Is 2k monitor good for gaming? Are 2k monitors worth it?
If you’re planning on jumping on the 4K bandwagon, you might want to hold off for now. The next big thing in display technology is likely to be high-dynamic range (HDR), which promises brighter brights and darker darks, thus more realistic images. However, that doesn’t mean that there are no options if you’re after higher resolution screens right now. One of those options is 2K QHD , or “Quad HD”, which delivers 2560×1440 pixels across a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. You can expect a pixel density of about 160 pixels per inch.
In this article, we not only answer the question “Is 2k monitor good for gaming?,” but also “Are 2k monitors worth it?” and show you some of the best displays available in stores right now.
What is a 2k gaming monitor?
A 2K/QHD monitor offers anywhere from two to four times as many pixels as an HDTV. This means that images can be extremely detailed, with excellent definition even when viewed at very close range. One catch is that games must support a resolution of 2560×1440 or lower to take advantage of a high-resolution display. At the time of writing, few if any native QHD titles are available, although support for the resolution has been around in PC games since 2013.
What’s good about 2k monitor ?
A 2K/QHD monitor offers anywhere from two to four times as many pixels as an HDTV. This means that images can be extremely detailed, with excellent definition even when viewed at very close range. One catch is that games must support a resolution of 2560×1440 or lower to take advantage of a high-resolution display… According to [You],Are 2k monitors worth it?.
2K is a common video standard used by devices such as smartphones and high-definition televisions (HDTV). With a pixel density greater than 300 ppi, these devices have enough screen space and clarity to display high-quality content in the 2K standard.
2k monitor for gaming is amazing because it will give you a great visual experience for your games, movies or even graphic design. It has many features that can make all of this possible. The resolution will allow you to watch any type of video contents with clarity and quality, without pixelation since it provides 4 times more information than an HDTV…
Are 2k monitors worth it?
For gamers that are looking to get into QHD/4K displays, but either don’t want to spend the money on a new system, don’t have any graphics cards that could run them to their full or simply can’t afford the jump, there’s a wealth of 2K alternatives available to them.
Is 2k monitor good for gaming?
You’ve probably heard that some gamers are getting 2k monitors to use while playing games. And you’re wondering, is it just a marketing hype? Or should I get one for myself? Let’s explore some of the benefits of using a 1440p monitor over 1080p, and whether they make it worth your money.
Most gamers know that 2k resolution is 2560 x 1440 pixels, and 1080p is 1920 x1080, so the difference is obvious. But what does this actually mean? Why do you need a 2k monitor if your graphics card can’t even pump out all those pixels? And wouldn’t it make games look worse if you tried to play them on a 2k monitor?
The answer to this is resolution. See, most games won’t make use of what seems like extra pixels unless you tell it to. So when your graphics card is sending 1920 x 1080 pixels to the monitor, it’s not making use of the extra resolution. The result is a slightly blurry picture, because your monitor is attempting to scale a lower-resolution image up to 2k.
This can easily be fixed by enabling 2k resolution on your graphics card and monitor, but most people don’t know how to do this. To make games look better and not blurry, just set your graphics to the native resolution of the monitor.
This is all well and good for gaming at 2k, but what about the games themselves? Won’t they look worse due to low FPS (frames per second)? I mean, this is what we’ve been told all our lives – more pixels = lower framerates. So how can there be any benefits?
Well, the answer is that it doesn’t really matter for single-player games if your FPS drops below 60. To put this in perspective, let’s say you’re playing Call of Duty at 2k resolution with all settings maxed out. The game looks pretty damn good, but your framerate keeps dipping to around 30FPS during multiplayer matches. That means your monitor is refreshing itself 60 times a second while only showing you half the frames! It’s like looking through a constantly flickering window.
This can get annoying after some time and also affect your performance badly because you won’t be able to react to what’s happening on screen accurately enough due to low FPS. Allowing more time for the framerate to catch up means you’re way more likely to get shot before seeing who did it.
So if you’re mainly playing multiplayer games, I’d suggest staying away from 2k monitors because of the risk of low FPS. But what about single-player games? Do they look any better with a 2k resolution?
Judging by what we’ve mentioned above, there is no doubt that higher resolutions will make graphics look better and render sharper. This is especially true when it comes to text and thin outlines or stokes around objects on screen. It’s almost like those details were an afterthought at 1080p, but they were obviously given more attention during development of games at 2k.
Textures look better too, especially if you’re using a TN monitor. The problem with TN panels is that the colors seem washed-out and less intense than on other types of displays. But since most game developers use an sRGB or similar color profile, this effect is very minimal (unless your graphics card doesn’t support this). With 1440p resolution, even ordinary 1080p video will look sharper and more colorful once upscaled to 2k by your monitor!
As for older games, I’ve noticed that graphic elements like dust particles or raindrops are much easier to see at 2k than they were on my old 1080p screen. Of course there’s no guarantee that it will be noticeable for everyone; it all comes down to preference and the type of game you’re playing.
The Best 1440p 2k Gaming Monitors in 2022
Now that we’ve covered the graphics side of things, it’s time for us to take a look at some monitors that are worth buying in 2022. Keep in mind this list is not complete by any means because there are too many great choices out there! For example, if you’re looking for Acer Predator XB271HU 27″ 1440p G-Sync Monitor , it seems like everyone’s sold out or having major problems with shipping to your country. So there won’t be any 27″ screens on this list simply because they’re too expensive compared to 24″ ones! This way you will get more value for your money and other important features like response time, maximum supported refresh rate, or input lag.
So without further ado, let’s check out the best 144hz 1440p monitors we could find!
Samsung 30″ S32D850T – $499.99
This 2k Monitor from Samsung is a 32-inch ultra high resolution monitor that comes with a 2560 x 1440 WQHD screen. The 1500R curvature helps you to get a immersive experience, while the large screen size gives you room to work and play. It also comes with useful features such as Easy Setting Box and Eco Saving Plus to make your experience better since it is Energy Star 6.0 compliant…
Nixeus EDG 27-inch 2560×1440 – $299.00
This 27″ 2k monitor – Nixeus EDG 27 offers a massive 2560x1440p resolution that is ideal for gamers and graphic designers. It features an upgraded 1440p AHVA display panel with 16:9 aspect ratio, 350 cd/m² brightness rating, 1000:1 contrast ratio…
LG 34UM69G-B – $399.00
This 2k Monitor from LG is 100% gamer approved. With AMD FreeSync support, this monitor has no screen tearing or stuttering giving you an optimized smooth gaming experience for your favorite games . It also gives you the option to game in 21:9 UltraWide Full HD resolution with Screen Split 2.0 technology…
ASUS PB287Q 28″ – $499.99
This monitor comes equipped with a versatile base that can be placed on the desk or removed to hang on your wall, so you have the freedom to set it up as you wish. With its 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 screen, ASUS PB287Q delivers four times the pixels of HD 1920 x 1080 displays for strikingly realistic visuals and vibrant images…
Acer XG270HU 27-inch WQHD – $439.99
This 2k Monitor from Acer has a 27-inch, wide Quad HD (2560 x 1440) panel with peak brightness of up to 350 cd/m² and features AMD FreeSync technology for smooth gameplay. It is equipped with DVI, HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 connections. Thanks to its fast response time speed, there’s no smearing or ghosting during game play…
AOC Q2781PQ – $599.00
This 2k Monitor from AOC – Agon AG271QG comes with an exceptional refresh rate of 60Hz, which makes it twice as fast as conventional 120Hz monitors! Together with the NVIDIA G-SYNC technology removinguttering and tearing this monitor gives you the smoothest gaming experience possible. It also has 178/178 degree viewing angles for you to enjoy accurate, vibrant color from any perspective…
LG 27UD88-W – $599.99
This 2k Monitor from LG is equipped with Thunderbolt 2 which supports up to 20Gbps data transfer rates and dual 4K displays via a single cable . It delivers four times more pixels than Full HD displays , while covering 100% of the sRGB color space…
It’s almost unanimous: gamers want higher resolutions (aka higher “res”). But while some gamers’ GPUs can handle QHD (Quarter High Definition), most cannot manage the computing power required for 4K Ultra HD . As such, 1440p monitors have become a popular alternative to 4K.
A 1440p monitor will have a resolution of 2560 x 1440, providing the best possible picture quality on a standard 1080p HDTV – while costing significantly less than a new GPU . And while some gamers may be put off by ‘only’ having 94% as many pixels compared to 4K, this results in little noticeable decrease in performance…
In addition, don’t forget that your ancient GTX 580 might not even be able to get 60fps at 720p , let alone graphical fidelity approaching what you’d see from a high-end gaming PC! So if you’re looking for an affordable upgrade or simply want to give QHD a try without spending close to £400/$400+ on a graphics card , there are plenty of options available…
After all, you can always adjust the graphical settings to determine how high you want to push your framerate! And on paper, 1440p gaming doesn’t look much different from 4K – so if you don’t have a 2k monitor or 4k TV and do play CPU-intensive games such as Arma 3 or Battlefield 4 , consider this monitor for its awesome value!
When we say “2K” we really mean 2560 x 1440 (WQHD) panels. These 2560×1440 27″ monitors used to retail for $1200 just a few years ago, but now they’re about half that price. They fill the gap between Full HD 1080 and Ultra HD/4K.
The increased resolution provides a lot of extra “real estate” to work with, and games will look very sharp. Remember, too, that you can always lower the resolution if needed; it won’t impact your framerate much at all. The only reason you’d want to crank up the settings in newer games is because of high graphics requirements (eg: not because the beauty turned up). Older games like Minecraft and StarCraft 2 can be run quite comfortably at max (full) settings…
However, we wouldn’t recommend 2k monitors for competitive gaming – especially not 144hz or G-Sync/FreeSync ones . For one thing, they’ll cost significantly more than 1080p counterparts , and secondly they just not necessary unless you’re playing newer titles .
Conclusion
So Is 2k monitor good for gaming? Yes it is! But only if the games support this resolution (which most nowadays do), and one major advantage is that we can see very small details in QHD graphics which may not be visible in lower resolutions. If video quality is important for you then this type of monitors will provide you with great image quality and improved experience.
What do you think of 2k monitor?