There are many good gaming monitors available in all sizes, shapes, and budgets. But only a handful can be called great. What does it take for a display to make this list? Speed is certainly a huge factor; you can’t throw a rock without hitting a monitor that runs at a minimum of 144 Hz. 165 Hz is becoming more common, and 240 Hz is well represented. The bleeding edge is occupied by 360 Hz and now 500 Hz screens.
If you’ve read monitor reviews here at Tom’s Hardware, you know that we consider image fidelity a nearly equal part of the equation, and at the top of that list is contrast. Nothing affects our perception of a 2D image more than the difference between black and white. Lately, Mini LED panels have made huge strides in this area, and I’ve even called them “nearly as good as OLED.” But the operative word is “nearly.” OLED is still king, and in this review, I’ll be testing a 27-inch 16:9 OLED display, Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDM. Spoiler alert: it’s incredible in pretty much every way, which makes it a prime candidate for our best gaming monitors list.
