lcd screen refresh rate pricelist

Modern computer monitors can fluctuate wildly when it comes to price, with some models as cheap as $50 and others costing $1000 or more. In the past, the first computer with a screen was astronomically expensive, but thankfully monitor technology become more accessible, bringing the price down throughout the decades. The average computer monitor costs around $200 – $300. There are some features and functionalities that can severely impact the price so be sure to do some research so you make sure you’re getting the best cheap monitor if you have a lower budget.

Generally speaking, LCD displays are the cheapest type of modern computer monitor. LED displays, which are based on the same technology as their LCD cousins, tend to be slightly more expensive while OLED displays are the most expensive of all. The latter being due to the high-priced components that make up the OLED technology.

If you are using your PC to stream content or to play graphically intensive games, then the refresh rate is an incredibly important consideration. The refresh rate indicates how often your monitor refreshes the screen. As for price, monitors with ultra-high refresh rates, above 120Hz, tend to be more expensive than displays with refresh rates of 75Hz or less.

Certain monitors include additional features that can impact the price. These can include USB hubs, integrated stereo speakers, microphones, ergonomically designed frames, and more. Some monitors also include robust cable management systems, making for a tidy setup. We recommend making a “must-have” list of features before settling on your final purchase.

The best high refresh rate monitors deliver crisp and smooth visuals during your gaming sessions. That doesn"t just mean a more enjoyable experience; it also means you"ll have a winning advantage as a fast display is able to deliver more images per second to keep up with your fast movements, making them great for competitive gaming.

60Hz and 120Hz monitors are hardly obsolete and will more than suffice for most of your viewing needs. However, some situations do call for a higher refresh rate. The best monitors that offer refresh rates 144Hz and faster are the cream of the crop, especially where gamers are concerned. If your PC’s graphics card is putting out higher frame rates, for example, or if a smoother, screen tearing-free gaming experience is much more important than higher resolution gameplay, then a higher refresh rate monitor is a better solution.

We"ve tested many gaming monitors in the last few years, so we know which ones are worth your money. To help you, we found all the best high refresh rate monitors available right now, considering size, budget, and different needs. From 165Hz panels that will serve you well when playing the latest fast-paced PC games to those monitors with a whopping 360Hz refresh rate that will help you rise to the top of the leaderboards, here are our top picks.

High refresh rate monitors may typically cost more, but that doesn’t mean that there aren"t excellent affordable options available. Out of those, the Gigabyte Aorus CV27Q may be the best, offering that fast refresh rate in a QHD package for less than you"d expect. You can count on its reliable 165 Hz refresh rate and adaptive sync to deliver a smooth gaming experience.

The AOC CU34G2X is similar to the Samsung Odyssey G7 in that you get a refresh rate of 144Hz, 1ms response time, and a 1440p resolution. Unlike the Samsung panel, however, this one is much lower in price point, which makes it a fantastic budget option for those who need something cheap.

The Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 comes at a premium, but you’re also paying for more than just its fast refresh rate. A 1440p resolution, DisplayHDR 400, 100% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3 color gamuts, and all the ports you could ask for including one USB-C port — they all make this an impressive display and not just for gamers.

We found that its core image quality bright, vibrant and punchy, while also being natural looking and nicely calibrated right out of the box. Thanks to its fast refresh rate, there’s also almost no visible overshoot or inverse ghosting and very minimal blurring.

While it may need some calibrating out of the box, the Samsung Odyssey G7 is quite the panel. An incredibly fast 240Hz refresh rate paired with a 1440p resolution will make you forget all about those 4K options as this is the sweet spot for a lot of gaming. Even if you don"t notice the difference, but still you"ll have the peace of mind knowing that if you"re hitting up to 240fps in games, your monitor is keeping up.

But, none of that matters if the performance isn’t there. Luckily, the Alienware AW2721D is fast, thanks to that 240Hz refresh rate, delivering sharp, clean, and smooth picture quality. That"s certainly an advantage during fast and hectic gameplay when crisp visuals are crucial to winning.

The Asus TUF VG259QM might be the a speedy little monitor you want if you"re looking for display that can deliver exceptionally smooth performance. Not only does it boast an incredibly fast 280Hz refresh rate, but it also allows you to use G-Sync at the same time as the Asus’ own ELMB or Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync. What you"re getting, therefore, is picture quality that’s incredibly crisp and smooth no matter how fast you’re pushing it.

The MSI Oculux NXG253R is yet another affordable monitor if you"re looking for something that"s incredibly fast. Its 360Hz refresh rate at this price point, however, is especially uncommon, but it does mean don’t have to break the bank to gain access to these blazing fast speeds.

The ASUS ROG Swift PG259QNR might be light on features, but it comes with everything necessary to make the most of its lightning fast performance. That 360Hz refresh rate is already impressive. But, the inclusion of ULMB or Ultra Low Motion Blur, Nvidia G-Sync, and Nvidia’s Reflex Latency Analyzer allows you to fine-tune that speed.

The Alienware AW3423DW is a fantastic option if you"re looking to merge fast refresh rates with OLED technology, which has only recently come to computer and gaming monitors. This display delivers an almost impeccable gaming performance, thanks to its smooth motion processing, 175Hz refresh rate, and quick response time, which makes it a great proposition for gamers who love fast-paced games or do competitive gaming.

You are paying quite a sum for all of that. However, if you can afford it, rest assured you"re getting your money"s worth.How to choose the best high refresh rate monitor for youThere are a couple of caveats to know before you invest in a high refresh rate monitor, however. First, these panels tend to be pricey – or at least, more expensive than their 60Hz and 120Hz counterparts – for the simple reason that they’re more expensive to make. Second, you’ll be sacrificing high resolution to get that high refresh rate.

While there are now 4K displays with 144Hz refresh rate, there are only a few of them out there as it’s fairly new. And, if you want one with an even higher refresh rate, you’re stuck with 1080p and 1440p options. At least, for now. So, if you have a tight budget or if having a 4K screen is a priority, this might not be the best option for you.Round up of today"s best deals

The best high refresh rate monitors are as important a piece of a competitive gaming setup as a great graphics card, mouse, or keyboard. If you want to see the smooth look of a game running at a high refresh rate like 144Hz or 240Hz, a high refresh rate monitor will deliver that experience, and you probably won"t be able to go back to anything lower.

What refresh rate should you be looking for in a potential upgrade? You can feel the difference between even 60Hz and 75Hz monitors, though you start to notice the benefits in-game around 120Hz. We consider the standard for gaming monitors is 144Hz, though 165Hz is common enough with overclocked panels. Beyond that, you have 240Hz and 360Hz, targeting competitive gamers, such as twitch shooter players. These usually come alongside lower resolutions and higher price tags, so you want to be sure you"ll need that snappy response before investing in a 240/360Hz gaming monitor. Don"t even get us started on 480Hz gaming monitors(opens in new tab)that are supposedly coming pretty soon.

Refresh rate is just one element of modern gaming monitors, though, and what else you desire is up to you. Should you go for an IPS or VA panel, for instance. And what about panel, size, shape, and resolution? Is the 16:9 aspect ratio still the most versatile and compatible, or is ultrawide the way? Do curved panels add anything? And what about resolution? 4K? Or does 1440p strike a better balance? Is 1080p obsolete?

We"ve tested each of these high refresh rate gaming monitors in this list to see whether their claims stand up and make sure no compromise has been made to post those sky-high refresh rate claims.

Refresh rate, resolution, black levels, panel size: pick two. That"s been the PC monitor buyer"s dilemma for several years now, since we collectively realised that yes, playing at a higher refresh rate does actually make you better at Counter-Strike. MSI"s latest panel, bearing the catchy moniker Oculux NXG253R, aims to at least address the most common tradeoff in modern gaming panels: refresh rate for colour quality.

Whereas the majority of high refresh rate panels are VA or TN screens with limited viewing angle and shallow colours, MSI"s latest is built around an IPS panel, with all the inky blacks and rich colours that technology brings with it. Traditionally IPS has been slower to the party since it"s costlier to manufacture high refresh rate panels, but evidently enough of us are sold on 120Hz and beyond.360Hz does look and feel smoother than 120Hz.

At enthusiast level, there"s still just a sense of pure enjoyment in watching Overwatch or Quake Champions zip along. Anecdotally, I found D.Va"s out-of-suit pistol combat that bit easier with frames and refresh rate way up at 300 (the game"s capped there) since my targets were always where my screen told me they were. In similarly frenetic Quake Champions matches, I pulled off Ranger"s tricky teleport kill with a bit more ease, too.

But something to bear in mind: you still need the GPU to get your frame rate up there in the hundreds in order to feel the benefit of that 360Hz refresh.

This being an IPS panel with typically darker blacks, it definitely looks more vivid in-game than even a good TN screen, and the colours hold up at any viewing angle. You"ve got a few preset brightness and color balance modes to cycle between on the OSD, arranged by genre. FPS is super-bright and saturated, racing is a bit more subdued by contrast. Out of the box, the default colour and brightness settings are easy on the eye and really sell the IPS benefit.

The Oculux NXG253R"s mandate is sound, then, but there are still compromises made in this pricey 1080p monitor in order to optimise esports performance. The most obvious are the screen size and resolution, 24.5-inch and 1080p respectively. You could certainly argue that nobody"s getting 360 fps at 4K in… well, anything outside of CS:GO or MOBAs, and quite rightly so. But spending this much on a monitor that won"t even give you 1440p feels like a serious tradeoff, and that resolution dictates a smaller panel size. Nobody wants to see the individual pixels at 1080p on a 32-inch screen.

This monitor isn’t perfect. But it is dramatically better than any LCD-based monitor by several gaming-critical metrics. And it’s a genuine thrill to use. Of course, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. First, we need to cover off the basics.

What makes the AW3423DW far superior to your typical LCD panel on a PC gaming monitor is the near-percent color saturation and screen brightness capable of hitting a peak brightness of 1000 nits. It"s done all this while providing a ridiculously fast 175Hz refresh rate and a response time of .1ms. It might just be the best 3440 x 1440p gaming monitor we"ve ever used, and, boy, do we look at a lot of ultrawide.

Common to all OLED tech are two critical advantages over any LCD panel, namely contrast and response. Put simply, every pixel in an OLED panel is its own light source, which can be turned completely off, essentially delivering ‘true’ black levels and more or less infinite contrast. There’s no need for any of that complicated, problematic local dimming to stop the light from leaking through an LCD panel. OLED is the real HDR deal.

Not only is it OLED, it’s also Samsung’s hot new QD-LED tech, which combines the ideal RGB subpixel structure with quantum dot technology to produce both excellent color saturation and an even brighter panel. Net result? Alienware is claiming both an impressive 99.3 percent coverage of the demanding DCI-P3 color space and fully 1,000 nits brightness, albeit that brightness level can only be achieved on a small portion of the panel, not across the entire screen.

Unlike LCD monitors with claimed HDR capability, this OLED screen needs to be in HDR mode to do its thing. And that applies to SDR content, too. Alienware has provided two HDR modes, HDR 400 True Black and HDR Peak 1000. The latter enables that maximum 1,000 nit performance in small areas of the panel but actually looks less vibrant and punchy most of the time.

Why, exactly, does the AOC Agon AG273QXP run at 170Hz refresh? Is it a cynical marketing move designed to give AOC’s latest gaming panel a superficial edge over the usual 165Hz suspects? Is there some specific technical reason for the extra 5Hz?

It’s a pity to be distracted by such trivia because the AOC Agon AG273QXP has loads going for it. That 170Hz panel is a 1440p IPS item, making it a goldilocks model for modern gaming. Not too many pixels. Not too few. But just the right balance between visual detail and frame rate.

Cyberpunk 2077 looks glorious, that’s for sure. The Agon sports a pretty decent HDR implementation, too. At least it does for an HDR 400 panel that lacks local dimming. Like any other HDR 400 screen, it’s not a true HDR experience. But this is still a great high refresh rate monitor.

1080p not your bag? Better jog on as the Acer Predator XB253QGX won’t be for you. It isn’t really for most of us, either, given 1440p is a better all-around compromise for most gamers from a purely visual point. But if ultra-low latency and frames rates high enough to give you a nosebleed sounds like your thing, this 1080p 25-incher should be on your shortlist.

It’s very similar to the Alienware 25 but clocks in at a mere 240Hz to the Alienware’s outrageous 360Hz. In truth, only the most demanding esports addicts will be able to tell the difference. But if you are that sensitive to latency, the Acer’s 1080p resolution actually makes sense. After all, the fewer the pixels, the higher your frame rate.

As it happens, this Acer is slightly more vibrant than the ostensibly identical Lenovo Legion Y25-25, even if it isn’t as punchy as the much pricier Alienware. As with many screens of this type, you can fine-tune pixel response through an overdrive setting. Predictably, the most aggressive setting introduces some ghosting. But set to medium, this is a very quick IPS monitor. That said, even with a claimed MPRT response time of just 0.5ms, this is not an entirely blur-free monitor. That’s LCD technology for you.

Of course, it’s in pure visual punch where a 1080p panel like this stumbles. There’s significantly less detail on offer than a 1440p monitor, much less a 4K screen. This would not be our weapon of choice for soaking up the sheer spectacle of Cyberpunk 2077, that’s for sure.

There’s an elephant in this high refresh rate monitor round-up. And it’s the inevitable question of diminishing returns. When, exactly, do they kick in? 165Hz? 240Hz? How about 360Hz? Oh yes, this updated Alienware 25 is good for the full 360. In purely experiential and subjective terms, it’s not easy to separate it from otherwise similar 1080p IPS monitors that hum along at a comparatively pedestrian 240Hz refresh. They all feel swift.

Of course, esports aficionados with ninjascopic reflexes will appreciate the difference. And there’s certainly no penalty to pay, given this IPS panel. It’s not like you’re forced to suffer a dingy TN panel to have all those Hz. As for pixel response, it’s about as good as IPS monitors get, though once again hard to really separate from the cheaper 240Hz brigade.

But it’s actually Alienware’s other qualities that set it apart. For starters, this is the brightest and punchiest of the 25-inch bunch. The integrated Nvidia G-Sync chip also makes for a noticeably smoother low-frame-rate experience than a mere G-Sync ‘Compatible’ or FreeSync display. Ironic, given the 360Hz refresh is the main attraction.

That works out at over a billion per second at 144Hz, which just so happens to be the refresh rate of the Acer Predator XB273K, Acer’s more affordable 4K gaming panel. Compared to the pricier Acer Predator X27, it lacks local dimming, delivers lower peak brightness, and is merely G-Sync ‘Compatible’. So, there’s no Nvidia G-Sync module onboard.

None of which is to say this screen lacks appeal. No, siree. Once you’ve seen Cyberpunk 2077 running in full IPS-plus-4K glory, you won’t want to go back to 1440p, let alone crummy old 1080p. The problem is the philosophical incompatibility between maximizing image quality and frame rates at the same time. You can’t really have both. Not even with, say, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080(opens in new tab).

In other words, while this monitor is capable of 144Hz, you’re not going to get near those kinds of frame rates in the prettiest games. And if you’re not bothered about prettiness, you probably don’t need 4K if you follow. It’s a very nice screen, this Acer Predator XB273K, and better value than its Acer Predator X27 sibling, but it still doesn’t make much sense for this kind of money.

Unfortunately, the Viewsonic VX2718-2KPC-MHD is a VA screen slightly out of the old school, despite delivering a 165Hz refresh. Crank this 27-inch, 1440p curved monitor over for the first time, and it doesn’t bode well. In fact, the VX2718-2KPC-MHD is a bit of a blurry mess. It does improve with a little time and temperature. But even fully warmed up, it’s simply not as quick as the latest IPS panels. Or, for that matter, the implied performance of the 1ms MPRT response specification.

Incidentally, the VX2718-2KPC-MHD ‘1ms’ mode does little to improve response, but it does crush brightness and vibrancy pretty effectively. While we’re beating on Viewsonic’s latest, we note it lacks a refresh rate counter. It’s a small detail, but it’s also a handy feature to ensure that you’re running at the right refresh rate and confirm that adaptive sync is enabled.

Elsewhere, the stand feels a bit cheap and only offers tilt adjustment, while the external PSU adds to clutter. Meanwhile, as the 250cd/m2 brightness rating implies, this screen won’t exactly sear your retinas.

This isn’t to imply this screen has nothing to offer. The 1440p native resolution on a 27-inch panel is a sweet combo for balancing frame rates with in-game detail, while the VA panel tech delivers plenty of contrast. Of course, as 1440p 165Hz monitors go, it’s competitively priced, but the mediocre response and lack of punch might feel a bit too budget for most.

The Lenovo also has pretty sweet build quality with a lush alloy stand, full adjustability including height, tilt, rotate and swivel, plus styling that little bit slicker and more grown-up than your average, rather adolescent, gaming peripheral. The integrated, rather than external, power supply likewise soothes our collective OCD, and G-Sync compatibility is welcome if expected in this class of screen.

So what, exactly, is the problem? Basic image quality, that’s what. The Lenovo Legion Y25-25 is just a little bit dingier, a little duller than the competition. It’s unclear if it uses a different panel from the Acer and Alienware. But for sure, its colors are less vibrant, and games look less immersive. In isolation, and given the esports remit, that argument doesn’t matter. This certainly isn’t a terrible-looking screen, but when you can have all of Lenovo’s upsides, plus better basic image quality, elsewhere it is a bit of a non-starter of a monitor.

High refresh rate gaming monitor FAQWhat"s the best PC monitor panel type for gaming?If in doubt, go IPS. There are now VA screens with good response speed, like the fabulous MSI MPG ARTYMIS 343CQR. But IPS more consistently delivers the goods and is now sufficiently fast in terms of refresh rate that you absolutely needn"t settle for TN anymore.What refresh rate do you really need for PC gaming?If you"re asking the question, 144Hz is probably plenty. Esports fiends who will really appreciate higher refresh rates already know who they are and what they want. And that answer is likely getting on for 240Hz these days.What"s the best resolution for a gaming monitor?With the latest unobtainable graphics cards, 4K gaming at high triple-digit refresh rates is a stretch in the most demanding games. So, 1440p (at either 16:9 or 21:9 aspect ratio) is probably the better compromise. 1080p is only of interest to those who demand the very highest frame rates for competitive shooters.Should I buy a curved gaming monitor?For our money, curved panels make the most sense in larger formats and with super-wide 21:9 or wider panels. A curved panel on, say, a smaller 27-inch 16:9 panel isn"t necessarily a bad thing. But, nor does it really add much to the experience.Does HDR matter for PC gaming monitors?The problem with HDR in this context is that few LCD monitors offer a true HDR experience. What"s more, monitors with HDR-boosting local dimming remain painfully pricey and for what is really only marginal benefit. That said, HDR certification usually ensures high brightness, and HDR 600 and beyond requires wide color support.G-Sync or FreeSync: which adaptive screen tech is best?We think screens with Nvidia"s G-Sync module built-in have the edge when it comes to smooth performance at lower frame rates. At higher frame rates, mere G-Sync compatibility is fine, and AMD"s FreeSync is likewise much of a muchness.Round up of today"s best deals

23.8" LED-backlit LCD monitor / FHD (1920x1080) resolution IPS display / 178° (H) 178° (V) viewing angle / 250 cd/m² brightness / 5ms (GTG) response time (in FAST mode) / 1xUSB‑C input (video/audio/60W charging capability), 1xDisplayPort (in), 1xDisplayPort (out) with MST, 1xHDMI, 1xUSB‑C output (data/15W charging capability), 3xSuperSpeed 10Gbps USB Type A ports / 1xDisplayPort, 1xUSB-C to USB Type A cable included / 3 year system/panel warranty

A 24-inch PC monitor with the ability to update its image 500 times per second will be available soon, Asus and Nvidia announced Tuesday. The monitor should boost desktop monitors from the 360 Hz max native refresh rate they see today while putting a mysterious new spin on an old panel technology.

Aptly named the Asus ROG Swift 500 Hz Gaming Monitor, it manages high refresh rates with lower resolution. The 1920×1080 screen leverages a new take on TN (twisted nematic) panels called E-TN, with the "E" standing for esports. According to Asus, the E-TN panel offers "60 percent better response times than standard TN panels," and in its own announcement, Nvidia claimed the E-TN panel brings "maximum motion and clarity." But neither detailed how the technology differs from regular TN.

Nvidia claimed that when paired with a system that can push 500 frames per second—which, of course, is no short order—you would be able to track movement more easily. In a video Nvidia shared claiming to demonstrate the benefits of 500 Hz, it showed a virtual character moving across the screen on a 144 Hz, 240 Hz, and 500 Hz display, and motion appeared jumpier with the lower refresh rates and framerates.

In addition to Nvidia G-Sync, which helps fight screen tears when your Nvidia graphics card"s framerate and the monitor"s refresh rate don"t match up, Asus" 500 Hz monitor will have Nvidia"s latency analyzer, Reflex. Nvidia claimed that playing a game on the monitor that also supports Reflex "can further reduce system latency," which you could then measure with the monitor"s Reflex feature.

The upcoming display also supports Nvidia Vibrance Mode, which is made for gaming and "allows more light to travel through the LCD crystals, giving colors new levels of vibrancy and allowing you to pick out details and highlights that might give away an enemy’s position," Asus claimed.

Shopping for a new TV used to be just a matter of TV brand and screen size. These days, there’s way more to consider, like the different types of display technology, HDR support, and smart features.

One label that you’re sure to see on just about every TV box is refresh rate. It’s a hardware specification that describes how motion is handled on any given TV. Before you buy your next TV, it’s worth taking this spec into consideration—particularly if you’re an avid gamer or sports fan who watches a lot of fast-paced action. We"ll help dispel the mysteries of this technology to help you make the right decision.

To put it in the simplest terms, a display’s refresh rate describes the number of times per second the display resets the image, whether you’re shopping for a TV or a computer monitor. The refresh rate is measured in Hertz (Hz).

Essentially, the higher your display"s refresh rate, the less amount of time that will pass between each individual video frame being displayed on screen. Higher refresh rates mean that a TV or monitor can display more frames per second (fps) which, depending on the content it"s fed, could affect how smooth and pleasing your video looks.

There are essentially two types of common refresh rates available when it comes to contemporary TVs: 60Hz and 120Hz. Generally, 60Hz TVs are more affordable than 120Hz TVs because the 120Hz spec is usually found on TVs that offer premium hardware and software features in addition to higher-quality motion handling.

In 2022, TCL and Samsung both announced TVs with a 144Hz native refresh rate. This spec has been available in some computer monitors for years, and in fact, some monitors offer native refresh rates that go much higher, up to 360Hz.

While the refresh rate describes the number of frames of video per second a particular TV or monitor is capable of displaying, the frame rate describes the playback speed (in seconds) of a piece of video content. The frame rate of a piece of video content will be listed in fps (frames per second). A frame rate that divides cleanly into a TV’s refresh rate will make video smoother to watch.

For example, broadcast television in the U.S. plays at a standard 30fps (actually just below this at 29.97fps), which fits nicely into a 60Hz TV"s refresh rate. However, most movies are shot at 24 frames per second (fps), which was settled upon in the early days of film. This is the frame rate you"ll likely see when you pop in a Blu-ray disc or a film on streaming service. If you settle in to watch a movie on Netflix, you"re probably watching something at 24fps.

The problem is, the average 60Hz TV can"t render native 24fps content without a little bit of help, since every three seconds the TV gets out of sync. To combat this, many modern 60Hz TVs use a telecine technique called 3:2 pulldown, where frames are doubled in alternating sequences in order to "meet up" with the display"s 60Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, 3:2 pulldown usually results in a motion artifact called judder, where some sequences during playback can have a stuttering or skipping effect.

While many modern 60Hz TVs do 3:2 pulldown so successfully that you probably won"t notice the amount of judder in most scenarios, you can save yourself any trouble by purchasing a 120Hz TV. That"s because 24fps divides evenly (5 times) into a 120Hz refresh rate.

In addition, if you"ve recently bought a next-gen gaming console, you"re likely going to be displaying content at much higher frame rates than film or broadcast TV. This is where having a TV with a higher refresh rate can really pay off.

Currently, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are all capable of displaying 4K games at 120fps, and while there aren’t very many games yet that hit this benchmark, you can expect to see more of them in the coming years. If you"re a PC gamer who wants to play on the big screen, you"ll also reap the benefits from a 120Hz TV, as high frame-rate games have been available in that ecosystem for quite some time.

If you own one of these consoles but don’t own a TV with a native 120Hz refresh rate, you won’t have the best possible gaming experience at your fingertips. That"s not to mention other gaming advantages that often come with premium TVs, like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

Regardless of frame rate, higher refresh rates tend to eliminate blur from fast motion, which isn’t just valuable for gaming: It also matters during high-action content, like sports. Because 120Hz TVs check for new information twice as often as 60Hz TVs, they can sometimes render particular sequences in sports with more clarity.

All of the options in our round-up of the best gaming TVs feature a native refresh rate of 120Hz, and several of the picks in our round-up of the best TVs do, as well.

Ah, refresh rates. If you’re looking to get the most out of your e-sports games, listen up. Most monitors aren’t set up with the highest option straight out of the box, which means you might be missing out on some buttery smooth gameplay. So, whether you’re looking to increase your refresh rate for the ultimate gaming experience or figure out which one is is best for you and your play style, we’ve got all the answers here. Read on to learn more.

The refresh rate is how quickly a monitor can pull up a new image. In other words, the higher the refresh rate, the smoother the visuals will look on your screen. Essentially, it reduces annoying flickering or stuttering in faster-paced games. Higher refresh rates matter more if you’re playing action-packed games like Cyberpunk 2077 as opposed to older titles like Minecraft, which are less demanding on your computer’s system. However, when it comes to picking a monitor with a specific refresh rate, it really depends on what you plan on using it for. Are you a casual gamer or are you looking to dip your toes in the competitive arena?

If you’re just watching movies or browsing the web, a monitor with a high refresh rate isn’t going to impact the visuals all that much. If you’re playing intense first-person shooters, then a higher refresh rate will definitely improve your gameplay. Your monitor needs to be able to keep up with a GPU that’s shelling out 100 frames-per-second, though. They need to work in tandem. If your GPU is pumping out a bazillion frames-per-second and your monitor isn’t refreshing fast enough, you’ll experience screen tearing, which is when the image looks like it’s being split in two.

Checking or changing your monitor’s refresh rate is simple. If you’re using Windows 10 or 11, press the Windows + I buttons to access the Settings menu (you can also open it from the Start menu). From there, click on Display Settings and then scroll down to Advanced Display Settings. This is where you’ll find the monitor’s model number, the current refresh rate, and other supported refresh rates. By selecting Choose a Refresh Rate, a drop-down menu with supported refresh rates will appear. Try different options to find your preferred refresh rate.

The sweet spot for a monitor with a solid refresh rate depends on what kind of gamer you consider yourself to be. For those who want to try out competitive gaming, I recommend a monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate because it’s a decent starting point. They’re not outrageously expensive (many of them often go on sale) and they work well with first-person-shooter games, which rely on fast reaction times. For casual gamers, 60Hz is perfectly acceptable.

As someone who spends almost every night on Final Fantasy XIV, I can say with confidence that my Acer R221Q monitor gets the job done. It has a max refresh rate of 60Hz, which is fine for this type of game. You don’t need to worry about fast reaction times in MMOs. Still, when I’m in the middle of a dungeon, I don’t experience any stuttering or screen tearing. Plus, these monitors are more affordable than other options. That said, the jump from 60Hz to 144Hz is noticeably better.

The GPU’s frame rate is entirely separate from the monitor’s refresh rate. FPS (aka frames-per-second) is the number of frames your GPU is making. The refresh rate is how frequently the monitor updates the image on the screen. If your GPU’s frame rate is higher than your monitor’s refresh rate, you’re going to run into some problems. When the two aren’t lining up, you’ll experience the wackiness of screen tearing, where two different images will show up at once. VSync technology fixes this by essentially forcing the GPU and monitor to get along by synchronizing them.

High refresh rate monitors have become all the rage in recent years, showing up in many of the best gaming monitors and the best 4K displays. But do you actually need a high-refresh gaming monitor?

Although a high refresh rate can indeed do wonders for gamers, a higher number isn’t better for everyone. Depending on what you use your computer for, it might be a better idea to look at screen resolution, the panel type, and color accuracy. To help you know what to look for, we’ve broken down what a high refresh rate does, what it doesn’t do, and why it’s important.

Hz stands for hertz, which is a unit of frequency. Regardless of the context, 1Hz equals one cycle per second. So, you may see a computer processor that runs at 4GHz, meaning it completes 4,000,000,000 instruction cycles per second. The same thing is true for monitors, except Hz measures something known as the refresh rate.

Refresh rate is the number of times per second a display refreshes its image. Since movement is displayed by the difference between frames, the refresh rate effectively places a hard cap on the framerate that’s visible. That said, refresh rate is not the same as framerate. Refresh rate is an attribute of the monitor, while framerate is an attribute of the information being sent to it. They have to agree on just what is being shown on screen.

If you can run a game at 100 frames per second, you may see a tangible benefit from playing it on a monitor that can refresh that many times per second. But if you’re watching a movie at a classic 24 fps, a higher refresh rate monitor won’t make any difference.

If your computer can play a game at a high enough framerate to match a 120Hz or 240Hz monitor, you’ll see a noticeable change in the perceived sharpness of a moving image. Blurring occurs because of how the human brain processes the set of individual frames a monitor displays. The brain blurs together the series of frames to create a sensible moving picture, but some detail is lost along the way.

A higher refresh rate helps to decrease the blur by giving our brains more information to act on, in turn reducing perceived blur. However, unlike computer hardware, our brains aren’t all made to the same specification. Some people notice the difference between a 60Hz and 120Hz display immediately, while others can’t see what everyone is all worked up about. The difference between 120Hz and 240Hz is even more subtle.

Because refresh rates and framerates are very different things, they can often mismatch. That’s when something called screen tearing can occur. It tends to happen when a computer’s video card is spitting out frames at a rate well beyond the refresh rate of the monitor connected to it. Because more frames are being rendered than the monitor can handle, half-frames are sometimes shown together on the screen, manifesting as an obvious split between two portions of it, neither of which appears to line up correctly with the other. It’s a distracting problem that even the least sensitive viewer will usually notice.

In games that aren’t particularly taxing, framerates can often exceed 100 fps. However, a 60Hz display only refreshes 60 times per second. This means gamers are not fully benefiting from the enhanced responsiveness of the higher framerate and may notice tearing as the display fails to keep up with the data fed to it. A 120Hz display refreshes twice as quickly as a 60Hz display, so it can display up to 120 fps, and a 240Hz display can handle up to 240 fps. This will eliminate tearing in most games.

Although you always run the risk of screen tearing with a framerate above your refresh rate, it’s only to a certain point. In games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive,where framerates are often well about 100 fps, there are more, smaller tears. A single tear is easy to notice, but several minor ones don’t register for most people.

Frame syncing technologies like V-Sync, Freesync, and G-Sync also help prevent screen tearing, but they have their own drawbacks. V-Sync will cap performance. Freesync and G-Sync, meanwhile, require specific combinations of video card and monitor hardware. These technologies are getting better, but they still require some key choices about GPUs and displays.

Syncing technologies are designed to work with GPUs to help solve issues like screen tearing, but that’s far from the only role GPUs play in display performance. If you want 120 to 144Hz or higher performance, you also need a GPU that can keep up with your gaming.

You can also play less detailed games, or lower the in-game settings to get higher framerates to take better advantage of a high refresh rate display.

The refresh rate of a monitor has an impact on input lag. A 60Hz display, for example, will never have a visible lag below 16.67 milliseconds, because that’s the amount of time that passes from one refresh to the next. A 120Hz display halves that time to 8.33ms, and a 240Hz display further reduces it to 4.16ms.

It’s important to note here that the refresh rate has nothing to do with input lag. Whenever you click your mouse or input a keystroke, your PC still receives and processes it at the same rate. The refresh rate just has to do with how quickly you see the result of your action on screen, compromising the entire input chain.

We think that gamers will see a more significant benefit in switching to a high refresh rate monitor than they will in upgrading to 4K since doing both can be quite expensive as well as taxing on your hardware. 120Hz or 144Hz displays deliver smoother, tear-free gaming with less input lag. This improved performance is especially beneficial in games where fast inputs are vital to winning and in games with competitive fighters or shooters, including Fortnite, Overwatch, Mortal Kombat, and others in these genres.

The best way to get an understanding of how this feature works is by physically witnessing motion demos on screens in an actual store. Thus, you will be able to make a more informed decision on whether to upgrade.

If you’re a non-gamer, higher refresh rates supply an almost unnoticeable change in your system’s overall performance. It will make your desktop appear smoother when surfing the web, but you won’t see much improvement beyond that. Televisions with 120Hz or 240Hz panels further improve motion quality with image processors that change their input. Some can even add frames, which increases the framerate of content. In contrast, monitors don’t usually have a processor, which minimizes the panel’s benefit when watching video content. An improved refresh rate also does not guarantee to eliminate “ghosting.”

Ultimately, we think that dedicated gamers will definitely benefit from upgrading their systems with high refresh rate displays. If you aren’t an avid gamer, there are plenty of features that will better fulfill your non-gamer desires.

High refresh rate displays have taken on and it’s no surprise that manufacturers are responding to consumer demand with 90Hz, 120Hz, and even 144Hz panels with full HD and 2K resolution.

These displays can, however, be excessively harsh on batteries and that’s where the difference between a high refresh rate and a variable refresh rate (VRR) screen comes in.

Screens with a variable refresh rate can slow down refreshing themselves based on the content being displayed and thus conserve battery. For instance, if you are viewing a static picture or are sifting through images in your gallery app, there is no reason for the display to keep refreshing 90 times or 120 times every second; instead, a 1 fps or 15fps refresh would do just fine.

The variable refresh rate has been a staple gaming monitor feature for ages but there are several limitations when implementing the same concept on smartphones.

Let’s talk about some issues with VRR implementation on smartphones. To start with, Most Android-based user interfaces target just 60Hz. Also, DDICs (Display driver ICs) currently in use for smartphone displays reportedly doesn’t support variable refresh rates.

The variable refresh rate on modern phones is basically mode switching – the phone senses the screen content and switches to a specific refresh rate mode. This implies that a phone may be able to run at 48 Hz or at 60Hz but not at any in-between frequency like 55Hz or 58Hz.

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra was the first phone to include a ‘dynamic variable refresh rate’. It does so by using HOP (Hybrid Oxide and Polycrystalline silicon) display panel that has faster switching transistors in the display backplane and also by using display driver-level optimizations.

As AnandTechdiscovered, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra switches from true variable refresh rate to mode-switching VRR based on variables like ambient light, set display brightness, and content brightness.

Xiaomi’s AdaptiveSync variable display implementation is even rawer. The IPS LCD displays on Xiaomi and Poco phones simply switch between 6 or 7 presets – 144Hz, 120Hz, 90Hz, 60Hz, 50Hz, 48Hz, and 30Hz. The company, however, claims a similar reduction in battery drain and that’s perhaps what matters.

That’s also how Apple implemented VRR on iPad Pros and Macbook Pros in 2016 where the screen could dial down to a constant 30Hz from standard 60Hz for static content and this helped conserve battery.

Such implementations that support refreshes below 60Hz help conserve some battery and we will consider such phones under True Variable Refresh Rate or Dynamic Refresh Rate phone because they are being marketed as such.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (review) is the first Samsung phone to support a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate at a full 2K resolution. The Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 also get variable refresh rates, but it isn’t dynamic and switching takes place in fewer present modes (48Hz, 60Hz, 96Hz, 120Hz).

iPhone 13 Pro Max sports a 6.7 inch 120Hz ProMotion display which is a fancy way of saying this handset has got an adaptive refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz. Now, 120Hz works on the iOS system interface, stock apps, and while you scroll content in 3rd party apps. Having said that the support for games and in-app motions and interactions would hit 120Hz only when the developer updates them. Most devs should be already on it.

Samsung recently announced its latest foldable devices – the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G in India. Both these phones come with Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED displays which not just fold but also manage to deliver a 120Hz refresh rate.

This display called Infinity Flex Display folds in half and you get a 6.2-inch screen on the surface. That cover panel is plenty big to use as a regular phone. Turn on the screen, you would be greeted by the OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11 with tailored software tweaks.

To justify its leap to a truly premium price segment, OnePlus has worked on improving the display of its phones. OnePlus 9 Pro has curved AMOLED screens with high-refresh-rate. It has a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and HDR10+ picture quality.

Off the two Pixels, the 6 Pro has got a curved screen. This is a trend wherein brands tend to use waterfall displays on their top-end model, perhaps because it appears more premium than flat. Anyhoo, this is a 6.7-inch OLED screen with a QHD+ resolution, 512ppi, 120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate (10Hz to 120Hz), HDR support, and Gorilla Glass Victus shield on top.

Xiaomi’s flagship phone for the year also sports a curved edge screen that measures 6.81-inches diagonally. It is an AMOLED display in nature with a resolution of 3200×1440 pixels, a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 1700 nits. Now the refresh rate can vary between 30Hz and 120Hz, although if the content on the screen is 30Hz/60Hz, then the screen will stick to the 60Hz limit. This is to save power.

Asus ROG Phone 5 is one of the few phones with a 144Hz AMOLED display in the country. Now, when the refresh rate is set to Auto within Display Settings, the panel will switch between 60Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz. Rest, it’s a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel that’s protected by Gorilla Glass 6. It sports an optical under-display fingerprint scanner, DCI-P3 color scale, HDR10, and SDR to HDR upscaling.

The X70 Pro+ 5G is one of the most exciting phones launched in 2021 in India and yes it has curved edges on both sides. The Vivo X70 Pro+ 5G (review) comes with a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with curved edges that look really mesmerizing from every angle. It is of 1440 x 3200-pixel resolution and is capable of an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The Samsung E5 LTPO AMOLED panel can dynamically switch back and forth between 1 to 120 hertz. Vivo also uses an “all-new fluorite AG coating” to ensure a smooth surface that is smudge-free.

iQOO 8 Pro sports a large 6.78-inch 2K Samsung E5 AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 20:9 aspect ratio, 92.2 percent screen-to-body ratio, 517 PPI, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1.07 billion colors, and DCI-P3 color gamut. The ARR will be between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the on-screen content.

Realme GT Neo 2 5G has got a 6.62-inch E4 AMOLED screen with a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz (60-120Hz) and 600Hz touch sampling rate. The panel is FHD+ resolution as well comes with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, HDR10+ capability, and 1300nits peak brightness.

The bezels surrounding the screen have been kept to the minimum endowing a 85.7% screen-to-body ratio. The left cornered punch-hole cutout also is unobtrusive. Rest, here under the display, you get a fingerprint reader and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top.

Find X3 Pro’s OLED display has a neat trick up its sleeve. It is capable of presenting more than a billion colors out of the photos taken using the on-device camera. This is far ahead of the 16.7 million colors you’d see on a contemporary display. As for the display specs, it is 6.7-inches in size, has Quad HD+ resolution, VRR up to 120Hz, up to 1300nits peak brightness, HDR 10+ standard, 100% DCI-P3, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Now that screen refresh rate can switch between 1Hz and 120Hz dynamically. It will be in the lower end whence the device is in idle mode.

Whether it is for professional graphic designing, gaming, or general computing requirements, a high-quality monitor can deliver an engaging viewing experience. Available in a wide range of options, these devices offer you the flexibility to choose the one as needed. You can decide based on their size, screen resolution, panel type, display type, and technology. You can also choose based on their design and mounting, webcam, and additional features. So, whether you are bored of your old monitor or need an upgrade to take advantage of the sophisticated software, you can browse and find the right screen for your requirements. Several brands, such as Dell, Acer, LG, HP, BenQ, and many more offer a myriad of options to choose from.

You can go ahead with a basic monitor if you only need it to get you through the day and help you send emails, post on social networks, surf the web, pay bills, watch films, and so on. For these uses, adequate-size screens with full HD displays are easily available. Heavy games demand displays with high resolution, a good response time, a fast refresh rate, and a wide viewing angle of up to 178 degrees or more. And, if you are a gaming enthusiast, you can search for AMD FreeSync or NVIDIA G-Sync technology for an engrossing gaming experience. Some gamers also search for two gaming monitors or a truly widescreen display to enjoy an enhanced view. For photographers, graphic designers, animators, coders, and other multimedia specialists, widescreen displays with Full HD or Quad HD resolution can be suitable. The IPS panel and other display technologies provide wide viewing angles and excellent colour accuracy. You will also need to think about response time, mounts, stands, and so on for an improved viewing experience. If you want to buy this device for work, such as working on spreadsheets or collaborating with coworkers, an LED or IPS display with Full HD resolution will be ideal.

If you want to enjoy high-quality pictures, you need a display with up to 1920x1080p Full HD display and more. But, a QHD or up to 4K variant will deliver more sharp and clear images. As far as the size is concerned, up to 81.28 cm (32) devices are enough for viewing from average desktop distances. You can find up to 81.28 cm (32) 4K gaming or general use displays. The refresh rate, which is measured in hertz, indicates how many times your display updates with new information every second (Hz). A large number delivers smooth images. Gamers desire a display with a refresh rate of at least 75 Hz as well as the shortest response time possible. But, if you are not a gamer, a refresh rate of 60 Hz should suffice. Curved displays are less eye-straining and have a large field of view. And, these displays are often wide, which indicates high performance. So, you can buy monitors online and enhance your overall viewing experience.

The cheapest monitors are still TN (twisted nematic), which are strictly for gaming or office use. VA (vertical alignment) monitors are also relatively cheap, while offering good brightness and a high contrast ratio. However, content creators will probably want an IPS (in-plane switching) LCD display that delivers better color accuracy, image quality and viewing angles.

If maximum brightness is important, a quantum dot LCD display is the way to go — those are typically found in larger displays. OLED monitors are now available and offer the best blacks and color reproduction, but they lack the brightness of LED or quantum dot displays. Plus, they cost a lot. The latest type of OLED monitor, called QD-OLED from Samsung, just came out this year. The most notable advantage is that it can get a lot brighter, with monitors shown at CES 2022 hitting up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness.

In this day and age, screen size rules. Where 24-inch displays used to be more or less standard (and can still be useful for basic computing), 27-, 32-, 34- and even 42-inch displays have become popular for entertainment, content creation and even gaming these days.

A 4K monitor is nearly a must for content creators, and some folks are even going for 5K or all the way up to 8K. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll need a pretty powerful computer to drive all those pixels. And 4K resolution should be paired with a screen size of 27 inches and up, or you won’t notice much difference between 1440p. At the same time, I wouldn’t get a model larger than 27 inches unless it’s 4K, as you’ll start to see pixelation if you’re working up close to the display.

Refresh rate is a key feature, particularly on gaming monitors. A bare minimum nowadays is 60Hz, and 80Hz refresh rates and up are much easier on the eyes. However, most 4K displays top out at 60Hz with some rare exceptions and the HDMI 2.0 spec only supports 4K at 60Hz, so you’d need at least DisplayPort 1.4 (4K at 120Hz) or HDMI 2.1. The latter is now available on a number of monitors, particularly gaming displays. However, it’s only supported on the latest NVIDIA RTX 3000- and 4000-series, AMD RX 6000-series GPUs.

The monitor with the best balance of size, refresh rate and color accuracy is Samsung’s $160 27-inch 1080p T35F. It’s good for business or light gaming and content work, thanks to the IPS panel and 75Hz refresh rate. Plus, it’s fairly attractive and modern looking. There are some things you don’t get at that price, of course – it can only tilt and has an HDMI 1.4 connection.

If you’re fine with a smaller display and are more into gaming, another solid option is LG’s 24-inch 24GL600F. It offers a high 144Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync support, a 1ms response time and low input lag. You also get HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, but like the T35F, there’s no height adjustment.

If gaming is more your thing, the $300 Gigabyte G27QC is a top pick. The 27-inch, 1440p curved monitor has an ideal size and resolution for gaming, and it has a quick 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. You can connect via HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 connections and get HDR support – albeit, without DisplayHDR certification.

Sometimes speed rules over size and resolution, and the $500 24.5-inch 1080p ASUS ROG Swift PG256QN is fast. It maxes out at a 360Hz refresh rate (with NVIDIA G-Sync support) and 1ms GtG response time. At the same time, you get 1.07 billion colors with HDR support (up to 400 nits brightness) so you can see your enemies quickly and clearly. Other niceties include a fully adjustable stand, ASUS’s GamePlus Hotkey Enhancements and a large heatsink.

The best 4K gaming monitor under $1,000 is Dell’s G3223Q 4K 32-inch HDR 144Hz monitor because of the speed, brightness and compatibility. It has an IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms GtG response time, 95 percent DCI-P3 coverage and DisplayHDR 600 certification. Plus, it comes with a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports and is both FreeSync and G-Sync compatible.

In general, monitor compatibility issues with MacBooks and Macs are a thing of the past, though you can still experience issues with things like refresh rates, particularly on M1 Macs. If you’d prefer to stay within the Apple family, the most cost-effective option is still the $1,600 27-inch Apple Studio Display. It supports 5K resolution (5,120 x 2,880) with up to 600 nits of brightness, so it can handle creative chores with ease. It even includes a 12-megapixel UltraWide camera that keeps you in frame via Center Stage, along with a three-mic array.

The best third-party option is LG’s $700 UltraFine 4 display, also sold on Apple’s Store. With a 24-inch 4K panel, you not only get very high resolution but also 500 nits of brightness (albeit, without HDR capability). It’s color-accurate out of the box, making it great for video- and photo-editing work on a Mac or MacBook. Finally, it supports Thunderbolt 3 with daisy chaining and power delivery, all of which is very useful for Mac users who may want multiple displays.

Ultrawide 21:9 monitors are a great option for some types of content creation, games (particularly driving and flight sims) and productivity work. The best model this year is LG’s 34GP950G-B, a 34-inch 3,440 x 1,440 curved monitor. The curved IPS panel supports HDR10 with 400 nits of brightness and maximum (via overclocking) 180Hz refresh rate. It’s also G-Sync and FreeSync compatible (the latter over DisplayPort only).

You’re probably doing it wrong if you’re using a $5K monitor for gaming. However, it does support AMD FreeSync (good for gaming creation) and has a 5-millisecond response time, very respectable for a display essentially designed for professional colorists. And to that end, color accuracy is calibrated to Delta E < 1 and it’s a true 10-bit panel delivering billions of colors. To verify that, it even comes with an X-rite i1 Display Pro color calibrator, normally sold separately for around $500.

On top of this model, ASUS now makes several slightly less bright and less expensive variants, namely the $4,180 PA32UCX-PK, (plus -P, and -K variants with slightly different features), offering 1,200 nits of brightness and a 60Hz (not 120Hz) refresh rate. Specs are nearly identical otherwise.

Perhaps you’re in the process of picking out a desktop or notebook PC, or already have a laptop computer but aren’t exactly satisfied with the amount of screen real-estate it provides—either way, it’s time to get the 411 on the expansive world of computer monitors so you can find out what product(s) will fit your exact needs.

To put it simply, the monitor you need to purchase is reliant on what you will mainly be using your computer for, and this can be broken down into three overarching categories: general/business use, professional visuals, and gaming. Not every monitor is created equal, as certain physical features and integrated technologies on a certain product may provide the best results for running gaming applications as opposed to office tools or professional graphic-design/video-editing programs.

On the surface, screen size may seem to be the only difference between monitors besides brand. Before we get into everything that’s going on behind each display and what your PC may need in order to get the right results, it’s best to introduce the types of monitors as well as the various shapes and sizes they come in.

If you decide to cut costs and go for a lower-end monitor the color(s) you may have had in mind when finishing up a project could turn up quite differently on other screens. Of course, you’ll need to already have a machine that can run programs like Adobe Photoshop or Apple’s Final Cut Pro.

As will be covered in its own section below, gaming monitors may also include “adaptive syncing” technology that virtually eliminates tearing and stuttering by having the monitor match the refresh-rate of frames being pushed out by your graphics card.

Screen size (diagonal measurement) and aspect ratio (width by height) are essential to understanding the unique resolutions you get with ultrawide-display monitors—and we’ll be covering more of that along with the features that absolutely need to be considered when you’re in the market for a new monitor.

Fairly new to the consumer market, the curved-screen craze that started around 2014 with Samsung and LG TVs has made its way to computer monitors. Just like ultrawide monitors, curved monitor displays have extended left-and-right width that curves in towards the viewer. Since its inception, the main purpose of this feature has been to provide more immersion. Ultimately, these monitors can present a higher sense of depth that traditional flat-panel displays cannot.

In a nutshell, high dynamic-range (HDR) content uses the latest color-range technology to simulate true-to-life colors on screen. First used within the field of photography, HDR tech revolves around improving contrast quality, producing darker blacks and purer whites. HDR monitors work great with both professional visual and high-quality gaming applications. Of course, your specs should be up to par and meet the latest minimum requirements for these applications—and to get truly high-speed gaming, you should try to find an HDR monitor with a low response time.

It’s 2019 and the majority of screens you see out in the wild come with touch functionality – but these functions remain relatively rare in the monitor world. Generally, all monitors come with integrated, physical-hardware controls to adjust screen and picture settings. Some touchscreen monitors step it up by providing you with an on-screen, touchable overlay. Most importantly, touchscreen monitors are commonly used for compatible educational and commercial applications. Whether it’s an interactive learning app to help 4th grade students or a POS (point-of-sale) device at a sports stadium’s concession stand, touchscreen monitors may require specific hardware and software to properly work.

On the surface, PC displays are just screens that present various images—but clearly there’s way more here to consider than meets the eye. Now it’s time to go inside the monitor to see how a computer’s display hardware works.

The differences between LCD and LED technology are huge factors in determining what works for your end-goal and budget, and they’re the most common acronyms you’ll come across on computer monitor product pages.

Liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology was first on the scene for TVs but didn’t come to computer monitors until the mid-90s. The name comes from the fact that these displays have screens that consist of two pieces of glass that house liquid in between them. From there, the screen is divided into thousands upon thousands (sometimes millions) of rows and columns, better known as pixels (a term coined in the 1960s to abbreviate “picture element”).

Now, the hardware parts that push out the picture you see on your LCD-monitor screen are known as cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs). These lamps give your LCD monitor a lifespan of about 30,000 hours. Because the technology is older, these products are usually thicker and heavier. Few of them support resolutions above Full HD (1920×1080, width by height), and the color-contrast range may also be limited at times. If you’re concerned about your environmental footprint, the mercury pollution that these monitors may emit is something you will need to properly address at the end of the product’s lifecycle.

On the plus side, LCD displays come at a lower price point and do not suffer from burn-in, a negative effect that occurs if you leave your screen on and the last image displayed remains lightly on the screen—even when it’s turned off.

Technically, LED displays are also LCD monitors since they have the same liquid between their two-piece glass screens. The difference lies within the hardware that’s used to shoot out the image. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used in place of a LCD display’s fluorescent lamps. Because of this, LED monitors are brighter and consume less power than LCD screen