The Best Monitors for CS:GO

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is quite a beautiful game — especially if you observe the path it has taken since its release. Still, let’s be honest, most players enjoy shooting matches not because of the visual satisfaction. Power of competition is in the first place! And it directly dictates the choice of the best monitor for CS:GO.

What do you personally want to emphasize with your gaming hardware? The range is from a perfect picture with slow processing to a mediocre image with a super quick response on the screen. This range depends on the monitor technology, so before delving into specific CS:GO monitors, let’s highlight the differences between panel types.

Panel Types

There are four primary categories of panel technologies:

TN — such monitors are genuinely the cheapest and the simplest ones. The Twisted Nematic technology has been around for quite a while, and it’s been significantly improved since the original models. The downsides are low color quality and small viewing angles. At the same time, many pro players consider TN the best monitors for CS:GO — thanks to its quick response time.
IPS — this technology is on the opposite side of TN. Monitors with the In-Plane Switching panels give you really beautiful pictures. If you play lots of different games, including single-player adventures, IPS might be a great choice. Colors and viewing angles are awesome here. Yeah, the response time is not good for competitive gaming. Those fractions of a second are very important for CS:GO — you need to see the events when they are happening, with no delay.
VA — such monitors are somewhere in between TN and IPS regarding the image quality and response time. On the one hand, the Vertical Alignment panels are not too slow and they support a relatively good picture. On the other hand, such CS:GO monitors do not excel at anything. It’s a choice of compromise: not too competitive, not too casual.
OLED — OLED monitors support an even more beautiful picture than IPS. The technology allows controlling each pixel individually, and this opens amazing opportunities for competitive gaming. Alas, such panels are rather new to the market and therefore very expensive. So far, it’s not the best choice for playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Resolution and Refresh Rate

Two other aspects to pay attention to:

Resolution — most gaming monitors are Full HD (1080p), QuadHD (1440p), and UHD (2160p).
Refresh Rate — 60Hz is just a standard rate, and most competitive players prefer something high, 120+Hz.

A nice balance is needed, which primarily depends on the power of your computer. The best monitors for CS:GO are Full HD and QuadHD with high refresh rates. It’s a great setup to play the main matches and cool mods such as new CS:GO kart.

Best CS:GO Monitors

We are all different in taste and color, so the selection includes models of varying price ranges and characteristics. We hope these best monitors for CS:GO will be to your liking as much as ours.

1. BenQ Zowie XL2546K

BenQ Zowie XL2546K is rightfully considered one of the best monitors for eSports. The perfect monitor for shooters. Playing CS:GO is a real pleasure! The image quality is really good here. And the technical parameters are high — on paper. The external control unit is convenient and can always be placed in a convenient place and it is easy to switch profiles or change settings.

Main characteristics of BenQ Zowie XL2546K:

Panel Size: 24.5
Panel Type: TN
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Refresh Rate: 240 Hz
Response Time: 0.5 ms
Brightness: 270 cd/㎡

2. Asus ROG Strix XG27AQ

It’s a pretty solid budget variant. We have an IPS panel here with a high brigtness.

Speed is the main advantage of this monitor, so get it if CS:GO and other competitive games dominate your playing time. The image and the general production quality could be better.

Main characteristics of Asus ROG Strix XG27AQ:

Panel Size: 27
Panel Type: IPS
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Refresh Rate: 170 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 400 cd/㎡

3. AOC G2590FX

Technically, this model is almost identical to the previous monitor. Its advantages are common to TN panels: high refresh rate and good response time, which makes AOC G2590FX one of the best monitors for CS:GO.

The downsides are also common to TN models — it’s ok for playing CS:GO but non-competitive games would benefit more from other panels.

Main characteristics of AOC G2590FX:

Panel Size: 24.5
Panel Type: TN
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Refresh Rate: 144 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 400 cd/㎡

4. BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K

The novelty, designed for games, has a high refresh rate of 360 Hz. Implemented proprietary technology DyAc +, which is responsible for reducing motion artifacts in dynamic scenes. The Black eQualizer system improves the visibility of dark areas of an image. Rotatable side panels prevent glare and help you focus on your gaming experience. An excellent choice for gamers.

Main characteristics of BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K:

Panel Size: 24.5
Panel Type: TN
Resolution: 1920 х 1080
Refresh Rate: 360 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 320 cd/㎡

5. BenQ Zowie XL2411K

This monitor is directly positioned as an esports one, so it might be a good choice if you are serious in your competitive career. Everything is dedicated to quick reactions here. Enjoying the view? It’s not actually a feature for the best CS:GO monitor!

It’s a good product for the budget segment, with a relatively high general quality.

Main characteristics of BenQ Zowie XL2411K:

Panel Size: 24
Panel Type: TN
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Refresh Rate: 144 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 320 cd/㎡

6. Samsung Odyssey G7

This model prevails in a couple of significant aspects. First of all, the refresh rate is really high. And we also have an increased resolution. BenQ Zowie XL2411K is a good quality VA panel, so it is still pretty quick regarding its response time, and the image is better than some TN alternatives. High brightness is another thing to mention.

This might be your best CS:GO monitor with the possibility to enjoy other types of gaming entertainment. The monitor is curved, so it’s for individual experience.

Main characteristics of Samsung Odyssey G7:

Panel Size: 27
Panel Type: VA
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Refresh Rate: 240 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 600 cd/㎡

7. Dell S2721HGF

Here we have a budget VA monitor for competitive gaming. The resolution and refresh rate is lower than the Samsung Odyssey G7, and the brightness is not impressive. Still, it’s a decent variant for various usage — whether the best monitor for CS:GO or as a universal screen for general computer work and entertainment.

Main characteristics of Dell S2721HGF:

Panel Size: 27
Panel Type: VA
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Refresh Rate: 144 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 350 cd/㎡

8. MSI Optix MAG272CQR

It’s another solid VA model with a decent resolution and a very good refresh rate. With MSI Optix MAG272CQR, you will have an improved image quality, but the competitive aspect is still on a nice level. For most gamers, their skills will not be that advanced to let the monitor hold them back. And if you are dedicated enough to practice that hard, then you sure will have a chance to shift towards faster TN models.

Main characteristics of MSI Optix MAG272CQR:

Panel Size: 27
Panel Type: VA
Resolution: 2560×1440
Refresh Rate: 165 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 300 cd/㎡

9. LG 27GP850-B

It’s a very decent alternative to the ViewSonic Elite model. This monitor uses Nano IPS technology, so the image quality really allows the user to enjoy single-player campaigns in beautiful gaming worlds. At the same time, the response time is the same 1ms, which is essential for fast-paced competition.

Pay attention to the increased resolution and a slightly smaller refresh rate.

Main characteristics of LG 27GP850-B:

Panel Size: 27
Panel Type: Nano IPS
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Refresh Rate: 165 Hz
Response Time: 1 ms
Brightness: 400 cd/㎡

10. Alienware 34 QD-OLED

Ok, we just could not avoid a bit of extravagance in our list of CS:GO monitors. If you want something extraordinarily cool and are ready to pay for it, take this huge OLED screen. Everything you wanted from the beauty department is here. The difference is stunning even in comparison to IPS models.

The response time and brightness might be a bit lower than stated in its specs — in the environment of a real game. Still, these characteristics are great enough to let your competitive talent shine and not be limited technically in your regular CS:GO practice.

Main characteristics of Alienware 34 QD-OLED:

Panel Size: 27
Panel Type: OLED
Resolution: 3440 x 1440
Refresh Rate: 175 Hz
Response Time: 0.1 ms
Brightness: 10000 cd/㎡

Can a good monitor improve your in-game style? Perhaps not, but you caAlienware 34 QD-OLEDn learn how to trade skins on DMarket to expand your inventory and get a nice choice of stylish CS:GO skins.

Your Personal Needs are a Key Factor

Don’t rush for the first monitor you see at an esports event or among a Twitch streamer’s equipment. It is you who will play on it for many hours, so consider your personal needs first of all.

Do you play only CS:GO? Do you enjoy single-player games? What’s the real power of your PC? The answer will help you choose your own best monitor for CS:GO. It’s a bit deeper than choosing best CS:GO mice or best CS:GO keyboards, but your personal preferences remain a key factor here as well.

Trade on the go - install the mobile app of DMarket from Google Play or App Store. Never miss great prices and unique skins. The best CS:GO, Dota 2, Rust and TF2 marketplace is always at hand!