There are few things worse in gaming than having your powerful system connected to a great looking monitor only for the two of them to sync up poorly and render your games a sloppy mess as the screen draws partial frames during each refresh. That's just what can happen without some sort of syncing technology enabled. A G-Sync monitor paired with an Nvidia graphics card will do a better job than just about anything else at avoiding that scenario.
With the proper setup, a G-Sync monitor will slow down and speed up (to an extent) its refresh rate to match whatever framerate your computer is able to deliver. It thereby ensures each frame your computer sends will be shown in its entirety on your screen. What does that mean for you? Clear imagery in your games regardless of your computer's ability to keep a stable frame rate. G-Sync also manages to avoid the issues of standard V-Sync, which can introduce noticeable latency.
So, if you've got a PC running on an Nvidia graphics card, you owe it to yourself to check out a G-Sync monitor. Below, you'll find everything from ultra-fast, 240Hz monitors to more affordable FreeSync displays that can support G-Sync nonetheless – and click here to see them in the UK. You'll also find a few of our picks in eBay's certified refurbished gaming monitor section.
TL;DR – These are the Best G-Sync Gaming Monitors:
- ViewSonic Elite XG270Q
- ViewSonic Elite XG270
- Samsung CRG5 Curved Gaming Monitor
- Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor (AW2721D)
- LG UltraGear 27GN950-B
- Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A
- LG UltraGear 38GN950-B
- Asus ROG Swift PG259QN
- Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX
- LG OLED65C1PUB
1. ViewSonic Elite XG270Q
Best G-Sync Gaming Monitor
We’ve been fans of the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG (read our review) for some time, but ViewSonic’s XG270Q just made it even better with a few minor upgrades that just spark that little extra bit of joy. Where the XG270Q’s predecessor needed its panel overclocked to go beyond 144Hz, this newer model is built specifically for a 165Hz refresh rate, and it delivers that alongside a 1ms response time on a fast IPS panel.
The ViewSonic Elite XG270Q isn’t just faster, though. It’s also brighter, now offering a 400-nit peak brightness and earning DisplayHDR 400 certification. The ViewSonic Elite XG270Q will be right at home in a multi-system setup, too, with two HDMI 2.0 ports to support 1440p/144Hz gaming on the likes of the Xbox Series X/S while the DisplayPort connection supports 1440p/165Hz for a Gaming PC. And, of course, whatever your frame rate, you’ll enjoy G-Sync support to keep your visuals crystal clear.
2. ViewSonic Elite XG270
Best Budget G-Sync Monitor
Not only is the ViewSonic Elite XG270 a fairly affordable alternative to its sharper sibling that tops this list, but it actually manages to have a few edges on the 1440p model. The ViewSonic Elite XG270 has a 1080p, IPS display, giving it good color and modest sharpness. But, where it manages to truly impress at its price point is in its speed and brightness. This monitor musters a 400-nit peak brightness, which is fairly high for a budget display, and gives the XG270 room to offer HDR10 support (albeit not in all circumstances).
The XG270 becomes extra exceptional when we take into account the 240Hz refresh rate. That's blisteringly fast, with very few monitors going any faster than that. Landing that clear IPS picture with support for G-Sync and the insane 240Hz is great, but getting it for under $500 is even more impressive.
3. Samsung CRG5 Curved Gaming Monitor
The Best 1080p G-Sync Monitor
Unlike the majority of 240Hz gaming monitors out there, Samsung CRG5 Curved Gaming Monitor uses a VA panel, which means super-fast response times and high refresh rates without having to sacrifice wide color gamut and wide viewing angles. It’s pricey for a 1080p monitor, at $400, but it's well worth it.
To get the most out of this blisteringly fast 1080p gaming monitor, you'll want to pair it with a high-power graphics card and get those super-high frame rates. G-Sync will also help you maintain the smoothest gameplay possible.
4. Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor (AW2721D)
Best 1440p G-Sync Gaming Monitor
There's a lot to like about 1440p. It delivers a much sharper image than 1080p but it's not nearly as hard to drive as a 4K image. But, for some time now, you were stuck with 1080p monitors if you wanted to really cruise. That changes with the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor AW2721D (read our review). This beast gives you the 1440p resolution you want alongside the 240Hz refresh rate you crave. There hasn't been a combination this sweet since the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.
The Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor is rich with other features too. You'll be getting an IPS Display with G-Sync Ultimate, so you don't have to worry about poor viewing angles or screen tearing marring your visual experience. With a 10-bit color depth and DisplayHDR 600, you'll also be getting into serious HDR territory, so your competitive games will look great and your AAA games will look even better.
5. LG UltraGear 27GN950-B
The Best 4K G-Sync Gaming Monitor
With the latest Nvidia RTX 3080 offering more performance in 4K than its predecessors, there's more reason than ever to consider a 4K monitor with G-Sync. The last thing you'd want is to have your otherwise immaculate 4K picture marred by screen tearing. So, to give you both a 4K resolution and official G-Sync compatibility, you'll want the LG UltraGear 27GN950-B (read our review). This premium monitor is ready for whatever you can throw at it, as its 4K IPS panel can run at 144Hz. Heck, you might not max out the display's capabilities even with a future RTX 40-series graphics cards when they come out.
Over DisplayPort, you'll have support for the full 4K/144Hz signal with a 10-bit color depth, G-Sync, and even HDR. Don't sleep on that HDR either, as the UltraGear 27GN950-B's 600-nit peak brightness can offer far more stunning visuals than a typical gaming monitor. A pair of HDMI ports will let you connect the monitor to the latest consoles while enjoying FreeSync as well.
6. Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A
Best FreeSync Gaming Monitor for G-Sync
True G-Sync comes at a price, but there's a lot to be said for FreeSync monitors that support G-Sync. In that regard, the Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A is the monitor to beat. It's not only ready to game smoothly on AMD graphics cards but also on Nvidia cards, as it's officially G-Sync Compatible. And, just how smooth are we talking? Well, it boasts a 170Hz refresh rate at maximum. But to use G-Sync, you'll need to dial it down to 144Hz, where it can offer an adaptive refresh rate from 48Hz to 144Hz.
That speed and sync is only half the picture. You're also getting a bright IPS panel with a 10-bit color depth. Those specs will lend themselves not only to easier visibility but also to some basic HDR performance. The monitor earns DisplayHDR400 certification and supports HDR10. This all makes it a great contender to serve as your gaming monitor for both your PC and the latest consoles.
7. LG UltraGear 38GN950-B
Best Ultrawide G-Sync Gaming Monitor
The LG UltraGear 38GN950-B offers a display with cinematic proportions backed by some quality HDR visuals. This monitor stretches wide at 37.5 inches and boasts an 3,840 x 1,600 resolution making it larger and sharper than your average ultrawide gaming monitor.
The Nano IPS panel on this display can run fast at 144Hz natively or bump up to 160Hz with an overclock, and it comes back with Nvidia G-Sync compatibility to keep running smooth. A 600-nit peak brightness alongside 10-bit color and HDR10 support give this monitor some serious visual quality. And, Sphere Lighting 2.0 can sync the light ring on the back of the monitor with audio or video for colorful bias lighting behind the monitor
8. Asus ROG Swift PG259QN
The G-Sync Gaming Monitor for Esports
If you're serious about your esports, you probably want to do everything possible to get more speed out of your gaming system and monitor. So, for the monitor half of that equation, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN is what you're going to want. While everyone else is chasing down 120Hz, 144Hz or maybe even 240Hz, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN has zoomed past the competition with a 360Hz panel for all the speed your gaming rig can deliver.
It's not just the refresh rate that makes this a killer monitor, though that's the key aspect. In addition, it has a Full HD resolution with support for 10-bit color and a high enough brightness level to offer an HDR picture. So, you'll be able to game at high speeds with a heightened bar for quality. And, thanks to true G-Sync, you can rest assured that you'll get a tear-free experience even if your system isn't hitting a constant 360fps.
9. Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX
Best G-Sync Ultimate Gaming Monitor
G-Sync Ultimate does some incredible things, so it’s worth getting an incredible display to take full advantage of it, and that’s just what the Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX (read our review) is. This monitor provides a spacious, 32-inch display with a Ultra HD resolution, so you’ll get pristine visuals. Sharpness isn’t enough these days, though. This monitor combines that high resolution with high speeds on its 144Hz panel, and G-Sync Ultimate will keep your refresh rate matched to your graphics card’s output whether you’re at 1fps or the full 144fps.
This display goes further still with HDR that’ll make you drool. Asus has put a Mini LED backlighting system with 1,152 local dimming zones behind a 10-bit IPS panel to deliver incredible color and a contrast ratio we actually measured at 4,790:1. That simply blows other IPS and even VA panels out of the water. Then there’s the incredible brightness offered by those Mini LEDs. Don’t get hit with a flashbang in your games, as it’ll hit different with this monitor’s 1,400-nit peak brightness.
10. LG 65" Class C1 Series Smart OLED 4K TV (OLED65C1PUB)
Best G-Sync Gaming TV
What's something all the gaming monitors you'll find tend to lack? That's right, massive OLED panels. If you're willing to go TV-sized for your gaming "monitor," then you'll want to go for the 65-inch LG C1 (you can go a bit smaller if you want, but 48 inches is the smallest option so far).
The LG C1 will give you a 4K picture and it can run at a fast 120Hz for smooth gaming visuals. While 120Hz might not sound super fast given what some gaming monitors manage, the response time of OLED pixels is exceptional, so the combination of fluid visuals and a lack of overshoot or pixel persistence will make for a great picture. And, it's all rounded out by support for G-Sync with a 40-120Hz variable refresh rate range. Plus, you'll be getting a top-notch HDR experience from the display, which doesn't require any lag-inducing backlight processing to deliver it. And, if you ever want to game without headphones, the speakers on pretty much any monitor will be blown out of the water by the speakers on this TV.
Where to Get the Best G-Sync Monitor in the UK
Thankfully all of the best monitors listed are also available to pick up in the UK. The retailers will certainly be different, but each and every one of the G-Sync displays we've mentioned can be purchased on the other side of the pond as well. Typically, most of these can be found on sites like Amazon, Currys PC World, Overclockers, and more. Funnily enough, Dell even stocks its own products, such as this 24-Inch Gaming Monitor, one of the best options for those on a tight budget.
What to look for in a G-Sync Gaming Monitor
A little background: G-Sync is Nvidia’s proprietary technology for variable refresh rate (VRR) monitors. The company embeds a display controller in the monitor (which makes it cost a little more) and then it can sync the monitor's refresh rate with the frame output from any modern Nvidia graphics card (Kepler or newer). If you’ve got an AMD graphics card, a G-Sync monitor will just act like a normal monitor and you'll need a FreeSync display instead.
So what is VRR? Basically, a normal monitor is locked to a single refresh rate—that’s the number of times per second that it changes the color and brightness of the pixels on the screen. Your graphics card draws a frame and then waits until the monitor’s next refresh cycle to display it. This has the effect of making your game jump frame rate between even multiples of the display’s refresh: with a 144Hz monitor, your games will run at 144fps, for example (if you have the right hardware or powerful enough prebuilt PC, of course).
Disabling Vsync will also allow your graphics card to run as fast as possible on any monitor, but it produces an ugly visual artifact called tearing, where the monitor displays partially-drawn frames on top of the previous frame. With VRR technology (G-Sync or FreeSync), the monitor refreshes whenever the graphics card has drawn the next frame. So your monitor and game might max out at 60Hz, but if your game is running at 52fps, the monitor will refresh at 52Hz, drawing the frame immediately instead of waiting for the next 60Hz cycle. So you’ll see the frame rate your graphics card is capable of, not a big downgrade to 30fps.
As a final reminder: there are two VRR technologies gamers should know about: G-Sync and FreeSync. G-Sync is Nvidia's proprietary technology and only works with Nvidia graphics cards. FreeSync is AMD’s brand for a VRR technology built on top of the VESA standard and only works with AMD GPUs. G-Sync requires extra hardware in the monitor, driving monitors costs up but maintains consistently high quality. FreeSync requires no special hardware and thus monitors are typically cheaper, but quality control is a little less consistent.
G-Sync on a FreeSync Display?
At CES 2019, Nvidia announced its intention to encroach on AMD's turf with its G-Sync Compatible initiative. Basically, Nvidia is testing existing FreeSync equipped monitors with its latest G-Sync drivers.
The new driver went live in January with 12 FreeSync monitors certified as G-Sync compatible, and thanks to another three being added during Computex the number of G-Sync compatible monitors on the list has increased to 28. That's huge news for anyone running a FreeSync monitor or looking for a less expensive solution to G-Sync. More importantly, if users find themselves playing games with an RTX- or GTX-powered gaming PC and an Xbox One X, they won't have to choose between either a G-Sync or FreeSync display, since each of the monitors we've included on this list work with either variable refresh rate technology.
There are also more G-Sync compatible FreeSync monitors than Nvidia has tested. You can manually set most FreeSync monitors to work with Nvidia GPUs and G-Sync. One such display is the Viotek GFT27DB, which we recently reviewed. It isn’t on the compatibility list, but it played nice with G-Sync during testing.
If you're looking to get the most out of your PC's display, be sure to check out our guide to the best 4K gaming monitors, the top graphics cards of 2019, or for absolutely blazing frame rates, our guide to the best 240hz monitors.
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
