Looking for the best gaming monitor? For gamers, the enjoyable gaming experience is heaven. This is possible with exceptional gaming skills and good hardware. But, the question is, what should we look for in vital equipment, like gaming monitors, before purchasing? To answer this question, we have compiled this comprehensive guide, have a look!
You need to read this: Best Buy Monitors
Table of Contents
Panel Technology
Three-panel technologies are available, each with some pros and cons – TN, IPS, and VA. First, you have to choose which specification matters for you the most – display quality or speed.
TN (Twisted Nematic)
This is the most popular type of monitor in the gaming world because it provides faster response times during competitive gaming. Response time has a direct negative correlation to display quality. The better display quality means a longer response time. TN technology provides 1-2ms response time that is 3x faster than the average response time of 5ms. Sadly, you cannot expect TN to provide excellent display quality along with providing high response time.
IPS (In-Plane Switching)
IPS is known for its excellent display, showing crisp images, sharp color detail, and better viewing angles. These are all the qualities you need for video or image editing, visually appealing content creation, and of course, for better display quality while gaming. However, despite better imaging details, it does not perform well in producing better blacks. Its response time ranges between 5ms-8ms. The response time is slower because of appealing color reproduction.
You need to read this: TN Vs IPS Which is Better for Gaming?
VA (Vertical Alignment)
VA panes are a middle path between the above two categories – better display than TN and better response time than IPS panels. However, in refresh rates and better view, it cannot beat TA and IPS, respectively.
TN works best for competitive games. IPS are known for good graphic quality, and VA panels are a blend of both technologies in average ratio.
You need to read this: Best Vertical Monitor
Refresh Rate
Refresh rate is the frequency a monitor is refreshing an image on a screen, and ranges between 60 Hz – 240 Hz. 60 Hz is a minimum requirement for a smooth gaming experience, 75 Hz is a little better, 120 is better than 75 Hz, 140 Hz is the most popular standard, and 240 Hz does not show miraculous difference than 140 Hz, but it is better. Additionally, 240 Hz is also a bit unfeasible for most hardware currently available in the market.
In general a good monitor with 1080 p with a 144Hz refresh rate is a fine choice for a quality gaming experience.
Check this: Do Monitors Refresh Rates Really Matter?
Resolution + Monitor Size
Most people have a misconception that the larger the screen size, the better. This thinking must be reconsidered, as an average screen size with the proper resolution is perfect for gaming. As per our opinion, the combination of 24 inches with 1080 p is a good choice. It lets you keep an eye on every aspect of the game, which is necessary and also lets you enjoy good graphics at the same time.
Read this: Best 2K Monitors
Contrarily, 1440p with 27 inches and 4K and 27+ inches are also available. Still, it becomes difficult to monitor the whole screen while gaming. Moreover, 4k and 27+ screens need the support of superior hardware to make the most out of it. This combination becomes expensive for most gamers. If you can afford a high budget gaming set up, then these will work well. Some gamers have come to realize that an extra-large screen makes it hard to see everything going on at once, however.
You must read this: Is it Worth it to Buy Ultrawide Monitors?
A high resolution means an increased number of pixels but also demands expensive hardware to support its functionality. If you are still going for larger screens then first check the specifications of your video hardware; either it can support larger screens or not.
Read this: Best 1080p Monitors
G-Sync and FreeSync
To understand their functionality, first, you should understand the clear difference between frame per second and refresh rate. FPS is the frequency of a gaming computer to redraw a screen, and refresh rate is how many times a monitor is refreshing an image on a screen. Now imagine what will happen when both of them are not aligned. It will result in a graphical problem i.e., screen tearing.
Nvidia and AMG, respectively, manufacture G-Sync and FreeSync. These technologies reduce screen tearing problems by synchronizing the frame rate to refresh rate. This technology gives control of the screen’s refresh rate to the GPU instead of the monitor, which allows the display to operate with a variable refresh rate. Learn a little more about each:
FreeSync
- Compatible with AMD GPUs and FreeSync-compatible displays only.
- Needs compliance with the latest DisplayPort standards.
- No specialized hardware required.
G-Sync
- Compatible Nvidia GPUs and G-Sync-compatible displays only.
- Requires specialized hardware.
FreeSync is much cheaper than G-Sync and provides more or less the same functionality. However, to use these technologies, your hardware must be compatible.
Ready To Buy Your Gaming Monitor?
We have listed the four primary specifications of gaming monitors that you should consider for the best gaming experience. However, to level up your experience, you can look for HDR, which improves image quality with better contrast, and look for a variety of ports on a monitor such as HDMI, VGA, DVI, and DisplayPort. This is crucial if you want to use a monitor for multiple systems.
Which gaming monitor features are most important to you? Let us know in the comments section below.
