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You don’t need a monitor with a native 144Hz ceiling to play at 144Hz. The strongest current 1440p options in this comparison run at 180Hz, 240Hz, or 280Hz and can also be used at 144Hz. For an immersive dark-room setup, the 34-inch Alienware AW3426DW is the premium OLED choice; for lower-cost 1440p, the AOC Q27G3XMN and Alienware AW2725DM trade contrast and HDR potential against motion handling. There are four well-supported picks here—not five: the cited comparison names four category picks and does not establish a fifth as a top pick.
Which 144Hz gaming monitor should you choose?
Choose according to your screen format, room lighting, budget, and tolerance for motion or HDR compromises—not refresh rate alone. These are RTINGS’ US-market recommendations from its 1440p 144Hz roundup, which includes faster native-refresh models that can operate at 144Hz. The cited page considers cost and ease of finding products, but does not establish current prices or retailer stock. Check current listings and the exact model suffix before buying.
| Monitor | Role and native refresh rate | Resolution, size, panel | Best fit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell Alienware AW3426DW | Premium ultrawide; 280Hz | 34-inch, 3440×1440, QD-OLED | Immersive dark-room gaming | Bright-room performance and glare handling |
| HyperX OMEN OLED 27q | Mid-range OLED; 240Hz | 27-inch, 2560×1440, QD-OLED | OLED motion handling in a conventional 16:9 size | Less immersive and less bright than the Dell ultrawide |
| AOC Q27G3XMN | Budget mini-LED; up to 180Hz | 27-inch, 2560×1440, VA LCD with mini-LED backlight | Lower-cost contrast and local dimming | Black smearing and halos; HDMI tops out at 144Hz |
| Dell Alienware AW2725DM | Cheaper IPS option; up to 180Hz | 27-inch, 2560×1440, IPS LCD | Gaming where reduced black smearing is useful | Weak HDR/local dimming; VRR can worsen motion |
RTINGS’ roundup says all four can be used at 144Hz. Its category labels and performance judgments are the reviewer’s recommendations, not guarantees that each model suits every player. RTINGS says it has bought and tested more than 400 monitors; that is the organization’s own description of its testing corpus, not an independently audited count. See RTINGS’ 1440p 144Hz roundup.
What each recommendation is good at
Dell Alienware AW3426DW: premium ultrawide OLED
This 34-inch, 3440×1440 QD-OLED has a native 280Hz refresh rate, so 144Hz is below its ceiling rather than its fixed operating rate. RTINGS reports sharp motion, low input lag, common VRR support, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, vivid color, and deep blacks in dark rooms. The 21:9 ultrawide format offers a wider view than the 27-inch 16:9 picks, but needs more desk space. In a bright room, glare handling is weaker and blacks can look raised; this is the least suitable choice here if bright-room image quality is your priority.
#1 Best Overall
- 【INTEGRATED SPEAKERS】Whether you're at work or in the midst of an intense gaming session, our built-in speakers provide rich and seamless audio, all while keeping your desk clutter-free.
- 【EASY ON THE EYES】 Protect your eyes and enhance your comfort with Blue-Light Shift technology. This feature reduces harmful blue light emissions from your screen, helping to alleviate eye strain during long hours of use and promoting healthier viewing habits.
- 【WIDEN YOUR PERSPECTIVE】Our sleek minimal bezel design ensures undivided attention. The nearly bezel-free display seamlessly connects in a dual monitor arrangement, delivering an unobstructed view that lets you focus on more at once, completely distraction-free.
HyperX OMEN OLED 27q: 27-inch OLED without the ultrawide format
The 27-inch 2560×1440 QD-OLED runs at up to 240Hz and also works at 144Hz. RTINGS highlights strong motion handling, common VRR support, and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. Compared with the 34-inch Dell, it is less immersive and less bright, and its colors look less vivid in RTINGS’ comparison. Choose it when you want the OLED format in a more conventional 16:9 size rather than an ultrawide screen.
AOC Q27G3XMN: budget mini-LED, with a port-dependent ceiling
This 27-inch 1440p VA LCD uses a mini-LED backlight and reaches 180Hz over DisplayPort. Its HDMI input supports up to 144Hz, so the cable and GPU output determine whether you can use its highest rate. RTINGS describes good local dimming for dark scenes, but also reports halos around bright objects and smearing in dark scenes. Its overall gaming performance is weaker than the OLED pick. It is worth considering when local-dimming contrast is appealing at a budget tier, provided you accept those motion and halo trade-offs.
Rank #2
- Vivid Color, Fast Response, Total Control - The 24" UltraGear FHD gaming monitor delivers vivid HDR10 color, ultra-smooth 120Hz speed, and 1ms MBR clarity. G-SYNC compatibility & FreeSync keep gameplay tear-free. The sleek, slim design keep you focused and in control.
- Vivid Color That Puts You in the Action - Step onto the battlefield with HDR10 visuals and up to 99% sRGB color gamut coverage. The IPS display delivers rich, vivid tones, so every explosion, shadow, and landscape appears exactly as the developers intended.
- 120Hz Native Speed (144Hz Overclock) - Enjoy fluid, crystal-clear gameplay with a 120Hz native refresh rate, boosted to 144Hz when overclocked. Minimized motion blur keeps every frame sharp, so you can stay locked in on the action.
- 1ms MBR: Fast-Paced Speed to Victory - 1ms Motion Blur Reduction (MBR) keeps gameplay smooth and sharp, cutting blur and ghosting so fast-moving action stays clear—helping you stay competitive when every millisecond counts.
- NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible & AMD FreeSync - NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible and AMD FreeSync deliver smooth, tear-free, low-latency gaming with high refresh rates—so every frame stays sharp.
Dell Alienware AW2725DM: cheaper IPS gaming option
This 27-inch, 2560×1440 IPS LCD has a maximum refresh rate of 180Hz and can be used at 144Hz. RTINGS says it can be better for pure gaming than the AOC in some respects, including less black smearing. Its HDR presentation is weak: local dimming turns on automatically in HDR and cannot be disabled, and VRR can make motion look worse than with VRR off. It is not the pick for a buyer whose main goal is convincing HDR.
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Competitive shooters
Prioritize motion behavior and a refresh rate your system can actually sustain. Dell’s September 2026 manufacturer buying guide advises competitive FPS players to prioritize 240Hz or higher; treat that as Dell’s audience guidance, not a universal rule. Of these options, the two OLED models have the highest native ceilings, but a faster ceiling alone does not guarantee a better experience in every game or configuration.
Rank #3
- MSI's 23.8-inch Full HD IPS gaming monitor (1920×1080) delivers a 1500:1 contrast ratio with wide 178°/178° viewing angles — producing deeper blacks, brighter highlights, and accurate colors from virtually any position for gaming and productivity.
- TÜV Rheinland certified Flicker Free and Low Blue Light — eliminating the ~200Hz screen flicker common on standard monitors and reducing harmful blue light exposure to minimize eye strain during extended gaming or work sessions.
- 144Hz high refresh rate delivers ultra-smooth motion and sharper tracking versus standard 60Hz or 75Hz monitors — keeping every frame fluid and responsive for fast-paced FPS, racing, and action games without screen tearing or stuttering.
- MSI's built-in Eye-Q Check provides a vision assessment tool to help optimize display settings for healthier long-term viewing — designed for professionals and students spending extended hours in front of a Full HD IPS screen.
- Tilt-adjustable stand (-5°~20°) for comfortable viewing at any desk setup, with VESA 100×100mm wall mount compatibility for monitor arms, brackets, and multi-monitor arrangements — reducing neck strain during long gaming or work sessions.
Story games, RPGs, or console play
Screen size, resolution, HDR behavior, and the available HDMI and VRR support may matter more than chasing the highest refresh number. Dell recommends 165–240Hz at higher resolutions for these use cases, also as manufacturer guidance. The ultrawide Dell is the largest format here, while the 27-inch options use standard 16:9 proportions. RTINGS specifically notes HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on the two OLED picks; the AOC’s HDMI refresh ceiling is 144Hz.
Bright or dark room
For a darker room, the AW3426DW’s OLED blacks are a strength. In bright surroundings, its weaker glare handling and raised-looking blacks are important drawbacks. The AOC’s mini-LED local dimming can help dark-scene contrast, though bright objects may halo. The cited comparison does not provide a directly comparable brightness figure for all four models, so it does not support ranking them by a numeric brightness measure.
Rank #4
- up to 180Hz Refresh Rate: Pushing beyond the standard 144Hz, 165Hz gives gamers an edge in visibility as frames transition instantly, leaving behind no blurred images.
- IPS Panel: The IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel cannot be beat when it comes to consistently delivering top color performance and sharp visibility from multiple viewing angles.
- AMD FreeSync: With FreeSync, gamers now enjoy smooth video and seamless on the spot movement through their fast paced games. FreeSync is an AMD technology that nearly eliminates tearing and stuttering due to differences between a graphics card's frame rate and a monitor's refresh rate.
- Edgeless Design: Edgeless Design completely immerses you in all the captivating action and wondrous scenery that 1080P resolution and 165Hz refresh rate have to offer.
- Multiple Digital Ports: While three HDMI ports each deliver an impressive 144Hz refresh rate, one DisplayPort produces a stunning 165Hz refresh rate, all in FHD resolution.
Check these details before buying or setting up
- Confirm the exact model and current listing. RTINGS’ recommendations are US-focused, and its inspected page does not establish today’s price, availability, warranty, or retailer stock. Verify the model suffix and return terms with the seller.
- Match the input to the refresh rate you want. The AOC reaches 180Hz over DisplayPort but only up to 144Hz over HDMI. Don’t assume every input supports the same maximum.
- Check the GPU output and cable. The monitor, port, cable, graphics hardware, resolution, and settings all affect the rate you can select. Confirm the combination in the monitor’s manual and your GPU’s display settings.
- Set and verify the refresh rate. After connecting the monitor, select the intended resolution and refresh rate in your operating system or graphics-control settings, then confirm the monitor’s on-screen information if available. If the target rate is missing, recheck the selected input, cable, GPU output, and any monitor menu settings.
- Test VRR behavior in your games. VRR support does not guarantee that motion will look better in every mode: RTINGS reports that it can worsen motion on the AW2725DM. Compare enabled and disabled behavior if you see distracting artifacts.
What the buying criteria mean
Dell USA’s September 2026 buying guide says, “Choosing the best gaming monitor comes down to four core specifications: refresh rate, response time, adaptive sync, and panel type.” That is vendor-authored advice, not an independent standard. In practical terms, refresh rate is the screen’s update ceiling; response and motion behavior affect how moving objects appear; adaptive sync (often called VRR) helps coordinate monitor refresh with compatible graphics output; and panel/backlight design shapes contrast, color, and trade-offs such as OLED brightness or LCD haloing. Read Dell’s gaming monitor buying guide.
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RTINGS says its methodology includes buying and testing more than 30 monitors annually with specialized, custom tools. Its picks also account for cost, performance against competitors, and ease of finding products; its recommendation remains an editorial judgment, not a universal ranking. Browse RTINGS’ 144Hz monitor roundup.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 27" 1500R Up to 160Hz Curved Gaming Monitor FHD 1920x1080P 1Ms (MPRT) for Gaming, Movie, Working,support with 144Hz, 120Hz(depend on signal source device's hardware).
- Gamer-Centric Features: Game Assistant (Black Level Adjustment(shadow booster), Crosshair, Timer, Counter) | Preset Modes (FPS/RTS/Racing/Office/Movie/SRGB).
- Immersive & Clear Viewing: 1500R curvature reduces image distortion and eyestrain. 160Hz refresh rate, 1ms (MPRT) response time, FreeSync
- Color Control: 4000:1 Contrast Ratio, 300 nits Brightness & 110% sRGB color coverage, Low Blue Light, Anti-Flicker/Anti-Glare, HDR Mode(can be enabled in the OSD menu only when connected via an HDMI port). If color not showing great on games, try to change color setting or just turn on the HDR mode.
- Jacks: HDMI 2.0(160Hz max), DP 1.4(160Hz max), Audio Jack(No Speakers) | VESA 100x100mm | Tilt (-5°~15°±2°).
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
