You’ve finally saved up enough money to upgrade your gaming setup and start playing at the level you’ve always wanted to play at. From high refresh rate monitors to low input lag monitors, there are so many variables out there that can make or break your new gaming experience. Now, you’re frantically searching for someone to guide you through this process.
Luckily, you’ve come to the right article. We’ll give you all the information you need to find the perfect gaming monitor, regardless of your budget or preferred video game genre.
Why You Need a Good Quality Gaming Monitor
When it comes to gaming, a high-quality gaming monitor, like monitors that support 120 fps, is an absolute must. Sure, you can play games on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, but there’s nothing like playing with a high-resolution monitor and top-of-the-line graphics card. Good monitors provide crisp visuals and allow you to see all of your enemies no matter how far they are in the game. There are many gaming monitors, so how do you find one that’s right for you?
General Guidelines For Choosing The Best Monitor
When looking for a gaming monitor, one of the first things you should consider is your budget. If money is not an issue, buy that 4K monitor with all the bells and whistles. However, if you’re starting out or want something more affordable, plenty of options with high refresh rates offer excellent graphics quality at a low price.
Here are some other factors to keep in mind when choosing the perfect monitor:
Screen Size And Resolution
A big screen can make games look amazing, but it may be overwhelming for those who don’t have much desk space. The best thing to do is play around with different sizes before deciding which one to get. Moreover, think about whether you’ll be sitting close to the monitor or far away from it. Larger screens will provide greater immersion for players sitting close, while those who sit far away from their monitors will benefit from higher resolutions.
Refresh Rate And Response Time
How quickly pixels change colors (refresh rate) is essential because this affects how smoothly images appear on the screen. In contrast, response time refers to how long it takes pixels to turn off and back on again (also known as pixel response time). Keep in mind that response time gets faster as the refresh rate increases. With both of these specifications, manufacturers typically list their fastest option and work down to slower ones.
A Strong Contrast Ratio
The best gaming monitors will typically have a strong contrast ratio, so the pop and blacks of that bright color stay dark. Additionally, many models today come with ambient light sensors which adjust the brightness according to where you’re playing. Furthermore, it’s also worth noting that some displays offer HDR compatibility for an even better viewing experience.
Type of Panel
The type of panel used in the monitor determines its color accuracy and gamut. IPS panels usually provide the best color reproduction, but VA panels are cheaper. Meanwhile, TN panels usually have faster response times than IPS or VA panels, but they’re not as good with color accuracy and provide lower Resolution than IPS monitors.
FreeSync And G-Sync
If you’re buying a new gaming monitor, check whether it supports AMD’s Freesync or NVIDIA’s G-sync technology. Both technologies dynamically adapt the display’s refresh rate to match the game’s, eliminating any tearing and stuttering caused by mismatched frame rates.
Response Time
A response time is how quickly pixels change from black to white and vice versa. This specification only applies to monitors that use LCDs. The quicker the pixel changes, the more explicit images appear on the screen. Monitors with slower response times tend to produce motion blurriness.
Viewing Angle
The viewing angle is how wide of a range the monitor’s screen can be seen from. Most monitors have a horizontal and vertical viewing angle of 178 degrees, but you may find that the more comprehensive the range, the better the gaming experience.
Field of View
Knowing what type of game you plan on playing is crucial to know what kind of field-of-view works best for you. For example, most strategy games take place over a large area requiring less zoom than shooter or platformer-style games. Consequently, the ideal field of view would range from 65 degrees horizontal by 50 degrees vertical to 90 degrees horizontal by 55 degrees vertical, depending on the game type.
Conclusion
Finding the right gaming monitor is a process. You need to know what you want, your budget, and where you plan to buy it from. The more information you have about yourself, your needs, and your situation, the easier it will be for you to find a quality product that fits all those things. That’s why doing some research before you start shopping around is essential. It can be easy to get overwhelmed by all of the options, but if you take your time and do some research first, everything will go much more smoothly.
