January 22 2020

Best Monitor for Xbox One X

While console gaming can certainly be fun, sometimes it’s not really convenient to game in the living room where the TV is. For that situation, you’ll probably want to get yourself a portable gaming monitor that you can put in a bedroom or even a small office. That way, you can get your game on without disturbing any other potentially boring person who isn’t gaming in the TV Room.

So what are the Best Xbox One X Monitors?

Best Choice: LG 27UK650-W 27

Pros & Cons

  • Excellent response time
  • Wide viewing angles
  • FreeSync
  • No HDR
  • Poor contrast ratio

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 27”
  • Resolution: 4K UHD
  • Panel Type: IPSRefresh Rate: 60Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 5ms GtG

LG 27UK650-W 27 Review

It’s not always easy to find the middle of the road screens for a console, so it’s nice to find that LG has done a reasonably good job of proving a great gaming screen at a reasonable price. For starters, the screen size lies in the larger range of things at 27”, which is great if you don’t like sitting too close to the monitor or if you want to play with friends.

Speaking of which, it also has a great viewing angle due to the IPS screen, so you don’t have to worry about washed out colors for anybody viewing it off-center. Another big benefit of the IPS screen is that you’re getting some really great colors, with it hitting a little over 76” of the Adobe RGB color spectrum.

Unfortunately, there are some downsides to an IPS screen, and for this LG one, in particular, viewing conditions in a dark room isn’t great due to the contrast ratio. Similarly, the screen doesn’t offer HDR, which might be a let down for some.

That being said, both of those aren’t really deal-breakers, especially when you consider the overall monitor and the average viewing environment when people game.

One thing that’s particularly nice here is that the monitor is 4k, so you can not only get upscaled 4k, but the screen is also ready for Xbox Series X when it comes out, which will almost certainly support native 4k.

Response time is also relatively good at 5ms, and while it’s not as high as PC-specific monitors, for the Xbox One X its more than enough so that you won’t notice any lag. One final tidbit is that this monitor comes with AMD’s FreeSync technology, which is pretty sweet, although if you plan to use it with a PC that runs an Nvidia GPU, you’ll be missing out on the adaptive sync technology.

Overall, the LG 27UK650-W is a great middle-of-the-ground screen if you don’t want to dump a bunch of money into your gaming monitor. Yes, it is a little bit pricey, but you get the majority of features that work well with the Xbox One X such as 4k and FreeSync.

The IPS screen is also pretty awesome, especially if you game with friends, although you probably won’t get too much mileage if you prefer playing in the dark.

Premium Pick: Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ

Pros & Cons

  • 144hz refresh rate
  • Excellent contrast
  • Tons of gaming features
  • Very pricey
  • Mostly useful for gaming

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 49”
  • Resolution: 3840 x 1080
  • Panel Type: VA
  • Refresh Rate: 144Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 32:9
  • Response Time: 4ms

Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ Review

Now if you’re looking for some top-of-the-line ultra-widescreen, then you can’t go wrong with this Asus ROG Strix, with a whopping 49” size and a ton of great gaming features.

As you can imagine, a high-quality ultra-wide monitor like this is pretty awesome for gaming and general entertainment consumption, especially if you plan to use this screen beyond just your console. The contrast is excellent, as is to be expected with a VA panel, and the viewing angles are also pretty good, although of course, you’ll run into the issues all curved panels have.

That being said, you do get a whopping 144Hz refresh rate, which is something you don’t find often and will certainly come in useful when you want to move to the Xbox Series X which comes with 120Hz refresh.

The only big downside here is that the resolution isn’t that great compared to everything, being a very basic 1080p. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, especially if you’re more interested in the refresh rate and HDR capabilities of this screen which are staggering.

Not only do you get FreeSync 2 with HDR support, but you also get a DisplayHDR 400 certification, both of which are top of the line. Similarly, response time is pretty good at 4ms for a screen this size and resolution, so you won’t be feeling any lag at all. Of course, the lower resolution means it’s not super great for general productivity, such as a dual-monitor replacement.

That being said, if you’re mostly using it for gaming and watching films or shows, it actually isn’t too bad at all. If the lower resolution does bother you, you can go for the Philips Brilliance 499P9H which is similarly priced and has a slightly higher resolution of 5120×1440.

Given Asus’ reputation for gaming hardware, especially their monitors, it’s no surprise to find a solid entry into the ultra-wide category. It’s not cheap, but it’s certainly a monitor you can enjoy beyond just console gaming.

Best Budget: Asus VP28UQG

Pros & Cons

  • 144hz refresh rate
  • Excellent contrast
  • Tons of gaming features
  • Very pricey
  • Mostly useful for gaming

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 28”
  • Resolution: 3840 x 2160
  • Panel Type: TN
  • Refresh Rate: 60Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 1ms

Asus VP28UQG Review

If both of the options above are a bit out of your price range, then this little entry by Asus is a pretty great budget monitor for gaming on your Xbox One X.

While it doesn’t have a fancy VA or IPS screen, the TN screen has a super-low response time of 1ms, so there’s going to be zero lag if you want to play games competitively. You also get FreeSync through HDMI, which the Xbox One X can manage, so you shouldn’t notice any screen tearing or anything of that nature. Of course, there’s no HDR which isn’t surprising when you consider the price point and other specs of the monitor.

Thankfully, it does have some good contrast and brightness, so you shouldn’t have much or any issue in playing in a dark environment. You also get some 4k UHD which is not only awesome, it’s also future-proof for the native 4k support the Xbox Series X will almost certainly have.

The wider screen and TN panel also means more viewing space/angle, Which is especially great if you want to game with others or if you want to use your monitor for non-console gaming uses.

One thing which is somewhat annoying is that it only has an up/down tilt, which isn’t a super big deal, especially considering the other monitors on here, but it’s something to be aware of.

There’s also no internal speakers but you’ll probably be using external speakers anyway, and if not, there’s a headphone jack to use some high-end headphones instead. Also, it does have a VESA mount if that’s something you care about (which you should, it’s useful).

All in all, the Asus VP28UQG is a great budget screen if you don’t want to spend a ton of money and yet some pretty great quality out of your monitor. The great viewing angle, UHD, and wider screen size mean there’s lots of screen real estate for you to enjoy. There’s no HDR, but there is FreeSync, so even though you’re compromising, you’re certainly getting something in return.

Best Budget Curved: Sceptre 24″ Curved LED Monitor

Pros & Cons

  • Dirt-cheap price for what you get
  • Good grayscale and color performance
  • 75Hz refresh rate
  • No tilt adjustments
  • No HDR

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 24”
  • Resolution: 1080p
  • Panel Type: VA
  • Refresh Rate: 75Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 8ms

Sceptre 24″ Curved LED Monitor Review

For a very long time, high-quality curved monitors for gaming used to sit in the very high price bracket of several hundred dollars. Not anymore though, with this offering by Spectre, bringing the price of a curved monitor to just over a hundred bucks and making curved screens much more accessible.

Of course, given that this is a cheaper screen, you don’t have some of the higher-end specs like the other monitors. For example, there’s no HDR to be had here, although the overall color and grayscale performance is excellent, better than equivalent screens at the price range. You can thank the VA panel for that, another surprising feature in such a cheap monitor.

Equally surprising is the 75Hz refresh rate and while that’s not as high as 120Hz that the Xbox Series X will provide, or the 144Hz you find in PC monitor, it’s still pretty good. That’s especially true if you’re aiming to stick with your Xbox One X for at least another year or two. If you do, the Xbox One X only supports 60Hz anyway, so you aren’t missing out on anything.

The response rate is a little bit high at 8ms, but it’s still sub-10ms so it’s more than enough for the application, even if you plan to play on the PC as well.

Really, the big selling point is the curved screen, although it’s somewhat smaller than you’d expect at 24”. That being said, it’s a great screen for personal use in a home office, whether you’re gaming or working. One thing that is annoying though is its lack of ergonomics in the tilt, so the angle it comes with is the angle you get, which is a bit annoying. Making it a bit more expensive to add that functionality would have made this screen awesome.

Honestly, though, the price is just insanely hard to beat for a curved monitor, especially when you add the 75Hz rate and the VA panel. If you’re interested or prefer curved monitors, but don’t want to drop a couple of hundred dollars or more on a screen, this is a perfect choice.

Best 24” Budget Monitor: BenQ 24 Inch IPS Monitor – GW2480

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 24”
  • Resolution: 1080p
  • Panel Type: IPS
  • Refresh Rate: 60Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 5ms

BenQ 24 Inch IPS Monitor – GW2480 Review

BenQ has a good history of making great budget monitors, and if you aren’t really interested in a curved screen and want to save a few bucks, this is a good option.

Of course, since this is a budget monitor, you aren’t getting some of the more expensive features of the other screens, such as 2k or 4k resolutions or higher refresh rates. That being said, you can certainly overclock the BenQ to 75Hz to get some better frame performance, but honestly, the Xbox One X can’t do more than 60Hz anyway, so it’s not a deal-breaker.

Similarly, the 5ms response time great, and the input lag sits around 10ms, which for a console is absolutely fine, so it beats out your standard TV in that regard.

One thing that is very impressive though is that you get an IPS screen, and LG’s AH-IPS panel to boot, one of the better ones around. This means that viewing angles are really excellent and the color reproduction hits 93% of the sRGB spectrum.

Brightness is ok at 250-nits, and the contrast ratio of 1000:1 is similarly pretty good, so while it’s not going to beat out the higher end displays, it can stand quite well in its own right.

Unfortunately, there isn’t an ergonomic tilt, so if you like adjusting your screen tilt, it’s a bit annoying. That being said, it does have VESA mounts, so you can always get yourself a better solution to the ergonomics.

One other thing that might be slightly frustrating is that the menu is button-operated, so going through the menu to adjust things can be a bit of a hassle.

All in all though, even though the BenQ GW2480 doesn’t have a lot of features, you are getting an absolute TON compared to the actual price of the monitor. BenQ in general also has great production quality (in fact, I’m using a BenQ screen right now, that’s how reliable it is), so you know you’re buying a product that will last you years. If you’re looking for the cheapest gaming monitor for your Xbox One X, this is the screen for you.

Xbox One X Monitor Buying Guide

While most people think of living room TVs when it comes to console gaming, there’s a growing sector of the market that prefers gaming on a smaller monitor in an office space or even bedroom.

Thankfully, picking a monitor for an Xbox One X isn’t too difficult, and it mostly depends on your budget. That being said, there are certain things to keep in mind when you’re considering which monitor to buy.

Screen Size & Resolution

Probably the biggest consideration when it comes to picking a monitor is what screen size to go for. When it comes to monitors, you’ll rarely find something above 28” unless it’s an ultrawide screen, and if you’re considering that, keep in mind that Xbox One X doesn’t really support Ultrawide. Of course, if you plan to use the screen for general use or maybe PC gaming as well, then it might be a good option.

One the other end of the spectrum, the smallest screen size you’ll find is 24” which is great if you game on your own or if you have a small space that can’t fit a traditional TV.

Another thing to think about is resolution. For the most part, a 1080p should be more than enough for more games, although the Xbox One X does support 4k upscaling. Of course, 4k monitors tend to be much more expensive, so you have to consider how much you actually game on your console, and how much you’re willing to put into it in terms of a cash investment.

Panel Type

Generally speaking, there are three-panel types you’ll commonly find: TN, VA, and IPS.

types of monitor panel

TN panels are the most common and the cheapest, so you tend to find them on cheaper monitors. While TN screens have better response times and input lag, the viewing angles tend to not be that great, so if you like gaming with friends, this isn’t the best option.

IPS panels were created to fix some of the problems associated with TN panels so they have much better viewing angles and better color reproduction. Unfortunately, they tend to be quite expensive, and input lag tends to be an issue. Thankfully, recent screens have done a lot of work towards decreasing the input lag, so it’s not as bad, especially if you game on a console.

VA panels were similarly created to be a middle ground between IPS and TN screens. Viewing angles are good, but not as good as IPS, and response time and the cost is similarly good, but not as good as TN. VAs are slowly becoming more common nowadays, so you should be aware of them.

Actually, Game Gavel has written a great guide on the differences between TN vs. IPS vs. VA  so be sure to check that out and brush up on your knowledge.

Refresh Rate

The big buzzword that’s been going around the past few years, there’s been a big surge when it comes to the importance placed on the refresh rate.

xbox one x upclose

For the most part, 60Hz is what you want to aim for since the support for 120Hz isn’t commonly available for all games on the Xbox One X. Of course, if you’re planning to purchase the Xbox Series X when it comes out in a year or two, that one does go up to 120Hz by default, so if you want to future proof, that’s the number you want to look for.


FAQs:

What Refresh Rate Is Best for Xbox One X?

Originally Xbox One X only came with support for 60Hz, but Microsoft added a High Refresh Rate support that allowed some games to go up to 120Hz. Obviously, 120Hz is much better, but the truth is that not all games support it and it can be hit and miss. So ultimately, it depends on your budget and if you’re willing to spend money on a feature you might not always be able to use.

Does Xbox One X Work With Freesync?

Yes, the Xbox One X does support FreeSync, although it didn’t originally. Now, whether it’s worth the cost of getting it, that’s debatable, but most monitors marketed to gamers tend to have either FreeSync or GSync, and you’ll want to go for the former to take advantage of Adaptive-Sync technology on your Xbox One X.

Is 1440p the Same as 4K?

No, they aren’t. If you want to follow that naming convention, 1440p would be considered 2k, but you should never refer to it like that since it’s technically incorrect. If you want the highest possible res on your display (only useful if you also have a PC), check out the best 4K gaming monitors out there.

Do Monitors Look Better Than TVs?

This is a surprisingly more complicated question to answer with TV manufacturers starting to make their TVs more gaming-friendly.

tv vs monitor xbox gaming

Ultimately, what will decide what looks better is the actual cost and specs of the screen you’re going to get. You can easily get a TV that looks better than a monitor, and the opposite is equally true. When it comes to console gaming though, there’s very little difference and it shouldn’t be something you should worry about. For the most part, choosing TV or monitor for your Xbox One X gaming should be more about the application and where you want to put your screen more than anything else.


Final Verdict

Well, there you have it folks, a nice little variety of different screens that you can use for your Xbox One X. Hopefully you’ll have found something that fits your needs, or at least maybe just given you a few extra things to think about when you’re making your decision.

Either way, enjoy your gaming and try to go outside and see the Real World from time to time.


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Author

Albert Bassili