The market for gaming monitors has long been dominated by the likes of IPS, VA, and TN panels. Simply put, these panels are comparatively cheaper, get the job done, and well, they are widely available without too many drawbacks. Well, this has started to change after LG along with a few other companies started making mainstream OLED TVs that also brought all the features that a traditional gaming monitors would support. You could get an OLED TV with G-Sync, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR compatibility and all of this happened thanks to HDMI 2.1 standard which became a norm in the RTX 3000 series by Nvidia.
With that said, OLED monitors have just started to become popular but they do not come without their issues. For starters, the burn-in issue is pretty common in OLED displays as well as dead pixels, so it is still an acquired taste. However, considering how the technology is rapidly evolving, we are seeing better and better improvements being made to the OLED technology.
I have been using the LG C9 ever since I got my hands on my RTX 3080 and while it took me some time getting adjusted, it is more or less the best decision I have made. That’s why in this round up, we review the best OLED monitors available in the market.
Reviewing the Best OLED Monitors
| Awards | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Editor’s Pick | Buy on Amazon | |
| Best OLED TV for Gaming | Buy on Amazon | |
| Best OLED Monitor for Gaming | Buy on Amazon | |
| Best Ultrawide OLED Monitor | Buy on Amazon | |
| Best OLED Monitor for Professionals | Buy on Amazon | |
| Best OLED Monitor for Color Professionals | Buy on Amazon |
We are now taking some time to look at the finest OLED monitors that are available for you to buy this very instance. If you have an HDMI 2.1 compliant GPU, then getting any one of these monitors would be the right choice as the experience alone is worth the price you are paying.
Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor
Specifications:
- 4K OLED.
- 55-inch.
- 120HZ refresh rate.
- 0.5ms response time.
The first OLED monitor we are looking at is from Alienware and although the company did not perfect OLED monitors, it is safe to say that this managed to become one of the mainstream offerings, and to be honest, it has the legacy to prove that. Plus, you have Alienware’s name backing it, so of course, you are getting something excellent that will result in some brilliant performance.
It is safe to say that looking at the specs alone, you can say that the Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor is an impressive offering. However, what is better is that you are getting stunning 4K on a 55-inch screen that offers an excellent immersion. However, that is not all, you are also getting access to gorgeous 120Hz refresh rate that makes every single visual experience to write home about.
The 0.5ms GTG response time is another excellent thing that will truly let you enjoy the gaming experience. I do understand that it might not mean much to people who are not aware but for gamers, this is a really, really important aspect. Not just that, the monitor also brings support for both VRR technologies, so regardless of the GPU you have, you know you are getting an incredible experience.
The Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor is also built like a tank, and looks excellent, so if build quality is something that is on your mind, you do not have to worry here.
My only complaint here is that 55 inches, the monitor is massive and you will need to have a significant distance between where you sit and the monitor so you can have an excellent viewing experience.
Overall, the Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor is an amazing monitor that checks almost every box of what a best OLED monitor should be. It is the perfect blend for some couch gaming sessions along with some seriously immersive gaming, too.
- Immersive 4K resolution.
- 55-inch is amazing for gaming.
- 120Hz refresh rate is a blessing.
- Low response time.
- OLED is unbeatable in terms of the viewing experience.
- 55-inch requires a significant distance between the viewer and the monitor.
LG C1 48-Inch
Specifications:
- 4K OLED
- 48-inch
- 120Hz refresh rate.
- >1ms response time
For a lot of users who have been using OLED displays for gaming, LG is the first company that they went to because of how good the company is in terms of the experience they are providing. This is what the LG C1 is all about and although it is never something that is marketed as a “monitor,” this TV is more than enough for anyone who is looking for a definitive experience and if you do want a gaming monitor, this will do the job.
It should not come as a surprise when you are talking about specifications, the LG C1 is right up there with some of the best offerings. However, what I love about this is the fact that it is small enough to pose as a monitor and that does favours for this TV because you can put it on your desk with ease and the viewing experience never really go out of fashion.
With that said, the C1 does bring the excellent OLED experience and modern connectivity such as HDMI 2.1, which allows you to use technologies such as VRR, as well as a higher refresh rate provided you have the supported GPU or a console, for that matter.
Additionally, you are getting >1ms response time, which might seem higher but in reality, the impact is minimum, to say the least and you might not even be able to tell the difference there is. The overall experience remains excellent whether you are doing some casual gaming or taking headshots online. I can assure you that the overall experience here is top-notch.
After using the LG C1 for a month or so, I realized that it is one of the best OLED TVs available in the market. Not just that, it can easily serve as one of the best OLED monitors for gaming so if you are in the market for a small screen OLED offering, this is it.
My only issue here is that the TV does not offer a lot of adjustment offering, so if you are looking for that, you might have to look elsewhere.
Overall, the LG C1 48” is an excellent buy for anyone who is in the market looking for an OLED experience. You can even pick this up in multiple sizes so if that is what you want, this is the way to go.
- HDMI 2.1 opens limitless possibilities.
- The response time is amazing.,
- 120Hz refresh rate is truly fascinating on a large screen.
- Top-notch visual quality.
- Barely any adjustability.
Gigabyte AORUS FO48U
Specifications:
- 4K OLED
- 48-inch.
- 120Hz refresh rate.
- 8ms response time.
Gigabyte is not normally a company that we turn towards whenever we are in the market for monitors or displays, in general. However, with the OLED technology becoming more and more accessible, it is safe to say that the company has become an excellent go-to for anyone who is looking for some really good performance and the best part is that you are not really going be running into performance issues.
Now, in terms of the specs, nearly everything checks out about the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U. That should be enough to tell you that the monitor you are looking at is actually impressive. However, what’s even more impressive is that this monitor comes with a heap of connectivity options including a fully powered USB hub as well as a Display Port, so if you are looking to have a wide array of choices, going for this monitor is one of the smartest things to do.
At 48-inch, you are not looking at a ridiculously massive monitor, and although it might seem like the difference between a 48 and a 55-inch monitor is not enough, it actually does make a significant change in viewing experience so if you are not looking to get an oddly large display, this is a good way to go.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U also brings support for 120Hz and VRR technologies, you do get support for both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, so if you do have the supported graphic cards, you can truly take benefit from these technologies. Not to forget, the pitch-black levels and excellent uniformity.
My only complaint with the otherwise excellent OLED monitor is that peak brightness in HDR is not good enough, and does not bring the same visual pop you would have gotten otherwise.
Overall, the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is simply one of the best OLED monitors that you can get your hands on. Sure, the HDR performance is not as impressive but if you are not concerned about it as much, getting this monitor is definitely one thing you should be going for.
- Immersive 48-inch screen.
- Fast refresh rate and VRR support.
- HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort support.
- Pitch-black levels and excellent uniformity.
- Great color gamut.
- The HDR performance is not as good.
Dell Alienware AW3423DW
Specifications:
- UWQHD QD-OLED
- 34-inch.
- 175Hz refresh rate.
- 0.1ms response time.
So far, the monitors or TVs that we have looked at have all been massive, spanning 48-inch and above but this is slowly changing as OLED technology is becoming more and more accessible, we have started to see better and better technology. The Dell Alienware AW3423DW is one of the latest gaming monitors available that uses OLED technology but this time, we are looking at an ultra-wide monitor instead of a UHD, but trust me, it is something to look at.
Now, in terms of the overall specs, you are looking at perhaps one of the most amazing OLED monitors for gaming and considering how you are also getting ultra-wide resolution support, it certainly is something that a lot of people like.
Now, there is a lot to unpack here in terms of the overall functionality but here we are, trying to give you all the information that you could possibly want. With this monitor, Alienware has done a great job at designing as this is one of the best designed monitors that you can buy; the overall build quality is also great, so you really are not losing much here.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW also gives you amazing picture quality in both SDR and HDR, does not matter the content you are viewing, the experience is going to be amazing, everything is perfectly balanced with great color levels.
Moving further, the Dell Alienware AW3423DW also comes with one of the best prices, considering how you are getting the feature set that comes with the monitor. If you are a content creator and prefers color grading with good tools, this monitor is exceptional and allows for great color coverage.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW does not shy away in terms of more features as you are also getting G-Sync Ultimate compatibility and the input lag is barely noticeable.
With so much to love about this excellent gaming monitor, my only issue is that the peak brightness is lower than it is advertised, however, that is only limited to the HDR mode.
Overall, it should not come as a surprise to anyone but the Dell Alienware AW3423DW is an exceptionally made monitor that pushes the revered OLED technology further but without costing you an arm and leg.
- The design is both gorgeous and sturdy.
- The picture quality is amazing both in SDR and HDR.
- Surprisingly cheap considering the feature-set.
- Great color coverage.
- Loaded with gaming-centric features such as G-Sync Ultimate and 175Hz refresh rate
- The peak brightness is lower in HDR.
LG UltraFine 32EP950
Specifications:
- 4K OLED.
- 32-inch.
- 60Hz refresh rate.
- 1ms refresh rate.
We all know that when it comes to displays of all sorts, LG is one of the leading manufacturers in the world and they are known for delivering top of the line products and selling them by themselves and to other companies, too. One of the best things about LG as a company is that they have something for everyone. Which means that if you happen to be on a budget and you are looking for a good offering, then LG has gotten you covered. With that said, the LG UltraFine 32EP950 is not for those who are on a budget, though. The contrary, actually.
Looking at the specs, it is safe to assume that you are not looking at a monitor that is made for gaming. However, that does not mean that the monitor you are looking at is not good enough because the LG UltraFine 32EP950 delivers class-leading performance for those who are looking for professional work.
The monitor also brings in excellent presets and the color accuracy is brilliantly calibrated. Which is an excellent thing for all the content creators as this would allow for top-notch color correction work and other creative work that is centered around media. If this is something that you have been looking for, then spending money in the LG UltraFine 32EP950 makes a lot of sense.
The monitor also has an excellent contrast that allows you to have the truest blacks with brilliant uniformity which allows for every color looking like it should, allowing for the best color grading that one can possibly hope for.
The LG UltraFine 32EP950 is also loaded with features that you can use whenever you feel like, the features are only going to make your overall user experience better.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I cannot really think of anything that is useless or negative here. I wish the monitor had a higher refresh rate but I do understand that LG is targeting the creative professionals with this monitor, so having a higher refresh rate wouldn’t have served a purpose.
Overall, the LG UltraFine 32EP950 is perhaps the best OLED monitor for designers and creative professionals. It delivers fantastically calibrated colors and all the richness that you get from OLED panels.
- Calibrated straight out of the factory.
- Set of amazing features.
- Great contrast, allowing for true blacks.
- The panel uniformity is excellent.
- Only 60Hz.
Asus ProArt PQ22UC
Specifications:
- 4K OLED
- 22-inch.
- 60Hz refresh rate.
- 0.1ms response time.
The last monitor that we are looking at is something a bit different. The monitors that I have reviewed so far are all high end offerings that are meant for gamers and one that is meant for everyday professional use. However, this is a monitor that is made for color professionals but what’s more important is that it is a monitor that is made for people who are on the go.
Now, you can easily look at the specs and figure out that this time around, the monitor is not something that you get to see every day. As a matter of fact, you are getting one of the most attractive and minimalistic designs that you can find in a monitor. However, there are a few things that I would let you know, this monitor is actually made just for the professionals and it does not have the usual connectivity. You connect it to your devices using the two USB Type-C ports with DisplayPort 1.2 and a Micro HDMI, as well. I do understand this might sound convoluted and that is the reason why this monitor is for all the creative professionals who are on the go.
The fact that you are getting an OLED panel just makes everything so much better since the experience is never something that lets you down. The monitor is also calibrated right out of the box, so for the creative professionals worried about not getting the right color space, that is not going to happen.
Thanks to the fact that you have an OLED panel at your hand, the Asus ProArt PQ22UC delivers infinite contrast, allowing you to truly enjoy your content and the fact that this monitor is also HDR certified is just another cherry on top. However, do not worry about the HDR performance not being good enough because that is not the case.
Although the Asus ProArt PQ22UC is an excellent OLED monitor, I do have a few gripes with it. First of all, at 22 inches, it is the smallest OLED monitor on our list. Secondly, the lack of proper connectivity options or VESA mounting option mean that it is only good if you are someone who is on the go and want to do the work while being there.
Overall, it is safe to say that the Asus ProArt PQ22UC is an amazing OLED monitor with use-cases that are not going to be for everyone, therefore, making it a niche product but amazing nonetheless.
- The monitor has an attractive, minimalistic design.
- OLED display makes it look amazing.
- Excellent color profiles and calibration.
- Infinite contrast.
- The HDR performance is excellent.
- At 22-inch, the monitor feels too small.
- Connectivity options are all over the place.
Conclusion
If you have just entered the market looking for an OLED monitor, you would be surprised to see the sheer number of options. However, what’s confusing is that a lot of the times, people are not sure what they should be going for and what they should be avoiding.
Just know that whether you are looking at an OLED exclusive monitor or a TV, as long as there is HDMI 2.1 support and you have an HDMI 2.1 supported GPU or console, you are good to go and will be able to take full advantage from this, too.
With that said, it is noteworthy to know that OLED as a technology is still developing and getting better with age, so it would be better if you buy the latest generation of OLED display rather than going for something that is from an older generation to prevent yourself from any issues.
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I have been gaming for almost 24 years with extensive knowledge of all platforms and the gaming industry, in general. With interests in literature, art, gaming, and PC hardware.