Cyber Monday gaming monitor deals 2021: pixel perfect panels on offer

When it comes to Cyber Monday gaming monitor deals the slack pace of progress in screen technology is a blessing. It means that a great five year-old display will still be a great gaming monitor today. So don’t be put off if the panel you’re looking at isn’t necessarily a 2021 model.

The main thing to look out for, apart from the relative historical pricing (camelcamelcamel is your friend here) of the screen in question, is its native resolution. You want it to match up to your current and prospective graphics card. If you’re going to be rocking a GPU that isn’t capable of running games at 4K then you’re wasting your money chasing that super-high UHD res.

Native resolution is also important when it comes to ultrawide screens too, and mostly because of that second number in the equation. A 3440 x 1440 display will be 1440 pixels high, and I’m going to say that’s a minimum for ultrawides; anything lower is going too far down the letterbox route.

The next number is refresh rate. Simple 60Hz screens are no good no more. Even down at the budget end of the market you can usually bank on at least a 75Hz refresh in a cheap IPS display. And, trust me, you can tell the difference even with that small a difference. Pump things up to 120Hz, 144Hz, or even 240Hz and you will definitely be able to tell. 

It may sound like heresy, but it doesn’t matter if your GPU cannot deliver a solid 120fps on average, a 120Hz refresh will look great no matter what you’re doing with your new gaming monitor.

Then it’s all about panel technology. Personally I love an IPS screen, they deliver the best color accuracy but can suffer from slower response times and weak black levels, while a VA display isn’t quite as solid on color, but is quicker to respond. Only the esports pros who care nothing for visual fidelity should consider a TN panel with its weak image quality but penchant for lightning fast refresh rates and response.

If you’re planning to upgrade your machine to house one of Nvidia’s Ampere graphics cards, such as the RTX 3080 or RTX 3090, having one of the best G-Sync monitors is necessary to make the best of these high-powered cards. G-Sync being Nvidia’s adaptive sync technology, a feature that reduces screen tearing, and display stutter, by syncing your refresh rate to that of your GPU.

Alternatively, the best G-Sync Compatible FreeSync monitors are out there, and they’re certified by Nvidia to work with G-Sync. Although they are not the best quality monitors out there, usually you can find them cheaper. They also support AMD’s FreeSync technology, if you’re looking to buy a new AMD 6000-series GPU when they become available.

Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/cyber-monday-gaming-monitor-deals-2021