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

I’ll be honest. Testing out the latest OLED gaming monitor or stunning 6K display is more fun than the cheap stuff. But I’m not delusional. I know that when it comes to computer monitors, most people just want something affordable that gets the job done. Not miserable to look at or use. But also not expensive.

The truth is, I don’t find as many affordable monitors as I’d like. It’s not the hottest, most exciting thing that surveillance manufacturers want to talk about. So I had to do some research to find inexpensive monitors In reality good.

The best monitors under $200

When you shop in the “budget” category for monitors, you’re looking at anything under $200. And in today’s landscape, monitors under $100 will almost always have a resolution of 1920 x 1080. These are usually 23.8-inch or 27-inch options, while the cheapest 32-inch monitors will cost you over $100. (For more information, see our How to Choose a Projector guide.)

I’ll get to that lower price point in a second, but I think most people should aim to start at a slightly higher price. Here you’ll find a lot of different options that give you the flexibility to trade in a higher resolution for the USB-C hub, a higher refresh rate, or better adjustability. Here are some options in the $100-$200 range that I really like.

I should start with the Dell 27 Plus (S2725HSM). I had a feeling I’d like this monitor, because I’m a big fan of the 4K model, which remains at the top of my list for best all-around monitor. This cheaper version has everything I liked about this model, including the highly adjustable stand, sleek white design, and really solid image quality.

For $175 (or sometimes on sale for as low as $140), it has really strong color performance and up to 300 nits of brightness. The most important feature of the Dell 27 Plus is its stand. You can adjust the height and swivel using the built-in VESA mount, making it a very practical addition to your existing workstation. The biggest thing it’s missing is ports. It only has two HDMI ports, so you’ll need to connect accessories directly to your laptops or a USB hub. However, when it comes to full-featured 1080p displays, the Dell 27 Plus ranks among the best in terms of price.

The only monitor that’s comparable 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 height-adjustable for the same price. It has less brightness than the Dell 27 Plus, although it’s only 250 nits.

But like I said, if you’re shopping for $150 to $200, you’re not necessarily going to be committed to 1080p. I tested the MSI Pro 27 (MP273QW E14), which has a 2560 x 1440 resolution and retails for $190. Not only does this MSI monitor offer more pixels per inch, but it also has really great image quality, almost too good to be used for content creators and photographers. For a monitor at this price, this is incredible. It’s also brighter than any other monitor I’ve tested in this range, at 427 nits.

The main drawback is the adjustability and ports. There are no built-in USB ports for connecting peripherals and no ability to adjust height or swivel. The built-in stand is fixed, so if the height isn’t quite right for your desk, chair, and body, you’ll need a monitor stand. And while it technically supports VESA for attaching to a monitor arm, it doesn’t come with a built-in stand.

Best cheap gaming monitor

Another monitor I came across in my journey through cheap displays is the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30. This is my pick for the best budget gaming monitor and it really surprised me with its image quality. I’m used to complaining about poor displays on cheap gaming laptops, but this far exceeded my expectations. Brightness is over 300 nits, and color performance is just as good as the MSI Pro 27.