1080P monitors are all the rave these days, whether it’s for gaming, office, or home use. While people are rushing to get the best ultra high-definition monitors, majority are scrambling to get the standard 1080P monitors which keep getting more affordable every time a new kind of ultra HD monitor comes out.
We’ve done hours and hours of research to curate the best monitors under $100 so you don’t have to. Each of the monitors on this list will meet your needs for crisp images, great picture quality, decent aspect ratio and dynamic contrast ratio.
What Are The Best Gaming Monitors Under $100
We’ve narrowed down this list to five of the best monitors under $100. For what you’re paying, you’re already getting high resolution monitors with decent color quality, reduced motion blur, may or may not have VESA mount, ambient light, and maybe even anti glare coating.
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Sceptre E248W-19203R 24″
Best Monitor Under $100
Specs At A Glance:
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 75Hz Refresh Rate
- 6ms Response Time
- 2x HDMI Ports
Here we have the best monitor under $100: Sceptre E248W-19203. It comes with a 24″ display and sports an 1080P HD resolution. The monitor sports a thin bezel design with built-in external speakers. That’s not a bad deal!
It’s a great monitor for gaming and for professionals looking to upgrade their workstation. Honestly, who needs high-end gaming monitors or workstation monitors? The Sceptre E248W-19203 is an affordable option that gives you impressive color accuracy and rich colors.
Need we also remind you that the Sceptre E248W-19203 also hits a 75Hz refresh rate? It’s not everyday you see monitors under $100 hitting this kind of refresh rate. This is probably the best overall monitor for both gaming and productivity tasks. You’ll have enough money left in your wallet to acquire other paraphernalia to complete your build, such as affordable PC cases.
Acer SB220Q 22″
Affordable Freesync Monitor
Specs at a Glance:
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 75Hz Refresh Rate
- IPS Panel
- AMD FreeSync
Second on our list of the best monitors under $100 is the Acer SB220Q 22″. This is considered to be the best monitor for gamers because of the full HD resolution, AMD FreeSync technology, and the 75Hz refresh rate. AMD FreeSync Technology allows you to take advantage of AMD’s adaptive sync technology that reduces screen stutter and tearing.
Like the Sceptre monitor, the Acer SB220Q 22″ comes with an IPS panel, 4ms response time, and sports a thin bezel design. All in all, you’re getting good value for the money you’re paying.
Sceptre might have the bigger screen space, but the Acer SB220Q 22″ is a lot better for gaming and provides better value all in all. Whether you want to upgrade to a bigger monitor or get a second monitor for gaming, the Acer SB220Q 22″ holds the title as best overall monitor (for gaming, at least).
Planar PLL2410W 24″
Ultra Affordable 24″ Monitor under $100
Specs at a Glance:
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 60Hz Refresh Rate
- 5ms Response Time
- DVI & VGA
The Planar PLL2140W is the second monitor on this list with a 24″ display, similar to the Sceptre monitor listed above. We’d consider this a good monitor under $100 for a couple of reasons.
First, the screen size. No one’s ever going to talk bad about the screen size. Whether it’s for gaming or for office work, the Planar PLL2140W gives you all the display space that you need. Granted, the Planar PLL2140W’s refresh rate is 60Hz with a 5ms response time, but that’s still considered impressive for the price you’re paying.
It’s not exactly a bad option for gaming, but it’s not exactly the best gaming monitor on this list too. You’re still better off with the Acer SB220Q for gaming.
The downside for this monitor is that it does not have one HDMI port. Rather, you’re getting one VGA port and one DVI D port. Still, there’s no issue here with pixel density and the monitor’s wide viewing angles are decent enough. You’re still getting vibrant colors on this monitor, and image quality is not really terrible here. The Planar PLL2140W is only a couple of bucks cheaper than the Sceptre, so you’re still better off with the previous two monitors on this list if you prefer HDMI and VGA ports.
Acer G226HQL 22″
Budget Friendly 1080P Monitor Under $100
Specs at a Glance:
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 60Hz Refresh Rate
- 5ms Response Time
- DVI & VGA
Price should never be an issue with the Acer G226HQL, one of the best monitors under $100 because it’s a budget friendly 1080P monitor. Second to the Acer AB220Q, the Acer G226HQL is by no means to be underestimated.
The market price for this monitor hovers somewhere between $80 and $90 but don’t let the price fool you. If you just want to have a monitor with decent image quality and doesn’t take up much desk space, consider the Acer G226HQL. The Acer G226HQL isn’t a thin bezel monitor, nor does its 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time blow any of its competitors away, but it’s still one of the best monitors under $100.
It doesn’t have an HDMI port but you do get DVI port. Honestly, you can get a DVI D to HDMI converter cable from any tech store and just go from there. There’s no VESA mount, but you can purchase extended monitor mounts that clamp down on the screen.
Another downside of the G226HQL is that it doesn’t come with VESA mounting holes. There is a mount you can purchase for the monitor, but it will cost extra. All in all, the lack of HDMI ports doesn’t hinder the Acer G226HQL from giving you rich colors and great image quality still.
The bottom line is that Acer G226HQL is not to be underestimated. If you’re looking for an affordable second monitor without the extra features (i.e. built in speakers, AMD FreeSync technology, blue light shift, and so on), this is a solid choice. It’s already a 22″ monitor under $100 that gives you 1080P resolution. You can’t ask for more.
BenQ GW2280 22″
Thin and Sleek 1080P HD Monitor
Specs at a Glance
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 60Hz Refresh Rate
- 5ms Response Time
- DVI & VGA
Much like the Acer G226HQL, you have another barebones 1080P monitor: the BenQ GW2280. It’s also not to be underestimated because the price may be that of a portable monitor, but its size is anything but portable. We say barebones because there are no added features. There is no built-in speakers, no adaptive sync technology, no VESA mount, no HDCP support, or any of the added feature. There’s not even one HDMI port on here.
You’re looking at a 22″ 1080P monitor with a standard refresh rate of 60Hz and 5ms response time. Unfortunately, you don’t get any HDMI ports but instead you get a DVI port and VGA port. Again, you can purchase a separate converter from VGA to HDMI or DVI to HDMI, along with an HDMI cable, and you’ll be good to go. It’s about $10 more expensive than the Acer G226HQL, and puts it at the same price as the Acer SB220Q. Honestly, just go for the Acer SB220Q if budget allows it.
Minus all the extra features, the BenQ GW2280 is still a top contender on this list because it has everything you need for a secondary monitor or for a large monitor for your workstation. The aspect ratio is still top-notch and competitive, image quality is more than decent enough, and as long as you can ignore the thick bezels, the BenQ GW2280 is a solid choice.
Are 1080P Monitors Decent When Cheap?
1080P monitors shouldn’t be judged based on their price. You could get an expensive ASUS monitor and still have it compete against any of the monitors listed on this article. 1080p monitors are becoming more affordable now because the higher-end monitors are dominating the market.
We’re talking about those monitors with IPS panels, 144Hz refresh rates, and maybe even curved display features. But these monitors don’t really shine if the underlying PC hardware doesn’t have the power to do so. Much like how a 120Hz gaming laptop wouldn’t be as impressive if it didn’t have the hardware to give you the graphics quality you need.
A budget-friendly monitor under $100 may not be as vivid as the higher-end models, but honestly, who can tell the difference right? Besides, these monitors are good enough for budget gaming PC builds under $600.
Things To Consider
When you’re purchasing any of the best monitors under $100, you have to know what you’re looking for to get some good value.
Let’s take a look at some of the key factors that will help you pick the best gaming monitor under $100. You might even land an ultra thin full HD monitor with an IPS panel if you know where to look.
Panel Types
For modern monitors, you’re looking at different types of panel technologies. Most of the modern monitors we see today are manufactured using TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display). Each panel type has its own pros and cons, and used for different scenarios.
There are panel types that are more responsive, while there are others that have better and wider viewing angles and color production.
The main panel types are IPS (in-plane switching), VA (vertical alignment), and TN (twisted nematic).
IPS Panels are widely used for video/photo editors and content creators. These panels have the highest color accuracy but the response time is slower than TN and faster than VA. It’s quite rare to find IPS panels that have high refresh rates.
VA panels are meant for everyday use. These monitors have the lowest refresh rates, but you’ll find a handful that are higher than what they have to offer. They’re more expensive than the TN display but cheaper than IPS.
TN panels provide you with the highest response times and best overall performance for gaming. It does have terrible viewing angles and the color accuracy is the worst among the other panel types.
Refresh Rates
For gamers, there’s nothing more important than refresh rate. This is the rate where in how fast a monitor can refresh images on the screen. The higher the hertz, the higher the refresh rate.
Refresh rates hover between 60Hz at the lowest and 240Hz at the highest. If you’re looking for a budget gaming monitor, you’ll find a lot of monitors to be running at 60Hz or so. You won’t be ending up with a 144Hz unless you purchase a refurbished monitor.
For gaming and for everyday use, 60Hz is decent enough (you could even go for 75hz refresh rate), but not a lot of gamers appreciate this refresh rate. It’s fine for competitive gaming, but professional players actually prefer something higher (at about 144Hz or so).
Screen Resolution
Another factor that affects your PC’s performance is your screen resolution. When you’re hovering on a budget of $100 or less, you’re ending up with 1080p monitors. In rare instances, you’ll get 1080p full HD monitors, and these are already the top of the line for the price range.
Unfortunately, curved monitors, 1440p resolution and 4K options are out of reach, unless you purchase refurbished brands. Extending your budget to about $150 and up to $200 can broaden your options. The brand of GPU you have also plays a role in determining what screen resolution you can use.
Should You Even Consider Refurbished Monitors?
Just because we’re talking about best monitors under $100 doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get a brand new one. A refurbished monitor, or second hand monitor, is a good option if you’re looking to save more money on higher-end models.
It’s not a widely embraced idea for a lot of people to buy second-hand monitors, mostly because monitors degrade over time and with usage. But as long as you know what you’re looking for in a refurbished model, you should be fine.
Here’s what you need to know.
Where To Buy Refurbished Monitors?
Amazon may sell refurbished monitors from time to time, but you can check out other sites as well such as Microcenter and BenQDirect. These are outlets that will give you the best prices on refurbished monitors, and they even come with a warranty.
What To Look For In A Refurbished Monitor?
When you’re shopping for refurbished monitor, might as well go big or go home. We’re talking about Full HD monitors with 144Hz refresh rate and 1440p resolution. You might also throw in there a 1ms response time.
All of these specs you can find in a typical refurbished monitor under $100, give or take a few bucks.
What Issues Should You Keep an Eye Out For?
For refurbished monitors, you can’t always avoid certain issues. Most refurbs are covered by warranty, depending on where you bought them. In most cases, you might get personal warranty from the buyer for a period of time. But still, here’s what you need to look for:
- Dead Pixels – A dead pixel doesn’t necessarily mean dead screen. It refers to one pixel on the screen that’s stuck to one color, like white or black. You’ll know it’s a dead pixel because it doesn’t change together with the rest of the screen. Normally, you should only see one or two dead pixels because this is sometimes a manufacturer defect. It can be ignored most of the time, but it might drive you crazy if you pay attention to it more than you should. Again, refurb might not be for you if you’re particular about what you’re looking at.
- Flickering – Flickering was a common problem in CRT monitors, but not so much with LCD monitors. Flickering is annoying and might be problematic for people who’re sensitive to light.
- Mild Cosmetic Damage – Cosmetic damages such as mild scratches to the screen or bezels are negligible for most of the time. They don’t affect performance overall, but if you’re particular about how your screen should look, perhaps a refurb may not be the best option for you.
- Backlight Bleed – Backlight bleed happens when backlight is too powerful or when parts of the monitor fail. This might result in different brightness levels across different sections of the monitor, and it might be negligible in well-lit areas but you’ll notice them in dark rooms. This is more serious and happens quite a lot for ultra thin monitors, or those who’ve gone past their prime.
- Burn-In – Burn-In is when an image is burned into the screen, which looks like an afterimage. You’ll often see this for images that are permanent on screen, or frequently present on screen. A good example is a taskbar.
- Major Damage – Major damage in a refurbished monitor includes cracks, loose power cable, and more. If it greatly affects the quality of the display, it’s considered a major damage and you shouldn’t even think about buying it.
