The findings of a recent survey by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association underscored the massive popularity of video games among Australians. Stats show that more than 70 per cent of Australians are gamers, spending an average of 89 minutes a day playing video games. The survey also showed that the majority of gamers in the country are into this hobby to maintain their emotional health and social connections.
If you are one such individual, you would understand the importance of using the right monitor for ultra-clear and crisp display to make the game more enjoyable. Finding the right gaming monitor requires careful planning and a bit of research. To help you out, here are essential things you need to consider when choosing a monitor to level-up your gaming experience:
Graphics Card
Before you start looking at monitor sizes, resolutions, and other features, you should first take a look at your graphics card. You can buy the most expensive and technologically-advanced monitor, but it is practically impossible to maximize its potential if it is incompatible with your graphics card.
Pairing a cheap graphics card with a high-end monitor is a waste of money since you would not be able to experience the high-tech features of your screen. As a general rule of thumb, you will need a graphics card that can accommodate the features of the monitor you are considering.
Size and Resolution
To have an incredible and realistic gaming experience, you may want to invest in a large monitor since bigger is better in the gaming world. Nevertheless, never forget to take into account your available space. If you have plenty of room, a 27-inch screen or more will be ideal. In terms of resolution, you may want to choose one with a high pixel count as it offers sharper and crisper images that will make the virtual world stand out.
Refresh Rate
Your gaming screen’s refresh rate generally measures the number of times the image will refresh on screen per second. For instance, a display with a 60Hz refresh rate means that it will redraw the images 60 times every second. While this may seem enough, fast-moving images at this rate will still appear blurry.
Ultimately, if the rest of your gaming hardware will allow, it is best to find a unit with a high refresh rate, especially if you are into competitive games where every second counts. A monitor with a high refresh rate means you can react more swiftly than other gamers using monitors with a lower refresh rate.
Response Time
While refresh rate refers to the fastness or slowness of changing frames, response time, on the other hand, refers to the speed of colour change in pixels as measured in milliseconds (ms). Higher response time can result in blurred motion images, given that each pixel lacks time to change colours during fast movements. As such, a monitor with a slower response time can produce smoother moving images.
Whether you are a hardcore gamer or a newbie, you will never regret taking the time to search for a suitable gaming monitor. Keep in mind that what you see on the screen can greatly significantly impact your overall gaming experience. Consider the factors above and invest in the right monitor for gaming today.
