Well, the answer to this question is quite subjective. It primarily depends on the device you use and GPU in it. But! In order to help you understand more about resolution, in this article I am explaining key points that you should know about gaming resolution.
Firstly! What is Resolution?
In simple words, display resolution is the visual ability of a monitor. It is expressed as a number, such as 1920 x 1080, meaning that the screen can display up to 1,920 pixels horizontally, and up to 1,080 vertically.
In general, as a rule of thumb, the best resolution for gaming is 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD). The ideal screen resolution should be 1080p, especially for competitive gaming applications and when taking part in eSports games for example.
Theoretically speaking, the more pixels a screen can display, the sharper and more detailed the picture graphics it can show.
In addition to this, monitor resolution would also depend on some other factors.
Factors affecting resolution:
Graphical Fidelity
While resolution decides the look, and how well realistic the concept is visualized, fidelity is essentially about the level of details solved. Gaming monitor fidelity is the combination of the detail, frame rate, and resolution it has to offer.
A low fidelity/high resolution is the combination you should choose for most gaming applications.
Aspect Ratio
This is just the ratio of the gaming monitor width to its height. For gaming applications, the best aspect ratio will be 16:9. If you would like to play your games on a bigger screen, you may go for an aspect ratio of 21:9. This is the best aspect ratio for 4K monitors and gaming on a TV display. However, this is subject to your personal preferences.
FPS (Frames per second):
The Frames per Second (FPS) is the number of image frames the monitor can display per second. A higher FPS makes the transition from one image frame to another appear smoother, resulting in a more realistic gaming experience.
Different available screen resolutions:
As mentioned earlier, 1080p is the most popular gaming resolution. 1440p and 4K are slowly acquiring market share. 4K is considered the true successor to 1080p. It doubles the horizontal and vertical resolution. In addition to this, there are some other available resolutions for gaming monitors.
- 1280 x 720 — HD / 720p.
- 1920 x 1080 — FHD (Full HD) / 1080p.
- 2560 x 1440 — QHD/WQHD (Quad HD) / 1440p.
- 3840 x 2160 — UHD (Ultra HD) / 4K 2160p.
- 7680 × 4320 — FUHD (Full Ultra HD) / 8K 4320p.
Best monitors for PC gaming:
Depending on what GPU you own and how much budget is available, here are the best recommendations for different resolutions:
Firstly never go for 720p. Your minimum requirement is 1080p and above. You can get this at the minimum range of 100$.
If you are using Xbox, you can use a stick with a solid 1080p monitor, while Xbox One S and Xbox One X owners can go for a 4K display.
1440p:
A 1440p gaming resolution offers a perfect balance between performance and visuals/graphics quality on laptop.
It is well supported in some PC’s as well. However you can decide if this can be supported by your PC by seeing how your PC handles games at 1080p. If you are repeatedly hitting the barrier of your monitor’s refresh rate (60Hz being the norm or 60 frames per second), then 1440p monitor may be an ideal enhancement to your experience.
2160p:
2160p gaming resolution will offer you the best visuals. But this is supported by only fewer laptops. So, it is the best gaming resolution for laptops, if you can afford it and your GPU can support it.
Take away:
On the whole, the best gaming monitor resolution will depend on your budget, the type of games you will be playing and the gaming platform.
If you are a competitive player, a 1080P display is best suitable and affordable in most cases.
If you want to go for better experience and you can afford it, the best 2160p resolution gaming monitors will offer you the best picture quality. Please note that it should be backed by powerful GPUs.
