In recent years, high-refresh-rate monitors have become more popular, with many of the top gaming monitors and 4K displays using them. But, do you really need a gaming monitor with a fast refresh rate?
While having a high refresh rate can be beneficial to gamers, it isn’t always the ideal decision. Screen resolution, panel type, and color accuracy may be more important depending on what you use your computer for. We’ve covered what a high refresh rate is and isn’t, as well as why understanding what to look for is crucial.
How Gaming Monitors are better?
Gaming monitors are made to make your graphics card and CPU output appear better while you’re playing. They’re in charge of displaying the end result of all of your computer’s image modeling and computing, but their color, motion, and image sharpness representation might vary greatly.
When deciding what to look for in a gaming monitor, take the time to learn all it can do so you can convert specs and marketing into actual performance.
Sorting through a lot of numbers is required when looking at specs for gaming monitors and other computer components. It makes purchasing anything computer-related incredibly difficult.
As we know, gamers are more tech knowledgeable than average people, displays and their technologies have become highly sophisticated. This article will help you grasp the fundamentals so you can pick a monitor that will allow you to see all you need while the game is on the line.
What are the benefits of using Gaming Monitors?
Before we get started, a word of warning. Every computer’s slowest component is its limit. Gaming will be a horrible experience if you have the best graphics card in the world but a sluggish monitor with poor color.
If you have a wonderful display but an old graphics card, on the other hand, you won’t be able to exploit it to its full capacity.
Before spending any more money, make sure your entire chain is in good operating shape. Because monitors surpass graphics cards, paying a little more for a feature you might want in the future is worthwhile.
What basics you should know before buying a Gaming Monitor?
- Size of the Screen Resolution
- Rate of Refreshment
- Time to Respond
- G-Sync/Free Sync
- HDR
- Color Palette
- Input and output
- Type of Panel
Are you considering purchasing a 144 Hz gaming monitor?
With monitors, the Hz (Hertz) number refers to the number of times the picture refreshes per second. It’s also called the refresh rate. The higher the number, the more seamless the display will look.
A standard desktop monitor is 60 Hz, whilst a 144 Hz gaming monitor refreshes the picture 144 times per second. With more than twice the refresh rate, you’ll definitely notice a difference!
A 144 Hz gaming monitor is absolutely worth it if you’re playing competitive games. It not only gives you a more pleasurable and responsive gaming experience, but it also gives you a competitive advantage over your opponents who use standard 60Hz screens.
Overall, a 144 Hz or higher frame rate monitor improves your competitive gaming experience significantly as much as your CPU/GPU and display reaction time speed can stay current with the monitor’s refresh rate.
What should be the Screen Size and Resolution of the Gaming Monitor?
Although they complement each other, resolution and screen size can be grouped together. Your screen size may already be decided depending on your table, but I’m expecting it’ll be in between 24-32″.
In terms of resolution, you’ll have a choice of Full HD to 4K. Larger images are obviously larger, yet higher resolution images are crisper and much more detailed.
Your resolution is almost certainly determined by the size of your screen. A 24-inch Full HD monitor will do if you really need something smaller.
A 27″ 2560 x 1440, commonly known as 1440p or QHD, the monitor is in the middle and likely optimal for most individuals. The 32″ with 4K resolution is the top of the line.
There are obviously other possibilities, such as 4K 27″ displays and QHD 32″ displays, as well as sizes, resolutions, and facet ratios outside of these, but we’re trying to keep things simple.
What are the refresh rates and response time gamers should consider?
Greater refresh rates, such as 144 Hz monitor and 240 Hz gaming monitors, help gamers by guaranteeing that what you see on screen conforms to what is actually going to happen on the PC.
Gaming screens should have a fast pixel response and a high refresh rate. The most popular pixel response specification is grey to grey, which measures the time it takes a pixel to shift from one colorway to the next in milliseconds.
A Scenario
If you’re playing a game with a standard 60 Hz refresh rate monitor and someone runs next to you, the image on the panel may or may not show you where they are in the game environment at the time.
This may seem to be a little difference in time—and it is—but games require things in order to make your shot, and human response speeds may perceive the difference.
240 Hz Gaming Monitors
Competitive gaming is all about speed. So if your ordinary gaming monitor isn’t cutting it, a 240Hz gaming monitor is what you need. These ultra-high refresh rate monitors are all about allowing you to see the action unfold with seamless animations and sharp, distinct frames.
As a result, 240 Hz panels are unlikely to appeal to the ordinary person. However, if you can perceive the difference and find that it helps you do better in games or simply makes them more fun, a 240 Hz monitor will be well worth the investment.
240 Hz was the new benchmark for performance gamers, but even they won’t be able to stay on top for long, as there are already a few 360 Hz options to consider.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using 240 Hz gaming monitors?
There are two main advantages of using 240 Hz gaming monitors:
- Increased responsiveness and a smoother gameplay experience, with less motion blur
- In competitive multiplayer, there is the possibility of slightly faster reaction times.
These monitors also have some disadvantages:
- To achieve such high refresh rates, the 240Hz models must make some compromises. Let’s start with a look at the panel technology.
Although TN panels aren’t as popular as they once were, they still account for a significant share of the 240Hz gaming monitors on the market. This is mostly due to their low cost and excellent performance in terms of refresh rates and reaction times.
However, because this panel technology is often associated with poor color reproduction and viewing angles, acquiring a TN-equipped monitor usually means sacrificing visuals in exchange for performance.
- The majority of 240Hz displays on the market have a resolution of 1080p. While 1440 resolution 240HZ monitors are available, they can be fairly costly. If you continue at 240Hz, you’ll almost certainly be compromising visual quality in favor of game performance.
Who should use 240 Hz Gaming Monitors?
- Competitive gamers (those who make a living as professional gamers) should invest in a 240Hz panel to enjoy seamless gaming no matter what game they’re playing. When playing games like Overwatch, Fortnite, PUBG, and Battlefield, you’ll notice less lag and faster response times.
- Hobby gamers (those who play in their spare time) will appreciate the reliable performance of a 240 Hz panel. However, if they also use the same pc for innovative work requiring high-quality color reproduction, this can be a problem.
Wide color range and HDR
HDR monitors take an HDR signal from compatible material and improve the image quality by boosting the contrast ratio, color range, and peak brightness, bringing the image closer to the author’s intent.
HDR10 is the most important HDR format for PC gaming because it is an open standard that is widely used by video game developers and display manufacturers.
Many people believe that increasing resolution will improve quality. High Dynamic Range, or HDR, will, in my opinion, have a greater impact on image quality than increased resolution. In comparison to prior display technologies, HDR imaging offers more pop and more vibrant colors. You are truly losing out if you haven’t seen an HDR display.
Panel Types for gaming Monitors
- IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels generally provide high color reproduction, robust contrast, and quick response times, although advanced features can be costly.
- TN (Twisted Nematic) panels are less expensive and offer quicker response times and refresh rates, but they don’t have as excellent color rendering or viewing angles.
- VA (Vertical Alignment) panels have a lot of contrast, but they’re not as good as TN and IPS for gaming performance.
Bottom Line – Are Gaming Monitors Worth Buying?
Higher refresh rates provide an almost imperceptible improvement in your system’s performance overall if you aren’t a gamer. When surfing the web, it will make your pc appear better, but you won’t notice any change past that point.
Image processors that vary their input help televisions with 120Hz or 240Hz panels increase motion quality even more. Some even have the ability to add frames, increasing the content’s frame rate.
Monitors, however, are rarely equipped with a processor, limiting the benefits of the panel when watching a video. Increasing the refresh rate does not ensure that “ghosting” will be eliminated.
Finally, we believe that gamers who upgrade their computers to include high-refresh-rate displays will reap significant benefits. There are many things that will better satisfy your non-gaming wants if you aren’t an obsessive player.
Hi, this is Danny from Florence, Italy. I’ve done MS in Electronics from the University of Rome. I have in-depth knowledge and experience in testing products that use Cathode-ray tubes, LCD, and OLED display panels. I’m a kind of tech enthusiast who loves to talk about new technology hitting the market. Throughout my study and professional career, I have specialized in writing content about smart TVs, gaming monitors, and related equipment. So with this blog, I’m trying to help people pick the best TV that fulfills their needs and budget range.