Over the past few weeks, we asked our readers what the next monitors were for next-generation consoles. We wanted to know what people were using to play their Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles, so they could better take advantage of each system’s 4K ready capabilities and 120Hz refresh rate support. What we quickly found was that our readers were just as curious as we were. It’s clear why when you start to look deeper into options. Grabbing a monitor that truly can take advantage of next-gen power isn’t exactly easy or cheap. There’s a level of compromise involved as companies roll out screens that are more console-ready.
Our readers were eager to tell us what they ideally wanted in a monitor. It just became a question of “Does that really exist right now?” To better answer your questions, we brought in some experts to help guide you along. When I spoke to Gizmodo’s Sam Rutherford, it was clear good solutions exist, but a little extra research is needed to ensure a monitor can really do what you want it to. The big thing to keep in mind? HDMI 2.1.
“HDMI 2.1 is just the latest iteration of the HDMI standard. The connector is physically the same, but the new spec supports data streams up to 40 or 48 gigabits per second, which is what you’d need to push 4k/120fps.”
The running theme in our conversation was that there’s a certain amount of features you need to push consoles to their limits, but there’s a ceiling too. There’s no real reason to grab anything that goes beyond 4K or 120Hz unless you’re still planning on using that monitor for your high-end PC. With all that in mind, we found some strong contenders between your comments, expert recommendations, and our own research based on what you wanted. Here’s what we came up with.
BenQ EW3270U | $630
“Unfortunately, no monitor can really live up to the features offered by current consoles, since HDR is in such a sorry state and HDMI 2.1 isn’t common yet—and sadly, the PS5 doesn’t even support 1440p, which disqualifies most monitors I’ve tested in the past few years. Hopefully monitors will improve in these areas, but if I were to recommend an affordable display for desk-based PS5 gaming today, it’d probably be the BenQ EW3270U. With its VA panel, it won’t have quite the color accuracy or motion handling of its IPS competitors, but it’ll have deeper black levels, which is ideal if you game in a dark room (like I do). Its wide color gamut also helps eke a bit of HDR goodness from your games, even if it doesn’t have the brightness or local dimming to take true advantage.” - Whitson Gordon
LG 27UK650-W | $450
“The PS5 can support [120fps] but no modern games coming out for it are going to. They are going to be too busy pushing “true 4K” resolution and [ray tracing] effects. I’d say you are completely fine with a good display that can handle [60fps]. It’s a shame it doesn’t support [the 1440p] resolution because we PC gamers have long figured out that the cost to benefit ratio of 4K isn’t always worth it.” - Nilus
Based on that comment, the 27" LG 27UK650-W is a suitable option. It caps out at 60Hz, but if picture quality is more your priority, it’s a sound choice for 4K gaming on either console.
Samsung UJ59 | $390
A cost-effective 4K/60Hz alternative, Samsung’s 32" UJ59 monitor features AMD FreeSync, which provides smoother gameplay with less screen tear. While it doesn’t capitalize on frame rate capabilities, it’s something of a bargain considering its size.
Asus ROG Swift | $800
“I prefer 1440p/120Hz/HDR, but of course, most people are playing consoles on 1080p/60[Hz] or 4K/60[Hz]/SDR TVs.” - Orangecar Blackheart
On the other side of the aisle, many readers said they would rather prioritize refresh rate over resolution. In that case, the Asus ROG Swift is a solid all-around option that accomplishes exactly what the reader above looks for in a gaming monitor. It has a 165Hz refresh rate, which makes it a versatile pick if you still want to use your monitor for PC gaming as well.
Acer Predator X27 | $1,800
Those who aren’t as concerned with price and just want to max out their consoles at all costs should check out the Acer Predator x27. When it comes to new consoles, it can really do it all with its 4K display and 144Hz refresh rate. It also has built-in speakers, so you won’t need to use a headset while playing, which is also something to consider when thinking about monitor choices. Those features don’t come cheap, but the x27 is top of the line for anyone who doesn’t want to wait as companies slowly roll out next-gen ready models.