C'mon, ditch 1080p already. There are high-refresh Black Friday 1440p gaming monitors to be had

1440p deals
(Image credit: LG)
LG UltraGear 32GN600-B | 32-inch | 1440p | VA | 165Hz | $349 $200 at Walmart (save $149)

LG UltraGear 32GN600-B | 32-inch | 1440p | VA | 165Hz | $349 $200 at Walmart (save $149)
OK, the LG UltraGear 32GN600-B has a VA panel. And it's not a Samsung monitor. So, whatever the specs say, it won't be quite as quick as the best IPS gaming monitors. But it's rated at 1ms, it's 1440p and 165Hz. And it's just 200 bucks. It's an awful lot of big-brand gaming fun for the money.

Set credit card to stun, ignore your next heating bill, and fuggedabowd those clunky old 1080p monitors. Because it's now possible to upgrade to buttery smooth 1440p gaming for just $200. All hail the LG UltraGear 32GN600-B, all 32 inches of it.

Inevitably at this lowly price point, it's a VA panel rather than IPS. But it's the real 1440p-deal running at fully 165Hz refresh. And from LG, one of the very best brands in the display business, not some weirdo outfit you just found on Alibaba.

The LG UltraGear 32GN600-B also supports HDR, albeit rather minimally, and claims 1ms response. Granted that's 1ms MPRT rather than grey-to-grey. This monitor won't be quite as quick as the best 1ms IPS monitors. But as an overall gaming package at this price, it's one heck of a deal.

HP X32 | 31.5-inch | 1440p | IPS | 165Hz | $389.99 $229.99 at Best Buy (save $160)

HP X32 | 31.5-inch | 1440p | IPS | 165Hz | $389.99 $229.99 at Best Buy (save $160)
This is an absolute banger of a monitor deal. I struggle to believe you're going to find an IPS screen with the same size, such a high resolution, and such a high refresh rate for less than the $230 Best Buy is asking.

Should sir insist on IPS panel, well, get a load of the HP X32. Again, it's a high refresh 32 incher running at 165Hz, but with that critical upgrade to IPS over the the slightly cheaper LG and its VA panel.

HP claims it's good for not only a punchy 400 nits, but also 1ms response times. Connectivity includes both HDMI and DisplayPort. HP doesn't mention any HDR support. But then very few supposed HDR monitors actually deliver a true HDR experience. At this price, why would you even entertain 1080p?

Acer Nitro XZ342CK | 34-inch | 3440 x 1440 | VA | 144Hz | $449.99 $349.99 at Amazon (save $100)

Acer Nitro XZ342CK | 34-inch | 3440 x 1440 | VA | 144Hz | $449.99 $349.99 at Amazon (save $100)
4K gaming monitors aren't necessarily super expensive anymore, but the GPUs that will really allow you to game at decent frame rates still are. But if you want something more expansive than a 1440p panel you want an ultrawide. This VA panel from Acer overs the ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio and a high refresh rate to boot, and has never been cheaper than today.

What if you prefer ultrawide 1440p gaming? Inevitably, that's going to cost you. But maybe not quite as much as you fear. The Acer Nitro XZ342CK clocks in at just under $350 and delivers that uber-immersive 34-inch ultrawide experience at 1440p and 144Hz. 

Ultrawide monitors like this are arguably an acquired taste. But once experienced, it's hard to go back to a plain old 16:9-aspect panel. It's a sizeable uptick in investment, to be sure. But spread over a couple of years of fabulously enjoyable gaming, it's got to be worth it, right?

Jeremy Laird
Hardware writer

Jeremy has been writing about technology and PCs since the 90nm Netburst era (Google it!) and enjoys nothing more than a serious dissertation on the finer points of monitor input lag and overshoot followed by a forensic examination of advanced lithography. Or maybe he just likes machines that go “ping!” He also has a thing for tennis and cars.

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