Different optimal sizes are available depending on the type of gaming involved. The answer can change if it’s a High FPS competitive, Immersive, Adventure, Role-playing, or Real-Time Action. Our job is to make you understand the functionalities of the different sizes. In the end, it falls under the user’s decision and what they value in a monitor. Read the article below to get an overview of the different sizes and make your choice.
How is Monitor Size Measured?
Monitor sizes refer to the diagonal length from one edge of the screen to the other. Many users confuse this with the length. It is the length but only of the diagonal, not its sides. Next time a seller tells you a particular monitor size, understand it’s the diagonal inch. Remember the Pythagoras theorem in math; the same concept applies. So why is this important? From personal experience, we can tell you that the monitor will be a little smaller than what we perceived in your mind. Be prepared for that.
Best Monitor Size for Gaming
Now that we know how monitors are measured, the question is which monitor to choose for gaming. Please read the guide below to assess it yourself. Remember, the choice of monitor size should be what you are comfortable with and value in a monitor. It doesn’t have to be always what others use.
24/25-inch Monitors
We recommend choosing a monitor size ranging from 24 to 25 inches for competitive high FPS gaming. We mean games like Call of Duty, Valorant, Overwatch, etc., or any game where split-second decisions make a difference. Spotting the enemy fast will play a crucial role in these games. A millisecond could be the thing that differentiates you from the winning headshot. The concept also applies to the arena or RTA games like league of legends. This size range will also give you a full view of the monitor while providing enough screen space for gameplay. A Bigger screen will have you look all over the screen. We recommend getting 24–25-inch monitors in 1920*1080p (Full HD) as the sweet spot for resolution. We do not recommend dropping the resolution from 1080p. There are a few 1440p options available, and it is good for gaming, but monitors should be kept at a distance of 2-3 feet, so the texts might be small to read it comfortably. It also depends on your eyesight. These monitors generally range from 60 Hz to 340 Hz in refresh rates. Another thing to consider is that almost all professional gamers in the industry (there are exceptions) use this size for competitive gaming. Big-name gamers get sponsored gear in tournaments. But for someone starting in the gaming world, there are many BYOC (Bring Your Own Computers) tournaments. These size monitors are lightweight and perfect for transportation. Pick this size monitor if you value speed over resolution/screen real-estate or want to enter the hardcore high FPS combat gaming world.
27-inch Monitors
Consider 27-inch monitors as the center point in the monitor world. You get a bigger screen compared to the 24-inch monitors and higher resolution while still being able to play high FPS games or casual ones. The 27-inch monitor is considered a jack of all in the monitor world. However, these monitors will feel significantly larger during high FPS games in competitive settings. It entirely depends on preference, but since players tend to sit close to monitors during tournaments, it might feel awkward regarding the size. We can get from 1080p to 4k resolution options in this monitor size. However, the sweet spot in resolution is the 2560*1440p (Quad HD). We generally get a 60 to a 240 Hz refresh rate range in this size. We do not recommend getting the 1080p 27-inch monitors. The screen real estate increases, but the same FHD resolution means the pixels will have to be larger. Hence, the image sharpness will suffer. We consider the 27-inch as the maximum size if you are into competitive high FPS shooter games where you need to sit close to the monitor. You will find a niche group of esports players using this size too.
28–32-inch Monitors
Now we enter the big leagues. The 28–32-inch monitors are better suited for the 1440p or 4k resolutions. We do not recommend this size for competitive high fps shooter games. However, the high resolution also means crisper images. We recommend anything above 27 inches for story-type single players or adventure games. You can enjoy the graphics in those games. The high resolution also means you will need a powerful graphics card to render images at high refresh rates. These monitors’ refresh rates generally range around 144-240 HZ Also, as the monitors are significantly bigger, you will need to put some distance between the monitor and yourself. Remember that TVs come in 32 inches, so it is like a TV used as a monitor. A 4k resolution in a 28-inch monitor also means you will have to change scaling as texts might become very small. Many users consider these sizes to be too big for gaming, but it comes down to preference.
Monitors Above 32-inch
You will have to sit at a distance for monitors above 32 inches. Viewing these monitors at a close distance will easily create fatigue and neck strain. We also recommend at least 2k resolution on these monitors. A 2k 32-inch monitor has the same pixel per inch as a 24-inch Full HD monitor, So this should be your bare minimum baseline. The refresh rate on these monitors will range from 60HZ to 240 HZ. Opt for monitors that have 4k or higher. Purchase these size monitors for games that depend on high-quality visuals, mainly adventure and roleplay games. We do not recommend this for competitive real-time high FPS gaming. For casual gamers, sure, go for it.
UltraWide Monitors
The traditional monitors that we see come with a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, the Ultrawide monitors generally have a 21:9, 32:9, 32:10, and 48:9 aspect ratio. Aspect ratios are the ratio between the horizontal and vertical pixels. These monitors offer immersive gaming, but the problem is not all games support this aspect ratio. Some games are made to support both 16:9 and 21:9 aspects, but you are limited in selecting games. Ultrawide monitors tend to have a greater field of view, so it’s a major advantage in games. All ultrawide monitors are high resolution, starting from 2k to even 8k resolutions. They generally range from 25 to 49 inches. In our personal experience, in the world of ultrawide, the bigger the monitor, the more immersive the gaming. We recommend anything above 32 inches for games with good graphics, mainly roleplaying, adventure, and racing games. E.g., Forza, Witcher, Red Dead Redemption, etc. However, there are sweet spots of sizes with the resolution for ultra wides. We recommend the following:
25″ to 29″ for 2560×1080 resolution34″ for 3440×1440 resolution38″ for 3840×1600 resolution43-inch for 3840×1080, 3840×1200 resolution49-inch for 5120×1440 resolution
Many users are confused about getting 4k or Ultrawide. We have a specific article focusing on that confusion. Have a look.
Size Shouldn’t Be the Only Factor to Consider
Size alone will not deliver you the greatest gaming experience. There are many other factors that we need to consider.
Refresh Rate
When purchasing monitors for gaming, try getting monitors with the highest refresh rate possible in your budget. We recommend 144 HZ to be the minimum refresh rate standard in today’s gaming world. Anything equal to or above that is a good investment. Also, note higher resolution and refresh rate demand powerful graphics cards. The monitors and graphics card need to utilize the proper ports, Display ports, and HDMI cables to get the full extent of the refresh rate. If one aspect fails, the result won’t be satisfactory.
Distance
Viewing distance will also play a major role; the bigger the monitors are, the further you will have to sit from them. The diagram below is for 24-27 inches. Make a rough adjustment as you increase screen sizes.
Screen Tearing / Shuttering Minimization
We also recommend getting monitors with Adaptative sync technology like free sync, G sync compatible, G sync, or G sync ultimate. As you move on to these classes of adaptive sync technologies, the features will increase along with the pricing. Adaptative sync technology is crucial to remove screen tearing or shuttering issues while gaming. If possible, get the GSync one as two of their categories uses an NVIDIA proprietary adaptive sync processor. We have a specific article to help you decide which G Sync category monitor to get. We also recommend monitors with overdrive to reduce ghosting issues. When you utilize variable refresh technology, overdrive is needed to balance the strain of jumping refresh rates. If this is unbalanced, you either get ghosting or inverse ghosting effects.
Input Lag
Lastly, Check the Response time of these monitors. In today’s standards, anything lower than 5ms for 144hz is acceptable. For 240 HZ or more, a minimum of 2ms is expected. 1ms response time monitors have become common and are available in the gaming world.
Conclusion
In our personal experiences, smaller monitors tend to do well with professional competitive gaming. It doesn’t mean bigger sizes monitors do not support shooter Arena games. It’s just that you will be at a disadvantage in a professional setting. As you move on to adventure, sport, simulation, and roleplaying games, bigger monitors with higher resolution do well. It depends on what you want out of the monitor; speed, immersive experience, visual quality, and budget. Size discussion is a subjective topic. You might like a particular size monitor while somebody else prefers a different size. Let us know what size you are using and your review regarding those sizes.
