Updated Oct 03, 2024 at 03:32 pm
By Nicholas Di Giovanni
overview 9 comments
If you enjoy playing the latest games in HDR, getting a monitor that delivers optimal picture quality is beneficial. There are a few factors that make a monitor great for HDR, most notably its contrast ratio. A high contrast ratio helps the monitor display deep blacks against bright objects, and when combined with an effective local dimming feature and high brightness, it can make those highlights pop against the rest of the image. You'll also want something that displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR so that images are life-like and realistic.
Although most monitors are still behind TVs in terms of overall image quality and processing in HDR, some high-end monitors with Mini LED backlighting or OLED panels provide fantastic performance. While there's a big gap between premium and budget-friendly monitors in terms of HDR, there are some entry-level models that are getting better for HDR. Besides picture quality, you'll also want to consider a monitor's gaming performance, particularly with its motion handling, so that fast-moving objects are sharp. Low input lag is also important, but most monitors have low input lag anyway.
We've bought and tested more than 330 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best HDR gaming monitors. Also, see our recommendations for the best OLED monitors, the best 4k HDR monitors, and the best Mini LED monitors.
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Best HDR Gaming Monitor
Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 200
PC Gaming
9.1
Console Gaming
9.4
Performance Usages: Brightness
6.8
Response Time
9.8
HDR Picture
9.4
Size
32"Pixel Type
QD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate
240 HzNative Resolution
3840 x 2160See all our test results
The best gaming monitor for HDR that we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80. It offers both high-end gaming performance and premium picture quality. It's a 32-inch, 4k monitor with a QD-OLED panel that's fantastic for HDR because it has a near-infinite contrast ratio that displays perfect blacks next to bright highlights that pop. It even displays an incredibly wide color gamut with a remarkable color volume, so your favorite games look stunningly vivid and life-like, and the high resolution makes content appear full of detail.
Another advantage of this monitor is its near-instantaneous response time, which results in crystal-clear motion in games with no distracting blur trail. The monitor's 240Hz refresh rate benefits most gamers, and its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth can take full advantage of both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. One of the downsides when it comes to HDR content is that the matte screen coating introduces haziness. If that bothers you, the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED is another QD-OLED with a glossy coating for a clearer image, but it's sometimes harder to find.
See our review
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Best Upper Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 157
PC Gaming
9.2
Console Gaming
9.1
Performance Usages: Brightness
7.0
Response Time
9.9
HDR Picture
9.5
Size
27"Pixel Type
QD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate
360 HzNative Resolution
2560 x 1440See all our test results
If you don't need a high-end 4k monitor like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80, then check out the lower-end Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3. It has a QD-OLED panel like the Samsung, so the picture quality is nearly the same in HDR with deep blacks and vivid colors, but there are a few trade-offs for getting the cheaper Gigabyte. It has a lower resolution than the Samsung, so images aren't as detailed, and it has a smaller screen, but size is a personal preference anyway.
Besides that, it's still fantastic for gaming as it has the same near-instantaneous response time as the Samsung, so fast-moving objects are sharp, and it even has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take advantage of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles. This includes supporting any signal from consoles like downscaled 4k @ 120Hz, which is useful because the Xbox Series X|S only supports HDR with 4k signals.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG 135
Early Black Friday Deal: The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG has dropped in price by $180 at BestBuy.com.
See All Early Black Friday Deals
PC Gaming
9.0
Console Gaming
8.3
Performance Usages: Brightness
7.5
HDR Picture
9.0
Size
27"Pixel Type
OLEDMax Refresh Rate
240 HzNative Resolution
2560 x 1440See all our test results
If you don't need high-end QD-OLEDs like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 and the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3, you can still find the best HDR monitor for gaming in the mid-range price category, like with the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG. It's an OLED monitor, but unlike the higher-end monitors, it has a WOLED panel and not QD-OLED, so colors aren't as vivid. That said, it still offers incredible picture quality in HDR with deep blacks, and it also gets bright enough to make small highlights pop.
Aside from those small differences, it provides everything you'd expect from a gaming monitor, like a near-instantaneous response time and support for all common VRR formats. It has a lower 240Hz refresh rate than the Gigabyte, but it's still high enough for most gamers. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can't take full advantage of HDMI 2.1 sources. If that's important to you, the LG 27GS95QE-B is a similar monitor that supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, but it doesn't get as bright as the ASUS.
See our review
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Best Lower Mid-Range HDR Gaming Monitor
Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx 103
PC Gaming
7.7
Console Gaming
8.5
Performance Usages: Brightness
8.8
Response Time
7.9
HDR Picture
7.2
Size
27"Pixel Type
IPSMax Refresh Rate
160 HzNative Resolution
3840 x 2160See all our test results
OLEDs like the ones mentioned above are most beneficial for gaming in dark rooms, but you can also consider lower-end monitors that don't have OLED panels if you want something for gaming in a bright room. The Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx is a great gaming monitor with Mini LED backlighting that has decent picture quality in HDR, and it often goes on sale for a lower price. It doesn't display the same deep and inky blacks as the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, but instead, the Mini LED backlighting helps the Acer get much brighter, which is ideal if you want to use it in a well-lit environment. The decent local dimming feature also helps it display deep enough blacks next to bright highlights, but there's more blooming than on an OLED.
In terms of gaming, it has a 160Hz refresh rate with a good response time across its VRR range, leading to sharp motion. It also supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. One downside is that it has increased input lag with 60Hz signals, but that only makes a difference if you play games at 60Hz instead of using VRR to go down to 60Hz.
See our review
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Best Budget HDR Gaming Monitor
AOC Q27G3XMN 297
PC Gaming
8.2
Console Gaming
7.4
Performance Usages: Brightness
8.3
Response Time
8.5
HDR Picture
8.0
Size
27"Pixel Type
VAMax Refresh Rate
180 HzNative Resolution
2560 x 1440See all our test results
There aren't as many monitors with good HDR performance in the budget category, but some are still useful, like the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's a step down from the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzxas it has a lower resolution, so images aren't as detailed, but unlike most low-cost displays, it's great for HDR because it also uses Mini LED backlighting. It has a higher native contrast ratio than the Acer, so it displays even deeper blacks, which is ideal for HDR gaming in dark rooms, and it makes highlights really pop.
There are a few trade-offs for getting the AOC over the Acer, but they're what you have to expect for a low-cost model. The AOC lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and it has more smearing with fast-moving objects, but it still has a fast response time. Regardless, it has useful gaming features, like a max 180Hz refresh rate and low input lag at any refresh rate. One thing to know is that it sometimes goes out of stock, so if you can't find it, the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx is a good alternative that also uses Mini LED backlighting, but it has worse motion handling.
See our review
Notable Mentions
- Dell Alienware AW3225QF:
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF is a 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED that competes with the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80. It's good for HDR gaming because it supports Dolby Vision, but its curved screen may not be to everyone's liking.
See our review - LG 32GS95UE-B:
The LG 32GS95UE-B is a unique 4k, 240Hz monitor that can become a 1080p, 480Hz monitor with its Dual Mode. This makes it better than the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 if you want such a high refresh rate. However, because it has a WOLED panel, colors aren't as vivid as on the Samsung.
See our review - Dell Alienware AW2725DF:
The Dell Alienware AW2725DF is a competitor of the Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3 with the same QD-OLED panel. It's worth getting if you can find it for less than the Gigabyte, but it lacks a few features as it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
See our review - Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75:
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is an alternative to the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx if you want something with a curved screen. However, it doesn't get as bright, so the Acer is still brighter for HDR gaming in bright rooms.
See our review
Recent Updates
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Oct 03, 2024: We made several changes to ensure consistency with other recommendations. We replaced the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, Dell Alienware AW2725DF, LG 27GS95QE-B, and the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biipx with the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80, Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3, ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, and the AOC Q27G3XMN, respectively. In Notable Mentions, we replaced the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 with the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 and added the AW3225QF and the AW2725DF.
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Aug 05, 2024: We added the LG 27GS95QE-B to better reflect the HDR gaming monitor market. We replaced the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95, Cooler Master Tempest GP27U, and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM in the Notable Mentions with the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85, LG 32GS95UE-B, Gigabyte AORUS FO27Q3, and the Acer Nitro XV275U P3biix to reflect changes and new monitors that we've tested.
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May 09, 2024: Replaced the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF with the higher refresh rate Dell Alienware AW2725DF for consistency with other recommendations. Replaced the Dell S3422DWG with the AOC Q27G3XMN, which has better picture quality. Removed the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85 and the Dell Alienware AW3423DW from Notable Mentions as they aren't alternatives to any of the main monitors.
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Feb 21, 2024: Replaced the Dell Alienware AW3423DW with the Dell Alienware AW3225QF as the 'Best HDR Gaming Monitor' as it has better performance. Replaced the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM with the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF as 'Best Upper Mid-Range,' as it can cost less than the ASUS and has better HDR performance. Removed the 'Best 4k HDR Gaming Monitor' category with the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85, as our new 'Best HDR Gaming Monitor' is 4k. Added the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95, Dell Alienware AW3423DW, ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM, and AOC Q27G3XMN as Notable Mentions. Removed the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and Corsair XENEON 27QHD240 as Notable Mentions.
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Nov 24, 2023: Replaced the Sony INZONE M9 and the Gigabyte M32UC with the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx because it offers better HDR performance than both of those monitors and costs less; added the INNOCN 27M2V to Notable Mentions.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best HDR monitorsfor gaming currently available. They are adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price, and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our monitorreviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.