The largest laptop screen is only 17 inches diagonally. For many, this is painfully inadequate, because when it comes to seeing a picture, the bigger, the better. You’d also be doing your eyes a favor; because if you pair a monitor for your gaming laptop, there will be less squinting and overall, less eye strain.
Now, the beauty of monitors is that you can just about plug them into any laptop these days. They’ll usually work, provided you have the right cable. And sooner or later, you’ll want a monitor for your gaming laptop for whatever you may be doing, especially if you’re just working from home or gaming from home.
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This is an extra screen that helps in productivity (great if you want to watch House of the Dragon while working). Moreover, monitor displays are always better than laptop screens and come packed with more features out of the box.
It just so happens that monitors are some of the most important investments when it comes to office or gaming setups. Some of the best of them might be expensive, but if you’re lucky with the quality control, then you won’t have to replace them for five or ten years. They might even outlive your laptop.
Gigabyte AORUS FI32U
PROS
- Somewhat affordable
- Has RGB at the back
- 144 Hz and 4K
- Has good HDR
- Low response time
CONS
- Uses Freesync Premium only (not official G-Sync, though you can still use G-Sync)
- Size: 32″
- Resolution: 3840×2160
- Refresh Rate: 144 Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Panel Type: IPS
- Price: $699.99
If your laptop can handle a 4K screen (anything above an RTX 3060 or Raden RX 6600M for a GPU), then why not treat yourself to a taste of the future? Gigabyte offers that with its Aorus FI32U. This lovely 32-inch eye candy has all the bells and whistles necessary for gaming.
The best part is that it’s not as expensive compared to the other 4K panels. It might have a lower refresh rate or frequency compared to Samsung’s monstrous 200 Hz 4K monitors, but let’s be real here; most GPUs have trouble maintaining 60+ FPS in 4K gaming. So at the moment, 144 Hz is plenty.
Gigabyte AORUS FI32U
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9
PROS
- Beautiful design
- 1000R curvature
- Ultrawide (equivalent to two QHD monitors side-by-side)
- 49-inch screen
- Freesync and official G-Sync
- Good blacks due to VA panel
- Low response time
- Has good HDR
CONS
- The cost
- Curved VA panel means you have to be at the center
- Not ideal if someone else needs to look at the monitor other than you
- Size: 49″
- Resolution: 5120 x 1440
- Refresh Rate: 240 Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Panel Type: VA
- Price: $1,799.99
Technically, this one’s a 5K monitor because it’s ultrawide and curved, but those have yet to be a category of their own because they’re niche at this point. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is one of them and it’s likely the best here.
It’s a huge curved monitor that features a blindingly high refresh rate and all the good tech from both Nvidia and AMD (Freesync and G-Sync). The screen is so huge that you can’t help but be immersed and the fact that it’s curved helps a lot with this especially in eliminating peripheral vision distractions. Costs a pretty penny though.
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9
Acer Predator XB273U GSbmiiprzx
PROS
- 165 Hz
- Official G-Sync support
- Low response time
- Beautiful front design
- Has HDR
CONS
- Not the best option for pro/competitive e-sport gaming
- HDR is not that good
- A bit pricey
- Size: 27″
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440
- Refresh Rate: 165 Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Panel Type: IPS
- Price: $499.99
Of course, if you don’t want to break the bank and increase your electricity bill with 4K monitors, you can always go for something more manageable. Something like the Acer Predator XB273U, which is a 1440p monitor will do admirably well.
It has all the gaming goodies you can expect from a 1440p monitor and even official Nvidia G-Sync support. The size is good enough for multiple browser tabs showing up without overlapping one another and the fact that 1440p is about to be the standard in the next few years means you’d do well to opt for this monitor.
Acer Predator XB273U GSbmiiprzx
Dell Alienware AW3423DW
PROS
- Quantum Dot OLED panel
- Can have 175 Hz by sacrificing colors, otherwise it's 144 Hz
- Official G-Sync support
- Anti-reflective coating
- Beautiful design
- RGB lighting
- Low response time
- Good HDR with TrueBlack 400 tech
- Immersive curve
CONS
- The cost
- Size: 34.18″
- Resolution: 3440 x 1440
- Refresh Rate: 144 Hz/175 Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Panel Type: OLED
- Price: $1,299.99
You might be wondering why this thing costs an extra premium. Well, apart from the Dell and Alienware brand, it’s because this ultrawide monitor comes with the impressive OLED technology which is only usually seen in more expensive televisions. It’s currently the superior and most desirable panel technology out there. Expensive, of course.
Dell went ahead and made a monitor out of it. Even so, it doesn’t sacrifice any feature. This monitor is nearly 4K in resolution (minus the vertical pixel count) and has impressive refresh rates for an ultrawide. They also probably assumed that since you have money for an Alienware PC, you likely wouldn’t mind purchasing their premium monitors.
Dell Alienware AW3423DW
ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QN
PROS
- 360 Hz frequency, more than enough for e-sports
- Low response time
- Good, minimalist monitor stand
- Official G-Sync support
- RGB lighting
CONS
- 1080p is starting to become outdated for mid-range setups and above
- A bit pricey for 1080p
- Size: 24.5″
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 360 Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Panel Type: IPS
- Price: $399.99
If you’re going 1080p, which might become outdated in the next two or three years, then at least pick one that has a high refresh rate (200+ Hz). In that regard, the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN delivers and then some. It boasts a whopping 360 Hz frequency which is more than enough for professional competitive gamers.
So you can have pixel-perfect aiming in CS:GO or other e-sports titles. Not only that, but the 360 Hz refresh rate/frequency also ensures smoother mouse cursor operations and generally buttery-smooth desktop operation (noticeable when resizing browser tabs, etc.).
ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QN
Sceptre 30-inch Curved Gaming Monitor (C305B-200UN1)
PROS
- 200 Hz refresh rate
- A lot less expensive than other 1080p monitors
- Low response time
- LED back lighting
CONS
- No official G-Sync support (though it has FreeSync Premium)
- Size: 30″
- Resolution: 2560 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 200 Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Panel Type: VA
- Price: $252.07
It’s the most affordable of the bunch but that doesn’t mean it’s the worst. Sceptre is quite the underdog brand when it comes to monitors. Their 30-inch Curved Gaming Monitor offers a good deal and balance for PC owners of all kinds.
The monitor gives a good mix of FHD and QHD resolutions but maintains a solid 200 Hz frequency and refresh rate, which is still perfect for competitive gaming and e-sports. At this price, it’s hard to ask for more features.
Sceptre 30-inch Curved Gaming Monitor (C305B-200UN1)
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Are curved monitors better than flat?
Not necessarily. Flat monitors usually come with IPS panels whereas most curved monitors come with VA (which is arguably worse and cheaper than IPS). However, it makes up for this with the curvature. It also helps with immersion, provided the curved monitor is ultrawide. -
Is 1080p till viable?
If you want better future-proofing, then a 1080p monitor simply won't cut it. That is unless you value having refresh rates higher than 200 Hz, which is highly valuable for e-sports games. -
Is 4K worth it?
Only if you have the GPU power to run it. Anything weaker than an RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 might struggle with 4K gaming and productivity tasks. But 4K is worth it if your job is creating digital media.