What is the Best Resolution for Gaming?

In a world where 2K monitors, 4K monitors, and even 8K monitors exist, the question must be asked: what is the best resolution for gaming?

From a theoretical standpoint, the easiest answer would be to say that the highest resolution available would be the best option for playing games at. More pixels would mean sharper, more detailed, more visually-pleasing graphics. And, the better the graphics a game can be played with, the better the experience it will deliver, right?

Well, not really.

The problem is that the higher the resolution you try to run a game at, the more demanding that game will be to run. So, there are definitely tradeoff costs for buying a high-resolution monitor for gaming. And, in this guide, we’ll talk about what some of those trade-off costs are, as well as discuss how the three most common monitor resolutions for gamers stack up against each other and why they may (or may not) be the best option for you to play your games at.

Which Resolution Wins for Gaming?

For those of you who are looking for a quick answer on what resolution is the best for gaming, this section will provide you with the best option for your specific situation.

In my opinion, there are really only two factors that you’ll need to consider in order to determine what resolution is best for you. They are:

How much money you have to spend on your monitor and PC hardware
The kinds of games you like to play

So, taking those two into consideration, let’s go over the debate on which resolution is better (1080P vs 1440P vs 4K)…

For Competitive Gamers, 1080P Resolution is the Best for Gaming

Most of today’s top titles are competitive esports games. Games like COD, PUBG, Fortnite, Apex Legends, League of Legends, Dota 2, Rocket League, etc. are incredibly popular and have huge player bases. And, they all have one thing in common: they don’t become better games when they are played at higher resolutions.

So, rather than spending extra money on higher resolution monitors and the hardware that is necessary to run them, most competitive gamers find that they are better off spending their money on features like higher refresh rate panels and monitors that are G-Sync or FreeSync compatible. These features will help competitive gamers achieve smoother gameplay, which, in turn, can actually improve their experience (and give them an advantage) in these types of titles.

Because of this, for competitive gamers, 1080P is the ideal resolution to play at. You can find 1080P monitors with high refresh rates at fairly affordable prices. There are 1440P 144Hz+ monitors and 1440P 240Hz monitors (and, now, even 4K 144Hz monitors) out there, but the problem with them is that they require such a demanding system to run at an adequate level, that they are not worth it for the majority of competitive gamers.

So, until next-gen GPUs make running higher refresh rate monitors with higher resolutions more accessible, a 1080P 144Hz+ monitor is currently the ideal option for most competitive gamers.

For Gamers Who Love Stunning Visuals, Higher Resolution Monitors (4K or 1440P) Are Better

Other top titles, like The Witcher 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry 5, Skyrim, Dishonored, etc. are games where having better visuals can actually enhance the experience of the game. These games are as much about the storyline and the environment as they are about the gameplay. And, so, having better-looking and more detailed graphics can help these games feel even more immersive.

And, since these games aren’t as competitive in nature as eSports titles are, you won’t be at any kind of a disadvantage in the game if you don’t have the highest frame rate possible. Of course, higher refresh rate monitors and monitors with G-Sync/FreeSync can also enhance the immersive nature of these more visually-stunning games, as they will make in-game movements feel more smooth and realistic.

The Witcher 3 4K — Reddit user u/PsychoticHeroBoy posts an image of The Witcher 3 on a 4K monitor. The Witcher 3 is a stunning visual experience on a 1080P monitor, but on a 4K monitor, it’s almost life-like. And, so, for gamers who love immersive games, having a higher resolution monitor can really enhance their experience in games like this.

But, ultimately, if you’re a gamer who prefers to play the kinds of titles where higher resolutions can improve the feeling of the game, then a 4K or 1440P monitor would probably be a better option for you if your budget allows for it.

And, if you have an unlimited budget (both for your monitor and your PC), then your best bet would probably be to look for a high-res, high-refresh-rate monitor that has either G-Sync or FreeSync (it will depend on what kind of graphics card you have) on it.