Samsung CRG5 Series LC24RG50FQNXZA 23.5" Matte Black 2019

The Samsung CRG5 is a 24-inch 1080p curved gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate that delivers incredible value at its typical $180 price. The VA panel's 3000:1 contrast ratio makes blacks look deep and games feel immersive, though color accuracy is a weak point. Some ghosting is present in fast scenes, and the stand is annoyingly basic, but user satisfaction is sky-high. If you want an affordable, immersive upgrade from 60Hz, this is one of the best budget picks out there.

The 144Hz refresh rate is the star of the show here, and it's what makes the CRG5 feel so much faster than a standard 60Hz office monitor. Scrolling through web pages feels buttery, and in fast-paced shooters like Overwatch or Apex Legends, the difference in motion clarity is immediately noticeable. Our database puts the overall performance in the 66th percentile, which is solid for a budget panel. The 4ms response time is rated as grey-to-grey, and in practice, it's fine. You're not getting the instant pixel response of a high-end OLED, but for a VA panel at this price, it keeps up well enough that most people won't complain. Just don't expect it to rival a 1ms TN panel in pure competitive speed.

Where the performance gets a little tricky is with ghosting, and this is something we see echoed in user feedback. In certain FreeSync modes, particularly when the framerate dips low, you can spot some dark smearing behind fast-moving objects. This is a known quirk of VA panels, and it's more pronounced here than on a premium Samsung Odyssey model. The fix is usually to keep the monitor set to its 'Faster' response time setting rather than 'Fastest', which can introduce inverse ghosting. For single-player RPGs or strategy games, you'll likely never notice it. For twitchy competitive play, it's a minor annoyance you can tune out, but it's worth knowing about before you buy.

When you stack the CRG5 against the heavy hitters in our database, the context is important. The MSI MAG 271QPX and LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B are both QD-OLED monsters that cost several times more and absolutely destroy the Samsung in color, response time, and HDR. But that's like comparing a fun little hatchback to a sports car. The CRG5 isn't playing in that league. A more realistic competitor is something like the AOC 24G2, a 24-inch 1080p IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. The AOC will give you better colors and viewing angles, but you lose the deep blacks and the immersive curve. It's a trade-off between color accuracy and contrast, and for a lot of gamers, the contrast wins.

Another option is the ASUS VG249Q, which is another 144Hz IPS monitor in a similar price range. The ASUS has a better stand with full ergonomic adjustments, which is a big deal if you're tall or picky about monitor height. The Samsung's tilt-only stand is a real limitation. If you're primarily playing fast-paced competitive shooters, the ASUS or AOC might be the better call for their slightly faster real-world response times and better motion handling. But if you spend your nights in Skyrim, Cyberpunk, or watching movies at your desk, the Samsung's curve and contrast ratio make it the more atmospheric choice. It really comes down to what you value more: pure competitive edge or cinematic immersion.

The value story here is the main reason to buy this monitor. We're seeing prices across vendors ranging from $181 all the way up to a frankly absurd $5,977, which is clearly a third-party marketplace anomaly. Ignore that. The real price is that $180-$200 sweet spot, and at that level, you're getting a 144Hz curved gaming monitor for less than the cost of a decent mechanical keyboard and mouse combo. It's hard to overstate how good that deal is for a budget-conscious gamer. The user sentiment score of 85/100 is backed up by a recurring theme in reviews: people feel like they stole this thing.

Compared to other monitors in this price bracket, you're usually stuck with 75Hz flat IPS panels with washed-out blacks. The CRG5's VA panel gives you a contrast advantage that makes games and movies look richer, even if the colors aren't the most accurate. If you can snag it from Amazon, which seems to be the primary retailer with the best pricing, you're getting a monitor that feels more premium than its price tag suggests. Just don't pay more than $250 for it. At that point, you start bumping into 165Hz IPS monitors with better stands and color performance.

The Samsung CRG5 is one of those monitors that proves you don't need to spend a fortune to get a genuinely fun gaming experience. It's a 24-inch 1080p VA panel with a tight 1800R curve, a 144Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync support. The spec sheet isn't going to blow anyone away in 2025, but the price tag, often hovering around $180, makes it a really interesting option for someone building their first battlestation or looking for a solid second screen. This isn't a monitor for pixel-peeping creatives or competitive esports pros who need 360Hz and sub-1ms response times. It's for the rest of us who just want games to look smooth and feel immersive without our bank accounts weeping.

What makes this little monitor stand out in our database is the sheer value proposition. The user sentiment score sits at a strong 85/100, and the social proof is through the roof, landing in the 96th percentile. People genuinely love this thing. The VA panel delivers a 3000:1 contrast ratio that makes blacks look deep and inky, something you just don't get on budget IPS panels. That curve, while subtle at 24 inches, does a surprisingly good job of pulling you into single-player games. It's not a gimmick, it actually helps with perceived immersion, especially when you're sitting at a desk just a couple of feet away.

But let's be real about what this is. The color performance is a weak spot, sitting in the 20th percentile overall. With 72% NTSC coverage and 250 nits of brightness, this thing isn't going to win any HDR awards. In fact, it doesn't even really do HDR. The stand is basic, offering only tilt adjustment, and the 4ms response time, while fine for casual gaming, can show some ghosting in darker scenes if you're not careful with your overdrive settings. If you can live with those compromises, though, the CRG5 is a charming little workhorse that punches well above its weight class for the price.

You should probably skip the CRG5 if you're a competitive esports player who needs the absolute fastest response times and the clearest motion. A fast IPS or TN panel with a 1ms response time and a 240Hz refresh rate will serve you better, even if it costs a bit more. The ghosting here, while manageable, is a real disadvantage when tracking fast-moving targets in games like Valorant or CS2. Look at something like the BenQ Zowie XL series or a high-refresh ASUS TUF Gaming monitor instead.

This is also not the monitor for creative professionals who need accurate colors. With only 72% NTSC coverage and no factory calibration to speak of, your photo edits and design work will look different on other screens. If you're doing color-critical work, you'll want an IPS panel with at least 99% sRGB coverage, like a Dell UltraSharp or a mid-range ASUS ProArt display. The Samsung is a gaming monitor first, and it makes no apologies for that.

For the budget gamer who wants to dip their toes into high refresh rate gaming without spending a ton, the Samsung CRG5 is a no-brainer. It's at its best when paired with a mid-range GPU like an RTX 3060 or RX 6600, where you can actually push 144 frames in the games that benefit from it. The curve is a genuine differentiator at this price, and the contrast ratio makes horror games and space sims look fantastic. If you're coming from a 60Hz office monitor, the jump in smoothness alone will feel transformative. Just be prepared to live with a basic stand and maybe invest in a cheap VESA arm if you need better ergonomics.

If you're a competitive esports player who needs every possible advantage in Valorant or CS2, this probably isn't your monitor. The ghosting, while manageable, is a step behind a good TN or fast IPS panel. And if you do any color-critical work like photo editing or graphic design, the limited color gamut is going to be a dealbreaker. But for the average person who games after work, watches YouTube, and maybe does a bit of spreadsheet work, the CRG5 is a charming, affordable, and surprisingly immersive little monitor that's easy to recommend.