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Selecting the right Gaming Monitor

For PC gamers, finding the right gaming monitor is the all important finishing touch that elevates your Gaming PC to the next level. Gaming monitors come in all different shapes and sizes, from compact models great for dorm rooms to ultra wide and curved gaming monitors that give you a truly immersive experience. Depending on the functionality you need from your display and the general graphical specs your system is built for, the price and features can vary significantly.

For example, if you are looking for a top of the line gaming monitor, 144Hz monitors are capable of very high refresh rates and some of the smoothest gameplay possible. They are a great choice for gamers who value extreme speed and high frame rates, making them a must for competitive esports players. Another technology called High Dynamic Range (HDR) gives you improved color accuracy that is ideal not just for gaming but for professional animation and video editing as well.

With so many different types out there, it is important to know what you are looking for in a gaming monitor. Factors like whether you prefer competitive shooters or single player RPGs, whether you have an AMD or NVIDIA based graphics card, and, of course, the specs and aspect ratio of your PC will all help determine the most important features you should be looking for.

What Kind of Panel Should You Choose?

Today gaming monitors use several different LCD panel technologies to create their images, each of which has its own strengths. VA panels are popular for their excellent contrast ratio, which offers deeper blacks and a generally vibrant picture. They are often best suited for slower-paced and single player titles rather than faster gaming.

IPS panels, by contrast, are great for fast paced gaming because of their excellent response times, or the time it takes them to transition between colors. They also have an exceptional color range, making them a great choice for anyone in visual professions like design, photography, or video production. TN panels, meanwhile, are an older technology but highly budget friendly.

A handful of other display panel types are also available today. One is cutting edge OLED gaming monitor panels, which use individually illuminated pixels to create stunningly sharp images. Mini LED is an advanced LCD technology that uses large numbers of LED backlights and produces contrast almost as good as OLED. TN panels, meanwhile, are an older technology but highly budget friendly, and some competitive PC gaming enthusiasts even seek them out for their ultra fast response times.

Screen Size

For many gamers, a monitor’s screen size is one of the most important keys to a more immersive gaming experience. Ultrawide monitors are especially popular for their wraparound curved design, with screen sizes of 32 inches or more that deliver captivating graphical performance in whatever world you’re exploring today. Of course, smaller models of 23 inches and up are also common and popular among gamers who want to stretch their space and/or budget.

Resolution

Resolution is also a critical factor to consider. This refers to the number of pixels on a display screen, with higher resolutions offering a crisper, sharper, and more detailed image.

1080p resolution - also called Full HD or FHD - is the starting point for modern gaming monitors. Many smaller and budget monitors use 1080p, since the benefits of higher resolutions are less pronounced on a smaller screen.

1440p resolution - also known as 2K or QHD - is a great upgrade from 1080p that many PC gamers seek out when they’re ready to level up their graphics performance.

4K resolution - also called UHD - is the highest commonly available resolution for current PC gaming hardware, and you will find that most high end gaming monitors are 4K capable. Note that not all graphics cards are suited to 4K, so it is wise to test your hardware before purchasing a monitor.

Refresh Rate and Response Time

Refresh rate refers to how often the monitor can draw a new image sent from the system’s GPU. To simplify somewhat, a 60Hz refresh rate means the system can draw 60 new frames per second. For many gamers, that is plenty. Others, especially competitive gamers who prioritize high frame rates, may want to go with a 144Hz or even 240Hz refresh rate monitor.

Response time, meanwhile, refers to how quickly a monitor can change its pixels from one color to another. A faster response time helps reduce motion blur, ghosting, and other visual artifacts that many gamers find distracting. Multiple response time standards exist, but gray to gray (GtG) response time is the most commonly used. For gaming monitors, a 1ms response time is the current gold standard, but faster monitors with a sub millisecond response are becoming increasingly popular.

What is the Difference Between G Sync and FreeSync?

Specific brands such as NVIDIA and AMD also have proprietary adaptive sync technology that you can find within monitors that will work to reduce latency and improve response times. For example, G sync compatible monitors use the technology found in NVIDIA GPUs to synchronize the refresh rate of the monitor to the graphics card, reducing screen tearing.

FreeSync is AMD’s alternative to G sync and uses similar technology to reduce screen tearing when using AMD graphics cards. In addition, AMD graphics cards can use supersampling to virtually increase the display’s resolution and enhance image clarity. Luckily, there are many gaming monitors out there that are compatible with NVIDIA G sync and AMD FreeSync technology.

What Gaming Monitor Is Best for My Graphics Card?

Finding the best gaming monitor for you has more to do with matching the display to your system and not the overall power or features of the screen. This is because your monitor can only display what your gaming PC's graphical processing unit or GPU is able to output. Thus, just because you are playing on a 4K gaming PC monitor does not mean your PC can display games effectively at 4K.

Depending on the type of game, monitors can prioritize refresh rates and response times over resolution because these specifications have the most significant impact on how it feels to play games. Playing in higher resolutions is possible, but hardware requirements quickly rise along with image quality. Thus, whatever level of graphical performance you are going for, remember that it starts with PC components like your graphics card, CPU, and RAM. They are the foundation of your gaming experience, but your monitor is responsible for bringing it to life.

It is also crucial to look at what kinds of ports your monitor offers and which signal types it is compatible with. Most monitors support at least DisplayPort and HDMI, and many support additional standards like Thunderbolt 3 and 4 - both of which use a standard USB C connector. Note, however, that many of these standards have multiple versions. If you’re looking to maximize graphics performance, it is worth checking to ensure that a monitor supports the same version as your PC, especially if you plan to use the monitor as a second display to connect to a gaming laptop.

Micro Center’s selection of quality gaming monitors will help take your PC's graphical performance to new heights. Explore great deals on top monitor brands like Acer, Samsung, Dell, ASUS, and more - and don’t forget to visit our store for expert advice on choosing the perfect computer monitor. If you’re building your dream gaming setup, remember to also browse our selection of gaming peripherals, including headsets, keyboards, gaming mice, and more.

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