What is the best gaming monitor under 300 dollars?

The second day you try to fill up the boss in the game. And here it is, the decisive moment: countless attempts, the last violent blow on the keyboard, meager XP and ... the picture twitches, the frame sticks, the trail, the missed hit, game over. Maybe it's time to finally select the best gaming monitor under 300 dollars with smooth and clear dynamics, lightning-fast response and high-quality picture?

How is a gaming monitor different from an office monitor?

Both types of monitors have the same main goal - to display the image created by the graphics chip. The difference lies in the frame output speed, as well as in their quality and quantity. Office monitors have a frame refresh rate of 60 to 75 Hz. This means that the gamer will only see up to 75 frames per second, which is too low for dynamic games - the image will not be smooth enough for high-quality and comfortable gaming.

Moreover, if the monitor frequency does not reach the frame rate per second in the game, then visual artifacts in dynamic scenes may be observed. This is due to the fact that the monitor tries to display the next image before it has finished processing the previous one. Of course, you can solve the problem by activating vertical sync in games. This feature reduces the frames per second to the refresh rate of the monitor. However, in this case, you sacrifice some aspects of control, since many important mechanics in games are tied to frames per second - in PUBG, for example, the higher the frame rate, the higher the rate of fire of weapons.

Response time also plays an important role. Office monitors have a delay of 5 to 14 ms - this is how long it takes for a pixel to change color. For dynamic games, this is too slow, and therefore the player may experience difficulties in controlling.

To solve all these problems, gaming monitors were created. They have a frame refresh rate of 60 to 240 Hz, and a response time of up to 1 millisecond.

Diagonal, resolution and aspect ratio

Big and small, almost square or elongated, curved and straight - which monitor is better?

You should start with 24 inches. You can do less, but then all the details of the beautiful picture in the game will be small and not so epic. The 24-inch monitor is moderately compact, takes up little space, but, most importantly, you will completely cover the screen with a direct look. You don't have to turn your head to look at a certain corner of the screen. This is useful in especially dynamic games, where the frame changes instantly, and the outcome directly depends on your reaction. The screen resolution with such a diagonal must be at least 1920x1080p (Full HD) - this is the minimum value at which pixels will not catch your eye.

If you want maximum immersion in the game, pay attention to the larger models. Gaming monitors are currently available in sizes up to 49 inches, depending on how much space you have and how much money you're willing to spend on a cool screen. By choosing a large monitor, you can get a whole home theater, where the movements of the head for viewing will only add to the realism. This solution is perfect for single or casual online games. But if you sit in front of such a monitor at a distance from the table and play a shooter, your head may spin. For a large diagonal, you will also need a better resolution - from 2K or higher. Please note that as the resolution increases, the requirements for computer hardware also increase.

What are the proportions? Everything is simple here. The most common aspect ratio is 16:9. This format is most commonly used in games and movies. With this aspect ratio, there will be no problem with image optimization.

But Ultrawide monitors with an aspect ratio of 21:9 - this, of course, looks epic, but not for everyone. On the one hand, on an ultra-wide monitor, the viewing angle is much wider in games. It can also be very handy for working in multi-window mode, in audio and video editors. But, at the same time, not all games and movies are optimized for ultra-wide resolution.

The curved screen is super immersive in virtual reality. But this feature is mainly for one user only. To perceive the whole picture without distortion, you need to sit strictly in the center of the screen. Accordingly, fans of multiplayer or watching movies in the company will be quite uncomfortable.

Frame rate and frames per second

The number of frames per second (hereinafter referred to as FPS) displays the overall performance of the computer in games. It's no secret that for gamers this figure should be stable and high, but why? As you already know, some game mechanics are tied to the FPS indicator, and if 60 frames per second is enough for a comfortable game in single or multiplayer projects, then there is not enough frames per second in dynamic competitive disciplines - the more, the better. And in order for the image to be as smooth as possible and without any artifacts, professional players use monitors with an increased frame refresh rate. This indicator displays the number of images that the matrix is ​​\u200b\u200bcapable of displaying in one second. Modern gaming monitors are capable of operating at frequencies up to 240 Hz, giving you the advantage of speed and smoothness.

If you want to break everyone in eSports, then a monitor with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and higher is better. It is worth considering that the benefits of a gaming monitor are revealed only if your computer is capable of delivering a consistently high number of frames. And so that the image does not entail tearing frames or delays in management, it is recommended to use G-Sync from Nvidia or FreeSync from AMD. These technologies are designed to save you from the aforementioned problems by forcibly synchronizing the frame rates displayed by the video card with the monitor's refresh rate without any delay.

Response time

Response time is the time it takes for a pixel to change color and is also very important when choosing a monitor. Most conventional monitors take between 5 and 14 milliseconds to transition to a new color. This figure is acceptable in work, but in games you may notice blurry images.

For single games, 5–7 ms may be enough, but 1 ms minimizes any delays in rendering dynamic objects. But striving for lightning speed, you will have to compromise - the response time directly depends on the type of matrix used.

How to choose the type of matrix and coating

Three types of matrices are used in monitors: TN, MVA/VA or IPS.

If you are a big fan of competitive projects, and the monitor is required only for effective gaming, a TN matrix is ​​​​preferred. Only it guarantees an actual response time of up to 1 ms. At the same time, monitors with a refresh rate of 240 Hz and a TN matrix are more affordable than IPS ones. But there are some nuances: mediocre color reproduction and viewing angles that are somewhat inferior to other matrices.

MVA or VA is an intermediate solution between TN and IPS. Compared to TN, VA has excellent viewing angles, contrast, backlight uniformity and high-quality color reproduction. But here the response time increases - from 4 ms. In addition, there are very few models on a VA matrix with a refresh rate above 144 Hz.

IPS-matrices have ideal viewing angles and color reproduction, it is comfortable to work behind it, view and process photos, watch movies. But you will have to sacrifice an increased response time and a low refresh rate compared to other types of matrices - mainly up to 144 Hz.

Matte or glossy screen? The matte screen perfectly absorbs incoming light, does not glare in the sun or under a lamp. But slightly loses gloss in brightness and contrast. Gloss looks juicy, does not lose brightness, but glare in the light.