Monitor size - what's too big?

[Calza]

I'm looking to buy a new monitor in the next few weeks and am torn at what to buy.

Primarily it will be used for gaming, so 1ms response and 144hz are a must. I'm also sorely tempted by a slightly higher quality, 1440p being most likely (for when I'm playing offline and can up the eye candy at the expense of FPS).

This only seems to be available in 27" flavour though, which seems bloody huge to me?

My desk isn't that big, and I've got some twin monitor arm jobby to hold both of mine up (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B77XC8C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00)

My current 22" monitor seems okay, I can only imagine a 24" being quite large .. but 27?!

How far away to I need to be sitting to fully appreciate it, or will I sharp adjust and wonder how I ever went without?

[Calza]

Well that's pretty reassuring (and potentially wallet damaging), £600 for a bloody monitor though!

It is nice mind ...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/rog-swift-pg278q-g-s...

[Calza]

Well now I'm definitely sold on 27"!

It doesn't seem a good time to buy though, it's so new to the market there is no choice currently for what I want driving prices up - more must be due soon.

Same with graphics cards actually, the 980ti and 390x are due soon, driving other prices down.

[Calza]

ZesPak said:

I've got a 27" display and wouldn't want smaller, although 30" would be a limit as others have said for avoiding having to look left and right too much.
As for gaming, I would avoid anything too high res, however 4k can display HD very crisp.

1440p can be very taxing for a graphics card. It's about 75% more pixels to render than just Full HD. Iirc, most "pro" gaming monitors are 1080p...

If I'm gaming online I'll drop the settings (and probably the res to 1080p) to achieve 144hz. But for offline gaming I'd like to have the option of really upping the eye candy.

The way I see it in a year or two it will become the norm, so I'd rather not have to change in a few years again.

[Calza]

Oh really? I wasn't aware of that.

So if I plan on dropping back down to 1080p for online I might be better off at 4k?

But then offline I'd be 'Forced' into either 1080 or 4k (which is even more demanding than the already demanding 1440p).

[Calza]

Well now I don't know what to do!

[Calza]

But if I play online I'll need to drop to 1280x720 to get a decent fps.

Oh this is such a first world dilemma ... but at least I don't need to worry about the size

[Calza]

A 980 is about 10-15% better than a 970, and £200 more.

So for a little over double (~£50) I could get 2x970 and run in SLI which would smash a single 980 in terms of performance.

But open up a whole new world of issue.

295x2 is only £500 mind...

[Calza]

I think I'm set on 1440p, maybe treat myself to a 980ti when they're out too.

That monitor looks nice but at nearly £800 I can't justify that I don't think!

[Calza]

I play a wide range of games, but I do dabble in BF4 online and always like to keep an online FPS on the go...

[Calza]

I quite like the look of that Rog Dominator, but the issue is Freesync forces me down the AMD route doesn't it?

I'd rather flick over to a cooler Nvidia card if I'm honest. Although that plud a 295x2 does look tempting doesn't it?

This TN looks tempting too mind: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prod...

Edited by Calza on Friday 29th May 10:03

[Calza]

After a lot of thought, I think I'm swaying towards IPS. I think I'll appreciate the colours and viewing angle. I'll just have to accept the 3-4ms response loss if I go for online FPS.

I really hate how monitors are all locking down the AMD / Nvidia route now though.