Best 4k monitor under 300
2022 update: Best 4k monitor under 300 - choosing the best gaming monitor
If you want to get just a fast and as cheap monitor as possible, you should give preference to the BenQ Zowie XL2411P model. There is nothing superfluous in the monitor (even FreeSync support), but thanks to it you can decide whether you are ready for modern TN + Film displays or it is better to immediately start searching among *VA models (IPS, we recall, are not represented in this class).
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Games require more HDR than movies. For example, it is important to have a backlight with local dimming. In complex scenes with a combination of well-lit and dark areas, the usual static backlight will adjust to one thing and either “whiten” the shadows, or, conversely, make bright objects dull and inexpressive. Dynamic backlight divides the screen area into independent zones and adjusts the brightness level of each according to the image: https://thetimes.digital/games/best-gaming-monitor-under-300/.
LCD matrix
Different monitors with local dimming differ in the number of zones and the location of the LEDs. Expensive monitors use matrix backlighting, which means several hundred independent LEDs are located behind the LCD matrix. In more affordable models, there is dynamic contour lighting, in which independent LEDs are located along the top and bottom edges of the screen. This way, there are much fewer active zones, and when a light object moves across a dark field (for example, a cursor), a large whitish halo appears.
A stable and tangible effect without annoying half-measures can only be achieved on very expensive IPS monitors like the Acer Predator X27 and ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ. True, some owners complain about uneven backlighting in some cases.
HDR
Also, HDR may not be compatible with frame rates above 120 fps, resolutions above QHD (1440p), or G‑Sync/FreeSync operation. This is affected by the types of HDMI or DisplayPort connectors on the monitor and source, and the quality of the cable used.
The clarity of moving elements/objects on the screen and the length of trails (remnants of the image from the previous frame) directly depend on the response time. The lower it is, the higher the speed of the monitor and the clearer the dynamic image.
Numerically speaking, the maximum time for any color transition should not exceed the time given to the monitor per frame (1000ms / 60Hz = 16.66ms or 1000ms / 144Hz = 6.94ms, etc.). The greater the discrepancy, the stronger the plumes. The desire to level this discrepancy will definitely lead you to the most worthy representatives of the TN + Film camp or to big expenses when buying top IPS solutions.
The vertical refresh rate is the second important parameter by which a monitor should be selected and on which the visual smoothness of what is happening on the screen depends. Some of the readers will exclaim: “Why is this not the first parameter in importance?” We answer: if the matrix is slow, then there is a use for a high sweep frequency, but not great. You will be annoyed by the length of the cables, and the whole point of acquiring such a gaming monitor, frankly, is lost.
Gaming computers and monitors: see Wikipedia