Get a 27-in 1440p 144Hz gaming monitor for $190 today after a $60 discount
The Monoprice Zero-G hits the current spec sweet spot and gets good reviews too.
How much should a 1440p 144Hz monitor cost, a good one, when it's on sale? Normally the answer is around $300, but today Monoprice have gone one further. Their Zero-G 27-in 1440p 144Hz curved monitor has dropped from $250 to $190 - mere pocket change*!
Exaggerations aside, this is a legitimately good price for a monitor of this spec, especially one that has actually attracted reasonable reviews in its category. It ticks a lot of boxes - great contrast, good colour accuracy, reasonable pixel density, a sturdy stand, four display inputs and FreeSync/G-Sync Compatible support. Not bad at all!
*for millionaires, I guess
So why is this monitor so cheap? Well, it's a fairly basic design, marrying an older but reasonable curved VA panel with a simple stand. The older panel means that you don't get as good motion clarity as one of Samsung's new-fangled Odyssey monitors, but in terms of contrast, brightness and colour reproduction the Zero-G ain't bad at all. And of course, with a 1440p resolution and a 27 inch diagonal, you get relatively crisp text and images, while the 144Hz refresh rate provides a dramatic increase in responsiveness from a 'standard' 60Hz panel.
This makes it a better choice for slower-paced atmospheric games - I loved playing night scenes in Metro Exodus on a similar screen, for example - where you can really take advantage of the panel's strengths. (For more competitively-minded players, I'd point you in the direction of a TN or Fast IPS panel which offers lower pixel response times and therefore better motion clarity.) It also suits movies, although as you might expect from a monitor at this price point, there's no meaningful HDR due to the monitor's ~300nit maximum brightness.
As well as being a good 'first gaming monitor' for folks on a limited budget, the Zero-G also excels as a great value second monitor - although I'd recommend picking up a arm with a 75x75 VESA mount to position the monitor. This allows you to make the most of the screen's relatively limited viewing angles and also clears up valuable desk space. (I am a big nerd, so I have three monitors at my desk and all are on little arms - which means I can actually fit a keyboard and mouse on there rather than everything being a monitor stand!)
Anyway, I'm blathering on. You don't care. This is a great value monitor, right at the current spec sweet spot, from one of the best makers of budget tech on the market. If you're in the market, do check out some reviews and consider picking up the monitor via the link above - it really helps us out. Cheers!