Are you looking for a suitable display for PC gaming? Then you’ve come to the right place. The monitor is a crucial, yet often neglected element of the PC experience. This indispensable device gets overlooked the most! [toc] The monitor is one of the most expensive pieces of a PC setup. Therefore, it is important …
You probably remember that our first experience with FreeSync was, to say the least, disappointing. We would like to remind you that behind the name FreeSync lies AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s G-Sync, that is to say a technology for the handling of variable display refresh rates. The idea behind this concept is that it helps to improve the game-play experience by providing an increased sensation of fluidity. How is FreeSync doing these days you might ask? As long as the proper monitor is used, it actually works quite well and costs quite a bit less than G-Sync!
After much fanfare in January 2014, the arrival of the first FreeSync compatible monitor had to wait until March of 2015. And, unfortunately, their performance was far from impressive. On paper, the advantages offered by this technique of monitor management were many fold, starting with the fact that it relied on an open technology standard which is much less costly than that of Nvidia’s G-Sync. However, entry-level monitors which didn’t provide the required fluidity left us feeling disappointed with the whole concept.
Under the banner of these three terms, or brands if you prefer, lies the technology for the management of variable refresh rates (VRR). A classic fixed refresh rate of 60 Hz will offer an imperfect visual experience when playing video games. As each image is different, it follows that the time required for the calculation of each image also differs. This discrepancy results in synchronization problems. While a higher refresh rate, of 144 Hz for example, decreases the impact of the problem it does not eliminate it entirely. The graphics card might miss a display cycle, spend too much time waiting for the next cycle or disregard a cycle entirely, all of which will result in image breakup (tearing).
With 240 Hz, now even mosquitos can enjoy smooth motion on a screen. That’s because the eyes of said critter only perceive smooth motion past 240 images per second. Us humans meanwhile only need between 22 and 90 Hz depending on contrast and ambient lighting conditions. But jokes aside. At 240 Hz, the image will always be super smooth and fluid, even without G-Sync or Freesync, and without many noticeable sync errors.
The niche category of high refresh-rate monitors is starting to fill up. Late last year, the Benq Zowie XL2540 was the first commercially available model with a refresh-rate of 240 Hz. Right on time for the holiday season. Earlier, the Asus ROG Swift PG258Q had been announced but ended up coming out only a year ago. While the Zowie has a fixed refresh-rate, the Asus uses a G-Sync module which can dynamically adjust the refresh-rate between 30 and 240 Hz to match the frame rate of the game.
With the Acer Predator XB272bmiprz, another G-Sync monitor has hit the market. While it is already listed, it is said to become available in mid-April. For now, this one is the first 27” model, all the previously mentioned ones have a diagonal of 24,5”. The AOC Agon AG251FZ is currently the only Freesync model available that supports up to 240 Hz. Here, it is also dynamically being adjusted between 48 and 240 Hz.
That means that our ULITE comparison chart features 4 models at the moment. All of them have a responsive Full-HD TN-panel display. For Full-HD monitors, these are relatively expensive at around 600 dollars. If 144 Hz are enough for you, you can get one for about half that. Read More: Best Gaming Monitor
On the outside, the PG258Q doesn’t differ too much from the other ROG displays. Typical of the series it the matte-gray death star pattern on the back and the extravagant stand it comes on which projects a red logo onto the table surface. It comes with two gels with different Asus logos as well as three blank ones that you can customize with your own logo creations. A nice gimmick.
This is one of the most advanced design monitors from ASUS and also one of the most carefully designed monitors that ASUS has put out in a long time. It combines a curved format, whether or not you’re a fan, with an excellent performance panel that combines modern ultra-panoramic resolution with up-to-date functionality and some extra features that make this monitor a very unique unit.
The MX34VQ is a very high range model and therefore will be the best that ASUS has offer in this format. It’s a panoramic widescreen 34″ in ultra panoramic format at a 21:9 ratio. A fashionable format where ASUS adds a very striking feature, although it isn’t very functional, which is the use of a curved panel with a fairly marked 1800mm radius. It forms a slight visual angle of 178 degrees, a little more than we actually have with a conventional flat monitor.
Ultra-wide displays are gaining more and more popularity, with a resolution of 3440 by 1440 they fall mid-way 1440p and 4K resolution in terms of pixel count and typical pixel density. The 21:9 aspect ratio is gaining acceptance as game developers and content creators alike are accepting. Movies already are released at this aspect ratio and most of the 16:9 monitors get black bars on top and bottom while playing them.
The two monitors that we are going to look at here, are almost identical in all respects. The differences are very subtle and both of them are very impressive displays that any member of the PC Master Race will highly appreciate. Both of them have same panels, 3800R curvature, 10-bit colour depth, an insane contrast ratio, and the whole 9 yards.
Apple began to sell last October the LG UltraFine 5K, which itself proclaimed as “the best monitor” for users that want to work with external displays from the MacBook Pro 2016.
Is extremely weird for Apple to recommend and sell a product that isn’t part of its brand, but it has an explanation. In the last hardware conference, there was only room for the MacBook Pro 2016. Apple didn’t introduce any updates for the Mac Mini, Mac Pro or MacBook Air and neither a monitor of their own to reopen its Cinema Display series as it was rumored.
BenQ should be a household term for most of you, seeing how they are one of the early companies that entered the display and beamer market. With its ZOWIE line BenQ is now presenting its new lineup target specifically towards gamers which we’ll discuss in more detail in the following article. Our review model is the flagship ZOWIE XL2735 display which, so BenQ, was specifically developed with E-Sports in mind.
The features sure make an impression right away. 144 Hz “Dynamic Accuracy Technology”, S-Switch, Black eQualizer, Low Blue Light, USB-hub as well as height and angle adjustability. Also included are so called focus-blinds which can be folded out so you can focus on your games better. This makes the XL2735 kind of look like it has ears.
The company AOC has just introduced two new computer monitors named Q27810PQ and Q2781PS, belonging to its Style Line equipped with AH-IPS panels and with 2K screen resolution. The main difference between the two is that the model Q2781PS will have crystals from the well-known manufacturer of Swarovski jewellery embedded in its back along with authentic leather, as well as the base and the contour of the external frame painted to appear as rose gold.
Although it is true that there are curved televisions with sizes exceeding 65 inches, in the monitors market the most common in the larger models are the 34″. Philips has wanted to go a little further and has announced its BDM4037UW monitor with nothing more and nothing less than 40 inches. This monitor includes a …
Monitors are the most important peripheral in our computer system, as a main viewing screen for our desktop, as a secondary screen to which we connect our laptop to boost our productivity or as a screen for our console. An investment which we probably won’t replace in several years and to which it’s wise to pay close attention.
For that reason, our following Christmas gift guide will be all about the best monitors out on the market. We will review the main factors to keep in mind when choosing a model that best suits our needs and budgets, the most attractive formats like 4K or ultra-wide, and we’ll finish with a selection of all types of models with links and prices.
Size. Surely one of the first factors to keep in mind when buying a monitor is the size of the screen. It’s measured diagonally in inches from one corner of the screen to the opposite one. There are many sizes to choose from, from 15 inches all the way up to 40. The average global screen measures 21.5 inches, while the most standard size is between 23 and 24 inches. Before your purchase, make sure that you have enough space on your desk because large displays are usually extremely wide.