The 7 Best 240Hz Monitors for Competitive Gamers
In this guide, we’ve compared seven of the best 240Hz monitors currently available to help you find the right option for your needs and budget.
If you’re a serious competitive gamer and you are looking to gain every advantage possible over your competitors, one hardware upgrade you might want to consider is to get a new 240Hz monitor. The insanely high refresh rate may not be as advantageous for the casual PC gamer, but for rising esports gamers, the faster refresh rate could mean the difference between winning and losing.
So, in this guide, we’ve rated and reviewed seven top 240Hz monitors in order to help competitive gamers find the best gaming monitor for their needs.
A Quick Look at the Best 240Hz Monitors
Our quick-look table lists our top picks for the best 240Hz gaming monitors. We’ve selected four monitors, including our top G-Sync pick, our top FreeSync pick, the best value option, and the cheapest 240hz monitor as well.
*To read more about each of these displays, click on “Read Review »” to jump down to the overview we’ve written on that monitor. You can also keep scrolling to see our Honorable Mention picks.
Top G-Sync 240Hz Pick:
BenQ ZOWIE XL2740
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- G-Sync
- 27″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.3/10
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In our opinion, BenQ’s ZOWIE XL2540 offers one of the best options for gamers who are looking to purchase either a G-Sync or Adaptive Sync compatible 240Hz monitor. The XL2540 is a 27″ display with a 240Hz refresh rate, that offers both G-Sync and Adaptive Sync compatibility.
It does come with a TN panel and, as such, is able to deliver a 1ms response time. However, that is standard among 240Hz displays. What sets the XL2740 apart from some of the other options on this list is its larger screen size.
The XL2740 also comes with removable “shields” that sit on the outside of the monitor to help minimize distractions while you pay. And, BenQ also makes a 25-inch version of this display, the XL2540, for just under ~$400.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a 240Hz monitor that will give you the option to use both an NVIDIA graphics card or an AMD graphics card, the XL2740 is an option worth considering.
Top FreeSync 240Hz Pick:
AOC Agon AG271FZ2
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- FreeSync
- 27″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.3/10
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If you’re planning on gettin an AMD graphics card and you want a 240Hz monitor with FreeSync compatibility, then the AOC Agon AG271FZ2 might be the option for you. At just under ~$380, the AG271FZ2 does cost more than the two FreeSync-compatible options below. However, it does come with a larger 27-inch screen (compared to their 25-inch displays).
So, if you prefer to have a larger display, the AG271FZ2 is currently one of only a few 27-inch monitors that comes with a 240Hz refresh rate.
The AG271FZ2 also comes with a TN panel that has a 1ms response time, an ergonomic stand, and a 4-year dead pixel warrany, a 4-year advanced replacement warranty, and a 1-year accidental damage warranty.
Overall, if you’re looking for a larger 240Hz monitor to pair with your AMD graphics card, then the AOC Agon AG271FZ2 is probably the best option for you.
Value 240Hz Monitor:
ViewSonic XG2530
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- FreeSync
- 25″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.2/10
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In our opinion, ViewSonic’s XG2530 is the best value option for gamers who are looking to purchase a FreeSync-compatible 240Hz monitor. ViewSonic does also offer a G-Sync 240Hz monitor (the XG2560), but it doesn’t quite have the price-to-performance ratio that the XG2530 does and, as such, isn’t as good of a pick as the BenQ ZOWIE XL2540 listed above.
But, for the XG2530, at just under $340, it is the second cheapest FreeSync 240Hz display on this list. The XG2530 sports a 1ms response time, a 3-year warranty, and an ergonomically designed stand.
And, while the Acer XF250Q comes in at quite a bit cheaper and is also FreeSync compatible, it doesn’t quite have the picture quality that the XG2530 comes with. It’s not a huge difference, though, and so if you’re looking to save money, you might just be better off going with the Acer XF250Q listed below.
Budget 240Hz Monitor:
Acer XF250Q
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- FreeSync / G-Sync
- 25″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.3/10
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The Acer XF250Q might just be the best option on this list. And, that’s because, when you consider the core monitor specs that typically separate one panel from another, all of the options on this list are pretty much the same in regards to those specs. So, the only real differences between them are, first, whether they are FreeSync displays or G-Sync, and second, how much they cost.
And, the Acer XF250Q easily comes in at the lowest price out of all the other options on this list. For just under $250 you can land the XF250Q. It is a FreeSync monitor, but it is also G-Sync compatible. So, you can use either an AMD graphics card or an NVIDIA graphics card with it.
It also comes with a 25″ screen that features a TN panel, a 1ms response time, and a 1080P resolution. Ultimately, the XF250Q is not only the cheapest 240Hz monitors currently available, but it is also one of the cheapest G-Sync monitors overall. Of course, in order to get the price down so far on the XF250Q, Acer did have to cut some corners and so it doesn’t quite come with the picture quality that some of the options above come with. Still, though, the picture quality isn’t bad and at almost $100 less expensive than the next cheapest option, it’s hard not to consider going with the XF250Q.
Honorable Mention #1:
ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- FreeSync / G-Sync
- 25″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.3/10
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I guess, technically, we could have merged the ASUS ROG Swift PG258Q and this ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q into the same section like we did for the Alienware and ViewSonic series monitors mentioned in this post. And, that’s because the PG258Q and the XG258Q are essentially the same monitor with one being a G-Sync monitor and the other being a FreeSync / G-Sync compatible monitor.
But, with ASUS dubbing the PG258Q display a ROG Strix monitor and the XG258Q a ROG Swift monitor, it appears as if they’re trying to separate the marketing of the two displays… so, we’ll separate them as well.
The ASUS ROG Strix XG258Q actually comes with pretty much the same features and specs as our top G-Sync pick, the BenQ ZOWIE XL2540. And, it comes in at the same price, too. The only real difference between the two displays is that the XL2540 comes with the distraction-reducing side shields. So, really, both the XG258Q and the XL2540 are worthy picks and if you don’t need the side shields, there really isn’t too big a of a difference between the two.
Honorable Mention #2:
ASUS ROG Swift PG258Q
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- NVIDIA G-Sync
- 25″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.1/10
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While ASUS typically dominates the upper-end of the different sub-categories of gaming monitors and despite the PG258Q being a really high-end option, its biggest limiting factor is its price. At just under $475, the ASUS ROG Swift PG258Q is the most expensive monitor on this list.
It is a bit different than some of the other G-Sync monitors on this list, though, as the options listed above are G-Sync compatible, whereas the PG258Q has NVIDIA’s G-Sync built into it. G-Sync compatible monitors do have some limitations over monitors that have G-Sync built into them. However, most games probably won’t notice the difference and so, for the most part, choosing a G-Sync compatible monitor over a traditional G-Sync monitor is fine—especially if you want to save some money.
Honorable Mention #3:
Alienware 25 Series
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- NVIDIA G-Sync
- 25″ Display
- 1ms Response Time
Our Rating: 9.1/10
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Like the ViewSonic XG series, Alienware also has two 240Hz monitors, one being a FreeSync display and the other being a G-Sync display. While Alienware’s options are definitely high-end, they fall slightly behind ViewSonic’s pricing with their 240Hz FreeSync option (coming in at ~$360) and their G-Sync option is a bit more expensive than BenQ’s XL2540.
Aside from their variable refresh rate technology, the Alienware 25 series offers pretty much identical specs to ViewSonic’s XG series. It comes with a 25″ TN panel that has a 1080P resolution and a 1ms GTG response time.
Ultimately, we’d recommend going with the ViewSonic XG2530 if you’re looking for a 240Hz FreeSync monitor and either the cheaper BenQ XG2530 or the Acer XF250Q if you’re looking for a more affordable G-Sync option.
Is A 240Hz Monitor Worth It?
Not everyone will need (or want) a 240Hz monitor. At the moment, there are a ton of niche markets within the gaming monitor market. You’ve got ultrawide gaming monitors, curved monitors, 4K displays, 1440P 144Hz monitors, etc. So, whether or not a 240Hz monitor is right for you will all come down to your own needs and the amount you have to spend. If you have a decent budget for your monitor upgrade and you’re a hardcore competitive gamer, then a 240Hz monitor would be worth it for you to at least consider. And, if you are looking for a 240Hz monitor, one of the options above should work for you.