While NVIDIA’s G-Sync and affordability don’t really go together, in this post, we’ve compiled a list of seven of the cheapest G-Sync monitors currently available and rated each of them based on what they offer.
For gamers who are looking for the smoothest gaming experience possible, one upgrade that can be made to achieve smoother in-game performance is to get a monitor that utilizes variable refresh rate technology. And, of the available technologies, perhaps none are more polished and consistent as NVIDIA’s G-Sync. But, with the in-game enhancements that G-Sync offers comes a serious premium in price, which has left many to wonder if G-Sync is even worth it.
We think that it is. At least, for the gamer who has a large enough budget to pay the higher price tag that G-Sync monitors come with. However, there are G-Sync monitors out there that are priced low enough to where the average consumer and gamer might consider purchasing them. So, in this guide, we’ve rated and reviewed seven of the cheapest G-Sync monitors currently available.
Table of Contents
1. Quick-Look: Top Cheap G-Sync Monitors
2. Top Pick: Acer Predator XB271HU 27″
3. Value Pick: Dell S2417DG 24″
4. Fastest: ViewSonic XG2560 25″
A Quick Look at the Best G-Sync Monitors Under $500
This guide will give you a list of seven of the best G-Sync monitors under $500. However, if you want a quick look at which of those seven stand out amongst the other, we’ve provided some quick picks for various buying scenarios. Below are our choices for the best G-Sync monitor under $500, the best value option, the faster G-Sync monitor under $500, and the cheapest G-Sync monitor overall.
| NAME | SPECS | RATING | |||
TOP PICK |  | Acer Predator XB271HU |
| /10 | |
VALUE |  | Dell S2417DG |
| /10 | |
FASTEST |  | ViewSonic XG2560 |
| /10 | |
CHEAPEST |  | Lenovo Y27g |
| /10 |
*To read our full overviews on the G-Sync monitors listed above, click on “Read Review »” to jump to that specific monitor. And, to read our Honorable Mention choices, keep scrolling down to the bottom of this guide.
Best G-Sync Monitor Under $500:
Acer Predator XB271HU 27″
Acer’s Predator line of monitors is among the elite when it comes to the different categories of gaming-oriented monitors. Their Predator XB271HU G-Sync monitor is no different.
The XB271HU is a 27″ 1440P 144Hz G-Sync-ready monitor that comes in at just under $500. Its larger screen size helps it stand out as the best G-Sync option under $500, although the Dell S2716DG is a similar option and the Dell S2417DG might offer the better overall value.
While its 144Hz refresh rate is actually the baseline for the monitors on this list, the Predator XB271HU can be overclocked to hit a refresh rate of up to 165Hz.
The XB271HU also sports a WQHD panel with a fast 1ms GTG response time and a Displayport and HDMI port, too.
Overall, for just under $500, you get one of the best G-Sync monitors currently available. And, while the Dell S2417DG listed below might be the better value option, if you’re looking for a 27″ G-Sync monitor under $500, the XB271HU is the right option for you.
Best Value Option:
Dell S2417DG 24″
We chose the Dell S2417DG 24″ G-Sync monitor as our pick for the best thin bezel monitor currently available. And, because of what it offers and the price it comes in at, we’ve also chosen it as our best valued G-Sync monitor.
That’s because, for just a little over $400, you get a G-Sync-ready monitor that has a 1440P resolution, a 165Hz response rate, and a 1ms response time.
Its 24″ display is a little smaller than the Acer Predator XB271HU’s screen, but the S2417DG matches the XB271HU in just about every other regard and comes in at nearly $100 less.
So, if you are looking for a G-Sync monitor and price-to-performance is important to you, in our opinion, the Dell S2417DG 24″ currently offers the best value among G-Sync-ready monitors.
240Hz G-Sync Monitor:
ViewSonic XG2560 25″
If having the fastest refresh rate possible is more important to you than having a higher resolution, then the ViewSonic XG2560 25″ monitor might be the best option for you on this list.
Aside from being a 25″ G-Sync ready display, the XG2560’s most startling feature is its unheard of 240Hz refresh rate. While there really aren’t a lot of scenarios out there where the 240Hz refresh rate can be fully utilized, if you are a competitive gamer, you may want to consider if you can make use of the XG2560’s faster refresh rate.
The XG2560 does cost about ~$40 more than the Dell S2417DG listed above and does come with a lower screen resolution (1080P vs 1440P). But, we can’t really fault ViewSonic for opting for a 1080P panel in this instance as we’re not sure if there’s a GPU configuration out there that could push a 1440P 240Hz monitor properly.
Ultimately, if you’re a competitive gamer and every ounce of extra speed and performance is what you’re after, then the ViewSonic XG2560 is a G-Sync monitor you’ll want to consider.
Cheap G-Sync Monitor:
Lenovo Y27g Curved 27″
Hey, who said G-Sync monitors couldn’t be cheap? Lenovo has what is by far the cheapest G-Sync monitor currently available. Their Y27g curved 27″ monitor is G-Sync ready and comes with a 144Hz refresh rate.
And, if offers this all for well under $350. And, while $350 is still a hefty price to pay for a monitor, it is much less expensive than the other G-Sync options that are currently available.
Just as a comparison, though, in the premium that G-Sync monitors come in at over Freesync monitors, the Freesync version of the Y27g, the Y27f, comes in at close to $100 less expensive.
The bottom line, though, is that if you’re looking for the least expensive G-Sync monitor currently available, the Y27g is the option you’ve been searching for.
Honorable Mention #1:
Dell S2716DG 27″
If you’re looking for an alternative option to our top pick, the Acer Predator XB271HU, then the Dell S2716DG 27″ is probably it. The only major difference between the two is that the S2716DG comes with a 144Hz refresh rate, whereas the XB271HU comes with a 144Hz refresh rate that can be overclocked to reach 165Hz.
All of the other main features are virtually the same. The Dell S2716DG is a 27″ G-Sync-ready monitor with a 1ms response time and a 2560 x 1440 WQHD panel.
The two come in at virtually the same price as well, which the Predator slightly more expensive (~$20 more at the time of writing this). So, if you want to save a few bucks and forego the ability to overclock your monitor from 144Hz to 165Hz, then the S2716DG would be the option for you.
Honorable Mention #2:
ASUS ROG Swift PG248Q 24″
A nice alternative to the ViewSonic XG2560 is ASUS’ ROG Swift PG248Q 24″ monitor. It’s G-Sync-ready monitor that comes with a 1080P resolution panel, a 24″ screen, a 1ms response time and a 180Hz refresh rate.
Obviously, the 180Hz refresh rate isn’t quite as fast as the ViewSonic XG2560’s 240Hz refresh rate, but the PG248Q does come in at over ~$50 cheaper.
And, in reality, the difference between 180Hz and 240Hz is probably going to be negligible for 99% of users.
So, if you like the idea of having as fast of a G-Sync monitor as possible, but you don’t want to spend over $400 to in order to get it, the PG248Q is probably your best bet.
Honorable Mention #3:
Acer Predator XB241H 24″
Another option from Acer’s Predator line of monitors is the XB241H. It’s a very similar monitor to its bigger brother, the XB271HU, with the main differences being that the XB241H has a smaller screen size (24″ vs 27″) and a lower resolution (1080P vs 1440P) and much lower cost (~$380 vs ~$500).
However, the XB241H only comes in at ~$20 less expensive than the Dell S2417DG, which offers 1440P resolution. So, for just $20 more you can get double the resolution.
To me, that seems like the better deal. And, so ultimately, the Acer Predator XB241H—at this price—remains an Honorable Mention.
Are the Cheapest G-Sync Monitors Worth It?
Technically, there’s no such thing as a cheap G-Sync monitor. But the options listed above would be considered the “cheapest” G-Sync monitors currently available. If you are in the market for a high-end G-Sync monitor, but you don’t have an unlimited budget, the monitors above are the best options under $500.
Just understand that, if you are going to get a G-Sync monitor, it will only work with an NVIDIA graphics card. So, if you have an AMD graphics card in your current system, you’re either going to have to switch to an NVIDIA GPU or choose a Freesync monitor instead.
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