Gaming Monitors

A good gaming monitor is indispensable for virtual success, where every millisecond can make all the difference. Their low response times and high refresh rates mean these monitors can react to image changes with lightning speed and display exceedingly complex action scenes with a buttery smooth framerate and exquisite sharpness.

Continue

Gaming Monitor – Speed First

It is a challenge to choose a suitable PC monitor. Gaming enthusiasts should focus on several important parameters. High-end gaming monitors are known for their spectacular speed more than anything else. But how does speed relate to image? Read on to learn more about response times and refresh rate – the two most important parameters of any gaming monitor.

Gaming Monitor and Refresh Rate

Refresh rate refers to how many frames a gaming monitor can display in one second. The higher the monitor's refresh rate, the smoother the resulting image. Standard monitors usually have a refresh rate of 60 Hz. How many Hz should a gaming monitor have?

120Hz gaming monitors are ideal for less performance-heavy gaming, RPGs and strategy games due to its lower purchase price.
144Hz gaming monitors are a great choice for FPS games and action games in general.
240Hz gaming monitors have a fast enough refresh rate for the most demanding and professional gamers.

How Are Refresh Rates and FPS Related?

There's another figure related to the number of frames rendered - gaming fps. This indicates how many frames per second your computer can put out (i.e. how many you "send" to the monitor).

How It Works in Practice

Let's say we have a powerful gaming PC capable of producing 400 fps (400 frames per second).
Our connected 144Hz gaming monitor can display 144 frames per second.
The resulting image will be displayed at 144 frames per second.

Gaming Monitor - Response

The response time of a gaming monitor indicates how long it takes for the screen to process a request for an image change. The best gaming monitors have a listed response time of 1-5ms.

What Resolution Should I Choose for My Gaming Monitor?

The higher the resolution of a gaming monitor, the more detailed the image. For gaming, Full HD (1080p) is very common, offering a compromise between image quality and fps. However, higher resolutions are also available and you can opt for a 4K gaming monitor if you have a PC powerful enough to run 4K content.

Don't forget that as the amount of image details increases, so do the demands on your PC components.

G-Sync and FreeSync - No More Screen Tearing

If your PC generates a different frame rate than the connected gaming monitor, image tearing can occur. This can be prevented with G-Sync and FreeSync technologies. These can adjust the monitor's refresh rate to match the computer's graphics card performance.

G-Sync monitors use NVIDIA-managed G-Sync technology to prevent screen tearing.
FreeSync gaming monitors feature FreeSync, which is powered by AMD.

G-Sync is a licensed technology and is only included with monitors that are approved by NVIDIA. In contrast, FreeSync can be incorporated into their monitors by various manufacturers, regardless of whether AMD is involved.

Gaming Monitor - Panel Type

A gaming monitor can have one of three panel types. The TN panel has the lowest response times, but the worst colour rendering and viewing angles. Gaming monitors with a VA panel have the longest response times, but great contrast and colour depth. IPS panels rank between TN and VA in terms of response speed, and they are the best in terms of image quality.

Useful Functions and Features of Gaming Monitor

A curved gaming monitor gives a good overview of the entire scene and give you a sense of true peripheral vision.
HDR monitors offer deeper and richer colours due to enhanced light and dark contrast.
USB hubs allow you to connect computer peripherals or external storage to the monitor.
Flicker-free technology and blue light filter prevent uncomfortable eye strain.
A height-adjustable stand allows you to move the monitor up and down as needed.