1440p still hits a strong balance between image sharpness and GPU demand, but the monitor market around it has changed. High-refresh IPS is now cheap, OLED prices have fallen sharply and some specifications that once looked premium are becoming standard.
RESEARCHED: Quest Novum has not tested the monitors in this guide. Our recommendations are based on current UK pricing, manufacturer specifications and independent monitor testing.
COMMERCIAL DISCLOSURE: This guide contains retailer links. The current links are non-affiliate, so Quest Novum does not receive commission if you buy through them.
The interesting thing about buying a 1440p gaming monitor in 2026 is that the resolution itself is no longer the difficult decision.
You can currently find 27-inch 1440p IPS monitors running at 180Hz for around £140. Move towards £200 and there are well-equipped, independently tested IPS options. OLED has fallen much further too: the 280Hz AOC Q27G4ZD is currently £349.97 at Laptops Direct, while Dell’s tested Alienware AW2726DM costs £369.
So the useful question is no longer simply whether you can afford 1440p.
It is which version of 1440p actually makes sense for you.
For most PC gamers upgrading from 1080p, we would still start with a 27-inch high-refresh 1440p monitor. Spend more when you can explain what the extra money is buying.
Yes, 1440p still makes a lot of sense
A 2560 × 1440 display has about 78% more pixels than 1920 × 1080, while 3840 × 2160 pushes 2.25 times as many pixels as 1440p.
That middle position is exactly why 1440p remains attractive.
At 27 inches, it works out at roughly 109 pixels per inch. You get a meaningful increase in image density over a typical 24-inch 1080p screen without taking on the full rendering load of 4K.
There are still good reasons to choose something else.
If maximum competitive frame rate matters more than resolution, 1080p can still make sense. If you have the GPU power for 4K, want a larger display and care more about maximum image detail than very high frame rates, 4K becomes much more attractive.
For a broad mix of PC games, though, 1440p remains one of the easiest compromises to justify.
27 inches should be your starting point
For a normal desktop setup, 27-inch 1440p is the configuration we would start with.
A 31.5 or 32-inch 1440p monitor gives you a much larger image, but it does not give you more pixels. Pixel density falls to roughly 93 pixels per inch, close to what you get from a 24-inch 1080p display.
That can still work well if you sit slightly further back or simply want a bigger image.
Just do not buy 32-inch 1440p expecting it to look sharper than 27-inch 1440p.
If image density matters more than size, stay at 27 inches or start looking towards 32-inch 4K.
You probably need less refresh rate than the marketing suggests
180Hz is now available on genuinely cheap 1440p monitors, while 1440p OLED has moved into the mid-£300s.
None of that makes 144Hz or 180Hz slow.
For most PC gaming, 144Hz to 180Hz remains a very strong target.
A 60Hz screen refreshes every 16.7ms. At 144Hz that falls to about 6.9ms, 180Hz to 5.6ms and 240Hz to 4.2ms.
The improvements keep coming, but they get smaller.
240Hz becomes more interesting if competitive games are a major part of what you play, your PC can actually produce those frame rates, or you are moving into OLED. Independent testing of Dell’s 240Hz AW2726DM found near-instantaneous response behaviour and excellent motion handling.
For everybody else, do not spend heavily just because one box says 240Hz and another says 180Hz.
IPS or OLED? Decide what the monitor is mainly for
This is where the 2026 market has changed most.
Basic 180Hz IPS now starts around £140, while Dell’s 180Hz Alienware AW2725DM is £209. At the other end, the 280Hz AOC Q27G4ZD is £349.97 at Laptops Direct and Dell’s independently tested AW2726DM sits at £369.
That means OLED is no longer automatically several hundred pounds beyond mainstream IPS.
The broad decision is fairly simple.
Choose IPS if you want maximum value, a monitor that also does a lot of desktop work, and fewer ownership considerations.
Consider OLED if gaming is the screen’s main job and better black levels and motion performance are worth paying more for. RTINGS found the AW2726DM delivers deep dark-room blacks and near-instantaneous response behaviour, but also noted limited brightness, raised black levels in brighter rooms and burn-in risk.
There is more to that choice than those two sentences, particularly around HDR, text, bright-room use, burn-in and connectivity. That is exactly why the separate OLED-versus-IPS guide exists rather than turning this hub into two articles welded together.
There is a third option if HDR matters
The market is not just IPS versus OLED.
Mini LED LCD monitors can use local dimming to create much stronger HDR contrast than a conventional edge-lit LCD without introducing OLED burn-in risk.
The AOC Q27G3XMN is a useful example. It is a 27-inch 1440p 180Hz VA monitor with 336 Mini LED dimming zones and DisplayHDR 1000 certification. Currys currently lists it at £279.
RTINGS found good Mini LED local dimming, high HDR brightness and impressive PC-gaming performance, while also flagging some black smearing and distracting VRR flicker when frame rates change.
So it is not the automatic answer.
It is a useful option for someone who genuinely values HDR but does not want to jump to OLED.
Do not buy HDR from a badge alone
The word HDR appears on plenty of gaming monitors.
That does not make all of them good HDR monitors.
VESA’s DisplayHDR programme has multiple performance tiers with different luminance, black-level and dimming requirements, while its True Black standards apply much tighter black-level limits.
The practical lesson is straightforward.
If HDR actually matters to you, look at how the monitor produces contrast and check credible independent testing.
The Alienware AW2725DM is a good warning. It supports HDR, but RTINGS found its low contrast and poor local dimming made HDR a significant weakness.
Do not pay extra for the letters.
Pay for proven HDR performance.
VRR should be standard on your shopping list
A modern gaming monitor should support variable refresh rate.
The exact logo matters less than making sure the monitor works properly across the frame-rate range you expect to use.
Even then, a specification sheet cannot tell you everything. Independent testing found more blur with VRR enabled on the AW2725DM and significant VRR flicker on the Q27G3XMN when frame rates changed.
Check the specification first.
Then check the testing.
Ports are boring until they stop you using what you paid for
Do not assume every HDMI or DisplayPort socket gives you the monitor’s maximum refresh rate.
Dell’s £369 AW2726DM reaches 1440p at 240Hz through DisplayPort, while its HDMI inputs top out at 1440p at 120Hz.
That may be completely irrelevant if you only use a desktop PC over DisplayPort.
If the monitor also needs to serve consoles, laptops or multiple machines, it can become important very quickly.
USB-C, USB hubs and KVM switches are similar. Buy them because your setup needs them, not because a specification list is longer.
How much should you spend?
Current UK pricing creates three useful bands.
Around £130 to £180: genuine 27-inch 1440p high-refresh territory. AOC’s Q27G42XE is currently £139 at Currys with a 27-inch Fast IPS panel and 180Hz refresh rate. That keeps the entry point low, but at this level we would still want independent testing before recommending a specific model purely from specifications.
Around £180 to £300: the strongest mainstream LCD area. Dell’s independently tested AW2725DM costs £209, while Currys currently lists the Mini LED AOC Q27G3XMN at £279.
Around £350 to £500: OLED is firmly in play. Laptops Direct lists the AOC Q27G4ZD at £349.97, while Dell’s AW2726DM is £369.
Above that, you should have a specific reason for spending more at 1440p.
A higher refresh-rate number by itself is not enough.
Three researched routes we would consider
The straightforward IPS route: Alienware AW2725DM
At £209, the AW2725DM gives you 27-inch 1440p, 180Hz over DisplayPort, support for the major VRR formats and a small USB hub. RTINGS found low input lag, good motion handling overall and enough brightness for most normally lit rooms. HDR is its major weakness.
VERDICT: a sensible researched choice for someone who wants a versatile 1440p gaming monitor and would rather keep the OLED premium.
The HDR LCD route: AOC Q27G3XMN
At £279 from Currys when checked, the Q27G3XMN combines 1440p, 180Hz and Mini LED local dimming. Independent testing found strong dark-room picture quality and good local dimming, but also black smearing and VRR flicker.
VERDICT: worth considering if HDR matters but OLED does not appeal. At £279 it is a more specialised buy rather than a value default, and its motion caveats stop it being our default LCD recommendation.
The gaming-first OLED route: Alienware AW2726DM
At £369, the AW2726DM makes 1440p OLED much easier to justify than it used to be. RTINGS found excellent gaming performance, near-instantaneous response behaviour and deep blacks in darker conditions.
Its connectivity is basic for the price, and OLED still carries burn-in and desktop-use considerations. Dell’s QD-OLED support terms include burn-in within a maximum three-year warranty period.
VERDICT: the most compelling of these three routes for a gaming-first setup if you are happy to pay more than mainstream IPS and the ownership trade-offs fit how you use your screen.
For the deeper OLED-versus-IPS decision, including motion, HDR, desktop text, bright-room behaviour, burn-in and connectivity, use the supporting guide rather than treating this one section as the whole argument.
Should you buy now or wait?
If you are moving from 1080p, 60Hz or an ageing entry-level monitor, we would not wait simply because something faster will arrive later.
The current UK market already offers 27-inch 180Hz IPS at around £140, tested mainstream choices around £200 and 1440p OLED from roughly £350.
Waiting makes more sense if you already own a good 27-inch 1440p 144Hz or 180Hz IPS monitor.
Another ordinary IPS screen is unlikely to transform your setup. Save until you can make a more meaningful jump, perhaps to OLED, proper Mini LED HDR or 4K.
We would also wait if you specifically want a 32-inch display but are tempted to settle for 1440p only because it is cheaper. If image density matters, that is where saving for 4K starts making more sense.
The Quest Novum verdict
1440p is still one of the easiest gaming-monitor resolutions to recommend in 2026.
For the broadest range of PC gamers, start with 27 inches and 144Hz to 180Hz.
Around £140 gets you into the category. Roughly £180 to £280 is the most comfortable mainstream territory. From about £350, OLED becomes a serious alternative rather than an exotic one.
If you mostly want a sharp, fast monitor that also spends plenty of time on the desktop, IPS remains the easy answer.
If the screen is primarily there to make games look and move as good as possible, OLED now starts close enough in price that we would seriously consider paying more.
You do not need the most expensive monitor.
You need to know which improvement you are actually paying for.
