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A refresh rate of 144Hz to 165Hz is ideal for most ultrawide gaming monitors. Very few ultrawide monitors exceed this refresh rate, and those that do are too expensive to make it a good value. Also, gamers shopping for an ultrawide gaming monitor are likely to prefer immersive and graphically demanding games that make it difficult to see the full benefit of a refresh rate above 144Hz. You’ll need a high-end video card, like an RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon 6800, to drive most ultrawide gaming monitors at frame rates above 144 frames per second.

Most ultrawide monitors have a 34-inch panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio, which is the best option for most gamers. Some ultrawide monitors are available in larger sizes, but these typically aren’t the best choice for gamers. Many do not support high refresh rates. Those that do are expensive and often use the same 3440x1440 resolution found on smaller ultrawide monitors, which means they appear less sharp than a 34-inch display.

The best gaming monitor overall is the MSI MPG 341CQPX. The 34-inch panel joins a field of QD-OLED ultrawides, but stands out from the pack with better HDR, a 240Hz refresh rate, and USB-C port with 98 watts of Power Delivery.

Many competitive gamers prefer 1080p resolution because it allows for high frame rates and low input lag even on modest hardware. This also makes it ideal for budget shoppers. 1080p is not as crisp as higher resolutions but, if it allows for higher frame rates, can look good in motion.1440p remains a great mid-range option. It looks much sharper than 1080p but doesn’t drastically increase load on your video card. A variety of 1440p monitors now support a refresh rate up to 240Hz. 4K is the last word in sharpness and clarity. Playing a modern game on a 4K monitor takes the experience to a