I’ve been using my current monitor for 12 years - LG W1952TQ - and I wish to upgrade to a gaming one. Ever since I upgraded my CPU/Mobo/RAM earlier this year, screen tearing has been a regular thing as my games been pushing beyond 60 FPS. Monitor tech was never something I looked deeply into since mine just worked up until my tearing issues (I’m still using a DVI-D connector lol).
Things to consider:
- Size-wise, I’m using a desk with a two-monitor setup, so anything in the 20" range is preferred.
- I plan on sticking with Nvidia, so a G-sync supported monitor is preferred.
- Budget… probably in the 200-500 range
As someone who never really cared about a monitor for years you’re gonna love it if you get the right monitor!
I know after I did some research I ended up with the LG-27GL850-B. It’s on the higher end of the price range around $500 USD(I myself paid just over $600 Canadian) but it’s a beautiful 27" 1440p 144hz monitor and after years of 60hz 1080p monitors the change was night & day.
If your PC can handle 1440p on the games you play, I would seriously consider it if you can find one in stock, they usually sell out fast! I’m sure there’s other options out there but my experience is with this monitor and it’s amazing 
Checking out the specs and reviews, I’ll definitely consider this one. I currently use a GTX1070, though I plan on getting the 3070 when it comes out, so 1440p wouldn’t be a problem 
.
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I would also recommend a 27" 1440p/144hz monitor - I upgraded to mine, which also happens to be curved, from a 2 x 1080p/60hz ( 27" and 24") setup. I kept both of the old monitors, so now using a 3 monitor setup with the RTX 2070, and it performs great. I don’t think you’ll have an issue if you keep the two old monitors and do what I did!
I would also recommend 27" over 24" and definitely IPS over TN.
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I love my Samsung Curved 27" monitors.
Picked up two for $200 each at Walmart.
C27F398
As an opposing counter here
I run a 1440p TN 144hz Adaptive Sync 24" display
The PPI is great at that size, TN has its benefits in terms of response time (IPS isn’t absolutely better, it depends), it matches other 24" cheaper displays for multiple monitor setups, and it takes up a little less real estate.
Also depending on your distance from the screen, size may be more appropriate.
Nothing wrong at all with 27" displays, but it’s just another point of view
What are y’alls opinion on VA?
Personally I’ve never used one that I particularly enjoyed.
TN for speed and economy or IPS for image quality
I’m very happy with my $380 Asus 1440p 144hz FreeSync/G-Sync gaming monitor. I forget the exact model name.
I have 2 VA monitors and 1 IPS monitor in my setup. They all perform well.
I play WoW on a 27" VA 1440p/144hz curved display. I prefer the VA for WoW. I like that VA has very deep blacks and a higher contrast ratio - I just like the way I can make the game look on it. I’m not a professional or high end gamer, so the loss in fidelity for the gain in responsiveness if I went with a TN just isn’t worth it for me. I don’t notice a performance difference in response times when playing on my VA vs IPS (even though spec wise the IPS is more responsive), so I play on the VA which looks better.
The IPS is my middle monitor. This browser window is on it - great colors, great photo reproduction. When I’m working on an image I’ll drag it across all three monitors and make sure it looks good on all of them.
Here’s a couple of decent write ups:
https://www.techspot.com/article/1788-display-tech-compared/
https://www.howtogeek.com/658701/tn-vs.-ips-vs.-va-whats-the-best-display-panel-technology/
Edit: It was too late last night when I wrote this to check my son’s old monitor. (He has the same primary monitor as me now, the 27" VA 1440p/144hz with curved display). His old monitor is a 24" TN (he kept it for a 2 monitor setup). We have not seen a noticeable response time difference in WoW with any of the 3 technologies to a point where it actually impacts gameplay (and that is with both my old eyes and young serious gamer eyes on them 
).
Edit #2: It turns out my VA monitor has one of the better response times (similar to good IPS and better than lower end TN), so YMMV. 
VA monitors are very nice and very pricey. The cost benefit is up to you as it would be for any monitor. You can do quantitative analysis on monitors (color gamut, peak brightness, angle washout, etc.,) but really it comes down to qualitative user opinion. You can have three separate users; one with a 22" 1650x1050 TN panel as a free hand me down, one with a 27" IPS 1440p 100hz+ for $250, one with 32" 4k VA 60hz for $400. All of them can love or hate their monitors equally and all opinions are valid.
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I could not agree more. Benchmarks are fun, but it really comes down to the quality of the experience and your budget … so much of this is subjective and should come down to personal preference.
Cases are another huge item that i feel are largely personal.
Even with the best features and thermal performance, appearance and size can trump all that in a decision making process.
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Pick one please:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ugly+computer+case&iax=images&ia=images
If you don’t like the way your case looks then you won’t keep it so it’s a waste of money regardless of specs, amateur and professional reviews.
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https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casemodgod.com%2FModProjectLogs%2FToasterPC%2Ftoasterpc1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1
Then I really can say I play WoW on a toaster
Have you seen the PC in the fishtank filled with mineral oil?
had to google it, is this it?
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