Important Things to Know Before Investing in a Monitor for Gaming

Players who are serious about gaming from a PC should carefully consider which monitor would be best to make the games look as good as possible. Today’s best PC monitors have been designed to make the GPU (graphics card) output capabilities look amazing. Their sole purpose is to display the images created by your computer, and they come with varying image sharpness, motion, and colour abilities. 

When in the market for a new monitor, it’s always a good idea to shop around and to try and understand what all the specifications mean to really get the most out of a monitor.

Top things to consider before investing in a PC monitor for gaming

Before investing in any old random monitor because it might be on offer, or it’s the first affordable monitor found when searching online for one, here are some of the most important things to consider:

• Cost
• Resolution 
• Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology
• High Dynamic Range (HDR)
• Screen size 
• Pixel density (the ratio between the screen’s resolution and size, which is also known as Pixels Per Inch, or PPI)
• Mounting
• Panel Types
• Aspect Ratio
• Colour
• Ports 
• Extra features

Taking the time to learn a little bit more about each of these components, factors, and specs can help people make the right choice when selecting the best possible monitor.

Top 5 monitors for gaming in 2022

Here are five of the best monitors that are recommended for gaming, whether it’s playing today’s best medieval games, RPGs, mmo games, or racing games. This selection includes various monitors from some of the best manufacturers out there today, such as Alienware, HP, Dell, Phillips and Asus, and they are all fantastic in their own way. Some of these monitors are the best 4K monitors, and others are the best curved monitors. Examples include: 

• Dell 27 Curved Gaming Monitor – which is ideal for players who have less cash to spare and may be on a budget
• ViewSonic Elite XG270QG – this particular monitor is great for high-refresh multiplayer gamers
• Alienware 34 QD-OLED (AW3423DW) – ONE OF THE BEST GAMING MONITORS MONEY CAN BUY
• Samsung Odyssey Ark – a fantastic piece of kit for gaming and for streaming 4K movies and TV shows
• Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ – impressive on all levels and great for gaming

Other honourable mentions

Some of the other top-rated gaming monitors out there today that are also worth considering are the Apple Pro Display XDR, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K PremierColor Monitor (UP272OQ), the HP 24mh 23.8-inch 1080p FHD Monitor, and the Phillips 329P1H. That’s not all. The HP E27m G4 QHD USB-C Conferencing Monitor and the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitor are also great monitors. 

What kind of features do these monitors have?

In many of the top 5 monitors mentioned above, some of the main reasons for buying them are the screen size (27 or 32 inches), improved contrast and brightness with IPS black technology, built-in powerful speakers, good sRGB colours (Red, Green and Blue), USB-C ports with power delivery and display port, and 4k resolution with sharp high-pixel density image. Some of these monitors come with a mini-joystick controller for OSD, as well as dual display port connectors that allow you to link multiple monitors, built-in 5-megapixel (tilt-adjustable) webcams, and echo-cancelling microphones, to name just a few epic features. 

Additionally, some of these monitors exceed their rated brightness and may come with adjustable ergonomic features (height, pivot, tilt, swivel etc.). Users can also look forward to Ethernet connectivity, integrated calibration tools, beautiful designs, exceptional gamut and colour coverage results, and Nvidia G-Sync performance. There’s so much to consider, which is why people should always take the time to read and understand the specs before impulsively rushing into things and buying a monitor that may not be able to handle today’s high-end, more graphically demanding games. 

Best PC games to play in 2022

After investing in a decent monitor for gaming, the next thing to do is hook it up to start playing some of today’s best PC games. Some of the most popular PC games with amazing graphics to check out before trying any others are hit titles, such as Forza Horizon 5, Final Fantasy XV, Far Cry 6, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, and Dying Light 2. 

Some of the other top-rated PC games to play today are Metro Exodus, Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Hitman 3, Control, Resident Evil Village, Ride 4, Bright Memory: Infinite, Ascent, Horizon Zero Dawn, and F1 22, to name just a few amazing games. 

How much is one of these gaming monitors brand-new? 

When purchasing a gaming monitor that’s brand-new off the shelf, the price can vary a great deal. For example, the low-range monitors can be purchased for anywhere from as little as $/€/£100 or $/€/£200 (or equivalent currency value). The mid-range monitors cost anywhere from around $/€/£250 to $/€/£600, and the top-of-the-range monitors can cost anywhere in the region of $/€/£700 to $/€/£1,000.00 or more. 

It’s also possible to purchase second-hand monitors, but this can sometimes be a mistake. When purchasing a gaming monitor that’s already been used, it’s hard to say how it was treated by the previous owner and exactly what condition it’s in. The best thing to do would be to stick to purchasing from a trusted seller that has decent reviews. Try and buy from reputable stores that specialise in selling gaming monitors to ensure it comes in perfect condition with a full warranty.