Arguably one of the most important graphics settings in any game is the resolution. 🖥️ ✨
If you know anything about the screen resolution, you’ll know that the more pixels across a screen, the more visually pleasing graphics will be. Albeit, the more demanding games will be to run. You see, 4K monitors are considered to be some of the best gaming monitors on the market and are common among hardcore gamers who spend all night battling enemies in their favorite AAA games.
Sadly, 4K requires a very powerful graphics card, something those on a tight budget simply won’t be able to afford. Which raises the question: what is the best resolution for gaming? Also, can gamers on a budget getaway with a screen resolution lower than 4K?
Different Screen Resolutions for Gaming
There are so many different screen resolutions on the market, that deciding on the best resolution for gaming can be a daunting task. Luckily, we have done all the hard work for you by comparing each resolution so that you can make an informed decision on which monitor to buy.
So, here are the different screen resolutions you can find today:
- 1280 x 720—HD/720p.
- 1920 x 1080—FHD (Full HD)/1080p.
- 2560 x 1440—QHD/WQHD (Quad HD /1440p.
- 3840 x 2160—UHD (Ultra HD)/4K 2160p.
- 7680 × 4320—FUHD (Full Ultra HD)/8K 4320p.
Full HD
Many aged gamers may remember when the choice of display technology came down to 720p (HD/HD Ready) vs 1080p (Full HD)—the best monitor resolutions you could get your hands on. In today’s world, display options aren’t as limited, with 1080p being the minimum entry point for gaming in 2020.
Of course, you can still find 720p TVs, but let’s be real here: who wants to use a 720p display while using a high-end GPU or the latest-gen console? Definitely not me!
Back when I was a young gamer playing games I wasn’t supposed to be playing, Full HD displays were a fantastic choice for gaming. Even today they remain as the sweet spot resolution for gaming—why you may be wondering? 1080p displays are now more popular than ever due to how affordable they have become.
You can even pick up an awesome 1080p gaming monitor that supports AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync refresh technologies for stutter-free gaming—fantastic, I know!
Possibly the main reason for its popularity is that modern, more powerful GPUs can achieve high framerates in 1080p—even mid-range graphics cards can achieve considerable framerates. So, you don’t even have to spend a tonne of money to attain 120 Hz, 144 Hz, or 240 Hz in 1080p for responsive and fluid gameplay.
Furthermore, if portability is your main concern, the best portable gaming monitors are mostly FHD. Why? Well, their small size imposes certain hardware limitations which render manufacturers unable to create small portable screens that support higher resolutions.
As it appeals to both gamers who crave performance over visuals, as well as those who don’t have much money in the bank, 1080p remains the most popular resolution to date.
Quad HD
1440p is a nice step up from 1080p, making it a nice sweet spot between FHD and UHD resolutions. Like that one Hannah Montana song, 1440p displays offer the best of both worlds, balancing visuals and performance with their high framerates. Now, you may be wondering: as 1440p is a step up from 1080p, will I require a more powerful GPU? Well, not necessarily.
If you’re thinking about stepping up to 1440p with a mid-range GPU, such as the GTX 1060 Ti, there won’t be a problem whatsoever. Even some weaker models can handle 1440p resolution monitors well. Albeit, weaker GPUs will only be able to handle this resolution at lower framerates, so you’re sacrificing fluidity if you don’t upgrade your GPU.
If your PC can currently handle games at 1080p, hitting the barrier of your monitors refresh rate (60 Hz), then a leap to a 1440p display will drastically enhance your gaming experience. Question is: is there really a noticeable difference between 1080p and 1440p? The answer to that is: it depends.
Before you start shouting at your screens saying: “Of course it makes a difference!” You’re completely correct, but that difference totally depends on many factors. If you own a high-grade GPU, anything from the text on your screen to textures in-game will appear much crisper when making the jump from 1080p to 1440.
Sadly, 144 Hz at 1440p is very taxing, so even a GTX 1060 graphics card won’t suffice unless you set in-game settings to low. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d rather purchase a 1080p monitor with a 144 Hz refresh rate, than a 1440p display at 60 Hz. If you do, however, own a beastly GPU and want to go QHD, feel free to check out the Dell S2716DGR review.
As time goes by, gamers are upgrading to more powerful hardware, making 1440p resolution monitors grow in popularity. Again, whether it’s worth upgrading or not totally depends on your PC, as some gaming computers won’t be able to handle a 144 Hz refresh rate at 1440p. Therefore, it’s up to your GPU and your budget as to whether you make the jump from 1080p or not.
Ultra HD
As technology is advancing so rapidly—with hardware now more powerful than ever—the industry is slowly gravitating towards 4K. Sadly, Ultra HD is a very demanding format that requires flagship hardware and a beast of a gaming PC—even Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti struggles with 4K displays.
Indeed, you can use some weaker graphics cards for 4K gaming, though frame rates will be low and unstable—so upgrading to 4K is pretty pointless if you don’t own one of the best GPUs for gaming.
Therefore, as 4K 144 Hz monitors require such a demanding system to run at an adequate level, it really isn’t worth buying a UHD monitor—at least not yet. Plus, there aren’t many 4K options that have adaptive sync and high refresh rates—those that do cost an arm and a leg that I am currently not willing to sacrifice.
Even with the additional power of the Xbox One S and PS4 Pro, it’s very difficult to render games smoothly at such a high resolution, so it’s best to stick with 1080p or 1440p if you don’t care for stunning visuals. So, you better check out our guide on the best 1440p gaming monitors.
Refresh Rate vs. Resolution
Measured in Hertz (Hz), response time is how many frames a monitor can display per second. As we’ve mentioned, your GPU must be able to handle demanding games, otherwise, you’ll notice stuttering and screen tearing. If, however, you own a powerful graphics card capable of hitting 120 Hz or more, you’ll be able to enjoy a fantastic viewing experience for immersive gameplay.
Response Times vs. Resolution
Measured in milliseconds (Ms), response time is how long it takes a pixel to change from white to black and vice versa, or from one shade of gray to another. In layman’s terms, the faster the response time, the more fluid actions will be on screen.
When it comes to buying a new monitor, we suggest opting for a TN panel that boasts speeds as low as 1ms for fluid visuals. IPS panels, on the other hand, usually comes with a response time of 4ms. For this reason, we don’t suggest going lower than 5ms, as high response time can lead to ghosting issues. Unless, of course, you don’t want the best gaming experience possible.
Final Words
With all of that said, the best resolution for gaming totally depends on two factors: the GPU or console you own, and your budget. If you’re a console gamer, even modern consoles such as the PS4 Pro are limited to 60 Hz—therefore, you can stick with a cheaper 1080p 60 Hz monitor to save yourself some cash.
On the other hand, if you’re a PC gamer with a flagship GPU, you can get away with purchasing a pricey 4K 60 Hz monitor. Though for now, I’d recommend going for a 1080p or 1440p display at 144 Hz if you want to prioritize performance over visuals.
On the topic of 4K monitors, we here at Game Gave have created a list of some of the best 4K gaming monitors —why not take a peek at our best choice, premium pick, and best value options? You might just stumble upon a fantastic UHD display for the best visuals possible.