4k 60hz monitor vs. 1080p 120hz monitor. Which is better? (Hypothetical Question)

[LosSalvatierras]

So right now I'm kinda planning to build a super high end PC and I thought about what monitor I would get and then I realized that 120hz 4k monitors don't really exist yet so it made me wonder about a few things:

1. Can a 4k 60hz monitor display 1080p 60+ FPS without screen tearing and such?
2. Would it be better to just play at 1080p instead of 4k to get better frames and a monitor with a higher refresh rate?
3. What connection would I need to use?

I'm a bit new to PC building and such so I need help on this. This is a hypothetical situation right now but soon it could be something I need to decide. Any other monitor purchasing tips are more than welcome.

 

[niko3688]

I would go for a screen with high hz - i got my 144hz monitor, and it's so amazing to play games on...

But there's this monitor with 4k res for gaming - ACER XB280HK

And there's this high hz monitor - ACER XB270HU

But the price is also high

 

[G-star93]

First of all what are your PC specs?

 

[LosSalvatierras]

First of all what are your PC specs?

See that's the thing, it's hypothetical but what I build will be based on the overall goal and I don't want to be limited by a monitor or anything like that. So I'm trying to figure out what would be the best goal to have.

 

[G-star93]

if you dont plan on buying 2 980 Ti's for 4k to get 60fps maxed out, just go with 144hz 1080/1440p. Because it's pointless to go with 4k just yet.

 

[envy14tpe]

To get good fps on a 4k monitor, at native resolution, you would need at least 2 GPUs and they'd cost at least $1200 or more. 4k will be the standard but it is in the early adoption phase where there isn't much content available but it is the latest and greatest. Gamers that need speed don't buy them. There are many better choices out there. I'm guessing 4k will take 2 years before people can really start buying them and making a dent in the market for gamers.

If you are willing to spend a lot on a tv/monitor and want for gaming. Then I suggest getting a 3440x1440p monitor. This one is fast and looks amazing:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_predator_x34.htm
Pair that monitor with a 980ti or 2x980 and you'll be wowed. Refresh rate and lag are great.

 

[g1abhi]

First of all what are your PC specs?

See that's the thing, it's hypothetical but what I build will be based on the overall goal and I don't want to be limited by a monitor or anything like that. So I'm trying to figure out what would be the best goal to have.

Well budget is a big factor , and 4k gaming should be considered only if you have a budget of around 3000$ for the rig.
these things will matter in increasing order of priority:-
1. refresh rate , lowest prioirty , since not all games suffer to the same extent from tearing and stutter issues ,usually the ones which are more fast paced.
2. Resolution , higher resolution is actually more appealing since it will mastter every single second your monitor is being used.
3. Screen size highest priority in synergy with appropriate resolution. Since a bigger screen is much better and immersive gaming experience than a smaller one at higher resolution.

Offtopic: I would hold my horses for Oculus rift and would be more inclined towards that instead of a gysnc monitor.

 

[LosSalvatierras]

So let's say that hypothetically, I do buy two 980 Ti's or a Titan X or something along with the 4k monitor. Let's say that I'm playing a game in 1080p on my 4k 60hz monitor. Would I have to limit the FPS to 60 to avoid screen tearing?

 

[g1abhi]

The fps you get on the monitor is automatically 60 , since it supports that only , with V sync on the GPU is being limited to producing 60 fps without the screen tearing. So yes you will have to limit it to avoid screen tearing.

 

[G-star93]

dont buy titan X single 980 ti is faster than titan x. If its 60fps then yes.

 

[g1abhi]

although playing a 1080 content on 4k monitor will not look as good as it will be on a native 1080 monitor.

 

[RCFProd]

The true time of 4k truly comes with the release of HBM 2.0 graphics cards. Nvidia Pascal seems to be the future for now.

 

[Wayfall]

4K is to demanding pixel wise for games at the moment a so its fine to just get any 1080p monitors that is above 60Hz, you'd see an improvement with any of them.