We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Though there are various aspects that should be considered when eyeing a new monitor, the factor that should always take precedence is image quality. It doesn’t matter if you’re predominantly going to be using it to watch content, play games, or churn out spreadsheets — a low-resolution screen will never offer a good experience.

There are monitors you can buy at various price points, some with a richer feature set than others. OLED screens, displays that refresh at 240Hz or beyond, and monitors with USB-C support. Options that check such boxes also, of course, display sharp images, but they do cost extra. You can always shop for affordable options, and luckily, it’s difficult to grab a bad-looking monitor in 2026.

It also helps that 4K displays have gone down in price dramatically since they were first unveiled. A higher resolution means sharper text and better image quality across all forms of entertainment. Monitors with good viewing angles also make a huge difference in how content appears slightly off axis. Based on recommendations by experts in the industry, we’ve compiled a list of three high-resolution monitors that don’t break the bank. You can find out more about our methodology at the end of this read.

1080p isn’t exactly regarded as being cutting-edge anymore, and while it’s true that QHD and UHD monitors offer noticeably sharper pictures, FHD remains a very acceptable resolution. In fact, according to Statcounter GlobalStatsFHD is the most popular desktop screen resolution worldwide. For screen sizes up to 24 inches, a 1080p display can be very affordable, while still looking sharp. That said, larger monitors often don’t play well with FHD resolution.

Therefore, the HP 24mh could be the perfect budget-oriented 1080p monitor for general use. At a list price of $180, it offers conveniences that even expensive monitors often skimp out on. You get a stand that offers not just tilt, but also height adjustability. For more maneuverability, you can hook it up to a monitor arm using VESA. Plus, you get built-in speakers, which is always a nice-to-have add-on for smaller desk spaces.

For connectivity, you get HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA inputs, alongside an audio jack. The display itself is an IPS panel, which offers better viewing angles and color accuracy compared to VA panels. Its 75Hz refresh rate isn’t exactly accommodating enough for competitive gaming, but it is a step-up from regular 60Hz monitors. The monitor earned a 4/5 score in PCMag’s reviewwhich praised its wide color coverage and adjustable stand. It’s also a popular pick on Amazon with over 25,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating.

Buying cheap monitors for gaming usually involves a bit of sacrificing in aspects like resolution, refresh rate, or response time. Ironically, all of these are factors that directly affect how smooth gameplay feels on a monitor. Fortunately, you can find a lot of good options in the $300 price range, and the AOC Q27G3XMN is a solid pick with a trick up its sleeve — mini LED.

Mini LED technology doesn’t refer to a different panel type — it’s a type of backlight. It offers a great middle ground between common IPS displays and those that come with OLED technology. Mini LED gets you better local dimming and contrast, which makes it a viable option to watch movies or play games on. Typically, monitors with Mini LED technology start at higher price points, but the AOC Q27G3XMN retails at $300, making it one of the best gaming monitors you can buy on a budget.

It’s a 1440p display in a 27-inch frame, which means you get excellent pixel density. It also refreshes at 180Hz and features a 1ms response time. For competitive titles like “Counter Strike 2,” these specifications matter a lot. For connectivity, you get HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. RTINGS reviewed the monitor in great detail and were impressed by its color accuracy and text clarity. If you’re looking for a sharp display that can play games at high refresh rates, the AOC Q27G3XMN offers value that is hard to beat.

The right 1080p or 1440p monitor can provide good image quality, but they cannot out-pixel a 4K panel. If your workflow involves video editing, or if you simply want to watch native 4K content, you need a UHD monitor. The Dell S2725QSat $300, is a surprisingly affordable buy. It costs the same as the 1440p AOC monitor we recommended, but features over twice the pixel count. Obviously, it’s able to achieve this by cutting some intelligent corners and positioning itself as a productivity monitor as opposed to a gaming one.

It uses an IPS panel housed in a sleek construction with thin bezels all around. The bundled stand gets you a wide selection of adjustment options, including height and swivel customization. You get two HDMI ports and DisplayPort input for connectivity, in addition to built-in speakers, which Wired stated were “surprisingly clear” in their review, where the monitor scored 8/10.

The hallmark feature of this Dell display is its 120Hz refresh rate. It falls a bit behind the usual 144Hz panels that you typically see on gaming monitors, but the Dell S2725QS is still twice as fast as most budget displays. At 120Hz, you definitely can still enjoy games, but where the refresh rate truly shines is during general use. Simply moving windows around, scrolling through text, or working with photo editing software at a high refresh rate at 4K is convenience you rarely find in this budget.

There is a sea of monitors out there, and condensing great picks down to a list of three is a challenge. Our prime basis when compiling this list was to pick displays that offer excellent image quality for the price. A 4K monitor is always going to be sharper than a 1440p or 1080p display, but there do exist monitors of those resolutions that feature good quality panels.

Therefore, we recommended monitors of all three resolutions that each fulfill our one non-negotiable requirement. If you’re on a strict budget and can make do with a relatively smaller screen, then the HP 24mh is a great buy despite being 1080p. For content creators or those who work from home, the 4K 120Hz panel of the Dell S2725QS is tough to beat. Lastly, for gamers, the higher refresh rate of the AOC Q27G3XMN paired with its 1440p resolution strikes a good balance between clarity and performance.

We referred to reviews by professionals in the industry. Publications like Wired, RTINGS, and PCMag carry out extensive testing. Specifically, these monitors have been tested for clarity, color accuracy, and overall viewing experience. If sharp text and native 4K content is something you don’t want to miss out on, then be sure to pick a monitor of that resolution. It’s always worth glancing over reviews left by verified customers on Amazon, or referring to professional reviews by reputable sources.