It may not look like it, but high refresh rate monitors can greatly improve the gaming experience. While you may be completely happy with your 60hz monitor for playing games, once you make an upgrade to a higher refresh rate like 144hz, you might not want to settle for less.
What is a higher refresh rate?
The refresh rate determines how many images are displayed on the monitor in a second. Displayed in hertz or hz, a high refresh monitor displays more images and allows for better image quality. It may thus display better response times in pc gaming and allow for smooth gameplay.
We also need to consider the frame rate, which determines how many frames or images the graphics card displays in a second. A monitor with more frames requires a graphics card that can cater to the speed and not allow screen tearing.
Why is a high refresh rate monitor important for gaming
If you are a competitive gamer, a high refresh rate gaming monitor may improve your gaming experience, enable smoother gameplay and help you take advantage of higher frame rates.
The high refresh rate monitor would display a high motion quality with improved color accuracy as there will be less motion blur and the monitor displays a new image smoothly. It will have lower response times and is thus better suited for demanding games in competitive gaming where you need to act quickly.
There's a great video on youtube, that showcases the impact differences of higher hz vs lower hz in gameplay:
Choosing the optimal refresh rate monitor
While the monitor's refresh rate allows for a smoother gaming experience, it is not the only consideration for choosing the best monitor. Higher refresh rate monitors like 240hz or 360hz may appeal to competitive gamers, but they are expensive and have lower resolutions. There are even 480hz monitors on the horizon.
Most next-generation computers are compatible with advanced specifications.
So, when choosing the best monitor, you may need to consider other factors in addition to the refresh rate. For instance, consider your panel types. Which one should you consider; an ips panel or a VA panel? An ips panel provides the best viewing angles, which is a consideration since ips monitors display the best graphics and are good for competitive games.
You also need to consider the screen size and shape of your gaming pc. Should you go for the curved monitors with ultra settings or otherwise. The viewing angles make a lot of difference if it's a curved screen. The screen size also impacts the gaming experience.
There is also the question of resolution. Should you go for a higher resolution or make a trade-off. Full HD display monitor will require more processing power for less response times, so ensure your system is up to speed.
Moreover, there is also the question of adaptive sync refresh technologies, for instance, Nvidia g sync or a freesync monitor. A freesync monitor may prevent screen tearing by aligning the frame rate of the graphics card with the refresh rate and improves response times.
In any case, if a monitor's refresh rate is 144hz, it is ideally suited to gaming needs. You can go for a higher refresh rate for the gaming monitor and consider the factors mentioned above for a better gaming experience.
