4 Cheap Computer Monitors That Punch Above Their Price Bracket

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Computer monitors have come a long way from the chunky displays that they once were when computers first arrived in homes. And while premium features have continued to expand and improve, so have the number of monitors you can buy. Monitors for sale in big box stores like Best Buy, Walmart, and online through marketplaces like Amazon, it's easier than ever to find a good computer monitor that won't break the bank.

Many of the more budget-friendly options come with fewer features, though, which is why it's important to look for affordable monitors that offer those premium features, all without the premium price. Like most things in life, there are always going to be reasons to buy the most expensive options out there. And while high-end monitors are great, smart money buyers will find that many cheaper options still deliver well above their price range.

But sometimes you can cut through the noise and get some of the best that something has to offer without overpaying. Whether you need a new monitor for your work desk or are just looking to upgrade your gaming rig with a new monitor, these four computer monitors are loaded with great features, solid display panels, and must-have settings that will have you wondering why you ever paid over $300 for a computer monitor in the past.

MSI is often a highly-praised brand when it comes to computer parts and accessories. It's probably one of the more popular brands out there, especially for gamers, and the MSI Pro MP251W E2 is a perfect example of why. Despite not being a "gaming monitor," this 24.5-inch display from MSI sports a 1080P FHD display, with support for up to a 120HZ refresh rate. It's also HDR Ready and comes with plenty of ways to connect it to your PC — with ports for HDMI, VGA, and DisplayPort.

The monitor is equipped with a 178-degree wide viewing angle panel, which means you'll get solid colors and glare-free viewing at nearly any angle you approach it from, something customers even reported in their reviews on the product's Amazon page. It also sports Adaptive-Synch, has built-in speakers, and a 1ms response time, which should provide minimal input lag.

This monitor's ultra-slim bezels are also great for those who want multiple monitors on their desk, and its affordable asking price of just $119.99 makes it easy to purchase two for the price of a higher-end monitor that does the same thing. The price history shows that  some users even got it for about $80 in the past.

Equipped with a 200 Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms response time, and a massive 27-inch panel, the Acer Nitro 27-inch (KG271) gaming monitor is a solid all-arounder that you can often buy for under $130, depending on where you get it. The monitor typically retails for around $189.99 on Amazon, though that price varies depending on what deals are happening at the time of your purchase.

The Acer Nitro 27-inch gaming monitor comes with a 99% sRGB rating and AMD FreeSync support. It also has both DisplayPort connection options, as well as HDMI, so you shouldn't have any issues connecting it to your PC. What really makes this monitor stand out, especially for its price, is the built-in support for HDR10, which means more vivid colors and expanded contrast, which should help anything you do on the monitor look even better.

Buyers have praised the monitor's solid color accuracy out of the box, with others noting it is easy to tweak and improve it to whatever fits your eye. One reviewer even noted that the monitor is a "well-balanced monitor" and that it "performs consistently and reliably," while another called it "unmatched for the price."

While KTC might not be a brand you recognize as quickly as Samsung, Asus, or MSI, it has made quite a splash, especially on Amazon, with its affordable monitors that come packed with premium features. The KTC HD27D9 is only one of the company's many offerings on the online market, and it sports a 99% sRGB color gamut, support for up to 16.8 million colors, and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz with full G-Sync and AMD FreeSync compatibility and HDR10.

This particular monitor is set up with a QHD 1440P (2560 x 1400 resolution) panel, so you get higher resolution without having to spend as much as you would on a 4K monitor. Reviews have praised the monitor's color profile and functionality, with one reviewer on Amazon saying it offered "unbelievable performance and value." Its multiple HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 connections mean that you can connect it to multiple devices, which is ideal for anyone who needs to run a computer, console, or laptop on the same monitor setup.

The biggest downside to this monitor is the lack of VESA support, but if you don't plan on investing in additional mounting options, that shouldn't be much of a problem. While KTC isn't one of the best cheap computer monitors you can get off Amazon, it does have a lot to offer for its asking price of just $149.99, especially when you consider the features you get packed inside the massive 27-inch display.

When it comes to displays, Samsung is often considered one of the best. In fact, Samsung provides displays for several popular brands on the market right now, including Apple. And the company's TVs and computer monitors are no different. One particularly standout monitor lineup that Samsung offers is its Odyssey gaming monitors. More specifically, the Samsung Odyssey G5 G53F, which features a 1440P display (2560 x 1440 resolution), a wide 178-degree viewing angle for perfect colors and blacks on all sides, as well as the high 200 Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time — which helps ensure smooth visuals and a low input lag.

The Odyssey G5 also comes with HDR10 built in, providing brighter colors and more nuanced shadows to really bring out the depth in your games and movies. Beyond that, the monitor has a built-in auto source switch, letting you instantly swap between your connected devices, which is great if you keep a console at your desk area. AMD FreeSync support also helps smooth out any wrinkles while playing at higher refresh rates, which only helps ensure a smooth performance all around.

Customer reviews on Amazon praise the monitor's affordability, with some even noting that it is the "best at its price point" if you're looking for a good IPS panel with great colors and a fast response time. This monitor is on the more expensive end of our budget, though, with its retail price clocking in at $249.99. However, you can often find it up to $90 off on Amazon thanks to limited-time deals.

Here at BGR, we've been reviewing displays and other tech for years, and when looking for some of the best cheap monitors that pack above their price range, we focused first on the features that these monitors had to offer. For most premium monitors, the extended price tag usually comes thanks to the additional cost of display technology such as OLED. And while we expect OLED displays to get cheaper in the coming years — after all these chip shortages even out — the technology is still on the higher-end side of things at the moment.

That's why all of these monitors rely on IPS panels instead. They still deliver great color and detail, but they will fall short of the more premium OLED panels found on more expensive monitors. After looking at features such as HDR, high refresh rates, and low response times, we started digging into customer satisfaction.

While specs are great on paper, the most important aspect to keep in mind is how satisfied the actual buyers were. Each monitor listed above had multiple reviews praising its price and the features it offered. And while not all of these monitors are from the most well-known PC brands, they are all options we recommend considering when buying your next monitor, especially if you don't want to spend over $300.