What's The Best Budget 144Hz Monitor?

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Last Updated on October 4, 2019 by Husain Parvez

Getting the best budget 144Hz monitor is a must for budget gamers. After all, as far as gaming is concerned, there is no doubt that a higher refresh rate makes a world of difference in smoothness – at least as long as your GPU can keep pushing out these extra frames.

But, it goes without saying that when you look for cheaper alternatives, at least some functionality needs to be taken away. All you can do is balance the pros and cons out and pick whatever fits you best. That being said, here are our top picks!

1: ViewSonic XG2401: No Compromises

When we previously talked about our top overall budget monitors, this one got our approval as the best gaming monitor for the price. And it actually still holds that title.

Priced at just about 200 bucks, this is as good as it gets. 1080P, 144Hz, 1ms response time, great stand, FreeSync support, great build quality, and more. Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with it.

At 24-inches, it’s definitely not a large monitor, but it’s not small either. Arguably, this is the sweet spot for competitive gaming.

Since the size is all a matter of personal preference, though, you always have the option of selecting the 27-inch variant as well. Apart from the thinner bezels, slightly different stand, and the extra 30 bucks that it asks for, it seems to be more or less the same deal with our 24-inch recommendation – except it’s obviously bigger.

Do keep in mind that the larger your display is, the higher that the resolution will have to be in order for it to keep on looking nice and crisp. A 1080P display at 27 inches may appear to be somewhat blurry for some people.

With that out of the way, the included DP cable and FreeSync support are amazing at this price point. It’s not uncommon to see many other monitors asking for an extra $100 or more while offering the same specs and no FreeSync.

Our only small complaint are the somewhat thick bezels. Sure, it’s not a massive deal-breaker. But, we’re nearing at 2020 where most modern monitors offer very thin bezels. So, that’s a small shame for Viewsonic. Otherwise, it’s almost perfect.

Pros:

Great value
Offers FreeSync
Adjustable stand (Basic)
Cheap

Cons:

Big bezels

Check out the ViewSonic XG2401 on Amazon

2: Samsung C27JG56: QHD Goodness

As we mentioned above, some people may find 1080P displays a bit blurry. Especially the ones that start from 27 inches and only get bigger without offering a better resolution.

That’s why we thought that it’d be a good idea to mention the Samsung C27JG56 as well. It offers a QHD resolution while still maintaining our much desired 144Hz refresh rate.

The first version of this monitor didn’t come with FreeSync. But, thankfully, Samsung listened to our complaints and released this newer variant that comes with FreeSync enabled with a price tag of around $300.

Sure, it’s not exactly the cheapest monitor. But, as far as high-quality QHD 144Hz panels are concerned, this is as good as it can get without us reaching deep into our pocket. At this moment, this is the best budget 144hz monitor with a 2K display.

Our only complaint isn’t with the monitor, but with Samsung. Their quality control has proven to be mediocre at best. So, there have been quite a few people complaining about dead pixels or even DOA arrivals.

That leaves us playing with our luck and obviously, nobody likes that.

Pros:

QHD
Offers FreeSync
Great value
27-inch panel

Cons:

Samsung’s bad quality control

Check out the Samsung C27JG56 on Amazon

3: Sceptre E255B-1658A: 165Hz on The Cheap

We created this article while aiming to mention 144Hz monitors, but it just so much happens that this one can actually get up to 165Hz. That arguably doesn’t make much of a difference. But, hey, if you can take that advantage without paying more, why not?

Speaking of paying, this is actually the cheapest option so far. These days, it retails for under $180. But, do keep in mind that pricing may fluctuate wildly over time.

At times, many have seen it with a price tag of over $300 which is almost two times the amount that it asks for now. So, don’t blame us if you happen to read this article at a point in time when this will not be such a budget option.

As for features, we’re looking at a 24.5-inch panel, a 165Hz refresh rate, FreeSync support, 1ms response rate, thin bezels, and anti-flicker technology.

Our only complaints are the rather frail-looking stand and the mediocre build-quality control from Spectre. Just like with Samsung’s monitor, there have been quite a few complaints about dead pixels and damages on arrival.

So far, Viewsonic’s offering has been the most reliable out of the bunch. But, it also has thicker bezels and a slightly higher price tag than this one. So, it’s all a matter of weighing the pros and cons and choosing whatever fits you best.

Pros:

Cheapest option
165Hz refresh rate
FreeSync compatible
Thin bezels

Cons:

Spectre’s bad quality control

Check out the Spectre Sceptre E255B-1658A on Amazon

What Does 144Hz Mean?

144Hz stands to represent the refresh rate of a monitor. 60Hz means that it refreshes 60 times per second, 75 means that it refreshes 75 times per second, and 144Hz means that it refreshes 144 times per second.

60Hz is the “casual” refresh rate which is usually more than enough to satisfy non-gamers. But, those of you who own a beefy build that is able to push more than 100FPS can definitely take advantage of a high refresh rate monitor.

If your computer can’t render at least 90-100 frames per second, then buying a 144Hz display is probably not worth it since you’re not taking advantage of that extra refresh rate anyway.

If you bought a 144Hz monitor and just discovered that your PC can’t take advantage of it, then you can either start lowering the resolution of your game and it’s settings, or get a stronger GPU that can render more FPS.

The RX 580 and 1660Ti are good options for those who are targetting 100+ FPS on 1080P while the 5700 XT is more suitable for 1440P.