Gaming monitors have revolutionised this industry with their ability to enhance the gaming experience. These monitors are specifically designed to cater to the needs of gamers and are responsible for displaying the final result of computer rendering and processing. From colour accuracy and motion blur to sharpness and contrast ratio, gaming monitors offer a whole new level of visual fidelity.
Understanding the key differences between gaming monitors in terms of factors like resolution, refresh rates, adaptive syncs, panel types and the aspect ratio and size is crucial when selecting the perfect monitors for gaming setups. In this blog post we'll delve deeper into the world of gaming monitors and explore the features that make them stand out.
What are the different resolutions?
Having knowledge about the different resolutions available for gaming is a key factor as it is important to know what you need to get the best visual experience. Resolution is the visual ability to display a set number of pixels on a screen, with the higher amount of pixels resulting in a cleaner, sharper image.
In gaming, the display resolution can limit the overall experience, making it essential to have a screen that supports a high resolution. There are several resolutions available depending on the game and PC specifications:
- Full HD (FHD) - the most common and the industry standard in laptops and TVs
- Quad HD (QHD/2K) - a significant step up from FHD and is a middle-ground for moderately serious gamers that won't break the bank
- Ultra HD (UHD/4K) - is becoming more popular in monitors and TV screens; although expensive, the graphics give excellent visuals for gamers, shop 4K monitors here
As the popularity is growing for UHD screens, this will soon become the standard resolution in the gaming industry.
What are refresh rates, and what difference do they make?
A refresh rate is the number of times per second that a display updates the onscreen image, the faster the refresh rate, the less blur and the more responsive the display will feel. Here are some common refresh rates:
- 60Hz - for novice gamers who play adventure and strategy games
- 75Hz - for novice gamers who play shooting and racing games
- 144Hz - for experienced gamers and shooting fanatics
- 240Hz - for professional e-athletes, vendors like MSI can provide "cutting-edge innovation and aesthetic design that not only fulfil customer needs across industries, but also create extraordinary experiences"
This is particularly important when it comes to gaming, having high refresh rates can make all the difference in fast paced games however, achieving this can depend on several factors:
- The monitors refresh ability
- The CPUs processing speed
- The GPUs ability
By taking these into account, the refresh rate that is desired will become known.
AMD FreeSync / NVIDIA G-Sync, what are they?
AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync are both based on adaptive sync technology, this is a technique which can give monitors a variable refresh rate; these can help solve problems like screen tear and stuttering. Screen tear occurs when your video card sends multiple frames at once, resulting in several images appearing on your screen as the monitor is still processing them. Stuttering, on the other hand, happens when videos cards don't consider the refresh rate and can cause frames to be repeated or skipped, resulting in a staggered play.
As both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync are both based on adaptive sync, they allow monitors to have variable refresh rates that can adjust to any video card at any time. This provides a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.
G-Sync:
- Offers better quality
- Avoids stuttering
- Doubles the number of Hertz when it reaches the minimum amount to prevent screen tearing
- However, only works with NIVIDA video cards.
FreeSync:
- More affordable
- Supports both AMD and NVIDIA video cards
- Reduces screen tearing and stuttering
- However, has issues with refresh rates that are below 30Hz, it will start to cause stuttering on the screen
By incorporating AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync into gaming setups, they will allow for a smoother and more immersive gaming experience, particularly during fast-paced and demanding scenes.
What are the different gaming monitor panel types?
Choosing the right panel type can significantly impact gameplay experience, there are 3 main types, these are TN, IPS and VA.
TN (Twisted Nematic):
- Fast response times
- High refresh rates
- Most affordable
- Limited colour space but accurate black levels and dark detail areas
- Lowest contrast
- Limited viewing angles, as low as 170/160
- Ideal for competitive gaming
- Take a look at out TN monitor range here
VA (Vertical Alignment):
- Best colour contrast
- Improved viewing angles of 178/178
- Not as fast as TN but have improved response times and refresh rates, lead to ghosting (when a displayed image leaves a trail of pixels behind when it moves) and motion blur
- Good for not just games but film and TV too
- Shop our VA range here
IPS (In-Plane Switching):
- Best colour range
- Decent colour contrast
- Wide 178/178 viewing angles
- Response time and refresh rate are lower than the others
- Best for visually stunning games and story-minded gamers
- Discover our IPS range here
Aspect ratio and display type?
Aspect ratio refers to the proportion of a monitors width to its height, with common ratios being 4:3, 16:9 and 21:9. The 4:3 ratio is known as "full screen" and used to be the standard but it has now been replaced by the 16:9 ratio; widescreen is now the international standard for high definition (HD). The 21:9 ultrawide ratio is a newer option that is gaining popularity, especially for gaming, TVs, and cinematic projects.
Additionally, curved monitors are becoming more popular due to filling up more of the users' peripheral vision enabling more engaging experiences within games. However, curved monitors catch more light and have more glare than flat monitors, and also require more desk space.
To conclude, when it comes to gaming monitors, there are several key factors to consider; each of these elements play a vital role in providing immersive and enjoyable gaming experiences. By choosing a monitor that fits the needs and preferences in each of these categories, skills will be taken to the next level. Invest in high-quality gaming monitors to game like never before.
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