Choosing a gaming monitor: resolution, Hz and panel

Resolution and size

The resolution is the number of pixels. The bigger the screen, the more pixels you need for a sharp picture at desk distance.

• Full HD (1920 x 1080): mostly at 24 inches, such as the LG UltraGear 24G411B. Light work for your graphics card.
• QHD (2560 x 1440): the common choice at 27 inches, such as the AOC Q27G4XF and the Samsung Odyssey G5 G50F.
• 4K (3840 x 2160): at 27 and 32 inches, such as the Samsung Odyssey G8 4K OLED. The sharpest, but you need a heavy graphics card to get many frames per second.

At a glance:

The higher the resolution, the harder your PC has to work, so choose a screen that suits your graphics card. Read more on our gaming PCs page.

Refresh rate in Hz

The refresh rate is how many times per second the screen shows a new picture. An ordinary office screen does 60 to 100 Hz, gaming monitors usually 144 Hz or more. The higher it is, the smoother motion looks, especially in fast shooters.

A high number only helps if your PC or console also makes that many frames per second. A 300 Hz screen such as the ASUS TUF VG27AQM5A, or a 500 Hz one such as the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6, is mainly meant for competitive games that reach such numbers.

Some 4K screens have a dual mode: in 4K they run at a lower rate, in Full HD at a much higher one. According to its product name, the AOC U32G4U does 160 Hz in 4K and 320 Hz in Full HD.

IPS, VA or OLED

• IPS: good colours and viewing angles, and fast enough for most games. A safe choice, such as the AOC Q27G4XF and the ASUS TUF VG27AQM5A.
• VA: more contrast, so deeper black than IPS. Many curved screens are VA, such as the AOC Q27G3XMN. In fast motion, some VA screens show a little smearing behind dark objects.
• OLED: every pixel makes its own light, so black is truly black and response time is very short. Examples are the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED and the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6. The downside: images that stay still for a long time, such as a taskbar or a game's HUD, can burn in. Makers build in protection against it. MSI, for example, lists a three-year warranty that includes burn-in on many of its QD-OLED screens. Check the warranty terms per brand.

G-SYNC and FreeSync

When your graphics card and screen are out of step, you sometimes see a tear across the picture or the picture stutters. Adaptive sync lets the screen match its rate to the graphics card. AMD calls it FreeSync, NVIDIA calls it G-SYNC. According to NVIDIA, a screen labelled G-SYNC Compatible has no NVIDIA chip of its own but has been validated by NVIDIA for a good basic experience. Check the name or description to see which of the two a screen supports.

Playing on PS5 or Xbox

For 4K at 120 Hz, Sony and Microsoft give the same requirements: a screen with HDMI 2.1, a port that is also HDMI 2.1, and an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable, like the one in the console box. On a screen without HDMI 2.1 the console still works, but not at 120 Hz in 4K. Screens aimed at consoles usually mention HDMI 2.1 in their name, such as the AOC U32G4U and the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED. Some name the console itself, such as the Alienware AW3225QF.

Ultrawide and curved screens

An ultrawide screen is wider than normal, with a ratio of about 21:9 instead of 16:9. You see more to the sides, which works well in racing and simulation games. Examples are the 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 and the Philips Evnia 34M2C3500L. Not every game supports 21:9; then you see black bars at the sides. Consoles usually run in 16:9 on an ultrawide screen.