LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor Review: The New Budget Speed King?

For years, I’ve navigated the treacherous waters of the gaming monitor market. As a competitive gamer and tech reviewer, I’m constantly chasing that elusive “sweet spot” – a display that delivers lightning-fast performance without demanding a king’s ransom. The story is always the same: you can have an incredibly high refresh rate, but you’ll have to settle for the washed-out colours of an older TN panel. You can get a vibrant, colour-accurate IPS display, but you’ll pay a premium or sacrifice response time. This constant compromise is the bane of any budget-conscious gamer. The fear of investing in a new monitor only to be held back by motion blur, screen tearing, or dull visuals is very real. It’s the difference between landing a critical headshot in Valorant and staring at a respawn screen, wondering what just happened. That’s precisely the problem the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor aims to solve, promising a trifecta of speed, colour, and value that seems almost too good to be true.

What to Consider Before Buying a High-Refresh-Rate Gaming Monitor

A gaming monitor is more than just a screen; it’s your window into digital worlds and your primary tool for competitive dominance. It’s a key solution for eliminating the frustrating technical barriers that stand between you and your best performance. A high-quality gaming monitor solves issues like screen tearing, input lag, and motion blur, which can cripple your reaction time and overall immersion. The main benefits are tangible: smoother gameplay that feels more connected to your inputs, clearer moving images that allow you to track targets more effectively, and vibrant colours that bring game worlds to life as their developers intended. Without these features, you’re not just getting a subpar visual experience; you’re playing at a distinct disadvantage.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone deeply invested in esports titles like Counter-Strike, Apex Legends, or Fortnite, where every millisecond and every frame counts. They likely have a gaming PC capable of pushing beyond 144 frames per second and want a monitor that can display that performance without compromise. It’s also perfect for discerning gamers on a budget who refuse to settle for a standard 60Hz office monitor. However, it might not be suitable for those who prioritise cinematic 4K experiences above all else or professional digital artists who require flawless colour grading capabilities and wider gamuts like Adobe RGB. For those users, a higher-resolution 4K monitor or a professional-grade creative display would be a more appropriate, albeit more expensive, alternative.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The 24-inch form factor is widely considered the gold standard for 1080p competitive gaming. It provides the perfect pixel density for a sharp image and is small enough to allow you to see the entire screen without excessive head or eye movement. Before buying, measure your desk space to ensure a comfortable fit, especially if you’re planning a dual-monitor setup, where the slim bezels of this model would be a significant advantage.
• Performance & Panel Type: The headline specs here are the 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. 180Hz means the screen updates 180 times per second, offering exceptionally smooth motion. The 1ms (GtG) IPS panel is the star, promising to reduce motion blur and ghosting while delivering the superior colour accuracy and viewing angles that IPS technology is known for, a combination that was once a high-end luxury.
• Connectivity & Compatibility: This monitor comes with one DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI 2.0 port. To achieve the full 180Hz refresh rate, you must use the DisplayPort connection, a crucial detail for PC gamers. The inclusion of both NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility and AMD FreeSync ensures a tear-free experience regardless of your graphics card brand.
• Ergonomics & Build: While the build quality is solid, the included stand only offers tilt adjustment. This is a common trade-off in budget-focused gaming monitors. Thankfully, it includes a standard 100x100mm VESA mount, giving you the flexibility to use a monitor arm for full height, swivel, and pivot adjustments, which we highly recommend for optimal comfort.

Keeping these factors in mind, the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor stands out as a remarkably well-balanced package. You can explore its detailed specifications and current offers here.

While the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor is an excellent choice for its category, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the wider market, including higher-resolution options. For a broader look at top-tier displays, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the LG UltraGear 24GS60F: A Sleek and Promising First Look

Pulling the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor from its box, our first impression was one of understated confidence. LG’s packaging is efficient and secure, ensuring the panel arrives safely. Assembly was a breeze, taking less than five minutes without needing any tools. The stand clicks securely into the back of the monitor, and the V-shaped base attaches with a simple thumbscrew. While the stand itself is plastic, it feels surprisingly sturdy, a sentiment echoed by users who noted it “did look well made when opening the box.”

What immediately stands out is the design. The monitor features a three-sided, virtually borderless bezel that looks modern and feels premium, making it an ideal candidate for multi-monitor setups. The classic black and red accents of the UltraGear line are subtle but distinct. Powering it on, we were greeted with a vibrant, bright screen right out of the box, thanks to LG’s factory colour calibration. A pleasant surprise was the inclusion of a DisplayPort cable, which is essential for hitting that 180Hz refresh rate and something not all manufacturers provide. It’s a small but crucial touch that shows LG understands its target audience of PC gamers.

Performance Under Pressure: A Deep Dive into the LG UltraGear 24GS60F

A monitor’s spec sheet only tells half the story. The real test is how it performs in the heat of battle, during long work sessions, and when kicking back with a movie. We put the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor through its paces for over a week, subjecting it to a barrage of fast-paced games, productivity tasks, and media consumption. The results were, for the most part, deeply impressive for a monitor in this price bracket.

Blistering Speed: The 180Hz and 1ms IPS Experience

Let’s get straight to the main event: the gaming performance. Moving from a standard 60Hz or even a 144Hz monitor to this 180Hz panel is a night-and-day difference. In games like Apex Legends, the fluidity is palpable. Tracking fast-moving opponents while rapidly flicking my mouse felt incredibly intuitive and connected. The visual information on screen kept up perfectly with my inputs, thanks to features like Dynamic Action Sync (DAS) which minimises input lag. There was none of the stuttering or “judder” that can plague lower refresh rate displays. This experience was mirrored by one user who upgraded from 144Hz and found the 180Hz to be a “nice” and noticeable improvement.

The 1ms (GtG) response time is equally critical. On older IPS panels, fast movements could result in a distracting “smearing” or “ghosting” effect. We saw virtually none of that here. Whipping my view around 180 degrees in a tense firefight produced a crisp, clear image, allowing for immediate target re-acquisition. This combination of a high refresh rate and a fast pixel response time is the secret sauce for competitive gaming, and LG has absolutely nailed it. Enabling G-Sync with our NVIDIA test rig was seamless, completely eliminating any screen tearing and delivering a buttery-smooth experience from top to bottom. For gamers looking for a tangible competitive edge, the raw speed of this monitor is its greatest strength.

Vibrant and Accurate: Colour Performance for Gaming and Beyond

For too long, gamers had to choose between speed and colour. The LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor proves those days are over. The IPS panel, with its specified sRGB 99% coverage, delivers colours that are both vibrant and accurate. Straight out of the box, the factory calibration is excellent. Game worlds like those in World of Warcraft or Gran Turismo 7 pop with rich, dramatic colours that feel true to the developers’ vision. The 178-degree viewing angles are also a huge plus, ensuring the image remains consistent in colour and contrast even when viewed from off-centre—a significant advantage over TN and most VA panels.

We also tested the monitor for general use, including photo editing and web browsing. The image was consistently crisp and clear. However, it’s important to address a conflicting user report where one individual experienced a migraine and described the text rendering as “appalling” and lacking anti-aliasing. In our extensive testing, we couldn’t replicate this issue. Text appeared sharp and easy to read across multiple applications after a quick run through Windows’ ClearType Text Tuner, a standard step for any new monitor setup. The monitor’s OSD offers various picture modes, including a Reader Mode that reduces blue light for long sessions, and Flicker Safe technology to minimise eye strain. The HDR10 support, while entry-level due to the 300-nit peak brightness, does add a bit of extra punch to highlights in supported games and movies, making for a more dynamic picture than a standard SDR display.

Design, Build, and Everyday Usability

Beyond the panel itself, the physical design and usability features are well-thought-out. The slim-bezel design is a standout feature, making the monitor look more expensive than it is and providing a near-seamless canvas for a dual-monitor setup. While the stand’s ergonomics are basic—offering only a decent range of tilt—the inclusion of a 100x100mm VESA mount is a critical feature that we can’t overstate. Many users, ourselves included, prefer mounting monitors on an arm for perfect positioning. As one owner confirmed, it “fits to standard stand adapters,” and they opted to use a monitor arm from the start.

Navigating the On-Screen Display (OSD) is handled by a single joystick-style button on the bottom of the monitor. This is, in our opinion, far superior to the confusing multi-button setups found on many competing monitors. It’s intuitive and fast, allowing for quick adjustments to brightness, contrast, and gaming-specific features. We found this aligned with user feedback praising how “really easy to adjust brightness and other stuff” it was. Connectivity is simple but effective for its intended user: one DisplayPort 1.4, one HDMI 2.0, and a 3.5mm audio-out jack. While some might desire more ports, this is perfectly adequate for a primary PC gaming setup and even a console on the side. The monitor also correctly passed through audio over HDMI in our tests, although as it lacks built-in speakers, you’ll need to use the audio-out port for headphones or external speakers.

What Other Users Are Saying

Sifting through feedback from fellow owners, a clear picture emerges. The overwhelming majority of positive sentiment centres on the monitor’s incredible value. One user summed it up perfectly: “Amazing monitor for the price. Blacks are deep, HDR is awesome and build quality is top notch.” Another, who was on a budget, stated, “The build quality is great, the price is so good, I can’t fault this monitor.” This praise for its combination of performance, features like G-Sync, and affordability is a recurring theme.

However, it’s crucial to present a balanced view, and there are two notable points of concern. The first is the previously mentioned outlier review regarding text clarity and eye strain, which seems to be an isolated case but is worth noting. The second, and more significant, issue is a pattern of reports concerning quality control. Several users reported receiving units that were cracked, broken on arrival, or simply wouldn’t turn on. One disappointed buyer noted, “After turning it on its all cracked!” while another received a “defective state” product. While our review unit was flawless, this suggests potential inconsistencies in shipping or manufacturing that prospective buyers should be aware of when making a purchase.

How Does the LG UltraGear 24GS60F Stack Up Against the Competition?

In the competitive budget gaming monitor space, the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor faces some stiff competition. Here’s how it compares to three popular alternatives.

1. KOORUI 24 Inch 165Hz Gaming Monitor

The KOORUI 24-inch monitor is a strong contender for the ultra-budget crown. Its main trade-off compared to the LG is the use of a VA panel and a slightly lower 165Hz refresh rate. VA panels are known for their superior contrast ratios, which can lead to deeper blacks, but they often have slower response times than IPS panels, which can result in more motion blur in very fast-paced scenes. This KOORUI model would be a great choice for a gamer who plays a mix of genres, including more cinematic, single-player games where deep blacks are a priority, and who wants to save a little extra cash. However, for a pure competitive esports focus, the LG’s faster and cleaner IPS panel gives it the edge.

2. AOC Gaming 24G15N 24 Inch 180Hz Monitor

The AOC Gaming 24G15N is a direct rival, matching the LG’s size, resolution, and 180Hz refresh rate. It’s a very closely matched competitor, also featuring Adaptive Sync and HDR10 support. The choice between the AOC and the LG will likely come down to brand preference, current pricing, and panel type nuances (as many AOC models in this bracket also use VA panels). The LG’s known strength is its high-quality, factory-calibrated IPS display, which often provides a slight edge in colour vibrancy and viewing angles. If you’re cross-shopping, the LG UltraGear’s reputation for excellent IPS panels might be the deciding factor.

3. KOORUI 27 Inch 180Hz QHD Curved Gaming Monitor

This KOORUI monitor represents a significant step up in immersion and resolution. Moving to a 27-inch curved screen with a QHD (1440p) resolution offers a more expansive and detailed gaming experience. The 1500R curve helps with immersion and can reduce eye strain on the larger panel. This is the ideal alternative for a gamer with a more powerful graphics card that can comfortably run games at 1440p with high frame rates. It’s less suited for pure competitive focus (where 24-inch flat panels are often preferred) and more for someone who wants an all-around powerhouse for both immersive single-player games and competitive titles.

The Final Verdict: Is the LG UltraGear 24GS60F the Right Monitor for You?

After extensive testing and analysis, we can confidently say that the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor is a phenomenal piece of hardware that punches well above its weight. It delivers on its promise of bringing elite-level speed to a budget-friendly price point without the traditional compromises. The combination of a fluid 180Hz refresh rate, a genuinely fast 1ms IPS panel, and excellent colour accuracy makes it a top-tier choice for any aspiring or established competitive gamer.

While the basic tilt-only stand is a minor drawback and the reports of shipping damages are a concern, these issues are overshadowed by the sheer performance and value on offer. The core experience—the visual clarity, the responsiveness, the smoothness—is simply outstanding for what you pay. If you are a PC gamer looking for a 1080p monitor that will give you a real competitive advantage without emptying your wallet, this is one of the easiest recommendations we’ve made all year.

If you’ve decided the LG UltraGear 24GS60F 24-inch 180Hz Gaming Monitor is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.