Best Energy Efficient Gaming Monitor: Top Low Power Picks

The best energy efficient gaming monitor depends on the resolution you need. The LG 24GS60F-B pairs 180 Hz Full HD gaming with a published 17.6 W SDR reference. Choose the Alienware AW2725DM for 1440p or the Dell S2725QC for 4K. The power figures are standardized references, so expect actual draw to vary with your setup.

Quick verdict on the best energy efficient gaming monitor

Choose the LG 24GS60F-B if a compact 1080p screen fits your desk and you want IPS and validated GeForce variable refresh. Choose the LG 24GS50F-B if you want the lowest declared SDR draw on this shortlist and are comfortable buying a VA display. The published difference is small enough that picture and motion preferences can decide between them.

For QHD, the Alienware AW2725DM gives you 180 Hz over DisplayPort and a 25 W SDR declaration. The Dell G2724D is an alternative when the purchase price and availability make sense. Choose the Dell S2725QC for a 4K work and casual gaming desk, or the ASUS XG27AQDMG for 240 Hz OLED gaming if fast motion and contrast justify paying more upfront.

The strongest reason to shop by electricity use is to compare screens that already meet your needs. Buying a new display just to save a few watts can cost more than keeping one you own. If you need a new monitor anyway, use the declared numbers to narrow the list and measure at your own settings if the result will affect your decision.

Quick comparison table

The SDR column uses EU product information records for the named models or matching base model identifiers. The gaming column uses manufacturer specifications. These are two separate pieces of evidence. A monitor listed at 180 Hz and 17.6 W does not necessarily draw 17.6 W when you play a game at 180 Hz.

How we selected and compared power figures

Every pick supports at least 120 Hz and has a published SDR on-mode reference. EU records give readers a more useful baseline than mixing adapter ratings, unspecified typical figures, and maximum input power. The US manufacturer pages establish gaming modes, features, and, where visible, price context.

The comparison is about declared electricity demand for complete displays under a standardized framework. Different screen sizes, image characteristics, and default settings still matter. It would take matched measurements at the same visible brightness, refresh, content, and signal settings to rank these monitors for a particular gaming session. The shortlist therefore identifies which model fits each use case, while the table preserves the declared numbers for comparison.

The EU figures also should not be read as American certification marks. EU records identify some products by a base model code, while US stores use additional suffixes. Match the model before using a figure. Buying options are for the US market, and any listed price references exclude sales tax and shipping. Since there is no fixed price limit, the OLED remains a premium option and is evaluated for its gaming features rather than as a way to reduce the bill.

Six picks for the best energy efficient gaming monitor

Start by choosing the smallest size and lowest resolution that still suit your desk, games, and other work. Then check refresh, inputs, and actual purchase cost. A compact Full HD monitor can lower the declared display draw, while QHD or 4K may be worth the difference for a screen that doubles as a workstation.

LG UltraGear 24GS50F-B — Best energy efficient gaming monitor for low declared SDR draw

The 24GS50F-B is a compact Full HD gaming display with a 180 Hz ceiling and AMD FreeSync. Its EU model record lists 15.9 W in SDR and 0.5 W in standby. That makes it the lowest declared SDR draw in this group and a practical starting point if you want a small screen and already play games at 1080p.

The VA panel can suit a player who values contrast in a dim room, but dark motion transitions are worth checking in games you know. A 180 Hz mode alone does not describe how well a panel handles a dark object moving across a shaded background. Start with a moderate response setting and compare camera pans in bright and dark scenes before deciding which mode to keep.

Buy if you want compact 1080p and the lower declaration matters alongside a competitive checkout price. Skip if you prefer IPS viewing behavior, want a documented G-SYNC Compatible route, or need QHD workspace. The other LG adds only 1.7 W to the declared SDR figure. At four hours a day that difference comes to about 2.5 kWh annually under the simplified reference scenario, so prioritize the screen you will prefer to use.

LG UltraGear 24GS60F-B — Best fit for compact IPS gaming

The 24GS60F-B combines a 23.8-inch IPS panel, 1920 × 1080, and up to 180 Hz. Its matching EU base model has a declared 17.6 W SDR draw. It makes sense for a PC that already performs well at Full HD, especially when the same screen handles some office work or sits on a desk where space is limited.

The IPS option is useful if you shift position often or want a clear GeForce setup path. LG lists G-SYNC Compatible and AMD FreeSync support, and NVIDIA lists DisplayPort for the validated GeForce mode. Use the correct input and check the selected refresh rate after installation. The Full HD image has fewer pixels than QHD, which can help a GPU-limited system maintain its target frame rate. That system-level effect is separate from what the monitor uses at the outlet.

Buy if you want a small display that balances ordinary work and high-refresh gaming. Skip if you regularly tile several windows or want a larger canvas for detailed games. The LG US page showed a $149.99 reference price. Compare a current offer with QHD models before deciding how much you are saving upfront.

Alienware AW2725DM — Best fit for 180 Hz QHD gaming

The AW2725DM pairs a 27-inch QHD IPS panel with up to 180 Hz over DisplayPort. Its EU declaration shows 25 W in SDR and 36 W in HDR. This gives a buyer a useful example of how the same monitor can carry two distinct power references while remaining a practical middle ground between compact 1080p and 4K.

Use SDR for routine desktop work and games where you prefer that presentation. The 11 W gap between the label modes is a comparison under the declared test framework. It cannot tell you exactly what switching modes will do during your own game. Brightness, the scene, and monitor settings can all change the outcome. If your goal is to keep the system quiet or reduce room heat, measure the PC and screen separately to see which component accounts for most of the demand.

Buy if you want 27-inch QHD and your games can take advantage of the 180 Hz ceiling. Skip if you need a 4K workspace or want a small screen primarily to reduce cost and demand. Dell’s US page showed $269.99. Compare that delivered price against the G2724D before putting much weight on the 1 W gap in the SDR declarations.

Dell G2724D — Best fit for a QHD alternative with stand adjustment

The G2724D gives you a 27-inch 2560 × 1440 IPS screen, an adjustable stand, and up to 165 Hz over DisplayPort. Dell publishes a 26 W on-mode figure. It is most useful as an alternative to the Alienware when you prefer its feature set or can find a better price for a new unit from a seller you trust.

The monitor’s own consumption is only one part of the decision. Its height adjustment can help if a low screen would otherwise lead to buying an arm. A 165 Hz ceiling is enough to follow many games that typically run below that figure, assuming the selected VRR mode supports the source and input. Dell lists QHD at up to 144 Hz over HDMI, so use DisplayPort if you want the maximum PC mode.

Buy if the monitor fits the desk and a verified new offer makes sense. Skip if available listings are overpriced or only offer a condition you do not want. A 1 W reference gap with the Alienware corresponds to about 1.46 kWh over a year at four hours daily, too small to outweigh a substantial difference in checkout price or convenience.

Dell S2725QC — Best fit for 4K work and casual gaming

The S2725QC has a 27-inch 4K IPS panel and a 120 Hz ceiling, with EU declarations of 25.2 W in SDR and 36.9 W in HDR. It is useful when you spend much of the day reading text or working with detailed images and want the same screen for slower games. Its USB-C input can also supply up to 65 W to a laptop.

A wall meter on this display includes the electricity it delivers to a connected laptop, plus conversion losses. Disconnect charging loads for a display-only test. For a one-cable desk comparison, measure the combined laptop-and-screen setup as you normally use it, including the separate laptop charger when the other display requires one. The two measurements answer different questions.

RTINGS found blurry fast motion despite the 120 Hz mode. Native 4K also gives the GPU 2.25 times as many pixels to draw as QHD, which can affect computer power and frame rate. Buy if you want the 4K desktop and play slower titles. Skip if fast shooters matter more or you would regularly have to reduce rendering resolution to reach your target FPS.

ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG — Best fit for fast OLED gaming

The XG27AQDMG uses a glossy 26.5-inch viewable WOLED panel with QHD resolution and a 240 Hz ceiling. Its declared SDR figure is 24.4 W. This is an option for players who want OLED contrast and quick motion in controlled lighting and are willing to weigh the extra purchase cost against those benefits.

An OLED panel lights its pixels individually, so a dark scene can have a different power profile from a bright desktop or a game with large, bright areas. That makes one SDR label figure a particularly limited prediction of a mixed gaming session. The glossy finish also deserves consideration if a window or lamp sits directly behind you. You may get more benefit from changing the room lighting than from increasing brightness to overcome reflections.

Buy if contrast and motion are priorities and you can accommodate OLED care for recurring static content. Skip if the monitor will show bright spreadsheets or a fixed interface all day, or if your main goal is lowering the electricity bill. The small declared SDR gap with the QHD IPS choices is insufficient on its own to justify an OLED price premium.

Buying guide for a gaming monitor with lower power demand

Separate monitor power, computer power, and total electricity cost before buying. The screen consumes power to display the signal, while the GPU and CPU do the work to render it. Brightness, refresh, frame rate, and the content on screen can affect those parts of the setup in different ways.

Measure at the brightness and refresh you actually use

Connect the monitor and its adapter to a plug-in power meter. Keep the computer on a separate outlet for the first test. Disable USB charging and use the same SDR picture, brightness, and connected devices when comparing two refresh modes. Record an average over a repeatable interval after the reading settles.

Then run a separate real-use test with the game, brightness, HDR setting, and refresh you normally choose. For OLED, use representative light and dark scenes so a single frame does not dominate the conclusion. If you compare two monitors, match visible brightness where possible. A setting of 40 percent on one model may produce a different amount of light on another.

Estimate annual use from your measured wattage

Multiply watts by daily operating hours and 365, then divide by 1,000 to estimate annual kilowatt-hours. At four hours per day, a 10 W difference is 14.6 kWh per year. At an illustrative electricity rate of $0.20 per kWh, that is $2.92. Use the rate on your own bill for a household estimate.

If you leave the screen connected all day, add a separate standby calculation for the hours it actually sleeps. An example monitor drawing 0.5 W for 20 hours per day uses about 3.65 kWh annually in that state. A reliable sleep timer is useful when you regularly leave the desk. Recheck with USB devices attached if the monitor charges accessories while the screen is asleep.

Check the whole setup before spending for savings

A higher resolution adds rendering work when the GPU is the limiting component. A higher refresh ceiling can also encourage you to run a game with an uncapped frame rate. These choices can change PC demand independently of display power, so keep your frame-rate cap fixed for a controlled monitor comparison.

Afterward, measure the whole setup at the settings you would choose on each display. If you prefer QHD at a lower frame cap, compare that experience with the actual 1080p configuration you would use. Consider the purchase price alongside the measured difference. A monitor you already own may be the economical choice if a lower brightness or a shorter sleep timer gives you the change you want.

Frequently asked questions

Look for the conditions behind any published figure before comparing two models. An adapter rating, an EU SDR number, and a plug-in meter result each describe a different situation. When a listing uses a large number without context, look for a model-specific product sheet before treating it as the operating draw.

Does a higher refresh rate always draw more power?

The effect depends on the model and operating mode. A maximum refresh rating does not by itself establish outlet demand. Compare refresh settings at the same resolution, brightness, content, and frame-rate cap. Then check the computer separately if you also change the number of frames the game renders.

Is OLED always more efficient than LCD?

Compare exact models and the material you display. OLED demand varies with the image, and LCD demand changes with backlight brightness and features such as local dimming. A low reference number for one panel does not establish that its technology is the better choice for a bright desktop, dark game, or HDR session.

Final verdict

Choose the LG 24GS60F-B for compact IPS gaming or the Alienware AW2725DM for 180 Hz at 1440p. Pick the Dell S2725QC if 4K work matters more than fast motion. Compare the published SDR figures as a starting point, then measure at your normal brightness, refresh rate, and charging setup if electricity cost matters.