Best Gaming Monitors under $500

People don’t usually think of AOC when they think of gaming monitors, but they should. There are many companies out there that make high-quality, affordable gaming products, and AOC is one of them - their C32G1 monitor is one of their best.

Review

We are not exaggerating when we say that the C32G1 is extremely good-looking. The minimalist stand and thin bezels complement each other nicely, and the dark grey color gives it a sleek, mature, elegant appearance that will fit into any sort of gaming setup, no matter how extravagant or minimalist.

The buttons are barely visible and are situated at the underside of the display. The great thing is that there is nothing that will distract you from the slim bezels other than the light indicators, which cannot be avoided. The stand is quite sturdy and does its job well, keeping the monitor very stable. It has a small hole in the middle that offers some minimal cable management.

The 1,800R curvature may be slightly confusing for those who are not familiar with the technology, but the concept is not difficult to grasp. The R stands for radius, meaning that the gross curvature of the monitor is 1,800mm, which is, in fact, the maximum limit for curved displays. In essence, it is the top curvature for a display, which is meant to provide an ideal gaming experience.

The downside is that you aren’t going to get the best viewing experience when sitting further away from the C32G1, but this will probably not be a problem since it is a PC monitor, and you probably won’t be sitting very far away anyway. While most displays use IPS (In-Plane Switching), the AOC uses VA (Vertical Alignment), which is far better for black uniformity and better contrast, but the tradeoff is a smaller optimal viewing angle.

The C32G1’s biggest flaw is its low display resolution. At 31.5” and Full HD resolution, you are going to notice when using an operating system. For instance, you’ll see individual pixels when looking closely at text on Windows 10.

This is the monitor you buy when you want to be the envy of your gaming friends. With its fantastic features and futuristic style, you’ll be transported and immersed in your favorite games. The high contrast and vibrant colors are a nice bonus, as well.

Review

Complete your battle station with the premium LG UltraGear gaming monitor, which delivers the latest specs, hardware, and ergonomic design elements coupled with a sleek design to provide you with a truly sensory experience. LG has always been known for making incredibly beautiful, high-tech displays, and despite the 32GN650-B being an affordable option, it is still no exception.

Its 165Hz refresh rate offers you fluid gaming motion that creates an incredibly smooth gaming experience so that you never miss a single frame of action, which gamers know can be the difference between winning and losing a match. The 1ms MBR allows you to see fast obstacles, action, and opponents in near real-time for a clear advantage, allowing you to make split-second reactions and decisions in the heat of battle.

The great thing about the 32GN650-B is its true color display, which recreates images in fantastically clear and vivid colors that pull you right into the action and immerse you completely. It does this thanks to its 95% sRGB gamut, which can display bright lights and dark shadows that are all equally visible.

With the monitor’s AMD FreeSync Premium technology, you will be able to experience fluid, seamless movement in high resolution while playing fast-paced games, virtually eliminating screen stuttering and tearing for smooth gameplay.

The Dynamic Action Sync technology displays action as it happens, providing you with the closest thing to real-time gaming out there, all for an affordable price. You can respond to opponents and actions with minimized input lag and fantastic performance.

A problem we have with this monitor is its pixel density. If you have a small desk and are forced to sit quite close to your monitor, you’re going to be able to see the individual pixels, which isn’t going to look great. However, this problem can be remedied by sitting a little further back.

You’re not going to find a curved, 35” monitor as budget-friendly as this Sceptre model. While it might not feature HDR functionality or any fancy refresh rate, it’s still a very competent monitor for gaming, media, and working.

Review

The Sceptre takes advantage of the latest technologies when it comes to its design of this monitor. Aside from its 1,500R curve, it features similar specifications to standard gaming monitors while also increasing the panel refresh rate to an impressive 100Hz. This makes it something of an industry-first while offering a frame rate that’s higher than its predecessor.

When it comes to looks, the C355W has a cool visual design, which most gamers have come to expect from their gaming monitors. While this monitor was designed to be used for gaming, it lacks the aggressive, bold, angular stylings that can be found in its competitors. We don’t think this is a con but rather an interesting design choice.

At the back of this monitor’s chassis, you’re going to see one HDMI 2.0 port, two HDMI 1.4 ports, and one DisplayPort. We would have preferred to see at least one USB port to boast the extra power of being capable of powering your other gadgets, like your smartphone, but the single 3.3mm audio input lets you connect a gaming headset or pair of headphones directly to the monitor rather than snaking the cable around your PC.

The monitor also features its own set of speakers. When it comes to performance, the C355W does well as a general-use monitor and is perfect for both gaming and office use. It delivers crisp images with its 3440 x 1440 resolution panels, and its 4ms response time means there’s almost no input lag at all.

The issue we have with this monitor is the length of its power cord, which is just long enough to reach most power strips and outlets. Be sure to position it close to an outlet, or you may run into some frustration.