Best Budget Monitors: Top Quality Displays for Less
Hunting for the **best budget monitors** without sacrificing visual fidelity? 🖥️ Discover top-rated affordable screens that deliver crisp visuals for gaming and work. Save big while upgrading your setup today! 💰
Running a beast of a PC but still staring at a washed-out, laggy screen? We see it all the time. In South Africa, it’s easy to think a great display will cost a fortune. But what if we told you the best budget monitors on the market right now offer incredible speed, vibrant colours, and crisp visuals without emptying your wallet? Let’s find you a screen that does your rig justice. ✨

AMD RYZEN 7 9800X3D RTX Pro 4500 DDR5 Workstation PC

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 5.3GHz Quadro A1000 8GB DDR5 Workstation PC

AMD RYZEN 5 3600 4.2GHz A400 4GB Workstation PC

RYZEN 5 8400F 4.7GHz GT 710 2GB DDR5 Workstation PC
![[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 9 9900X RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC](https://img.evetech.co.za/repository/ProductImages/ryzen-9-9900-x-rtx-5070-ti-gaming-pc-pbs-main-1600px-v1.webp)
[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 9 9900X RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC

RYZEN 9 9900X 5.6GHz RTX 5070 Ti 16GB DDR5 Gaming PC
Unpacking the Best Budget Monitors: More Than Just Pixels
Before you start comparing prices, it’s crucial to know what you’re looking for. A cheap monitor isn't necessarily a good budget monitor. The goal is to find top quality displays for less by focusing on the specs that matter most for your needs.
Key Features to Look For:
- Resolution: For most budget-conscious gamers, 1080p (1920x1080) is the sweet spot. It delivers a sharp image without requiring a monster graphics card to run games smoothly.
- Refresh Rate (Hz): This is how many times your screen updates per second. A standard screen is 60Hz, but for gaming, 144Hz or higher is where the magic happens. It provides a buttery-smooth experience, especially in fast-paced shooters. Of course, to hit those high frame rates, you'll need one of the latest powerful graphics cards to push all those pixels.
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AMD RYZEN 7 5700 RTX Pro 2000 Workstation PC
![[Pre Built] HP OMEN 35L B1ZR4EA Intel Core Ultra 7 265K RTX 4080 SUPER Gaming PC](https://img.evetech.co.za/repository/ProductImages/intel-core-ultra-7-265-k-rtx-4080-super-gaming-pc-pbs-main-1600px-v1.webp)
[Pre Built] HP OMEN 35L B1ZR4EA Intel Core Ultra 7 265K RTX 4080 SUPER Gaming PC

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 5.3GHz RTX 5060 8GB DDR5 Gaming PC

AMD RYZEN 7 5700 4.6GHz RX 9060 XT 16GB Gaming PC

AMD RYZEN 5 8400F 4.7GHz RX 9060 XT 16GB DDR5 Budget Gaming PC
![[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 9 9900X RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC](https://img.evetech.co.za/repository/ProductImages/ryzen-9-9900-x-rtx-5070-ti-gaming-pc-pbs-main-1600px-v1.webp)
[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 9 9900X RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC
Finding Top Quality Displays for Less: Our Top Picks
The market for affordable displays is packed, but a few categories stand out. Finding the best budget monitor for your setup means matching its strengths to what you do most.
The Esports Contender: 1080p & High Refresh Rate
If you live in Valorant, Apex Legends, or Warzone, your priority is speed. Look for a 24-inch, 1080p monitor with at least a 144Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time. At this level, every frame counts. A stable system is just as important as a fast screen… a CPU that's running too hot will cause frame drops and stuttering. Keeping it cool with a reliable CPU cooler is non-negotiable for competitive play.
The Content Creator's Canvas: IPS & Accurate Colour
For those who edit photos, design graphics, or just want their games to look absolutely stunning, an IPS panel is the way to go. These budget-friendly displays offer surprisingly accurate colours that make your work and your games pop. A PC built for creative tasks needs a solid foundation; the right motherboard ensures all your high-performance components can communicate without bottlenecks.

Intel Core Ultra 5 225F 4.9GHz GT 710 2GB DDR5 PC

Intel 14th Gen Core i3 14100F 4.7GHz GT 710 2GB PC

Intel Core Ultra 5 225F 4.9GHz RTX 3050 6GB DDR5 Gaming PC

RYZEN 5 8500G 5.0GHz with Vega Graphics DDR5 PC
![[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 7 9700X RTX 5070 Gaming PC](https://img.evetech.co.za/repository/ProductImages/ryzen-7-9700-x-rtx-5070-gaming-pc-pbs-main-1600px-v1.webp)
[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 7 9700X RTX 5070 Gaming PC

Intel Core Ultra 5 245K 5.2GHz RTX 5060 8GB DDR5 Gaming PC
The Immersive All-Rounder: Curved VA Panels
Want to feel more connected to your game? A curved VA monitor might be the perfect fit. These often come in slightly larger sizes (27-inch) and the curve helps fill your peripheral vision. The deep contrast of a VA panel makes dark scenes in games like Alan Wake 2 or movies look incredible. Just remember, a bigger, higher-resolution screen demands more power, so make sure a quality power supply is backing up your rig.
Getting the Most Out of Your Budget Display 🔧
Buying one of the best budget monitors is only half the battle. A few simple tweaks can unlock its full potential and ensure you're getting the performance you paid for.
Don't Forget to Flip the Switch! ⚡
gamers plug in their new 144Hz+ monitor and forget one crucial step: changing the refresh rate in Windows. By default, it might be set to 60Hz. Right-click your desktop, go to 'Display settings' > 'Advanced display settings', and select the highest available refresh rate from the dropdown menu. It's a 30-second fix for a massive performance boost.
A great visual experience also depends on your entire PC running smoothly. Excellent airflow is critical for performance, so housing your components in a well-ventilated PC case prevents your hardware from overheating and slowing down. Likewise, visual stuttering can ruin immersion, so double-check that you have enough high-speed RAM to keep your games running like butter.

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K RTX Pro 2000 DDR5 Workstation PC

AMD RYZEN 7 5700 4.6GHz RX 9070 16GB Gaming PC
![[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 7 9700X RTX 5070 Gaming PC](https://img.evetech.co.za/repository/ProductImages/ryzen-7-9700-x-rtx-5070-gaming-pc-pbs-main-1600px-v1.webp)
[Pre Built] AMD RYZEN 7 9700X RTX 5070 Gaming PC

Ryzen 7 9700X 5.5GHz RTX 5060 Ti 16GB DDR5 Gaming PC

Intel 14th Gen Core i3 14100F 4.7GHz ARC A380 6GB Gaming PC

AMD RYZEN 9 9950X 5.7GHz Quadro RTX 5000 Ada 32GB DDR5 Workstation PC
From Monitor Upgrade to Full System Refresh
Sometimes, a new monitor can highlight the age of your other components. If your new 144Hz screen is barely hitting 60fps, it might be a sign that your CPU or GPU is due for an upgrade. If your whole rig is starting to show its age, the most cost-effective solution can be looking at pre-configured PC upgrade bundles. They offer a balanced CPU, motherboard, and RAM combo, taking the guesswork out of the process. 🚀
Ready to Upgrade Your View? A fantastic monitor is one of the best upgrades you can make... it impacts every second you spend on your PC. Finding the perfect budget display doesn't have to be a mission. Explore our incredible range of monitors and find the perfect screen to level up your setup.
Yes, many budget monitors now feature high refresh rates like 144Hz and low response times, making them excellent for competitive gaming without the high cost.
The 24-inch size is generally the sweet spot for budget monitors, offering a sharp 1080p resolution and affordable pricing compared to larger screens.
Not necessarily. Look for an affordable IPS display, as IPS panels provide superior color accuracy and viewing angles even at lower price points compared to TN panels.
Absolutely. For screens under 27 inches, 1080p remains the standard, offering crisp visuals without requiring an expensive graphics card to run games smoothly.
Yes, there are many inexpensive curved monitors available, particularly with VA panels, that offer immersive viewing for gaming and entertainment at low prices.
Brands like Dell, LG, and Samsung often release high-quality entry-level models that balance performance, durability, and affordability perfectly.


