The best gaming monitor, to a true gamer, makes the difference from a mediocre experience to a full-immersion gaming experience. There are different sizes, resolutions, refresh rates, and other variables to take into consideration.
Here is a simple guide to buying the best gaming monitor and some tips on what to look for when considering making the investment.
Screen Size
The size of the monitor screen is not the most essential aspect to look for in a gaming monitor. However, it is one of several variables that can help you choose which screen to purchase.
Most players sit fairly close to the monitor, so a clear picture is more important than a large one.
A good gaming monitor ranges from 21-27 inches in size. Anything larger, and you will need to play further away from the screen to see everything correctly. If you opted for something smaller, you can’t get the same resolution rates.
Resolution
Pixels mean everything in the gaming world. The more pixels a screen has, the clearer the picture.
Most great gaming monitors have a resolution of at least 1080 pixel. These are considered full HD monitors.
If you want a clearer, sharper picture, you can get a 1440-pixel monitor, which is a 2K or a 2160-pixel, which would be a 4K.
The more pixels you have, the higher the price is, as well. However, it will look amazing.
If you want to have one of the best monitors on the block, go with the 4D. However, if you are strapped for cash, but want to keep up with the Jones, a Full-HD will be more than sufficient.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate of a monitor means how fast the displayed resets every second. This means that the screen uploads an image quickly. The fast it uploads to smoother and clearer the picture.
Refresh rates are measured in Hertz (Hz). Gaming monitors typically come in 60, 144, and 240 Hz. The larger the Hz, the faster the refresh rate and the crisper the image.
A high refresh rate is necessary for very high-speed games with a large gaming card. If you aren’t playing games that need a high refresh rate, you are just wasting your money.
Adaptive Sync
Adaptive sync may be something you haven’t heard about too much. Many gaming monitors already come with FreeSync. This helps to eliminate screen scrambles or “tearing” during gameplay. Nothing is worse than having a screen glitch in the middle of an intense battle.
G-SYNC is an alternative to FreeSync and is a premium product that only works with certain gaming cards; particular the NVIDIA cards. This feature eliminates screen tearing. It’s one of those added benefits that you may or may not even realize. However, a big gamer will appreciate the technology.
Panel Technology
There are two main types of panels that you will find when looking for a gaming monitor: twisted nematic, or TN, and in-plane switching, or IPS.
TN panel technology offers color accuracy within the picture. While IPS panels offer better visual quality, TN panels have faster response times (or refresh times).
Both provide a clearer, crisper picture, just in very different ways. Which is better is a matter of personal preference.
Gaming monitors for the avid gamer are a necessity. Finding a premium one is mostly a personal preference. While some features, like refresh rate and resolution, help the image look crisper, others are more about monitor performance.
