When it comes to buying a gaming monitor, it can be overwhelming judging by the number of options out there and the various terminology which is used to describe the functionalities of different monitors. It’s a lot to take in, especially if you aren’t tech-savvy.
Making an informed decision when choosing the ideal gaming monitor is essential too. It really can make or break your gaming experience. Whether you’re playing an epic third-person shooter in the form of Gears 5, having a multiplayer online battle on Dota 2, attempting the type of slot games that can be found at www.casino.com or putting six goals past your friend at FIFA 20, having an adequate monitor is important; otherwise you simply won’t enjoy the games you have at your disposal. It isn’t always easy, though, especially if you aren’t sure what to look for.
So, with that in mind, we thought we’d go through a few of the critical things you should be looking at when you begin your gaming monitor search.
Resolution
It might sound obvious, but the most important thing to consider first is the resolution. The monitors available today are available at 1080p (Full HD), 1440p (QHD/2K) and 2160p (UHD/4K). It’s fairly straightforward really, but a higher resolution means a higher pixel count which then leads to better detail in terms of visuals and clarity. Hardware limitations can put gamers off QHD and UHD resolutions, but it doesn’t usually. Keep it simple by deciding on your ideal resolution, then factor in your GPU power and whether you prefer performance or visual quality. It is probably best going with a higher resolution, though, especially if you’re looking to game into the future.
Refresh rate
Another important thing to consider when monitor shopping is the refresh rate. Usually measured in Hertz (Hz), the refresh rate is determined by how many times the monitor can refresh the displayed image per second. On top of that, a refresh rate also determines how many frames per second, the monitor will display as you watch it. The refresh rates are, as follows, 60Hz, 144Hz and 240Hz.
Adaptive sync
If you want no screen tearing while gaming, then you should definitely consider FreeSync or G-SYNC. Most monitors on today’s shelves have either of those two, but the odd one doesn’t so be sure to double-check. Only compatible with AMD graphics cards, AMD FreeSync adds no extra cost, but the NVIDIA G-SYNC does, usually around $100-$150, and only available with NVIDIA cards.
There’s two types of panel these days, TN (twisted nematic) and IPS (in-plane switching). There can be a lot of confusing details when assessing the panel technology, but essentially the IPS panels offer better all-around visual quality. They also support faster response times, which makes IPS the preferred option of the two, usually.
Response time
Measured in milliseconds (ms), the response time represents how much a single pixel takes to switch from black to white, or different shades of grey. When it comes to gaming, you’ll want smoother camera movements and should, therefore, opt for the lower response time available to you.
Screen size
The gaming monitors we tend to get exposed to today range from anything between 21 inches and 27 inches, which is ideal for any gaming session. The size you go for is your decision, although with a 1080p monitor, many experts feel that you shouldn’t be going What to look for when searching for your ideal gaming monitor 24 inches.
Connectors
There are three inputs and outputs on a modern gaming monitor; DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 1.4/2.0 and 5mm Audio Out. Some monitors also have a 3.5mm audio input.
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