Enjoy Playing More With a New Gaming Monitor

If you love to play games, a new gaming monitor can help you enjoy your downtime even more. When you start looking for a new gaming monitor, however, you may have many questions.

What are some features of a new gaming monitor?

There are several factors to consider when shopping for a new gaming monitor, including:

  • Panel technology – Twisted Nematic, TN, panel usually offers the fastest refresh rates and the fastest response times while in-plane switching (IPS) panels usually offer a better visual experience.
  • Response time – Response time is the amount of time it takes the monitor to switch from one color to another. For gaming, 1 millisecond should be the absolute minimum.
  • Refresh rates – This number tells you the number of times your monitor changes the picture per second. It is expressed in hertz per second, which is often abbreviated Hz. Look for options offering over 144 Hz.
  • High-definition monitor – A high-definition monitor features 1,080 pixels, which produces a crisp picture.
  • Ports – First, you need to make sure that your other devices will connect. Look for ports that allow you to have high response rates and that offer many different types.
What is the difference between different high-definition monitors?

The more pixels there are, the clearer the picture will display. Base high-definition monitors are 720 pixels by 720 pixels or about 1 million pixels. See the manufacturer site for details. There are at least four different types of high-definition monitors, including:

  • Full-high-definition monitors – These monitors offer 1920 by 1080 pixels. These monitors have a total of about 2 million pixels.
  • Quad-high-definition monitors – These monitors offer 2,560 pixels by 1,440 pixels for a total of 4 million pixels.
  • Ultra-high-definition monitors – Sometimes called 4k monitors, these options offer 2,560 pixels by 1,440 pixels for a total of 4,000 pixels.
What is the difference between G-sync and FreeSync monitors?

Game monitors usually come with either G-sync or FreeSync gaming cards. G-sync monitors rely on DisplayPorts while FreeSynch can be used with either HDMI or DisplayPorts. Your monitor will only work as well as the VGA in your computer.

What do the terms open box and refurbished mean?

Open box monitors are usually floor models. They may also have been customers' unopened returns. In rare cases, they may have seen minimal use under a company’s return policy. Refurbished monitors have usually been sold to a consumer before being returned to the company where a technician carefully inspects them. Some may be items returned to the manufacturer that did not sell at a particular location.