendation for gaming.
Screen Size
Some of this comes down to personal preference but there is a recommended size. In general, 24 inches is the ideal screen size for gaming, though some people will prefer larger or smaller screens. 24 inches is an optimal size since it lets you see the most without straining your vision.
Response Time
A monitor’s response time is the amount of time it takes a pixel to change from one color to another. Here, lower numbers are always better and this is expressed in milliseconds (ms). You should aim for a monitor response time of 5 ms or less, with 1 ms being the lowest you can find. That being said, because we are talking about such short periods of time, you probably won’t notice any major differences.
Contrast Ratio
A monitor’s contrast ratio is the ratio between brightest white and the darkest black. The larger the contrast, the better the image quality. Basically, higher contrasts will detect more differences throughout the image, meaning that the image will look more dynamic and realistic. Most monitors have contrast ratios between 1,000:1 and 3,000:1.
Blue Lighting
Blue light is known to cause headaches in general but this feature is going to be especially important for people with migraines and/or sensitive vision. Though this isn’t noticeable with the naked eye, you will definitely notice the effects of too much blue light exposure. Most modern monitors have low blue light technology that blocks the blue light being emitted by the screen. Luckily, this doesn’t actually change the color that you see in the image.
Matte vs. Glossy Finish
This refers to the type of coating that the monitor screen is finished with. Glossy finishes tend to show colors more vividly and have brighter displays but they glare a lot. Matte finishes are a bit duller but they do not glare. This is personal preference and also depends on your gaming environment. For instance, if you’re mainly a nighttime gamer and prefer high intensity graphics, then glossy finish is probably your best option. On the other hand, if a screen glare is going to be extremely bothersome to you, then you should go with a matte finish. Monitors will usually be labeled as one or the other in their description, or they may be listed as “anti-glare”.
VESA Compatibility
The VESA Interface Standard refers to a type of wall mount that many people seek out. It doesn’t necessarily affect the gameplay but it does make a difference in your actual gaming setup. When you have the monitor mounted on the wall, you have a lot more room to move around and put your other gaming equipment. That said, this isn’t important for everyone so you don’t necessarily need it.
Panel Type
There are three different types of LED panels that monitor screens can have; IPS, VA, and TN. Each of these has pros and cons, though IPS seems to be the most popular and most common type used. TN panels are the oldest type and tend to have the best response time. IPS panels by far have better graphics. VA panels give you a decent compromise of both features.
Price
The price of a gaming monitor can vary greatly depending on its features and size. In general, monitors needed for gaming are going to be a little pricier than those used for other tasks, since they require more high quality graphics. It is possible to find gaming monitors under $100, but you should expect to pay between $100 and $200. Monitors with higher refresh rates and resolutions will cost you several hundred dollars more.
Conclusion
As you can see, even though these monitors have the minimum recommendations for screen resolution and refresh rate, they can still have amazing graphics. These 5 best 1080p 60hz monitors are great options for any gamer.
As long as you pay attention to features like response time, to make sure you don’t get lag, as well as panel types, screen size, and VESA compatibility to ensure your comfort for long gaming sessions. You don’t need the highest end gaming monitors that cost hundreds in order to have a good game. Make sure you have these recommended features and you’ll be just fine.
None of these monitors are what you are looking for? Check out the BenQ gaming monitor.
