PC Gamer Hardware Awards: The best gaming monitor of 2024

12 hours ago 18

(Image credit: Future)

If there's one thing that stands out about 2024, at least as far as gaming monitors are concerned, it's that this year has without a doubt been the year of the OLED monitor. We've been hit with them left, right, and centre. And sure, these monitors mostly feature the same 32-inch Samsung or LG panels, but those are great panels.

Whether we're talking about the MSI MPG 321URX, LG UltraGear 32GS95UE, or any number of other 2024 OLED releases, you're getting a high refresh rate, low latency, and stunning 4K visuals. But while we've seen a bunch of these entering the market, none of them are cheap.

We've also seen some manufacturers start to experiment with Mini LED tech. This technology uses backlighting arrays and could eventually be an alternative to OLED tech that offers brighter screens with less text fringing and no risk of burn-in. Unfortunately, though, there are still problems with Mini LED tech, as we discovered when we looked at the BenQ MOBIUZ EX321UX, for instance.

At the other end of the pricing scale, 2024 has shown us what can really be achieved for a more moderate number of pennies. The Xiaomi G27i, for instance, showed just how high of a refresh rate and how low latency you can get for a mainstream price these days.

Speaking of refresh rates, one trend we saw this year was the introduction of dual-mode refresh rate technology. We first saw this with the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE which had its debut at CES. This tech allows for an ultra-high refresh rate at 1080p and then a lower (but still high) refresh rate at 4K, thanks to pixel doubling. We already saw it in laptops in 2023 such as the Razer Blade 16, but the tech is now officially featuring in standalone monitors.

Best gaming monitor 2024: the nominees

The winner of the Best Gaming Monitor 2024 PC Gamer Hardware Award will be announced on New Year's Eve. So keep your eyes peeled for our pick of the best panel for this year.

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Jacob got his hands on a gaming PC for the first time when he was about 12 years old. He swiftly realised the local PC repair store had ripped him off with his build and vowed never to let another soul build his rig again. With this vow, Jacob the hardware junkie was born. Since then, Jacob's led a double-life as part-hardware geek, part-philosophy nerd, first working as a Hardware Writer for PCGamesN in 2020, then working towards a PhD in Philosophy for a few years (result pending a patiently awaited viva exam) while freelancing on the side for sites such as TechRadar, Pocket-lint, and yours truly, PC Gamer. Eventually, he gave up the ruthless mercenary life to join the world's #1 PC Gaming site full-time. It's definitely not an ego thing, he assures us.