If you spend a lot of time playing video games or watching movies, you'll need an awesome monitor to get the job done, not just some cheap plastic off the shelf. You want a good display that shows all your content in full HD, something with tons of features to get your tech mind in a frenzy. One important thing a monitor needs to be considered well apart from good picture quality, is a good and consistent framerate.

Below is our list of top 5 monitors for gamers and the folks who love a good movie on a Saturday night:

#1 Dell UltraSharp U2711

This is probably the best monitor you will come across all year; Dell has truly outdone itself with this one. The UltraSharp U2711 has a super high resolution display that is bound to have the user saying "WOW". The screen itself is not AMOLED, but one could be fooled by the deep blacks it exhibits. The only problem we found with the Dell UltraSharp U2711, is the high price and the lack of a pivot option.

#2 ASUS VE276Q

Not the best 27-inch monitor on the market, but for the price, it is definitely a bargain. There are also built-in speakers, which adds to the bargain. However, you wouldn't be using these speakers much since they have a muffled sound. The performance is also lacking, well, you might not notice it if you were not looking. Again, the price is good; you can't go wrong with a 27-inch monitor under $300.

#3 ViewSonic VX2739WM

Get ready to be excited with the ViewSonic's VX2739WM. You are looking at the world's first 27-inch Full HD monitor with a 1ms respond time. No, we are not playing silly games with your head here. Users won't get the best ever performance from this bad boy, but with a 1ms respond time and a cheap price that is just over $300, why the hell not? Admittedly, there is no difference with 1ms when compared to 5ms, well, as far as the eyes can see.

#4 Samsung SyncMaster P2770HD

This is a monitor that should have been higher on the list, but decisions made by Samsung forced our hands to drop this low at the bottom of the pile. Overall, the performance on this beauty is great, and there are a lot of connectivity options for the hardcore techy to play around with. Unfortunately, playing movies on this thing emits a slight greenish tint, the menu is clunky and there is no S-Video port. For a monitor that cost over $500, we expected a lot more from it.

#5 Asus VG278H

Finally, we have the Asus VG278H, a monitor that work wonders in 3D and also has a great refresh rate. The 3D emitter is built into the monitor, unlike some where the user had to purchase a USB 3D emitter, here this is not the case. Buyers will get a single Nvidia 3D glass in the package to watch this pop out at them, whether they are watching movies or playing video games. The Asus VG278H sounds awesome, doesn't it? Sure it is, however, the connection ports are placed awkwardly at the bottom, which make it difficult to set up. Backlight on this thing bleeds heavily, and the menu is difficult to navigate.

That said, it is still a worthy monitor at over $500, so give it a shot.