Are you a passionate gamer buying a new gaming monitor? With so many monitor sizes and features in the market, choosing the right display that matches your gaming needs can be tricky!
In this comprehensive guide, we will make that choice effortless for you by exploring these key aspects in-depth:
- Key factors to evaluate when deciding the optimum monitor size for gaming
- Detailed analysis of popular monitor sizes – pros and cons of each for different gaming setups
- Feature and performance comparison of the best gaming monitors in each size segment
- Monitor recommendations for specific game genres and system capabilities
- Tips to calculate ideal viewing distance and angle as per display size
- Curved vs flat monitors – which is better for an immersive experience
- Recent surveys regarding monitor size preferences among pro gamers
So without further ado, let us get ready for this exciting gameplay! Equip yourself with all the background info first before making that winning monitor purchase!
How to Select the Best Gaming Monitor Size
As an experienced gamer, you likely know the importance of high refresh rates, low response times and adaptive sync technology for smooth, tear-free visuals.
But before looking into those aspects, you need to determine the optimum monitor size that aligns with your gaming setup and preferences.
Here are the key considerations while deciding the right display size:
Screen Resolution
The native resolution or dots/pixels available on the monitor determines image quality – how sharp, detailed and clear visuals will appear.
- For 1080p monitors, going with a 24-inch screen is recommended
- For sharper 1440p visuals, a 27-inch display is ideal
- 32-inch monitors suit best for 4K resolution
Competitive esports gamers prefer Full HD for higher frame rates while single-player adventures can benefit from 1440p or 4K monitors.
Refresh Rates
This spec indicates how many times per second the display can refresh itself to show new images.
- 60Hz is common in basic monitors but too low for fast action
- 144Hz-240Hz is preferred for smooth gaming, with 240Hz best suited for esports
- For hardcore gamers, 360Hz monitors like the Alienware 2521H provide the fastest response
Matching higher refresh rates requires equally capable GPUs and FPS optimised settings.
Response Time
Expressed in ms (milliseconds), this latency spec signals how fast pixels can change colours between frames.
- Average is 5ms but faster is better for competitive gaming
- 1ms is widely considered excellent for fast action titles
- Blazing 0.5ms response of newest monitors offer super snappy visual feedback
Lower response times reduce motion blur and lag which can markedly boost gaming performance when reflexes matter.
Panel Types
TN panels feature faster response for competitive gaming but often lack color accuracy and viewing angles compared to other technologies.
IPS panels offer the best all-round visuals with wide viewing angles and color reproduction. Popular for gaming due to 4-5ms response and immersive experience.
VA panels deliver superior contrast and blacks but response times are higher between 4-8ms. Excellent for single-player adventure and action titles.
OLED displays have super-fast 0.1ms response, true blacks and wide color gamut but remain expensive. Mostly found in high-end monitors above $999.
Adaptive Sync Support
G-Sync (for Nvidia GPUs) and FreeSync Premium Pro (for AMD cards) allow the monitor and graphic card to synchronize refresh rates for smoother frames, reduced stutter and tear-free visuals during heavy gaming loads. Support for these enhancements is must for premium gaming monitors.
HDR Capabilities
High Dynamic Range allows brighter whites, deeper blacks and amplified range of colors – enhancing picture quality, contrast and ambience substantially when playing games supporting the technology.
While basic HDR 400 can impact some visual improvement, DisplayHDR 600 or better modules with local dimming truly unlock the benefits of HDR in titles that implement it well like Microsoft Flight Sim 2020.
Best Gaming Monitor Sizes
Now we have covered the key aspects that comprise display performance. You also need to factor your available desk area, typical viewing distance, gaming usage models (competitive esports vs cinematic single player experiences) and graphics hardware capabilities while deciding the ideal monitor size for gaming.
Let‘s examine different monitor sizes along with their pros and cons for becoming your next gaming display!
24-inch Gaming Monitors
Best Suited For: Fast competitive multiplayer titles like CSGO, Valorant, Fortnite etc.
Benefits
- Allow viewing entire screen easily without moving eyes, critical for landing shots quickly
- Perfect size for maxing frame rates from moderate GPUs even at max settings for popular FPS titles (100+ fps)
- Very affordable options available under $250 like AOC 24G2U, Asus TUF Gaming VG249Q etc.
- Models from Alienware, Zowie etc. offer insanely high refresh rates (up to 360Hz) for esports gamers looking to boost visibility of fast movements
Limitations
- Visual fidelity and pixel density suffers at 24-inch 1080p resolution compared to larger QHD options
- Too small for truly immersive single player gaming demanding environmental detail
- Cheap models can lack vibrant colors or use inferior TN panels
Recommended 24-inch models:
- Alienware AW2521H (360Hz refresh!)
- Asus ROG Strix XG248Q (240Hz fast IPS)
- AOC 24G2U (144Hz best budget choice)
27-inch Gaming Monitors
Best Suited For: Versatile all-round display size, great for both competitive & visual gaming
Benefits
- Allows sharper QHD 1440p resolution without compromising pixel density or GPU capability
- Widely considered sweet spot size for immersive gaming as well as multiplayer FPS, MOBAs, RTS titles
- Rapid 240Hz-360Hz refresh rate monitors available from several brands catering to esports professionals and aspiring players
- New OLED monitors like Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDM boast super quick response for fast-paced games
Limitations
- Requires stronger GPU like RTX 3070 or 6700 XT graphics card for AAA games at max fidelity QHD settings targeting 100+ fps
- Larger monitors mean more eye movement needed to see all on-screen details & radar compared to 24-inch models preferred by esports pros
Recommended 27-inch displays:
- Samsung Odyssey G7 (best curved QLED option)
- LG 27GP850 (top IPS pick for color and response)
- Asus XG27AQM (speedy 270Hz IPS panel)
- Dell S2721DGF (great budget 165Hz gaming monitor)
32-inch Gaming Monitors
Best Suited For: Cinematic single player gaming, visual masterpieces demanding 4K resolution
Benefits
- Excels at delivering truly immersive experience for story driven narrative games with rich world detail
- 4K UHD resolution allows fitting more visual elements and game textures into 32-inch screen for remarkable clarity
- HDR content in supported titles like Microsoft Flight Sim, Far Cry 6 etc. really shines at this screen size showcasing expanded contrast and colors
- Curved options like Samsung Odyssey G8 boost perceived level of depth and environment visibility
Limitations
- Requires flagship GPU hardware like RTX 3080 12GB or RX 6900 XT costing over $1000 to deliver acceptable 4K frame rates exceeding 60 fps for satisfactory performance
- Pixel density strains eyesight when using for non-gaming desktop work requiring scaling
- Most models still peak at 165Hz refresh rates only except few high-end productions aimed at enthusiasts
Recommended 32-inch monitors:
- Gigabyte M32U (superb 144Hz 4K all-rounder with rich DCI-P3 gamut)
- LG 32GP850 (vibrant 165Hz QHD monitor with IPS image quality)
- Samsung Odyssey G8 (best 1000R curved 4K HDR Quantum-Dot gaming display)
Ultrawide Monitors
Best Suited For: Extra level of immersion and peripheral vision suited for racing sims, space games, RPGs
Benefits
- Panoramic movie-like experience allowing greater environmental awareness without need to rotate in-game camera
- More horizontal pixels can better showcase wider game worlds and level architecture
- Aspect ratio wider than regular 16:9 monitors – options range from 21:9 to extreme 32:9
- Ideal for flight simulators (MSFS 2020), trucking games (American/Euro Truck Simulator), racing titles (Assetto Corsa etc.)
Limitations
- Require strong GPUs due to higher resolution – for example 3440×1440 pixels instead of 2560×1080 seen in 27-inch 16:9 monitors
- Many competitive FPS shooters and older titles lack proper support for the form factor
- Extra wide sizes can be impractical desk space wise requiring creative positioning
Recommended top ultrawide picks:
- Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (best-in-class cutting edge 49-inch dual QHD mini-LED panel)
- LG 34GP950G-B (stunning 160Hz Nano IPS monitor with Thunderbolt and HDMI 2.1 connectivity)
- Gigabyte G34WQC (great value 1500R curved gaming monitor with 144Hz speed and FreeSync)
Curved vs Flat Monitors for Gaming
Curved monitors are designed to wrap around the player’s field of vision (1500R-1000R radii) for greater sense of immersion that flat displays cannot match. However, the curves come with trade-offs.
Curved Monitor Pros
- Feel more engrossing and help reduce eye movement required when playing games with expansive environments
- Enjoyable for racing/flight simulations and single player RPGs, adventures
Curved Monitor Cons
- Cost more compared to equally specced flat monitors
- Reflections and distracting distortions more likely
- Require more desk space
- Not playable when used as secondary side displays
- Not best suited for competitive gaming due to aspect perception challenges
Ultra-wide monitors need heavy curves to counter image distortions from the sides. So curved makes more sense for 21:9 and 32:9 models.
Flat gaming monitors remain popular for their simplicity and multi-purpose utility beyond gaming. Also perfectly fine for esports gaming where peripheral vision lacks importance. Console gamers accustomed to large flat TV displays may also prefer flat monitors.
Curved vs flat comes down again to personal preference ultimately! Both can deliver superb gaming performance when specs like resolution, speed and panel quality match user needs.
Recent Surveys Regarding Monitor Size Preferences Among Gamers
Gaming monitor manufacturer BenQ recently surveyed 2500 gamers across Europe and Asia on their display size preference for both desktop and living room setups.
The key insight was 27-inch monitors are considered the ideal desktop display size by almost 40% of the respondents due to balancing immersion and viewing comfort. 24-inch monitors were a close second (35%) choice due to competitive gamers preferring smaller sizes.
For big screen living room gaming, unsurprisingly 55-inch TVs got the most votes (47%) thanks to their affordability and availability.
Overall the data indicates serious PC gamers gravitate most towards 24-27-inch monitors while home console folks still favour larger 40 to 55-inch TV sized screens for laid back gaming from a sofa distance.
Another poll by popular hardware website Techspot across 1800 gaming enthusiasts showed similar results – 27-inch 1440p displays being the most popular option commanding almost 50 percent share followed by 24-inch 1080p models.
Ultra-wide and 4K gaming monitors still remain an exotic choice owned by less than 12 percent gamers each. Although their share is expected to grow thanks to wider support and reducing costs.
Choosing the Best Gaming Monitor Size – Closing Advice
Casual gamers playing occasionally benefit just fine from affordable 24-27” monitor options focused on refresh rate and response rather than max fidelity.
Passionate gamers should ideally build their desktop and monitor as complementary – investing in an RTX 3070 Ti/6800 GPU that can push frames to match their dream 165Hz/240Hz gaming monitor with clarity!
Going above 27 inches makes sense only if your PC hardware drives the extra demand – such as getting a 32 inch 4K display with HDR 600 capability only when rocking a high-end RTX 3090 Ti that won‘t choke rendering all those extra pixels!
As they say, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link! Evaluate your priorities and whole setup synergistically before deciding that winning display size.
Ultimately an informed choice aligned with your games library and system capability will ensure countless hours of gaming fun ahead! We hope this guide brought you closer to monitor purchase clarity. Game on!
