How to Choose a Good Console Gaming Monitor

Bigger is not necessarily better. If you’re planning to buy a new gaming monitor, start with the goal of finding the right size, the ideal resolution, and a price tag within your budget. Console gaming monitors range in size from 22” with tiny screens to massive 43” monitors that seem to fill a room. You decide how much screen real estate is essential to you.

Resolution is determined by the number of pixels on your panel. Higher numbers mean more pixels, and more detailed, vivid images. Full HD (1920x1080, or 1080p), is the low end of acceptable these days, with 4K at the high end.

If you have the budget, a 4K monitor with 3840x2160 resolution (four times the resolution of 1920x1080 pixels), will definitely give you a much better viewing/gaming experience.

Every type of display technology has its advantages and disadvantages.

Twisted Nematic (TN) panels are the most affordable panel type. Some gamers love to use it because they can offer fast response time and refresh rates. But when you look at the monitor from a different angle, you’ll discover some color shifting. The best way to use this monitor is to sit in the front of the monitor when playing a game.

Vertical Alignment (VA) panels have high contrast ratio, solid colors, and the ability to display deep blacks, but with one weakness: they might produce noticeable ghosting effects. Therefore, when choosing the VA panel, make sure it is FreeSync- or Freesync 2-compatible to eliminate these ghosting effects.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) panels have the best color quality, robust gray-scale performance, and wide viewing angles. Of note, they typically do not match the response time of a TN monitor.

Bigger budget? Go for a larger curved monitor. Unlike a flat panel, a curved monitor has a curve to make you feel a bit closer to the action, and make you more immersed in the game.

For gamers who value picture quality and smoothness, response time is the top priority. However, gamers who pay attention to an immersive gaming experience may find color performance more essential. Color performance refers to the number and range of colors your monitor can display. If a monitor has a wider color space, with at least 100% sRGB coverage, it can reproduce richer colors on the screen. Monitors with a wider color gamut, such as at least 90% of DCI-P3, make games like the Last of Us more enjoyable for its cinematic visual effect. Vibrant colors render a realistic gaming world and guarantee better immersion.

Intense color needs support from appropriate brightness. For detailed display and enhanced brightness, look for HDR monitors. HDR monitors can show details more clearly and achieve more natural-looking images. Also, AMD FreeSync technology should make your list to get the best console-gaming experience. It enhances the brightness/darkness of signals and color range. FreeSync 2 can run both adaptive sync and HDR at the same time for an optimal gaming experience.

You’ll need to be equipped with a variety of digital video inputs so you can connect to your PC and gaming consoles. It’s ideal for a monitor to provide these inputs:

Comfort is key, so it’s also important to choose a gaming monitor with an adjustable stand. You’ll want ergonomic comfort with height, tilt, and swivel adjustments when pulling all-nighters.

After reviewing the basic specs: panel size and type, response time, refresh rate, color performance, and connectivity, you are ready to pick your dream monitor. One last thing to consider is a gaming monitor with eye protection features. These will bring you excellent viewing comfort, free from digital eye strain. After all, you don’t want headaches and blurry vision to put an end to your fun.

Now you’re equipped with all the information you need to choose a console gaming monitor. Go forth, conquer, and enjoy the journey.