Do Gaming Monitors Make A Difference?

As gaming monitors start offering more and more features for less money, we see more casual and hardcore gamers making the switch to gaming monitors. Console gamers seem to be the most skeptical, and I understand why. They normally wonder if gaming monitors actually make a difference. Let’s answer this question.

Whether you are on console or PC, a gaming monitor will make a huge difference to your gaming experience. A gaming monitor makes games look and play better as they tend to offer all the features needed to make your games as great as possible. Things like refresh rates, latency, and image quality do matter.

There is a lot more to it than just a few features that I mentioned, and in this article, we will go in-depth into everything that you need to know about gaming on a gaming monitor instead of a TV or a normal monitor. So, if you have any questions or are hesitating to buy a gaming monitor, keep reading.

Does Playing On A Gaming Monitor Make A Difference?

Gaming monitor might seem to be something of a gimmick. I mean, how could they possibly be any different from a regular monitor, right? Well, the truth is, gaming monitors are very different from regular monitors and TVs. The question is, do they make a massive difference or not? Let’s take a look.

A gaming monitor will have different features. These features can include things like faster response times and better frames-per-second. A panel is basically displaying a monitor, and a gaming monitor will use optimized panels to get all these features and better quality visuals.

Great, so gaming monitors have some cool features, but how does any of this make a difference? Well, that’s what this article is all about, and hopefully, by the end of the article, you will be able to make your own decision.

Is Playing Games On A PC Monitor Better Than TV

This question used to be very easy to answer because TVs never used to offer a higher refresh rate than 60hz or fast response times, but that is changing as Tv manufacturers evolve their TV lineups. Let’s get into it.

Today, more and more TVs are being made with higher refresh rates up to 120 frames-per-second. They are also being optimized with gaming modes that offer faster response times than what they used to. Nowadays, a TV can offer up to 5 millisecond response times, which is crucial for multiplayer gaming.

So, the answer to this question is going to be based more on experience than anything else. Playing on a gaming monitor is still better than gaming on a TV. This is true even if that TV is 4k, 120Hz, and runs at 5 milliseconds response times. This is because gaming monitors are still more accessible, and, in my experience, the image quality still looks a lot sharper on a monitor, but that could be because of the display size.

I think this will change in the near future as more TVs are made with gamers in mind; until then, I will keep my trusted gaming monitor. It is great that people are starting to have more choices as to how they play their games.

Does A 1ms Monitor Make A Difference?

This is a controversial question. I am sure you are wondering how a simple question like this can be controversial. See, a lot of people in the gaming industry debate this all the time. The debate centers around, at what point does one millisecond response times matter more than, let’s say, 5 or 10 milliseconds. Let’s get into it.

Response time is everything for competitive gaming, and I’m not just talking about a sports game like Fifa or Madden. What I am talking about is anybody who plays first-person shooters and games like that. Even if you struggle to tell the difference between the two, somebody on a 1-millisecond monitor will have a slight advantage over you if you are on a 5 to 10-millisecond monitor.

This is one reason why console platforms were hesitant to fully activate crossplay and allow console players to play with PC gamers. As we mentioned above, TVs are coming out with higher response times, but until recently, most TVs have had a response time of anywhere between 20 to 50 milliseconds. That is a huge difference.

So yes, 1-millisecond monitors give you an advantage, and they make a big difference in my experience. Whether or not you think it is worth it depends entirely on you.

A side note to remember. A lot of normal PC monitors do actually offer 1 millisecond response times. So, if you are just looking for some better response times only, you do not have to go out and buy a gaming monitor specifically. This is a good option for console gamers and PC gamers who do not have very powerful rigs.

Does A Gaming Monitor Make A Difference For Consoles?

Consoles are generally seen as gaming machines that sit in our lounge. While this is true for most console gamers, we are actually starting to see a shift where many console gamers are moving their consoles to the desk. Once they move to the desk, they can use the console on a monitor.

This is especially true for console gamers who play quite a lot of games. If you think about it, you can’t just sit and hog up the TV all day, but at the same time, you want to play games. You want to be able to play with your friends when they are playing. So, instead of clashing with your family, you can just hook your console up to a monitor. Now you have your own little gaming corner with a desk, monitor, and console.

A great advantage of moving your console over to a desk is the ease and ability to start using a keyboard and mouse. Yip, that’s right, more games allow console gamers to use a keyboard and mouse, but that will be a whole article on its own, so bookmark this page and keep a lookout.

Is It Better To Play Console On A TV Or Monitor?

Ok, so we have spoken about this before but playing console on a gaming monitor is far better than playing it on a TV. In fact, as far as the PS4 and Xbox One goes, playing it on a normal 60hz monitor is still better than playing it on a TV. Allow me to explain why.

Gaming monitors, or any monitor for that matter, normally have a faster response time than what TVs do. They also allow you to sit closer to the screen, making everything look a lot sharper and allowing you to see more detail. All of this swings my opinions towards monitors being better.

Most professional console gamers, or at least any aspiring professional console gamer, will almost always use a gaming monitor as their choice of screen. Even if you are using a normal, everyday monitor for the console, you will still have better image quality than on the TV. This is because the faster response times mean that there is less ghosting on the display.

Can You Use A TV For PC Gaming?

A few years ago, I would have just said flat out no to this question, but times are changing, and so is our technology. Although we as gamers tend not to adapt that well to certain changes, slowly, things are starting to get viewed in a different way.

TVs are being made more gamer-friendly. They are doing so by adding gaming modes to TVs with faster response times and faster refresh rates. TV manufacturers like Samsung and LG are pushing the industry forward for gamers. Especially for gamers who like playing games in the lounge.

Most PC gamers tend to avoid using TVs for gaming. This is because, and I can say this with confidence, a PC setup is set up in a way that is designed to use a desk that can house your mouse, keyboard, PC, and monitor. When you sit that close to your screen, most monitors are big enough, and the TV might just be too big.

At the end of the day, with the latest TVs, yes, you can use them as monitors for your PC, and you should not lose anything in terms of image quality, refresh rate, and latency.

Is 60Hz Good For Gaming?

Again this question is another one that used to be controversial. Until recently, people used to debate whether or not frames per second matter beyond a certain point, and the consensus used to be that, anything above 60 frames per second, the human eye won’t notice it. All of that being said, let’s get into it.

60hz is good for gaming. That doesn’t mean that it is the best for gaming, but most TVs, up until recently, only went up to 60 Hz.  Most monitors go up to 60 Hz, and most PCs are not capable of running games at high graphics settings at more than 60Hz. So, this refresh rate used to be and still is today, the most popular refresh rate used by games and gamers.

Allow me to add my own little bit of experience. The debate between PC gamers and console gamers is a bit disingenuous. When PC gamers use the fact that they can run their games at unlocked refresh rates, I say it is disingenuous because, in reality, most PC gamers out there don’t have a PC that is powerful enough to run above 60Hz. Just consider that next time you try to argue amongst each other.

As Xbox said in a recent tweet “make love, not console wars.”

Can You Get 120fps On in A 60Hz Monitor?

If your PC is running a game at 12 frames per second, let’s say because you have a really good and well put together PC, and you are running it on a monitor that only goes up to 60Hz. It is not actually a tough question to answer; let’s take a look at what will happen.

If it is a 60Hz monitor that does not have G-sync, Freesync, or adaptive sync, the game will still run. It will run, but you will notice a lot of screen tearing and ghosting. If you can look past that, your games will still run, and your monitor will be future-proof in case you get a better PC.

Now, because I mentioned screen-tearing and ghosting, I feel that it is important to tell you a little bit about what that is and how it affects your gaming experience.

What is screen tearing?

Screen-tearing is exactly what it sounds like. When you make a fast movement in the game, half of your display will show one picture while the other will show the previous picture. This will be quick and barely noticeable, but it still hinders your full gaming experience.

What Is Screen Ghosting?

Screen-ghosting is similar to screen tearing. Let’s say that you are playing Call Of Duty, and you spot an opponent, and he is running away from you. You might experience a situation where it looks like he has three or four ghosts behind him, but that is just the monitor trying to keep up with the frames per second. So, it is just displaying the old images of him.

That was the best and simplest way in which I could explain screen-ghosting and screen-Tearing. Hopefully, it made sense, and the info will help you when choosing which monitor to get.

Do You Really Need 144Hz?

This is another great question and one that also has a lot of controversy around it. This is because many people believe that your eyes cannot see more than 60Hz, but from most people’s experience, including my own, I can give you an answer to this.

While I never like to make definite statements when it comes to controversial questions. I will do so this time. Yes, 144Hz is better than 60 Hz, and you will notice a massive difference. Playing at 144Hz, you will have a slight advantage over your opponents, especially in fast-paced multiplayer games.

All of that being said, I do not want you to be discouraged if you only have a 60Hz monitor. At the end of the day, what matters most is if you are having fun and how good you are at the game. I know a lot of gamers who play on 60Hz monitors using their PCs, and they will wreck most people in multiplayer games.

What FPS Do Consoles Run At?

Consoles traditionally run at 30 frames-per-second but with the PS4 and Xbox One, certain games run at 60hz. Games like Fortnite and Rocket League are well optimized to do this.

The Xbox series X and Series S is said to run a lot of titles at 120hz. A for the PS5, we cannot be too certain, but with the power that it has, I can almost guarantee that it is capable of doing so. It is up to the developers on what they find important, graphical fidelity or frames per second.

As someone who plays both console and PC, I am really glad that consoles are finally starting to run at higher refresh rates. I think that if a lot of games take advantage of it, we could see a more competitive community within the console community. Console gamers are often overlooked in the Esport industry, even though they are skilled gamers.

I don’t think many single-player games will take advantage of the 120Hz feature as the developers might focus on graphical fidelity and try to get 4k 60hz. That being said, I am confident that games like Rocket League, Call Of Duty, Battlefield, and Gears Of War will all try and take advantage of the higher refresh rates to give their players a sense of being more competitive in the gaming industry.

Will 2 Monitors Affect FPS?

In certain conditions, the answer to this question is yes, and in certain conditions, the answer to this question is no. Luckily I am here to give you an answer for both situations. So, let’s get into it.

If you are running a game on both monitors at the same time, using the monitors as one, then that will affect your FPS but not by much. I will advise you though, if you have a powerful enough computer I wouldn’t worry about it but for low spec machines, try to use one monitor.

If you are running the game on one monitor and not the other, but you have the other one on, this will not affect FPS. The only time it will drop your FPS is if you are running too many programs or the infamous multiple chrome tabs; then again, it will affect your FPS.

As for consoles, I have never seen anybody running their console on two monitors. So I could not give you an answer for that but what I can say is, with the new powerful consoles and the direction that the console market is going in, this might be a normal thing in the future.

Are Dual Monitor setups Good For Gaming?

If you want to run your games on both screens, they do not have to be the same brand, resolution, or even have the same refresh rates. That being said, I highly recommend using the same monitor size, resolution, and refresh rate on both monitors. The brand and model do not matter at all unless it is for aesthetic reasons.

Using two monitors with different refresh rates could have a few negative effects. You could force your screens to use the lowest common denominator, which would render your faster screen pointless. If this does not happen, one of your screens will be noticeably sluggish compared to your faster one.

For a dual monitor setup that is purely for gaming, I do recommend at least making sure of three things. Make sure the size, resolution, and refresh rate match each other.

For the best experience, it is better to get monitors that have thin bezels. The thinner, the better. Slim bezels will increase the immersion and will be less distracting. Having thick bezels can sometimes be distracting, and it looks clunky.

Are 4k Gaming Monitors Worth It?

A 4K monitor definitely has its benefits. Images look sharper and better, but one thing that comes to mind is that PC graphics cards are really not good at supporting 4K. This is especially true for multiplayer games. When it comes to single-player games where you don’t need a high FPS, 4K monitors are great, so long as you have the hardware to run them.

Some Of My Favorite Gaming Monitors

I will give a small list of monitors that are best, in my experience, for a dual monitor setup.

The MSI Optix MAG240R

DELL S2719DGF

Samsung S22R350FHN

The Acer Predator XB271HK bmiprz 27-inch

Conclusion

Whether you game on a PC or console, this is something that I am sure you have considered before. Again, if you play in the lounge or on a desk, you have probably seen a few gaming monitors and thought to yourself, is it really worth it. I wrote this article, assuming that you had these questions.

The goal of this article was aimed at making your decision a lot easier. We have spoken about monitors a few times on this site. We believe that one of the most important parts of any gaming setup is what you play it on. For example, there is no use in having a 4K capable machine and playing it on an old CRT TV.

With the launch of the new next-gen consoles, gaming monitors will most probably see a huge jump in sales. This is especially true because we have been promised high refresh rates from the 2 new Xbox consoles. That and we know that the new Xbox and PS5 will support 4k gaming with ray tracing.