Best cheap 144Hz gaming monitor 2023 – top picks, reviews, & buyer’s guide

Taking a look at some of the best budget-tailored 144hz monitors in today's market

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Looking for the best cheap 144Hz gaming monitor in 2023? If so, look no further, our experienced team of monitor experts have rounded up the market’s leading displays that offer excellent value for money – while still offering high refresh rates up to 144Hz. Like always, we’ll be regularly updating this guide as new 144Hz monitors are released, ensuring our guides are always recommending the market’s best gaming monitors.

Over time, refresh rates have become increasingly important for both casual and competitive gamers. And whilst monitors now boast refresh rates of up to 360Hz, the humble 144Hz gaming monitor still holds a place in today’s market. There’s plenty to like about 144Hz monitors – they offer good gaming performance for cheaper gaming PCs, they often come with good response time, and they are much less costly than 240Hz and 360Hz monitors.

Before we jump into the best cheap 144Hz monitors, you may want to check out some of the best monitor deals currently on Amazon. When picking out a monitor, it’s always best to seek out a deal with your purchase! You can also opt to check out Amazon’s wider range of computer components and accessories deals if you wish.

In today’s article, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the best cheap 144Hz monitors for gaming in 2023. We’ll be comparing gaming performance, picture quality, color accuracy, and general features – concluding with which is best and why.

So, with plenty to get through, let’s waste no further time and dive straight into the best cheap 144Hz gaming monitors.

Best cheap 144hz monitor for gaming: AOC 24G2

01

Best Cheap 144hz Monitor For Gaming

Editor’s Pick

AOC 24G2

Screen size

24″

Refresh rate

144Hz

Response time

1ms

Resolution

1920 x 1080

How We Review

Shop on Amazon Check Price

Pros

• 1ms response time
• Frameless bezels
• Excellent value for money
• Decent contrast

Cons

• Peak brightness isn’t great

If you’re looking for one of the best 1080p 144Hz monitors on the market, the AOC 24G2 still holds up as a top pick. This monitor is a great budget option if you want to jump up to a higher refresh rate for 1080p without spending a fortune (for those on you still at 60Hz). It’s got everything you need for an entry-level competitive gaming monitor – 144Hz refresh rate, minimal 1ms response time, and a modest 24″ screen.

The frameless design is another selling point from an aesthetic standpoint, and it looks the part alongside your gaming PC. It’s not just for looks though, as the ergonomics are also good value for money. This monitor is height adjustable, alongside the swivel and tilt adjustments available. Another important specification is the IPS panel, delivering fantastic visual quality, without compromising any of the other gaming performance. IPS monitors offer fantastic color accuracy and wider viewing angles than rivaling panel technologies.

Overall, it’s hard to fault the AOC 24G2 gaming monitor if you’re looking for a 1080p 144Hz display. You can expect smooth gameplay with AMD FreeSync Premium support, and the AOC ‘low Blue mode’ which is easier on the eye and prevents flickering.

Best budget Samsung 144Hz monitor: Samsung Odyssey G3

02

Best Budget Samsung 144Hz Monitor

Samsung Odyssey G3 FHD

Refresh rate

144Hz

Response time

1ms

Screen size

24-inch / 27-inch

Resolution

1920 x 1080

How We Review

Shop on Amazon Check Price

Pros

• High contrast ratio
• Deep blacks
• Limited smearing
• 1ms response time

Cons

• Max brightness is limited to 250 nits

The Samsung Odyssey lineup of monitors has been hugely popular since its release a couple of years ago. The latest monitor to arrive in that series is the G3 – offering up a flat-screen gaming experience that was lacking from the original lineup.

The G3 is another great monitor that provides smooth gameplay and limited screen artifacts. Whilst its peak brightness is considered low, it still makes for a great dark-room gaming monitor. It offers a 3000:1 native contrast ratio, deep blacks, and a competitive 1080p screen resolution that is perfect if you can easily each 144 frames per second in your favorite games.

The colors for this monitor aren’t spectacular – however, as far as smearing and blurring are concerned, it performs incredibly well when compared to other VA alternatives.

Best cheap 165Hz monitor: ASUS VG248QG

03

Another great cheap 144Hz monitor for gaming

ASUS VG248QG

Refresh Rate

165Hz

Response Time

0.5ms (min)

Screen Size

24″

Resolution

1920 x 1080

How We Review

Shop on Amazon Check Price

Check price

Pros

• Optimized for esports gamers
• Impressive 0.5ms response time
• G-Sync and FreeSync compatible
• 165Hz refresh rate

Cons

• Color accuracy is poor
• Viewing angles aren’t great

We’re actually going to jump up to a 165Hz monitor now, and it comes in the shape of the ASUS VG248QG, a 24-inch gaming monitor featuring a TN panel that offers up excellent gaming performance and responsiveness.

Despite this monitor not offering up the best viewing angles or color accuracy, it more than makes up for it in general response and general gaming performance. Users can expect a peak brightness of 350 nits and a native contrast ratio of 1000:1. Most impressive, however, is the monitor’s 0.5ms GTG response time, reducing most blurring and ghosting issues and providing you with near-instant input delay which is unnoticeable.

Users can enable features like ELMB in the OSD, further improving on perceived blur when viewing fast-moving objects.

Best budget BenQ 144Hz monitor: BenQ XL2411K

04

Best 144Hz Monitor Under $150

BenQ Zowie XL2411K 24 Inch

Refresh Rate

144Hz

Response Time (stated by maufacturer)

1ms

Panel Type

TN

Screen Size

24″

Resolution

1920 x 1080

Curved?

No

How We Review

Shop on Amazon Check Price

Pros

• Excellent value for money
• 1ms response time
• Black Equalizer feature

Cons

• Doesn’t support 120Hz for console

The BenQ is hugely popular amongst budget-restricted users, mainly thanks to the excellent value it comes equipped with. For under $150, it’s by far the cheapest monitor in this guide – yet still offering plenty of the same performance-tailored features.

At the heart of this monitor lies a capable TN panel that showcases excellent response. It has been optimized for esports gaming, utilizing a 1080p screen resolution to make the 144 framerate threshold easily achievable. The 144Hz refresh rate pairs nicely with the 1ms response time to help reduce screen artifacts to a minimum. Whilst the peak brightness of 350 nits is a little lacking, it still makes for a very capable dark-room gaming monitor.

Color accuracy and viewing angles are of course problematic thanks to the TN panel it boasts. That being said, the monitor is tailored towards esports and high levels of response – colors aren’t the priority here.

Best cheap 144Hz monitor under $200: Acer Nitro VG240Y

05

Another versatile 144Hz monitor that won’t break the bank

Acer Nitro VG240Y

Size

23.8″

Refresh Rate

75Hz

Response Time

1ms

Panel

IPS

Resolution

1920 x 1080

How We Review

Shop on Amazon Check Price

Pros

• Quick 1ms response time
• Zero frame design
• IPS panel technology

Cons

• Limited stand ergonomics
• Poor peak brightness

The last monitor in this guide is the Acer Nitro VG240Y, a decent little gaming monitor that packs that dream combination of 144Hz refresh rate with 1ms response time.

Whilst the Nitro is one of the worst-built monitors in this guide, it makes up for it in general gameplay and value. The 144Hz refresh rate makes for a fluid gaming experience, with a 1ms response time reducing ghosting and smearing exponentially. Colors aren’t the best for this monitor, neither is the native contrast ratio. However, at under $200, you can’t really argue with the performance this screen provides.

How we choose and test cheap 144Hz gaming monitors

Physically testing the products we recommend here at WePC is one of the fundamental factors that has helped us secure your trust over the years.

For the best cheap 144Hz monitor for gaming article, we spent hours testing each monitor we recommended, using high-end equipment and testing methodology to conclude which are the best for your gaming needs.

We have a comprehensive article and how to test and choose our monitors, explaining many of the testing processes that occur during our selection process.

You can check out how we test monitors here.

Cheap 144Hz monitor for gaming – buyer’s guide & things to consider

For those new to buying monitors for gaming, below we have listed some of the most important buying tips for newcomers. This will hopefully make your next purchasing decision that little bit easier.

Refresh rate & VRR technology

We always advise you get the highest refresh rate possible, 144Hz upwards is great – but many 165Hz monitors are also cheap. As we said earlier, this is one of the most impactful specifications when it comes to the smoothness of your gameplay. In relation to refresh rate, you need to pay attention to Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology which is available with the display. Namely, this is AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync technology which is generally included in modern displays – VRR negates screen tearing at higher refresh rates.

Response time

Seek out low response times! Another important area to always consider is response time. This is how quickly your pixels change color – mainly using the GTG transition. Having a low response time will reduce screen artifacts like ghosting and smearing. A quicker response time also improves the overall feel of the display when gaming – high response times will feel more sluggish to and affect your gameplay.

Price

So, what exactly is a cheap 144hz gaming monitor in today’s market? Well, anything under $200 is considered relatively cheap. As you can see from the selection above, we’ve tried to stick around this area as going any lower will reduce performance exponentially. As time has gone by, 144Hz monitors really represent the bottom line when looking for a gaming monitor. As such, more and more are reaching budget levels no previously seen, especially since 165Hz monitors are closely joining them.

Build quality

Expect poor or reduced build quality. When you’re buying from the lower end of the price spectrum, build quality is often an area that is compromised to save on cost. Whilst this isn’t too problematic, it can increase the chance of instability and faults down the line. As always, stick to trusted brands which can guarantee at least good quality, even at a lower budget level.

144Hz Vs 60Hz refresh rate

If you’re in the market for a cheap gaming monitor, chances are you’ll have likely come across 60hz monitors and 144hz monitors. But, what is the difference between the two? and is it actually worth going for a 144hz monitor?

Well, the resounding answer is yes, absolutely. The refresh rate of your monitor is one of the most performance-affecting factors it comes equipped with. It’s a measurement that lets us know how often the screen refreshes the image it’s displaying, having a direct impact on the overall smoothness of the gameplay.

But what does that mean for 144Hz vs 60Hz? Well, it means a lot. The jump from 60Hz to 144Hz is almost two and half times, meaning you’re effectively getting a monitor that’s over twice as smooth.

The difference between 60Hz and 144Hz is one of the most obvious – mainly because 60Hz monitors provide such a mediocre gaming experience. At 144Hz, you’ll be able to enjoy smoother gameplay, especially when paired with good VRR technology.

What FPS do you need for a 144Hz gaming monitor?

By nature of its design, you’ll want to be pushing 144 frames per second to reap the rewards of the monitor’s high refresh rate. Previously, you would want to pair your FreeSync monitor with your AMD GPU and G-Sync monitor with Nvidia GPU. However, this is no longer the case so you can mix and match VRR technology to your liking, which is handy when solely focusing on what’s cheapest.

Cheap 144Hz monitor FAQs

Are cheap 144Hz monitors worth it?

Today’s market has a ton of high-end gaming monitors, however, it also has a tonne of well-price cheap 144Hz monitors. with that said, you can easily find a great value cheap 144Hz monitor that does exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you’re gaming, office use, or entertainment consuming, there will be a cheap 144Hz monitor that is well worth it in today’s market.

Are cheap 144Hz monitors good for gaming?

Many of the best 144Hz monitors offer up great gaming features, such as VRR, HDR, refresh rates and low response times. Better yet, you’ll be able to find a cheap 144Hz monitor with all the above, making them a great choice for gamers on a budget.

Final Word

So, there you have it, our complete guide to the best Cheap 144Hz monitors for gaming in 2023. For us, the best monitor for goes to the hugely impressive AOC C24G2. Not only does it offer one of the highest refresh rates in this guide, but it also comes packed with a bunch of features that make tailoring your visual experience that much easier.

That being said, every monitor in this guide offers up its own unique set of pros and cons. Ultimately, it all comes down to your needs. We will be keeping this page up to date with any new releases, so be sure to bookmark this page if you are in the market for a cheaper 144Hz panel.