What monitor upgrade offers the best value for gaming?

Your graphics card matters just as much as the monitor. Check what frame rates it can produce at the resolution you want: a 144Hz screen is most useful when your system can regularly get close to 100–144 frames per second. Adaptive sync, such as FreeSync or G-Sync compatibility, is also worth looking for because it helps prevent tearing when frame rates fluctuate.

For the biggest improvement over 60Hz, look for a 144Hz, 165Hz, or 180Hz monitor. The jump makes games, mouse movement, and even general scrolling feel noticeably smoother. A response time around 1ms GtG is a good target, but you usually don’t need to pay extra for extreme specifications unless you play competitive games seriously.

Panel type comes down to your priorities. IPS usually gives better colors and viewing angles, while VA offers stronger contrast and darker blacks but can have more motion smearing. OLED looks excellent and combines great contrast with fast response times, though burn-in is a consideration if static elements stay on screen for long periods. For a £200–£300 gaming upgrade, a decent IPS display is often the safest value.

For that budget, I’d focus on a 24- or 27-inch 1080p or 1440p display with at least 144Hz. A 27-inch 1440p monitor gives a sharper image, but it requires more GPU performance than 1080p. Ultrawide and very large curved screens can be great for immersion or multitasking, but they’re less likely to offer the best gaming value unless you specifically want the wider format.