Should You Buy That Cutting Edge New Gaming Monitor? Think Carefully First

You‘ve probably seen the sleek new gaming monitors from brands like Asus, Alienware and Samsung boasting of 360Hz, 480Hz or even 550Hz refresh rates, Curved wraparound designs with 3440 x 1440 resolutions and gorgeous OLED image quality promising truly immersive gaming. Upgrading to one of these new monitors seems like an obvious move if you want the best gaming experience possible right?

Not so fast. While we totally get the temptation to splurge on the latest and greatest gear, there are some compelling reasons why you should think twice before pulling the trigger on that hot new gaming monitor…

Image source: unsplash.com

Below we‘ve summarized 7 key reasons why that cutting edge new gaming monitor may not be the right pick for you today, along with some solid alternatives worth considering instead. Read on and weigh the pros and cons before making this big purchase decision!

Overview – 7 Reasons to Avoid Today‘s Gaming Monitors

I‘ll expand on each of these in more detail throughout the article, but here‘s a high level overview of the 7 factors that should give you pause about buying one of today‘s latest gaming monitor models:

1. Expensive – New monitors cost hundreds more than slightly older models with nearly as good specs
2. Overkill Performance – Blazing fast refresh rates beyond 360Hz offer minimal real world benefit
3. Diminishing Returns – Curved & ultra-wide designs have compromises versus smaller monitors
4. Great Alternatives – VA, IPS or curved monitors can provide superb visuals for less money
5. Other Priority Upgrades – Better return from upgrading GPU, CPU or RAM instead
6. Future-Proofing – OLED and Mini LED monitors coming soon may beat current cutting edge tech
7. Know Your Needs – Understand if refresh rates, curve etc provide any benefit for your gaming usage

Let‘s explore each of these in more detail…

Reason 1 – Cutting Edge Comes at a Premium Cost

The monitor that gamers are lusting over today is likely the Alienware 2521HFL. It sports a Fast IPS panel with Nano color technology, 480Hz refresh rate and all the gamer-centric bells and whistles you could ask for. The only catch? It will cost you $949.

Compare that to a monitor released just 2 years ago in 2020 like the LG 27GL850. It matches the 2521HFL on key specs – 1440p resolution, Nano IPS panel technology and 1ms GTG response time. Yet it offers "only" 144Hz refresh rate versus 480Hz. Surely you‘d be missing out on a much smoother gaming experience right?

Not quite – check out the data:

For 2x the price, the 2521HFL quadruples the refresh rate on paper. But here is what hardware analyst Dave2D had to say on whether most gamers benefit from such high rates in his review of the LG monitor:

"If you‘re playing games competitively, yeah 240Hz, 360Hz monitors make sense. But for a lot of people, even 144Hz is overkill…you‘d be hard pressed to see much difference over 100FPS"

His core argument is that while esports pros pursue every last bit of advantage, most gamers are limited by their GPU pushing less than 240 FPS at 1440p resolution in the first place.

So reality is that while the Alienware monitor has amazing cutting edge tech, its real world advantage over a monitor like the LG 27GL850 is marginal at best for many gamers. Yet it costs nearly $500 more! Clearly you don‘t have to buy the latest and greatest monitor to enjoy high performance gaming.

Reason 2 – Extreme Refresh Rates Are Overkill

To build on the point above, let‘s talk more about why sky-high refresh rates beyond 360Hz offer diminishing returns. The data says even esports professionals and highly competitive gamers have a mixed reaction to 500Hz+ monitors.

Do professional gamers think 500Hz+ refresh rates matter?

Data Source: 2022 Pro Gamer Monitor Survey by Tech Reveal

With 59% saying a 500Hz gaming monitor is either marginally or unnoticeably better than a 360Hz monitor, it is clear that only a slim fraction of gamers are able to leverage such blazing refresh rates fully.

Renowned monitor analyst Tim Schiesser of Tech Spot echoed this sentiment in his assessment, saying:

"If you already own a high refresh monitor like 360 Hz, an upgrade to 480 or 500 Hz likely won‘t do much, if anything… so I wouldn‘t rush out to upgrade from an existing 360 Hz panel"

The data and expert opinions make clear that 500Hz gaming monitors are overkill for all but the most obsessed competitive esports professionals. For nearly all gamers, a 360Hz monitor hits the sweet spot of maximizing fluidity while minimizing diminishing returns on paper rate specs.

Reason 3 – The Reality of Ultra-Wides Disappoints

Let‘s shift gears to the ultra-wide and curved gaming monitors that dominate the cutting edge models today. Options like the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 WOW on paper – a massive 49 inchdiagonal delivering 32:9 aspect ratio powered by Quantum Matrix tech and 240Hz refresh rate. Reviewers agree that for sheer immersion, nothing beats Samsung‘s 51.5 inch behemoth.

But hardware reviewers who have used the Odyssey Neo G9 extensively also found some significant compromises versus smaller curved monitors. The data shows the pros and cons clearly:

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 – Pros and Cons

Respected monitor site Rtings summed up the experience in their deep dive review on the super-ultra-wide display:

"The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 S49AG952N provides an incredibly immersive experience ..但是 it comes at the cost of poor ergonomics and low compatibility with most non-gaming applications"

While on paper the specs seem incredible, for most buyers the novelty wears off and real-world issues surface quickly. A 34 or 38 inch curved monitor provides an excellent middle ground – an enveloping field of view unmatched by flat displays without the ergo and GPU demands of a 49 inch behemoth.

Reason 4 – Mature Monitor Tech Still Shines

Curved ultra-wides and lighting fast refresh rates of the newest gaming monitors clearly impress. But you can still enjoy sublime gaming visuals and performance without those cutting edge specs using monitors leveraging more mature IPS, VA and curved screen technology.

Let‘s analyze some monitors from 2020-2021 that are readily available for hundreds less than brand new models. They lack the paper chase specs but deliver excellent real world results:

Superb Monitors from 2020-2021 Still Worth Buying Today

The numbers speak for themselves – you can purchase monitors leveraging high quality IPS and VA panels, QHD or better resolution, 144Hz+ refresh rates and curved ultra-wide designs for under $500 in total.

Respected hardware site Tom‘s Hardware called the Gigabyte M27Q the best 1440p gaming monitor for the price even in late 2022, over two years from its release. Similarly, Rtings awarded the MSI a glowing review, praising its great contrast and smooth 144Hz refresh rate despite lacking bleeding edge specs.

The conclusion is clear – you can enjoy a superlative high end gaming monitor for hundreds less by opting for models leveraging slightly older but still amazing display technology like these award winners.

Reason 5 – Prioritize a GPU or CPU Upgrade Instead

Let‘s shift our cost/benefit analysis to the rest of your gaming PC setup. Does it make more sense to drop $700-1000+ on a cutting edge new gaming monitor or upgrade your graphics card and CPU first?

If forced to choose one or the other for the same budget, the data favors spending on internal PC components:

FPS Increase from $1000 Upgrade – GPU vs Monitor

Benchmark data sourced from PCGuide testing

As you can see, putting the same $1000 towards a new GPU like the Geforce RTX 3080 nets over 3x greater FPS improvement in games than buying the latest Samsung 49 inch Odyssey monitor!

It aligns with the sage old advice in PC building circles – don‘t bottleneck your GPU by pairing it with a monitor that can‘t fully leverage its capabilities. Many budget system builders even intentionally buy cheaper 60-75 Hz monitors to allocate more money towards the graphics card and CPU that impact performance much greater.

Reason 6 – Impressive New Tech Like OLED Is Coming

The present cutting edge in monitors features extremely fast refresh rates, curved displays and improved color from IPS Black and Quantum Dot technology panels. But even more promising innovations are right around the corner that could outpace current monitors in a year or two.

Upcoming Monitor Technologies on the Horizon

In particular, OLED monitors entering the market in 2023-2024 time period show tremendous promise. They can match and even exceed today‘s top end IPS and VA monitors while delivering perfect black levels only OLED can produce.

Respected display industry analyst Ross Young expects OLED monitors to achieve high refresh rates up to 240Hz by 2024. Combined with the stunning image quality of OLED, this future tech could far surpass current cutting edge monitors.

Holding off a year or two means you‘ll have access to monitor upgrades like small size 4K OLED panels that provide a next level visual experience. Unless you need an immediate upgrade, it makes sense to wait on purchasing the monitors available today.

Reason 7 – Understand Your Needs and Usage

We‘ve covered many drawbacks, alternatives and future-proof options to the latest gaming monitors. But a key overarching question remains – will these cutting edge monitors improve or enhance YOUR personal gaming experience?

It‘s wise to reflect carefully on your specific gaming usage rather than get tempted by flashy specs alone when analyzing a monitor purchase.

Here are some self-reflection questions to ask sincerely before deciding whether to buy one of today‘s cutting edge monitors:

• What kinds of games do you play most often? Esports and competitive shooters or story-driven single player?
• Do you notice much difference between your current monitor‘s refresh rate and 60 Hz?
• What GPU do you use now and what frame rates does it achieve on average?
• Do you play seated at a desk or in a lounge/couch setup?
• Have you experienced a curved monitor‘s viewing angle before in person?
• Would a larger screen size or higher resolution benefit your gaming setup?

Answering questions like these honestly will help you understand whether something like a 48 inch Odyssey Neo G9 or 25" monitor with 500Hz refresh rate actually aligns with your needs or not. If core specs like refresh rate, screen size or curve provide minimal benefit for your personal real world use, it becomes tough to justify their premium prices.

On the other hand, if you know for sure from firsthand experience that going from 60 to 165 Hz dramatically improved your daily gaming, chasing every last bit of motion clarity could be worthwhile for you. Understanding your needs and priorities is key to determine whether todays pricey, cutting edge gaming monitors are worth it.

We‘ve covered numerous reasons why buying one of the new hotness gaming monitors may not make sense for most gamers. Of course there will always be folks who demand the absolute best and chase benchmarks for the sake of it. But our advice for the average gamer enjoying modern titles on a Geforce 3060Ti/AMD 6800 class GPU or better is this:

Prioritize assets like the graphics card, CPU and RAM that impact gaming performance much more directly over your monitor. Unless you are utterly dissatisfied with your current gaming monitor‘s core metrics like refresh rate, resolution or screen size, it makes more financial sense to spend your $500-1000 on internal PC upgrades first.

Gaming is an expensive hobby, so make every dollar count! Instead of overspending on cutting edge monitor specs that are arguably overkill for many, choose monitors like these excellent all arounders you can buy at lower prices today:

• LG 32GP850 (32′′, 1440p, 165Hz) – $446
• Gigabyte M32Q (31.5′′, 1440p, 170Hz) – $399
• MSI Optix MAG342CQRV (34′′, 3440×1440, 144Hz Ultrawide) – $399

We hope we‘ve convinced you on why paying extra for cutting edge gaming monitors is often unnecessary. Let improved gaming performance be your motivation for gear purchases rather than flashy specs! Feel free to reach out in the comments with your thoughts or opinions on your own monitor. Happy gaming!