Need help choosing a new gaming monitor

[dunpeal2064]

So, I finally bought a PC that isn't total garbage, and now realize that my tv could use an upgrade. Its 720p/60hz and 32", which was fine on the couch, but sitting right in front of it makes me want a bit better. Thing is, since I'm new to the whole PC thing, I am a bit lost when it comes to monitors.

PC Specs -

i5 7500 @3.4GHz Quad Core
GTX 1070 8gb GDDR5
16GB DDR4 3000mhz

Things I (think) I want in a monitor:

1080p or 1440p
16:9 ratio
24" or 27"
100+ Hz refresh rate
Low input lag (I like bullet hell shooters and rhythm games)
Able to be rotated to a vertical position easily, for vertical shooters
Still compatible with HDMI-out consoles (360, PS4, Switch)
Thin bezel

As far as panels go, I'm not really sure. I hear IPS is vastly preferred to TN, but viewing angle isn't a big deal to me, whereas low input lag is. The color accuracy of IPS is appealing though.

I'd like to not spend a fortune here, but that said, if a monitor looks perfect, I'll splurge a bit. Lets just say $500 range. I'm also not sure if some of those settings (Higher refresh rate, 1440p) are able to be taken advantage of with my graphics card, or if a lower rate monitor would be better (If I can't push out that many frames or pixels, it feels like a waste, I guess?)

Obviously a bit lost here, did some homework myself, but I felt there are some folks here that could probably help. Thanks in advance!

[CRTGAMER]

I am guessing that you are planning mostly modern games; a wide screen monitor a better choice over 4:3. 500 bucks will get you a very decent monitor, definitely shop around. If on a budget, Thrift Stores sometimes have very decent monitors worth at least a visit and test out.

Something else to consider, if a large portion of your gaming is retro then avoid widescreen. Many older games and emulated systems are at 4:3 which leaves either black bands or stretch. Under Mame this worse for many of the classic arcades that use tall monitors. Good point looking into physical rotation option for the SHMUPs.

For me, I prefer TWO 4:3 LCD 19" monitors side by side. My video card has two outputs; one monitor hooked up by VGA and the other by DVI. One of the monitors rotate 90% and also moves up and down to align to the other monitor separated by narrow bezels. This allows a huge extended wide screen for spread sheets or split screens for browsing while game on other screen.

[isiolia]

Probably the big thing to determine is if you want to go for adaptive sync or not. Since you have an nVidia GPU, that'd mean paying the premium for GSync - technically, Freesync is an open standard, but nVidia doesn't implement support for it, effectively making it the AMD choice. The HDMI 2.1 spec includes similar functionality, so presumably things will get a lot more standardized/common over the next few years...but for now, there isn't a lot of choice.
(that said, Freesync monitors do still tend to be higher refresh rate, and you can still utilize that aspect of one)

A nice aspect of adaptive sync is that it's still using the higher refresh rate to your advantage if framerates are suboptimal, or an odd standard (emulated arcade games for instance). Personally, I've liked having it on my monitor (27" 1440p Acer Predator), though it was fairly expensive. I would definitely get a high refresh rate monitor though, as that's quite noticeable...but you'd probably save something like $200 by just going with a high refresh panel without GSync. So it might be worth going that route in order to get a bigger panel or something.

If you're looking to use the screen for consoles, I would maybe lean towards 1080p though - 1440p is nice, but, I think maybe PS4 Pro is getting some games that'll natively run at that? Otherwise you'd be scaling near anything, which wouldn't be great. Unless you're just looking at it as a possibility and not routine use. For PC, it'd be different, though it's a bigger jump than you'd think in terms of pushing past key FPS levels.

While input lag may be something to check, monitors tend to be much better about it than TVs. Most anything marketed for gaming will likely be fine. RTings does have some monitor reviews though, and I think there are other sites that collect numbers.
I also wouldn't stress too much about a rotating stand - many come with them anyway, but I'd look more at if the monitor has VESA mount capability (again, most do) and if that's appropriate for a third party rotating stand. There are plenty of those available, if you find something that's otherwise perfect.

[Xeogred]

I bought this in December and have been pretty happy with it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B2HH7G0/

This is my first 1080p monitor with 144Hz and it's definitely nice, even web browsing is way smoother. OG DOOM looks amazing.

I did try a 1440p monitor last summer... you can see the difference in gaming for sure. But everything else? Man, to be frank I absolutely hated it. I couldn't read anything while browsing, lowering the resolution made everything look terrible, websites looked awful, messing with DPI didn't help, etc. Something seemed off but I don't know, maybe it wasn't for me. I think 1080p for a monitor is the peak for me and I'll worry about higher resolutions for TV's.

[SuperDerpBro]

I hate trying to pick a monitor.

TN sucks but is fast.

VA is OK, looks really good, deep blacks, usually low backlight bleed. But pixel response is really bad/slow.

IPS is nice, looks great, mostly meh blacks, decent pixel response. But usually has backlight bleed and IPS glow sucks!

Majority of monitors have great input lag. Which is different than pixel response. The only advertised spec (usually false any way lol).

I couldn't go less than 27inch these days. I actually prefer 1080p over 1440p at that size. 1440p 27in has the pixel density of a 22in 1080p monitor. Means I struggle to read it well unless i am close. 4k at 42ish inches is what my next monitor will be.

If you haven't bought anything yet id star here http://wecravegamestoo.com/forums/monit ... iscussion/ . It isn't super up to date but it will give you a great idea.

CRTGAMER. Where did you find 4:3 monitors? Most, if not all, of them are 5:4.

[isiolia]

CRTGAMER. Where did you find 4:3 monitors? Most, if not all, of them are 5:4.

Technically, he's got 5:4 monitors (at least, that he's mentioned before, Dell 1907s), native 1280x1024. Since that is what many 17-19" LCDs natively display, it's true to say that most earlier LCDs are 5:4. However...if just generally referring to the more square aspect ratio monitors (as I think is the case), calling them 4:3 is fair considering that very nearly every other common resolution used on them conforms to that. It might not be truly accurate, but most folks will know what's being referred to.

Widescreen is probably where it's worth being more pedantic, since both 16:9 and 16:10 are well represented, along with plenty of 21:9 screens now too.

[CRTGAMER]

CRTGAMER. Where did you find 4:3 monitors? Most, if not all, of them are 5:4.

Technically, he's got 5:4 monitors (at least, that he's mentioned before, Dell 1907s), native 1280x1024. Since that is what many 17-19" LCDs natively display, it's true to say that most earlier LCDs are 5:4. However...if just generally referring to the more square aspect ratio monitors (as I think is the case), calling them 4:3 is fair considering that very nearly every other common resolution used on them conforms to that. It might not be truly accurate, but most folks will know what's being referred to.

Widescreen is probably where it's worth being more pedantic, since both 16:9 and 16:10 are well represented, along with plenty of 21:9 screens now too.

Thanks. Just the recognized size terminology to differentiate from widescreen monitors. Have a Dell and a Viewsonic. They do appear same aspect ratio as my 4:3 CRT TVs. I mainly play older games and for the desktop a better set of monitors choice.

Just like CRTs, LCD monitors that are not wide screen are near impossible to find brand new. I scored two at an electronics recycle outlet store ran by a local college. A great source with donations from the public, large turnover rate of college equipment and students graduating leaving older technology behind.

[SuperDerpBro]

Hmm fair enough.

I have 3 LG 19 inch monitors from back in the day. One is the first LCD i ever bought. The others I bought shortly after since my GF at the time worked at a comp store and i got them at cost heh. I've never considered them 4:3 since if you truly full screen anything 4:3 it is stretched. There are small black bars in emulators if you preserve aspect.