Question Can anyone recommend a decent monitor?

[bamitscon]

So I have been gaming on 2 x 60hz benQ monitors for a long time now, 6+ years, haven’t bothered to get a different one despite people saying how you’ll notice the difference with a higher Hz monitor.

So I am have now decided to get a better monitor, my PC is mainly used for Gaming, I would like to perhaps go to a 144hz monitor but there is so many specs when reading up, such as IPS and VA, IPS being better, then there is 1440p instead of 1080p etc etc, then I’m not even sure if my PC can even run a higher spec Monitor, although I am thinking of upgrading my entire PC at some point..

it would be great if someone can recommend some good Monitors and what Hz and resolution to go for, as I have been on 60hz 1080p for a while. Also would upgrading just one monitor that I use to play games on and keeping the other 60hz next to it be ok or would I have to both the same?

pc specs as of now: https://prnt.sc/1uhdudt

 

[Aeacus]

Yours handles 1080p well. 1440p is pushing it, especially on 144 Hz, with your current GTX 1070. So, look towards 1080p.

Budget?

Single monitor or multiple monitor setup?

And other criteria?
For other criteria, here's an example of my criteria, for good monitor to my build (1080p).

Size: 24", 27" or 32" (1080p does well on 24" and 27", 1440p does well with 27" and 32")
Ultrawide: No
Refresh rate: 144 Hz (or up)
Response time: 1ms
Contrast ratio: min 3000:1
TN, IPS or VA panel: VA
Color Gamut: never considered that
Curvature: 1500R or less
VESA mount: Yes. Preferably 100mm and 120mm all in one
Input port: Display Port
HDR: I don't mind it
Internal speakers: Don't need them
How many USB ports: Don't use monitor USB ports, so, i don't care
Headphone out: Don't use that either
G-Sync: Neat thing if you have Nvidia GPU but increases monitor price considerably
Price: If it's good, i'm willing to pay premium price
Brand: MSI, Asus

Note: These above are my personal preferences and may not align or even match yours. Take them as a guideline to look for a monitor.

-----

But display panel wise (and perhaps to explain why i prefer VA panel);
There are 3x kinds of monitor panels: TN, VA and IPS. Actually there are more (variations of the main three) but i focus on these main ones.

TN panel is oldest of the three and also cheapest. Where TN panel excels is it's performance, most notably response time (1ms).
Though, TN panel also has it's downsides. Prominent ones are: poor color accuracy (washed out colors), very narrow view angle and poor contrast ratio (max 1000:1).

Gaming wise, TN panel monitor is best suited for fast-paced games (FPS, racing etc), where you don't care as much about pretty colors as you do about smoothness of movements.

IPS panel has been around for some time and is also the most expensive of the three.
Where IPS panel excels is it's color accuracy, which is the best of the three. Also, it has widest viewing angles of the three.
But where IPS panel falls short is response time. IPS technology by design can't be any faster than 4ms (compared to the 1ms most TN panels are). Another area where IPS panel falls short is it's poor contrast ratio which is equal to a TN panel (max 1000:1), despite it's great color accuracy. This is most prominent when looking at black image and where black isn't black but instead gray or some form of blue. Refresh rates aren't IPS panel strong side either and many IPS panels are 60Hz, especially on higher resolutions. There are some 1440p 165Hz and 4K 120Hz IPS panel monitors out there but they are few and far apart, also costing a fortune.

Gaming wise, IPS panel monitor is best suited for slow-paced games (RPG, strategy etc), where you have time to see all those pretty colors and where smoothness of movements isn't that important.

VA panel is the newest of the three and price wise, it falls between TN and IPS. VA panel was created to take the best of both worlds (TN and IPS) and combine them.
Where VA panel excels is it's contrast ratio (min 3000:1), where you'd see the deepest and richest blacks. Also, it doesn't fall short on other aspects as well. VA panel color accuracy isn't as good as it is for IPS panel but it's close to the levels of IPS panel (considerably better than TN panel). It's viewing angle is also a notch smaller than that of an IPS panel but again, considerably better than that of a TN panel. Refresh rate wise, VA panel is more capable on different resolutions than IPS panel. Response time is another area where VA panel does good. While VA panel can't naturally be any faster than 4ms (just like IPS panel), it can achieve the magical 1ms response thanks to the software solution in it.
With VA panel monitors making waves lately, there aren't any major downsides of them. Availability used to be issue but not anymore.

Gaming wise, VA panel monitor is suited for all kinds of games. VA panel is like Jack of all trades but master of none (except when it comes to contrast ratio, there, VA panel is king).

-----

Any more questions?

 

[bamitscon]

Yours handles 1080p well. 1440p is pushing it, especially on 144 Hz, with your current GTX 1070. So, look towards 1080p.

Budget?

Single monitor or multiple monitor setup?

And other criteria?
For other criteria, here's an example of my criteria, for good monitor to my build (1080p).

Size: 24", 27" or 32" (1080p does well on 24" and 27", 1440p does well with 27" and 32")
Ultrawide: No
Refresh rate: 144 Hz (or up)
Response time: 1ms
Contrast ratio: min 3000:1
TN, IPS or VA panel: VA
Color Gamut: never considered that
Curvature: 1500R or less
VESA mount: Yes. Preferably 100mm and 120mm all in one
Input port: Display Port
HDR: I don't mind it
Internal speakers: Don't need them
How many USB ports: Don't use monitor USB ports, so, i don't care
Headphone out: Don't use that either
G-Sync: Neat thing if you have Nvidia GPU but increases monitor price considerably
Price: If it's good, i'm willing to pay premium price
Brand: MSI, Asus

Note: These above are my personal preferences and may not align or even match yours. Take them as a guideline to look for a monitor.

-----

But display panel wise (and perhaps to explain why i prefer VA panel);
There are 3x kinds of monitor panels: TN, VA and IPS. Actually there are more (variations of the main three) but i focus on these main ones.

TN panel is oldest of the three and also cheapest. Where TN panel excels is it's performance, most notably response time (1ms).
Though, TN panel also has it's downsides. Prominent ones are: poor color accuracy (washed out colors), very narrow view angle and poor contrast ratio (max 1000:1).

Gaming wise, TN panel monitor is best suited for fast-paced games (FPS, racing etc), where you don't care as much about pretty colors as you do about smoothness of movements.

IPS panel has been around for some time and is also the most expensive of the three.
Where IPS panel excels is it's color accuracy, which is the best of the three. Also, it has widest viewing angles of the three.
But where IPS panel falls short is response time. IPS technology by design can't be any faster than 4ms (compared to the 1ms most TN panels are). Another area where IPS panel falls short is it's poor contrast ratio which is equal to a TN panel (max 1000:1), despite it's great color accuracy. This is most prominent when looking at black image and where black isn't black but instead gray or some form of blue. Refresh rates aren't IPS panel strong side either and many IPS panels are 60Hz, especially on higher resolutions. There are some 1440p 165Hz and 4K 120Hz IPS panel monitors out there but they are few and far apart, also costing a fortune.

Gaming wise, IPS panel monitor is best suited for slow-paced games (RPG, strategy etc), where you have time to see all those pretty colors and where smoothness of movements isn't that important.

VA panel is the newest of the three and price wise, it falls between TN and IPS. VA panel was created to take the best of both worlds (TN and IPS) and combine them.
Where VA panel excels is it's contrast ratio (min 3000:1), where you'd see the deepest and richest blacks. Also, it doesn't fall short on other aspects as well. VA panel color accuracy isn't as good as it is for IPS panel but it's close to the levels of IPS panel (considerably better than TN panel). It's viewing angle is also a notch smaller than that of an IPS panel but again, considerably better than that of a TN panel. Refresh rate wise, VA panel is more capable on different resolutions than IPS panel. Response time is another area where VA panel does good. While VA panel can't naturally be any faster than 4ms (just like IPS panel), it can achieve the magical 1ms response thanks to the software solution in it.
With VA panel monitors making waves lately, there aren't any major downsides of them. Availability used to be issue but not anymore.

Gaming wise, VA panel monitor is suited for all kinds of games. VA panel is like Jack of all trades but master of none (except when it comes to contrast ratio, there, VA panel is king).

-----

Any more questions?

So I am planning on upgrading my system but will probably be keeping the current graphics card that I have, ( 1070 ) do you recommend I upgrade my PC first and keep the 60Hz monitors and then upgrade the monitors or just upgrade the monitor now?
I am wanting a better monitor than 60hz obviously, as high as my system can handle without sort of over kill. I have read up about the IPS, VA stuff and would rather a VA monitor.
I do a lot of gaming, most of my time on my PC is gaming, Rocket league, DayZ, Elden Ring, CSGO along those lines.

Probably a 27” monitor, which is sort of in the middle of the 3 sizes, I don’t want anything huge but 27” should be just right, I don’t use USB ports on my monitors or even consider it, and I don’t really use internal speakers, as I have a headset I always use. Maybe the possibility of being able to turn the monitor to different positions? And to lift it up and down, tilt etc. I do have a Nvidia GPU so maybe G-sync depending on price difference, would like a monitor with the game settings where you can enable a built in crosshair, as my current monitors are quite old and basic they don’t have that.
I will be dual monitor setup, but probably only wanting to upgrade just one of the monitors (the one I game on) unless it’s not preferred to upgrade just one and have 2 different hz monitors beside eachother??

Price range: if it’s good then I don’t mind, but preferably anything below £350? If the price goes over a little or has to go over a little then I can do that.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I will tell you that when you go to 1440p, that for me was a good graphical improvement. However the other side of that coin is it will take a more powerful gpu to really push it.

As a matter of opinion having used both a 31.5 inch and 27 inch, in my opinion 27 inch is a much more comfortable size. It just felt for me personally that 31.5 inches was too large for gaming and at times I felt a little motion sick. With the 27 inch on my desk anyway I don’t feel that way as often. So just an opinion.

 

[Aeacus]

As a matter of opinion having used both a 31.5 inch and 27 inch, in my opinion 27 inch is a much more comfortable size. It just felt for me personally that 31.5 inches was too large for gaming and at times I felt a little motion sick. With the 27 inch on my desk anyway I don’t feel that way as often. So just an opinion.

And i'm currently looking at 23.6" monitor myself... (27" won't fit on my desk, next to my beefy PC.)

do you recommend I upgrade my PC first and keep the 60Hz monitors and then upgrade the monitors or just upgrade the monitor now?

Personally, i'd go with better monitor. Since no matter how beefy PC you have, you're still limited to what your 60 Hz monitor can display, which is 60 FPS.

Probably a 27” monitor, which is sort of in the middle of the 3 sizes, I don’t want anything huge but 27” should be just right, I don’t use USB ports on my monitors or even consider it, and I don’t really use internal speakers, as I have a headset I always use. Maybe the possibility of being able to turn the monitor to different positions? And to lift it up and down, tilt etc. I do have a Nvidia GPU so maybe G-sync depending on price difference, would like a monitor with the game settings where you can enable a built in crosshair, as my current monitors are quite old and basic they don’t have that.
I will be dual monitor setup, but probably only wanting to upgrade just one of the monitors (the one I game on) unless it’s not preferred to upgrade just one and have 2 different hz monitors beside eachother??

GTX 1070, when it launched, was solid 1440p GPU. Nowadays, it's solid 1080p GPU.

Screen size wise, most 27" monitors are 1440p, but there are some 1080p ones as well. Though, on normal sitting distance, 27" is pushing it on 1080p and if you sit too close and/or have eagle vision, you'd be seeing individual pixels.

Still, here are some options among VA panel, 144 Hz (or up), 1 ms response time (unsure about availability in UK);
27", 1080p, flat;
Philips 272E1GSJ, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FNYJLWV

27", 1080p, curved;
Asus TUF Gaming VG27VH1B, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088MKB54B

27", 1440p, curved;
Dell S2722DGM, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095V23PTM
Asus TUF Gaming VG27WQ1B, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088MKHW7M
AOC CQ27G2, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0862YHJ56
Samsung Odyssey G5 C27G55T, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FF3F5HR
HP OMEN 27c, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JL1X7SH

27", 1440, curved, G-Sync (most likely far out of budget);
Samsung Odyssey G7 LC27G75T, amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088HJ4VQK

I'd go with 27", 1440p monitor. Preferably curved since curvature adds quite a bit of immersion. And once you've used curved monitor, you may not want to go back to flat one. (I don't. )

The monitor i have, is:
23.6", 1080p, VA panel, 144 Hz, 1 ms, 1500R (curvature);
MSI Optix MAG241CR, specs: https://www.msi.com/Monitor/Optix-MAG241CR/Specification

And while GTX 1070 can't push 144 FPS (or 165 FPS) on latest AAA titles @ 1440p, you can fully use your monitor once you've upgraded your PC. So, getting better monitor now, means no need to waste money later on for suitable monitor.