Hey, Listen! 6 Convincing Reasons to Buy a Gaming Monitor Today

You game on a standard 60Hz monitor. I get it – you prioritized splurging on a high-end GPU first. But even the beefiest graphics card can‘t unlock its full potential without a capable gaming display. Let me walk you through why upgrading your monitor should be the next upgrade for taking your entire gaming setup to the next level.

Gaming Monitors 101

First, what qualifies a screen as a "gaming" monitor? Simply put, panels built with gamer-centric features like:

✅ Higher refresh rates (120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz)

✅ Faster response times (1ms)

✅ Adaptive sync technology (G-Sync, FreeSync)

✅ Curved and ultra-wide designs

These displaysspecially cater to the needs of both casual and competitive gamers.

Gaming monitors grew over 15% last year to a 5.3 billion dollar industry. This growth is expected to continue as gamers experience their benefits first-hand.

Now, on to the reasons you should level up to a proper gaming monitor…

1. Bigger Screens Increase Immersion

Let‘s compare sizes first. The average laptop screen comes in around 15 inches diagonally. Standard 24-inch monitors give you some extra room but are still small relative to optimal gaming setups today.

Gaming monitors commonly range from 27 to 49 inches for maximum immersion!

Those extra inches pull you deeper into the action. Larger screens literally expand your field of view. Studies confirm field of view impacts gaming performance and wider is better.

Upgrading from my old 24-inch screen to a 32-inch curved display made me feel like I got instantly transported onto the game map. I gained a tactical edge in FPS games with improved situational awareness. Plus, the cinematic scenes in story-driven titles felt appropriately huge and majestic.

If your current monitor size leaves you craning your neck, or you have space for an imposing screen, then a 30+ inch display deserves serious consideration.

2. Higher Resolution Graphics Look Crisper

Standard monitors usually cap out at good old 1080p resolution. Make no mistake – Full HD still looks great. But why settle when gaming monitors offer even sharper image quality?

I tested Call of Duty on a 24-inch 1080p screen side-by-side with a 27-inch 1440p display. The extra detail literally allowed me to spot enemies sooner from longer distances on the higher resolution panel.

But resolution means little without the proper GPU horsepower to back it up. Make sure to match the monitor resolution with your graphics card‘s capabilities. A 30-series or RX 6000-series card can readily push triple-A games beyond 60 fps at 1440p.

3. Faster Refresh Smooths Out Motion

Standard monitors typically refresh at 60Hz, meaning the display updates to show a new image 60 times per second. Gaming monitors leave that in the dust with boosted refresh rates up to 360Hz!

I experienced this difference first-hand comparing a 60Hz office monitor against a new 360Hz gaming screen. Fast motion in Doom Eternal that blurs together at 60 fps looked crisp and easy to follow at 360 fps.

Higher is smoother. But attaining triple-digit frame rates demands an equally beastly graphics card. A consistent 140+ fps in AAA games requires at least an RTX 3070 Ti GPU. Competitive titles like CS:GO or Valorant fare better driving elite 360Hz displays.

4. Rapid Response Minimizes Lag

Input lag refers to the delay between moving your mouse and seeing the reaction on-screen. Monitor response time indicates how quickly its pixels can shift colors – measured in milliseconds.

Slow response times act as a bottleneck resulting in noticeable lag. Gaming displays slash lag with blazing fast response for instantaneous reactions:

Upgrading from a budget 8ms display to a premium 1ms gaming monitor made a world of difference for fast-paced first person shooters. I could finally flick headshots accurately thanks to the snappier responsiveness. No more yelling "but I shot you first!".

5. Sync Technology Kills Tearing

Have you seen weird horizontal line artifacts appear in intense scenes as the image seems to separate? That‘s referred to as screen tearing. It happens when the monitor refresh rate falls out of sync with the game‘s frame rate.

Gaming displays combat tearing through adaptive sync technology to match refresh rates with GPU frame rates for seamless imagery:

Nvidia G-Sync – Requires an Nvidia GPU \
AMD FreeSync – For AMD GPUs \
VESA Adaptive Sync – Open standard for both

Tearing drove me crazy in action scenes. G-Sync eliminated those immersion-breaking glitches in fast motion. The improvement was literally night and day – no more distracting artifacts.

Upgrading to a variable refresh rate monitor relieved me from continual fiddling with v-sync settings and dealing with stutters. Finally, buttery smooth sailing even in demanding moments!

6. Curved Screens Immerse You

Curved screen gaming monitors wrap around your field of view rather than staying confined to a flat plane. The curve places more display area directly in front of your eyes.

I felt skeptical about whether curve makes a real difference – until swapping my flat screen out. The way it fills your vision tricks your depth perception similar to VR. Now I feel mentally transported into missions rather than staring at a window onto the game world.

Environments feel more realistically proportioned. Plus the boosted field of view keeps the action in view when flanked in FPS titles without needing to quickly pan the camera.

Sold on upgrading to a real gaming monitor yet? Let‘s explore top options across various budgets and categories.

I evaluated contenders hands-on from major players like ASUS, Acer, Samsung, LG and more. These rise above the rest to earn top gaming monitor recommendations.

Overall Best Gaming Monitor

ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM

Screen Size: 27 inches \
Resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080 \
Refresh Rate: 280Hz \
Response Time: 1ms \
Adaptive Sync: G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync Premium

For under $350, nothing beats the overall value offered by this ASUS TUF gaming monitor.

It nails all the ideal specs – 27-inch screen Goldilocks size, 1ms blistering fast response, and a blazing 280Hz refresh rate ready for competitive esports. The 1080p resolution keeps frame rates high powered by mid-range graphics cards.

I loved the ergonomic stand offering height, tilt, swivel and pivot adjustments for dialing in perfect positioning. The near bezel-less IPS screen serves up vivid colors from all angles. This well-built display feels both durable and premium.

Casual and aspiring pro gamers alike will love the silky smooth visuals. The ASUS TUF checks all the boxes for a phenomenal high-refresh gaming monitor that won‘t break the bank.

See ASUS TUF Gaming Monitor Deals on Amazon

Best 32-Inch 4K Gaming Monitor

Gigabyte M32U

Screen Size: 32 inches
Resolution: 4K 3840 x 2160 UHD
Refresh Rate: 144Hz
Response: 1ms
Adaptive Sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

Serious gamers seeking higher resolution visuals should shortlist this Gigabyte display.

Between its 32-inch screen and 4K resolution, the extra sharpness pulls you into immersive worlds. Vibrant and accurate color reproduction brings out realism thanks to the display‘s VESA DisplayHDR 600 compliance.

With a true 1ms response time and FreeSync variable refresh rate eliminating tearing, the M32U keeps up with fast motion reliably. The panel even manages to support a smooth 144Hz refresh rate despite pushing 8.3 million pixels!

The premium build quality with aluminum alloy rear cover, built-in KVM switch and integrated light bars speak to its high-end positioning. At around $700, it‘s priced attractively for such a capable UHD monitor ready for next generation GPU connectivity.

See Gigabyte M32U Gaming Monitor Deals on Amazon

Best Ultrawide Curved Gaming Monitor

AOC CU34G3S

Screen Size: 34 inches ultra-wide \
Resolution: 3440 x 1440 QHD \
Refresh Rate: 165Hz \
Response Time: 1ms \
Adaptive Sync: AMD FreeSync Premium

For immersion, you can‘t beat an ultrawide monitor. The AOC CU34G3S offers tremendous gaming real estate at a reasonable $500 price point.

This 34-inch screen leverages its 21:9 aspect ratio to pull you into expansive panoramic game worlds. The 1500R curvature combined with wraparound design fills your peripheral vision more than any flat panel.

QHD 3440 x 1440 resolution adds detail while the speedy 165Hz refresh rate keeps competitive play feeling incredibly responsive. I especially appreciated the wide and sturdy stand offering adjustable height, tilt and swivel.

See AOC CU34G3S Ultrawide Curved Gaming Monitor Deals on Amazon

Let‘s cover some frequently asked questions when comparing gaming monitors:

Q: Does monitor brand matter for gaming? \
A: Screen technology matters more than branding. However, brands like ASUS, Acer and Dell have great gaming monitor reputations and quality assurance testing.

Q: What size monitor is best for gaming? \
A: 27 to 32 inches hits the ideal size sweet spot balancing desktop space with immersive viewing. 49-inch monitors work nicely for some, but can strain your eyes after long competitive gaming sessions.

Q: Is 4K or 1440p better for gaming? \
A: 1440p is the gaming sweet spot balancing visual sharpness with high frame rates. 4K requires extremely powerful PC builds to run smoothly. But 4K future-proofs for next generation GPU upgrades.

Q: Are TN or IPS monitors better? \
A: IPS panels offer the best color reproduction and viewing angles ideal for gaming and media viewing. TN panels trade off color quality for ultra fast response suited primarily to competitive esports.

Q: Does refresh rate matter for single player games? \
A: Absolutely – high refresh rates translate smoother motion and lower input lag even in slower paced single player titles. Splurge on 144Hz+ for a superior experience across game genres.

As you can see now, gaming monitors offer tangible improvements to visual quality, responsiveness and immersion that serves gamers of all types over standard displays.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a monitor tailored to gaming excellence as your next gear purchase. Your future gaming self struggling to spot targets or tracking fast motion will thank you.

Whether you crave sharper visuals, smoother frames, quicker reactions or ultimate immersion – there exists an ideal gaming monitor ready to transform your setup.