Choosing a monitor is tough when your main focus is not just gaming. Many questions may roam around in your head, and you might seek answers here and there.
Of course, there are differences between a gaming monitor and a regular monitor. So which one should you choose and for which purpose?
What’s the main difference between a gaming monitor vs regular monitor? It really depends on their refresh rate, response time, frame rate, and latency. Also, a gaming monitor is specially built for gamers while regulars are better for daily work.
Keep further reading to know about the differences and which monitor is the best pick for your preference. Let’s move forward!
Highlights:
- Gaming monitors have a fast response time, high refresh rate, high FPS, and better resolution. But the downside is that gaming monitors cost more, and the picture quality is not always top-notch.
- Regular monitors have an average response time, between 60Hz-144Hz refresh rate, and better picture quality.
- Gaming monitors usually use IPS panels, whereas most regular monitors use VA or TN panels.
- If you are a professional gamer, it’s best to get a gaming monitor. Otherwise, a regular monitor will help you light gaming and your everyday work.
What Are The Differences Between A Gaming Monitor Vs Regular Monitor?
So now let’s get to the straight point, what differences can you expect? We have made a comparison for you to look out for. Let’s see:
| Feature | Gaming Monitors | Regular Monitors |
| Response Time | 5 ms or less | Around 10ms |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz, and 200Hz | Usually 60Hz, but you can also find 144Hz and 200Hz |
| Real-Time Movement Detection | High; as you need a fast operation | Low |
| Graphics | Average | Better |
| Color Production | Average | Better |
| Resolution | Usually comes in good resolution | Average (Depends on your choice) |
| Latency | Low | High |
| Frame Rate | High | Low |
| Design | More variations | Fewer variations |
| Panel Type | Mostly IPS panels | Mostly Twisted Nematic (TN), Vertical Alignment (VA) |
| Pricing | Higher pricing | Low cost |
Let’s explain the differences further!
Response Time
Gaming monitors have a faster response time as you need prompt action while playing.
On the other hand, regular monitors have lower response times than gaming monitors, as you won’t need that fast response while doing your routine tasks.
Refresh Rate
A higher refresh rate will give you speedy action while gaming.
While gaming, the higher the refresh rate, the better it is. Because a higher refresh rate means your monitor can get more FPS.
Therefore, gaming monitors usually have higher refresh rates at 144Hz or 244Hz. In contrast, only a 60Hz response rate is acceptable with the regular ones.
Real-Time Movement Detection
Of course, you will experience better real-time movement detection from your gaming monitors as those are built explicitly for gaming. However, the regular ones do not require much effort in real-time movement detection.
Graphics
The gaming monitors do not provide that much care in the graphics section unless you play high-graphics games.
Therefore, you can expect an average experience, whereas regular monitors offer better graphics.
Color Production
Color production is also not that vital while gaming. So you will face a downgrade in color accuracy in the gaming monitors compared to the regular monitors.
Resolution
This feature depends mostly on you. The gaming monitors use four types of resolutions, and the higher resolution is better for gaming.
You will find the same kind of resolution varieties both in gaming and regular monitors. But a better resolution is needed for enjoying high-end games, so you must pick according to that.
Latency
If you face a late response during gaming, it won’t be a pleasant experience.
Therefore the gaming monitors handle it better with faster response time and higher refresh rates. So the latency in the gaming monitors is low, and you will face an increased latency in the regular monitors.
Design
Gaming monitors come in better design as gamers like fancy looks in their gaming room.
If you have a gaming room, you won’t like the pc monitor to look like a regular one. Therefore the gaming monitors come with more design variations that the regular ones don’t have.
Panel Type
The panel type of a gaming monitor can be vital because it impacts the response time and clarity.
The gaming monitors usually have an IPS panel for better speed and faster response time. On the contrary, you will find that the TN panel or VA panel is used in most regular monitors.
Pricing
Lastly, the pricing. Obviously, due to the user-specified features of the gaming monitors, these monitors come at a higher price than regular monitors.
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What Is A Gaming Monitor?
Gaming monitors impact the output of every representation happening inside your computer vividly.
These monitors are created to show an improvement in your graphics card and CPU. as you need better clarity, motion, and resolution while gaming, a gaming monitor handles it all.
Gaming monitors provide higher refresh rates than regular monitors, showing you a better picture. In addition, these are faster and more responsive to show you the output while you are gaming.
What Is A Regular Monitor?
You can use a regular monitor to combine your desktop for everyday usage. These are often used as TVs as well.
The average regular monitors come in 22-24″ screens, but you can get a bigger screen than that.
These monitors are best for use for your general tasks and light multitasking.
If you choose your pc monitor wisely, you can use these monitors for gaming.
In addition, some of these offer fantastic picture quality and color production.
These monitors are best suited for people who have multi-directional purposes, not only gaming.
You can’t expect an excellent gaming experience with a regular monitor, yet, you can play.
More Monitor Differences To Know About:
Not only for comparing a gaming and regular monitor, but you may also feel confused about other popular choices. So at this moment, we have offered more comparisons to let you have your best pick.
Difference Between A Multimedia Monitor And A Gaming Monitor:
Mainly, multimedia monitors are referred to as the monitors we use for our daily stuff, including a built-in sound system and camera.
For instance, you can watch videos, edit photos or do your usual light works using a multimedia monitor.
Whereas gaming monitors are meant for professional gamers, you can use regular multimedia monitors for occasional gaming or light games.
However, you can still use a multimedia monitor for extreme gaming if you buy a monitor with a high refresh rate of 144Hz or 200Hz. Usually, these monitors come with a 60Hz refresh rate.
Here are the core differences between multimedia and a gaming monitor:
- Refresh rate: gaming monitors come with 144Hz or 200Hz, whereas multimedia monitors offer 60Hz.
- Response time: the response time is low in multimedia monitors but very fast in gaming monitors.
- Picture quality: the color reproduction in multimedia monitors is better than in a gaming monitor.
- Extra features: multimedia monitors usually come with built-in speakers and a camera.
Difference Between A 60hz Vs. 144hz Vs. 200hz Monitor In Gaming:
So far, we have given much information on why you should choose monitors that offer a higher refresh rate for your gaming.
Now, we have made a complete comparison among three overall refresh rates that we usually see:
| Feature | 60Hz | 144 Hz | 200 Hz |
| Refresh count | Refreshes the monitor 60 times every second | Refreshes the monitor 144 times every second | Refreshes the monitor 200 times every second |
| Image update | Average image update rate | Quicker image update rate | Fastest image update rate |
| Image quality | Good | Average | Best |
| Response time | Slow | Average | Fast |
| Performance | Below average | Average | Better |
| Gaming experience | Not good for gaming | For an average gaming experience | Best for professional action or competitive games |
When Should You Get A Gaming Monitor?
So if your main intention is professional gaming, you suggest you get a premium gaming monitor. However, as gaming requires a fast response with sound output, regular monitors cannot help you out here.
Therefore, a good gaming monitor will give you a high refresh rate, fast response without any latency, and a better outcome.
If you plan to buy a gaming monitor, January and February are the best months to buy one as the manufacturers restock new monitors during this period and the price gets reduced.
When Should You Get A Regular Monitor?
If you are an occasional gamer who doesn’t need to buy a monitor specifically for gaming, a regular monitor will be your best buddy.
ou won’t need to spend an extra penny on gaming monitors when your focus is to do your standard stuff with the computer.
However, it’s still better to buy a monitor with better resolution and a reasonable refresh rate for your convenience, whether you are a gamer or not.
So, in that case, buying a 144Hz monitor will benefit you a lot if you consider that.
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Is It Possible To Use A Gaming Monitor As A Regular Monitor?
A gaming monitor can offer you everything and extra benefits as well. So when you have a gaming monitor, it’s a complete win-win situation. You will get a fast response and sound output while using it for other purposes.
Although the picture quality may not be as good as a regular monitor as the manufacturers do not focus on this feature on gaming monitors, you can still manage to do most of your daily stuff using the monitor.
So, yes, it’s possible to use your gaming monitor as a regular monitor.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Curved Monitors?
We must look into another ongoing debate at this phase, flat monitor vs. curved monitor.
While flat monitors are on the market from the very start, it’s time to give curved monitors a little bit of attention.
Curved monitors are like regular monitors but come with a curved viewing angle. These monitors provide an outstanding visual experience with curved displays that gamers crave. So what can you expect from curved screen monitors? Let’s see!
Advantages:
- Curved screens serve exceptional visibility and gaming experience, and everything feels realistic.
- The curved displays let you experience a bit of 3D visuality with the curved edges.
- Ensures greater eye comfort (research found the curved monitors to reduce your eyes dryness and computer fatigue by 10%, isn’t that amazing?)
- Very stylish and gives an elegant look to the interior.
- The usage of advanced technology
Disadvantages:
- Comparatively expensive
Expert Computer Monitor Shopping Advice:
While you are planning on buying a monitor, we have some expert suggestions for you. Here are some incredible tips that will come in super handy.
For Gamers:
As a gamer, you should prioritize having a monitor that provides quick response time and a high refresh rate. While on budget, you can choose the monitor that gives at least a 144Hz refresh rate.
1. The response time needs to be within 5ms for your best experience while playing. A faster response means you won’t feel any lag while playing heavy-duty gaming.
2. The resolution of your gaming monitor needs to be at least 1440p for a good experience. If you are serious about gaming, purchasing a 4k monitor will be worth it.
3. If you buy a curved monitor, it will bring drastic changes to your pc gaming experience. For a better experience, spending money on a curved gaming monitor will be a win-win situation. You can also buy an ultrawide monitor for the best gaming.
4. A larger monitor will also impact your gaming and enhance the experience.
For Regular Users:
1. If you want to buy an ordinary monitor just for your regular work, the refresh rate won’t matter that much. Usually, standard monitors come with a 60Hz refresh rate, but a 144Hz monitor will be an excellent addition to your experience.
2. The picture quality is essential while buying a monitor for your daily usage. So it would help if you made sure that the resolution is better than average.
3. In regular monitors, the response time is relatively high. So you don’t need to bug much about it. But make sure that the response time is not that late to annoy you.
4. Flat-screen monitors will be enough for your regular usage unless you want something fancy.
Additional Topics Covered!
What resolution do I need for gaming?
Usually, gamers prefer to use 1440p resolution on their gaming monitors. But the resolution depends on your GPU as well.
Nowadays, gamers prefer more advanced resolution, so 4k monitors are getting much attention from professional gamers.
Do Monitors Make A Difference In Gaming?
Of course, they make a difference. If you are a pro gamer, you will need a gaming monitor to support you in the best way possible.
Gaming monitors have low latency, short response time, and a high response rate that favors the gaming experience.
Unless you get a gaming monitor, you won’t get these facilities in a top-notch way from regular monitors.
What Gaming Monitor Do Professional Gamers Use?
Many professional gamers of the present time tend to love 4k monitors for their best gaming with a 200Hz or higher refresh rate.
Are Gaming Monitors Vital, Or Can I Use A Standard One?
You can use a regular one. But there are some reasons why people consider going with the gaming ones.
The main reason people use a gaming monitor is to have a quicker response than a regular monitor. But if you are not a professional gamer, you can go with a regular monitor without any issue.
What Do Gaming Monitors Deliver That Regular Monitors Don’t?
The response time of gaming monitors and regular monitors will be different. Gaming monitors offer a much faster response time than a regular monitor’s response time.
Gaming monitors respond just between 1ms and 5ms. On the other hand, you get higher refresh rates and gaming monitors, which regular monitors don’t provide.
What Makes A Monitor Good For Gaming?
A good gaming monitor would offer a nice image and a higher refresh rate along with a faster response.
A monitor that responds in 5ms or even quicker will be called an ideal monitor for gaming. Resolution is an excellent point to think about as well.
Are Gaming Monitors Worth It?
Nothing on this earth can make you think that gaming monitors aren’t worth it.
On the contrary, gaming monitors will provide you with smoother animations, minor screen tearing, less ghosting, and a bit of a competitive edge.
So if you are planning on being a professional gamer, grabbing the gaming monitor will be worth the time.
Setup Guide For NEW 144hz or 240hz Monitor!
Last But Not Least!
We are going to end our discussion over gaming monitor vs regular monitor.
After everything, you already know everything about these two monitors and which one will be wise for you depending on your preference.
Before you buy your monitor, make sure to check every aspect properly. It is essential to take care of your requirements as per your needs.
Otherwise, the purchase won’t be very fruitful. Hopefully, our ideas will lead you to a better decision.
