144Hz refresh rate monitors provide a superior gaming experience and can also improve the user-experience for a range of other uses.
Whether you are browsing online, working, or gaming, the monitor that you are using has a huge impact on the quality of your viewing experiences.
There are many 144hz monitors to choose from and each one offers different benefits and features.
The specifications and all the different features such as response time, aspect ratio and adaptive syncing can be confusing but buying a great monitor does not have to be complicated or expensive.
To help you in your search, we’ve rounded up the cheapest 144hz monitors in Australia and ranked them based on quality and value for money.
1. ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD 24 Inch 1080P Curved 144Hz 1ms Gaming Monitor (Top Pick)
The ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD is an immersive curved monitor that offers versatile connectivity options and smooth gaming.
The monitor has a 1ms mrpt response rate, a 144Hz refresh rate and uses FreeSync technology which all helps to ensure there is no screen tearing or stuttering during fast-action gameplay.
There are multiple setting options including game, movie, text, mono and web modes so you can have the best experience based on the media.
The screen offers vivid colour, full HD 1080P resolution and the curved design makes watching films and playing games a more immersive experience.
The monitor supports games consoles, laptops, PCs and Macs with HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI-D connectivity options.
The set comes with the LCD monitor, power cable and HDMI cable so you can connect it up and start using the monitor immediately.
What We Like:
- Excellent value for money
- Offers a range of different modes and settings
- Ideal for gaming with its FreeSync technology
What We Don’t Like:
- The monitor only comes with an HDMI cable
2. LG UltraGear 24GL600F-B 24″ 144Hz Full HD Monitor
The UltraGear 24GL600F-B is an excellent budget 144Hz HD monitor that offers great motion handling and is designed to suit a variety of gaming genres.
The gameplay is smooth and clear on this monitor thanks to the fast refresh rate and AMD Radeon FreeSync.
The Dynamic Action Sync Mode allows you to see the action as it happens so you will never miss a beat.
There are multiple modes on this monitor including black stabiliser, crosshair and customised game mode.
The peak brightness of the screen is good, the contrast ratio is excellent and the backlight is flicker-free to help protect your eyes and prevent eyestrain.
What We Like:
- Good contrast ratio
- Flicker-free backlight
- Quality motion handling
What We Don’t Like:
- The stand is restrictive (no height adjustment or swivel function and limited tilt function)
3. AOC 24G2 23.8′ FHD LCD IPS Adaptive Sync 144Hz 1ms HDR HDMI VGA Gaming Monitor
This 144Hz refresh rate gaming monitor from AOC is designed to eradicate screen tearing and operate at a professional gaming level.
The low input lag streamlines the user-to-monitor process to ensure you’ll always be up to speed as you play. In game mode you can adjust the colour saturation and grey levels quickly and easily.
There are also pre-designed setups in the settings menu so you can have the best gaming experience with minimal time spent altering the settings.
The wider viewing angles offer more comfortable use and the smooth backlight reduces eye strain so you can comfortably use the monitor for longer.
The stand is fully ergonomic and height-adjustable so you can position it in whatever way works best for your setup.
This gaming monitor has a HDR visual enhancement feature that makes sure you experience HDR quality even with non-HDR content.
What We Like:
- Cheap for it’s quality
- Ergonomic stand
- Easily adjusted settings
- Smooth performance
What We Don’t Like:
- Lacks brightness adjustment options
4. Dell S2419HGF 24″ Full HD 1920 x 1080 144Hz Gaming Monitor
The S2419HGF from Dell is a sleek, versatile monitor for gaming that produces crisp motion and no lag making it well-suited to all types of gaming.
The performance of this monitor is smooth but the viewing angle is very important if you are going to enjoy a good quality picture.
The brightness is also good and to help you get the best, customised gaming experience you can create up to three gaming profiles in addition to the preset modes.
The stand is great as it offers a lot of flexibility in the positioning of the gaming monitor.
The base of the stand is firm and secure without taking up too much desk space.
Another user-friendly feature is the variety of connectivity ports offered which include 2 HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, USB 3.0, a headphone jack and an audio line-out jack too.
What We Like:
- No lag
- Good screen brightness
- Excellent stand
What We Don’t Like:
- Not the best picture quality and viewing angles are limited
5. Acer 24.5″ FHD 1ms FreeSync ZeroFrame 144Hz Gaming Monitor
The Acer 24.5″ FHD gaming monitor boasts a ZeroFrame design that allows you to utilise more of the screen.
You can enjoy games in full HD resolution with accurate colour straight out of the box minimising setup time.
This monitor is well-suited to gamers as it uses AMD FreeSync technology and has a 1ms response time to make gaming experiences seamless.
The Acer BlueLight shield technology reduces harmful blue light and the screen is flicker-less to provide stable power to the display and reduce eye strain.
The three-pronged stand does not take up a lot of space but remains secure and stylish.
You can tilt the monitor to suit you and it can be mounted onto a wall too. This monitor includes a HDMI port, a DVI port and a DisplayPort.
What We Like:
- ZeroFrame design
- Protects your eyes from blue light
- Uses FreeSync technology for best gameplay
What We Don’t Like:
- Tilt-only stand
144hz Monitor Buyer’s Guide
Finding a great, budget monitor is essential to your gaming, viewing, editing and web-surfing experiences. 144hz refresh rate monitors fit well with all uses but they are best suited to gaming.
While all of these monitors have a 144hz refresh rate, each product offers a range of different features and specifications which can impact its quality and how well it works for your needs.
Below are some of the key features that should be considered when choosing the best monitor for your needs.
Key Features
While the specifications of gaming monitors can be long and even confusing, there are a few factors that should be highlighted to ensure you choose the best 144hz monitor within your price range.
Resolution
The display resolution is one of the most important considerations when choosing between monitors.
Generally, gaming monitors offer either 1080p full HD, 1440p 2K and 2160p 4K resolution.
The higher the resolution, the better the image detail and clarity is going to be but the higher the price is going to be too.
Before you rush to buy the screen with the highest resolution you need to make sure your operating system and graphics card can handle it.
If you buy a monitor with a far higher resolution than your system is capable of handling it can actually hinder your overall experience.
With this in mind, make sure you choose the best resolution for your system and budget.
Screen Size
A gaming monitor tends to have a screen size of between 21 – 27 inches. Any more or less than this will impact the best viewing distance and the balance of clarity and quality.
The screen size you select will come down to personal preference but it is recommended not to go over 24 inches if you are selecting a resolution of 1080p as a low resolution larger monitor will have a lower pixel density that can lead to sub-optimal image quality.
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Refresh Rate
A 144hz monitor has a 144hz refresh rate which refers to how fast the image refreshes on the screen. The refresh rate of monitors varies from 60 – 240hz.
A typical PC display offers a 60hz refresh rate, a monitor with a higher refresh rate produces smoother pictures which is necessary for fast-action gameplay.
Monitors with a 144hz refresh rate are not only affordable, but they are also ideal for gaming as they offer an immersive experience with minimal motion blur.
Adaptive Syncing
You will notice the vast majority of gaming monitors come with either AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync technology included.
This adaptive syncing helps get rid of screen tearing and stuttering to improve your overall experience and gameplay. Monitors with G-Sync rely on the DisplayPort and tend to cost more while AMD FreeSync works through the DisplayPort or HDMI.
While there are a few differences between the two technologies, the biggest considerations are compatibility and price.
Response Time
The response time refers to how long is needed for a single pixel to switch from black to white. The lower the response time the smoother the images will be and the less blur you will experience.
There are two types of panel technology that are used for monitors and the panel type you select can impact the response time.
A TN panel can support a very fast 1ms response time while an IPS panel can only support a 4ms response time.
Although a IPS is slower, 4ms is still very fast and generally, a response time of between 1-5ms is ideal for gaming.
If you are not going to be using the monitor specifically for gaming then the response time isn’t really important.
Panel Type
The response time is not the only difference between the types of monitor available.
These summaries can help you choose which panel type is best for your needs:
- In-Plane Switching (IPS) – An IPS monitor offers rich colour, high contrast ratio and great image performance.
- Twisted Nematic (TN) – A TN panel is built for speed so offer fast, smooth experience but without quite the level of image performance and colour clarity offered by IPS. This panel type is widely used across a range of industries and is the most popular gaming monitor type. Although the contrast ratio TN is great for everyday use.
- Vertical Alignment (VA) – VA panels fall somewhere in the middle between IPS and TN monitors. They offer better colour quality and improved viewing angles compared to TN monitors but they also have a considerably slower response time.
Connection Options
The type and number of input and output ports will vary depending on the monitor.
Monitors for gaming should at least have a DisplayPort, a HDMI port and an audio out port for connecting speakers or headphones.
Other ports that the monitor may offer includes USB and audio in.
Consider what devices you will be plugging in and make sure the monitor is able to support the number and type of input/ output ports you need.
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Other Considerations
- Colour Accuracy – colour accuracy may be a key consideration if you are going to be using the monitor for creative purposes. If you are looking for accurate colour, it is best to go for a high-resolution monitor that offers a wide colour gamut.
- Ergonomic Stand – it is important to check out the features of the stand because the quality and adjustable capabilities will vary between models. Some stands can be height adjusted, tilted and rotated while others a secured in one place. It is best to choose a monitor on an ergonomic stand that can be adjusted as this makes it easier for you to enjoy the best viewing angle with ease. Consider whether the monitor will need to be wall-mounted or not too.
- Aspect Ratio – this is the height and width of the monitor’s display. Wide-screen options have an aspect ratio of 16:9 while ultra-wide monitors are 21:9. An aspect ratio of 16:9 is great for gaming but ultra-wide options are increasing in popularity too.
- Curved Monitor – there are some curved gaming monitors available too. These can make your experience more immersive and give you a larger field of view, they tend to cost slightly more but many gamers consider it to be worthwhile.
- Flicker-free – if you will be spending many hours looking at the monitor, consider getting an option that is flicker-free. A flicker-free monitor helps reduce eyestrain and makes the screen more comfortable to look at. Some models also have reduced blue light to help lessen eyestrain.
