Recommended Gaming Monitors

[AW50]

Hey guys,

I've recently decided that I want to purchase a gaming monitor that can suit my needs. I'd like to ask for your opinions on what monitors that you guys can recommend me as I'm not very 'updated' in the monitors/displays scene.

Preferably i'm looking for something that is 1440p, 144hz refresh rate, with 1ms response time and is 24, or 27 inches (prefer 27 inch), [Don't know if G-sync actually helps with performance, but if it does i'd also like that feature]

Also, i'm unsure of the difference between Freesync monitors and G-sync monitors, but I believe that they achieve the same thing, just one for Nvidia cards and the other for AMD. Correct me if i'm wrong.

My current GPU is a Gigabyte Nvidia GTX 970 G1, so i'd like to know if I will experience any significant drop in fps/performance when upgrading to a 1440p monitor.

Monitors that I've considered are:
- Asus ROG SWIFT PG278Q
-BenQ xl2420g

 

[DasHotShot]

The drop in FPS will certainly be noteable as you are rendering a lot more pixels overall.

The 970 can still play all the games on good settings, however expect to drop down to 35-55q FPS depending on title.

The technology that makes this fact almost irrelevant is Gsync (yes Freesync is AMD). It means that your FPS and refresh are synced at all times fro ma hardware standpoint, not just software (vsync) and you can play games smoothly even below 30 FPS...

It's astonishing but costs a premium.

As such AOC and Asus make good Gsync screens. Acer has one or two I think.

It's a big step up but a nice step up too. Just allow for lower overall FPS and as such a need to drop some settings a little.

 

[guanyu210379]

1.
If you are using a GTX970, you might need to consider getting another one if you want to get 2560x1440 monitor. Some games like Witcher 3 will need ti to run aroud 60 fps @ all ultra.

2.
GSync/FreeSync is the true solution to screen tearing and will help smoothen your gameplay even on lower fps, until the fps falls below GSync's minimum fps.
GSync/FreeSync is a nice step-up, very nice.

3.
ASUS PG278Q (TN) and Acer XB270HU (IPS) are the best 144Hz 1440p GSync monitors available today.
If you are willing to pay premium, those 2 are awesome.
I bought XB270HU already and plan to get a second GTX970.
If you want to reduce the budget a bit, XL2420G will do but this is only 1080p. If you stay on 1080p, well, GSync is your only upgrade.
1440p is a really nice upgrade, I tell you.

 

[Wisecracker]

1ms response time is pretty much meaningless ... 5ms (1000/5) has the 'potential' for 200MHz.

The "issue" with the GTX 970 at higher resolutions is the potential latency introduced by that notorious .5GB against that of the other 3.5GB in games that hit that much VRAM. Presumably, "sync" technologies will smooth the negative latency effects if they are within the refresh "ranges" of the monitor.

It's likely just not that big a deal in the overwhelming majority of games, and it is certainly not worth a price premium of hundreds of dollars over other fine monitors --- especially being that a new *Sync* monitor was introduced at $400 the other day.

Introductory prices are likely to continue to tumble over the next few months.

 

[AW50]

1.
If you are using a GTX970, you might need to consider getting another one if you want to get 2560x1440 monitor. Some games like Witcher 3 will need ti to run aroud 60 fps @ all ultra.

2.
GSync/FreeSync is the true solution to screen tearing and will help smoothen your gameplay even on lower fps, until the fps falls below GSync's minimum fps.
GSync/FreeSync is a nice step-up, very nice.

3.
ASUS PG278Q (TN) and Acer XB270HU (IPS) are the best 144Hz 1440p GSync monitors available today.
If you are willing to pay premium, those 2 are awesome.
I bought XB270HU already and plan to get a second GTX970.
If you want to reduce the budget a bit, XL2420G will do but this is only 1080p. If you stay on 1080p, well, GSync is your only upgrade.
1440p is a really nice upgrade, I tell you.

Is there an actual noticeable advantage that the Acer monitor has? What is the difference between TN and IPS, because based on my little amount of research, IPS is just more 'colourful' overall with a trade off which is response time..?

 

[AW50]

The drop in FPS will certainly be noteable as you are rendering a lot more pixels overall.

The 970 can still play all the games on good settings, however expect to drop down to 35-55q FPS depending on title.

The technology that makes this fact almost irrelevant is Gsync (yes Freesync is AMD). It means that your FPS and refresh are synced at all times fro ma hardware standpoint, not just software (vsync) and you can play games smoothly even below 30 FPS...

It's astonishing but costs a premium.

As such AOC and Asus make good Gsync screens. Acer has one or two I think.

It's a big step up but a nice step up too. Just allow for lower overall FPS and as such a need to drop some settings a little.

Do the FPS drops actually affect gameplay in first person shooters such as Battlefield, CoD, DayZ etc. Because if G-Sync locks me down at 40 fps on Battlefield on Ultra, does it actually put me at a disadvantage?

 

[DasHotShot]

It doesn't lock you down...that is the whole point. It simply adjust the refresh of the screen to match your FPS at all times.

So if anything, you are at an advantage because tearing is impossible and so are frame drops etc.

 

[guanyu210379]

@AW50:
Usually,
TN panel is fast but lack of contrast, color precision and viewing angle.
IPS panel is slower but excellent on contrast, color precision and viewing angle.

This however does not fully correct anymore on today's fast IPS panel.
Before, only TN can run on higher than 60Hz, while IPS was kinda stuck @60Hz.
But now...both PG278Q (TN) and XB270HU (IPS) are capable to run @144Hz (6.94ms),
The PG278Q can run up to 1ms GtG response and XB270HU is with 4ms response.
Anything faster than 6.94ms (144Hz) will look more or less the same to your eyes.
Which means, you should not be able to tell the difference between those 2 in term of speed.
There is no real trade-off anymore using IPS panel on XB270HU.
The only main advantage for PG278Q is that PG278Q supports nVidia 3DVision while XB270HU does not.
The real downside of those 2 monitors is the price...that is one f*ck*ng expensive proud pricing.
If you want to have the best and if you can afford the best, why not.
So...those above are theoretical only...now to some reality point of view..
PG278Q in the contrast, color and viewing angle terms is a lot better and probably the best among all other TN panels I have ever seen, still not as good as an IPS tho'.
XB270HU is good and sounds really good, since you do not make any compromise between image quality and speed...but..it does not support 3DVision and the QC from Acer is a lot worse than ASUS. You could need 2-3 RMAs to get a working one.
Both PG278Q and XB270HU are good and the best monitors with GSync you can find today.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

Monitors are fast enough today so noticeable ghosting is a thing of the past. What will always exist in the low frequency panels is the blur during fast movement, higher refresh rates minimizes this, for the hardcore gamer who turns a lot in twitch shooters it's smooth all the time, hence why it's preferred in the professional scene. Speaking of advantage, the miliseconds lost due to whatever hard ware you're using, is just too small, your "bottle neck" will be your own reaction time and online latency.

The difference between TN and IPS is night and day, however calibrated TN can look great, though you will still see the difference in color if you have them stand side by side. If you're used to a TN, and never seen a IPS infront of you before, I would definitely pick one up. But your goal is 144 Hz, so a IPS is going to cost more than a 60/75 Hz panel.

 

[guanyu210379]

@Suzuki:
both GSync monitors PG278Q (TN) and XB270HU (IPS) run @144Hz and more or less in the same price range..within the cwazy price range.

 

[AW50]

@AW50:
Usually,
TN panel is fast but lack of contrast, color precision and viewing angle.
IPS panel is slower but excellent on contrast, color precision and viewing angle.

This however does not fully correct anymore on today's fast IPS panel.
Before, only TN can run on higher than 60Hz, while IPS was kinda stuck @60Hz.
But now...both PG278Q (TN) and XB270HU (IPS) are capable to run @144Hz (6.94ms),
The PG278Q can run up to 1ms GtG response and XB270HU is with 4ms response.
Anything faster than 6.94ms (144Hz) will look more or less the same to your eyes.
Which means, you should not be able to tell the difference between those 2 in term of speed.
There is no real trade-off anymore using IPS panel on XB270HU.
The only main advantage for PG278Q is that PG278Q supports nVidia 3DVision while XB270HU does not.
The real downside of those 2 monitors is the price...that is one f*ck*ng expensive proud pricing.
If you want to have the best and if you can afford the best, why not.
So...those above are theoretical only...now to some reality point of view..
PG278Q in the contrast, color and viewing angle terms is a lot better and probably the best among all other TN panels I have ever seen, still not as good as an IPS tho'.
XB270HU is good and sounds really good, since you do not make any compromise between image quality and speed...but..it does not support 3DVision and the QC from Acer is a lot worse than ASUS. You could need 2-3 RMAs to get a working one.
Both PG278Q and XB270HU are good and the best monitors with GSync you can find today.

Have you noticed any dead pixels or any problems in general with your XB270HU? I'm unsure whether or not to wait for the monitor to come out in Australia... or just get the Asus ROG SWIFT.

I've seen on forums that many people prefer the Acer monitor because of the IPS panel, but they have also complained of the looks and some issues, so I'm just wondering if it is worth it to wait for the Acer or not.

 

[guanyu210379]

In my XB270HU? I was among the lucky ones, who got a fully working XB270HU out of the first box.
All of my friends who bought the monitor got dead pixels, back bleeding, etc. and had to go through RMAs, several even more than one RMAs.
ASUS has better QC than Acer at the moment.
Pure from panel type, XB270HU is indeed better but Acer has quite a big QC issues.
The people in those forums are saying the reality.

 

[AW50]

In my XB270HU? I was among the lucky ones, who got a fully working XB270HU out of the first box.
All of my friends who bought the monitor got dead pixels, back bleeding, etc. and had to go through RMAs, several even more than one RMAs.
ASUS has better QC than Acer at the moment.
Pure from panel type, XB270HU is indeed better but Acer has quite a big QC issues.
The people in those forums are saying the reality.

Based on your experience in twitch shooters, or any game in general. Does the IPS panel prove to actually help you out? Because it seems like the XB270HU isn't available in Australia yet, so I might just go for the ROG SWIFT. I don't think i'd be willing to take the risk of multiple RMAs unless the IPS panel actually provides you with some actual colour advantage (eg. easier to see enemies in dark maps). ;P

 

[guanyu210379]

In term of color, contrast and viewing angle, PG278Q can not beat XB270HU. Especially the viewing angle part, vertical angle to be exact, not the horizontal angle, XB270HU is a lot better.
Other than the viewing angle, PG278Q is not far behind XB270HU plus PG278Q supports 3D-Vision, if you want it.
I definitely would not take XB270HU, if you can not buy it from local stores or local online stores, since the RMAs will probably end up pretty bad for you, if you have to buy it across the sea.
Remember, ASUS PG278Q is still one of the best GSync monitors available today.