Best 27-Inch Monitors under $300 - Buyer’s Guide

In this day and age, we spend a substantial amount of time in front of our computers, working on our projects, gaming or watching our favorite shows. Whether your monitor died recently and needs replacing or you just want to upgrade to a larger size/better one, buying a monitor is a big endeavor that requires time.

There’s no denying that your budget majorly determines the quality of the monitor you can purchase. But you won’t have to break the bank.

A small budget roughly $300 or even less, can get you  a great 1080p/Full HD, 2K/QHD or even 4K/UHD 27-Inch monitor.  If you’re a hardcore gamer, your budget can afford you a monitor with a curved display for true immersion. The panel type, response time and refresh rates are also high up on the considerations terrain.

When choosing a monitor, there are several considerations and even features to consider, which is why it took several hours of research.

We present you a simple monitor buying guide, a comparison table and the reviews of seven 27-inch monitors you’ll like.

Best 27 Inch Monitors under 300 comparison table

1. Acer R271 bid Full HD

Featuring a sleek zero frame design, you can have two or more Acer R271 bid monitors side by side for that unique visual experience devoid of any distractions.

A magnetic stand with brushed hairline finish comes in handy for paperclips making it possible to keep the desk space clean and organized. It also matches any environment.

Acer R271 bid is a 27-inch Full HD monitor with an IPS LED-lit display. With 1920x1080 resolution, 100M:1 contrast ratio and its In-Plane Switching screen technology, you can expect stunning and detailed color-rich images at any angle. 

What’s more, Acer R271 bid has a 4ms response time, which ensures images are rendered with significantly reduced lag time. And considering it’s an IPS display, we think the response time is quite reasonable. It also has 60Hz refresh rate that we wish was better.

If you spend most of your time facing your screen, Acer R271 bid cares about the health of your eyes. The monitor features a blue-light filter and a Flicker-less technology that reduces flickers as well as Acer ComfyView that helps reduce screen glare.

Regarding connectivity options, the monitor doesn’t disappoint. For your graphics, Acer R271 features DVI, VGA and HDMI inputs that you can use to hook our multimedia devices.

Even better, the stand can tilt -5° to 15°. For a comfortable viewing angle, you can tilt the monitor as you please.

2. ViewSonic VX2758-C-MH, FreeSync

Designed with a 1800R sleek curved screen with ultrathin bezels, ViewSonic VX2758-C-MH provides an incredibly immersive viewing experience for your gameplay or video. It’s a high-performance gaming monitor.

The 27-Inch Full HD monitor has a 1920x1080 resolution that guarantees crisp and detailed images for your games and other entertainment.

ViewSonic VX2758-C-MH takes pride in its high 144Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time (with overdrive) aimed at giving you a competitive edge in your gaming. The high refresh rate ensures smooth visual rendering without the annoying effects of blurring or ghosting.

What’s more, it comes equipped with AMD FreeSync Technology which syncs the graphics card’s frame rate and the refresh rate of the monitor. The result? Smooth gameplay without screen tearing or stuttering.

Included also are dual HDMI inputs that you can use to connect other multimedia devices including gaming consoles, laptops, and digital cameras. There's also a VGA input for connecting to other monitors, Televisions, and projectors. It affords you more responsibilities that you can imagine.

If you’re a serious gamer, then you know it comes a time when we cannot help ourselves but keep going for hours into the dead of the night. And for the sake of your eyes, ViewSonic VX2758-C-MH features Flicker-free technology as wells a blue-light filter which help reduce eye strain for your comfort.

3. BenQ GL2706PQ (2K)

It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a monitor for a professional office or entertainment purposes, BenQ GL2706PQ is an excellent choice.

The monitor has a sleek 27-Inch display with 2560x1440 QHD resolution and a 20M:1 contrast ratio which promise remarkably detailed and color-rich visuals in your games as well as favorite shows.

Compared to the FHD 1080p monitors, QHD monitor avails more than 77% working space. Enjoy stunning visuals on a 27-inch monitor.

The monitor has a 60Hz refresh rate, which is a bit disappointing. Fortunately, to compensate for the same, it has an ultrafast 1ms response time that ensures visuals are rendered smoothly with significantly reduced input lag.

Is the action so intense that you can’t help yourself but keep going? BenQ GL2706PQ is your perfect arsenal. The monitor comes equipped with flicker-free technologies and blue-light filter that effectively reduces eye strain and fatigue.

BenQ GL2706PQ also comes with a height adjustment stand. Adjust the monitor to your desired height for comfortable viewing.

Lastly, BenQ GL2706PQ takes pride in its multiple connectivity options that include HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI-DL. It’s also VESA mountable. For excellent audio in your music and games, the monitor features inbuilt speakers.

4. HP Pavilion 27er Monitor, IPS

Sporting a sleek ultrathin bezel-less design that maximizes your viewing area, HP Pavilion 27er is an excellent investment. The thinnest point on the monitor is 6.3mm. It’ll save you lots of desk space.

Enjoy edge to edge ultra-wide viewing on a 1920x1080 Full HD IPS display with LED backlight that guarantees crisp and detailed visuals from virtually any angle up to 178° horizontally or vertically.  

HP Pavilion 27er LCD IPS display comes with 5M:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio. And together with the 1080p resolution, they promise stunning and richer colors for your entertainment.

The monitor has a 7ms response time with overdrive. It’ll render sharps images smoothly with low input lag and zero blurs.

What’s more, HP Pavilion 27er can tilt -5° to 25°. Easily adjust the monitor as you please to your most comfortable viewing angle. Also, the screen has antiglare, a property that helps prevent eye strain and fatigue for comfortable viewing over an extended duration.

For your graphics, the monitor features VGA and HDMI. Hook in your TV, projector and other monitors for more possibilities.

5. LG 27UD58-B (4K)

Transform your gameplay with LG 27UD58-B, a 27-Inch 4K UHD IPS monitor designed to be your perfect gaming companion.  It packs several impressive features.

LG 27UD58-B has a large IPS LED display with a remarkable resolution of 3840x2160 that guarantees stunning and detailed visuals, four-fold better than Full HD monitors for your games and other forms of entertainment.

The monitor has 5ms response time and 60Hz refresh rate, both of which are average at best. But to compensate for the low refresh rate, LG 27UD58-B comes integrated with FreeSync technology that syncs the graphics card refresh rate with the refresh rate of your monitor. As a result, you can enjoy fluid gameplay without screen tearing, and stuttering in those fast-paced game genres.

If you find yourself multitasking, then you’ll love the LG Screen Split 2.0. The property allows you to resize and display multiple windows at a go. Plus, you have access to 14 picture options that include 4 different picture in picture (PIP) choices.

LG 27UD58-B comes optimized for gaming. Activate the Black Stabilizer using the monitor’s settings to reveal superior details in the darkest scenes. Its Dynamic Sync Action delivers smooth and fluid gaming action.

6. DELL P2717H

If you want to boost your productivity, then DELL P2717H is the monitor to purchase. The monitor packs a matte screen and slim body design that ensure an outstanding visual experience with zero obstructions even when working across multiple monitors?

DELL P2717H is an FHD 27-Inch monitor with an LED display. It has a resolution of 1920x1080 and 4M:1 dynamic contrast ratio that guarantee color-rich and detailed visuals in more than 16.7m colors.

With Dell's ComfortView, you’re set to enjoy sharp visuals with significantly reduced blue light. Savor a flicker-free viewing experience with the direct current.

The monitor has 6ms response time and 60Hz refresh rate, both which we’d consider average at best. We wish it had at least FreeSync technology to compensate.

What’s more, DELL P2717H is incredibly adjustable. Tilt, pivot, rotate, height-adjust and swivel to your most comfortable viewing angle. Sit and enjoy great visuals on one or across multiple monitors.

The monitor boasts multiple connectivity ports conveniently located at the bottom and the side of the monitor. Included are HDMI, DP, VGA ports, USB 3.0 & USB 2.0 port for video output and connecting to other peripherals.

7. VIOTEK NB27CB, Curved

Packing a sleek curved bezel-less design, VIOTEK NB27CB will not only save you a couple of inches on your desk space but also complement it. It strikes a perfect balance between gaming and office work.

VIOTEK NB27CB widescreen monitor has a VA panel LED screen with 1920x1080 Full HD resolution and 1M:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio that guarantees vibrant colorful visuals in over 16.7M colors. Experience true immersion with the 1800R curvature.

What’s more, the monitor has an average refresh rate of 75Hz and 5ms response time, which would be quite okay if you're only a casual gamer.

For the sake of the hardcore gamers, VIOTEK NB27CB comes with FreeSync technology that you can activate to enjoy smooth visuals with no screen tearing, image blurring or ghosting. Enable the GamePlus crosshair functionality for a competitive edge over other FPS/RTS gamers.

Enjoy extended durations of gameplay with this monitor. VIOTEK NB27CB has its screen treated with anti-glare to significantly reduce eye fatigue. And for additional viewing comfort, it comes equipped with a blue-light filter.

The monitor has an adjustable stand that tilts -5° to 15°. Adjust it to your most preferred angle for optimum viewing comfort.

Set up your monitor however you want it either mounted on a wall or using a monitor stand with the included 75mmx75mm VESA mounts.

Factors to Consider when Buying a Monitor – A Quick Buyer’s Guide

In this case, your budget is set up to $300 and you want to buy not any other monitor but one that’s 27 inches. That means budget and screen size cease to be crucial considerations. Here’s what to look for in your 27-inch monitor under $300

• Resolution

A monitor’s resolution will tell you the number of pixels it has. It goes without saying that the more the number of pixels, the better the image quality output. Take, for example, an FHD 1920x1080 monitor, known for its reasonable clarity. Such a monitor has 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels tall. A 2K or 4K monitor will have even larger pixels, and most certainly, better image quality.

1080p, 1440p and 4K (3840x2160) resolutions are the most common, although there are other monitor resolutions in between. The 4K resolution provides a lot more detailed clarity when compared to the 1080p or 1440p resolution monitors.

• Panel Type

Your monitor's panel has a major impact on how the display looks and the image quality delivered.

TN is the most common panel type and is the most popular panel type. Although TN panels output images with colors that are a little washed out and fails slightly in the viewing angles, they boast among the highest refresh rates and fastest response times. Besides, monitors bearing TN panels are the most affordable.

Monitors with VA panels deliver relatively better quality images and wider viewing angles than TN panels. On the downside, most of them suffer from ghosting.

IPS panels are the most superior and obviously expensive. They promise color-rich images and wider viewing angles. The major disadvantage is that IPS panels tend to have pathetic refresh rate and response times.

• Ports/Connection Options

Be sure to pay attention to the ports and connections on the port not only for connecting the monitor to your PC but also other peripherals.

For video and audio signals, HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI come in handy. VGA is an analog technology capable of delivering high resolutions as well as high frame rates but less clear images.

USB ports are a basic feature in any monitors. There’s USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2.

• Audio Out

Rather than connect your headphone or speaker to the casing front panel, the audio out offers a more convenient way of connecting them directly to the monitor. 

• Response Time

Measured in milliseconds, response time determines the amount of time it takes for a single pixel to switch from one to a different color. Image blurring and ghosting are the results of high response times. TN panels boast ultrafast response time as low as 1ms.

• Refresh Rate

Calculated in Hertz, the refresh rate measures the number of times a monitor can refresh the image displayed per every passing second. Monitors refresh rate range from 60Hz to 240Hz. High refresh rates prevent screen tearing and stuttering effectively ensuring smooth image rendering.

• Syncing Technology

Is it necessary? FreeSync and G-SYNC monitor technologies sync the GPU/graphics card’s frame rate with monitor’s refresh rate. The result? Smooth image with low input lag, zero screen tearing or stuttering.

AMD FreeSync is royalty-free and therefore provided free of cost. If you’ll be doing some gaming besides other work, a FreeSync monitor will come in handy. G-SYCN technology comes at a cost, which means the G-Sync monitor tend to be costlier than their counterparts.

In Conclusion

A $300 or less budget gives you access to a wide array of 27-Inch monitors with pretty good features. The rule of thumb in choosing your monitor is to look at the resolution, the panel type, connectors, refresh rate, response times and audio out. Of course, there are extra features that’ll inform your choice. We’ve done most if not all the work for you and hope you’ll find an excellent 27-Inch monitor under $300.