5 Best TN Monitors of 2019

1. Best Pick: Dell S2719DGF

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The Dell S2719DGF is an outstanding monitor for gaming, featuring an extremely fast response time, a very low input lag, a 144 Hz refresh rate, and adaptive sync technology. It has decent picture quality for a TN monitor, with good out-of-box colors and high brightness. You can get it for around $350, which is a reasonable asking price.

A 27-inch display, this Dell gaming unit features a 1440p (QHD) resolution, which is considered the ideal resolution for 27-inch screens. Unlike some gaming monitors, this product has a simple design, with none of those futuristic aesthetics and lighting systems. The top and side bezels are thin while the back panel is clean. You can easily mistake it for one of Dell’s professional monitors – like the U2718Q and the P2417H.

The well-built stand connects to the monitor at the center of the back panel, with the quick release button just below the mount. If you want to mount the monitor to a wall mount, there is a 100 x 100 mm VESA mounting interface at the back. The stand, which has a flat base, supports the monitor well and offers full adjustment options, including a 45-degree swivel range in both directions.

While not on par with some of Dell’s office monitors, the S2719DGF has good connectivity and is better than most TN monitors in that regard. It has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, four USB 3.0 down ports, and two audio out ports, one of which is a headphones port with direct volume adjustment; one of the two HDMI ports is HDMI 2.0.

Of the four USB down ports, two are located at the bottom of the monitor, along with the headphones port, for easy access. Additionally, one of the bottom-mounted USB ports supports fast charging, easily distinguished by the small battery icon. For cable management, the monitor stand has the usual cable management hole commonly seen in Dell monitors.

For controls, the S2719DGF has a set of clickable buttons, located on the bottom-right corner, on the underside. Although they are not as intuitive as the joystick control scheme seen in many LG monitors, the buttons are easy to use, producing a nice click when pressed. The on-screen display is also well designed, featuring a user-friendly structure with a good selection of options.

The S2719DGF is a superb monitor for fast-paced games such as Overwatch, Doom, Rocket League, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It has great motion handling, with very little motion blur, and features FreeSync support over both DisplayPort and HDMI for reduced screen-tearing. You can also easily overclock the monitor and extend the max refresh rate to 155 Hz, but only if you are connected via DisplayPort.

Regarding the overall picture quality, this Dell gaming monitor is decent. The brightness rating and reflection handling are both great, so the monitor performs well in a bright room, while the color accuracy is good. While obviously not as good as IPS monitors, the S2719DGF is also a decent option for office work and general use, but you’ll have to get used to the limited viewing angles.

Overall, the S2719DGF is an excellent monitor for serious gaming. It has good ergonomics and connectivity options and boasts top-notch gaming performance. The monitor’s build quality is great, as expected from a Dell product, while the overall picture quality is decent, which is a big plus for a TN display. If you can spend around $350 on a TN gaming monitor, the S2719DGF is one of the best options currently out.

If, however, you prefer a G-Sync monitor, check out the older and more expensive Dell S2716DG instead. Regarding gaming performance, the S2719DGF and the S2716DG are similar, with the biggest difference between them being their adaptive sync tech: the former is a FreeSync display while the latter is a G-Sync display.

2. Best Budget: Acer XFA240

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Editor’s Rating: 3.8/5

The good thing with TN monitors is that there are lots of budget options out there, including budget monitors for both PC and console gaming. Of the products selling for less than $200, the Acer XFA240 is one of the best, boasting a fast response time, multiple input options, and a fully adjustable stand.

Featuring a 24-inch screen with a 1080p (FHD) native resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate, this Acer offering has a basic design. It has fairly thick bezels all around, with the control buttons located on the bottom bezel, where the company logo is also emblazoned. The monitor’s back panel has an all-black finish, with the sturdy stand connecting to the monitor in the center area.

Unlike our top pick, this budget gaming monitor features built-in speakers. While that sounds like a nice bonus, the speakers are not really something you’d brag about. They don’t sound good, especially when the volume is cranked up, so don’t expect too much. If you want a monitor with decent speakers, there are other options out there.

The monitor’s stand is stable and easy to remove if you want to mount the monitor to a monitor arm or wall mount. Unlike with many other budget TN monitors, the XFA240 has good ergonomics. You can adjust the height, tilt, swivel, and pivot, which is great considering the viewing angle issues of TN panels. The VESA mounting interface at the back has a 100 x 100 mm pattern, which is the most common pattern seen in monitors.

Regarding connectivity, the XFA240 is more limited compared to our top pick. It has one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, and one DVI port for older computers. There are no USB ports in this monitor, which isn’t really surprising considering the price. All the input ports are located at the back, positioned downward below the stand mount.

If you mostly play fast-paced first-person shooters, you’ll love this Acer gaming monitor. It has a very fast response time and a low input lag, which is great for games where being able to react on time is important. Like our top pick, the XFA240 features AMD FreeSync technology, with a FreeSync range of 48-144 Hz via DisplayPort and 48-120 Hz via HDMI.

Moreover, this gaming monitor is an official “G-Sync Compatible” display, which means it can still use adaptive sync tech even when connected to Nvidia GPUs. It’s one of the first 12 G-Sync Compatible monitors officially tested and certified by Nvidia. When the monitor is connected to a compatible Nvidia graphics card via DisplayPort, the adaptive sync range is also 48-144 Hz.

Unsurprisingly, this budget monitor has subpar overall picture quality, with mediocre contrast and very limited viewing angles. It’s not a recommended display if you mostly play games with pretty graphics, such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. You’ll be better off with an IPS monitor for such games – or the best VA monitors if you want a very high contrast ratio for more vibrant images.

All in all, the XFA240 is a great option if you want a budget gaming monitor with a TN panel. It has good build quality, with good ergonomics, which is notable for a low-end product. While its picture quality is not that great, its gaming performance is certainly impressive. If you can’t spend more than $200 for a TN gaming monitor, check out this Acer product.

3. Best Value: Dell S2417DG

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Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

One of the best G-Sync monitors currently out, the Dell S2417DG is a 24-inch TN display that offers excellent value for the money. It stands out as one of the most affordable G-Sync monitors on the market, normally selling for around $400 and regularly going on sale for about $350.

The S2417DG is very similar to our top pick regarding design, featuring a minimalist profile that’s in line with regular Dell office monitors. It has thin bezels at the top and sides and comes with a sturdy stand with effective cable management. The screen has an anti-glare coating while the back panel has a glossy black finish, separating it from most Dell office monitors, which usually have a silver color scheme on the backside.

For menu control, this Dell gaming monitor has a set of clickable buttons on the bottom-right corner, on the underside of the bottom bezel, which is thicker than the other three sides. The buttons are easy to use and don’t feel cheaply built. Like our top pick, the S2417DG has a well-designed on-screen display, featuring a user-friendly layout with a good selection of options.

The monitor’s stand has a simple flat base that easily supports the 24-inch screen. You can easily adjust the stand to get better viewing angles, with options to adjust the height, tilt, swivel, and pivot to portrait mode. If you want a cleaner desk setup, you can place a soundbar under the monitor, instead of using a pair of satellite speakers for audio.

The S2417DG is almost identical to our top pick regarding connectivity options. It has one HDMI port and one DisplayPort for input, with the adaptive sync tech limited to the latter input. In addition, it has four USB 3.0 down ports and two audio out ports. Along with the headphones port, two of the USB down ports is located on the monitor’s left side for quick access, with one of the ports offering fast charging support.

For pure gaming, the S2417DG is an outstanding monitor, especially if you love to play first-person shooters and racing games. It has a QHD resolution, which translates to a good pixel density, and a high native refresh rate of 144 Hz, which can be easily overclocked to 165 Hz. The response time is superb while the input lag is very low regardless of the resolution. And as with other G-Sync monitors, the premium adaptive sync tech is consistent in reducing screen-tearing for smoother gaming.

Regarding overall picture quality, this Dell product is fairly decent for a TN display, which is a big compliment. The color accuracy is good once the monitor is properly calibrated while the brightness is one of the better ones for a TN monitor. While certainly not a recommended monitor for photo editing and other color-critical work, the S2417DG is decent enough for office work and general use, provided you are cool with the limited viewing angles.

If you want a TN monitor equipped G-Sync tech, the S2417DG is one of the best options out on the market, especially if gaming performance is more important to you than picture quality. It has a low input lag and an extremely fast response time and comes with a fully adjustable stand. It works well in a bright room and offers good connectivity. If, however, you have an AMD graphics card, then the next product on this list will offer more value to you.

4. ViewSonic XG2402

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Editor’s Rating: 4/5

A recommended monitor for both PC and console gaming, the ViewSonic XG2402 is often considered one of the best 1080p TN displays currently out. It offers excellent gaming performance, boasting a remarkably fast response time and a great input lag – and perhaps the best news is that it sells for just around $200-250.

The XG2402 is a 24-inch monitor with a 1080p resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate, which is great for serious gaming. Of the products listed here, it’s the one that screams “gaming monitor” the most, featuring a lighting system on the back panel. The monitor has fairly thick bezels all around and red accents in some areas, including the chevrons on the backside.

The monitor’s stand, which has a flat base and a small loop for basic cable management, is well built and has full adjustability. You can adjust the height and tilt and swivel the screen, with good adjustment ranges. You can also rotate the screen to portrait mode if you want. The stand easily supports the screen, with no major wobbling issues.

For input, the XG2402 has two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort, which is great if you want to use it for both PC and console gaming. In addition to those three ports, the monitor comes with one analog audio out port and a couple of USB 3.0 down ports. As with most non-LG monitors on the market, all the ports are down-facing at the back, which makes them a bit difficult to access.

For menu control, the monitor has clickable buttons on the bottom-right corner, under the frame, with small markers on the bottom bezel for reference. Although they are not as intuitive as the joystick control seen in some displays, the buttons are easy to use and don’t come off as flimsy. On the other hand, the on-screen display is a mixed bag. While it has a lot of options to choose from, its structure is a bit confusing.

The XG2402 is a well-designed product overall. It has secured components from top to bottom and is easy to set up out of the box. It features built-in speakers, too. However, the internal speakers are terrible and are not recommended for both gaming and media consumption. But to be fair, the same thing can be said for almost all monitor speakers, with only a few monitors offering a decent-sounding built-in sound system.

Like our top three picks in this guide to the best TN monitors, the XG2402 is best utilized for serious gaming. It has an extremely fast response time, with almost perfect motion handling, which is great for fast-paced games. The input lag is also great, so your button presses are guaranteed to register on time when playing fighting games such as Street Fighter V and Dragon Ball FighterZ. The monitor also supports AMD FreeSync for reduced screen-tearing when the frame rate is erratic, with a range of 48-144 Hz, which is one of the better FreeSync ranges out there.

For general use and office work, the XG2402 also makes for a decent option if you can get past the narrow viewing angles. It has decent picture quality for a TN display, with good color accuracy and decent brightness. You can use it for content writing, editing spreadsheets, and internet surfing, but for photo editing and other art-related work, it isn’t suitable.

If you want a FreeSync TN monitor that offers great value for the money, check out this ViewSonic monitor. It has decent picture quality, good ergonomics, and multiple input options for versatility, and it has outstanding gaming performance. It has good out-of-box colors as well, which can’t be said for many monitors on the market, regardless of the panel technology.

5. Asus MG28UQ

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Editor’s Rating: 3.9/5

The Asus MG28UQ is a great option if a QHD resolution is not enough for you. It’s a 28-inch TN display with a 4K native resolution and a standard 60 Hz refresh rate. It sells for less than $400, which makes it one of the more affordable 4K displays on the market. Of course, its panel technology is the big reason for that.

Compared to monitors under Asus’ Republic of Gamers brand, the MG28UQ has a simpler design, which is great if you are not really a fan of all the cosmetics usually associated with gaming equipment, such as RGB lighting systems. While the bezels are not as thin as the ones seen in displays marketed as border-less monitors, they look good and are not distracting. The screen has an anti-glare coating and flicker-free technology.

The MG28UQ comes with a well-built stand that easily supports the monitor and offers full adjustment options, including an impressive 60-degree left/right swivel and a 20-degree backward tilt. If you want to mount the screen to a monitor arm or wall mount, the stand is easy to remove. The VESA mounting interface at the back has a 100 x 100 mm VESA pattern.

All ports are down-facing at the back, with markers etched below each port for reference. The ports include one DisplayPort, three HDMI ports, two USB 3.0 down ports, and one audio out port. Of the three HDMI inputs, one is HDMI 2.0, which supports 4K at 60 Hz; the HDMI 1.4 ports can only support 4K at 30 Hz. The monitor stand has basic cable management, which is nice, especially if you are also going to connect your keyboard and mouse to the monitor.

The menu control and function buttons are also located on the back panel, on the lower-left side, as seen from the back. Like many LG monitors, the MG28UQ features a small joystick for menu navigation, which makes going through the settings faster. The on-screen display is well organized and features a lot of options to choose from.

The MG28UQ is a great monitor for first-person shooters, racing games, sports games, and fighting games, featuring a fast response time and a low input lag even in 4K resolution. It has AMD FreeSync support as well, which reduces screen-tearing when the frame rate becomes erratic during graphics-heavy scenes. The adaptive sync range is 40-60 Hz, which is not that different from the ranges of many other FreeSync-equipped 4K monitors.

If you mostly play open-world games or action RPGs with gorgeous visuals, this Asus display is a decent option – but don’t expect a picture quality on par with IPS and VA monitors. For office work and general use, the MG28UQ is also decent, with the large screen and high resolution allowing for easy multitasking. It works well in a bright room, thanks to the anti-glare screen coating and the decent brightness rating.

Overall, the MG28UQ is one of the best TN monitors on the market. It has a decent picture quality for a 4K TN monitor and comes with a fully adjustable stand. While it’s not on the same level as the Dell and ViewSonic monitors above, its gaming performance is also great.

If you want a TN display with a 4K resolution and FreeSync support, get this Asus product. If, however, you want a G-Sync alternative, check out the more expensive Acer Predator XB281HK instead. It has the same screen size, resolution, and refresh rate but features the more premium adaptive sync tech from Nvidia.