Budget Gaming Monitors Under $400: MSI, BenQ, and TCL Compared

Top Pick: TCL 27C2A — High Refresh, 4K, and Mini LED Under $400

Budget gaming monitors under $400 are displays that combine high refresh rates, decent resolution, and improved color accuracy so players and creators can enjoy smooth gameplay and reliable visuals without premium pricing. For most people, the TCL 27C2A is the standout choice among budget gaming monitors thanks to its mix of 4K resolution, QD-Mini LED backlight, and very high refresh rate at a price that stays below USD 400 (approx. RM1,840). This 27-inch gaming monitor uses a 1196-zone QD-Mini LED panel that improves contrast, reduces bloom, and enhances visual fidelity for games and creative work. It runs at 4K up to 160Hz, or you can switch to Full HD at 320Hz for ultra-fast competitive play. With peak brightness of up to 1200 nits, 10-bit color depth, and 99% DCI-P3 coverage, it delivers HDR punch and wide-gamut color that were once reserved for far more expensive screens. At around USD 338 (approx. RM1,555), this gaming monitor under $400 is the best all-rounder for players who want an affordable 27-inch display that still feels high-end.

MSI MP242PMG: 24-inch Budget Work-and-Play Monitor Around £100

If you need a compact screen for a home office that can still handle casual gaming, the MSI MP242PMG is the budget pick that makes sense. It is a 23.8-inch IPS monitor with a Full HD 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, plus 4ms GtG and 1ms MPRT response times for decent motion clarity. According to one review, “with recent street prices hovering around £100, I’m hard-pressed to find many rivals that tick all the boxes the MP242PMG does”. Despite this low price point of roughly £80 to £100, the monitor feels solid and includes a fully adjustable stand with 130mm of height, tilt, swivel, and pivot, along with proper cable management. It adds a built-in 1080p webcam with privacy shutter, microphone, a two-port USB 2.0 hub, HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, and a headphone jack, giving you a full-featured desk setup for video calls and light gaming. The image quality is good for the money and the sRGB and User modes offer respectable color accuracy for a color accurate budget screen, though color accuracy overall could be better and there is some motion blur in dark scenes.

BenQ PD2732U: Pro-Level Color Accuracy for Creators at $699.99

For photographers, video editors, and graphic designers who care more about color than maximum frame rates, the BenQ PD2732U is the practical upgrade path. This 27-inch 4K professional monitor targets creative workflows with a 3840 x 2160 resolution and promises 99% Adobe RGB and 99% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, plus 100% sRGB. It sells for USD 699.99 (approx. RM3,530), but still counts as an accessible option compared to many high-end reference displays. BenQ positions the PD2732U as part of its Creative Pro line for photographers, video editors, and graphic designers, and the monitor comes factory-calibrated with an included color report, delivering Delta E less than two color accuracy out of the box. The display is Calman- and Pantone-verified, which helps creators trust that colors on-screen translate well to print and final output. The tradeoffs are clear: this is not a high refresh rate monitor, limited to 60Hz at 4K, and brightness tops out at 400 nits, reducing its usefulness for HDR photo and video editing. For standard dynamic range work, though, it is a strong color accurate budget screen for serious creatives.

Choosing Between MSI, TCL, and BenQ Across Budget Tiers

These three monitors sit in distinct price and use-case tiers, giving you clear options for different desk setups and workflows. At the lowest tier, the MSI MP242PMG at around £80 to £100 is one of the best value office monitors on the market and offers a surprisingly complete feature set for home office use plus some after-hours gaming. In the mid tier, the TCL 27C2A at around USD 304 to USD 338 (approx. RM1,350–RM1,555) is a gaming monitor under $400 that brings 4K at 160Hz, FHD at 320Hz, Mini LED with 1196 dimming zones, and 1200 nits peak brightness to budget gamers. At the higher tier, the BenQ PD2732U at USD 699.99 (approx. RM3,530) is aimed squarely at photographers, video editors, and graphic designers who need near-reference color accuracy, wide-gamut coverage, and factory calibration but can live with a 60Hz refresh rate and modest brightness. Together, they show how budget gaming monitors and creator displays now include advanced features like high refresh rates, Mini LED backlights, and pro-level color calibration that used to be reserved for premium models.

Buy if / Skip if

• Buy the TCL 27C2A if you want a gaming monitor under $400 with 4K at 160Hz, FHD at 320Hz, and QD-Mini LED HDR punch on a 27-inch screen.
• Skip the TCL 27C2A if you mostly do color-critical print work and prefer a factory-calibrated monitor with Adobe RGB-focused coverage over gaming performance.
• Buy the MSI MP242PMG if you need a compact, low-cost 24-inch budget option with 120Hz, a fully adjustable stand, webcam, and home office features that can still handle casual gaming.
• Skip the MSI MP242PMG if you demand top-tier color accuracy and minimal motion blur in dark scenes for professional editing or competitive esports play.
• Buy the BenQ PD2732U if you are a photographer, video editor, or graphic designer who values 99% Adobe RGB and 99% DCI-P3 coverage, factory calibration, and Calman and Pantone verification over high refresh rates.
• Skip the BenQ PD2732U if you mainly play fast-paced games and want high refresh rate monitors or need a very bright HDR-capable screen beyond 400 nits.