Discussion Opinions for Gaming Monitors

[archv]

Hi all . First the PC specs that matter:

Core i7 9700k
16 GB DDR4 3200
Geforce 2080 Ti

I currently have the Samsung C49RG9, 49" ultradwide at 5120x1440 and HDR.

While this is a super amazing monitor, I'm not sure this wide is great for gaming. IF the UI in the game is fine and not stretched all crazy; it's definitely spread out over 49", which becomes a real head-turner while playing. So I'm considering donating this to my wife as her work monitor.

But now I have the classic dilemma of Frames vs Quality. I've often hated how on a 120 Hz monitor, the resolution is so much that it kills most games down into the 60s or 70s anyway. I don't play game that are required to have high frame rates (mostly just survival games); but if things dip into the 50s I groan; I didn't buy a $1400 graphics card just to get 50 fps.

I do like my eye candy though; I love good quality graphics... I have a 4k 60 Hz monitor also hooked up to this machine and 4k just looks great, eventhough this is an older 4k monitor. But 4k is EVEN MORE pixels than this 49"; so frame rate isn't gonna be any better and might be worse.

So it sounds like I need a nice 144 Hz 2560x1440 right? Well maybe, its definitely no 4k quality, but it would get me framerate back. At the same time I also have a pretty healthy budget, so I almost feel like getting a 2k monitor is a bit of a low-end waste.

I'm fine with 27" and I'm aware it would be quite a shock coming from a 49". Maybe a couple 27"... I dunno. I'd like some HDR too...

Should I get 4k, enjoy the quality and just deal with the framerate?
Should I get 2k, get up into the buttery smooth 100s of FPS?
Should I get multiple monitors for multiple functions?
Should I throw it all out the window and play on a Nintendo?

Just need some opinions so I don't go crazy. Thanks in advance!

 

[jam500]

In its current state 4k gaming just isn't viable at 100+fps in most games. With your build most games (everything except AC:Odyssey lol) running at 2k would be able to reach those buttery smooth frames, which in my opinion would be far more preferable to playing 60fps @ 4k.. 100+ frames makes even single player games much more enjoyable to play and the difference in detail gain to frame rate loss just isn't worth it for 4k.

As for monitor options, I would suggest the LG 27GL850. It's basically the best 1440 144hz IPS monitor you can get.

 

[archv]

In its current state 4k gaming just isn't viable at 100+fps in most games. With your build most games (everything except AC:Odyssey lol) running at 2k would be able to reach those buttery smooth frames, which in my opinion would be far more preferable to playing 60fps @ 4k.. 100+ frames makes even single player games much more enjoyable to play and the difference in detail gain to frame rate loss just isn't worth it for 4k.

As for monitor options, I would suggest the LG 27GL850. It's basically the best 1440 144hz IPS monitor you can get.

Thanks for the feedback! That monitor does look pretty good... maybe I'd get 2 of em. Although, no HDR. The one I'm on is DisplayHDR 1000; which is amazing, when there's content. The only game I've really even seen it in is No Man's Sky, so maybe its not too big of a deal. I'm gonna take a good look at that LG though...

There is one small consideration though; depending on what Nivida comes up with in the 3000 series, 4k might become more viable. I'd hate to pass off this 49" and get a 2k monitor only to have 4k become buttery smooth by the end of the year (assume I could afford a 3080, or even a 3080 Ti).

 

[jtibbs]

You can definitely take future proofing into consideration. Just because right now 4k at 100+ isn't easily attainable, doesn't mean it never will be.

 

[FoxVoxDK]

Looking at a few options of screens, my pick would probably be the LG 34GK950F. It's a decent compromise, to me, between speed and quality.

Now I normally play on a 55" 4k TV(playing things like X4 Foundations) and for more fast paced things an MG279Q.

 

[jtibbs]

I use a 34" screen. The UI issue is not nearly as bad as what you are currently dealing with. Most problems come from games from Japan, they don't seem to care for supporting UW, but someone usually puts 3rd party fixes out.

 

[archv]

We have three 34" ultrawides in the house; the best one it 100 Hz (actually, I passed that one on to my wife when I got this 49"). I also have a driving sim rig that I need to stick a monitor in front of... for that I can use one of my existing 34's or a 28" 4k 60hz. Putting the 49" on that would be sweet, and frankly ideal, if it wasn't for the fact that it would ONLY get used for the driving sim rig, which is only occasionally; it would be a huge waste of that monitor (I'm not a regular driving sim player by any stretch).

So Minecraft Dungeons just came out... and guess what, it's totally horrible on a 32:9 monitor. the camera is clipped so far in, its almost unplayable (and no options to fix it). Really hammered home that I just need a NORMAL, awesome monitor for games. I don't mind stepping down to 16:9. My secondary and tertiary monitors are 16:9 and it doesn't bother me... I don't think I'd miss ultrawide.

For the same price as this 49" ($1400) I could EASILY get two better quality 27" (2560x1440), stick them side by side, and have the same screen real estate, faster refresh rates, and no aspect ratio craziness with games (since I'd only play on one). I think that would be a win.

 

[FoxVoxDK]

I'm going to come across as pedantic, but couldn't you just use GPU scale -> No Scale -> Select proper resolution in game fx. 2560 x 1440p. That way, you can have the cake and eat it too.

Spoiler

https://imgur.com/buAaoM8

View: https://imgur.com/buAaoM8

 

[archv]

I'm going to come across as pedantic, but couldn't you just use GPU scale -> No Scale -> Select proper resolution in game fx. 2560 x 1440p. That way, you can have the cake and eat it too.

Perfectly fair suggestion! Don't get me wrong, this monitor is amazing; and pretty much no matter what I get I'd be throwing away the DisplayHDR 1000 certification since there are very few monitors out there with that rating (and I probably don't want to spend another $1500+).

There are a couple of games that will properly do a centered 2560x1440 fullscreen window. While this does give me framerate back, its definitely like watching a 4:3 TV show on a 16:9 TV lol. That said though, I'm going to try out the no scale option on a couple other games and see if it works well.

Side note, I've been looking at the Acer Predator XB271HU; no HDR, for for 2k monitors they are almost non-existent anyway.

 

[FoxVoxDK]

Eh, you should always have a perfectly centered resolution using no scale, you aren't playing in windowed or fullscreen window here, you are playing in fullscreen, with exact usual performance of the screen and a framerate that would match your selected resolution. No scaling is not an artificial means of resizing as long as the resolution used is able to fit in the monitor's usual largest native resolution. There are no loss or gain, except of course for turned of pixels.

AND if that happens to be untrue just put a check mark in the "Override scaling used by programs and games".