Monitor & Display FAQ

Refresh rate is the number of times per second your monitor updates its display, measured in Hertz (Hz). A 60Hz monitor refreshes 60 times per second, while a 144Hz monitor refreshes 144 times per second.

For gaming, higher refresh rates provide several critical advantages:

• Smoother motion: Fast-moving objects appear clearer and easier to track
• Reduced input lag: Less time between your input and seeing the result on screen
• Competitive advantage: Faster visual updates can improve reaction times by 10-20ms
• Better immersion: More fluid gameplay experience

Many users have high-refresh-rate monitors but don't realize they're running at 60Hz. Here's how to check:

Method 1: Windows Settings

• Right-click desktop → Display Settings
• Advanced Display Settings
• Check the refresh rate shown for your monitor

Method 2: Our Testing Tool

• Use our Refresh Rate Analyzer for accurate measurement
• It detects the actual refresh rate your monitor is displaying

Method 3: Third-party Tools

• BlurBusters TestUFO (testufo.com)
• NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings

The main differences are in frame time (how long each frame is displayed) and the resulting smoothness:

• 144Hz: 6.94ms frame time - Great for most gaming, noticeable improvement over 60Hz
• 240Hz: 4.17ms frame time - Excellent for competitive gaming, diminishing returns
• 360Hz: 2.78ms frame time - Professional esports level, minimal improvement for most

Real-world impact:

• 60Hz to 144Hz: Dramatic improvement, highly recommended
• 144Hz to 240Hz: Noticeable but smaller improvement
• 240Hz to 360Hz: Minimal improvement, only for elite competitive players

Yes, absolutely. Your graphics card must generate frames at or near your monitor's refresh rate to see the benefits.

GPU Requirements by Resolution:

• 1080p 144Hz: RTX 3060 / RX 6600 or better
• 1440p 144Hz: RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT or better
• 1080p 240Hz: RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT or better
• 1440p 240Hz: RTX 4080 / RX 7800 XT or better

What if my GPU can't reach the refresh rate?

• You'll still benefit from lower input lag
• G-Sync/FreeSync helps with variable frame rates
• Competitive games are less demanding and easier to run at high FPS

Competitive gaming requires specific settings to minimize input lag and maximize visibility:

Essential Monitor Settings:

• Game Mode: Enabled (reduces input lag by 5-15ms)
• Response Time/Overdrive: Fast (not Fastest - causes artifacts)
• Black Equalizer: 10-20 (improves dark area visibility)
• Brightness: 80-100 (competitive advantage)
• Contrast: 75-85 (depends on panel type)

Disable These Features:

• Dynamic Contrast (causes brightness fluctuations)
• Blue Light Filter (adds processing delay)
• Motion Blur Reduction (only if it adds lag)
• Any "Enhancement" features

The choice depends on your hardware and gaming priorities:

V-Sync (Traditional):

• Pros: Eliminates screen tearing
• Cons: Adds significant input lag, causes stuttering
• Recommendation: Avoid for competitive gaming

G-Sync (NVIDIA):

• Pros: No tearing, minimal input lag, smooth variable refresh
• Cons: Requires compatible monitor, can be expensive
• Recommendation: Excellent for gaming if you have compatible hardware

FreeSync (AMD):

• Pros: Similar to G-Sync, more affordable, works with some NVIDIA cards
• Cons: Quality varies by monitor implementation
• Recommendation: Great value option

Best Practice: Use G-Sync/FreeSync with frame rate capped 3 FPS below your refresh rate (e.g., 141 FPS for 144Hz monitor).

The optimal resolution depends on your priorities and hardware:

1080p (1920x1080):

• Pros: Highest frame rates, lower GPU requirements, larger targets
• Cons: Less sharp image, limited screen real estate
• Best for: Competitive FPS games, budget builds

1440p (2560x1440):

• Pros: Good balance of sharpness and performance, more screen space
• Cons: Higher GPU requirements, smaller targets
• Best for: Mixed gaming, enthusiast builds

Professional Player Preferences:

• Most CS:GO pros use 1024x768 or 1280x960 (4:3 stretched)
• Valorant pros typically use 1920x1080
• Apex Legends pros mix between 1080p and 1440p

These are often confused but measure different things:

Response Time:

• How quickly pixels change from one color to another
• Measured in milliseconds (1ms, 4ms, etc.)
• Affects ghosting and motion blur
• Lower is better for fast-paced gaming

Input Lag:

• Total delay from input to pixel change on screen
• Includes processing delays, response time, and refresh rate
• Affects how responsive controls feel
• More important for competitive gaming

Real-world Impact:

• High response time = ghosting/blurring in fast motion
• High input lag = delayed, unresponsive controls
• Both matter, but input lag is more critical for competitive play

The cable choice significantly impacts your maximum refresh rate and resolution:

DisplayPort (Recommended):

• DP 1.4: 144Hz at 1440p, 240Hz at 1080p, 120Hz at 4K
• DP 2.0: 240Hz at 1440p, 360Hz at 1080p, 144Hz at 4K
• Benefits: Better bandwidth, more reliable, gaming-focused

HDMI:

• HDMI 2.0: 144Hz at 1080p, 60Hz at 4K
• HDMI 2.1: 240Hz at 1080p, 144Hz at 1440p, 120Hz at 4K
• Limitations: Less bandwidth than DisplayPort

Cable Quality Matters:

• Use certified cables (VESA for DisplayPort, Premium for HDMI)
• Avoid cheap cables - they can cause flickering or limit refresh rates
• Keep cables under 3 meters for best signal integrity

Each panel technology has distinct characteristics affecting gaming performance:

TN (Twisted Nematic):

• Pros: Fastest response times (1ms), lowest input lag, affordable
• Cons: Poor color accuracy, bad viewing angles
• Best for: Competitive gaming, esports

IPS (In-Plane Switching):

• Pros: Excellent colors, good viewing angles, fast modern variants
• Cons: More expensive, potential IPS glow
• Best for: Mixed gaming and productivity

VA (Vertical Alignment):

• Pros: High contrast ratio, deep blacks, good value
• Cons: Slower response times, potential smearing
• Best for: Single-player games, dark room gaming

OLED (Organic LED):

• Pros: Perfect blacks, instant response, amazing colors
• Cons: Expensive, potential burn-in, limited sizes
• Best for: Premium gaming, HDR content

Monitor size affects both immersion and competitive performance:

24" Monitors:

• Pros: Entire screen in peripheral vision, popular in esports, affordable
• Cons: Limited screen real estate, less immersive
• Best for: Competitive gaming, small desks, budget builds

27" Monitors:

• Pros: Good balance of size and usability, ideal for 1440p
• Cons: May require head movement in competitive games
• Best for: Most gamers, mixed use, 1440p gaming

32" and Larger:

• Pros: Immersive experience, great for single-player games
• Cons: Requires head movement, takes up desk space
• Best for: Immersive gaming, productivity, large desks

Professional Recommendations:

• Most esports pros use 24" monitors
• Streamers often prefer 27" for content creation
• Viewing distance should be 1.5-2x the screen diagonal

Budget allocation depends on your gaming priorities and overall system cost:

Budget Range ($150-300):

• 1080p 144Hz IPS or VA panels
• Good for entry-level gaming
• Examples: AOC 24G2, ASUS VA24EHE

Mid-Range ($300-600):

• 1440p 144-165Hz or 1080p 240Hz
• Better build quality and features
• Examples: LG 27GP850, Samsung Odyssey G5

High-End ($600-1000):

• 1440p 240Hz or premium 4K 144Hz
• Professional gaming features
• Examples: ASUS PG279QM, LG 27GP950

Premium ($1000+):

• OLED panels, 360Hz displays, large ultrawide
• Cutting-edge technology
• Examples: ASUS PG27AQN, Alienware AW3423DW

This is one of the most common issues. Here are the solutions:

Check Windows Settings:

• Right-click desktop → Display Settings
• Advanced Display Settings
• Display adapter properties → Monitor tab
• Set to highest available refresh rate

Verify Cable Connection:

• Use DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1
• Ensure cable is properly seated
• Try a different cable if available

Graphics Driver Settings:

• NVIDIA Control Panel → Change Resolution
• AMD Radeon Settings → Display
• Set refresh rate in driver software

Common Causes:

• HDMI cable on high refresh rate monitor (use DisplayPort)
• Outdated graphics drivers
• Cheap or damaged cables
• Monitor not set as primary display

Screen tearing occurs when your GPU sends frames faster than your monitor can display them. Solutions:

Best Solutions (in order):

• Enable G-Sync/FreeSync: Hardware-level sync, minimal lag
• Cap Frame Rate: Limit to 3 FPS below refresh rate
• Fast Sync (NVIDIA): Better than V-Sync, less lag
• Enhanced Sync (AMD): AMD's equivalent to Fast Sync

Avoid if Possible:

• Traditional V-Sync: Adds significant input lag
• Triple Buffering: Uses more VRAM, inconsistent results

In-Game Settings:

• Enable G-Sync/FreeSync in game if supported
• Use exclusive fullscreen mode
• Disable in-game V-Sync if using G-Sync/FreeSync

Ghosting and motion blur reduce visual clarity in fast-paced games. Here's how to fix it:

Monitor Settings:

• Response Time/Overdrive: Set to "Fast" or "Medium" (avoid "Fastest")
• Motion Blur Reduction: Enable if available (may reduce brightness)
• Game Mode: Enable to reduce processing delays

Graphics Settings:

• Increase frame rate to match or exceed refresh rate
• Enable G-Sync/FreeSync for consistent frame delivery
• Use exclusive fullscreen mode in games

Understanding the Difference:

• Ghosting: Previous frame images linger (slow pixel response)
• Motion Blur: Objects blur during movement (sample-and-hold effect)
• Overshoot: Pixels change too quickly, creating inverse ghosting

When to Consider Upgrade:

• Old TN panels (>5ms response time)
• VA panels with known smearing issues
• Any monitor where overdrive settings don't help