We want to make sure you’re purchasing the right monitor for your personal needs. While it’s true that most of you today know what features matter, picking the right monitor to go with your setup can sometimes give some a bit of a headache.
Screen Size And Resolution
Often, one of the first things that people think about when getting a monitor is the size but the quality of your image is tied in with the resolution.
For most, a resolution of 1080p will more than suffice, especially for gaming but for more detail 1440p becomes ideal. 4K is also great, but kind of still out of the $300 price range unless you compromise on the refresh rate.
You can check out our guide to the best 4K gaming monitors right here.
If you’re going to opt for a 1440p monitor then you may want to take performance into consideration. Your GPU may be fine at 1080p High settings, but can it chug out stable performance with a 78% increase in resolution?
Keep your system’s limitations in mind when choosing a monitor and you should be good!
Response Time
Response time refers to pixel response time, and in short, it determines how quickly your monitor responds to inputs. The lower the response time the better.
5 ms is considered acceptable by most, especially on larger displays. 5ms may be the max recommendation but it is worth noting that competitive players prefer a low response time of 1ms for less perceivable lag.
Refresh Rate
A refresh rate, which is measured in hertz, refers to how often the screen can refresh its image, or update to reflect changes that have happened.
A higher refresh rate appears to our eyes as a much smoother motion. So getting a 144Hz monitor could give you an advantage over someone with a 60Hz monitor. This is because 144Hz is much closer to real-life motion than 60Hz is, allowing for better vision, a greater experience, and quicker reactions.
You can check out our guide to the best 240Hz gaming monitors here.
However, it will only work in supported games. And, obviously, it will tax your CPU and GPU much more if you don’t get the best FPS in-game already however if your GPU makes light work of games then you won’t notice any issues at all.
IPS Or TN?
There are two main types of monitors: IPS and TN. IPS panels offer greater color reproduction and viewing angles than the typical TN counterpart. Because of this, IPS panels are a favorite among video editors, movie watchers, and single-player gamers who want to enjoy the best colors their graphics card have to offer.
However, IPS comes with a few key downsides: Lower response times and refresh rates, along with a higher price point. To get an IPS display that is also competitively-ready for serious gaming costs much more than what’s available in this price range.
In other words, IPS monitors offer a better viewing experience at the expense of a competitive edge in gaming. If you aren’t a particularly competitive gamer, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
If you’re competitively-minded, though, and don’t have an extra $300 to spend, you’re probably better off with a TN panel in a 144Hz monitor.
What to expect when buying a gaming monitor under $300
There are plenty of monitors that reside in the $300 price spectrum, including some great gaming monitors.
At this price, you’ll be able to find 240hz refresh rates, low 1ms response times, and 1440p screen resolutions.
You’ll also find a tonne of ultrawide, curved, and less competitive panels too – with editing monitors and productivity panels also featuring heavily at this price point.
All in all, the $300 price point is incredibly versatile, meaning you’ll be able to find almost any combination of specs here.
