The right gaming monitor maximizes the quality of your graphics card and CPU output. These displays portray color, motion, and image sharpness in different ways that give you a more immersive gaming experience. They also connect to your keyboard, mouse, and other gaming accessories to convey your input to the game console or computer.
One of the most important things to look for in a gaming monitor is its contrast ratio, which measures how much brighter the white areas are than the black ones on the screen. The higher the ratio, the better. It’s also important to consider the peak brightness, or how bright the screen can get. A high peak brightness is important because it means the monitor can display more details in the highlights and dark areas of your games.
Another important factor in a good gaming monitor is its response time, which measures how quickly the pixels can change from one shade of gray to another. This is especially important for gaming because it helps eliminate the ghosting and motion blur that can make fast-moving games look unnatural or choppy.
Finally, a gaming monitor should have a low input lag, which is the amount of time it takes for the screen to update after you press a button on the controller. The lower the input lag, the more responsive your games will feel.
Our contributor Jason R. Rich conducted extensive research to pinpoint the best gaming monitors for PC-based and console-based gaming systems like the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. His research took into account the display size, screen technology, refresh rate, viewing angle, port selection, and more. He also interviewed a number of expert gamers, IT specialists, and computer technology professionals to find out what sets these monitors apart from the competition.