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Gaming Monitors... Is 4K better than 1080p? 27" better than 23"?

Deleted member 4461

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Oct 25, 2017
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I ask, of course, because I have a 1080p & 23" monitor. I'm passively considering upgrading it since I have a PS5, but I've heard very mixed things.

My monitor has no issues, for what it's worth. It's clean, has no dead pixels, and generally does what's advertised. So I'm not interested in getting a better monitor for the novelty of it -- I want to know if there's a legitimate difference I'm going to see. Real improvement.

So tell me, ERA... is it worth?
 
Lego Killer Moth

Lego Killer Moth

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
1,292
I mean 4K does look better than 1080p but its really up to you if its enough of an increase in quality to justify buying a new monitor.
 
Replicant

Replicant

Attempted to circumvent a ban with an alt
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,380
MN
Of course 4K is better than 1080p. But there are some real shitty monitors out there and you shouldn't just go by resolution.

Stuff like response time, display tech, 144hz etc matter a lot more
 
Bradford

Bradford

terminus est
Member
Aug 12, 2018
5,423
It depends on what you want it for, and if you can actually drive 4k.

If you can't drive 4k, maybe look into getting a high refresh rate monitor. 1440p×144hz is a fantastic spot to be.

Size isn't really that meaningful on its own -- pixel density plays a big role in visual fidelity. It depends on how close you'll be sitting and what you are looking for. I always prefer more pixel dense monitors to huge but low density ones.
 
jon bones

jon bones

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,024
NYC
I think DisplayHDR 600 or higher as well as HDMI 2.1 for higher fps are more important - but yeah 4K will also make things look better
 
RivalGT

RivalGT

Member
Dec 13, 2017
6,399
At 4K you really should be looking at a 32 inch monitor, but yeah if 27 is the max size, then 4K is going to look extremely sharp at that res. 4K 144hz is what I would be looking for. But yeah at 27" 4K is a night and day difference, native 4k even makes 1440p look soft. 1440p is still really good though, and you never know the difference if you didn't compare them side by side.

I really enjoy his content when it comes to monitors, he recommends some really good ones here
 
ZeroMaverick

ZeroMaverick

Member
Mar 5, 2018
4,442
For me, 1440p 27" and 144+hz is the perfect res and size for PC gaming AND productivity. I have a 32" 1440p 165hz monitor, and I think 32 is too big. 1080p is fine. 4K is overkill at that size and distance.
 
OldDirtyGamer

OldDirtyGamer

Member
Apr 14, 2019
2,476
I always thought bigger was better when it came to screens. So i got a 32 inch screen....and i feel i push myself away from it as much as i can. Too big for being that close. 23 tho ? That seems WAY to small. and yeah if you have a PS5, time to upgrade from that 1080p screen
 
RedHeat

RedHeat

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,690
4k is absolute better than 1080p, but the size of the monitor is gonna depend on how far you plan on sitting away from it. A bit far? 32" and higher would be good for 4k. Closer? 27" would be perfect.
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 4461

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RivalGT said:
At 4K you really should be looking at a 32 inch monitor, but yeah if 27 is the max size, then 4K is going to look extremely sharp at that res. 4K 144hz is what I would be looking for. But yeah at 27" 4K is a night and day difference, native 4k even makes 1440p look soft. 1440p is still really good though, and you never know the difference if you didn't compare them side by side.

I really enjoy his content when it comes to monitors, he recommends some really good ones here
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YeahJeets said:
27 in 1440p/144 is the sweet spot IMO
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RedHeat said:
4k is absolute better than 1080p, but the size of the monitor is gonna depend on how far you plan on sitting away from it. A bit far? 32" and higher would be good for 4k. Closer? 27" would be perfect.
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Extra, maybe dumb question - would the games I have in 1080p start looking worse & blown up with a new monitor?

Sounds like 1440p 144hz 27" is the recurring answer.

But if my, say, Switch games start looking like garbage, or my PS4 games...
 

StillEdge

Member
Oct 29, 2017
776
I'm big on shooters had a 27" swapped it with a 23" high refresh rate 1080p monitor and I just feel tighter in my personal gameplay.
 
ghibli99

ghibli99

Member
Oct 27, 2017
17,814
Depends on distance. I play at an office desk setup, and have a 27" 1440p144 monitor as my main PC display. Good pixel density and good size, although I wouldn't mind it being 32" at the same resolution (4K would also be fine). I have a 43" 4K60 TV right next to it at a little further out (3 feet vs. 2.5 feet for the 27" monitor) and I think that's just about perfect for me. I'm 46 though, so I have old(er) man eyes. LOL

4K has absolutely made a difference for One X and PS4 Pro games, and if your display has good HDR, even better.
 

bing

Banned
Apr 27, 2020
1,376
nowhere, canada
The monitor market is a mess right now. Almost all reasonably-priced monitors have quality control issues or compromises in some way.

If you're gaming on PC, you probably want a 27-inch 1440p144hz monitor. I recommend the LG 27GL850-B (or the cheaper Amazon-exclusive LG 27GL83A-B).

If you're playing using a PS5 or XSX, I recommend the 27-inch 4K60 LG 27UK650-W (or the cheaper 27UL650-W.)

If you're concerned about HDR or want really good picture quality, you won't find that in any monitor under $1,000. At that point, you'd be better off getting a 48-inch LG CX OLED.
 
RivalGT

RivalGT

Member
Dec 13, 2017
6,399
1440p at 144hz at 27" is a really good combo. Console games will either look the same or worse, since they cant display at a native 1440p. If you plan to play PS5 or PS4 pro on it, then get a monitor that supports 4K downsample to 1440p, as PS5 doesn't have support for 1440p monitors.
 
Biteren

Biteren

Member
Oct 29, 2017
2,608
I'm disheartened that my ps5 doesnt recognize my 144hz monitor, I was hoping to do 120fps, and I did all the things, performance mode, cables, monitor setting but no luck.

I got a Sceptre ips 24 inch monitor
 
RCSI

RCSI

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
1,839
A high refresh rate 27" 1440p144hz is the sweet spot, because a good 4k HFR HDR monitor is a horrible value proposition when a good tv exists that may meet similar criteria.

Edit: Oh, ps5, I fail at reading comprehension. While I've read that the PS5 cannot take advantage of 1440p for now, tv seems to be the way to go for the time being unless the monitor market has changed.
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 4461

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bingo said:
The monitor market is a mess right now. Almost all reasonably-priced monitors have quality control issues or compromises in some way.

If you're gaming on PC, you probably want a 27-inch 1440p144hz monitor. I recommend the LG 27GL850-B (or the cheaper Amazon-exclusive LG 27GL83A-B).

If you're playing using a PS5 or XSX, I recommend the 27-inch 4K60 LG 27UK650-W (or the cheaper 27UL650-W.)

If you're concerned about HDR or want really good picture quality, you won't find that in any monitor under $1,000. At that point, you'd be better off getting a 48-inch LG CX OLED.
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RivalGT said:
1440p at 144hz at 27" is a really good combo. Console games will either look the same or worse, since they cant display at a native 1440p. If you plan to play PS5 or PS4 pro on it, then get a monitor that supports 4K downsample to 1440p, as PS5 doesn't have support for 1440p monitors.
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Does the 27UL650-W fit all of these marks?
 
Garrison

Garrison

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,897
Vermillion said:
I ask, of course, because I have a 1080p & 23" monitor. I'm passively considering upgrading it since I have a PS5, but I've heard very mixed things.

My monitor has no issues, for what it's worth. It's clean, has no dead pixels, and generally does what's advertised. So I'm not interested in getting a better monitor for the novelty of it -- I want to know if there's a legitimate difference I'm going to see. Real improvement.

So tell me, ERA... is it worth?
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Yes Absolutely.

I upgraded from a 27inch 1080p monitor to a 31.5 4k monitor with hdr and it was so much worth it. Screen real estate made me notice lots of new details in games and loved the upgrade. Just know that what you are really going to see the difference in select games, not every game out there. It was crazy but I've been playing a lot of Cod Modern Warfare and thought it was going to look banging on the new monitor. It was just alright. I do feel like I can play better just on account of seeing way more details on screen. 27inch 4k would be "okay" but 32 inch is so much better if you have the space.

Out of the games I tried Sea of Thieves looked AMAZING , HDR implementation in that game is just perfect and it's crazy how much of a different game if feels like on the Series X. Meanwhile at 1080p graphically other than the water it didn't make me stare at it in awe like now. I honestly don't care much about 120fps as I don't think there will be many games utilizing the feature this gen. You will be more than good with 4k60 imo and when those 4k 120fps screens start coming out they won't be cheap anyways.
 
jon bones

jon bones

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,024
NYC
Garrison said:
Yes Absolutely.

I upgraded from a 27inch 1080p monitor to a 31.5 4k monitor with hdr and it was so much worth it. Screen real estate made me notice lots of new details in games and loved the upgrade. Just know that what you are really going to see the difference in select games, not every game out there. It was crazy but I've been playing a lot of Cod Modern Warfare and thought it was going to look banging on the new monitor. It was just alright. I do feel like I can play better just on account of seeing way more details on screen. 27inch 4k would be "okay" but 32 inch is so much better if you have the space.

Out of the games I tried Sea of Thieves looked AMAZING , HDR implementation in that game is just perfect and it's crazy how much of a different game if feels like on the Series X. Meanwhile at 1080p graphically other than the water it didn't make me stare at it in awe like now. I honestly don't care much about 120fps as I don't think there will be many games utilizing the feature this gen. You will be more than good with 4k60 imo and when those 4k 120fps screens start coming out they won't be cheap anyways.
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what monitor did you get?
 
Arctic Chris

Arctic Chris

Member
Dec 5, 2017
2,175
Ottawa Canada
Unless you absolutely must get a new monitor right now I recommend waiting for what is announced at CES (or however it is done in January). There should be more monitor options with HDMI 2.1 and possibly better HDR implementation.
 

FacelessSamurai

Banned
Dec 31, 2017
1,430
AfropunkNyc said:
1080p+144mhz beats 4k+60mhz but 1440p+144mhz ultrawide beats both.
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I have a 1080p 240hz monitor for my esport titles, but for everything else I'd take 4K 60 over 1080p 144hz to be honest as 1080p, especially in common sizes for PC monitors like 27 inches, looks really bad. 1440p at 144hz is the sweet spot (I'm currently at 3440x1440p 100hz) but unless you have a low end rig imo, in 2020 it's time for 1080p to die. I had a 1440p monitor in 2008 to play Wrath of the Lich King, I think that says it all.
 
Haribokart

Haribokart

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,065
People recommending a 1440p monitor for PS5 are wrong. Go for 4K or 1080p, NOT 1440p - PS5 doesn't output at that resolution. I use a pair of 27" 4K LG monitors on my Mac and PlayStation, they are perfect.
 
TetraGenesis

TetraGenesis

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,138
4K is a gamechanger. Especially if you're gonna be playing PS5, but also for everyday use.

One thing that bothers me in particular about the 1440p vs 4k conversation is how often people say that if you don't have the hardware to run all games at 4K, don't bother. But this completely ignores all the other things you do every other day on your monitor. At the most basic level, it is impossible for me to go back to the blurry pixelated text of 1080 and 1440 after a couple 4k laptops and a 4k monitor. Images and program UIs too. At 23" you may not notice it as much but at 27" you definitely do.

If your hardware doesn't play well in 4k, lower your rendering resolution, simple as that. The general user experience pays off its premium price in no time.

But ignoring that, if you have a PS5, you have to get a 4k monitor (or TV). Half of PS5's value proposition is higher resolutions so to not use it with a 4k set undercuts the hardware dramatically. Especially compared to displays with 4k and HDR, which isn't as essential but a big boon. Monitors don't traditionally do great at HDR (compared to TVs) but it's better than none. And 1440p should be completely out of the conversation if you're getting a monitor for PS5; as others have said, PS5 doesn't support 1440p and just upscales a 1080p image.

If you're willing to go 60Hz you could get a decent 27" 4k/HDR monitor for a reasonable price this weekend, no doubt.
 
ThisOne

ThisOne

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Oct 27, 2017
1,938
I would suggest a 1440p monitor but the PS5 doesn't even support that resolution. Hopefully within the next few months.
 
brees504

brees504

Member
Jul 14, 2020
62
1440p may or may not ever happen on PS5. 120hz is a thing but mostly for multiplayer games. Every game is 4K though so a 4k60 monitor should be the absolute baseline.
 

bing

Banned
Apr 27, 2020
1,376
nowhere, canada
Vermillion said:
Actually - do you know of one with a 1 ms response time?
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If you want a 1 ms response time with good image quality you're going to have to either buy a CX OLED or drop down to a 1440p IPS display. There are some $1,000+ 4k IPS monitors with low response times, but I don't know of any that really get close to 1 ms.

Even the options I listed above don't really get to a true 1 ms. response time -- they mostly use overdrive, which can cause ghosting/artifacts at the highest settings.

If you really want low response times, you should look for a TN panel monitor. They are known for their extremely low response times and are popular in competitive scenes. This comes at the cost of poor color reproduction and image quality, however. For TN monitors, I'd recommend the Dell S2719DGF.

Unless you game competitively, you shouldn't really notice the difference in response times in your day-to-day usage. I moved from a 1080p144hz 1ms. response time TN monitor to a 1440p95hz 5ms. response time IPS monitor, and it was really hard to notice the difference in response time. What I did notice however was the color reproduction, which I thought was much better on the IPS panel.
 
Last edited:
dm101

dm101

Member
Nov 13, 2018
2,184
I just bought the msi 30in ultrawide for black Friday. I'm going to hook up to my laptop with a 2070s. Super stoked!
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 4461

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bingo said:
If you want a 1 ms response time with good image quality you're going to have to either buy a CX OLED or drop down to a 1440p IPS display. There are some $1,000+ 4k IPS monitors with low response times, but I don't know of any that really get close to 1 ms.

Even the options I listed above don't really get to a true 1 ms. response time -- they mostly use overdrive, which can cause ghosting/artifacts at the highest settings.

If you really want low response times, you should look for a TN panel monitor. They are known for their extremely low response times and are popular in competitive scenes. This comes at the cost of poor color reproduction and image quality, however. For TN monitors, I'd recommend the Dell S2719DGF.

Unless you game competitively, you shouldn't really notice the difference in response times in your day-to-day usage. I moved from a 1080p144hz 1ms. response time TN monitor to a 1440p95hz 5ms. response time IPS monitor, and it was really hard to notice the difference in response time. What I did notice however was the color reproduction, which I thought was much better on the IPS panel.
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Ah, yeah, I play fighting games. So my current monitor does have 1 ms response time - I notice it's hard to find a monitor that does everything.

Not to keep bugging you, but does this one look alright?

 

bing

Banned
Apr 27, 2020
1,376
nowhere, canada
Vermillion said:
Ah, yeah, I play fighting games. So my current monitor does have 1 ms response time - I notice it's hard to find a monitor that does everything.

Not to keep bugging you, but does this one look alright?

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Hmm it looks good but it's a TN panel, so it comes with its own advantages and downsides.
Pros:
+ Extremely low input lag
+ Extremely low response time
+ Great for competitive gaming
Cons:
- Poor viewing angles
- Poor color reproduction
- Poor overall image quality

If you're into competitive fighting games, I'd say go for it.

Btw, don't worry about bugging me, I find this really fun! :)
 
Richardi

Richardi

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,528
Not for gaming, but regular web browsing, Chrome text feels weird, same with images kinda look like the eagle 2x filter from emulators.
 
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