Gaming monitors come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Every monitor will offer a different set of features, resolutions and aesthetics and it can be daunting to find something that meets your specific needs.
This begs the question – what is the best monitor size for gaming? Below we will explore the common sizes of gaming monitors and what they offer so that you can determine what the right size is for you.
23”-25” Monitors
This is the smallest range of sizes that gaming monitors typically come down to. They are usually on the cheaper end of the spectrum with resolutions up to a full HD 1080p. While the resolution will be lower on these screen sizes, the colors, frame rates and refresh rates will still be great.
This kind of monitor can be good for people with minimal space, or who play games that do not require high resolutions.
This is the best option for smaller set ups and people with lower budgets since they are fairly affordable. It is also preferred by competitive first person shooter players since they can see everything on the screen without having to move their head and neck.
Best for: Limited space or budget and FPS players
27” Monitors
Within the slightly larger 27” range, the possibilities for resolution are opened up to a crisp 1440p or even a stunning 4K depending on the brand and model.
This is also the level where we will begin to see curved monitors introduced, offering a distinct appearance and an immersive experience. For 1440p gaming, the 27” monitor sizing is easily the best in terms of performance, price and features.
Best for: 1440p gaming
28”-32” Monitors
This is a good mid range size for a gaming monitor that will start to appear too large for smaller gaming desks or set ups. The size is perfect for 4K gaming but monitors at this size start to jump in price fairly dramatically from this point onwards.
This size category of monitors is easily the best for 4K gaming, since many games and applications do not scale well with larger sized screens.
Best for: Mid sized set ups and 4K gaming
32” Monitors
We are now at the upper end of standard gaming monitors, with some expensive options that offer 4K resolutions, rapid response times and HDR visuals. For larger gaming desks and set ups, this size will be right at home.
34” Ultrawide Monitors
Now we have reached the realm of ultrawide gaming monitors. This type of monitor is an extended monitor with a screen that stretches out wider than traditional monitors. This offers some incredible productivity for working arrangements since you can open multiple programs or tabs at once or immerse yourself totally in video games with vistas that extend the full width of the 34” screen.
You may be looking at this monitor and thinking it looks pretty ridiculous but you have seen nothing yet. For smaller and even mid sized set ups, every monitor from here on in will look completely ridiculous or simply not fit at all.
Best for: Entry level ultrawide gaming
38” Ultrawide Monitors
Moving further through the ultrawide spectrum, a 38” Ultrawide monitor will provide an incredibly large screen that takes up a lot of space.
We didn’t mention in the previous entry that only a select few games have ultrawide gaming support at the time of writing but we expect to see this rapidly expand with the increasing popularity of these monitors.
Best for: Mid level ultrawide gaming
43” Super Ultrawide Monitors
We have officially transcended the ultrawide monitor category into the appropriately named ‘super ultrawide’ screens. This is where things get truly absurd with visuals that extend far beyond the scope of traditional monitors.
Most gaming desks and set ups at this size will not be able to accommodate this monitor size and most games will not offer support for these resolutions. While it is not ideal for gaming, they can be incredibly useful for work or study since you can open many different programs and tabs at one time.
49” Super Ultrawide Monitors
Here we have the pinnacle of commercially available monitor sizes and it is quite a sight to behold. With an enormous screen size, it is rare that someone has a gaming desk setup that can appropriately hold it.
You will also need an absolutely monstrous gaming PC to be able to run games at these resolutions, making the purchase and effective use of these monitors extremely expensive
Best for: Immserviness
Our Thoughts
Essentially there is no best size for a gaming monitor since it will be an objective preference for each individual and you need to consider some additional factors.
One such factor is how far you are sitting from the screen and for some of the larger monitor sizes, sitting at a gaming desk means you will likely be too close for comfort, potentially resulting in eye strain, fatigue and blurry visuals.
If you are looking for an adaptable gaming monitor that is not too big for most gaming set ups, looks great in 1440p and has excellent 4K capabilities, the 27” monitor category is ideal and even opens the door to some curved screen options from some top brands.
Unless you are planning on using the monitor for working purposes too, we do not recommend paying the premium price for an ultrawide or super ultrawide monitor. Perhaps the coming years will see ultrawide support more widely adopted by game developers and publisher.
A gaming enthusiast who started their gaming venture all the way back on a Gameboy Advanced (Purple) on Pokemon Yellow.
