The market is flooded with 144Hz gaming panels. They’re now more available than ever. Not to mention, once you start using a 144Hz monitor, you won’t go back to the old 60Hz ones. But the question still remains, is a 144Hz monitor worth it for gaming? Let’s find out!
Short Answer:
Yes, 144Hz monitors offer an outstanding gaming experience and excellent responsiveness. Besides, they give you an advantage over gamers who are using the regular 60Hz displays.
Understanding Refresh Rates
The refresh rate refers to the maximum number of frames your screen can display per second (FPS). In simpler words, it’s the number of times that the monitor updates its image in each second. Higher refresh rates will help you get a smoother picture and hence, enhance your gaming experience.
Although your graphics processing unit (GPU) might support a higher number of frames, the monitor ultimately limits this rate. This means that the monitor’s refresh rate gives you a more realistic idea about the responsiveness of your screen to fast-paced steam games.
What Makes 144Hz Monitors Good for Gaming
The refresh rate doesn’t stop at maintaining a rather smooth picture. If you thought about what happens in the game in relation to the number of frames you get, you’d capture a better understanding of why 144Hz monitors are better.
So, let’s say you’re playing an FPS game like Call of Duty or Counter-Strike. You see your enemy moving, and you’re trying to gun them down. However, you’re using the regular 60Hz monitor. So, your screen refreshes 60 times in a second. You’d be firing at a target that has already moved, but your screen hasn’t updated you with where they are yet.
In other words, the screen won’t be able to keep up with how fast your targets are moving. This can significantly affect your kill/death score in first-person shooter games.
Another thing that makes 144Hz screens a better option for gamers is that they lower the input lag. This means that the monitor can detect your orders faster and with less tearing. Besides, there’ll be a noticeable improvement when it comes to responsiveness and immersion.
Other Factors to Be Considered
When buying a high refresh rate monitor, you should always make sure that your CPU, or more specifically, the GPU is capable of running at such high rates.
The actual difference the 144Hz monitors make while gaming shows in FPS and fast-paced games. If you’re more into graphically-oriented games or those going at a slower pace, then these monitors might not be the best for you.
Instead, it’d be better if you focused more on getting a high-resolution display. Although, ideally, it’s better if you get a monitor that offers both options, you can set your priorities.
For the best gaming experience, look for the lowest response time possible. This will significantly enhance your performance in fast-paced games and guarantee higher scores.
With all that being said, 144Hz gaming panels are obviously a smart option, but it can’t be that they have no drawbacks, everything does.
Disadvantage of Using a 144Hz Gaming Monitor
In short, the main disadvantage of such monitors is that they don’t necessarily offer a good gaming experience, but you need to consider other factors as well. We’ve discussed these factors earlier, but we still have to go over the cost of such monitors.
Although you’ll find affordable 144Hz options out there, they’re not always the best option for you. It’s better if you have a background about the pricing of such monitors, especially when it comes to the panel technology that’s used to build the screen.
As you may or may not know, there are 3 panel technologies on the market; TN, VA, and IPS. The most affordable option to go with is the TN panels. They offer an excellent response time that’s around 1 millisecond. However, you’ll be sacrificing the image quality. If this is the option, you’ll opt for, get ready for a pale screen with excellent responsiveness.
VA is another affordable option, but it’s the one option you want to stay away from. Although they have the best visuals, they have the highest response time, and they’ll ruin your gaming experience. These are more suitable for general users where the graphics are the highest priority, not the performance.
Lastly, we’ve IPS. They’re the ultimate best, but it comes at a price. The graphics are equal to those of VN with amazing viewing angles. Meanwhile, the performance is great.
Check out our list of the best 240Hz gaming monitors.
Conclusion
If you go from 60Hz to 144Hz, you might not feel much difference if you buy TN monitors. However, if you kept using them for a while, then went back to the 60Hz ones, you’ll be able to notice the difference in performance and responsiveness.
144Hz panels are great for multiplayer games, where you try to have every possible advantage over your enemy. Whichever way you go, make sure that your GPU can handle such a monitor, or else it’ll be of no value.
And of course, if you’re looking for the very best, and you’re willing to invest in this as much as it takes, then a high resolution, IPS, 144Hzs gaming monitor is the way to go.
