Introduction
Jumping right into 4k gaming sounds like it’s the best you can get right? Unfortunately that’s not currently the case for a number of reasons. This article will go over the importance of understanding how resolution impacts your games performance for the better and for the worse.
After reading this article you will have a clear understanding of if you should get a 4k monitor and whether you need to consider some other gaming equipment upgrades. Let’s get started.
Don’t get a gaming monitor if the following apply to you:
1. You Have Gaming Hardware that Can’t Support 4k Gaming
If you game on a PS5, XBOX Series X, or Switch, skip to the next section. For all the PC gamers, you have to have a graphics card and processor that can support 4k gaming. If you have an old graphics card like a GTX 1080, running 4k on your computer will crash your game.
Some of the new graphics cards that can easily handle 4k include the following:
Most gamers will start with a budget graphics card like a GTX 1000 series and buy a 4k monitor. When you crank up the resolution the game slows down and lags dramatically. What you’ll find yourself having to do is turn down the in-game graphics to 1440p or even 1080p even though you’re on a 4k monitor.
Having a graphics card that can run IN-GAME 4k on a native 4k monitor is the only way to experience a true 4k resolution.
2. You Play Mostly Online Competitive Games
No online competitive games like Call of Duty Warzone, Rocket League, and Apex Legends are meant to be played in 4k. For pro amateur gamers, refresh rate is more important than resolution.
To get higher refresh rate (how smooth an image moves across your screen), you have to turn down the resolution to at least 1920x1080p.
“If you play competitive online games at 4k, you’re placing yourself at a disadvantage because your monitor will be microseconds slower than a player with better refresh rate.“
— Ed Tate, professional Rocket League Gamer
Some of the most common online competitive games in addition to what I already mentioned include:
- Counterstrike Global Offensive
- League of Legends
- Fortnite
- Dota 2
- Overwatch
- Rainbow 6 Siege
If you’re aspiring to be a pro gamer, then monitor size is also important. Check out my article on why you also need a small monitor for online gaming.
3. You Want to 4k Game on a Massive Screen with over 60 FPS
Immersive gaming experiences are more enjoyable for me like many other gamers prefer. However, a large 4k screen is going to place insane demand on your gear no matter what platform you game on and I’ve never seen a gamer achieve smooth, 4k image on a monitor larger than 32 inches.
4k gaming will for sure lock you at 60 frames per second with occasional framerate drops.
Many gamers try to enjoy 4k gaming by connecting their platform to a TV. If you don’t adjust the right settings, you’re losing visual quality if you’re using your TV as a gaming monitor.
Intel posted another great article on running 4k with guidelines on screen size, processing power and other good things to know.
4. You Don’t Use Your Monitor for Other Related Activities
4k gaming monitors serve several other great purposes than just being used for gaming. You want to ensure you’re getting the most out of your monitor if you’re going to invest in a 4k monitor.
Below are some of the best occupations or hobbies that give you an extra reason to get a 4k monitor:
- Movie watcher
- Media editor
- Photoshop creator
- Programmer
- Digital artwork
- Virtual engineering design
- Architecture
If you won’t see yourself benefiting from the above fields, then you’re not getting the most out of your 4k monitor.
5. You Can’t Afford a Popular 4k Brand
There’s a ton of knockoff gaming monitor brands that look similar to what the big gaming companies already produce. I’ve found that after testing some of these, their durability and backlight quality are significantly lower.
It’s more worth your money to save up and purchase from a more well known brand if you decide to buy online.
These are some of the best 4k gaming monitor brands I’ve personally use
- Acer
- Sceptre
- MSI (speakers not included with any of their products)
- Asus
- Samsung
- LG
I would recommend avoiding any gaming monitor brand that doesn’t fall into one of these categories. It’s really hard to go cheap with a 4k monitor (under $200) from a not so well-known company that makes a good product.
6. You Play Games that Don’t Naturally Have Good Graphics
I love old classic games and even ones with cartoon graphics. If these games don’t strive to achieve realistic graphics, you won’t be blown away by their quality on a 4k monitor compared to one with lower resolution.
Only games that strive for photo-realistic graphics look good on 4k monitors like most AAA titles.
Games like Animal Crossings, Legend of Zelda, Among Us, and Minecraft are games that can be enjoyed on any resolution screen without taking away from the experience the give gamers. Some other low graphics games include:
- Civilization 6
- Age of Empires
- Old-School games like Halo Combat Evolved
- Kids games (Nintendo)
If you’re reading this article wanting to know what platform is the best for kids, check out my article here.
7. You’re a Console Gamer
PS5s, XBOX Series, and Switch games are all fantastic but they’ve never been able to achieve 4k graphics with more than 60 frames per second.
Before that frustrates you, PS5s and modern XBOX models claim they can produce 4k at 120 frames per second. Unfortunately several gamers tested this statistic and found that their console wasn’t able to do it on a high-end TV or monitor.
The PS5 can only provide 4k 120 fps if you have an insanely expensive TV ($3,000 and above) with VRR (variable refresh rate feature) and a HDMI Cord better than 2.0. Without either of these components, you’ll be locked at 60 frames per second with a laggy 4k experience
Don’t get me wrong, the PS5 and modern consoles provide awesome gaming experiences with impressive visuals, but the gaming community mutually agree 4k gaming is currently unrealistic for most that can’t afford it.
The video below breaks down these numbers more clearly:
Additional Resource
I wrote a Free E-Book on the best gaming gear with zero fluff. You can get it by signing up on the right hand side of the top of this article. It’s the best of everything I’ve learned and researched and personally tested so you don’t have to spend hours on the web.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out at entertainmentden.ns@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to respond! I’m also taking article suggestions so feel free to send those over if you have any as well.
Until then, be sure to check back regularly for the next article!