Monitor buying guide (mega-thread)

It wasn’t that long ago. Maybe two or three months back. Honestly, the price is solid right now, so just grab it.

Don't hold your breath waiting for that specific item to hit the sale rack. In my experience, about 99% of computer components either stay at full price or feature those "fake" discounts—you know, where they slash a massive, inflated MSRP that nobody was ever actually paying anyway.

Peter Green said:It was relatively recent. Maybe 2 or 3 months ago. The price is solid, just grab it.

Alright, thanks a ton! That’s what I figured—if it’s a newer model, there probably won't be any massive sales anytime soon.

I just spotted this monitor
https://www.newegg.com/lcd-monitors/gaming-monitor

Is that the Dell or Samsung one mentioned earlier?

Also, what am I actually missing out on if I don't go with a curved monitor? Is it just about immersion while gaming, or is there more to it?

Timothy Kim60 said:There's a slim chance that the specific thing you want will actually go on sale. Usually, 99% of components aren't discounted, or if they are, it's a fake discount (where they jack up the price to an insane level just to cross it out).

Man, that's true. I just saw some SSDs over at Newegg marked down to $500 $500. When I check Best Buy, the price is hovering right around $500-$$200. That should be enough to call out that kind of nonsense.

That Samsung monitor is an absolute steal.

All over the internet, people say curved screens actually help reduce eye strain when you're grinding at your desk for hours on end. 😁 Plus, there’s really no downside here.

Local big-box retailers love using these kinds of gimmicks to trick you, but if you look at major US online stores, you can actually find some legit deals. Usually, they're just clearing out "old" stock that isn't trending anymore. Over here, those same outdated items get sold for years like they just rolled off the assembly line yesterday.

Thanks a ton for all the info!

So, I went ahead and grabbed a Samsung!

Greetings,

I find myself in need of some assistance regarding a potential monitor purchase.

I am currently weighing my options between the Dell UltraSharp 27 and the Samsung 27GL63T.

The Dell is presently marked down from $2,000 to $600, whereas the Samsung has dropped from $2,200 to $1,800—actually, it hits $1,600 if I utilize my store discount card.

My current setup utilizes an Nvidia graphics card—specifically, a 1660ti with 6GB of VRAM.

Much appreciated!

That Dell monitor only hits 250 nits of brightness, which is honestly pathetic.

The Samsung has 400, which is decent enough, though still nowhere near what you actually need for real HDR—so just forget about HDR entirely—but as a gaming monitor, it should definitely outperform the Dell.

I’ve been sitting here doing some thinking—and I mean real, deep thinking—and now I find myself at a bit of a crossroads regarding my monitor setup. Should I actually make the jump to a 1440p display, or is it more prudent to simply stick with what I know and stay at 1080p?

Does anyone have any actual advice or insight to offer on this matter?

William Hughes16 said:Now that I'm looking at things, I'm honestly torn. Should I jump up to a 1440p setup or just stick with 1080p for now?

Any advice?

Go 1440p. No brainer.
And what's the deal with your old rig?

William Hughes16 said:Looking at things now and honestly can't decide if I should jump to 1440p or just stick with 1080p...

Any advice?

1440p 31-32"

So, I’m currently running a laptop equipped with a GTX 1660 Ti—which is fine, I suppose—but I find myself in desperate need of a dedicated monitor. It’s a matter of necessity for work, though, let’s be honest, gaming is the other half of the equation... I’ve been weighing my options, and I suspect a 27" display would be more than sufficient for my requirements...

If this is for work, then honestly, you're better off with a bigger screen—or ideally, a multi-monitor setup.

wiredotter14 said:If you're doing this for work, then honestly—having a larger screen, or ideally a multi-monitor setup, is definitely the better way to go.

I mean, sure, that all makes sense—but I can't help but wonder how anyone would expect games to actually run at 1440p on a 27" monitor with a setup this subpar... especially if you step up to an even larger display...

Hey there, folks!

I’m currently on the hunt for a solid gaming monitor. My big must-haves are FreeSync support and a smooth 144Hz refresh rate.
From what I’ve been reading, a lot of high-end gaming screens aren't actually that great if you want to kick back and watch movies or anything like that, so my eyes have been set on this Samsung QLED model.

What’s the consensus on this specific one? I’ve hit a bit of a wall because there isn't a ton of info floating around online about it, so I could really use some expert insight.
Thanks a bunch!

This doesn't even come close:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-ultrasharp-27-monitor/5058003.html

I took a look at those Dell monitors too, but honestly, I find myself leaning more towards Apple.

Do you think that Dell one would actually hold up for watching movies and stuff?

Why wouldn't you? An IPS panel (which is mostly manufactured by Sony) offers much more vibrant, realistic colors and superior viewing angles. On the other hand, a VA panel delivers deeper blacks and higher contrast, but it’s generally slower for gaming and prone to motion issues like ghosting or inverse ghosting.

Oh, man, I just realized this one has an IPS panel—that’s absolutely perfect.

Since there's a bit of a price gap, I think I'll just grab the RTX gaming motherboard instead. Thanks a ton! 👍

I haven't been able to find a single one on sale lately—so I’m curious, what’s your take on this one?

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/philips-monitor...7-1407795.aspx

I was really aiming for something with a 144Hz refresh rate, but life happens... My budget is sitting right around $220.

Why don't you just grab the one I linked from Best Buy above? You get an IPS panel, 144Hz, and it's FreeSync/G-Sync compatible, all while staying right within your budget.