How To Choose A Gaming Monitor?

Would it make sense to play The Witcher 3, Fortnite, PUBG, or COD: WWII on an average monitor? Well, I guess you would surely dislike this fact. So this paves the way for gaming monitors that are genuinely designed to get the best out of every game so that you can have the best gaming experience. Whether you play fast action shooter games, role-playing games, or any sports game a power, a well-configured won’t fulfill the need as you will require a designated monitor.  But do you know how to find the right one? Considering the market is filled with many top-end brands, today we will discuss how you can choose a gaming monitor which will cater to all your need.

How to Choose a Gaming Monitor

So let’s look at all the considerations:

Resolution

Well, when you decide to get a gaming monitor, a model with Full HD capability is always considered as the ideal benchmark as not all games come with 4K support. However, we all know higher the resolution better will be the clarity and detailing but not every hardware configuration can offer 30FPS or 60FPS in a 2K or 4K monitor. If you don’t have enough budget, you can still get a cheap 4k gaming monitor.

If you have a standard gaming PC, we would suggest you limit your resolution to 1080p monitors. However, if you have a good processor and mid-high-range graphics card, then it would be smart to go for a QHD(2K) monitor. You can even get a UHD monitor but only if you have a high-end configuration with Nvidia 1080ti or AMD RX580 as your GPU.

Size

As a gamer, you will drool for getting a big size gaming monitor, but it would be a foolish move to go beyond 32inch. 24inch gaming monitor is still a popular choice for many gamers but nowadays 27inch wide monitors are all the rage, and many gamers with high-end rigs are opting for those models. So if you are sticking to Full HD resolution, then we would suggest you get a 24inch model. Otherwise, for 2K or 4K, a 27inch wide monitor would as they are able to offer maximum pixel density.

Panel Technology

Currently, there are only three types of panel technology that are mostly used in gaming monitors even though there are modern technologies, but they are quite expensive for commercial purposes. Twisted Nematics (TN), In-plane Switching (IPS), and Vertical Alignment (VA) are the favorite choices of most manufacturers.  IPS panels are all about high color reproduction, top-notch clarity, wide viewing angle, and overall better visual output but it lacks response time.

Whereas the TN panel offers fast pixel response and top-of-the-line refresh rate making it more popular among gamers. However, the TN panel causes a color-shifting issue or washed out the resolution from the side angle. VA panel, on the other hand, is slightly similar to IPS as they offer vibrant color, high black depth, and excellent overall quality but gets affected by ghosting issue. So you need to choose the panel according to your priority and the games you prefer most.

Refresh Rate

A refresh rate of a gaming monitor plays a crucial role in the visual output of a game, and a poor rate can jeopardize the whole experience. Refresh rate defines the number of frames a monitor churn out per second, and generally, 60Hz serves as the base threshold of a gaming monitor.

Currently, gamers are gaga over 144Hz, and 240Hz refresh rates as modern GPUs are capable of producing high FPS and support active 3D technology. Moreover, 144Hz and 240Hz monitors are offering smooth visuals by cutting down the screen tearing and motion blur issue which the 60Hz refresh rate fails to achieve. We have a guide of cheap 144Hz monitors in our blog. You may check.

Response Measurement

Apparently, when you are purchasing a gaming monitor, you will look for a model with ultra-fast response time because they serve as an essential pillar behind smooth visuals. Pixel response is shown in ms(milliseconds) and low response time indicates smooth camera movement and negligible blur.

1ms response time is considered the finest but it is only available in TN panels and the rest of IPS and VA panel offers response time around 4ms. Although the difference is almost unrecognizable and they hardly make any difference unless you are introduced to any fast action frames.

G-Sync and AMD FreeSync

Whether you are a hardcore or casual gamer, you won’t love to have screen tearing while gaming so you need to have G-Sync or AMD FreeSync in your gaming monitor. They utilize modern synchronization technology where the GPU takes control of the refresh rate and offers multiple refresh rate depending upon the scene.

Not only that it also notches down the input lag by a large margin. Depending upon your GPU brand you will have to select the adaptive sync as AMD FreeSync is only compatible with AMD GPUs while G-Sync support only Nvidia GPUs. Nowadays some brands are coming out with monitors offer where both these two adaptive technology are available for choosing.

However, you should keep in mind that AMD FreeSync doesn’t add up the cost of the gaming monitors. But G-Sync technology does, and they notch up the price by a good margin which is around $100-$200.

Connection Facilities

While choosing a particular model, you should definitely keep one consideration in mind that they should carry an adequate amount of connection facilities. Varied types of input like DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4, and audio should be present in the monitor as a minimum facility. However, it would be great if you can manage to buy a monitor having a USB port because it will give you the freedom to connect pen drives, mice, controllers,s and other devices. Nowadays some monitors also come with the inbuilt speaker, and it would be a great addition as it will not only offer excellent sound output but also help you to cut down space.

Note: You should also consider the height adjustment, tilt facility and swivel function of the monitor because better the adjustment facilities better will be the viewing experience. Not only that it will also offer comfort to the eye.  

Related article: Cheapest 120Hz monitors
Andrew Wyatt

Andrew Wyatt

Andrew Wyatt has been a tech geek for as long as he can remember. Whether it's laptops, cameras, or projects, he's obsessed with it all. When he's not researching the latest tech products, he likes to go on long hikes with his dogs.

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