1440p 144hz OR 4K 60hz for my new GTX 1080?

[Gjunki 619]

So I've had the GTX 680 and a 1080p 60hz monitor for the past 4-odd years now and this Christmas I felt the need to upgrade. Most newer games are barely hitting 60fps and I cant crank up all the settings to max like I used to be able to do. I have a chunk of extra spending money ($1200 for a gpu/monitor) for the holiday season so I was wondering whether to go for a 1440p 144hz monitor or a 4k 60hz monitor? While the majority of gamers are leaning towards 1440p since its the "sweet spot" for gaming, I also like to watch a lot of movies and TV shows in HD so would the 1440p distort the image? I hear 4K will be the next big thing as far as viewing pleasure will go since movies will soon start being able to be viewed in UHD, aka 4K. Also will watching 1080p will be more enjoyable and look less "strange" on a 4k monitor since its only x4 the pixels and not the niche resolution that 1440p offers, which might make 1080p look weird? At this point I am really confused as to what to get. I'm purchasing the EVGA SC 1080 sometime next week but as far as monitors go I'm stumped beyond belief. I'm looking to future proof so another 4-5 year spam I have in mind as far as these purchases go if that helps you make my decision.

TLDR: 4K for viewing pleasure and better game/movie quality, or 1440p 144hz for solid uninterrupted frame rates on a "niche" resolution that might make 1080p movies look distorted?
Is 1440p being distorted a myth @1080p or should I really just wait for a ~$600 4K 120+hz?

Thanks in advance

 

[greens]

1440p 144hz all the way.
Get G sync too.

a 4k monitor will run 1080p without a problem, and it won't look bad at all. But a 4k monitor will NOT run at 1440p, it will refuse to support it.

A 1440p monitor will also run 1080p without a problem, and won't look bad at all. It of course can't do 4k, and that is about the only down side.

Additionally, while 4k on a GTX 1080 is a very enjoyable experience, it isn't perfect. there are a few glitches and problems that can come from 4k gaming, as well as some performance hits - even with a GTX 1080.

a 1440p gaming rig will have zero problems as this is, as you say, the sweet spot right now.

Get a 4k Television. Get a 1440p high refresh rate monitor.

 

[king3pj]

I agree with greens. I use a 1440p 144Hz monitor with G-Sync and I really like it. Most AAA demanding games range from 55-90 FPS on my 1070 but G-Sync makes it look very smooth even when the framerate fluctuates. Your 1080 would work even better on this type of monitor.

I used to game on a 1440p 60Hz monitor. In the competitive multiplayer games I play like Overwatch and Rocket League that 144Hz is a very noticeable improvement.

I'm sure AAA graphics heavy games would look amazing on a 4K screen but you would have to turn some settings down in those kinds of games to get a smooth 60 FPS. You are only going to have to turn even more settings down as time passes and games become more demanding.