Question Christmas Monitor?

[drjohnnyfever]

I'd like to update my son's crappy monitor. It's a 60Hz refresh Acer model. The cheapest I could find for a different, non gaming PC that he inherited with the .

He's got a really nice starter gamer that is sensationally fast. Here's what he has:

CPU - Core i5-14600K
MOBO - MSI Pro Z790 A-Wifi
RTX 3060 12GB
Thermalright PS120SE
ADATA 2TB SSD Legend 900 PCIe Gen4x4
Crucial RAM 32GB Kit (2x16GB) DDR5 5600MT/s
Seasonic Focus GX-850, 850W 80+ Gold
Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus Pure Edition

I've undervolted the CPU and overclocked it to get steady 5.4Ghz on the performance cores and 4.4Ghz on the efficiency cores. I have not done anything with the GPU, but I imagine getting into that a little over the Holidays. Everything works without incident, looks realistic - my wife says it looks like he's playing within a movie. He'd like a bigger display, but I know I might be able to do that and maybe give it another bump by increasing the refresh rate, etc. - but I know little about that. We're in the US, so Amazon is preferred.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Zerk2012]

I'd like to update my son's crappy monitor. It's a 60Hz refresh Acer model. The cheapest I could find for a different, non gaming PC that he inherited with the .

He's got a really nice starter gamer that is sensationally fast. Here's what he has:

CPU - Core i5-14600K
MOBO - MSI Pro Z790 A-Wifi
RTX 3060 12GB
Thermalright PS120SE
ADATA 2TB SSD Legend 900 PCIe Gen4x4
Crucial RAM 32GB Kit (2x16GB) DDR5 5600MT/s
Seasonic Focus GX-850, 850W 80+ Gold
Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus Pure Edition

I've undervolted the CPU and overclocked it to get steady 5.4Ghz on the performance cores and 4.4Ghz on the efficiency cores. I have not done anything with the GPU, but I imagine getting into that a little over the Holidays. Everything works without incident, looks realistic - my wife says it looks like he's playing within a movie. He'd like a bigger display, but I know I might be able to do that and maybe give it another bump by increasing the refresh rate, etc. - but I know little about that. We're in the US, so Amazon is preferred.

Thanks in advance.

A larger screen usually involves a higher resolution to make it look right.
That would probably involve also upgrading the video card.

Edit. You never listed the monitor he has now.

 

[drjohnnyfever]

A larger screen usually involves a higher resolution to make it look right.
That would probably involve also upgrading the video card.

Edit. You never listed the monitor he has now.

I'm not interested in doing the GPU now. The present monitor is an $89 Acer from 3 years ago. I know it's max is 60Hz refresh, because I did look at that when installing the GPU when we built the PC.

 

[drjohnnyfever]

I'm basically just interested in some guidance on what I should look for refresh rate wise, 4k, curved vs. flat... this is an area of PC's that I have not followed.

 

[Zerk2012]

I'm basically just interested in some guidance on what I should look for refresh rate wise, 4k, curved vs. flat... this is an area of PC's that I have not followed.

If he is gaming and you get a 4K monitor it's going to have really bad performance with that video card.
For curved VS flat it comes down to the way you like it.

 

[Eximo]

An actual 1080p gaming monitor will make a significant difference.

RTX 3060 is still pretty decent at 1080p, at least medium in newer titles, maybe a little DLSS here and there.

Monitors can certainly get expensive though, kind of need an upper limit.

Lower end, but still an improvement $130:

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/xfytt6/lg-24gn650-b-240-1920x1080-144-hz-monitor-24gn650-b

Mid-range, around $200:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/cY...49q1a-238-1920-x-1080-165-hz-monitor-vg249q1a

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zKbCmG/asus-tuf-gaming-vg249q-238-1920x1080-144-hz-monitor-vg249q

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Cnwypg/gigabyte-g24f-238-1920x1080-170-hz-monitor-g24f-sa

High end, $280:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sv...523hf-245-1920-x-1080-360-hz-monitor-aw2523hf

Bonus, cheapest 240hz panel, no idea if it is decent:

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/g46qqs/lenovo-legion-y25-25-245-1920x1080-240-hz-monitor-66aagac6us

 

[drjohnnyfever]

An actual 1080p gaming monitor will make a significant difference.

RTX 3060 is still pretty decent at 1080p, at least medium in newer titles, maybe a little DLSS here and there.

Monitors can certainly get expensive though, kind of need an upper limit.

Lower end, but still an improvement $130:

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/xfytt6/lg-24gn650-b-240-1920x1080-144-hz-monitor-24gn650-b

Mid-range, around $200:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/cY...49q1a-238-1920-x-1080-165-hz-monitor-vg249q1a

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zKbCmG/asus-tuf-gaming-vg249q-238-1920x1080-144-hz-monitor-vg249q

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Cnwypg/gigabyte-g24f-238-1920x1080-170-hz-monitor-g24f-sa

High end, $280:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sv...523hf-245-1920-x-1080-360-hz-monitor-aw2523hf

Bonus, cheapest 240hz panel, no idea if it is decent:

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/g46qqs/lenovo-legion-y25-25-245-1920x1080-240-hz-monitor-66aagac6us

Ok, thanks for these. So in looking at the specs a little of what you linked, refresh rate is very high on the High end, but around 165-180 on the mid-range. What, if any, benefit is there on a 1440HD over a faster refresh. This is more along the lines of what I'm trying to figure out. Since I don't want to upgrade the GPU now, is a 1440 QHD more beneficial than a super fast refresh rate 240+? I'd like to have an upgrade path with a future GPU that will work with whatever I get now, but I don't have a time frame on that. GPU upgrade is further away than near term. I feel from what I read that there is some OC opportunity and tweaking of the RTX 12gb 3060 that I really haven't gotten into yet.

 

[punkncat]

There is something to be said for a system than can both sync correctly and perform on a 60 FPS cap without dips. It makes for a really nice fluid experience in that many times folks don't notice the actual framerate as much as a low or .1% type low. It is a notable stutter.

With that said, if your son is going to stick with Nvidia cards it is wise to look at a G sync official or supported monitor. Many of those work well with Free Sync as well.

 

[drjohnnyfever]

There is something to be said for a system than can both sync correctly and perform on a 60 FPS cap without dips. It makes for a really nice fluid experience in that many times folks don't notice the actual framerate as much as a low or .1% type low. It is a notable stutter.

With that said, if your son is going to stick with Nvidia cards it is wise to look at a G sync official or supported monitor. Many of those work well with Free Sync as well.

Can you explain this a little more? As I mentioned, I haven't done anything to the GPU other than install it. I went thru a basic setup, but that was just the general stuff. I think he's getting into the 100's FPS on the games he plays - fortnite, RDR2... And how does what you're suggesting look to a 60hz vs say 165-180Hz monitor?

Thanks for the contribution, btw.