For a premium gaming PC, you might need a lot of high-end components, but one thing you can't truly experience your high-end PC without is a gaming monitor that's at the same level. Unfortunately, no matter how many images your PC can spit out, everything will be wasted on a monitor with a subpar screen, poor refresh rate, and low resolution.
When you finally decide to upgrade your gaming monitor, it's worth considering a few important things before spending hundreds of dollars on a bad purchase. Focusing only on specs and brand names is a poor way to purchase something that will likely be part of your setup with multiple component upgrades.
6 Is your PC ready for a new monitor?
Time to assess your own hardware
If you're upgrading to a new gaming monitor in 2024, you're probably eyeing at least a 27-inch 1440p 165Hz+ model with an IPS or VA panel. While the price of this category of monitors has fallen over the years, it can still be excessive for some older gaming PCs. Consider a system with a GTX 10 series or RX 5000 series GPU and a first or second generation Ryzen processor. 1440p gaming with a high refresh rate isn't exactly ideal for a setup like this anyway.
If you still plan on getting more out of your existing gaming PC, it's better to delay the monitor upgrade for now.
1440p is ideal for gaming as it is visually much more impressive than 1080p, but is much gentler on the GPU than 4K. Still, getting more than 100 FPS at high 1440p settings with some ray tracing effects can be too much unless you have a modern mid-range or high-end graphics card and a decent 6-core CPU. If you are sure that you will be making more hardware upgrades soon, then definitely get this high-end gaming monitor.
However, if you still plan to get more out of your existing gaming PC with older components, it's better to delay the monitor upgrade for now.
5 What type of gamer are you?
Choose your panel type carefully
On the surface, the panel technology used in your gaming monitor appears to be just one of many technical specifications. However, the impact on your gaming experience is disproportionate. Although TN monitors have insane refresh rates, they have relatively poor colors and viewing angles. VA panels excel at contrast and refresh rate, but can produce smearing in dark scenes. IPS monitors offer great colors, refresh rates, and viewing angles, but can look terrible due to backlight bleeding.
Then there are the newer OLED and QD-OLED monitors that seem to combine the best aspects of all panel technologies, resulting in infinite contrast, near-instant response time, high refresh rates and excellent HDR. However, you may still suffer from constant “pixel cleaning” cycles and screen burn-in. And if it does happen, even though there's a burn-in guarantee, the whole ordeal of getting a replacement can be a hassle. Mini-LED monitors, especially the newer budget models, can be a good stopgap solution if you're saving for an eventual OLED upgrade.
If you want to play a bit of everything, a budget or mid-range IPS or VA panel could be more than sufficient, especially considering the level of performance they currently come with.
If you're a real esports gamer, you might prefer an ultra-fast TN monitor or even one of the newer IPS or VA models with higher refresh rates than ever before. If you want to play a little bit of everything instead, a budget or mid-range IPS or VA panel (depending on your preferences between black levels and perfect colors) could be more than sufficient, especially considering the level of performance they currently come with.
On the other hand, if you don't care about 240Hz, 360Hz and other insane refresh rates and value a premium visual experience for your single-player story titles, go for an OLED or QD-OLED panel if you can afford it. A cheaper mini-LED panel could be a good alternative if you can live with worse HDR than OLEDs and some blooming around bright objects.
4 Don't worry about response time and input lag
It's hard to end up with a particularly cruel model
Pixel response time and input lag are important factors when buying a gaming monitor, but getting bogged down in these numbers doesn't help. Manufacturers will do anything to give their monitors a “1ms” response time logo, even if the conditions under which this is actually possible will never occur in a real gaming scenario.
Response times and input lag have become too similar across the best monitors to make much of a difference.
While it's true that OLED monitors can be much faster than IPS or VA models, you probably won't feel the difference anyway. Unless you randomly jump in, ignore all the reviews and end up with one of the worst gaming monitors in the world, you'll probably be fine. Things like form factor, panel type, refresh rate, and PPI play a bigger role in how much you end up liking what you buy. Response times and input lag have become too similar across the best monitors to make much of a difference.
3 Please pay attention to form factor and VRR
Flat or ultra-wide curved? What about HDMI 2.1?
Whatever else you ignore, don't gloss over the pros and cons of buying a flat vs. curved panel. Your existing monitor may be flat, but it's worth considering the greater immersion of a curved monitor, especially for gaming. Your monitor's form factor has the biggest impact on your gaming experience, and a curved ultrawide model can be one of the best investments you can make in terms of your gaming setup.
HDMI 2.1 is required if your PC can output more than 60 FPS at 4K or if you want to connect your console to your monitor.
Curved monitors also have their drawbacks, but if you have the budget for one of the premium models, the overall experience could be worth it. Another crucial aspect is the type of VRR (variable refresh rate) implementation on the monitor you want to buy. Nowadays FreeSync or G-SYNC are common features, but what is not so common is HDMI 2.1This is necessary if your PC can output more than 60 FPS at 4K or if you want the best experience on your console connected to your monitor.
2 Do you need a monitor for gaming and work?
You may have to spend more to get the best of both worlds
Work may not be something you think about when purchasing a new gaming monitor, but many people may choose to go this route. If you're in your 30s or 40s, prefer to play with the same setup you work in all day, and want a versatile display that can handle it all, you'll need to prioritize certain features over others. For example, you could choose a model that has a KVM switch to easily switch between two computers without having to change keyboard and mouse.
For the best text clarity, look at the best 4K monitors instead of a 1440p display.
A macro shot of the subpixels confirms that the MAG 341CQP still uses a first-generation QD-OLED layout. The newer generations have fewer color fringes due to the lower height of the green subpixel.
You could also look for a monitor that has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode, so you can connect your laptop to your monitor with a single cable and charge it too. If you use multiple devices as part of your work setup, you will need enough USB ports on the monitor. For the best text clarity, look at the best 4K monitors instead of a 1440p display.
Speaking of text clarity, an IPS monitor with a regular subpixel layout is preferred over an OLED with a strange layout that can cause problems with text borders. Finally, good viewing angles, a color-accurate screen, and versatile ergonomics are other features you may need from a monitor for work and play. I'm not saying you'll find all of these things in a single model, but then again, you may not need everything for your work setup.
1 No gaming monitor is perfect
Find what works best and ignore the rest
No matter what gaming monitor you buy, it won't be outstanding in every way. Just as every panel technology has its drawbacks, a monitor that is too large can also impact your experience. Massive, curved ultrawide screens can easily overwhelm your desk, leaving little room for your peripherals and accessories. Larger screens may also look less sharp if the resolution is not high enough. And it's almost impossible to pivot a huge display if you want a vertically oriented screen for your work.
If you've found an otherwise great gaming monitor whose drawbacks you don't often notice, this is a good deal.
Many gaming monitors perform best within a certain refresh rate range. Therefore, if your gaming PC cannot achieve these values, you may experience flickering even when Freesync/G-SYNC is enabled. If your gaming room is too dark, an IPS panel can look terrible in dark scenes due to the infamous IPS glow (backlight bleeding). And for a bright room, look for a monitor with a matte rather than glossy coating to minimize reflections.
Ultimately, you have to decide which disadvantages you can live with. If you've found an otherwise great gaming monitor whose drawbacks you don't often notice, this is a good deal.
High-end gaming monitors are cool, but do you really need one?
If you have a very old monitor, even a budget IPS/VA gaming monitor is a huge upgrade and can last for years depending on the specs. However, if you're already using one of the best gaming monitors, you'll need a major upgrade to justify spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a different screen.
You should only upgrade your monitor if you are not satisfied with your existing monitor. If you're just starting to experience FOMO and want a taste of the latest and greatest technology, it's better to hold out longer. The best models will get even better in a few years, and your monitor will actually need an upgrade at a later date. First, enjoy your games on your already excellent display and, above all, try to find more time to actually play.