Best Monitors Under $100 In 2020: Budget Options For The Average Consumer

Eric Jones July 1, 2020

0 97 7 minutes read

As the technology industry has been growing at a rapid rate, there are advancements made at an astonishing rate. These advancements means that there’s a wide array of improvements and ingenuity at bleeding edge of the tech market. In the case of monitors, this includes the highest resolutions, high refresh rates and the best picture quality. However, as these technologies become more common, the average monitor, the one that provides a reliable display, good image quality and decent performance with a few useful features, has gotten much more affordable.

Nowadays, there are quite a few options for budget monitors priced under a $100. Which is precisely why we’ve decided to procure this list of the best monitors available under $100 for your convenience. We’ve discussed all their features, pros, cons and how they stack up against their competition. Reading through this article will enable you to make an informed decision regarding your purchase and choose the best monitor possible to suit your needs.

1. HP VH240a

Best Image Quality

Borderless design
Great color accuracy
Wide viewing angles

Limited refresh rate

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

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We’re starting off our list with one of the best monitors available in the sub-$100 range, the HP VH240a. This monitor comes with a borderless, sleek design which gives off a premium look. The monitor is equipped with an IPS panel which produces great color accuracy and high image quality. Also, it has wide viewing angles which are a great comfort for many users. Its design, features and its performance all make it an amazing monitor to buy in under $100 unless you’re an avid gamer and want something with a better refresh rate since this one from HP offers only 60 Hz.

The VH240a has a 23.8 inch, IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution which provides ample pixels per inch in its display. The IPS panel produces high quality images with good sharpness, contrast, brightness and accurate color reproduction. Its 250 nits brightness is adequate for most indoor lighting scenarios while the 1000:1 contrast ratio generates generally vivid, natural looking images. Another benefit of the IPS panel is the wide display angles at 178 and 178 degrees which means users can comfortably view the screen regardless of where they sit in front of it.

On the performance side, it doesn’t blow you out of the water in any way. It has the age old 60 Hz refresh rate with a 5 ms response time, which is decent but not something aimed at gamers specifically. However, it does have an aesthetically pleasing design with slim bezels. The borderless design is further enhanced by the thin frame and the fully adjustable, ergonomic stand which the user can adjust to their liking. It can even rotate 90 degrees to be set in portrait mode. There are two, built-in 2W speakers which produce adequate sound as well.

Overall, the HP VH240a is a fantastic monitor for everyday usage in under $100. It has solid features and specifications which include its high quality, 1080p IPS panel; aesthetically pleasing, borderless design and a fully ergonomic stand. If you’re an average user and want a solid piece of hardware for everyday usage for work or entertainment, this is one of the best purchases you could make in under $100.

2. LG 22MK430H-B

Budget Gaming Monitor

High refresh rate
Great color accuracy
Wide viewing angles

Tilt only stand

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

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The second entry in our list is the LG 22MK430H-B. This monitor has features which make it suitable for gamers and everyday users all the same. It has great image quality due to its IPS panel which produces sharp, vibrant images. The panel also has wide viewing angles which cause no distortion even when you’re not sitting directly in front of the monitor. Moreover, it also has a high refresh rate than most of the other monitors on this list, which makes it good for casual gamers. The design aspect of the monitor is quite underwhelming and has no flair or outstanding features. Even the stand is tilt-only adjustable which is disappointing.

With its 21.5 inch screen, the 22MK430H-B is one of the most affordable 75 Hz refresh rate monitors available. It also has a 5 ms response time, which, combined with the support for AMD FreeSync that this monitor has, makes for a smooth gaming experience without any screen tearing whatsoever and an overall good experience for casual gamers. The IPS panel has great color accuracy with high quality image result. Its 1920 x 1080p resolution provides good detail and high pixels per inch since its only a 21.5 inch screen.

The monitor has a flat, plain design and doesn’t have any bells and whistles in the looks department. The stand is tilt adjustable so you can angle it vertically but there’s not much else to it. It does have a few interesting software features, which include LG’s Black Stabilizer which improves visibility even in darker scenes, a reading mode, and on screen controls which enable users to change any settings regarding the monitors’ brightness, contrast and picture modes to their liking with a click of a button directly on the screen in the computer.

Overall, the LG 22MK430H-B is a fantastic choice for those looking for an everyday, budget gaming monitor which can provide a decently high refresh rate and good image quality. It has all of those and a few useful features which add value to this already cheap monitor.

3. ViewSonic VA2246MH

Great Value

Good image quality
Flicker free backlight
Amazing value

Limited viewing angles

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

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Coming in as the third entry on our list is the ViewSonic VA2246MH which has a full HD resolution, 21.5 inch TN panel. This produces god image quality and natural color reproduction. The monitor also has additive features such as the flicker free backlight, which makes it a particularly great option if you’re looking for the best value for money. However, since it is a TN panel, it faces the issue of low viewing angles which can cause distortion when not facing the monitor head-on.

The VA2246MH is a regular, average monitor with a TN panel which provides good image quality for the user. The color reproduction is good but doesn’t match that of an IPS panel. Its viewing angles are low and can cause distortion when viewed at an angle. The performance of the monitor is quite average as well, with a standard 60 Hz refresh rate and 5 ms response time. It’s adequate for casual users but gamers may want a higher refresh rate monitor, perhaps with AMD’s FreeSync or Nvidia’s G-Sync support as well.

In terms of design, it’s quite simple and sleek. The monitor has a tilt only stand which allows users to adjust it to eye-level with ease. However, there are a few features which can prove to be useful. The monitor comes with decent built in speakers which can be used for watching random videos or shows for entertainment, but a set of separate speakers would probably be much better. The monitor also has a flicker free backlight, as well as a blue light filter which helps reduce stress and strain on the user’s eyes from prolonged usage of the monitor.

Overall, the ViewSonic Va2246MH is a fantastic choice for an everyday, regular usage monitor for home or work under $100. It has decent features and performance and checks every box. The display quality is good and the performance is average, but it has a few features which make it well worth the amazingly low price tag it comes with. All in all, it’s a great choice for an average monitor for everyday usage.

4. Asus VS228H-P

Everyday Monitor

Good image quality
HD resolution
Amazing value

Limited viewing angles

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

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The fourth entry on our list is eerily similar to the third monitor, but it may be slightly more expensive. The Asus VS228H-P. It has a full HD resolution with a 21.5 inch TN panel. It produces good image quality with decent color reproduction. The value this monitor offers in comparison with the price tag its listed at proves how good it is on a tight budget. However, the TN panel has limited viewing angles which is a common, but annoying issue for many users.

The VS228H-P comes with a 1920 x 1080p resolution which provides ample pixel density for a screen of 21.5 inches. The image quality is decent and can generate fairly accurate colors, with high sharpness, clarity and vibrancy. The performance aspect is quite average since it has a 60 Hz refresh rate and a 5 ms response time which is adequate for casual gamers and everyday users. However, the TN panel does have limited viewing angles which can cause distortion when users look at the screen from an angle.

The monitor’s design is quite simple and has a tilt only stand. There’s not much else in terms of hardware features, but there are software features which enhance the visibility of the screen even at odd angles, despite the technically low viewing angles. Also, the software dynamically adjusts the contrast to provide a punchy, sharp, lifelike image for the user. There are no speakers built in to the monitor which can be slightly disappointing for some users, but considering it’s a cheap monitor in the sub $100 range, it’s not a big deal.

Overall, the Asus VS228H-P is a standard monitor for everyday usage available at an affordable price. It checks every box a regular user could ask for and does it reliably. The TN panel generates high quality, full HD images but has limited viewing angles, but the software of the monitor helps mitigate the distortion. All in all, it’s a great monitor in terms of value for money and should be an easy purchase for anyone looking for an everyday monitor for home or for work purposes.

5. Acer K202HQL

Ultra Budget Monitor

Very affordable
Sleek design

Low resolution
Limited viewing angles

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

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The last monitor on our list is also the cheapest. The Acer K202HQL is the ultra budget monitor which has a sleek, simple design with small borders and a thin frame. Its price is one of the lowest ones in which you can get a decent new monitor. However, the concession in price means that there’s a few things which are cut back on by Acer. It has a low resolution which decreases the overall detail the display can provide, and it has limited viewing angles which make it uncomfortable to view unless users sit directly in front of it.

The K202HQL is simply one of the cheapest monitors available and there’s little to brag about regarding its performance or image quality. The TN panel provides decent color accuracy and quality but the 1366 x 768 resolution is slightly lower than the 1080p standard we’re now used to. Even though the refresh rate is just 60 Hz, the response time is decent at 5 ms which is on par with monitors in this price range.

The design is quite simple and sleek. It has no flair or added quirks in the aesthetics but its thin frame and small bezels make it somewhat attractive. It has a tilt only stand which can be used to adjust the vertical angle of the monitor and preferably set it to eye-level. Although there aren’t many other features, the monitor does advertise Acer’s VisionCare which reduces the blue light coming from the display to reduce stress and strain even after prolonged usage for multiple hours.

In conclusion, the Acer K202HQL has nothing spectacular to offer, but it does have an extremely low price tag. It’s perfect for those who are on a tight budget and just want a display to work on or casually play some games, without spending anywhere near $100. All in all, it’s the perfect ultra budget monitor.