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We Ranked The 5 Best FreeSync Monitors

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Lawrence Bonk
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Lawrence Bonk
Lawrence Bonk is a copywriter with a decade of experience in the tech space, with columns appearing in Engadget, Huffington Post and CBS, among others. He has a cat named Cinnamon.
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Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
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Evan Shephard
A highly experienced and adept professional in display and audio calibration, he excels in home theater design and precise calibration techniques. With over a decade of specialization in this field, he is not only a certified tester but also carries a prestigious ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) certification. This credential underscores his expertise and commitment to delivering superior quality in audiovisual experiences, further enhancing his value in the realm of display and audio expertise.
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    Updated Apr 30, 2024 7:08 PM

    Published

    ·

    8 min read
    best freesync monitors guide that shows the top best gaming monitor model
    IN THIS GUIDE

    A whopping 75% of electronic and appliance reviews are untrustworthy. That’s why every reviewer gets a Trust Rating so our True Score System filters out the fake reviews. See how we do it.

    To choose the best FreeSync monitor, focus on key features like AMD FreeSync technology to prevent screen tearing and stuttering. Ensure the monitor has a low input lag of less than 10ms for responsive control, a high contrast ratio for visual depth, and good brightness for clear visibility in various lighting conditions. Wide color gamut coverage and a low response time are also essential to provide vibrant colors and smooth image transitions.

    In our comprehensive analysis, 5 monitors made it to our buying guide after evaluating 196 models and analyzing 319,501 reviews. Our unique process involves certifying products as tested and filtering out fake and low quality reviews, resulting in a 71% failure rate for untrustworthy experts. The winning monitors excelled in our tests, showing excellent performance in key areas like input lag, contrast ratio, and color accuracy.

    Additionally, for those interested in other synchronization technologies, we have a guide for the best G-Sync monitors. Beyond synchronization, we also have models that stand out as the best computer monitor and top gaming monitors, catering to a variety of needs and specifications.

    How Did We Rank the Best FreeSync Gaming Monitors?

    We analyzed expert reviews and customer feedback from more than 200 sources to rank the best FreeSync gaming monitors. Our methodology identifies 2 must-have specifications, 1 beneficial features, and 1 critical test results, ensuring our recommendations are accurate and reliable. Our true score system distills essential criteria, highlighting monitors that deliver top-tier performance.

    Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.

    ?️ Minimum Specifications

    • Must have greater than AMD FreeSync technology.

    ? Test Criteria

    • Input Lag: An input lag of less than 10 milliseconds ensures a highly responsive gaming experience with minimal delay between action and on-screen response.
    • Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 or higher, offering deep blacks and bright whites for an exceptional viewing experience.

    ? “Nice To Haves”

    • Color Accuracy: At least 85% of the (sRGB Coverage xy) color gamut, providing rich and vibrant colors.

    Latest Updates

    • 04/30/2024: Republished the list to include the best FreeSync monitors based on our True Score system.

    Top FreeSync Gaming Monitors For 2024

    Prices accurate at the time of publishing

    See how we test the testers

    • Best Overall

      Runner Up

      Best Value

      Best Budget

      gr recommended award

      Best Mid-Range

      Premium Pick

      HP OMEN 27QS

      • Best For PS4

      The HP OMEN 27QS excels for budget-conscious gamers and creatives. It offers a 240 Hz refresh rate, good brightness, and high color coverage for smooth, vibrant gameplay, enhanced by FreeSync.

      HP OMEN 27QS Review →

      True Score

      85
      83
      4

      Experts

      91
      1k

      Customers

      Absolutely Fresh

      SAVE $110
      $299.99
      $189.99
      See Deal

    • Best Overall

      Runner Up

      Best Value

      Best Budget

      gr recommended award

      Best Mid-Range

      Premium Pick

      LG 27GP950-B

      • Best For 4K Gaming

      The LG 27GP950-B excels with 4K resolution and 144 Hz refresh rate, perfect for gaming and creative work, offering superior color accuracy and smooth performance, enhanced by FreeSync.

      LG 27GP950-B Review →

      True Score

      82
      83
      4

      Experts

      87
      903

      Customers

      Absolutely Fresh

      SAVE $423
      $899.99
      $476.99
      See Deal

    • Best Overall

      Runner Up

      Best Value

      Best Budget

      gr recommended award

      Best Mid-Range

      Premium Pick

      Dell G2724D

      The Dell G2724D excels for gamers with bright rooms seeking performance and value, featuring a 165 Hz refresh rate and FreeSync for smooth, tear-free gaming, all in a bright, contrast-rich display.

      Dell G2724D Review →

      True Score

      82
      82
      2

      Experts

      88
      126

      Customers

      Absolutely Fresh

      SAVE $96
      $299.99
      $204.00
      See Deal

    • Best Overall

      Runner Up

      Best Value

      Best Budget

      gr recommended award

      Best Mid-Range

      Premium Pick

      Alienware AW2723DF

      • Best For Nintendo Switch

      The Alienware AW2723DF excels for gamers and creatives with its 1440p, 240 Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync support, offering tear-free, vibrant gameplay and professional-grade color accuracy in well-lit environments.

      Alienware AW2723DF Review →

      True Score

      78
      80
      4

      Experts

      81
      293

      Customers

      Mixed Reviews

      $449.99
      See Deal

    • Best Overall

      Runner Up

      Best Value

      Best Budget

      gr recommended award

      Best Mid-Range

      Premium Pick

      LG 40WP95C W

      The LG 40WP95C W is a great option if you want immersion with its large curved screen, and it has vibrant colors and crisp visuals that are best for casual gaming, streaming, and content creation.

      LG 40WP95C W Review →

      True Score

      75
      75
      2

      Experts

      81
      348

      Customers

      Mixed Reviews

      SAVE $560
      $1,799.99
      $1,240.00
      See Deal

    Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best FreeSync Gaming Monitors?

    By focusing on these criteria (2 required, 1 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these computer monitors and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase the best FreeSync monitor.

    CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
    Input Lag< 10 msYesThe time it takes for the monitor to register inputs from the user and process them as action.
    Contrast Ratio>1000:1YesThe difference in brightness between the whites (lit sections) and blacks (dim or unlit sections) of a monitor panel.
    Color Gamut % (sRGB Coverage xy)> 90%No (Nice to have)How much of the sRGB color gamut is covered by the monitor, which helps indicate color accuracy for web content and games.

    Our Trusted Data Sources

    We looked at 110+ computer monitor reviewers and found that 33 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for computer monitors.

    1. Samuel Breton – Rtings, MuckRack
    2. Chris Eberle – Tom’s Hardware, LinkedIn
    3. Tony Hoffman – PC Mag, MuckRack

    Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every computer monitor review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

    Computer Monitor Test Data & Results

    1. Input Lag (ms) Test Results

    Input Lag (ms)

    < 10 ms

    Acceptable range of performance

    Definition: The amount of time it takes for a monitor to register an input from the user and display it.

    Units of Measurement: Milliseconds (ms)

    Tools to Measure: Input Lag Meter

    Why It’s Important:
    Input lag introduces artificial delay when gaming, which creates a mismatch between your reactions and on-screen action and creates frustration.

    Input lag is more of a concern when it comes to gaming, but if you plan on using a monitor for a bit of gaming when you aren’t focused on productivity, editing or other tasks, lower values help improve responsiveness. High input lag means your actions take longer to register on the monitor, effectively introducing an artificial delay to your reactions.

    It’s for this reason that we generally recommend an input lag under 10 ms. This ensures the delay that’s introduced has minimal impact on your reactions to what’s happening on screen. It’s important to note that a high input lag won’t have any real effect on anything that isn’t gaming, so it can be safely ignored if you don’t plan on gaming on your monitor.

    Input Lag (in ms; lower is better)

    2. Contrast Ratio (as ratio, x:1) Test Results

    Contrast Ratio

    > 1000:1

    Acceptable range of performance

    Definition: How bright the monitor will get, usually under specific testing conditions, like 10% windows (which means 10% of the screen is a white box.)

    Units of Measurement: Ratio

    Tools to Measure: Luminance meter or photometer or colorimeter

    Why It’s Important:
    Contrast ratio is how dynamic images are given detail and dramatic effect, with very dark areas appearing truly dark, while bright areas are bright and pop.

    Contrast ratio is responsible for making images appear “dynamic” and “dramatic.” By having a good contrast ratio, a monitor is able to recreate dramatic differences between light and dark spots in scenes, images and games accurately.

    At a minimum, we recommend a contrast ratio of 1000:1, as this will do a good enough job at allow for detail in dark scenes and images. If contrast ratio gets too low, the picture quality suffers, and the monitor performs worse across the board, no matter the lighting condition. By getting a monitor with a sufficiently high contrast ratio, you can ensure the picture quality doesn’t suffer, and dramatic scenes with stark shifts in lighting, whether they be in games or videos, are created as accurately as possible.

    Contrast Ratio (higher is better)

    3. Color Gamut % (sRGB Coverage xY) Test Results

    Since color gamut comes in a variety of different types, there’s bound to be some confusion as to which is meant for what. sRGB is an extremely common gamut that is used for the vast majority of web content, including how YouTube videos display, and is the primary gamut used for video games.

    If you’re looking for accurate colors while web browsing, watching videos or playing games, you’re going to want a coverage of at least 85%. Higher is always better and hitting 100% means that if you correctly calibrate your monitor, you should be seeing content exactly as it was intended. Higher than 100% means that more than just the standard gamut has been covered, which can create more saturated and vivid colors. Coming in under 100% means the colors are less accurate, though this doesn’t become a major issue until you start to fall under 90%.

    Color Gamut % (sRGB Coverage xy)

    > 85%

    Acceptable range of performance

    Definition: The amount of the sRGB gamut that the monitor covers.

    Units of Measurement: %

    Tools to Measure: Colorimeter

    Why It’s Important:
    The sRGB color gamut is the most commonly used gamut for most colors when browsing the web, watching videos on the web on sites like YouTube, and when playing video games.

    Color Gamut SRGB (in %; higher is better)

    Best FreeSync Gaming Monitors: Mistakes To Avoid

    1. Compatibility Oversight: Overlooking FreeSync compatibility can lead to purchasing a monitor that doesn’t support AMD’s adaptive sync technology, resulting in potential screen tearing and stuttering issues, especially when using AMD graphics cards. For those unfamiliar, understanding what FreeSync is becomes crucial; it’s a technology developed by AMD to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering by allowing the monitor to dynamically adjust its refresh rate to match the frame rate of the graphics card.

    2. Refresh Rate Limitations: Failing to consider the monitor’s refresh rate range can result in limited effectiveness of FreeSync technology, as the refresh rate needs to match or exceed the frame rate output of your graphics card for optimal performance. Our Asus TUF VG34VQL1B review found that this monitor offers a robust refresh rate that effectively utilizes FreeSync, making it a compelling choice for gamers seeking smooth, tear-free gaming experiences.

    3. Panel Type Neglect: Not evaluating panel types such as IPS, TN, or VA can lead to choosing a monitor with inferior color reproduction or viewing angles, impacting the overall visual quality and gaming experience. The best curved gaming monitors offer an immersive field of view but also utilize a panel type that ensures vibrant colors and broad viewing angles to enhance your gaming sessions.

    4. Response Time Oversight: Ignoring response time can result in motion blur and ghosting artifacts, affecting visual clarity during fast-paced gaming, particularly in competitive multiplayer games. For those on a tighter budget, finding the best budget gaming monitor that balances cost and performance, with adequate response times, can significantly improve your gaming experience without breaking the bank.

    The Best FreeSync Gaming Monitors Tests Compared

    Product
    True Score
    Brightness
    Contrast Ratio
    Color Gamut (DCI P3)
    Color Gamut (sRGB)
    Input Lag (ms)
    Response Time (ms)
    Reflections %

    HP OMEN 27QS

    • Best for PS4

    85

    • 389.5 nits

    • 389.5:1

    • 94.35%

    • 100%

    • 8.5 ms

    • 4.2 ms

    • 4.8%

    $189.99
    $300
    $110
    See Deal

    LG 27GP950-B

    • Best for 4K Gaming

    82

    • 410 nits

    • 1194:1

    • 96.75%

    • 100%

    • 4.2 ms

    • 4.4 ms

    • 8.4%

    $476.99
    $900
    $423
    See Deal

    Dell G2724D

    • Best for 144Hz

    82

    • 432 nits

    • 432:1

    • 86.35%

    • 100%

    • 9 ms

    • 4.3 ms

    • 4.8%

    $204.00
    $300
    $96
    See Deal

    Alienware AW2723DF

    • Best for Nintendo Switch

    78

    • 402.8 nits

    • 402.8:1

    • 92.95%

    • 99.6%

    • 8.6 ms

    • 4.6 ms

    • 7.6%

    $449.99
    See Deal

    LG 40WP95C W

    • Best for For Mac

    75

    • 254 nits

    • 1087:1

    • 94.4%

    • 99.5%

    • 9.3 ms

    • 8.6 ms

    • 6.1%

    $1,240.00
    $1,800
    $560
    See Deal

    FreeSync Gaming Monitor Questions (FAQ)

    Is a FreeSync monitor for gaming?

    FreeSync monitors integrate with AMD FreeSync video cards, which are found in a large variety of personal computers. As such, they are excellent for graphically intensive gaming applications, though they can help with other graphically intensive applications as well, such as video editing and the like, thanks to sync compatibility and the reduction of motion blur. Nvidia G-sync monitors are also decent, though they typically integrate with different graphics cards. No matter which you choose, the picture quality and image quality will be of a high-quality.

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    Lawrence Bonk Avatar
    Lawrence Bonk
    Lawrence Bonk is a copywriter with a decade of experience in the tech space, with columns appearing in Engadget, Huffington Post and CBS, among others. He has a cat named Cinnamon.
    All Articles by Lawrence Bonk

    →