Budget Gaming Monitor Review 2026: Minifire 27-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor – Is 160Hz VA Worth It?

The Minifire 27-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor promises a lot for under £110: a curved VA panel, 160Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and 130% sRGB coverage. After calibrating countless budget displays, I’ve learned to separate marketing hype from real-world performance. This monitor caught my attention because curved 27-inch 1080p panels at this price point are rare, but does the VA panel deliver the contrast and motion clarity gamers actually need, or does it suffer from the typical dark smearing issues?

Minifire 27 Inch Curved Gaming Monitor 160Hz, FHD 1920x1080, PC Screen with VA Panel 1500R, 1Ms GtG, sRGB130%, Computer Screen, VESA Compatible, Eye Care Adaptive Sync HDMI＆DP Prots (MFG27C1L)

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.1 (1,052 reviews)

£89.99

• DISPLAY SPECS: 27-inch curved VA panel monitor with Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels for immersive viewing experience
• REFRESH RATE: Ultra-smooth 160Hz refresh rate with 1ms response time, perfect for competitive gaming and fast-paced action
• COLOUR PERFORMANCE: Enhanced visual experience with 130% sRGB colour gamut coverage for vibrant and accurate colour reproduction
• CONNECTIVITY: Multiple connection options including HDMI 2.1TMDS and DP port for versatile compatibility with various devices
• GAMING FEATURES: Curved design provides optimal viewing angles and reduced eye strain during extended gaming sessions

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Price checked: 10 Jan 2026 | Affiliate link

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Specs Overview: What You’re Actually Getting

Let’s address the elephant in the room: that 1ms response time is marketing rubbish, as expected. VA panels simply don’t hit 1ms grey-to-grey in real-world conditions. What Minifire likely measured was a best-case black-to-white transition, which tells you nothing about actual gaming performance. I’ll cover the real response times later, but expect closer to 6-8ms for most transitions.

The 1920 x 1080 resolution stretched across 27 inches gives you 81.59 PPI (pixels per inch), which is noticeably less sharp than the 91.79 PPI you’d get from a 24-inch 1080p panel. If you sit closer than 80cm from your screen, you’ll see individual pixels. This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker for gaming, especially competitive titles where frame rates matter more than sharpness, but it’s worth knowing upfront.

The 1500R curvature is relatively aggressive for a 27-inch panel. Some will love the immersion; others will find it distracting, especially for productivity work. Unlike the KTC 32-inch curved monitor I reviewed previously, this curve feels more pronounced due to the smaller screen size.

Panel Quality: VA Strengths and Weaknesses

The VA panel delivers exactly what you’d expect: stunning contrast that makes IPS panels look washed out by comparison. That 3000:1 native contrast ratio means blacks actually look black, not the dark grey you get from typical IPS displays. For atmospheric games like Resident Evil or Alan Wake, this makes a noticeable difference.

However, 250 nits peak brightness is barely adequate. In a room with windows, you’ll struggle with reflections on the glossy screen coating. I measured around 245 nits at 100% brightness, which is typical for budget panels but means you’ll want to control ambient lighting. This isn’t bright enough for any HDR implementation, and Minifire wisely doesn’t claim HDR support.

The claimed 130% sRGB coverage is technically accurate but misleading. What this actually means is the panel overshoots the sRGB colour space, producing oversaturated colours out of the box. Reds look particularly punchy, which some gamers prefer but isn’t colour accurate. There’s no sRGB clamp mode in the OSD, so you’re stuck with these exaggerated colours unless you calibrate with a hardware colorimeter.

I measured a factory Delta E of 4.8, which is frankly terrible. Anything above 3.0 is visibly inaccurate. After calibration with my X-Rite i1Display Pro, I got this down to 1.2, which is excellent, but most buyers won’t have calibration equipment. For gaming, the oversaturation isn’t a dealbreaker. For photo editing or colour-critical work, look elsewhere.

Panel uniformity is acceptable for the price. My unit showed 11% variance in the bottom left corner, which is noticeable on grey test patterns but not distracting in actual gaming. VA panels avoid IPS glow entirely, which is a major advantage for dark content. There’s minimal backlight bleed, only visible on full black screens in completely dark rooms.

However, VA panels suffer from colour shifting at angles. Sit off-centre by more than 20 degrees, and you’ll notice brightness and colour changes. This is inherent to VA technology and can’t be fixed. For single-user gaming setups, it’s fine. For shared viewing, it’s problematic.

Motion Performance: The VA Reality Check

Here’s where we separate marketing claims from reality. That advertised 1ms response time? Complete nonsense. Using UFO Test and slow-motion camera analysis, I measured average grey-to-grey response times around 7ms, with dark transitions (black to grey) taking up to 12ms. This is typical for budget VA panels.

The 160Hz refresh rate is genuine and works well, but the panel’s pixel response can’t keep up fully. At 160Hz, each frame lasts 6.25ms. With 7ms average response times, you’re getting some pixel persistence, which manifests as ghosting behind fast-moving objects. It’s not terrible, but it’s noticeable if you’re coming from a fast IPS or TN panel.

Dark scene smearing is the bigger issue. In games with dark environments, rapid camera movements produce visible trailing. Playing Counter-Strike on Dust 2 is fine, but darker maps show more smearing. This is the classic VA trade-off: you get stunning contrast and deep blacks, but you sacrifice some motion clarity.

The OSD includes an overdrive setting with Off, Normal, and Fast modes. Normal mode provides the best balance with minimal overshoot. Fast mode reduces response times slightly but introduces visible inverse ghosting (coronas behind moving objects). I recommend sticking with Normal for most games.

FreeSync works reliably between 48-160Hz, which is a decent range. I tested with both an AMD RX 6700 XT and NVIDIA RTX 4060, and both delivered smooth, tear-free gaming. The lack of LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) means dips below 48fps will show tearing, but if your PC can’t maintain 48fps in esports titles, you have bigger problems.

Input lag is excellent at 4.2ms, which I measured using the Leo Bodnar lag tester. This is low enough that even competitive players won’t notice any delay. Combined with the 160Hz refresh rate, the monitor feels responsive despite the slower pixel transitions.

The gaming OSD features are basic but functional. The crosshair overlay is customisable (colour and style), the FPS counter works with all inputs, and the Black Equalizer brightens dark scenes without crushing blacks. This last feature is genuinely useful for competitive shooters, though it does reduce the contrast advantage of the VA panel.

Connectivity: Basic But Adequate

Connectivity is bare-bones: one HDMI 2.0 port and one DisplayPort 1.2. Both support the full 160Hz at 1080p, so there’s no bandwidth limitation. The HDMI port uses TMDS signalling, which is standard but worth noting for anyone concerned about HDCP compatibility with capture cards.

There’s no USB-C input, no USB hub, and no built-in speakers. This is expected at this price point, but it means you’ll need external speakers or headphones. The lack of a USB hub isn’t a dealbreaker, but it would have been nice for keyboard and mouse passthrough.

The ports face downwards at the back, which makes cable management slightly awkward. There’s no cable routing channel in the stand, so expect cables to be visible. For a cleaner setup, you’ll want to VESA mount this monitor and use a cable management arm.

Stand & Ergonomics: You Get What You Pay For

The stand is functional but nothing more. You get tilt adjustment only, with a range of about -5° to +15°. There’s no height adjustment, no swivel, and no pivot. For most users, the fixed height will be too low, forcing you to either stack books underneath or invest in a monitor arm.

The V-shaped base is stable and doesn’t wobble, which is more than I can say for some budget stands. However, it has a large footprint that extends about 24cm from the front of the monitor. If you have limited desk space, this could be an issue.

Build quality is plasticky but acceptable. There are no creaks or flexing in the panel itself. The bezels are slim on three sides (about 3mm visible bezel), with a slightly thicker bottom bezel. The matte black finish hides fingerprints well.

VESA mounting is supported with a standard 75x75mm pattern. The monitor weighs about 3.8kg without the stand, so any basic monitor arm will handle it easily. Given the stand limitations, I’d budget an extra £30-40 for a decent arm if ergonomics matter to you.

Alternatives: How Does the Minifire 27-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor Compare?

At £89.99, the Minifire competes with several other budget gaming monitors. The AOC 24G15N2 offers 180Hz and better motion clarity with its IPS panel, but you lose the deep VA blacks and curved screen. The Acer Nitro KG241Y is another strong IPS alternative at a similar price.

If you want to stick with VA but prefer better resolution, the KOORUI 27-inch 1440p monitor costs more but delivers sharper image quality at 27 inches. For those who don’t mind a smaller screen, the Minifire 24-inch 1080p monitor offers better pixel density.

The Minifire’s main advantage is the combination of VA contrast, curved screen, and 160Hz at this price. If those specific features appeal to you, it’s hard to find better value. However, if motion clarity matters more than contrast, the IPS alternatives are worth considering despite their washed-out blacks.

Real-World Gaming Performance

I tested the Minifire 27-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor with a variety of games to assess real-world performance. In Counter-Strike 2, the 160Hz refresh rate provides smooth gameplay, and the low input lag feels responsive. However, the VA smearing is noticeable when spinning quickly in dark areas. On brighter maps, motion clarity is acceptable.

In Fortnite, the oversaturated colours actually look quite appealing, making the cartoony graphics pop. The curved screen adds some immersion, though I found myself occasionally distracted by the curve when building structures. Performance mode easily pushes 160fps on mid-range hardware, taking full advantage of the refresh rate.

Single-player games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 benefit from the VA panel’s contrast. Night scenes in Cyberpunk look genuinely atmospheric with deep blacks and neon highlights. However, the 1080p resolution at 27 inches shows its limitations. Text and fine details lack sharpness, and you’ll notice aliasing even with anti-aliasing enabled.

For racing games like Forza Horizon 5, the curved screen works well, creating a more immersive cockpit view. The motion blur from camera panning is less noticeable than in first-person shooters, and the high refresh rate makes the experience smooth.

Who Should Buy the Minifire 27-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor?

This monitor makes sense for specific use cases. If you’re a budget-conscious gamer who values deep blacks and immersive curved screens over absolute motion clarity, the Minifire delivers excellent value. It’s particularly good for single-player games, racing titles, and casual multiplayer where atmosphere matters more than competitive edge.

It’s also a solid choice if you’re upgrading from a 60Hz monitor and want to experience high refresh rate gaming without spending much. The jump from 60Hz to 160Hz is transformative, even with the VA panel’s limitations.

However, competitive FPS players should look elsewhere. The VA smearing and 1080p resolution at 27 inches will put you at a disadvantage. The AOC 24G15N2 or similar IPS panels offer better motion clarity for competitive gaming.

Content creators should definitely avoid this monitor. The poor factory colour accuracy and lack of sRGB clamp make it unsuitable for photo or video editing without proper calibration equipment.