The gaming monitor market in Australia is a mess. There are hundreds of options, the spec sheets are deliberately confusing, and the prices vary wildly between retailers. I’ve tested dozens of monitors over the years, and the gap between “what the specs say” and “what the monitor actually delivers” is often huge.

Here’s how to cut through the noise and find a monitor that matches what you actually need.

Start with resolution and refresh rate

These are the two specs that matter most. Everything else is secondary.

1080p 144Hz: The entry point for serious gaming. If you play competitive shooters and want smooth performance without spending a fortune, this is your target. Budget $250 to $400 AUD. Good options: AOC 24G2, ASUS VG249Q1A.

1440p 144Hz-165Hz: The sweet spot for most gamers in 2026. Sharp enough to look great in everything, fast enough for competitive play, and your GPU doesn’t need to be a monster to drive it. Budget $400 to $700 AUD. Good options: Gigabyte M27Q, LG 27GP850-B.

4K 120Hz+: For people who prioritise visual quality and have the GPU to back it up. Console gamers on PS5 or Xbox Series X should also consider this bracket. Budget $700 to $1,200 AUD. Good options: Samsung Odyssey G7 (32-inch 4K), LG 27GP95R-B.

Ultrawide (3440x1440): Brilliant for immersive single-player games and productivity. Not ideal for competitive play — many esports titles don’t support ultrawide properly. Budget $600 to $1,000 AUD.

Panel types explained simply

IPS: Best colour accuracy and viewing angles. Slight glow in dark scenes (IPS glow). This is the default recommendation for most people.

VA: Better contrast ratios than IPS, which means deeper blacks. Slightly slower response times. Good for atmospheric games and mixed media use.

OLED: The best image quality, period. Perfect blacks, incredible contrast, vibrant colours. Also the most expensive, and burn-in is still a concern for static HUD elements. Budget $1,000+ AUD.

For most Australian gamers, a 27-inch IPS panel at 1440p 144Hz is the right call. It’s the best balance of price, performance, and image quality.

What specs to actually care about

Response time: Ignore the advertised “1ms” numbers. Those are measured in ways that don’t reflect real-world performance. Look for reviews that measure actual pixel response times. TFTCentral and RTINGS are the best sources.

Adaptive sync: FreeSync or G-Sync Compatible. Either works with modern NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. This eliminates screen tearing and makes frame drops less noticeable. Don’t buy a gaming monitor without it.

HDR: HDR400 certification is basically meaningless — the monitor isn’t bright enough to do real HDR. HDR600 is the minimum for noticeable HDR improvement. HDR1000+ is where it actually looks impressive. Most monitors under $800 AUD don’t do HDR well.

Stand adjustability: Height, tilt, and swivel adjustment. Cheap monitors ship with stands that only tilt, which means you’re either buying a monitor arm or accepting a suboptimal ergonomic setup. This sounds minor but it matters for long gaming sessions.

Where to buy in Australia

Same advice as PC parts: StaticICE for price comparison, then buy from a local retailer with good warranty support. PCCaseGear, Scorptec, and Umart are reliable. Amazon AU sometimes has exclusive models or discounts.

Avoid grey imports. Some eBay sellers offer monitors at prices that seem too good. They’re usually models intended for other markets, with different warranty terms and sometimes different panel quality. Stick with Australian stock.

Sales timing

EOFY (June), Black Friday (November), and Boxing Day (December) consistently have the best monitor deals in Australia. If you can time your purchase to one of these windows, expect 15 to 30 percent off retail prices.

Mid-range monitors drop in price when new models launch. A monitor that was $600 six months ago might be $450 after its successor arrives. Set price alerts on StaticICE for specific models you’re interested in.

My recommendation for most people

If I had to recommend one monitor for the typical Australian gamer in 2026, it would be a 27-inch 1440p 165Hz IPS panel from one of the major brands, purchased during a sale for under $450 AUD. That hits the performance sweet spot, works with any current GPU, and doesn’t require you to take out a loan.

Your monitor is the thing you stare at every time you game. Spend the time to choose the right one. It’ll last you three to five years, which makes even a $600 purchase pretty cheap per hour of use.