As a dual gaming monitor connoisseur, this Acer 1080p pick would be my choice for a second panel now that it's just $90

by adminApril 15, 2026046

Despite the protest of some of my colleagues, dual monitors are just the best setup for a gaming rig. The distance between the two gives me clearly defined borders for a game to run on the better screen for pretty games, and on the worst screen for competitive ones. That’s before mentioning a second screen gives room for extra information, a notepad app, or just a podcast when I’m bored.

With this monitor, the price is mostly what sells it to me. 1080p resolution is a tad low, naturally, but 4K monitors will demand a few hundred dollars more. However, just because its resolution is the bare minimum you’d want for gaming doesn’t mean its other stats lack too.

You are getting a 180 Hz refresh rate, which is solid, and a response time of 0.5 ms. This makes the Acer a solid competitive gaming pick.

1080p is far less tough for a GPU to deal with than 4K or 1440p, so this works as a decent main monitor for the likes of Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, where frame rate really matters. I have the same setup myself: one lush OLED 1440p panel for single-player, pretty games, and one more budget-oriented 1080p monitor for competitive play.

It is a VA panel, which is typically better than IPS for its contrast, but worse for viewing angles and color accuracy. It’s an older tech, too, though solid nonetheless.

This Acer screen isn’t the absolute cheapest gaming monitor I’d recommend right now. MSI’s G242L E14 is $5 cheaper, and it uses an IPS panel, but it has a higher response time and lower refresh rate. The Acer is a better competitive choice, while the MSI will handle color better.

Still, if you find yourself not quite satisfied with the amount of information you can cram into just a single screen, a second monitor will really make your gaming rig pop, and getting one for $90 makes it even pretty solid on a budget. I’d know, I’ve done the same myself.