Does 1440p Really Look Alot Better Than 1080p

[NiBy]

im thinking of making the jump to 1440p. I have a high end rig that was built earlier this year. But the questions is does 1440p really look a decent amount better and does it look smoother as well.

scenario: If both a 1080p display and 1440p display are both locked at 30fps. obviously the 1440p display will look better because more pixels but will the more pixels also make it look smoother.

I am asking with the scenario above because running 1440p obviously gives lower fps and im looking to get a 1440p g-sync 144hz display


So to sum up in a nutshell. Does 1440p noticeably look better and does it look smoother if it were getting the same frame rate as a 1080p display when comparing them side by side

I hope this isnt too confusing to understand, please let me know if it is

 

[TJ Hooker]

It won't make it any "smoother" (although I'm not quite sure what you even mean by that to be honest), but the image will be sharper. How noticeable (if at all) will depend on the size of the screen and how close you sit to it

 

[Karadjgne]

Yes, no, maybe. That's a very personal thing, subject to taste. Does a blu-ray look better than DVD? Yep, sure does, but a DVD is still just fine to watch, and I'd not be in a hurry to replace any prior owned dvds with blu-ray versions because it looks a little better. But thats me, my taste.

You are the only one who can really answer if it's worth it or not. Get to a pc store and look for yourself.

 

[elbert]

I look at 1440p as more a need to look good at say 27~32inch. IE you dont want a 1080p above 26inch. Also you want 4ms responce time or less so color change doesn't make moving objects look as tho they have a trailing blur. Also for best color you should look at IPS monitors.

This is the one I have and its pretty good.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Monitor: Acer - XB271HU bmiprz 27.0" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor ($760.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $760.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-08-14 00:08 EDT-0400

 

[10tacle]

I made the jump from 1080p to 1440p in 2013 for Crysis 3 (27" Dell). I never looked back. Yes, it looks that much better. Especially if you game with racers and do flight simming.

 

[NiBy]

I made the jump from 1080p to 1440p in 2013 for Crysis 3 (27" Dell). I never looked back. Yes, it looks that much better. Especially if you game with racers and do flight simming.

was it worth every penny

 

[Isokolon]

there's no correlation between refresh rate and image quality.
a 144Hz screen doesn't look better than a 60Hz screen, movements just appear smoother as you're shown more than twice as much images as on a 60Hz screen
the image quality stays the same though.

with resolution you'll have to factor in screen size though. bigger surfaces need more pixel, so a 27'' 1440p screen might not look like much of an improvement over 21.5'' 1080p screen since the pixel density is roughly the same. So the only difference is that there are additonal pixels to accomodate the bigger screen size.
If you're currently at a 24'' 1080p, you get a ppi of around 92
a 27'' 1440p screen however has a ppi of around 109, which is a significant improvement
if you're getting a 24'' 1440p screen you end up with a ppi of around 122 (which will require some scaling as text and symbols might get a little small)

so: yes, 1440p is worth it, depending on from which screen you're coming and what you're looking to buy.
image quality is determined (apart from colour spectrum and a few other things) by points/pixels per inch.
the bigger the screen is the more ppi are needed to remain at the same quality (while a bigger screen can enhance your experience nonetheless, depending on your setup)
at the same or similar screen sizes it's a major step upwards.

 

[10tacle]

was it worth every penny

Like I said, I never looked back after the switch (IE: no buyer's remorse). I upgraded from a 27" 1080p monitor which I still use for a backup gaming rig. The biggest improvements for me in gaming were longer see distances in shooters (more detailed targets far away) and better track draw distance detail in racing sims. And Microsoft Flight Simulator X cockpit panel gauges, specifically with highly detailed payware aftermarket aircraft, vastly improved to near realistic visuals vs. being fuzzy in 3D panel view mode. Scenery also greatly improved in detail over 1080p.

 

[NiBy]

there's no correlation between refresh rate and image quality.
a 144Hz screen doesn't look better than a 60Hz screen, movements just appear smoother as you're shown more than twice as much images as on a 60Hz screen
the image quality stays the same though.

with resolution you'll have to factor in screen size though. bigger surfaces need more pixel, so a 27'' 1440p screen might not look like much of an improvement over 21.5'' 1080p screen since the pixel density is roughly the same. So the only difference is that there are additonal pixels to accomodate the bigger screen size.
If you're currently at a 24'' 1080p, you get a ppi of around 92
a 27'' 1440p screen however has a ppi of around 109, which is a significant improvement
if you're getting a 24'' 1440p screen you end up with a ppi of around 122 (which will require some scaling as text and symbols might get a little small)

so: yes, 1440p is worth it, depending on from which screen you're coming and what you're looking to buy.
image quality is determined (apart from colour spectrum and a few other things) by points/pixels per inch.
the bigger the screen is the more ppi are needed to remain at the same quality (while a bigger screen can enhance your experience nonetheless, depending on your setup)
at the same or similar screen sizes it's a major step upwards.

i was going to get a 24inc 1440p because 27 is too big for me personally and i dont have the desk space

 

[elbert]

For $24 you could wall mount a larger monitor. http://


Here is a good dell 24 inch 1440p.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Monitor: Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor ($399.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $399.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-08-15 00:28 EDT-0400

 

[TJ Hooker]

I'd say benefit of >1080p at 24" is marginal.

 

[Karadjgne]

Roughly, below 15" 720p, 15"-19" 900p, 19"-24" 1080p, 27"-35" 1440p, beyond that is 4k.

1080p on a large screen like 28" is dismal, but the time you sit far enough away to remove visible pixelated (that grainy look) you might as well have saved some money, bought a 24" and sat at the desk normally. This is going to apply to any screen size, if in doubt, sit 3 feet from a 1080p TV, you'll understand.
So at 27-35 inches in size, you'll really want to move up to 1440p, just to be able to get a good picture at normal viewing distance. Thays not to say that on a smaller screen like 24" 1440p won't look fantastic, the issue is in the smaller size monitors you'll loose any definition, the details simply are too small to really see, so you end up spending a lot more money on ability of gpu/monitor, only to not be around to take advantage of it. 4k on a smaller monitor looks fantastic as is, but only because it's 4k,it has the pixel count to make stuff really pop, really lifelike, but that's the overall picture, not any specific details.

Imho, if you are going to go big, do it right and go big all the way, that means monitor size to match the gpu ability.

 

[turbopixel]

I was playing for years at 1080p on a 27" monitor and upgraded this year to 1440p 27". And all I can tell is the difference in look is not big in gaming, but you get a big impact on performance.

You can try DSR for downsampling 1440p to fit 1080p monitor. This way the image looks better than 1080p (in theory) but it needs full computing power of 1440p image. This way you can tell if the hit in performance is acceptable.

For me personally the gain of 1440p over 1080p is negigible, depending on the games.

 

[Isokolon]

I partially agree but partially disagree at the same time.

1440p/24'' has some advantages:
- the image is even sharper, so the differences to a 1080p screen are obvious. I know some people don't like these ultrasharp screens, but if we're talking about 1440p looking better than 1080p, then this is the ultimate comparison. You'll probably need some scaling for symbols, HUDs and text as they're too small but the image quality is superb (see my post before about pixel density). IF this kind of quality is needed, that's another question.
- an advantage of 24'' screens are, that in games where your card just can't handle the resolution, you can just lower it to 1080p and still get a good and satisfying image.

of course what Karadjgne is saying is right as well. A 27'' screen just sucks you in way more (personally anything above I find too big for a regular desk as at least I have troubles seeing the whole image but focus on some parts of the screen) and the bigger image lets you see more details or at least more clearly.

when you're going for a screen then there's also the question of price and features. If you're set on some high refreshrate gaming screen, you're basically bound to a TN panel, as the (P)VA , (S)VA & IPS panels cost a lot more (apart from the Samsung C24FG70). If a great image quality is more important to you than a high refreshrate then there are plenty of options of good screens in all sizes

 

[blockhead78]

I went from 27" 1080p @ 60hz to 27" 1440p @ 144hz gsync

The difference performance wise was night & day. Gaming became a MUCH smoother experience.

Visually, it's an improvement, but only marginal compared to the performance difference.

It's going to depend on hardware as well though. You'll need a setup that can deliver the performance.

A monitor alone is not going to just improve things.

 

[turbopixel]

@blockhead78
I have uograded too to 1440p 144/165hz with G-Sync. The smoothness you talk about is coming from 144hz with G-Sync and not from the resolution.
For the reference I was just talking about the resolution in my earlier posting, because that was the question. It depends on the games. In Counter Strike or Overwatch there is a real benefit from 144hz.

 

[blockhead78]

@blockhead78
I have uograded too to 1440p 144/165hz with G-Sync. The smoothness you talk about is coming from 144hz with G-Sync and not from the resolution.
For the reference I was just talking about the resolution in my earlier posting, because that was the question. It depends on the games. In Counter Strike or Overwatch there is a real benefit from 144hz.

Yeah, I agree... there are benefits from the higher resolution

I just tend to find people expect a huge epic difference between 1080p & 1440p

 

[Karadjgne]

It's really nothing more than the difference between a dvd and a blu-ray. Brighter, clearer, more dynamic, but more subtle than the difference between VHS and DVD.

 

[10tacle]

It's really nothing more than the difference between a dvd and a blu-ray. Brighter, clearer, more dynamic, but more subtle than the difference between VHS and DVD.

^^DVD is still only 720x480 as is VHS. The only difference is that DVD supports 480p wide screen 16:9 vs. VHS's 4:3 aspect ratio standard 480 (some older DVDs were 4:3 format and not widescreen). I have some VHS movies that actually look better in quality (less digital "noise") than DVD movies.

If you spend a week watching Blu-Ray movies then watch a standard DVD movie (non-upscaled), you'll appreciate the difference. Same with spending time with a 1440p monitor then going down to 1080p. And I have PCs that use both monitor resolutions and both at the same size (27").

What we are getting into however say from 1080p -> 1440p -> 4K ->5k is the law of diminishing returns. The human eye can only appreciate so much more pixel resolution. I remember visiting the Smithsonian science and technology center in Washington DC back in 1995 and they had an on-loan experimental Panasonic 40" 720p plasma HDTV on display showing a soccer match. I was blown away at the detail being able to see actual faces in the stadium audience.

 

[Isokolon]

It's really nothing more than the difference between a dvd and a blu-ray. Brighter, clearer, more dynamic, but more subtle than the difference between VHS and DVD.

^^DVD is still only 720x480 as is VHS. The only difference is that DVD supports 480p wide screen 16:9 vs. VHS's 4:3 aspect ratio standard 480 (some older DVDs were 4:3 format and not widescreen). I have some VHS movies that actually look better in quality (less digital "noise") than DVD movies.

If you spend a week watching Blu-Ray movies then watch a standard DVD movie (non-upscaled), you'll appreciate the difference. Same with spending time with a 1440p monitor then going down to 1080p. And I have PCs that use both monitor resolutions and both at the same size (27").

What we are getting into however say from 1080p -> 1440p -> 4K ->5k is the law of diminishing returns. The human eye can only appreciate so much more pixel resolution. I remember visiting the Smithsonian science and technology center in Washington DC back in 1995 and they had an on-loan experimental Panasonic 40" 720p plasma HDTV on display showing a soccer match. I was blown away at the detail being able to see actual faces in the stadium audience.

haha yeah I remember when moving I tested if my 20 year old TV was still working. There was a soccer match on.
I couldn't read any of the inserts, didn't know which minute it was, didn't know what the score was, couldn't even tell which teams were playing before a close up.
but back in the day this was a fairly decent TV

It's true you're not blown away by the quality immediately (well the first few days you are) but then you don't see the difference -- until you go back to a 1080p 27'' screen

 

[turbopixel]

If you do any resolution comparison, take the monitors scaling algorythm into account. My 1440p monitor in examples blurs slightly if displaying 1080p mode and blurs more on 720p mode. So for playing lower resolution with such monitor it looks even worse against a native 1080p monitor. Its just another variable in image quality.

 

[10tacle]

My 1440p monitor in examples blurs slightly if displaying 1080p mode and blurs more on 720p mode. So for playing lower resolution with such monitor it looks even worse against a native 1080p monitor. Its just another variable in image quality.

Yep. Out of curiosity I connected my PS4 to both my 1440p and 1080p PC gaming monitors (output at 1080p PS4 resolution setting). The menu icons and lettering were fuzzier on the 1440p monitor than on the 1080p monitor.

A monitor is always at its best being displayed at its native resolution. Now of course that's not the same thing as say changing in-game resolution settings from the display's native 1440p to 1080p.

 

[codo]

It looks like garbage to me now and I'm dying for 4K but one thing that is irreplaceable is G-Sync and 144hz, thats the real difference. Now that I've seen games on my ROG swift everything else looks like trash, motion wise and thats very important for competitive gaming.

 

[SmokyBallz]

Yes. I have 980ti hybrid and asus rog swift pg279q. Worth every penny

 

[TheAlmightyProo]

Tbh it does depend a lot on screen resolution - screen size - users distance from screen.

When I brought and built my rig (everything new) I had a tight-ish budget along with other requirements and so decided not to spend more than £500 on any component or set of such. My GTX 1070 just fit in there and I ended up with a 35' 2560x1080 144 Hz screen... which nicely fit the other requirements; must be able to max out anything at 60+ fps and must have a large screen (as I have really bad chronic back pain and can't use an office type chair nor hunch over a smaller 20 something inch screen) So I play from 3 feet back in my recliner and honestly, there's little difference at that distance, if at all, from a smaller 1440p screen closer up... I sure can't see and count the pixels, as 4K elitists warned me, and I have 20/20 vision.
Sure, I'd love to go 1440 ultrawide or 4K (who wouldn't?) though I'd still need a large 30'+ screen and a 1080ti or equivalent to go with it, and I'll make that jump one day when I have the cash... but for now I'm just happy as hell to be playing games maxed out while being comfy, that's priceless.