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Is 1440p a noticeable upgrade over 1080p?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 16908
  • Start date

Is 1440p a noticeable upgrade over 1080p?

  • Yes

    Votes: 1,345 89.8%

  • No

    Votes: 153 10.2%
  • Total voters
    1,498

Deleted member 16908

Oct 27, 2017
9,377
I've been gaming on a cheap 22-inch 1080p monitor for several years now, and I'm considering an upgrade to something nicer.

A common size/resolution combo I see discussed a lot is 27 inches & 1440p. I calculated the pixel density of my current monitor and it came out to 100 PPI. A 27-inch 1440p screen comes out to 108 PPI. That doesn't seem like much of a difference to me, but maybe these numbers don't tell the whole story.

What do you think? I'll also gladly take recommendations for 27-inch 1440p monitors (60Hz is fine, my PC isn't powerful enough for high refresh rate gaming).
 
OnionPowder

OnionPowder

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,323
Orlando, FL
I'd say it is. Games look a lot sharper and have a lot more clarity. The PPI isn't much bigger but the amount of info you see is greater if that makes sense.

Just using my 1440p monitor for work is a godsend. 1080p monitors are so cramped now. I want a 2nd one.
 
F34R

F34R

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,009
I went from 22" 1080p to 27" 1440p. Huge jump for me. Next will be going to 4K 32".
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,801
Even if the dpi is roughly the same, the larger size will help accentuate how much sharper and crisper the image is at the higher resolution.

I've been gaming at 1440p for a few years now.
 
Slaythe

Slaythe

The Wise Ones
Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,903
I think it's generally agreed that it's one of the best compromise in terms of IQ and power usage right now.
With the right post process it looks beautiful and allows you to keep bells and whistle.
Even at 1080p res it would make your overall picture better with downsampling.
 
TeenageFBI

TeenageFBI

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,277
1440p is definitely worth the upgrade for a PC monitor where you're up close.

I kinda prefer it to 4K at the moment since 4K requires SO MUCH MORE horsepower for relatively little gain.

And thankfully, most modern games don't have issues with non-scaling user interfaces. That was a real problem back when I first got a 1440p monitor.
 
The Deleter

The Deleter

Member
Sep 22, 2019
3,539
For a monitor, yeah. On something as distant as a TV it's harder to notice, but when staring several feet away from the screen, even 1080p feels grainy in comparison.
 
the_wart

the_wart

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,265
Having recently upgraded from 23 inch at 1080p to 27 inch at 1440p, the impact is less that it resolves so much more detail than that it allows you to have a bigger screen without things looking blurry.
 

gravitationsfeld

Member
Dec 26, 2019
402
1440p also has the advantage that it still is okay at 100% scale on the Windows desktop. 4k basically requires you to use 150% scaling.
 
Firestorm

Firestorm

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,711
Vancouver, BC
I"m not sure about gaming with it but I grabbed one for my work laptop and it's definitely a great help for that. I notice the difference when I switch to my gaming desktop.
 
DestroyerOfWorlds

DestroyerOfWorlds

Member
Jun 22, 2018
2,154
Like you pointed out, the pixel density isn't much better, but you'd be benefiting a lot from the bigger size, without losing pixel density. That's the real benefit there.
 
JigglesBunny

JigglesBunny

Prophet of Truth
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
31,221
Chicago
1440p, 144 hz is the ultimate way to experience PC games. While it's a shame that you can't get the high refresh rate experience yet, 1440p is a notable improvement over 1080p and well worth the jump.
 
wafflebrain

wafflebrain

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,297
I definitely notice it on my 55 inch TCL. SOTC Remaster/remake was one of the first to really jump out to me between the modes (1080 60 vs 1440 30). There's certainly more detail you pick up in 1440, and obviously more the higher your fps is.
 
Atolm

Atolm

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,831
I currently use a 1440p144hz 23,8" display and prior to that a 1080p one at the same angle. I noticed the difference fairly easily.

I'm a sucker for high dpi displays though, can't wait to have a 4k one, so YMMV.
 
asmith906

asmith906

Member
Oct 27, 2017
27,482
1440p is definitely a noticeable upgrade, just make sure you have a machine powerful enough to run games at that resolution.
 
Jhey Cyphre

Jhey Cyphre

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,105
I haven't made the jump myself. I may wait for 4k/144hz to become a lot cheaper. I mostly game in VR these days and the games I do play on my monitor are generally older stuff that I can't see benefiting much from a bump in resolution.
 
Minamu

Minamu

Member
Nov 18, 2017
1,902
Sweden
How does it look when you use 1080p on a 1440p TV? Or a true 4K screen? I've tried going to 720p on my 1080p TV and it's just not viable at all if I wanna keep my eyes :/ I'm afraid to make the TV leap for next gen because of this. Mainly because I prefer 1080p/60 over anything x/30.
 
Doctor Robofinger

Doctor Robofinger

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
474
It's definitely noticeable for gaming. And it's absolutely transformative for general computing. Windows at 1440p gives you a lot more real estate without needing to scale the display. I've found working from home on a single 1440p display is preferable to working in my office on two 1080p monitors.
 
nullref

nullref

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,063
In the specific case you're talking about, the combination of increased size and increased resolution is definitely a significant upgrade, both for gaming and productivity. And VRR (G-Sync or FreeSync) is a big deal for me, even more so than very high refresh rates alone (though obviously they work hand in hand to some degree), so don't discount that feature even if your current PC can't take advantage of the highest refresh rates.
 

Deleted member 2441

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
655
Stacey said:
3440x1440?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yes, as someone who went from 1080p, to 1080p144, to 1440p 144, and finally to an ultrawide 3440x1440 at 120, this is the endgame for PC imo.

More real estate for productivity, more immersive in games, and still with the advantages of high refresh rate and Gsync.

I'd much rather ultrawide than native 4K. It's much more of an experiential upgrade.
 
Conkerkid11

Conkerkid11

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
13,975
Doctor Robofinger said:
It's definitely noticeable for gaming. And it's absolutely transformative for general computing. Windows at 1440p gives you a lot more real estate without needing to scale the display. I've found working from home on a single 1440p display is preferable to working in my office on two 1080p monitors.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is what it is for me. It's a little jarring at first, but the amount of space you're given with everything being smaller is great.
 
QisTopTier

QisTopTier

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,721
1440p fixed so many AA issues I had in games, it's worth it for that alone.
 
InspectorJones

InspectorJones

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,626
I just got a 1440P monitor recently alongside my new graphics card and I've been loving the crap out of it. So many old games look so much nicer now compared to my old 1080p monitor. It's amazing the increase in detail you can notice in games and just how much more stuff I can see while browsing the web or watching videos.
 
Hong

Hong

Member
Oct 30, 2017
777
Obviously it's noticable. But as always: refresh rate > resolution. I'd actually recommend a 1440p 144hz screen as there are always games that are easy to run and are going to look great at 144fps. To me it's no problem to switch between playing some games at 60fps and some over that. Even running 70-90fps is a big improvement.

I personally went for a 24 inch 1440p monitor because of the higher pixel density. I didn't think the difference was that great when I first got the monitor. But just for this post I tried running a game on my 2nd 1080p monitor (haven't done so since I got the 1440p monitor) and BOY the difference is big. Kinda forgot what 1080p looks like in games.
 
Tahnit

Tahnit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,965
4k is way to expensive for the majority of games.

1440p is the perfect sweet spot between clarity and performance.
 
Aurica

Aurica

音楽オタク - Comics Council 2020
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
23,502
A mountain in the US
Costy said:
Yes, as someone who went from 1080p, to 1080p144, to 1440p 144, and finally to an ultrawide 3440x1440 at 120, this is the endgame for PC imo.

More real estate for productivity, more immersive in games, and still with the advantages of high refresh rate and Gsync.

I'd much rather ultrawide than native 4K. It's much more of an experiential upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
When you're playing older games on PC, do you have a second monitor that's not ultrawide you play on, or do you look for fixes? Or is it not as much of an issue when it's not supported as I think it is?
 
nikos

nikos

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,998
New York, NY
Costy said:
Yes, as someone who went from 1080p, to 1080p144, to 1440p 144, and finally to an ultrawide 3440x1440 at 120, this is the endgame for PC imo.

More real estate for productivity, more immersive in games, and still with the advantages of high refresh rate and Gsync.

I'd much rather ultrawide than native 4K. It's much more of an experiential upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Completely agree with this.

1440p is an improvement over 1080p, but upgrading to a better panel will have more of an impact than the bump in resolution. Upgrading to a high/variable refresh rate monitor would be even better, and upgrading to an Ultrawide high refresh rate would be best.

My ugprade path was as follows, 1920x1200 -> 1440p/144 -> 4K/144 -> Ultrawide 3440x1440/144. Though 3440x1440 is technically a lower resolution than 4K, the Ultrawide experience is way better. There's no going back.
 
TechnoSyndrome

TechnoSyndrome

Member
May 15, 2019
2,468
I upgraded because I was having trouble spotting people in the distance in Siege and have had a way easier time since upgrading from 1080 to 1440. When you're that close to a display like you are with computer monitors you absolutely notice the difference. On the flip side I upgraded from a 1080p TV to a 4K one a couple years ago and can't notice the difference from where I sit.
 
bobeth

bobeth

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,303
Absolutely it is. Higher pixel density is the best way to clean up an image, in all the ways..
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,255
Definitely - bigger than 4K over 1440 IMO, which is great because 4K is just such an absurd performance hog
 
Nessus

Nessus

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,929
At the distance from my TV that I play games at I can't really see the difference. My PC is also hooked up to my TV and I'd rather go with 1080p and have other graphical settings maxed out.
 
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