Buying a new monitor - Help please!

[QueenPixxa]

I have been using an old 40" TV as a monitor for quite a while, and I finally decided to buy a proper monitor.
After much reading, watching videos, etc. it seems that the best option for me and my pockets might be a 27" 1440p 144Hz Gsynch monitor.
I am pretty confused at this point, even following these specs there are quite a few different ones to choose from.
Some people even say that a 1080p is not such a bad idea, and 4K is out of the question because of the price.
I will be very grateful for any input, opinion, experience, recommendations you can give me.

[bongerman85]

1080p is good, some games and most newer ones support that now. overall the brand doesnt matter so much the actual reviews on the product. in the end the overall quality of what you see is only partially dependent on the monitor, most of it is on the graphics card.

[QueenPixxa]

Do I have to worry in case my graphic card won't agree with the monitor, or won't use it to its capacity? I have a GeForce RTX 2060.

[dreamrider]

QP, there is not a current generation monitor that won't be compatible with your RTX 2060.

[Coops]

One thing to look at
Check your video card for what kind of adapter it uses. I think you have DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI-D
Newer monitors use either HDMI or DisplayPort adapters. You might have to buy a cable as well.

[Pisaro]

Depends on youre games. For me, i cant even Imagine to play 16:9 again. 21:9 is soooo much better for me.

[rasku]

It really just depends on what games youre gonna play to be honest

[dreamrider]

Monitor choice is almost independent of what your choice of game or game type is.

Except... that for gaming in general you probably will have a much improved experience if you are both above a certain lower size limit, and below an upper size limit where your eyes begin to have to track a lot extra and get tired.
Call it ~15" diag (laptop) on the bottom end, and up to (maybe) 40" diag on the upper end.
For desktop use in gaming, 24" to 32" is the sweet spot, size wise. (But you will want to have the monitor on a pretty wide desk to be comfortable in long sessions on a 32".)

(Panoramic, wrap-around, cockpit immersion rigs are kind of a different topic. And LOTS more investment.)

[grzegorz77]

You have two more options.

Instead of a monitor on which you will play games. You can buy used google vr Rift S. Your graphics card is enough, so nothing stands in the way.

Why used, new ones are no longer there, price, these are goggles with a good image, but low resolution. So your card will cope and you will have a better image than on quest 2 (and many other advantages compared to quest 2).

You can buy a used professional monitor. You will pay cheaper, and you will probably have a better picture. I like used eizo, some like nec. These monitors are designed to work in 24/7 mode and serve for many years without failure.

[QueenPixxa]

The card has all the possible adapters, Coops, so that would't be a problem. I don't play action games, shooter games; SN is a good example of the games I play. I checked how big a 27" would be, compared to the 40" I'm using now, and it's not as small as I feared.
I would really like to get a 1440 instead of a 1080. Which monitors you guys use? Is there any you would recommend? I don't mind buying second hand for a really good one, but to be honest I'd prefer a new one that won't cost more than what I spent on my PC.
I watched/read so many reviews my head is spinning. I wish the god of monitors would tell me Here, buy this one!

[dreamrider]

I may not be the God of Monitors, but I know how to read Tom's.
Based on that, and our conversations on the topic...

Here, buy this one!

Here is the Tom's thumbnail review:

*Where the review says (opens in a new tab), it means there was a link in the original article.

1. Dell S3222DGM
Best Gaming Monitor
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio: 32 inches, 16:9Resolution: 2560 x 1440 @ 165 HzPanel Type: VARefresh Rate: 165 HzResponse Time (GTG): 4msAdaptive-Sync: FreeSync Premium Pro
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
VIEW AT BEST BUY
View at Walmart
View at Dell
See all prices (4 found)

REASONS TO BUY
+Sharp image with vivid and accurate color
+Premium level contrast
+Solid video processing
+Excellent build quality
REASONS TO AVOID
-No HDR
The Dell S3222DGM is the best gaming monitor for many gamers. This follow-up to the highly-rated S3220DGF(opens in new tab) boasts a 32-inch VA(opens in new tab) panel, QHD resolution and 165 Hz refresh rate with Adaptive-Sync(opens in new tab) support. Other perks in its favor are 85 percent coverage of DCI-P3 and a display curve with an 1800mm radius.

However, Dell really knocks it out of the park with the S3222DGM's contrast ratio(opens in new tab). VA panels are known for their excellent contrast, but the S3222DGM is rated at an impressive 3,000:1, easily blowing away IPS competitors. But our sample managed to better that figure by a third, coming in at 4,000:1 in instrumented tests.

This 32-inch monitor offers plenty of vertical screen real estate without the need for scrolling and 1440p resolution(opens in new tab), the current sweet spot between image quality and gaming performance. And while the S3222DGM is targeted primarily at gamers, we found that it is also great for general productivity and anything in between.

While the S3222DGM lacks HDR(opens in new tab) support, its excellent contrast doesn't detract from that missing "bullet point" and its overall performance is hard to beat at this price point. Throw in Dell's usual solid build quality, and this represents a great monitor for enthusiasts looking to build out a mid to high-budget gaming PC.

It is a bit bigger than where you had decided to focus, but well within your expressed preferences. Because it is a bit bigger it IS curved...but again, Tom's likes that at this size.
And even at this size, the prices I found are quite good, WELL within your price window.

And if you decide that the size is a problem, I think the current Dell in this series at 27" is equally well regarded.


Applicable Dell coupons, listed by Tom's:
https://www.tomshardware.com/coupons/dell.com

[QueenPixxa]

That sounds truly good, but I would like G-Synch... That makes choosing one even more difficult.

[dreamrider]

This one also does G-Sync. Dell-S3220DGF.
Here is the Tom's review.

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/dell-s3220dgf-gaming-monitor-review-high-performance-work-and-play

[QueenPixxa]

Thank you! It looks pretty interesting. I found a similar one on amazon (Dell) that's pretty good, it seems from the reviews, and entirely within my price range.

I was wondering, is the response time something that could be a deal breaker? The difference between 1ms and 4ms, wespecially in relation to the type of games I play, Is something I would notice? There are 3 or 4 monitors I have seen that look just like what I want but the response time is between 3 and 5ms.
I am not sure it would make such a big difference to me, but since I didn't use a monitor for many years I can't be sure.

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by dreamrider:

I may not be the God of Monitors, but I know how to read Tom's.
Based on that, and our conversations on the topic...

Here, buy this one!

Here is the Tom's thumbnail review:

*Where the review says (opens in a new tab), it means there was a link in the original article.

1. Dell S3222DGM
Best Gaming Monitor
SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio: 32 inches, 16:9Resolution: 2560 x 1440 @ 165 HzPanel Type: VARefresh Rate: 165 HzResponse Time (GTG): 4msAdaptive-Sync: FreeSync Premium Pro
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
VIEW AT BEST BUY
View at Walmart
View at Dell
See all prices (4 found)

REASONS TO BUY
+Sharp image with vivid and accurate color
+Premium level contrast
+Solid video processing
+Excellent build quality
REASONS TO AVOID
-No HDR
The Dell S3222DGM is the best gaming monitor for many gamers. This follow-up to the highly-rated S3220DGF(opens in new tab) boasts a 32-inch VA(opens in new tab) panel, QHD resolution and 165 Hz refresh rate with Adaptive-Sync(opens in new tab) support. Other perks in its favor are 85 percent coverage of DCI-P3 and a display curve with an 1800mm radius.

However, Dell really knocks it out of the park with the S3222DGM's contrast ratio(opens in new tab). VA panels are known for their excellent contrast, but the S3222DGM is rated at an impressive 3,000:1, easily blowing away IPS competitors. But our sample managed to better that figure by a third, coming in at 4,000:1 in instrumented tests.

This 32-inch monitor offers plenty of vertical screen real estate without the need for scrolling and 1440p resolution(opens in new tab), the current sweet spot between image quality and gaming performance. And while the S3222DGM is targeted primarily at gamers, we found that it is also great for general productivity and anything in between.

While the S3222DGM lacks HDR(opens in new tab) support, its excellent contrast doesn't detract from that missing "bullet point" and its overall performance is hard to beat at this price point. Throw in Dell's usual solid build quality, and this represents a great monitor for enthusiasts looking to build out a mid to high-budget gaming PC.

It is a bit bigger than where you had decided to focus, but well within your expressed preferences. Because it is a bit bigger it IS curved...but again, Tom's likes that at this size.
And even at this size, the prices I found are quite good, WELL within your price window.

And if you decide that the size is a problem, I think the current Dell in this series at 27" is equally well regarded.


Applicable Dell coupons, listed by Tom's:
https://www.tomshardware.com/coupons/dell.com

I have the 27" version of this monitor. It is very good and just a step below HDR rated. It has very black coloring and very bright. I had to lower brightness to 80%, it was so bright. Colors are fantastic for this price.

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-27-curved-gaming-monitor-s2722dgm/apd/210-azzp/monitors-monitor-accessories

Also, RTINGS is an excellent place for reviews. They tell you everything about monitors. They even have ICC profiles you can install for monitors that are better than from Dell. You can switch them out if you feel one is better than the other.

https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/dell/s3220dgf

[QueenPixxa]

Thank you, Mark, tonight I am going to read what they say about a few monitors I am considering. To be honest, the curved screen is not something I'm crazy about, especially on a 27", but this can be just because it's a new thing for me.