While 4K TVs have become much better gaming displays in recent years they still lag behind gaming monitors in some ways. 4K gaming monitors offer the sharpest picture you can get while sat at a gaming desk with the least input lag and adaptive sync technologies (like FreeSync and G-Sync). They also offer the latest display technologies like HDR, higher peak brightness levels, and local dimming.
Of course, it takes a hell of a machine to run demanding games at 4K, but that doesn't mean you need to shy away. After all 4K gaming monitor let you enjoy the latest hardware like the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and the best graphics cards to their full extent – and click here to find them in the UK. Don't forget to check out certified refurbished computer monitors on eBay for a discount also.
TL;DR – These are the Best 4K Gaming Monitors:
- LG UltraGear 27GN950-B
- Acer Nitro XV282K
- Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q1A
- Asus ROG Strix XG27UQ
- Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ
- Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ
- Gigabyte Aorus FV43U
- LG 48" Class CX Series OLED 4K TV
1. LG UltraGear 27GN950-B
Best 4K Gaming Monitor
You shouldn't sacrifice the smoothness of your gameplay just for resolution, and with the LG UltraGear 27GN950, you don't have to. This display supports FreeSync Premium Pro alongside its 4K resolution, letting you enjoy your high-res gaming experience with each frame drawn completely – no tearing when your PC strays from the 144Hz refresh rate of this display. Yep, that's right, the LG UltraGear 27GN950-B offers 4K at 144Hz – could it really be the best otherwise?
The 4K resolution is just one perk, as this display also sports a high, 600-nit peak brightness and 10-bit color depth. That'll help drive home visuals when you're watching content or gaming in HDR. And, if you switch from an AMD to Nvidia graphics card in the future, you don't have to worry about switching monitors, as this display is officially G-Sync Compatible.
2. Acer Nitro XV282K
Best Budget 4K Gaming Monitor
A good 4K gaming monitor doesn’t come cheap, but the Acer Nitro XV282K makes it a bit more attainable than a lot of the competitors. This monitor also boasts the ability to serve as your 4K gaming display for a PC and modern consoles at the same time. With DisplayPort 1.4 and a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, you can go for 4K/144Hz on your PC and 4K/120Hz on your Xbox Series X and PS5.
The display can support variable refresh rates with FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility, so you won’t have to worry about the tearing or stutter that might otherwise come from 4K gaming at an inconsistent frame rate. You’ll also find reasonably bright visuals from the 400-nit IPS panel. Given that you might have a handful of platforms connected to this monitor, Acer throws you a bone by including USB pass-through, so you can declutter your setup just a little bit.
3. Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q1A
Best Ultra Cheap 4K Gaming Monitor
4K gaming for $300? You heard that right, as the Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q1A brings a super-sharp display to an incredible price point. This 28-inch gaming monitor boasts a 4K panel using IPS technology for wide viewing angles and solid colors, and it achieves a 350-nit peak brightness for easy visibility. It also supports a 10-bit color depth, so you can get the 4K HDR experience from this monitor and enjoy your games in extra visual glory.
You won’t be getting serious speeds from this display, as it has just a 60Hz refresh rate. But, Asus has included FreeSync support, so you won’t have to worry about stuttering and torn frames if your system isn’t hitting a constant 60fps at 4K. You can also easily set this display up with a gaming PC and a pair of consoles, as it has a DisplayPort connection and two HDMI 2.0 ports.
4. Asus ROG Strix XG27UQ
Best 4K FreeSync Gaming Monitor
4K may be featured on just about every TV on the block, but it's a different story for gaming monitors. For a 4K picture on a monitor that's worth its salt in gaming, you're still going to have to pay a bit, and since most computers will struggle to maintain a consistent frame rate while gaming at 4K you'll want a variable refresh rate technology to back you up. For FreeSync, the Asus ROG Strix XG27UQ (read our review) has you covered.
This gaming monitor has a 27-inch panel that'll have its pixels packed together so tightly that you'll struggle to see anything but smooth edges. That's an IPS panel, too, with 10-bit color support and a 400-nit peak brightness, so you'll be able to see all the 4K gaming action bright and clear. Naturally, as a high-end gaming display, this monitor is also fast. You'll be able to hit up to 144Hz if your computer can muster it.
5. Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ
Best 4K G-Sync Compatible Gaming Monitor
A high resolution is great and all, but the best way to properly appreciate it is with a large display that stands to benefit more from the increased pixel count. The Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ knows what's up, as this 43-inch gaming monitor verges on TV-like proportions. It also borrows some of the TV market's best features while using DisplayPort so you don't have to buy new cables or trade off resolution for higher refresh rates.
The Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ offers up a gaming-grade display with a 144Hz refresh rate and low response time. Asus paired that with a variable refresh rate that will work wonders on both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards by way of FreeSync 2 and G-Sync compatibility. Asus tops it all off with some of the most impressive HDR you can get out of a monitor through a 1,000-nit peak brightness, 10-bit color depth, and a 4,000:1 contrast ratio. That all will make for stunning imagery in games, movies, and TV shows that support HDR.
6. Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ
Best 4K HDR Gaming Monitor
If you're looking for a feature-packed gaming monitor, one that also costs a whole lot of money, then the ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ is for you. This display actually preceded Nvidia's 20-series cards, so before they released, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to try and squeeze 144 fps out of your 4K games. With all the 20-series and 16-series cards out now, and powerful, the world is your oyster when it comes to frame rates. No matter which graphics card you end up using, the ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ is an incredible monitor and a true sight to behold. If you have the money and the hardware, it's worth a look.
7. Gigabyte Aorus FV43U
Best Big Screen 4K Gaming Monitor
The Gigabyte Aorus FV43U (read our review) brings the big screen to your desktop. This 43-inch monitor is verging on the size of a TV, so you’re going to see all the in-game action at a monstrous proportion. Thanks to the 4K panel, though, you’ll still get a sharp picture. Gigabyte is also bringing some TV-level visuals with its extra-bright, extra-colorful display. The VA panel not only hits 1,000 nits but also offers a 10-bit color depth for over a billion colors. And, since it’s a VA panel, it offers an exceptional contrast ratio that tops what’s on offer from most IPS panels.
Of course, you’ve got to ask about speed when it comes to a gaming monitor. Fortunately, the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U is no slouch. This gaming monitor can run at 144Hz while still offering luscious 4K visuals. And, with HDMI 2.1, it can even offer 4K/120Hz for the PS5 or Xbox Series X.
8. LG 48" Class CX Series OLED 4K TV
Best 4K OLED Gaming Monitor
We know, we know – a TV isn't a monitor. At least, that felt like the case back when TVs weren't as incredibly clear as the LG CX OLED. LG's 48-inch model is actually small enough that it's not totally unreasonable to use as a monitor. Just think of it as perfect array of four 24-inch, 1080p monitors. Given the high clarity of a 4K display, you'll still get crisp text on the 48-inch LG CX OLED TV, and matters just get better when you dive into gaming and media.
The LG CX offers incredible visuals thanks to the unparalleled contrast of OLED displays. You'll get rich shadows and bright highlights in your games and movies, and the LG CX supports a broad range of HDR formats. This TV is also particularly well suited to gaming since it supports a 120Hz refresh rate at 4K as well as variable refresh rates. So, even though this isn't a monitor, you'll find little a monitor can offer that the LG CX doesn't. Heck, it even has built-in speakers that the best monitors won't come close to matching.
Where to Get the Best 4K Gaming Monitor in the UK
What's Next for 4K Gaming Monitors?
4K Gaming monitors have had one big limitation until recently. While DisplayPort connection have been able to handle the high resolution of 4K alongside the high refresh rates gamers crave, consoles didn't have DisplayPort connections, and HDMI 2.0 had been less ready to do go beyond 4K60Hz without some chroma subsampling and a more limited, 8-bit color depth. But, HDMI 2.1 changed that, enabling a full 4K120Hz signal with HDR and 10-bit color depth data all intact. The feature was quicker to pop up on TVs, but has slowly been making its way to gaming monitors.
The latest bunch of monitors to get HDMI 2.1 are coming from Gigabyte's Aorus brand. This new batch includes three 4K gaming monitors. There's a 32-inch FI32U model with a 144Hz IPS Super Speed display that can deliver a 0.5ms response time. For something that fits between monitor and TV, the Aorus FI43U offers a 43-inch QLED-lit VA panel with a 1000-nit peak brightness and 10-bit color depth as well as a pair of 12W speakers. Then there's the beast: Gigabyte's Aorus FO48U comes in at 48 inches and actually uses an OLED panel, which makes it a rare entry in the gaming monitor space, though it's more the size of a TV if we're being frank.
Asus has announced multiple HDMI 2.1-packed monitors earlier this year that'll be ready to make the most of high-end gaming rigs. The Asus ROG Swift XG43UQ will be a 43-inch model packing a 4K/144Hz VA panel capable of hitting 1000 nits for quality HDR performance, and it'll offer two HDMI 2.1 ports ready for Xbox Series S and PS5. On the (slightly) smaller side, Asus also has the ROG Swift PG32UQ and the TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A, which will both feature 4K/144Hz IPS panels and a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports.
Acer also has one confirmed monitor coming with HDMI 2.1 support, making it an alternative to a big TV for gaming on the latest consoles. The Nitro XV282K KV will offer a 28-inch, 4K/144Hz IPS panel. And, unlike Asus's fleet of monitors, we know more precise details on Acer's option. The Nitro XV282K KV will launch in May for $899.
What you need to look for in a 4K Gaming Monitor
Below I highlight the benefits of a 4K Gaming Monitor and what's the difference between the two types of Variable Frame Rate technology available today.
4K monitors display four times the pixel count of a 1080p or Full HD display, which allows them to render a high-fidelity graphics and more realistic textures. However, you're probably going to want a large 4K gaming monitor as it's hard to discern the difference in sharpness between Ultra HD and Full HD on a 24-inch screen. The pixel density (measured in pixels-per-inch) on a smaller screen is so tight that it's almost impossible to clearly see the individual pixels of your display.
As you move up in screen size—mostly 27 inches and up—the gaps between the pixels become more apparent and this mesh-like appearance is called the screen door effect. Once you move up to a screen large enough 1080p (or even 1440p) panels to pack enough pixels into an area to present a crisp, detailed image and you'll want to start looking at a 2160p resolution display.
Don't expect to see particularly high frame rates when playing at Ultra HD resolutions. For one thing, even the most powerful graphics cards like the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti can only manage to render some 4K games at 30-45 fps at best on its own. To really achieve 4K 60 and beyond, you may need to invest in two of the most powerful Nvidia Turing GPUs running in SLI.
Also be aware that most 4K monitors come with a 60Hz refresh rate, except for a few pricey 144Hz models. In the end, a 4K monitor is a pricey addition to your rig that usually prioritizes pixel count over speed and smooth gameplay.
G-Sync vs. FreeSync
Normally, your graphics card draws a frame and then has to wait until the monitor’s refresh cycle before it can display it. When the timing of these two events isn't in sync, you would see partially-drawn frames on the screen (called “tearing”). If you have a monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate, and your GPU just barely missed drawing the frame in 1/60th of a second, it momentarily drops down to 30fps instead of something like 57fps, as it waits for the next 60Hz monitor refresh.
Variable refresh rate monitors reverse this relationship to refresh the monitor's display just as the graphics card has drawn a frame. If the game finished drawing that last frame in 1/57th of a second, the monitor will run at 57Hz and the frame will be immediately displayed. VRR makes your games look a lot smoother and gives you more freedom to adjust the visual quality in games without worrying about causing about a jumpy frame rate, or else turning off V-sync and suffering from tearing. This is especially important if you're an early adopter of 4K gaming since 4k / 60 FPS is still hard for even high-end rigs to achieve.
There are two such technologies right now, and they’re not compatible with each other... sort of. At CES 2019, Nvidia announced it's testing existing FreeSync monitors for compatibility with G-Sync drivers released after January 15, 2019. So far, just a handful of FreeSync displays are compatible with the G-Sync driver, but with FreeSync almost always being a cheaper option, it might be worth looking into it.
For recommendations on pushing your PC into the 4K era, check out our guide to the best graphics cards. I also have guides to the best desks for gaming, the best gaming chairs, and if 4K is too expensive or your PC can't handle it, I also have guides for the best cheap gaming monitors, too.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark
