Gaming Monitor Buying Guide: What To Look For In 2022

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When individuals try to choose a gaming monitor from the plenty of options available, they frequently ask themselves, “What’s the difference between a standard monitor and a gaming monitor? “There are a lot of options! What am I supposed to make of them? What to look for in a Gaming Monitor?

The first step in purchasing a gaming monitor is determining what type of gamer you are. Consequently, the games you are interested in, define what kind of gaming experience you want and what specifications you need, and that you won’t compromise on.

Most often, gamers who appreciate AAA titles want to experience the game’s outstanding and delicate visual quality, as well as the immersive feeling that comes while exploring the game, which is one of the game’s greatest joys. If you’re a gamer like this, you’ll need a monitor with a large screen, high resolution, and better color saturation.

Working people and competitive gamers frequently need to quickly switch between scenes or change stance to observe the area or track moving foes. For these gamers, having a fluid visual to assist them in aiming down their competitors is critical. The monitor should not be too big for these games, and they should concentrate on features like response time and refresh rate.

Suppose you play competitive games like PUBG, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Overwatch, or League of Legends. In that case, we recommend a 24-27-inch monitor because most games place crucial information like the minimal, HP status, and skill status near the corner or edge of the screen. If the screen is too large, you may need to swing your head frequently to acquire the information, which hurts your neck and makes it difficult for you to control the situation.

What To Look For In A Gaming Monitor

Table of Contents

Screen Size

Rule of thumb in a gaming monitor is, bigger is always better. You need to keep two things in mind while choosing the screen size of your monitor. First is the resolution, which we will discuss in the next point, and pixel density. 

Pixel density will decrease as if you buy a large monitor with less resolution, and similarly, pixel density will increase if you buy a smaller monitor of the same resolution. And it is a known fact that higher pixel density results in crisper images, and who doesn’t like crisp images. They also make the overall experience a lot better. 

Consequently, if you take 1080p resolution, and choose a monitor of 24 inches, you will have a great experience. On the other hand, if you choose a 32-inch display with 1080p resolution, you will not experience that level of clarity. This means, resolution and screen size go hand in hand. 

Likewise, if you want to choose a display and your ultimate goal is to play games, you can easily settle for 24 or 27 inches if the resolution is 1080p, and lookout for more resolution such as 4K if you wish to opt for a larger screen Ultra-wide monitors come with 21:9 aspect ratio and offer a much wider field of view than a standard monitor, However, keep in mind that moving up the academic screen size ladder can lead to a higher final cost.

Resolution

While you are to buy a new gaming monitor, resolution plays a key role. Further, it is undoubtedly one of the most important things to look out for in a gaming monitor before purchasing. 

Resolution is the ability of the display to view a number of pixels on a monitor screen. As a result, using resolution, you will be able to find a number of different options while choosing your perfect gaming monitor. 

It would be best to say remember that, the more pixels your monitor has, the better resolution and clearer the image. Unfortunately, you cannot expect a great gaming experience on a monitor with a low pixel count or low resolution. 

However, if you are a newbie, things can be confusing on the front. So let’s not make things tricky enough and let’s jump into the more popular terms you are familiar with. 

1920 x 1080 / Full HD [FHD] / 1080p

1080p is Probably the commonest gaming resolution you can find on monitors nowadays. Gone are the days of 720p or 1280×720, now people look out for when at least 1080p while buying a gaming monitor.

1080p is the standard resolution for most of the monitors, laptops, and even TVs. However, in this ever evolving world, nothing seems permanent. Peopel are rapidly switching to 2K or 4K panels. Keep reading to know more. 

2560 x 1440 / Quad HD [QHD] / 1440p / 2K

2K is a giant leap from the regular 1080p. 2K is sure to impress the masses with its clarity and seriously great visuals. However, running a 2K display would need a capable hardware, which sure are about to have. Interestingly, 2K is for kind of serious gamers, and if you are also serious about gaming but don’t want to break your bank, a 2K display is the best option you should go for. 

3840 x 2160 / Ultra HD [UHD] / 2060p / 4K

4K is the real champ and the future of standard gaming monitors. Whether you are playing games or watching your favorite movies and TV shows, 4K content is a delight to watch.

However, 4K consumes resources like a hungry beast. This means either you need to have powerful hardware or plan to buy one soon if you are wishing to buy a 4K monitor. Moreover, new generation games and AAA titles are now switching over to 4K so investing in 4K is not a bad idea. 

7680 × 4320 / Full Ultra HD [FUHD] / 4320p / 8K

The undisputed king of the resolution industry is 8K. Undoubtedly, nothing can beat or even come near 8K resolution. However, the availability of 8K is still scarce and you only have options from Dell and Samsung at the time of writing this article. 

But looking at newer cameras and smartphones that have the capability to record 8K video, it is evident that 8K is going to be the X-factor quite soon.

Types of Panel

While looking out for in a gaming monitor, for gaming displays, there are three main types of panels: TN [twisted nematic], IPS [in-plane switching] and VA[Vertical Alignment] respectively, which describe their different underlying pixel-rendering technology.) TN and IPS panel may be used for gaming, so it boils down to personal preference. There’s a third-panel type called VA—vertical alignment—that essentially bridges the gap between TN and IPS color reproduction while maintaining good contrast ratios.

Check out the comparison between TN vs IPS vs VA.

The reason is That TN panels have fast response times, there is less of a likelihood of “ghosting,” which occurs when visual artifacts remain on the screen for an extended period. However, because TN panels have less viewing angles, making it more challenging to view details if you are watching from beyond the sweet spot—for instance, if your monitor is slanted slightly—especially in dimly lit environments.

TN panels also have a “washed out” appearance, with colors that don’t explode as brightly as they do on an IPS display. Despite the color and viewing angle sacrifices, some gamers prefer faster response times.

On the other hand, IPS is a visual pleasure, but it lacks the one millisecond response times of TN. At least, not in most cases. IPS display with 1ms response times for about a year, but they are more expensive.

Some people place a lot of attention on the panel type, but you don’t need to worry about it as long as you have the other parameters you want/need. Here’s a quick rundown.

IPS panels on the other hand have superb color reproduction, good contrast, and great viewing angle. However, they might be expensive if you want advanced capabilities.TN (Twisted Nematic) panels offer lower prices in exchange for shorter response times and refresh rates. However, they are less color accurate and have fewer viewing angles.

Although VA (Vertical Alignment) panels have a high contrast ratio, they generally fall short in terms of gaming-critical performance compared to TN and IPS panels and aren’t recommended. You’ll almost certainly be forced into one or the other, depending on your needs and money. There’s no problem with either, but if you’re choosing between two different panel kinds, you’ll want to know which one you prefer—and that’s when you’ll need to see the information above.

Refresh Rate And Response Time

When shopping for a gaming monitor, make sure to look at the refresh rate, which is measured in hertz (Hz). This is the number of times the monitor will refresh the screen every second. The higher the number, the better. Basic screens and televisions operate at a frequency of roughly 30 Hz, but 60 Hz is considered as the industry standard. Therefore, 60 Hz is the bare minimum, you should aim for if you want to enjoy smoother gameplay.

The higher the refresh rates the smoother the gaming experience for gamers. It ensures that the action on the screen matches what the computer is processing. Although 60 Hz is generally regarded as the very minimum, several displays with a 144 Hz refresh rate are already available. The shift from 60 Hz to 144 Hz is significant and you will instantly notice the difference. For serious gaming, this is a must-have. However, if you want to go all out, you can even find monitors with a 240 Hz refresh rate, though it remains to be determined if regular gamers can benefit from it.

144Hz and 240Hz are now common across the gaming monitor lineup. What truly stands out is the 360Hz refresh rate, but you can take advantage of it only if you have an RTX card or GTX1080Ti at least. Moreover, not all, but CSGO and Call of Duty are actually capable of delivering such high frame rates and are thus suitable for this kind of monitor. 

So make sure you are an FPS fan if you wish to purchase a 360Hz monitor, either way, 240Hz will do just fine. 

Reiterating an earlier point, you won’t experience the benefit of employing a high-refresh-rate display if your gaming hardware can’t render high enough frame rates. Make sure your GPU can handle the refresh rates and the resolution you want. To increase frame rates, you can always lower the key in the options.

Things to consider when it comes to refresh rate :

  • lt is preferable to have a higher refresh rate.
  • The minimum is 60 Hz for moderate gaming, although 144 Hz will hugely improve performance.
  •  240 Hz is lovely, but it’s unlikely to provide the same performance boost as 144 Hz.
  •  To get the most out of a fast monitor, you’ll need graphics capable of running games at these frame rates.
  • You should prefer a 360Hz if you are a die-hard FPS [first-person shooter] fan. 

Response time is the other time-related metric. It’s written right in the name. This is the time it takes for each pixel to transition from one setting to the next, from one shade of grey to another. This is generally measured in milliseconds (ms) (GtG). Sub 5 millisecond is ideal for gaming, but two milliseconds or even one millisecond is preferable. Also, some of the latest gaming monitors come with 0.5 millisecond.

It’s because the monitor can’t keep up with the game in high action. A slower response time can create motion blur or ghosting. A high refresh rate combined with a quick response time will ensure a pleasant, crisp image at all times. These are the characteristics that distinguish a gaming display from a non-gaming monitor.

Things to consider when it comes to response time :

●   Maintain reaction time of 5 milliseconds or less.

●   1 ms is a popular and recommended option these days.

●   Motion blur and ghosting are reduced via quick response times.

FreeSync And G-Sync

You’ve probably seen frame rates fluctuate depending on the action on screen if you’ve seen any framerate benchmarks for games and gaming computers. Frame rates spike when there’s little activity, but they plummet when there’s a lot of it. This may result in screen tearing if no intelligent technology is available to assist.

When the monitor displays images simultaneously, one frame after the next frame, and if the monitor is not compatible with that speed, it will cause screen tearing. Consequently, you will notice it because the image appears to be split when the sync is interrupted. This occurs because displays are programmed to run at a specific reference rate, and they aren’t always sure what to do when the frame data they receive differs from their hard-wired parameters.

VSync, for example, is a simple option that tells the monitor to wait for the complete next frame before switching. This isn’t a great solution because it can cause lag, which is highly detrimental to gaming.

Adaptive sync, or variable refresh rate solutions, has been created by AMD and NVIDIA to enable monitors to retain smooth playback even when graphics cards produce non-standard frame rates. NV LDL A has G-Sync, while AMD has FreeSync. Both perform an excellent job of preventing tearing, but only with compatible gear.

For a more detailed explanation, check out our AMD Freesync vs NVIDIA G-Sync comparison breakdown.

FreeSync from AMD is more widely available and less expensive to deploy, so you’ll see it on more budget monitors. NVlDlA’s G-Sync, on the other hand, necessitates certification and quality control to ensure performance and usually comes with a price premium. You’ll almost certainly have to make a decision based on your graphics cards.

Get a FreeSync monitor if you have an AMD graphics card or get G-Sync enabled monitor if you have an NVIDIA GPU. 1s one superior to the other’? You may argue that G-Sync is technically superior because it has more certifications and performance guarantees than open FreeSync, which allows for irregularities between monitors. G-Sync screens, on the other hand, are more expensive.

Takeaways:

  • Adaptive sync technology from NVlDIA G-S you and AMD FreeSync helps to eliminate screen tearing.
  • The screen tearing occurs when the frame rate doesn’t match the display’s refresh rate, resulting in two frames to overlap with one another.
  • G-Sync displays are more expensive and require NVlDl A GPUs, but they can be more reliable.
  • FreeSync monitors require AMD GPUs and are inexpensive, but they might differ significantly from one display to the next.
  • Adaptive sync, often known as variable refresh rate, is an excellent gaming feature.

HDR

The high-dynamic range (HDR) is a standard that assesses if a display can render an image with more contrast, a more extensive color palette, and overall better brightness than a standard-dynamic range (SDR) display. So if you have HDR-enabled hardware and a properly calibrated display, you’ll be able to see more details with better blacks and better highs. You will also enjoy saturated and RGB Color accurate image, depending on the source.

Many people believe that increasing resolution is the most excellent way to improve quality. High Dynamic Range, or HDR, will, in my opinion, make a more significant improvement in image quality than other resolutions. HDR imagery offers a substantial improvement over prior display systems in terms of pop and color vibrancy. You’ve been missing out if you haven’t seen an HDR display yet.

HDR on computer monitors is still uncommon. True HDR requires a precise maximum and minimum brightness to ensure the dynamic range it promises, but many low-cost displays fall short of these requirements. As a result, the DisplayHDR standard with alternate maximum brightness was introduced.

If you’re shopping, DisplayHDR 400 or higher is certainly a good investment that will offer your photographs a more brilliant appearance. To get it to function, make sure your operating system, graphics card, and display all support HDR. After that, each game will need to support the format on its own. Be cautious, although it is strongly advised because it is rapidly becoming a standard feature.

What you need to know:

  • High Dynamic Range (HDR) displays provide more contrast, with brighter highlights and deeper shadows while retaining clarity in each. They also support more vibrant colors.
  • To work effectively, HDR requires a suitable imaging pipeline, which includes the operating system, graphics card, display, and game.
  • Because HDR has so many standards, make sure you have supported options, such as HDR 10. lt also helps to have a monitor that meets the DisplayHDR standard.
  • Because HDR is becoming increasingly popular, it is strongly suggested.

Is HDR Worth Investing In?

There’s no denying the fact that setting up HDR panel is a significant investment. Contrarily, it is worthwhile. However, to get the most out of it, you are going to invest in a powerful GPU, games that support it, and of course an HDR-enabled monitor.

Although there is nothing wrong with SDR content, the quality, fidelity, and responsiveness you will be getting with HDR paired with capable hardware will surely bring a smile to your face. As far as sources are concerned, other than gaming, there is not a lot of such content available on the web. Exceptions are still there such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Ports

There are so many ports that can be found behind or beneath your monitor. USB and Thunderbolt port name a few. [There can be a 3.5mm jack as well].

They offer data and power to externally connected devices. At the same time, the display interfaces can connect the screen to graphics output from your PC.

Display

VGA ( Video Graphics Array)

These VGA connectors are a 15-pin analog connection developed in 1987. It can be found on old monitors. It only broadcasts video at resolutions up to 3840× 2400 pixels.

Single Link DVI (Digital Visual Interface)

The Digital visual interface is the 24 digit pin connection, which was built in 199. This is the oldest display interface available on many current displays. It solely transmits video and requires an adaptor to connect with the VGA And HDML. It has the function to handle resolution till 1960 × 1200 pixels.

Dual-Link DVI

When compared to single-link DVI, this upgrades twice the bandwidth. It has a resolution of up to 2560× 1600 pixels and a refresh rate that can last up to 144Hz. This means at 1080p

HDMI

This classic widespread interface delivers audio and video that can also be used for connecting gaming consoles. High-speed HDMI cables can function with all HDMI revisions before the HDML 2.1.

Display Port

Display ports are excellent High-bandwidth connections for audio and video transmission. Post version 1.2 allows you to “daisy chain” many displays together. This specialization also requires compatible monitors.

Peripherals

USB

These standard ports are used to transfer data as well as electricity. To free up USB ports on your PC, many monitors allow you to attach keyboards and mice to them. USB Type-C connectors are reversible. Interestingly, you can also use them as DisplayPorts.

ThunderboltTM 3

An all-purpose port but masked with a USB-C connector that supports DisplayPort 1.2, transports data at up to 40 gigabits per second utilizing the ThunderboltTM protocol, and provides power.

Audio

Input: A 3.5mm jack allows you to connect an audio cable from your computer and play sound through the monitor’s inbuilt speakers. Further, you must know that HDMI and DisplayPort cables can transfer audio as well. This makes them a more convenient option for many gamers or movie enthusiasts who want less cable junk.

Price

The more you pay the better you get, this absolutely stands true in the case of gaming monitors. Cheap gaming monitor offers can help you save a hole on your pocket with features that would typically set you back. We’re seeing gaming monitor prices drop considerably as technology like 4K resolution and 144Hz refresh rates becomes more affordable. When you combine that with regular promotions and discounts, you’ve got a formula for a steal.

You certainly get cheap gaming monitors under $300, there are better options available if you raise your budget a bit above that. At around $500 you can get excellent monitors that will set your heart. 

However, while choosing a gaming monitor your primary focus should be on its resolution and refresh rate apart from screen size. Remember, a screen size will not matter that much if the images are crisper. And if the images are blurry what’s the use of buying a gaming monitor. It would be wise to say that great gaming monitors with 4K IPS panels with high refresh rates can cost nearly $1,500 or more depending on the brand, the purchase is well worth if you are truly a gamer. 

Conclusion

It’s very important to have good research before buying a monitor for gaming purposes. Gaming monitors are made to bring your GPU and CPU output together as well as credible during the gaming sessions on screen. They play a significant role in bringing out the best result for the capabilities of your computer’s rendering and processing capabilities.

Their manifestation of color, action, and image perceptivity can vary greatly. Once you have decided what you need to buy and how much you want to spend, it is crucial to first grasp what role a gaming monitor plays. Hence, you can translate specs and marketing into real-world execution.

Although display technology evolves from time to time by passing years, monitor makers’ primary objectives stay constant. To isolate the benefits of each category of monitor features, we’ll separate them down below.

Finding out what to search for in a gaming monitor is strongly influenced by the other configurations of your computer. Gaming monitors can help you with missing frames, visual distortions, input lag, and increase your responsiveness and productivity.

If you are looking for specific types of monitors, check out some of our most popular gaming monitor guides below:

Moreover, after buying a gaming monitor, you can easily get your Chicken Dinners with a great KD to show the world what you are. Nowadays, the usefulness of 4K resolution, refresh rate, responsiveness, color depth, contrast, and other typical features varies from the needs of player to player.

Finally, it is up to you to distinguish between the must-haves monitors and the nice-to-haves monitors. That’s all we have for you, we hope our guide helped you. 

Ankit is a software engineer. A pro lover of Technology and tech gadgets. I am a gamer too. Our team is here to help you find the best monitor products to decide which one is best for you.

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