Best Budget Monitors: I Found 3 Impressive Monitors Under $200 (2026)

I will tell the truth. Checking out the latest OLED gaming monitor or an eye-popping 6K monitor is much more fun than the cheap stuff. But I’m not kidding. I know that when it comes to computer monitors, most people want something affordable that gets the job done. Not bad to look at or use. But it’s also not cheap.

The truth is, I don’t come across as many affordable monitors as I would like. It’s not the hottest and most exciting thing that producers want to talk about. So I had to do a little hunting to find the cheapest monitors out there actually good.

The Best Monitors Under $200

If you’re shopping in the “budget” category of monitors, you’re looking at anything under $200. And in today’s environment, monitors under $100 will still be 1920 x 1080 resolution. These are usually 23.8-inch or 27-inch size options, while even the cheapest 32-inch monitors will cost you more than $100. (For more information, see the how to choose a monitor guide.)

I’ll get to this lower price point in a second, but I think most people should aim to start a little higher. This is where you find many different options that give you the flexibility to trade for a higher resolution USB-C hub or a higher refresh rate or better resolution. Here are a few options in the $100-$200 range that really impressed me.

I have to start with the Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM). I had a feeling I’d like this monitor, as I’m a big fan of the 4K model, which is always at the top of my best monitor list. This cheaper version has everything I liked about that model, including a highly adjustable stand, a crisp white design, and really solid image quality.

For $175 (or sometimes on sale for as low as $140), it has solid color and up to 300 nits of brightness. The most important feature that the Dell 27 Plus has is its shape. You can adjust the height and curvature, with the built-in VESA mount, making it a very practical addition to your current workspace. The main thing that is lacking is ports. It only has two HDMI ports, so you’ll need to connect the devices directly to your laptop or to a USB hub. Still, when it comes to fully featured 1080p monitors, the Dell 27 Plus ranks among the best for the price.

One monitor compared to the Dell 27 Plus, which only has a built-in USB hub, is the Samsung Essential Monitor S4. I haven’t seen it in person yet, but it’s also 1080p and has height resolution for the same price. It has as low a claimed brightness as the Dell 27 Plus, however, at only 250 nits.

But like I said, if you’re buying between $150 and $200, you’re not stuck with 1080p. I tested the MSI Pro 27 (MP273QW E14), which has a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and retails for $190. Not only does this MSI monitor offer more pixels per inch, it also has really good image quality, almost too good for content creators and photographers. At this price point, that’s pretty good. It’s also brighter than any other monitor I’ve tested in this range, reaching all the way up to 427 nits.

The main drawback is flexibility and ports. There are no built-in USB ports for connecting peripherals and no ability to adjust height or swing. The built-in stand is in a vertical position, so if the height is not a good fit for your desk, chair, and body, you will need a monitor stand. And while it does support VESA technology to attach it to the monitor arm, it doesn’t come with a built-in mount.

Best Cheap Gaming Monitor

Another monitor I came across in my travels through cheap displays was the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30. This would be my pick for the best budget gaming monitor and I was really surprised by its picture quality. I tend to complain about janky screens on cheap gaming laptops, but this far exceeded my expectations. The brightness is over 300 nits, and the color performance is as good as the MSI Pro 27.