If there is one thing that a gamer needs apart from a highly powerful graphics card, it is a similarly high-end monitor which offers a truly enjoyable gaming experience. There are a lot of things to consider while buying a monitor such as the overall size, display resolution, and panel quality.
But when it comes to gaming monitors, the most important part is the refresh rate. As you may already know, a higher refresh rate offers a competitive advantage on first-person shooter games so that you won’t be missing the slightest of motion in your game. Here are some more things to keep in mind while buying a 120 Hz monitor:
- Display Size: The display size should be compatible with the space available on your desk as well as the viewing distance from your general sitting position. A lot of professional gamers actually prefer smaller screens as it helps to keep the attention focused towards the center. However, new-gen ultrawide monitors are also pretty good for all types of usage.
- Resolution: The resolution of a large monitor has to be high to compensate for the panel size. Otherwise, you will lose the sharpness and the image will start to look blurry. Fortunately, the options present on our list today offer at least Full HD 1080p resolution. As you might know, 1080p is right now the minimum standard for gaming as well as other applications.
- Panel Quality: The panel type also plays an important role on monitors. The overall image quality and color production on the monitor are highly dependent upon the type of panel powering the display. For example, an IPS panel will offer the best color quality and brightness level. But if you are more interested in contrast ratio and higher resolution, you should consider going with a VA panel.
The qualities mentioned above should be enough to narrow down the list of beneficial monitors that also offers a high refresh rate of 120 Hz. Still, there are hundreds of options present in the market that come in all sizes and resolutions. Therefore, we have picked up the ideal choices for the best 120 Hz monitors and presented them on our list today. We will also talk more about the important properties of monitors in detail in our “Buying Guide” for the best 120 Hz monitor present later in the article.
Best 120 Hz Monitor
| 120 Hz Monitor | Display Size | Display resolution | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIOTEK Gaming Monitor | 49 inches | 5120x1440 pixels | 3 years | Check On Amazon |
| SAMSUNG Moniter | 49 inches | 5120 x 1440 pixels | 3 years | Check On Amazon |
| Alienware Moniter | 34 inches | 3440 x 1440 pixels | 3 years | Check On Amazon |
| Gigabyte Moniter | 48 inches | 3840 x 2160 pixels | 3 years | Check On Amazon |
| AOC Moniter | 49 inches | 5140 x 1440 pixels | 3 years | Check On Amazon |
| ASUS Moniter | 43 inches | 3840 x 2160 pixels | 3 years | Check On Amazon |
| Deco Gear Moniter | 35 inches | 3440 X 1440 pixel | 1 year | Check On Amazon |
Best 120 Hz Monitor Reviews
1. VIOTEK 120 Hz Gaming Monitor
VIOTEK is rather a new brand compared to other popular monitor brands in the market. Still, it is offering the cheapest option for a 120 Hz monitor which can be a great choice for budget gaming builds.
Coming in the 1s position, we have the most affordable 120 Hz monitor in the market right now. Despite the low price tag, Viotek SUW49DA2 has almost all features as a premium gaming monitor, if not more. First of all, it is an ultrawide monitor with 49 inches size and an aspect ratio of 32:9. With that, you will get a resolution of 5120×1440 pixels so that it offers QHD image quality. It is also a curved monitor which further increases the immersiveness.
Unlike most options on our list today, the VIOTEK SUW49DA2 features a 1800R VA panel. And with that, you will have the advantage of a high contrast ratio which seems to be missing from many gaming monitors. To make it an even better option for gaming, you will find both Adaptive sync as well as G-sync compatibility on the VIOTEK SUW49DA2. The Adaptive sync support on this monitor offers a 48 to 120 Hz refresh rate range so that you can also play high-end games without any noticeable screen tearing.
Best Features
- 49 inches display size
- 5120×1440 pixels resolution
- 5 ms response time
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- VA display panel
Pros
- Supports 48 to 120 Hz refresh rate adjustment
- Curved monitor for increased immersiveness
- Offers 3000:1 contrast ratio
Cons
- The resolution could have been better for the given size
2. SAMSUNG LC49RG90SSNXZA 49-Inch CRG9 Curved Gaming Monitor
We all know Samsung as it is one of the leading brands in almost all e-commerce products. Within a diverse range of electronics, Samsung also produces high-end gaming monitors.
Our 2nd choice for the best 120 Hz monitor is coming from a highly familiar as well as reliable brand. The SAMSUNG LC49RG90SSNXZA might be the preferred option for many users as it offers the largest display size on our selection. This monitor has a 49 inches wide display with a curved design and an aspect ratio of 32:9. Even though this is quite an unusual aspect ratio, it is perfect for such a large display. The curve will certainly cover your peripheral vision and offer you the best and most immersive gaming experience.
The 32:9 aspect ratio also helps a lot with productive usage. If you are a content creator, you will be able to use multiple windows or programs at once and work at a higher efficiency. Coming to the display panel, the SAMSUNG LC49RG90SSNXZA also features a VA panel. But, it offers a resolution of QHD 5120 x 1440 pixels and offers HDR 1000 compatibility. It means that the maximum brightness level for this monitor is about 1000 nits, which is quite high. And with the QLED technology, you will certainly get the highest contrast ratio possible even at a high brightness level.
Best Features
- 49 inches display size
- 5120X1440 pixel resolution
- 4 ms response time
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- VA display panel
Pros
- The panel supports HDR 1000
- One of the largest 120 Hz monitors
- QLED technology for best contrast ratio
Cons
- Might be too large for casual purpose
3. Alienware 120Hz UltraWide Gaming Monitor 34 Inch Curved Monitor
Alienware is yet another dedicated brand for gaming peripherals. If you have a complete Alienware gaming setup, then the following monitor is perfect for you.
In the 3rd position, we have yet another highly premium option coming from a popular brand of choice. Alienware AW3420DW is also an ultrawide monitor that is designed specifically for gaming. It also offers QHD 3440 x 1440 pixels resolution which is slowly becoming the standard for gaming as well as streaming. And with the 21:9 aspect ratio paired with the curved design, it is also suitable for competitive FPS games. Unlike most other options on our list, the 3440 x 1440 features an IPS panel which is simply the right choice for curved displays.
On top of that, Alienware AW3420DW also has a rated response time of 2 ms which is highly beneficial paired with the 120 Hz refresh rate. You will also get Nvidia G-sync support on the Alienware AW3420DW so that you won’t have to worry about screen tearing on heavy games. The Alienware head logo along with the LED strip and power button on this monitor is fully customizable via the Alienfx software so that you can match it with the theme of your setup.
Best Features
- 34 inches display size
- 3440 x 1440 pixel resolution
- Customizable Alienware logo and LED strip
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- IPS display panel
Pros
- Supports sRGB customization
- IPS panel for best viewing angles
- One of the best designs in terms of adjustment
Cons
- The monitor is bulky and has a large footprint
4. AORUS FO48U 48″ 4K OLED Gaming Monitor
If you are not into cured gaming monitors, worry not. AORUS is bringing the same experience of a large monitor to a flat panel with the following choice.
Next up, we have yet another large gaming monitor from our picks. The AORUS FO48U is also an OLED monitor so that you will be getting the same experience as a premium smart TV right at your desk. This monitor is 48 inches in size and offers 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 resolution which is perfect for such a large panel. Still, you will have the advantage of a 120 Hz refresh rate and response time of 1 ms, making it ideal for all types of games.
As for the color accuracy, the OLED panel on the AORUS FO48U offers 10-bit color with 98% DCI-P3 and 130% sRGB rating which pretty much ensures lifelike image render. It also has a built-in game assist mode and black level equalizer which will enlighten the darker areas and offer even more advantages in terms of visibility. If you list using monitor audio, you will definitely like the Space Audio feature of the AORUS FO48U which includes 5 different audio modes.
Best Features
- 48 inches display size
- 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution
- 1 ms response time
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- OLED display panel
Pros
- One of the largest flat gaming monitors
- OLED display panel for high contrast ratio
- 1 ms response time
Cons
- Quite expensive for a budget focused PC build
5. AOC AGON Curved Gaming Monitor 49″
AOC AGON also has the perfect match for every gamer’s requirement. The following option is a great choice for gaming as well as content creation purposes such as streaming or recording.
The AOC AGON is also one of the largest curved gaming monitors available on our picks. Unlike most curved gaming monitors, the AOC AGON offers a QHD 5120 x 1440 pixels resolution with an aspect ratio of 32:9. As we mentioned earlier, this aspect ratio is best suited for curved monitors as it further enhances the immersiveness for the user. But even with such a large panel, you will still have the best advantage on FPS games with a response rate of 1 ms.
On the other hand, the 5120×1440 AOC AGON also supports HDR 400 support and 121.6% sRGB compatibility. Therefore, you will be able to watch your favorite movies and TV shows in the best color quality. Another great feature of the AOC AGON is the USB Type C port which can be used as a display signal port or a standard USB port as per the user’s convenience. And for reliability, AOC AGON is offering 3 years warranty period on top of 4 years zero dead pixel guarantee.
Best Features
- 49 inches display size
- 5140 x 1440 pixel resolution
- 1 ms response time
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- VA display panel
Pros
- Offers long warranty period and zero dead pixel guarantee
- Features a USB Type C port
- Dedicated remote included for controlling monitor parameters
Cons
- Not the best option for casual desktop usage
6. ASUS ROG Strix XG438Q 43” Large Gaming Monitor
Asus also offers a range of dedicated gaming-focused devices in its ROG series of products. Not only do these products offer superior quality, but also attractive design and looks.
A lot of users prefer getting a monitor from Asus due to its reliability as well as quality. Therefore, we are introducing a premium monitor model from the Asus ROG series. The ASUS ROG Strix XG438Q is also a 4K monitor with 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution. As you might have noticed, it has the standard 16:9 aspect ratio which is still preferred by a large number of users due to its compatibility with games as well as entertainment content. On the ROG Strix XG438Q, Asus has implemented both Freesync 2 and G-sync compatibility so that you get the best performance while gaming.
On the other hand, it is also a great device for content creation as you will be able to create color accurate content thanks to the 90% DCI-P3 rating. It also has HDR 600 support so that you can watch HDR content without any problem. The monitor is 43 inches wide so it is basically as large as a standard TV. If you are into high productivity, you can use the provided hotkey to quickly switch between 5 different PiP modes and get your work done at a faster rate. Asus is also offering dual 10 watts speakers on the monitor for high-quality sound output.
Best Features
- 43 inches display size
- 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution
- FreeSync 2 support along with G-sync compatibility
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- VA display panel
Pros
- Standard 16:9 aspect ratio
- Dual 10 watts speakers built-in within the monitor
- HDR 600 compatibility
Cons
- The monitor stand should have been more flexible
7. Deco Gear 35” Curved Ultrawide E-LED Gaming Monitor
Coming to the lesser popular options on our list, we have a great monitor coming from Deco Gear, which sells a full line of monitors, gaming peripherals, and PC gaming essentials fitting every requirement. Even though it is a slightly lesser-known brand, the monitor itself is full of attractive features.
The Deco Gear DGVIEW201 is also a great choice for an ultrawide monitor with a resolution higher than FHD. This monitor offers a 21:9 aspect ratio with 35 inches display size, 1800R screen radius, and a resolution of 3440 X 1440 pixels. This resolution is the perfect middle ground between FHD and QHD so that you will get a sharp image quality as well as higher FPS on games. The display panel offers a 3000:1 contrast ratio which is pretty close to OLED panels. And with that, you will get a 4 ms response time and 100 Hz refresh rate which is a necessity in competitive games.
The display panel on the Deco Gear DGVIEW201 produces nearly 16.7 million colors, making it ideal for content consumption. There are 3 HDMI ports, and 1 DP port provided on the back of this monitor for simultaneous inputs from your laptop, computer, or gaming console. You will also find a DisplayPort for primary connection along with an audio output port. As for the display panel itself, you will find HDR DCR compatibility and AMD Freesync support which is quite beneficial.
Best Features
- 35 inches 1800R screen with improved brightness and resolution.
- Curved ultrawide E-LED WQHD gaming monitor
- 3440 X 1440 pixel resolution
- 4 ms response time
- 100 Hz refresh rate
- Supports a variety of desktop machines.
- Offer adjustable view angle (-5° to 15°) as required
- Offers various full custom control features like a blue light filter, flicker-free backlighting, DCR, FPS & RTS game profiles, PIP/PBP, overdrive, and PQ settings.
- Dedicated remote to control monitor properties
Pros
- 21:9 aspect ratio offers faster multitasking and more active windows
- Resolution is best for work, multimedia, browsing, as well as casual gaming
- Supports 16.7 million colors for bright and consistent lighting on the display.
- Saves up to 6 different user profiles.
- Curved screen cinematic experience with aesthetic LED lighting.
Cons
- The warranty period is too short compared to other options.
Buying Guide For The Best 120 Hz Monitor
Gone are the days where 60 FPS was considered the bare minimum performance from a gaming computer. Nowadays, there are highly powerful graphics cards as well as CPUs available in the market that can easily render even the most demanding games at more than 100 FPS. But to truly enjoy such high frames, you will be needing a monitor which can display the frame rate.
If you are getting 1000 FPS and playing it on a 60 Hz monitor, you will still see only 60 FPS. Thus, we have enlisted the best 120 Hz monitors on our list today which is a great middle-ground for casual games as well as competitive FPS titles. While looking for a premium monitor, you will also have to check other factors apart from the refresh rate to get the best monitor in your budget. Here are some major parameters which affect the overall performance of the monitor greatly.
1. Display Size
Before you consider anything else, you should first decide what size of monitor you want to install on your desk. And then, you can look for the best monitor within the preferred size range for your desk. Fortunately, there are a lot of brands in the market and hence, you will find a 120 Hz monitor in almost every size aspect without any problem.
The overall size of the monitor certainly affects the user’s experience whether it is while gaming or regular desktop usage. If you are planning to get a monitor up to 32 inches in size, make sure that you have at least 25 inches viewing distance to avoid strain on your eyes. Other than that, there is a great selection of ultrawide monitors which also offer great performance for all types of applications. For gaming, you will be able to play the game at an extended FOV. And for productive usage, you will have a lot of screen space for seamless multitasking.
2. Display resolution
While the physical size of your monitor deals with the diagonal measurement and aspect ratio, the resolution tells you the size of the digital panel installed in your monitor. In simple terms, the resolution of your monitor represents the sharpness and quality of the digital image rendered on the monitor. Generally, Full HD 1080p resolution monitors are best for competitive games as it offers decent quality along with a high refresh rate. And as you will be rendering the games at 1080p, your GPU can offer great FPS.
However, you can also go with higher resolution monitors such as QHD 1440p or UHD 2160p monitors if you are interested in casual gaming or watching high-resolution movies or TV shows. Keep in mind that you must have a similarly powerful graphics card so that it can render the game at a higher frame rate. Also, 1080p FHD monitors are also cheaper in comparison, even if you are going with a high refresh rate option.
3. Response Time
Along with a high refresh rate, you should also look into the response time of your monitor and make sure that it is equally fast so that you can get the complete advantage of the monitor. The response time of a monitor generally tells you about the responsiveness of the monitor. Basically, the response time or the response rate of your monitor is the time required for the pixels of your monitor to change their colors.
As you can imagine, this timeframe is already too quick and is presented in the ‘milliseconds’. But, even the slightest difference between 5 ms and 1 ms can make the difference between winning and losing a duel in competitive games. Almost all professional gamers choose monitors that have a 1 ms response time. But for casual use, you can also prefer 5 ms.
4. Viewing Angles
The viewing angles are also an important factor for monitors. As you might have guessed, the viewing angles basically tell you a range within which the image will not look distorted. The viewing angles are different for different types of panels.
For example, IPS panels offer the best viewing angles which makes them a great option for secondary monitors. As for the primary monitor which will mostly be in front of you, you can select a VA panel to get the added advantage of a higher contrast ratio. You can also go for TN panels which offer the best response time but at the expense of color accuracy and narrow viewing angles. The viewing angles should be considered carefully if you are buying a large monitor that you will be using from your couch or bed.
5. Warranty
Lastly, we will tell you to check the warranty period allotted by the manufacturer. As you might have seen so far, monitors are not cheap, especially the ones that offer a higher refresh rate. So if you are investing such a high sum on your monitor, you will definitely want it to last a long time so that you get the best value out of your investment.
Even if your monitor is working fine, even the smallest problem like a dead pixel on the screen can be very annoying. To avoid that, make sure that the manufacturer of your monitor is offering a long warranty period on the monitor. This way, you can always claim free-of-cost services from the manufacturer if something goes wrong. In most cases, you will receive a free replacement if there is a major problem with the display. Generally, up to 3 years of warranty is a great option for all budget ranges. But, if you are looking for an affordable option, you can even go with one that offers about a year of warranty from the date of purchase.
FAQs
Ans: Most certainly not. 120 Hz represents the refresh rate of your monitor whereas 120 FPS is the speed of frames being rendered by your display hardware. As you can imagine, both are completely different and not dependent on each other. If you want higher FPS, you should invest in a better CPU or GPU. But to see the high FPS on your monitor, you will need a higher refresh rate.
Ans: Once you see the difference between 60 Hz and 120 Hz, it cannot be unseen. A 120 Hz refresh rate monitor offers a very smooth experience which is impossible to get with a 60 Hz monitor. You might have heard rumors which state that human eyes cannot distinguish between 60 and 120 Hz. Well, that is completely untrue and you will most definitely prefer a 120 Hz monitor over 60 Hz.
Ans: The answer to this question varies upon what type of games you are going to play. For new-gen AAA titles, you will most certainly need an RTX 3070 or higher GPU to get anything close to 120 FPS. As for older titles like CSGO, you can easily get 120 FPS even with an RTX 2060 graphics card. And if you are struggling to reach 120 FPS on your GPU, you can always tune the graphics setting and adjust the visual quality to boost FPS.
Conclusion:
Buying a new monitor requires a lot of research and dedication as there are hundreds of options in the market, each offering something good. In some monitors, you will find a large size whereas some monitors will offer higher resolution and refresh rate, despite being a compact option. Today, we have offered you a wide selection of monitors which offer a 120 Hz refresh rate. If you are not sure about which option you are going to buy, take a look at our buying guide where you will find all the help you need. We will also drop some recommendations right here which might just be what you are looking for.
- It is quite difficult to find a highly affordable 120 Hz monitor right now. But, the VIOTEK GNV29CB might still be a decent option for those who are on a tight budget. This is an ultrawide monitor with 29 inches size and an aspect ratio of 21:9. And to maintain FHD 1080p resolution at this size, the monitor offers 2560 x 1080 pixels resolution. Along with that, you will also receive 3 years of warranty which is pretty good.
- On the other hand, the AORUS FO48U can be a great option for all applications. This is a 49 inches wide monitor that comes with a UHD 4K 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution. Also, it is an OLED monitor so that you will definitely get the best image quality along with the highest contrast level. Thus, it is the best option for gaming as well as entertainment.
- The ASUS ROG Strix XG438Q will also be a great choice for gamers as this 120 Hz monitor offers 4K resolution along with 43 inches display size. This monitor offers complete support for FreeSync 2 technology along with HDR 600 for the best viewing experience. You will also get dual 10 watts speaker built-in on the monitor which will suffice for playing casual games without needing headphones.
