A high refresh rate monitor delivers information to the user more frequently. This improves general gameplay, reduces screen tearing, and helps reduce input lag.
This is especially important for competitive gaming, as small differences in split-second timing can make a big difference when it comes to winning games like CS:GO, Valorant, Overwatch, Battlefield, Fortnite, and PUBG.
Most Popular Panel Types Available on the Market
If you’re looking for a high refresh rate monitor, you have several options. IPS, VA and TN are the most popular panel types available on the market today. All three types have their strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to understand how each one can impact your gaming experience.
IPS, or in-plane switching, is the most common panel type used on LCD monitors and wide displays. Unlike TN and VA, which twist the crystals to let light pass through, IPS crystals are parallel with the glass substrate. This allows them to produce better color reproduction and wider viewing angles.
Higher Static Contrast Ratio
In-plane switching panels have a much higher static contrast ratio than TN and VA, which can result in deeper blacks, better color accuracy and increased grayscale detail. This can help you notice details in a game that would otherwise be hidden from view, and it also helps to eliminate the need for backlighting (which causes color shifts).
While these panels are more expensive than TN or VA, they offer a number of benefits for gamers. For example, IPS monitors have better color accuracy and can display 16.7 million colors in true color. In addition, IPS panels have better viewing angles and have less input lag than other panel types.
The best IPS panels have a static contrast ratio of at least 1,000:1. This can result in deeper blacks, brighter whites and better color reproduction than other panel types.
Horizontal & Vertical Viewing Angles
Most IPS monitors also feature excellent horizontal and vertical viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. This makes them great for viewing content off-center, and it’s especially helpful if you spend most of your time looking at the screen from dead center.
However, IPS panels can sometimes suffer from color shifting or input lag. These issues can be particularly noticeable if you’re playing competitive esports or if you have a lot of moving parts on your graphics card.
Some manufacturers are developing newer IPS-type panels, including S-IPS and H-IPS. These can offer better color accuracy than other panel types, but they can also cause a purple hue on blacks that some users find obtrusive.
Winning & Losing
A high refresh rate monitor can help you play games more smoothly, reduce screen tearing, and improve input lag. It also helps you focus on the game and avoid distractions. This may make the difference between winning and losing.
Refresh rates vary between 60Hz and 144Hz, depending on the panel type. This means that a monitor with a 120Hz refresh rate updates 60 times per second, while a monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate updates 240 times per second.
While a high refresh rate monitor may be expensive, it can be worth the investment for certain applications. It can make a difference in streaming content and spreadsheet browsing, for example. However, it isn’t necessary to have a high refresh rate monitor if you are only watching TV or playing a casual game.
Graphics Card
The resolution of a high refresh rate monitor is important for gaming, as it allows you to see the most detailed images possible. You’ll want to choose a monitor that offers a high resolution and is compatible with your graphics card.
Another feature to consider is the aspect ratio of the display. Most high refresh rate monitors have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which means they have a wider field of view. This is especially important for gaming, as it can be difficult to see enemies when they are moving quickly across the screen.
A higher refresh rate monitor can also reduce eye strain, which is particularly important for gamers. This is because a high refresh rate monitor can update the screen faster than a lower one, which can reduce eye fatigue and headaches.
GPU’s Frame Rate
Some high refresh rate monitors also use adaptive sync technology to minimize screen tearing, which can be a problem with low-resolution displays. The tech is designed to sync with your GPU’s frame rate, so you don’t have to worry about stuttering or juddering while playing games.
There are plenty of high refresh rate monitors available, and it is important to choose the right one for your needs. It is also important to remember that a higher refresh rate monitor will use more power than a lower-refresh rate monitor. This can affect battery life and performance.
Fast-Paced Games
A high refresh rate monitor is a great option for gamers who want to get the most out of their gaming rig. These displays offer a smoother experience when playing fast-paced games and can help you win more matches by delivering information to your screen more frequently.
A monitor’s refresh rate is measured in hertz and refers to the number of times an image is refreshed on the screen per second. The higher the refresh rate, the more realistic motion appears on your screen. This can be especially helpful for those who play fast-paced games, such as shooters.
In more recent years, the industry has seen a lot of innovation when it comes to monitors. Many of them offer refresh rates ranging from 120Hz to 240Hz, which provide an increase in visual fluidity when playing games.
When Playing Competitive Games
The difference between a 60Hz monitor and a 144Hz monitor isn’t as noticeable to an average gamer, but it can make a big difference when playing competitive games like CS: GO, Valorant, Overwatch, and Battlefield. Getting a 144Hz gaming monitor can also give you an edge over your competition in these games by providing faster pixel response speeds and less lag.
However, before you buy a high refresh rate monitor, be sure that your PC is capable of displaying the frame rates that a higher-refreshing monitor can display. This is because the CPU and graphics card of your computer will need to be able to handle the extra frames that a high-refreshing monitor can send to your screen.
If you’re looking for a high refresh rate monitor that can help you improve your gaming experience, then the Alienware AW3423DW is one of the best options available. Its 144Hz refresh rate is more than sufficient to deliver a smooth gaming experience and it also offers superb pixel response speeds at just fractions of milliseconds, meaning that your mouse cursor moves as quickly as possible when clicking.
Who Needs to Improve Your Gameplay?
Although a high refresh rate monitor is typically more expensive, it’s worth it if you’re a serious gamer who needs to improve your gameplay. These monitors are also ideal for those who work on the desktop, as they can produce a more responsive interface that allows you to perform important tasks without having to wait for something to happen.
Gaming & Streaming Content
A high refresh rate monitor will display fast, smooth images for a variety of tasks, including gaming and streaming content. Whether you’re browsing spreadsheets, working with documents, or watching videos, a high refresh rate monitor will make your work easier and more enjoyable.
A refresh rate is how many times your monitor can update with new information per second, or hertz (Hz). Bigger numbers mean more smooth images.
Higher Refresh Rate
While a higher refresh rate can improve image latency, it’s not the only factor that matters. You also need to pay attention to response time.
The response time of a monitor refers to the amount of time it takes for the pixels on your display to transition from black to white or between shades of gray. Most manufacturers measure this in milliseconds or less.
On modern TN panels this can be as long as 4-10ms without overdrive but with moderate overdrive it’s possible to bring some grey to grey transitions down to a much more reasonable 1ms or lower. This reduces trailing which can be distracting in some games.
IPS and VA panels are slightly more sluggish, with most grey to grey transitions occurring around 8-16ms without overdrive but again with moderate overdrive you can get some of them down to around 3-6ms, which can be a lot more responsive.
Adaptive-Sync (G-Sync) Technology
Some monitors with Adaptive-Sync (G-Sync) technology have the ability to use voltage surges to ‘push’ pixel response times faster. This is known as RTC (Response Time Compensation) or Grey-to-Grey acceleration and is often a significant factor in achieving rapid response times.
This can be particularly beneficial in reducing ghosting, which can occur when your monitor shows a pixel that was visible on your screen a few milliseconds ago while trying to show a new one. This can be a frustrating experience, especially in action-packed games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, where ghosting can cause smearing and afterimages.
Conclusion:
The best way to avoid ghosting on your monitor is to choose a monitor with a response time of 5ms or less. This is fine for most casual gamers, but professional esports gamers should stick to monitors with response times of no more than 10ms.
