Stepping up from 1080p, the QHD 1440p resolution monitors have not only reached high framerates but has also dropped significantly in price, allowing for more and more users to enjoy the smoothness and fidelity of these high resolution and high refresh rate monitors.
What has not dropped in price, however, is the hardware required in order to power even current generation games in order to make use of the 1440p resolutions, at high enough framerates. Going above 1080p is quite demanding, and depending on the game in question, so is achieving frames per second above the 60 FPS baseline. A great example is Call of Duty: Warzone, a free to play online multiplayer game that isn’t exactly intended to be a graphically innovative title, like The Last of Us 2 or Ghosts of Tsushima, as lower graphical demands increase the potential player base for battle royale-style multiplayer titles. Still, when running COD: Warzone on a 1440p 144 Hz monitor, the only graphics card able to reach a framerate above 120 FPS in ComputerBase’s benchmarks was the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti: a thousand-dollar GPU. Note that the setup used during the testing included an Intel i9-9900K and CL14 3200 MHz RAM, so the overall setup was on the higher-end spectrum.
So, if you appreciate watching videos on quad high definition, or prefer the extra smoothness of 144 Hz refresh rates for competitive online multiplayers, you are going to want a 1440p 144 Hz monitor. To help you save some extra cash for a sweet new generation GPU or gaming console, we have compiled a list of the best QHD 144 Hz monitors at just under $300, for your ideal next setup.
Best Budget 1440p 144hz Monitors – Our Recommendations
| Award | Design | Model | Panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Budget 1440p 144hz IPS Gaming Monitor |  | ViewSonic VX2758 | IPS |
| Best Budget 1440p 144Hz TN Gaming Monitor |  | Dell S2719DGF | TN |
| Best Budget VA Curved Gaming Monitor |  | AOC CQ27G2 | VA |
| Updated for 2021 |  | Acer ED323QUR | VA |
| Best Budget 32-inch 1440p 144hz Gaming Monitor |  | Pixio PX329 | VA |
| Best 27" 1440p 165Hz Gaming Monitor |  | Gigabyte G27QC | VA |
Best Budget 1440p 144hz IPS Gaming Monitor
Other than a 1440p resolution, and a 144 Hz framerate, this 27-inch WQHD IPS frameless monitor – the ViewSonic VX2758 – features two integrated 2.5W speakers for stereo sound output, as well as a VESA compatible mounting design.
The Viewsonic VX2758 may only advertise its AMD Freesync compatibility, but it can also support Nvidia’s corresponding G-Sync technology, allowing for less input lag, screen tearing, and an artifact free display. Despite having an IPS panel, and therefore slightly slower response times in comparison to TN panels, this monitor has a 1ms MPRT (moving picture response time) – not to be confused with input lag which would normally range between 9 and 40ms, depending on the monitor. An input lag between 9-20ms is best for competitive gaming, and anything above will still work just find for single player games, as the lag will hardly be noticeable for most games. Luckily, Rtings.com have benchmarked this monitor, and found it to have a minimum input lag of only 9.9ms at 60 Hz, placing it in line with even some of the better TN panels.
Another feature included with this monitor is its ViewMode settings, which allows you to choose between different viewing presets for gaming, watching movies, reading texts, or browsing the web. It also includes flicker-free technology and a blue light filter so as to not strain your eyes, especially during the night. There are also different visual preset modes for different types of games as well, like FPS, RTS, or MOBAs.
The ViewSonic VX2758 includes an HDMI cable, audio cables, and a 3-year warranty, all for its current price of only $299.
Best Budget VA Curved Gaming Monitor
If you are looking for a curved 1440p 144hz monitor on a budget, then look no further than the AOC CQ27G2 series monitor. This 27-inch display features a 1500R curved monitor with a three-sided frameless design and narrow borders made to order to optimize multi-monitor setups. This monitor uses a VA panel, instead of IPS or TN, meaning it may lack slightly in regards to brightness and sRGB color space in comparison to the IPS, and in response time compared to the TN, but it has a much better contrast ratio – also making it more suitable for darker rooms.
Similar to the aforementioned VX2758-2KP-MHD, this monitor is also Freesync and G-Sync compatible, so it will work with both AMD and Nvidia GPUs to reduce screen tearing and stuttering. In regards to input lag, the AOC CQ27G2 is actually slightly faster than the aforementioned IPS panelled ViewSonic monitor, as it is measured to have a minimum variable refresh rate of only 9.5ms at 60 Hz (1ms MPRT), so this monitor is a great choice for gaming applications.
The AOC CQ27G2 also comes flicker-free, with both: two HDMI 2.0 ports (one HDMI cable included), as well as one DisplayPort 1.2 port (one DP cable included). Though it may lack speakers, it more than makes up for it with its excellent triple warranty: A 3-year zero dead pixel warranty, a 3-year advance replacement warranty, and a 1-year one-time accidental damage warranty.
For a quad HD, high framerate, curved monitor with an exceptional warranty, the AOC CQ27G2’s $259.99 price tag makes for a brilliant choice for gaming enthusiasts looking for a VA monitor.
Best Budget 32-inch 1440p 144hz Gaming Monitor
Probably the best current value of all VA 1440p monitors, the Pixio PX329 is a flat 32-inch, ultra-slim monitor, with an incredible refresh rate of 165 Hz, a contrast of 3,000 to 1, and a screen that features great uniformity between brightness, colors, and contrasts across its entire panel.
Compatible with both G-sync and FreeSync (though only at up to 144 Hz), the Pixio PX329 has a 5ms Grey to Grey response time (8.27ms measured by Hardware Unboxed), and an incredibly low benchmarked input latency of only 10ms (including average response time). It also has an excellent 178-degree viewing angle, so its picture does not lose quality depending on where you view the monitor from. The PX329 is also gaming console compatible, as it has a variable refresh rate that can be scaled down to 120 Hz (for current generation consoles).
Additional features include an eye-saver mode, which reduces blue light to minimize eye-strain, a tilting monitor stand, VESA mounting compatibility, as well as two DisplayPort 1.2 slots, two HDMI 2.0 slots, and one audio-out jack, so you can connect the monitor to a headset or third party speakers, since integrated speakers are not included. Given that the PX329, in all its 1440p, 165 Hz, and 32-inch glory can currently be purchased for only $299 together with a 3-year warranty, make it hard to beat for gaming enthusiasts, especially those looking to use the monitor for console gaming (particularly now the upcoming release of the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5), since the monitor can be mounted, viewed from afar at any angle, and has an incredibly low input latency.