High Refresh Rate Displays
High refresh rate monitors revolutionized competitive gaming by reducing motion blur and improving responsiveness. Once you experience 144Hz or higher, going back to 60Hz feels sluggish and restrictive.
Refresh rate represents how many times per second your monitor updates the image. Standard monitors refresh at 60Hz, while gaming displays range from 144Hz to 360Hz. Most players notice significant improvements up to 240Hz, though diminishing returns appear beyond that point.
Panel technology affects image quality and response times. TN panels offer the fastest response times but suffer from poor viewing angles and color accuracy. IPS panels provide gorgeous colors and wide viewing angles with slightly slower response. VA panels split the difference with good contrast but potential ghosting issues.
Response time indicates how quickly pixels change colors. Look for monitors advertising 1ms gray-to-gray response times for competitive gaming. However, manufacturers often measure this under unrealistic conditions, so check professional reviews for actual performance data.
Adaptive sync technology eliminates screen tearing without introducing input lag. Both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync work excellently, though G-Sync monitors typically cost more. Most modern GPUs support both standards, making compatibility less of a concern than previously.