Gaming Monitor

Games are your passion. In every free minute you sit at the PC and play your favorite games. To make sure everything runs smoothly, you bought a special Gaming PC. Unfortunately, your old monitor doesn't fit the new computer and the modern games. It just doesn't keep up, the graphics aren't good enough, playing games isn't fun. A very good reason to look for a new gaming monitor. In our guide, you can find out what modern gaming monitors have to offer and what you should look out for when buying one.

Many gamers ask themselves this question. Those who like to play on the PC naturally want an optimal gaming experience. However, conventional monitors are only designed for normal tasks, such as surfing the Internet or creating documents. Playing exciting games, however, makes different demands on a gaming monitor than normal daily tasks. A gaming monitor's display size as well as its qualities and features are exactly tailored to the needs of passionate gamers. They ensure that smooth gaming is possible. Gaming is no fun if the action on the monitor can't be seen completely or maybe even constantly pixelated areas disturb the gaming experience. In many games, the few milliseconds that are lost as a result can have fatal consequences for the game character. The fine resolution and the razor-sharp display result in an absolutely intensive gaming experience.

A special gaming screen has different technologies that enable smooth and also flicker-free gaming. A high frame rate is important for smooth gaming. Besides the bit rate of the game, which is usually specified in FPS (frames per second), the hertz number is also crucial for this. The higher the bit rate, the smoother the game runs. The hertz number indicates the maximum number of frames per second a monitor is capable of outputting. Conventional monitors usually offer 60 hertz. A gaming monitor, on the other hand, has a hertz number between 144 and 240 hertz. This means that even in its simplest version, a gaming monitor is capable of displaying more than twice as many images as any other conventional monitor. There's no question that this has a decisive impact on the gaming experience. Another advantage that a gaming monitor has is the fast response time. This indicates how long it takes for input via the keyboard or mouse to actually arrive on the screen. The lower the response time, the better for the gaming experience.

Gaming monitors by panel

First of all, gaming monitors are differentiated by the panel. There are generally three particularly common types: TN (Twisted Nematics), IPS (In Plane Switching) and VA (Vertical Alignment).

TN

TN is the cheapest technology, so monitors with TN panels are very suitable for beginners. TN panels have also been available since the quite thin LCD monitors came onto the market. These monitors are still very popular today. The advantage of these models is that even larger displays are offered at relatively low prices. However, that is not the only plus point of these models. TN panels are very responsive because they offer short response times. This aspect is particularly important for gamers. The fact that these monitors run on a rather old LCD technology, which can cause minor losses in the display of colors and contrasts, is then rather unimportant for most gamers. Many particularly fast gaming monitors rely on TN panels. Refresh rates of up to 240 Hz are now possible, and the response times are just 1 ms. Many manufacturers also combine these panels with various blur reduction technologies. This results in a particularly sharp picture that doesn't lose any of its sharpness even in fast movements. A gaming PC monitor with a TN panel is very well suited for playing fast FPS titles.

IPS

Gaming monitors equipped with an IPS panel offer much better color and contrast values than models with TN panels. They also allow for a higher viewing angle without losing quality. Monitors with IPS panels are great for all high-resolution gaming. Of course, such a panel also has disadvantages. It is quite expensive compared to the TN panel and also draws more power. For dynamic and very fast games, these panels are not well suited. The response time is 5 ms, which is much too long for a fast game.

VA

Really good pictures, a lot of speed and a wide viewing angle - those who want these features should look for a gaming monitor with a VA panel. Such a panel practically combines the advantages of TN and IPS panels and is even able to maximize them. A VA panel offers the same viewing angle and contrast as an IPS panel, but at the same time has far better blacks to offer. Like the TN panel, the response times are around 1 ms. With such high performance and quality, it is not surprising that gaming monitors with VA panels are not exactly cheap. These models are really only something for passionate gamers who do gaming as more than just an occasional hobby.

Gaming monitors by resolution

Of course, the resolution also plays an important role for gaming monitors. The most common resolution is still Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), the aspect ratio is usually 16:9. The same aspect ratio is also used by WQHD monitors (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) and 4K or UHD monitors (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). The higher the resolution, the better the picture quality. However, the prices also increase accordingly. Of course, everyone can decide for themselves which quality they want to choose. However, a 4K gaming monitor is rather something for professional gamers, the Full HD variant is still the most popular among gamers. This is also the reason why game manufacturers optimize their games for these models. Thus, the games offer a really good performance even at lower resolutions.

There are a number of product features and technical data that make for big differences between the individual gaming monitors. If you want to buy a gaming monitor, you should consider some buying criteria.

Monitor size

Information about the size of the monitor is provided by the screen diagonal, which is usually specified in inches. Models with a screen diagonal between 19 and 35 inches are available. Gaming monitors should preferably not be smaller than 24 inches. Such a model already fills the field of view well and enables a good gaming experience. Most gamers play at their desk. This means that there is usually at most an arm's length between the monitor and the gamer. At this distance, they only see a correspondingly small area. Gaming monitors with a screen diagonal of 24 to 27 inches are best suited for this.

Resolution

The minimum standard for a gaming monitor is Full HD. The best monitor for a particularly detailed and sharp display is a 4K gaming monitor. It is recommended to choose the desired resolution according to the usage. Occasional gamers will be very satisfied with a Full HD model, but for passionate gamers a 4K gaming monitor is the best choice.

Response time

The response time is listed as an important point in every gaming monitor, and not without reason. Especially for professional gamers, this metric is very important. The response time indicates the size of the input lag of a monitor. This should be as low as possible. Especially in action games, it is important to be able to see every movement and react accordingly. A monitor with a response time of 4 ms needs 4 milliseconds until the input via the keyboard or of course the mouse really arrives on the screen. The input lag is particularly low the faster the reaction time is. This response time is especially important for gamers who often play competitive online games or prefer games for which a fast response time is crucial.

Display

The panel design is of crucial importance for a gaming PC monitor. TN panels are cheap, IPS panels offer better contrasts and colors, VA panels are a combination of both. The shape of the display panel also plays a role. There are flat and curved displays to choose from. Most gaming monitors have a flat display. These models don't show any distortions in the image geometry. What is straight is also displayed straight. The situation is different with curved displays. These offer a particularly spatial and three-dimensional display. The special curved shape comes much closer to the optical perception of the eye than a flat screen ever could. Curved monitors simulate a certain depth due to their concave curved display. Due to the curvature, the distance to the pixels at the edge is just as large as to the pixels in the center. If the gaming monitor is curved, the player has the impression that he is practically enveloped by the display. This offers advantages in racing games or similar games that are played in the cockpit view. This effect can even be intensified by simply placing several such curved monitors next to each other and connecting them via HDMI cable and HDMI splitter.

Frame rate

The refresh rate or frequency is specified in hertz and shows how many frames per second can be displayed on the monitor. Inexpensive entry-level models often offer a refresh rate of around 60 Hz. This is sufficient for gaming, but those who often have fast and hectic gaming situations and want smoother gameplay will need a higher rate. Professional gamers prefer monitors with 200 or even 240 Hz.

Ports

The most important interfaces for basic gaming monitors are HDMI and DVI. Usually, every gaming monitor is equipped with these interfaces. High-quality gaming monitors also offer connections for the Display Port standard and have an integrated USB hub. This enables the direct connection of headsets or input devices.

Matching graphics card

A graphics card is not part of the equipment of a gaming monitor, but it plays an important role in its selection. A modern gaming PC will already have the right graphics card built in. Nevertheless, it is the case that especially the high-end monitors require the right hardware in the PC. Playing on a 4K gaming monitor is absolutely great, but if the computer doesn't have the right graphics card, the special gaming experience won't work. High-quality and powerful graphics cards are absolutely essential for the right display. AMD graphics cards or Nvidia graphics cards are best suited for gaming monitors. If the installed graphics card cannot meet the requirements of a high-quality gaming monitor, it can easily be replaced.

A good gaming monitor ensures a really good gaming experience. However, this does not mean that they can only be used for gaming, quite the opposite. They can also be used for all other work processes on the computer. Especially all work that requires a high resolution can be done particularly well with such a monitor. Drawings, 3D programs or image and video editing work succeed particularly well with it. All professions that deal with graphics also benefit from these high-quality monitors. Photographers, graphic designers, architects and engineers rely on the high resolution and the realistic colors. Even more, the good image sharpness is easy on the eyes, and dry eyes can be alleviated or even avoided altogether. Gaming monitors are perfect for gamers, but all other users benefit from these screens as well.