ISO Information on potential Monitor Upgrades

[TedsOnMeds]

Salutations everybody!

I wanted to start thinking about some potential future upgrades for my current setup using TrackIR. As I've experimented with in flights, my Rift CV1's head tracking is too twitchy/sensitive/glitchy (off centers and can't look vertically without the view warping around) to use in IL:2: So I think the TrackIR w/ single monitor is going to continue to be the path I walk for flight sim visuals. 

My current monitor is this:
HP LED monitor, 1600x900 pixels, 20 Inches size, 60hz refresh rate on a swing-out monitor stand using a VESA-Plate. 

I was thinking of potentially upsizing to a 1080p Monitor (or greater?) in the 25-35 inch range. I'm not super monitor-savvy as I've always just run cheap, previously outdated models (Had a CRT until 2015!!!) so if anybody has any ideas, suggestions or general advice I'd appreciate it. I'd most likely be buying this for myself as a Christmas or Birthday present sometime near November/December, so, I have time to mull things over. 

I don't know what's best to have a good view and nice quality to help you "Spot the Dot" and my Budget would likely be the $200-350 Bracket and I'm ***extremely*** ignorant so any and all information would be helpful. 

Here are a few links to options I've found that seem nice, but I don't know enough about to disseminate the inferior/superior qualities when compared to each other!!! Really sorry if this is long winded, any information to help me learn the differences between things and what to look for - as well as direct recommendations would be appreciated!

The list of what I've found that seems to be a reasonable upgrade so far:

1: https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-VX3276-MHD-Frameless-Widescreen-DisplayPort/dp/B0787WGCXT/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Monitor&qid=1597685797&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin%3A3547808011&rnid=2633086011&s=pc&sr=1-1

2:https://www.amazon.com/Philips-325E1C-Surper-Curved-Frameless-Replacement/dp/B083FJC5DM/ref=sr_1_29?dchild=1&keywords=Monitor&qid=1597686432&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin%3A3547808011&rnid=2633086011&s=pc&sr=1-29

3: https://www.amazon.com/AOC-Q32V3-Monitor-Refresh-Coverage/dp/B086WBLJ6M/ref=sr_1_51?dchild=1&keywords=Monitor&qid=1597686676&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin%3A3547808011&rnid=2633086011&s=pc&sr=1-51

4: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-EB321HQU-Cbidpx-Monitor-Display/dp/B07X6KJKNZ/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=Monitor&qid=1597686711&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin%3A3547808011&rnid=2633086011&s=pc&sr=1-12

[Firefly]

I'm not much of a PC geek and don't know a lot about hardware, but I can wholeheartedly recommend Dell monitors. I've been using one of their 1440p, 144 Hz displays for the past few years and I couldn't be happier. My only gripe is that 1440p is particularly bad for spotting aircraft in DCS (believe it or not, in 1080p spotting range is far longer than in higher resolutions), but I didn't know it at the time I bought my Dell so I can't really complain. Based on my experience I'd recommend the following criteria for selecting a gaming monitor:

- 1080p display (much cheaper than any 1440p or 4k kit, plus it gives you the option of running a lower-end GPU);

- Vsync, Gsync or Freesync compatibility (depending on what GPU you have);

- At least 60 Hz refresh rate, the higher the better;

- Reaction time of 5 ms or less. 

Dell makes a few displays in the 24 to 27 inch range that fit these criteria. I can't comment about other manufacturers because I have no experience with their kit. 

[Pfeil]

 1080p display (much cheaper than any 1440p or 4k kit, plus it gives you the option of running a lower-end GPU);

- agreed , if you don't have GK to support higher resolution it makes no sense to buy 1440p

Vsync, Gsync or Freesync compatibility (depending on what GPU you have);

-  Nvidia = Gsync, AMD = Freesync. If you are ok with 60 FPS you can buy whatever you want. Freesync monitors are cheaper.

 At least 60 Hz refresh rate, the higher the better;

- 60 Hz is the minimum you get out of a monitor without Freesync or Gsync. So if you are ok with max 60 fps you can buy whatever you want

Reaction time of 5 ms or less.

- less if possible. minimum 3 ms. 1-2 ms are better. Your eyes will thank you

[Firefly]

Agreed. My current monitor has 1 ms, wouldn't have changed it for anything else. 

[TedsOnMeds]

Thanks guys! That gives me some pretty specific advice on Criteria that I'll look towards applying! I have a 1070GTI Overclocked rig with an i9 series so I typically run single-screen games in the 120-180 FPS range, especially flight sims which I find a bit less graphically intensive than racing sims or other more "Ground-clutter dense" games. So I'll look for a beefy refresh rate if possible. 


Of the links that I originally sent, the AOC Curved monitor seems to fit the criteria: https://tinyurl.com/y64lu5fv

I've never run a curved monitor so I'm not sure if I should stay away from them, but hey it's an option. I looked at the currently Manufactured Dell monitors and all the 1080p monitors in the 24-30 inch size range only have 4-5ms response, so I might have to stay away from them unfortunately. 

There's also this one by a place called Spectre (ohhh, spooky  ) : https://tinyurl.com/y5gtepwn

Finding a lot of FreeSync Monitors but not many with nVidia G-Sync, is that an issue or will an AMD-card sync work with my nVidia card system? 

Edit: Found a G-sync that gets really close to the criteria by Acer that could work!: https://tinyurl.com/y64gysdc

[Firefly]

That setup would EASILY run 1440p at 70-80fps in DCS, potentially even more. I have a Zotac 1070 and an i5 and am getting decent results, with fps almost always above the 60fps mark with very high details (and that's in a game engine not known for its excellent optimisation). Trouble is, a solid 1440p monitor will exceed your budget, so it looks like 1080p is the way to go. That Acer monitor looks very promising, though its 4 ms response time seems rather underwhelming against the 144 Hz/G-sync compatibility. Not sure how I feel about a curved screen, haven't tried one yet. 

[TedsOnMeds]

9 minutes ago, Firefly said:

 Trouble is, a solid 1440p monitor will exceed your budget, so it looks like 1080p is the way to go. That Acer monitor looks very promising, though its 4 ms response time seems rather underwhelming against the 144 Hz/G-sync compatibility. Not sure how I feel about a curved screen, haven't tried one yet. 

Yeah, the low response time gives me a little pause! I would be willing to try one of the Curved monitors but they're almost all Freesync instead of nVidia G-Sync or VSync, which is getting frustrating! "Oh wow this looks nice, perfect specs and - whoops - wrong Synchronisation again, next.  I'll keep my nose to the ground 

[TedsOnMeds]

2 minutes ago, =GenMarkof007= said:

S! Firefly,

I've got the ASUS 34 inch curved screen since last January... and I must say that for the price I got it... 
It's almost like seeing a different game for almost all of the newest PC games.
A link to the screen description... https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Monitors/ROG-SWIFT-PG348Q/ (I think that they don't have it anymore in the States).

Cheers,
GenMarkof

Wow holy heck - they still make them but they're $1,000 in the US! 

[TedsOnMeds]

I'll hold off and take a look around the sale times, then. In the meantime I'll just have to bite the bullet and reeaaalllllyyyy turn the Zoom factor up on my Mk.1 Eyeballs as much as possible! Also I found a list of AMD Freesync monitors that are supported on nVidia cards/drivers that I can look into as well. 

I really wish my Rift would be able to track my head movements to use in the flight sim, it would be so absolutely glorious. But such is life! 

[Firefly]

1 hour ago, =GenMarkof007= said:

S! Firefly,

I've got the ASUS 34 inch curved screen since last January... and I must say that for the price I got it... 
It's almost like seeing a different game for almost all of the newest PC games.
A link to the screen description... https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Monitors/ROG-SWIFT-PG348Q/ (I think that they don't have it anymore in the States).

Cheers,
GenMarkof

S! Markof, that does sound great. Unfortunately none of my friends have a curved screen, so I can't even try one out. That's a solid recommendation though, I'll keep it in mind.

1 hour ago, TedOnMeds said:

Yeah, the low response time gives me a little pause! I would be willing to try one of the Curved monitors but they're almost all Freesync instead of nVidia G-Sync or VSync, which is getting frustrating! "Oh wow this looks nice, perfect specs and - whoops - wrong Synchronisation again, next.  I'll keep my nose to the ground 

Had the same issue before I finally settled on my current monitor. The Dell appeared to have a good balance of all the major performance factors. It wasn't cheap, but quality hardware rarely is.