Monitor Guide
Your monitor shapes how smooth, sharp, and vibrant your PC experience feels.
The right choice can level up your games, productivity, and entertainment.
Consider refresh rate, panel type, and resolution to find the perfect match.
Inputs & Connectors
HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C explained — which cable to use for high refresh rates, 4K, and single-cable laptop setups.
OLED
OLED delivers incredible contrast with deep blacks, vivid colors, and ultra-fast response times for a cinematic experience.
IPS
IPS provides bright, accurate colors, balanced image quality, and wide viewing angles that stay consistent from most positions.
VA
VA panels often offer high contrast and deeper blacks than IPS, with great color and value for media and mixed-use setups.
Refresh Rate
<75Hz feels basic, 144Hz feels much smoother, and 240Hz can feel even more fluid in fast gameplay — provided your PC can produce the frames to fill it.
Panel Type
Choose between OLED, IPS, and VA to match your priorities for color, contrast, and performance.
Response Time
Lower response times improve motion clarity and help reduce ghosting in fast-moving scenes.
Resolution
1080p, 1440p, and 4K affect sharpness, detail, and how hard your GPU has to work.
Visualizing Refresh Rate
What this shows you
Fewer updates against more, which is all refresh rate is. Your own screen sets the ceiling, so it can’t show 144Hz on a 60Hz display.
Your PC sets a ceiling too
A 240Hz screen needs around 240 frames a second from your graphics card. Match the monitor to the machine.
Adaptive sync matters
FreeSync and G-SYNC remove tearing and judder. Worth having at any refresh rate, even 75Hz.
Comparing 144Hz against 60Hz properly means seeing them side by side, ask us about it before you buy.
Real-world differences depend on the game, your PC performance, and your own eyes.
Common monitor issues, and how to fix them
The five problems our PC Support team sees most with monitors, and the checks that resolve them. Most are settings rather than faults — a monitor will happily run below its capability without telling you.
Core Concepts
The five things that matter most when choosing a display.
- Size and viewing distance24–27 inches suits competitive play, 32 inches and up favours immersion, and 34-inch ultrawides can replace a dual-monitor setup. Measure your desk depth first.
- Resolution1080p is easiest to drive at very high frame rates, 1440p is the sweet spot for most builds, and 4K delivers the most detail but needs a much stronger graphics card.
- Refresh rate60–75Hz is fine for everyday work, 144Hz is the baseline for serious gaming, and 240Hz and above serves competitive players. Your GPU has to keep up.
- Response timeMeasured in milliseconds; lower means less motion blur and ghosting. Under 5ms is fine for general use, 1ms suits fast gaming, and OLED panels reach 0.03ms.
- Panel type and syncIPS leads on colour, VA on contrast, TN on raw speed, and OLED on true blacks. Adaptive sync (G-SYNC or FreeSync) removes tearing — match it to your card.
What Customers Ask Us
Five questions our PC Support team is asked most about this. Tap any one to open it.
What is the difference between IPS, VA and OLED, and which should I get?
They are the three panel technologies, and each trades something. IPS is bright with accurate colour and holds up when viewed from an angle, which suits offices and rooms with a lot of daylight; its weakness is black level, so dark scenes look slightly grey. VA has much better contrast than IPS and is usually the cheapest way to a large, high-refresh screen; its weakness is motion, where dark objects can trail slightly. OLED lights each pixel individually so black is genuinely black, with the fastest motion of the three — at the highest price, and with lower peak brightness in a sunlit room.
Does refresh rate or resolution matter more?
They answer different questions, so it depends what you do. Resolution sets sharpness and how hard your graphics card has to work; refresh rate sets how smooth motion looks. For competitive games, refresh rate usually matters more, and 1080p at a high rate is a common choice. For general use, creative work and single-player games, 1440p is the balance most people are happiest with. One caution: not all “1440” is equal — a 34-inch ultrawide is 3440 x 1440, a third more pixels than standard 2560 x 1440, so it asks more of the card.
Which cable should I use, and does it matter?
It matters more than people expect, because a cable or port rated below the monitor limits it quietly rather than failing. On a desktop PC, DisplayPort is usually the safest default and often the only input offering the monitor’s top refresh rate. HDMI is universal, but the version matters — 2.1 carries far more than 1.4 and the plug looks identical. USB-C can carry video, data and charging power in one lead, provided both ends support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Use the cable supplied with the monitor unless you have a reason not to.
How do I get the refresh rate I paid for?
You usually have to switch it on. A high-refresh monitor commonly arrives running at 60Hz: set it in Windows under Settings, System, Display, Advanced display. If the higher rates are not offered, check three things — that you are using the supplied cable, that you are on the right input, since some monitors only offer their top rate on DisplayPort or one specific HDMI port, and whether the monitor’s own menu has a high-refresh option to enable. It is worth confirming afterwards, since nothing on screen tells you it is running slow.
Should I worry about dead pixels, and what about OLED image retention?
A single stuck pixel is difficult to spot in normal use and manufacturers each set their own threshold for what counts as a defect, so it is worth reading the product page rather than assuming. On OLED, static elements left on screen for very long periods can cause temporary image retention; current panels run pixel-refresh routines that manage this well, and it is mainly a consideration if you leave fixed toolbars on screen all day. If you notice either problem on a new monitor, contact PC Support and we will look at it with you.
Last Updated: July 2026 | Newegg PC Support — Computer Monitor Buying Guide
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What OLED gives you
Every pixel makes its own light, so black really is black. That is why OLED contrast looks the way it does — and it is the most expensive of the three panel types.
Pixels switch off completely. Contrast no backlit panel can match.
Near-instant pixel transitions, so motion is exceptionally clean.
Expect to pay a clear premium over an equivalent IPS or VA screen.In plain terms: the strongest contrast of the three panel types, and the most rewarding in a darker room. Worth it if image quality is your priority.
At which resolution?
The same panel type feels different depending on how many pixels it is driving:
Panel type and resolution are separate decisions. The panel governs contrast, motion, viewing angles and price. Resolution governs pixel count, sharpness and how hard your graphics card has to work. Neither one behaves the same at every screen size or in every game.
Two OLED caveats. Static elements left on screen for very long periods can cause image retention — modern panels manage this well, but it is worth knowing. And peak brightness in a bright room is lower than a good IPS.
Worth knowing
Two things that catch people out:
Image retentionPanels run pixel-refresh routines to manage it.
A real consideration if you leave static toolbars on screen all day.
Brightness in daylightOLED excels in dim rooms rather than sunlit ones.
In a bright room with big windows, a bright IPS may look better.
Short version: best picture, best motion, highest price. Ideal in a controlled-light room.
What IPS gives you
IPS is the all-rounder. Colours stay accurate when you look from an angle, and IPS panels get bright — which is why they suit offices and rooms with a lot of natural light.
A strong choice for a sunlit room, and the safest starting point for colour work.
The picture holds up when you are not sitting square to it.
Good IPS screens are available at every price point.In plain terms: the default recommendation. If you are not sure which panel to get, an IPS is very unlikely to disappoint you.
At which resolution?
The same panel type feels different depending on how many pixels it is driving:
Panel type and resolution are separate decisions. The panel governs contrast, motion, viewing angles and price. Resolution governs pixel count, sharpness and how hard your graphics card has to work. Neither one behaves the same at every screen size or in every game.
The one weakness is black level. Because the backlight is always on, dark scenes look slightly grey — often called IPS glow. In a bright room you will not notice; in a dark room you might.
Worth knowing
Two things that catch people out:
IPS glowA faint light bleed visible in dark scenes.
Varies between individual units, and is worse in a dark room.
ContrastLower than VA and far lower than OLED.
Fine for most use, less ideal for films in the dark.
Short version: bright, accurate and versatile. A safe default, especially for office use.
What VA gives you
VA sits between the two. Contrast is much better than IPS and nowhere near OLED, and the panels are usually the cheapest at a given size and refresh rate — which makes them the value option.
Deeper blacks than IPS, so films and dark games look better.
Usually the cheapest way to get a large, high-refresh screen.
Most big curved and ultrawide screens use VA panels.In plain terms: the sensible choice if you want a big screen for the money and you do not need perfect colour accuracy.
At which resolution?
The same panel type feels different depending on how many pixels it is driving:
Panel type and resolution are separate decisions. The panel governs contrast, motion, viewing angles and price. Resolution governs pixel count, sharpness and how hard your graphics card has to work. Neither one behaves the same at every screen size or in every game.
Watch motion handling. VA pixels change more slowly than IPS or OLED, which can leave a faint smear behind fast-moving dark objects. Good modern VA panels are much better at this than older ones.
Worth knowing
Two things that catch people out:
Dark smearingSlower transitions in dark scenes can trail slightly.
Varies a lot by model — worth reading a review.
Viewing anglesColour shifts more than IPS when viewed off-centre.
Matters on a wide or curved screen you sit close to.
Short version: the value pick. Great contrast for the money, with motion the thing to check.
Which cable, and why it matters
The cable and the port set a ceiling on what a monitor can display. A screen capable of 4K at 144Hz will happily run at 60Hz instead if it is connected through the wrong port or an older cable — and nothing on screen tells you that is happening.
The port sets the ceiling. An older port version caps resolution and refresh rate no matter what the panel can do.
Version numbers matter. HDMI 2.1 carries far more than HDMI 1.4, and the plug is identical either way.
One cable can do everything. USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode carries video, data and charging power at once.In plain terms: check the version of the ports, not just how many there are, and use the cable that came in the box.
Which connection?
All three carry video. What they carry how much of is the difference:
The supplied cable is usually the right one. If you buy separately, match the version the monitor asks for — a cable rated below the monitor’s port will quietly limit it rather than fail outright, which is why this is easy to miss.
Worth knowing
Two things that catch people out:
Adapters have limitsPassive adapters between HDMI and DisplayPort often cap refresh rate or resolution, and which direction you are converting matters.
Connecting like to like avoids the question entirely.
Both ends countThe graphics card’s port version matters as much as the monitor’s. The lower of the two wins.
An older card may not drive a new monitor at its full capability.
Short version: on a desktop PC, DisplayPort or USB-C is the safer default. Match the version at both ends and use the cable supplied.
How refresh rate actually feels
Refresh rate is how many times a second the screen redraws itself, measured in hertz. A higher number can look smoother — but only if your PC is producing enough frames to fill it, and only up to the point where you stop noticing the difference.
Frames have to arrive. A 240Hz screen fed 60 frames a second looks like 60Hz. The graphics card has to keep up.
It is not only games. Moving the pointer and scrolling a page look smoother at a higher refresh rate too.
Diminishing returns. Most people notice the jump from 60 to 144 immediately. From 144 to 240 is far subtler.In plain terms: 144Hz is where most of the benefit sits. Above that you are paying for smaller and smaller differences, and only if your PC can drive them.
Which refresh rate?
What each range is genuinely for:
You may have to switch it on. A high-refresh monitor often arrives running at 60Hz. You set the rate in Windows display settings — and on some monitors the top rate is only available through certain ports, which is where the Inputs and connectors guidance comes in.
Short version: up to 75Hz is fine for work, 144Hz is the sensible target for gaming, and past that the gains get small unless your PC is very capable.
The monitor says no signal
Usually the input the monitor is listening to, or which socket the cable is in at the PC end.
Usually one of these: the monitor is set to the wrong input, the cable is in the motherboard rather than the graphics card, or the cable or socket is faulty.
Try these in order
- Cycle the monitor’s input. Use its own menu to step through HDMI 1, HDMI 2, DisplayPort and USB-C until it finds the signal. Many monitors do not switch automatically.You should see: A picture appear on the correct input.
- Check which socket the cable is in at the PC. With a separate graphics card, the cable must go into the card at the bottom of the back panel, not the motherboard sockets above it.You should see: A picture appear.
- Try the supplied cable and another socket. Use the cable that came with the monitor, and a different output on the card.You should see: A picture on one combination, which identifies the faulty part.
- Check the monitor has power. Its standby light should be on. Some monitors need the power brick seated firmly at both ends.You should see: A standby light, and the on-screen menu appear when you press its buttons.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
My monitor is stuck at 60Hz
High-refresh monitors very often arrive running at 60Hz. It is a setting, and sometimes a cable or port limit.
Usually one of these: Windows still set to 60Hz, a cable or port that cannot carry more, or the rate only being available on one of the monitor’s inputs.
Try these in order
- Set the rate in Windows. Settings, System, Display, Advanced display — then choose the highest rate offered.You should see: The higher figure listed and selected.
- Use the cable the monitor came with. A cable rated below the monitor’s port limits it quietly rather than failing, so this is easy to miss.You should see: More rates offered once the right cable is fitted.
- Try DisplayPort rather than HDMI. On many monitors the top refresh rate is only available on DisplayPort, or only on one specific HDMI port.You should see: The full rate available on that input.
- Check the monitor’s own menu. Some models have an overdrive or high-refresh setting that must be switched on, and a few need it enabled per input.You should see: The rate appear in Windows afterwards.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
The colours look washed out or too dark
Usually a mismatch between what the PC is sending and what the monitor expects, or a picture mode doing something unexpected.
Usually one of these: a limited colour range being sent, an unhelpful picture preset, HDR switched on without content that uses it, or brightness set for a different room.
Try these in order
- Check the monitor’s picture mode. Modes called Vivid, Game or Dynamic often exaggerate colour. A Standard or sRGB mode is a better starting point.You should see: More natural colour immediately.
- Check the colour range setting. In the graphics driver control panel, set the output range to Full rather than Limited. Limited on a desktop monitor gives washed-out blacks.You should see: Blacks look deeper and the image gain contrast.
- Turn HDR off unless you are watching HDR content. With it on, ordinary desktop content often looks flat or grey.You should see: Normal-looking colour on the desktop.
- Set brightness for the room you are in. Screens ship far brighter than most rooms need, which reads as washed out.You should see: A comfortable image without losing shadow detail.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
Text looks blurry or soft
Almost always a resolution or scaling setting rather than the panel, particularly right after connecting a new monitor.
Usually one of these: the monitor not running at its native resolution, Windows scaling set awkwardly, or a sharpness setting on the monitor.
Try these in order
- Set the native resolution. In Windows display settings, choose the resolution marked Recommended. Anything else is being stretched.You should see: Text sharpen immediately.
- Check the scaling percentage. 100% or 125% suits most 27-inch screens; 150% suits many 4K ones. Odd values can soften text.You should see: Crisper text at a comfortable size.
- Turn the monitor’s sharpness to its neutral setting. Many monitors default to added sharpening, which looks like edge fringing rather than detail.You should see: Cleaner edges without halos.
- Run the Windows text tuner. Search for ClearType and step through it.You should see: Text that reads comfortably at your normal distance.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
The screen flickers or goes black for a moment
Brief dropouts are usually the connection or an adaptive sync setting rather than the panel failing.
Usually one of these: a cable not fully seated or rated too low, an adapter in the chain, adaptive sync struggling at low frame rates, or a loose power connection.
Try these in order
- Reseat both ends of the video cable. Push firmly at the monitor and at the PC. DisplayPort connectors often have a small latch.You should see: The dropouts stop.
- Remove any adapter from the chain. Passive adapters between HDMI and DisplayPort are a common cause of intermittent signal loss.You should see: A stable picture on a direct like-for-like connection.
- Try the supplied cable. A cable rated below the resolution and refresh rate you are running can work most of the time and drop out under load.You should see: Stability with the correct cable.
- Turn adaptive sync off as a test. Switch FreeSync or G-SYNC off in the monitor menu and the driver, and see whether the flicker stops. Some panels flicker when frame rates swing very low.You should see: A clear answer as to whether sync is involved.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.