The one question that decides your monitor
Buying a monitor in Australia comes down to one question: do you mostly work or mostly game? Office and work from home use rewards resolution, a good IPS panel and an adjustable stand. Gaming rewards refresh rate and low latency. The monitor we put first is the Alienware AW3425DW, a 34 inch ultrawide QD-OLED gaming monitor at 240Hz, rated 4.4 stars from 1,367 ratings on Amazon AU. It is a gaming and big desktop screen, not a 27 inch office screen. For a 27 inch home office screen, start with the AOC 27B3HA2 card below and read its import note first. The ASUS, LG and Dell 27 inch monitors on this page could not be bought on 22 October 2026.
A Stream Deck can sit under the screen for call and app shortcuts; see Stream Deck controllers for calls and shortcuts.
How we chose these monitors
We checked each monitor on its Amazon AU listing and on the maker's own wording on that listing. Specs come from the maker's bullet points and the product information on each listing. Ratings and review counts are Amazon AU's own, and we have not tested any monitor. A spec we could not find on the listing is left out, and where the title and the bullets disagree we say so. We link to Amazon AU because that is where we check stock and ratings. Once the screen is placed, see our desk mat picks for a home office desk for a mat under the keyboard and mouse. A screen at eye level also depends on the chair under you, so see our home office chairs compared on the adjustments their listings name.
| Monitor | Suits | Size and resolution | Panel | Refresh rate |
|---|
| Alienware AW3425DW | Gaming and a big desktop | 34 inch, 3440 x 1440 | QD-OLED | 240Hz |
| AOC 27B3HA2 | A 27 inch FHD home office screen | 27 inch, 1920 x 1080 | IPS | 100Hz |
| Alienware AW3425DWM | Ultrawide gaming on a VA panel | 34 inch, 3440 x 1440 | VA | 180Hz |
Last checked: 22 October 2026.
Best overall: Alienware AW3425DW 34in Ultrawide Gaming Monitor
The Alienware AW3425DW is a 34 inch ultrawide gaming monitor, rated 4.4 stars from 1,367 ratings on Amazon AU, and it is the monitor we put first. It has more ratings than any other monitor on this page, against 370 for the AOC 27B3HA2 and 364 for the Alienware AW3425DWM, although its 4.4 stars sit just below their 4.5 and 4.6.
For the desk that screen sits on, our mechanical keyboard picks for a home office desk compare six boards on their Amazon AU listings.
Its listing gives a curved Quantum Dot OLED display at 3440 x 1440 and 240Hz, a 0.03ms GTG response time and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400. The product table lists a 34 inch screen, a 21:9 aspect ratio and 11.1D x 81.4W x 36.2H centimetres, so check your desk against that 81.4 cm width. It is a gaming and big desktop screen: the table names its uses as Desktop, Entertainment and Gaming.
The included components list a power cable, and the table gives 240 Volts (AC) and 190 Watts. The bullets name AMD FreeSync while the table lists Adaptive Sync as G-Sync, so check which suits your graphics card. The listing does not mention burn in, and its warranty line reads 3Y Basic Hardware Service with Advanced Exchange after remote diagnosis, so read the terms before you buy.
If you mostly work in documents and spreadsheets, a 27 inch screen suits a normal desk better; see the 27 inch section below.
Alienware AW3425DWM 34in Ultrawide
The Alienware AW3425DWM is a 34 inch curved ultrawide on a VA panel, rated 4.6 stars from 364 ratings on Amazon AU. Its listing gives 3440 x 1440 at 180Hz and VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, and its title names a 1500R Curved screen. The title lists a 1ms response time while the bullets and the table list 2ms, so treat that figure as unconfirmed.
The features list names Height Adjustment and Pivot Adjustment. Its connectivity lines list DisplayPort, HDMI, USB Type A and USB Type B, with no USB Type C listed, and the table gives 240 Volts (AC) and 85 Watts. If you want a VA ultrawide for a desk with room for 34 inches, this is the one to compare with the crown.
Work or gaming: the split that decides everything
This is the split that matters more than any spec sheet. If you mostly work, prioritise resolution (a 27in screen at 1440p gives crisp text), a good IPS panel for colour and viewing angles, and an ergonomic height adjustable stand. A refresh rate of 60 to 100Hz is plenty for documents, email and browsing. You do not need 240Hz to read a spreadsheet.
If you mostly game, the priorities flip. Refresh rate (144Hz and above) is what makes motion feel smooth, a low real response time keeps fast action crisp, and adaptive sync (FreeSync or G-Sync) stops screen tearing. Raw pixel count matters less here than how fast the panel can keep up. The common mistake is paying for 240Hz you will never use for office work, or buying a 1080p panel for detailed work you will end up squinting at for years.
The two jobs overlap more than the split suggests. A gaming monitor can do office work and an office monitor can run casual games, so weigh each listing's refresh rate, resolution and size against how you will actually use the screen.
Panel types: IPS, VA, TN and OLED in plain words
Panel type is the spec that quietly decides how a monitor looks, and the marketing rarely explains it honestly. Here is the plain version.
- IPS is a common all round choice for work and anything colour sensitive, with wide viewing angles. The AOC 27B3HA2 listing describes a viewing angle stable IPS panel.
- VA panels are often chosen for contrast and deep blacks. The Alienware AW3425DWM listing gives a VA panel in a 34 inch curved ultrawide.
- TN panels are usually cheap and fast but have weaker colour and viewing angles. Avoid TN where colour matters.
- OLED (and QD-OLED) panels can show very deep blacks, and the Alienware AW3425DW listing gives a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio. Burn in is the trade to weigh over years of static images: the listing does not mention burn in, and its warranty line reads 3Y Basic Hardware Service with Advanced Exchange after remote diagnosis, so read the terms before you buy.
The 1ms and HDR marketing traps
Two badges on monitor listings are worth reading closely. The first is response time. The AOC 27B3HA2 title lists 1ms, but its bullets list a 4 ms GtG response time and its product table says Response Time 4 Milliseconds. The Alienware AW3425DWM title lists 1ms while its bullets list 2ms. When figures disagree, check which one a listing means before you rely on it.
The second trap is HDR. The AW3425DWM listing names VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification and the Alienware AW3425DW listing names VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400. They are different badges, so read the exact name on a listing instead of treating every HDR badge as the same, and do not pay extra for a badge on its own.
Resolution and size: what to buy
Match resolution and size to how you sit and what you do, not to whatever is biggest.
- 24in 1080p suits small desks where you sit close.
- 27in 1440p gives sharper text than 1080p at the same size and is a common size for a normal desk distance.
- 27in 4K is the sharpest of these options for text and detail work like photo editing and design, though you may use Windows scaling to keep menus readable.
- 34in ultrawide 1440p gives one wide canvas instead of two screens with a bezel down the middle. Both Alienware listings here are 34 inch screens at 3440 x 1440.
4K or 1440p: what changes
A 4K screen packs more pixels into the same size, so text and photos look sharper, but a game then asks more of the graphics card. A 1440p screen is the easier match for high refresh gaming: the Alienware AW3425DW listing gives 3440 x 1440 at 240Hz.
Vertical use and desk width
A 27 inch screen turned on its side is easier to live with than a 34 inch ultrawide, which would be very tall and narrow. Check the listing for pivot adjustment: the Alienware AW3425DWM lists Pivot Adjustment. For desk width, the Alienware AW3425DW is listed at 11.1D x 81.4W x 36.2H centimetres.
Bigger is not automatically better. A 32in 4K screen on a shallow desk can be too close to take in comfortably, while a 27in 1440p at the same distance can feel more comfortable. Match the size to your viewing distance first. If the second screen only ever travels with a laptop, a portable monitor may be the better shape of purchase than a full size panel you have to leave behind. If you work standing, our standing desk guide covers raising the screen to eye height.
27 inch monitors for a home office
The crown is a 34 inch gaming ultrawide, so this section covers the 27 inch screens for a normal home office desk. The ASUS, LG and Dell 27 inch monitors below could not be bought on 22 October 2026; the AOC 27B3HA2 is the 27 inch card to open.
AOC 27B3HA2 27in IPS Monitor
The Dell P2725HE title calls it a 27 inch USB-C hub monitor, and its product table lists FHD 1080p, 100 Hz and 5 USB ports, rated 4.4 stars from 95 ratings on Amazon AU.
The home office features that matter
For working from home, a few features matter far more than headline specs. Run through this checklist before you buy.
- A height adjustable stand. A stand that only tilts cannot raise the screen to eye level without a stack of books, a desk shelf or a monitor arm under it. The Alienware AW3425DW bullets name a height adjustable stand with tilt, swivel and slant adjustments, and the AW3425DWM features list Height Adjustment and Pivot Adjustment.
- A USB-C port. One USB-C cable can connect a laptop to a monitor. The Alienware AW3425DW table lists USB Type C under Hardware Connectivity; check a listing for Power Delivery wording before you rely on a monitor to charge a laptop.
- USB ports. Some monitors add USB ports for peripherals. If the screen you want skips them, a standalone USB-C hub or dock adds ports to any laptop.
- Flicker free and low blue light. The AOC 27B3HA2 listing says Flicker Free and Low Blue Light technology reduce eye fatigue while increasing visual comfort. A monitor light bar is one way to light the desk without a desk lamp.
For the chair, the desk and the order to buy them in, see our home office setup guide. If you work from a laptop, our laptop stand guide shows how to raise the screen to eye level.
Cheap and unknown brands
Be careful with cheap or unknown brands. Check the actual panel type on the listing, and read the star rating next to the number of ratings, because a high score from a few ratings tells you less. Be sceptical of stacked fantasy figures such as 1ms response, a huge contrast ratio and HDR together, and ask which figure is real when a title and the bullets disagree, as the AOC 27B3HA2 title and bullets do on response time. Prices move a lot, so read the live listing for the current figure.
Which monitor brands appear on this page
The monitors on this page come from Alienware, AOC, ASUS, Dell and LG. Whichever you choose, read the warranty line on the listing: the Alienware AW3425DW listing gives 3Y Basic Hardware Service with Advanced Exchange after remote diagnosis, and the AOC 27B3HA2 bullets give Manufacturer's warranty: 3 years. Every card here links to its Amazon AU listing, where you can read the current terms.
Monitor terms in plain words
- Refresh rate is how many times a second the picture redraws, in Hz. The listings give 240 Hz for the Alienware AW3425DW, 180 Hz for the AW3425DWM and 100Hz for the AOC 27B3HA2.
- Response time is how fast a pixel changes colour, in milliseconds. Check whether a figure is GtG: the AOC title lists 1ms while its bullets list 4 ms GtG.
- Ultrawide means a wide screen shape. The Alienware AW3425DW table lists an aspect ratio of 21:9.
- QD-OLED is the display type the Alienware AW3425DW listing calls a Quantum Dot OLED display.
- Adaptive sync lets the screen vary its refresh rate to suit the graphics card. The AOC 27B3HA2 table lists Adaptive Sync among its additional features.
Practical monitor questions
How do you clean a computer monitor screen?
Switch the monitor off, wipe it gently with a dry microfibre cloth in straight lines, and never spray liquid onto the screen. For marks that will not lift, dampen the cloth with a little distilled water. Check the maker's care advice for your model first. The steps below add detail.
Turn the monitor off first, so you can see the marks and so nothing shorts. Wipe with a dry microfibre cloth in straight lines rather than circles. For anything that will not lift, dampen the cloth with distilled water, or a 50:50 mix of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol for a matte panel, and never spray liquid onto the screen itself. Avoid paper towel, tissues, window cleaner and anything with ammonia or acetone, which strip the anti-glare coating. A soft brush or a puff of air clears dust from the bezel and vents.
How do you measure computer monitor size?
Monitor size is the diagonal of the visible panel, corner to corner, in inches. Measure it with a tape from one corner of the picture to the opposite corner, then convert centimetres to inches. The AOC 27B3HA2 bullets list a 68.6 cm (27 inch) screen. For desk space, measure the width too.
Monitor size is the diagonal of the visible panel, corner to corner, not including the bezel or the stand. Run a tape from the bottom left corner of the picture to the top right corner and convert to inches by dividing centimetres by 2.54. A 27in monitor measures about 68.6cm on that diagonal. If you need desk space rather than screen size, measure the width instead: the Alienware AW3425DW listing gives 11.1D x 81.4W x 36.2H centimetres, so allow about 81.4 cm of desk width for that 34 inch screen.
Can a TV be used as a computer monitor?
Yes, a TV can work as a computer monitor, and it suits video better than text. Connect it over HDMI and use its PC or Game mode. Text can look softer than on a monitor of the same resolution unless you sit further back, and many TVs have slower response times, so check the TV's spec sheet first.
Yes, and it works better for video than for text. Connect over HDMI, set the TV input to PC or Game mode to cut input lag, and turn off motion smoothing. The catches are pixel density and distance: text on a large TV often looks softer than on a monitor unless you sit well back, and many TVs have slower response times. Going the other way, a monitor makes a fine small TV if you add speakers, and check the listing for a TV tuner and speakers.
Do computer monitors have speakers?
Some do, and the listing tells you. The AOC 27B3HA2 gives 2x 2 watt speakers and a headphone out, so it can play sound by itself. For any monitor, check the listing for the word speakers before you rely on it, and plan on desktop speakers or a headset if it does not name any.
The AOC 27B3HA2 listing gives small 2x 2 watt speakers, which suit a video call better than music. Check the spec sheet for the words built-in speakers rather than assuming, because an HDMI cable carries sound whether or not the screen can play it, and plan on desktop speakers or a headset for anything beyond meetings. If you also want a better camera for those meetings, see our webcam guide.
Is 1000R or 1800R better?
The number is the curve radius in millimetres, and a smaller number is a tighter curve. The Alienware AW3425DWM title lists a 1500R Curved screen, while the Alienware AW3425DW title says only Curved, and its A+ text gives a 1500R curve. Neither number is better in the abstract.
The number is the curve radius in millimetres, and a smaller number means a more aggressive curve. A 1000R screen curves to match the arc of human vision at about one metre, so it wraps more and suits a single large screen you sit close to. An 1800R curve is gentler and is easier to live with on a wider desk, in a dual-screen setup, or for design work where straight lines matter. Neither is better in the abstract: pick the tighter curve for immersion at close range and the gentler one for mixed work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are gaming monitors also good for office work?
Yes, a gaming monitor can also do office work. The Alienware AW3425DW, rated 4.4 stars from 1,367 ratings, lists its uses as Desktop, Entertainment and Gaming on a 34 inch 3440 x 1440 screen. The trade is desk space: a 34 inch ultrawide needs room, so smaller desks suit a 27 inch screen better.
What is the best gaming monitor under $500 in Australia?
No monitor on this page is chosen on price. For a gaming screen read the refresh rate, panel and adaptive sync rows first; the Alienware AW3425DW is the gaming monitor we put first, and its Amazon AU listing shows the current price, so compare it with your budget before you decide.
Is a 4K monitor worth it for PC?
It can be, if sharpness matters more than speed. A 4K screen gives sharper text for photo work, but it asks more of a graphics card in games. The only 4K monitor on this page, the LG 27US500-W, could not be bought on 22 October 2026, so check any 4K listing's refresh rate and ports before you buy.
What size monitor is best for vertical use?
A smaller screen is easier to use vertically. A 27 inch panel turned on its side is a manageable height, while a 34 inch 21:9 ultrawide would be very tall and narrow. Only buy a monitor whose listing says it pivots: the Alienware AW3425DWM names Pivot Adjustment in its features.
What brand has the best monitors?
No single brand is best for every buyer. This page features Alienware, AOC, ASUS, LG and Dell, and we judge each model on its listing. The Alienware AW3425DW, rated 4.4 stars from 1,367 ratings, is the monitor we put first; its listing names Dell as manufacturer with a 3Y Basic Hardware Service warranty. Compare warranty lines before you buy.
What is adaptive sync on a monitor?
Adaptive sync lets a monitor change its refresh rate to match the frames your graphics card produces, which cuts screen tearing and stutter. FreeSync and G-Sync are common names for it. The Alienware AW3425DWM listing says AMD FreeSync technology eliminates screen tearing and stuttering, and the AOC 27B3HA2 table lists Adaptive Sync under additional features.
What are some cheap computer monitors available for sale?
The AOC 27B3HA2 is the 27 inch FHD IPS monitor here that can be bought, at 100Hz with 2x 2 watt speakers, and the card to open for a plain office screen. We do not quote prices, so we cannot rank these monitors by cost; check its live Amazon AU listing against your budget.
Is 4K or 1440 better for gaming?
For gaming, 1440p is often the better balance. It runs smoothly on more graphics cards and suits high refresh screens, while 4K looks sharper but needs far more graphics power. The Alienware AW3425DW, rated 4.4 stars from 1,367 ratings, follows the 1440 route: its listing says 3440 x 1440 at 240Hz.
