Gaming Monitor Buying Guide: Panel Types, Refresh Rates, and What Actually Matters
Choosing a gaming monitor is overwhelming. Marketing throws around specs like they're all equally important, but they're not. This guide cuts through the jargon to help you understand what actually matters for your games and budget.
Panel Types Explained
The panel type is the most fundamental choice. Each has distinct strengths and trade-offs.
IPS (In-Plane Switching)
IPS panels offer the best color accuracy and viewing angles. Colors look consistent even from the side. Modern IPS panels have largely solved their historical weakness of slow response times, making them viable for competitive gaming.
- Best for: Color-sensitive work, story games, anyone who values image quality
- Weaknesses: Contrast ratio (blacks look grayish), IPS glow in dark scenes
VA (Vertical Alignment)
VA panels have the best contrast ratios of LCD technologies — typically 3000:1 or higher versus 1000:1 for IPS. This means deeper blacks and more impactful dark scenes. The trade-off is slower response times and potential smearing in fast motion.
- Best for: Single-player games, movies, immersive experiences
- Weaknesses: Ghosting/smearing at high speeds, worse viewing angles than IPS
OLED
OLED offers perfect blacks (pixels turn completely off), incredible contrast, and instant response times. It's objectively the best image quality — but comes with caveats: burn-in risk, potential brightness limitations, and high cost.
- Best for: Players who prioritize image quality and can afford the premium
- Weaknesses: Burn-in risk with static elements, expensive, peak brightness may be lower
| Feature | IPS | VA | OLED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color Accuracy | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 | 3000:1+ | Infinite |
| Response Time | Good (1-4ms) | Moderate (4-8ms) | Instant (0.1ms) |
| Viewing Angles | Wide | Narrow | Wide |
| Price | Moderate | Budget-Moderate | High |
Refresh Rate: How Much Do You Need?
Refresh rate (measured in Hz) determines how many frames per second the monitor can display. Higher isn't always better — it depends on your games and GPU.
60Hz
Sufficient for single-player games, older titles, and budget builds. If your GPU can't push more than 60 FPS consistently, a higher refresh monitor adds nothing.
144Hz
The sweet spot for most gamers. Noticeably smoother than 60Hz, and modern mid-range GPUs can hit 144 FPS in most titles. Competitive advantage in multiplayer games.
240Hz+
Diminishing returns for most players. The jump from 60 to 144 is dramatic; 144 to 240 is subtle. Worth it for competitive esports players, but casual players won't notice much difference.
Reality Check: Your monitor can only display what your GPU outputs. A 240Hz monitor with a GPU pushing 80 FPS gives you a 80 FPS experience. Match your monitor to your GPU capability.
Resolution Considerations
1080p (Full HD)
Easier to drive at high frame rates. Best for competitive players who prioritize FPS over visual fidelity. Works well at 24-27" sizes.
1440p (QHD)
The modern sweet spot. Noticeably sharper than 1080p without crushing GPU performance. Ideal for 27-32" monitors.
4K (UHD)
Requires a powerful GPU to maintain high frame rates. Beautiful for single-player games and content consumption. Competitive advantage is minimal versus 1440p.
Response Time vs Input Lag
These terms are often confused but measure different things.
Response Time (GtG)
How quickly pixels change color. Affects motion clarity and ghosting. Lower is better, but anything under 5ms is generally fine. Marketed "1ms" figures are often best-case scenarios with aggressive overdrive.
Input Lag
The delay between your input and the display showing the result. More important for competitive gaming. Most gaming monitors have acceptable input lag (~10ms or less); it's primarily an issue on TVs and some office monitors.
Features Worth Paying For
- Adaptive Sync (G-Sync/FreeSync): Eliminates screen tearing without the input lag of traditional V-Sync. Essential feature.
- HDR: Only valuable on monitors with high brightness (600+ nits) and local dimming. Budget HDR is often worse than SDR.
- Height/Tilt Adjustment: Ergonomics matter for long sessions. Don't cheap out on a monitor you can't position comfortably.
- USB Hub: Convenient for peripherals. Nice to have, not essential.
Where to Buy: For gaming monitors, check official retailers like Newegg for deals, or manufacturer stores from ASUS ROG and MSI for their gaming monitor lines.
Recommendations by Use Case
Competitive Esports (CS2, Valorant, etc.)
Prioritize: 240Hz+, 1080p or 1440p, fast IPS panel, low input lag
Skip: HDR, ultrawide, 4K
Story Games and RPGs
Prioritize: Image quality (OLED or high-contrast VA), 1440p or 4K, good HDR
Skip: Ultra-high refresh rates above 144Hz
All-Around Gaming
Prioritize: 1440p, 144-165Hz, IPS panel, adaptive sync
This covers most use cases well without specializing in any one area
Need More Help?
For quick questions about monitors, try asking Nova, or browse our other hardware guides.