Gaming rigs are just as important as monitors for gaming aficionados. What good is a beefy computer if the monitor can’t push out all the extra frames in high fidelity and accurate colors? That’s why we need to discuss the best 240hz gaming monitors that will go well with that expensive PC build of yours.
We need to develop an understanding of the jargon that gets thrown around in this niche before we jump to our selection of the five best monitor picks. What exactly is the difference between Hz and FPS? What kinds of various display panels are out there and which are best for gaming?
All that and more will be discussed in this ultimate guide which will take your technical monitor knowledge from zero to hero. So without any further ado, let’s get right to it.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Gaming Monitor
Before purchasing any new gaming monitor, you should be aware of its technical specifications and what those terms mean. There are two types of target audiences for monitors; professionals that create media who need higher color accuracy, and gamers who prefer fluidity and refresh rate.
Resolution
There weren’t many resolution options available on the market decades ago. People didn’t really care what resolution of monitor they were getting as long as it worked and showed colored pixels.
The market started to push toward higher refresh resolution with technology advancements and the increasing capabilities of graphic cards. Even a small jump in resolution can make the image look so much better.
Go for a higher resolution screen if you’re going to be consuming general media or playing story-heavy immersive single-player games. This goes for users that want to pair up with a console like PS5 or either Xbox Series S or X. Both of these consoles can output up to 4k resolutions, so the more pixels you have, the better the image will be.
For PC users, there are quite a few options. Even with the beefiest graphic cards, they won’t be able to hit high FPS in any recent game when the resolution is cranked up to 4k. So they’ll have to pick either a 4k monitor that can run at 60hz or a 1080p or 1440p monitor that has a higher refresh rate.
If some of these terms flew right over your head, don’t worry, we’ll talk about them soon enough.
Difference Between Various Resolutions
The industry standard resolution for the majority of gamers is 1080p, which translates to 1920×1080 pixels. This resolution gives a fairly decent amount of detail without crippling the GPU too much.
This is the best resolution if you want to play multiplayer games where visuals don’t matter a lot, but being able to push out high FPS does. Most monitors with this resolution have refresh rates of more than 60hz, making them perfect for competitive first-person-shooter titles.
Next up is 1440p, or 2560×1440 pixels. This jump in resolution doesn’t seem very high, but the improvement in picture quality is significant. Once you move from 1080p to 1440p, it’s difficult to go back.
This resolution is the perfect middle ground for those who want a higher refresh rate without cutting back on the resolution. Plus, high-end graphics cards are able to push higher frame rates at this resolution.
Finally, we have the creme de la creme of resolutions. 4K, 2160p or 3840×2160 pixels. This jump in pixels is quite significant, and the dip in the FPS that comes with it clearly indicates as much. However, most hardcore gamers will go with this resolution regardless of the games they want to play.
The picture quality of these monitors is unmatched. But our suggestion is to hold back on 4K monitors unless you only play single-player titles, and have the budget and power to push all these extra pixels.
Which Resolution Will Be Best for You?
The majority of PC gamers play first-person shooters or competitive e-sports games. For such players, the resolution shouldn’t be the first priority. Cut back on the resolution and get a monitor that supports higher refresh rates. Both your graphics card and your wallet will thank you for this. That’s why our picks consist mostly of 1080p resolution monitors.
The best thing about PC gaming, however, is that you aren’t restricted to any single option. If your rig flaunts a chunky RTX 3090 or 4080, and you play immersive single-player titles as well every now and then, go for a dual monitor setup.
Get one main monitor with a large display size, 4K resolution, and a 60Hz refresh rate. Reserve this for your media consumption, and single-player games, where it will give you a better viewing experience. But when you’re feeling particularly competitive, play your shooters on the 2nd monitor that has a lower resolution but can push out extra frames.
Screen Size
Display size and resolution go hand-in-hand to give you a certain pixel density. This is simply the number of pixels in a monitor within 1 inch. The higher the pixel density, the crisper the image, but after a certain point, increasing pixel density makes no discernible difference.
Alternatively, with lower pixel densities, you’ll be able to make out the individual pixels on the screen, which will ruin your image quality.
That’s why you have to get the best size for the resolution you choose when you’re buying a monitor. 1080p monitors go very well at a display size of 24-25 inches. 27-inch is the maximum size a 1080p monitor can go, beyond which the pixel density will drop too much.
For 1440p monitors, 27-inch is a very good size, and it can go up to 30, or even 32 inches in some well-built monitors. Beyond this, a 1440p monitor will lose its sharpness. For 4K monitors, go for 32 inches if it’s for your PC setup.
If you want a larger 4K TV for couch gaming, make sure to install it at a certain distance at which individual pixels don’t stand out a lot.
Refresh Rate
Refresh rate is the next most important factor that you should consider when buying a monitor for competitive gaming. The majority of monitors support only 60 Hertz. Hertz is the frequency of the monitor. It indicates how many times the screen refreshes per second. This is different from FPS, which indicates how many individual frames the graphics card is outputting.
Many people confuse Hertz and FPS. Just keep in mind that the number of FPS that you can see on a monitor is directly related to the monitor’s refresh rate. For instance, let’s suppose we played Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on a 1080p 60hz monitor using an Rx 6600xt, with all visual settings maxed out.
When we turn on the performance metrics that show the FPS, we’ll notice that the GPU will be pushing somewhere around 300fps.
The metrics might lead you to believe that you’re seeing the game run at 300fps, but in reality, it’s running only at 60fps. All the extra FPS are lost. That’s because your monitor has a refresh rate of only 60Hz, and can only output 60 frames in a single second.
You would notice an instant increase in smoothness if you purchased a 240Hz monitor and ran this game at the PC configuration and game settings. Now the monitor is actually pushing out 240 frames per second from the incoming 300 frames, instead of just 60.
Always remember that a 240Hz monitor can output frames lower than 240 FPS, but not above this number.
Which Refresh Rate Is Right for You?
This comes down to the types of games you play and the power of your graphics card. We discussed earlier that buying a higher refresh rate 4k monitor isn’t a very smart choice.
Similarly, if you have a weak graphics card, a high refresh rate monitor won’t do you much good. That’s because the GPU isn’t powerful enough to give a high enough FPS that can match the monitor’s refresh rate.
When it comes to games, single-player titles will play smoother on a higher refresh rate, but even that maxes out at somewhere around 144hz, regardless of the resolution. Beyond that, even the best CPUs become a limiting factor in these games, once you start hitting higher frame rates.
That’s because the single-player titles have much more physics-based interactions or a larger open world that puts a lot of stress on the CPU. That’s why we suggest going with a 4k 60hz screen for these titles.
Ideally, for competitive titles, 144Hz to 240Hz is perfectly fine. Just make sure that your PC can output FPS that can match these refresh rates.
Panel Type
There are three main types of gaming panels on the market. Let’s take a look at them.
IPS Panels
IPS or In-Plane Switching panels have the most expensive prices. These give the widest color gamut as well as wide viewing angles.
However, their response time can be a bit higher than TN panels. These are perfect if you want a higher visual fidelity and are willing to cut back on the performance.
TN Panel
Twisted-Nematic panels are the opposite of IPS. While their colors are bland and don’t have wide viewing angles, they have excellent response times. These are targeted toward hardcore gamers and e-sports professionals who want pure performance.
VA Panels
Vertical Alignment panels are the middle ground of the above two. Their colors and viewing angles are comparable to IPS, but their response time is higher than both TN and IPS. These panels can often suffer from ghosting and backlight bleed.
However, all these issues can be fixed if the panel is made correctly. Plus, VA panels have the best contrast ratios of the other two panels, resulting in deep blacks, and are very affordable as well. That’s why the majority of monitors on this list will have VA panels.
5 Best 240Hz Gaming Monitors on the Market
Listed below are the five best 240Hz refresh rate gaming monitors you can find. Whether you’re an aspiring esports player or just want the best in the visuals and performance department, we got you covered.
1. AOC C27G2Z 27″ Curved Gaming Monitor, FHD 1080p, 240Hz, HDMI/DP/VGA
Starting off, we have a 27″ 1080p monitor from AOC.
This is a curved monitor with 1500R depth, which allows it to wrap around your field of vision. It’s difficult to see what’s going on at the corner of most flat larger-sized monitors during a hectic gaming session. With a 1500R curve, this monitor makes it easy for you to keep your eyes everywhere on the screen.
It supports AMD Freesync, which can help eliminate annoying screen tearing, but sadly it lacks NVIDIA G-Sync. In terms of design, it boasts thin bezels on all three sides, and red accents with a base black color to give it more of a gaming vibe.
With a VA panel, you know you’ll be getting good colors and contrast ratio. This monitor supports HDMI, DP, and VGA for input.
Pros
- The monitor is priced very competitively for its features and performance.
- It has less than 1ms response time making it perfect for any sort of competitive shooter game.
- The best thing is that it comes with a 3-year zero dead pixel warranty, giving you ample peace of mind for your investment.
Cons
- There have been some complaints of ghosting in this monitor, which can be distracting during gaming.
- The OSD menu on this monitor is poorly developed and a pain to navigate.
2. ASUS 27” 1080P TUF Gaming Curved HDR Monitor (VG27VQM), HDMI, DisplayPort
Next up we have an entry from Asus. This 1080p 27″ VA panel monitor not only boasts 240hz but also has HDR packed in it for more vivid colors. It also has only 1ms response time.
The 1500R curved screen on this monitor is ideal for its larger screen size. Asus made its design simple and minimalistic, without any flashy lighting. All three sides have thin bezels that give it a sleek look.
It supports AMD Freesync, as well as Adaptive Sync, for Nvidia GPUs.
Pros
- The monitor has an affordable price.
- The HDR features really make images look more vivid.
- You’ll get a free 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription when you purchase this monitor.
Cons
- Adaptive Sync doesn’t perform as well with Nvidia GPUs as G-Sync does.
3. BenQ ZOWIE XL2746K 27-inch 240hz Gaming Monitor, DisplayPort, HDMI
BneQ is the best in business when it comes to high refresh rate monitors.
This monitor is built with only performance in mind. It ditches the VA panel for a TN panel with ultra-low response time.
It also has DyAC+ features in it which reduce blurriness during fast-paced action moments. This is a truly game-changing feature, which makes it perfect for esports players.
Pros
- The monitor performs exactly as advertised, without any fancy gimmicks.
- The DyAC technology can make your intensive gaming sessions blur-free, increasing your performance.
- The redesigned base allows the monitor to be placed in more unique arrangements, prioritizing your comfort.
Cons
- For a TN panel, the price of this monitor is very high.
- Media consumption on this monitor isn’t very enjoyable, due to the smaller color gamut of the TN panel.
4. Alienware 27 Inch Monitor, 240Hz Gaming Monitor, 2560 x 1440p QHD, AW2721D, DisplayPort, HDMI
The next two monitors have a price close to the $1000 mark. They are the best in the business and offer every ounce of performance and quality that you can expect from a monitor.
The best thing about this entry from Alienware is the IPS panel used in it. Without compromising on visual fidelity, this monitor will give you unmatched performance.
This monitor is G-Sync Ultimate certified, making screen tearing a thing of the past when you pair it with an NVIDIA GPU.
Pros
- The image quality is exceptional.
- The design and lighting on the monitor really make it stand out from the rest.
- Not only does it have 1ms response time, but it comes packed with VESA HDR 600 for the extra pop in colors.
Cons
- The cable placement for HDMI and DP is very inconvenient.
- The stand of the monitor is quite massive, so you might have to move around some stuff on your table.
5. SAMSUNG 32″ Odyssey Neo G8 4K UHD 240Hz 1ms G-Sync 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor, Quantum HDR2000, DisplayPort, HDMI
Out of nowhere, Samsung made a beast of a monitor. The technology used in the Neo G8 is exceptional.
The Odyssey Neo G8 has all the bells and whistles you can ever desire. It has a 4k resolution along with a high refresh rate for smooth gameplay. It has a sharp 1000R curved radius for an immersive experience. It’s 32″ and supports Quantum HDR2000.
If you have more than $1000 to spare on a monitor, this one won’t disappoint you in any way.
Pros
- Everything from the color accuracy of the monitor to its brightness and overall performance is impeccable, giving you the smoothest gaming experience.
- The 4k resolution makes it the perfect monitor for media consumption, and with a 240hz refresh rate, you can play competitively on it as well.
- It supports Ultrawide Game view, which increases the player’s field of view in-game, allowing for a better experience.
Cons
- The price of this monitor is exorbitant.
- Turning on Ultrawide Game View automatically locks the refresh rate to 120Hz and disables Adaptive Sync.
Conclusion
This list of the five best 240Hz gaming monitors should satisfy every type of gamer out there.
Before you invest in a high refresh rate monitor, make sure your PC has a decent graphics card that can handle the extra frames.
Be sure to check out our selection of gaming equipment reviews to make sure your setup fits your exact specifications.
