The 5 Highest Hz Monitors of 2022
Covering the highest quality options for serious gamers
We updated this article in June 2022. Our top picks remain the same but we’ve included some updates throughout the article where higher refresh rate options are coming available.
144hz? Sounds kind of slow!
If you’re into competitive gaming or looking for the best monitor possible for immersive titles, you’ll know how wonderful playing on a high hertz gaming monitor can be.
Thankfully, there have recently been a few exceptional products to take high Hz displays well beyond the usual 60-144hz + 1080p specs.
In today’s feature, we’ve reviewed the highest refresh rate monitors worth buying for different resolutions and budgets.
3
Highest Hz 1440p Monitor
Acer Nitro XV272U Xbmiipruzx 27″
Our Rating: 9/10
ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QN 24.5”
Highest Hz Monitor
SPECIFICATIONS*
Screen Size: 24.5″ | Panel/Pixel Type: IPS | Aspect Ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Response Time: 1ms | Refresh Rate: 360hz
REASONS TO BUY
+ G-sync, very low response time & 360hz is an incredible experience for gaming
+ Well built & ergonomic
+ Decent secondary picture specs (particularly color accuracy)
REASONS TO AVOID
Usually, on our top monitor features, there is a close battle for the top choice.
But in this category? There is a clear winner.
With an incredible 360hz, this ASUS display is unrivaled by nearly every other option.
Not only is this the highest Hz 1080p monitor available on the market, but it’s as good an offering as we could hope for with plenty of other decent specs elevating the screen’s quality. I’ve reviewed other 360hz monitors as they’ve emerged over the past year and this ASUS offering is still my favorite.
To start, the PG259QN runs on an IPS panel. This is great to see when many of the other highest refresh rate displays have chosen TN/VA. ASUS has also negated the usual main downside of IPS with a 1ms response time. With the refresh rate and the incredibly low latency, I easily rank this as one of the best monitors for esports & competitive gaming.
Working alongside the IPS panel is a 1000:1 contrast ratio, G-sync, and HDR10 capability. We love that this gaming monitor hasn’t sacrificed picture quality for the highest refresh rate (you’re getting the best of both worlds).
Finally, with decent, sturdy adjustment options, thin bezels, and a beautiful design, the PG259QN feels like a premium gaming monitor should. I have no notable complaints on its build quality.
Source: ASUS
360hz vs 240hz Monitors
But let’s talk about 360hz for a moment.
A refresh rate 50% higher than the next common high refresh rate option (240hz), even at these incredibly high rates, 360fps will still provide a measurable improvement over 240fps for serious gamers.
That’s not to say 240hz isn’t still a very capable refresh rate for all types of games. Plenty of gamers (even professionals) have setups at this refresh rate, which is why we have covered lower Hz options below if you’d prefer a screen with a higher resolution.
But there’s no denying 360hz is very compelling. For competitive gaming, I’ve found it can provide that additional edge that is oh-so-important in key reactionary moments.
We’re a long way away from ever seeing things like 480hz, 500hz, and 1000hz monitors being available on the market, so expect 360hz to be king for a long time.
If you’re very serious about getting the smoothest gameplay experience possible, then know this isn’t just the highest refresh rate monitor ever, but a display that excels in the other important factors of what makes a great gaming display.
2022 mid-year update: 360hz remains the highest refresh rate available for gaming monitors readily available, but ASUS has announced a 500hz monitor. As incredible as this sounds, release dates are unclear. We’re also expecting 360hz vs 500hz will likely be a major diminishing return to the human eye (and hard to run without the best GPU/CPU combo on the market) so we would recommend sticking to a 360hz pick.
We still rate the PG259QN as the best overall 360hz pick. With that said, a few other very comparable choices have entered the market, most notably the MSI Oculux, & Alienware AW2521H. These models are worth your consideration if the ASUS pick is unavailable or if a particular version is on offer.
LG 27GN950-B 27 Inch UHD
Highest Hz 4K Monitor
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size: 27″ | Panel/Pixel Type: IPS | Aspect Ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Response Time: 1ms | Refresh Rate: 144hz
REASONS TO BUY
+ 4K, Nano IPS panel, 1ms latency & 144hz create a fantastic picture.
+ Beautiful, extremely thin bezel build
REASONS TO AVOID
Now, as much as we rate our top 360hz choice, if you’re focussed on immersive titles as much as you are on competitive gaming, then you will likely want to consider our next 2 choices.
This LG monitor offers an incredible UHD + 144hz combo. While nowhere near as smooth as 360hz, running games at 2160p with a high refresh rate is an entirely wonderful experience in itself.
Similar to our top pick, we love that LG has managed to base this model on an IPS panel with a 1ms response time. Taking the display further, this display also has an impressive DCI-P3 98% color gamut & VESA DisplayHDR 600. Between all these specs, you can expect fantastic blacks & colors, and when tied with the resolution and refresh rate? Well, few monitors are going to produce better output, especially at its respectable price point.
Source: LG
There’s G-sync / AMD FreeSync compatibility included, with a striking design and beautiful build quality. Two design areas specifically stood out to me:
- The incredible screen-to-body ratio, with some of the thinnest bezels of a premium display I’ve seen. This choice would make a fantastic high refresh rate monitor for a dual display setup.
- The RGB Sphere Lighting 2.0 is included on the back of the unit. This will output colorful lighting onto the wall behind your monitor which can be customized to blend into what you’re seeing on screen. It sounds gimmicky, but combined with its thin bezels, it’s a really nice effect to view in person.
Ranking at the top of our 4k 144hz display feature, there’s so much to love about this LG model. At its decent price point, it’s easily the best choice for someone after the highest refresh rate 4k monitor for gaming.
2022 mid-year update: Samsung has recently released a 4k 240hz monitor with some absolutely mind-blowing specs (its Odyssey series is known for the utmost quality amongst high-end choices). That said, we still highly rate this LG model as it comes in at a significantly lower cost and is more available (you’ll also need an exceptionally powerful PC for a 4k 240hz monitor to be fully effective).
Acer Nitro XV272U Xbmiipruzx 27"
Highest Hz 1440p Monitor
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size: 27″ | Panel/Pixel Type: IPS | Aspect Ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 2560 x 1440 | Response Time: 1ms | Refresh Rate: 240-270hz
REASONS TO BUY
+ 1440p @ 240hz is a nice compromise between resolution and refresh rate
+ Potential to overclock to 270Hz is nice bonus
+ Great color accuracy
REASONS TO AVOID
Last but not least out of our top 3 highest refresh rate gaming monitor picks is what you could call a “compromise” between the two choices above.
If you want the joys of very high refresh rates but also want a resolution that notably improves graphical capability beyond full HD, this is easily the best pick on the market for you.
At a stunning 240hz + 1440p, the Xbmiipruzx feels like the best of both worlds and is the top choice on our feature looking at monitors in this category.
Boasting an IPS panel that takes response time even further with 0.5-1ms response time with agile-splendor technology, this is one of the lowest latency monitors out of the premium choices on the market (we will say the difference between 0.5 and 1ms is often negligible even for high-level play, but it’s still a nice bonus).
Tied with these specs is a 99% Adobe RGB color gamut and HDR400. Alongside its IPS panel, there’s plenty of capability here for a gorgeous, bright picture (alongside the ability to use AMD Freesync / Nvidia G-Sync to reduce stuttering/screen-tearing).
Source: Acer
While the standard ceiling for 1440p is 240hz, the Xbiipruzx takes this a step further with the ability to overclock to up to 270hz with DisplayPort or USB Type-C. You don’t need this overclocking for the monitor to be incredibly capable of smooth gameplay, but it’s a nice bonus for those extra focused on building the highest FPS monitor for their setup.
There are no complaints from us on the build quality either. With a sturdy, adjustable frame and beautifully thin bezels, the monitor is perfect for a multi-screen setup if desired. It looks a little plainer compared to our other top picks but this is a very negligible point.
The only thing we don’t like about this monitor is the model name (who knows what Acer was thinking with that eyesore!) but you know a model is good when the name is my biggest complaint.
While it is an expensive choice, we see many monitors well above this price point that don’t match the well-balanced nature of this Acer display’s specs.
If you’re looking for the highest refresh rate 1440p monitor that is worth buying today at a mid-range price point, you’ve found it.
2022 mid-year update: We still love this Acer offering, but have observed it encountering some pretty bad stock issues over the past few months. There are some excellent alternatives in our 240hz 1440p feature article.
Acer XF250Q Cbmiiprx 24.5"
Highest Hz Budget Monitor
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size: 24.5″ | Panel/Pixel Type: TN | Aspect Ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Response Time: 1ms | Refresh Rate: 240hz
REASONS TO BUY
+ Fantastic value for 240Hz
+ Picture quality decent for the price after some configuration
REASONS TO AVOID
Now, if your budget allows, I’d recommend one of the other 3 picks above for someone after the highest Hz monitor for esports/gaming.
That said, our last two picks are great options if your wallet demands something closer to the $150-300 range.
The Acer XF250Q still boasts a fantastic 240hz refresh rate and is a superb option for someone after an esports monitor.
One of the cheapest 240hz displays on the market, the model still has a lot going for it; with 1ms response time and AMD Freesync compatibility.
Source: Acer
In addition, we like that there doesn’t feel like any skimping on build quality/adjustability here, even going far as to include a vertical orientation option. It’s also from one of the best monitor brands in the business. Sometimes, cheaper options mean going to less reputable manufacturers. That’s thankfully not the case here.
So, where does this choice lack compared to our top picks? Well, of course, the main loss in this category is at 1080p, there is a superior 360hz display available which will be a significant increase for serious gamers. And if you’re happy with 240hz, then the 1440p 240hz options available are notably better.
This isn’t just true in terms of resolution/refresh rate, our top 3 picks also have IPS panels, very high nits brightness, and great color accuracy. This Acer XF250Q model isn’t bad in these areas (certainly superior to many similarly priced picks I’ve reviewed), but it runs on a TN panel and will not give the same premium picture you can expect from our top picks.
With all that said, if this price point is the furthest your wallet can stretch, then know we included this great option for a reason. It is easily my top recommendation for those after the highest refresh rate monitor on a budget.
LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
Highest Hz Monitor under $200
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size: 24″ | Panel/Pixel Type: TN| Aspect Ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Response Time: 1ms | Refresh Rate: 144hz
REASONS TO BUY
+ 144Hz is a good balance for people who can’t afford a build that will run higher settings
+ Great value for 144Hz, 1ms latency & FreeSync compatibility
REASONS TO AVOID
To round off our list, we wanted to include another commendable budget pick for those after the highest refresh rate monitor at a very low price.
This LG offering strikes an incredible balance; not much more expensive than the cheapest 60hz monitors we would recommend, it somehow manages to run 1080p 144hz with a 1ms response time.
This really is very impressive for the price point. Of course, don’t expect gameplay close to as smooth/sharp as the picks above, but we’re still floored by what they’ve managed to pack in here.
144Hz vs 240Hz
If you’re trying to decide between our two budget picks, we would say the upgrade to 240hz will be worth it for those with powerful PC setups who focus on competitive games (CS: GO, LOL, Dota 2, etc.).
If, however, you’re more of a single-player gamer, or your PC is also a budget build, you will still see benefits from 240hz, but there will likely be diminishing returns compared to say, spending more money on a nicer GPU.
Source: LG
Running on a TN panel (as you’d expect at this price point), the monitor still has serviceable colors/brightness and boasts Freesync compatability.
The build quality is decent for the budget too, with some decent adjustability. The screen-to-body ratio isn’t quite as nice as our other picks, but really at this price point, I’d be amazed if it was!
While we’d love to recommend our top picks to everybody, we appreciate that isn’t feasible for every budget.
Luckily for those tight wallets, LG’s option here is not just a very high refresh rate for the price, but we’d argue it’s the best gaming monitor under $200 in any category.
- Highest Hz Monitor: ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QN 24.5”
- Highest Hz 4K Monitor: LG 27GN950-B 27 Inch UHD
- Highest Hz 1440p Monitor: Acer Nitro XV272U Xbmiipruzx 27″
- Highest Hz Budget Monitor: Acer XF250Q Cbmiiprx 24.5″
- Highest Hz Monitor under $200: LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B
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About the author
Kaelum Ross
* Specifications throughout our articles are double-checked and intended to inform our users, but should not be treated as factual information. When making final decisions on your products, please check the manufacturer pages to confirm the fine details.
Appreciate the 2022 update! Gone with AW2521H, excited 😀
Woop woop! Enjoy it 🙂