1080p 144hz vs 1440p 75hz: Which Should you buy and why?
Graphics are the most talked about element of video games these days. In a world of super sharp high-resolution displays that should come as no surprise. Graphical fidelity seems to be the top concern for a lot of people. With games getting better at delivering more realistic visuals and even indie games looking absolutely gorgeous in their own art style, it’s very important to get a good monitor for your gaming setup so you can enjoy those high-quality visuals.
Backing up the rise of importance in visual fidelity is the ever-increasing popularity of gaming monitors. These high-resolution displays have taken the community by storm with their accurate color reproductions and features for gaming. High refresh rates, lower response times and anti-tearing technologies are some of the few ingredients which discern gaming monitors over regular displays.
However, buying a display can be quite a confusing task for a lot of people. Even after you’ve decided what panel type you want and what screen size you prefer, the most difficult question remains: High Refresh Rate or High Resolution? We’ll be answering that question for you and helping you decide.
| # | Preview | Name | Screen Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Panel Type | Response Time | Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q | 27' | WQHD (2560 x 1440) | 144Hz | IPS | 4ms | Check Price |
| 2 |  | Acer Predator XB321HK | 32' | 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) | 60Hz | IPS | 4ms | Check Price |
| 3 |  | LG 24MP59G | 24' | FHD (1920 x 1080) | 75Hz | IPS | 5ms | Check Price |
| 4 |  | AOC G2460PF | 24' | FHD (1920 x 1080) | 144Hz | TN | 1ms | Check Price |
| 5 |  | ASUS ROG Swift PG258Q | 25' (24.5' viewable) | FHD (1920 x 1080) | 240Hz | IPS | 1ms | Check Price |
| # | 1 |
| Preview | |
| Name | ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q |
| Screen Size | 27' |
| Resolution | WQHD (2560 x 1440) |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response Time | 4ms |
| Purchase | Check Price |
| # | 2 |
| Preview | |
| Name | Acer Predator XB321HK |
| Screen Size | 32' |
| Resolution | 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response Time | 4ms |
| Purchase | Check Price |
| # | 3 |
| Preview | |
| Name | LG 24MP59G |
| Screen Size | 24' |
| Resolution | FHD (1920 x 1080) |
| Refresh Rate | 75Hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response Time | 5ms |
| Purchase | Check Price |
| # | 4 |
| Preview | |
| Name | AOC G2460PF |
| Screen Size | 24' |
| Resolution | FHD (1920 x 1080) |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Panel Type | TN |
| Response Time | 1ms |
| Purchase | Check Price |
| # | 5 |
| Preview | |
| Name | ASUS ROG Swift PG258Q |
| Screen Size | 25' (24.5' viewable) |
| Resolution | FHD (1920 x 1080) |
| Refresh Rate | 240Hz |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Response Time | 1ms |
| Purchase | Check Price |
Last Update on 2024-12-18 at 05:34 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1080p at 144Hz: What’s Good and What’s Bad
Full HD (1920 x 1080) has been the industry standard for gaming displays for a while now. The resolution is more than enough for most people and considering you have a 22″ or 24″ monitor, the image should be pretty sharp on the display. 1080p displays should also be pretty easy to power with even a budget GPU.
That’s the resolution part covered. Let’s talk about the more exciting aspect here. The high refresh rate. Just ignore all the debates and arguments for one minute and trust us, high refresh rate does pay off, especially in competitive games. It provides a more fluid and smooth experience overall and allows you to react faster. Of course, this doesn’t magically make you a better gamer but it does give you a slight competitive edge overall. The ability to react faster can help out a lot in first person shooters. 144hz is miles ahead of 60hz.
So that’s all the positives, let’s talk negatives. While the higher refresh rate is definitely great for competitive games, the 1080p resolution lacks the visual flair a 1440p and especially a 4K monitor can provide. Don’t get us wrong, 1080p is an easy to drive resolution and looks decent to the average consumer but once you try a higher resolution, it’s difficult to go back.
1440p at 75Hz: What’s Good and What’s Bad
Resolution is something that directly correlates to the screen size and viewing distance. But at 24-27″ (the most common gaming monitor size) WQHD or 2560 x 1440p looks sharper and crispier than 1080p in any scenario. Be it movies, tv shows or video games, you just can’t deny the extra visual flair this resolution provides. If you put them both side by side the difference is easy to notice, especially in a 27″ display. If you play a lot of single player games and love the detail in visual quality, you would surely benefit from a 1440p display. If you are that sort of person, then in single player games, where the main focus is the story, 60Hz is still sufficient. 1440p is also a bit more difficult to power than 1080p.
The slight issue here is that unless you pay more than what a 1080p 144hz monitor would cost, you’ll probably be stuck with the decision between framerate and resolution. Although 1440p does look absolutely stunning, you would be stuck with a 75Hz or 60Hz panel at a price point similar to 1080p 144hz. The decision entirely depends on what type of games you play. If you are someone who enjoys visual flair over framerate. Go with a 1440p 75Hz display. If you play mostly competitive games and want that a competitive edge over your opponents, 1080p 144hz is your go to.
Our Recommendation
If you are looking for any type of monitor be it a high resolution or high refresh rate one, or even the best of both worlds, we recently covered 5 of the best monitors on the market in the following article.
At a limited budget, you can only do so much with your choice of monitors in the low-end range. You are either stuck with the standard resolution of 1080p at a high framerate or a high-resolution 1440p monitor capped at 60-75Hz. As explained before, the decision purely comes down to your choice of games and your PC’s performance. 1440p even at 60Hz can still be a demanding display to drive. Even though you might not get exactly 144 Fps in 1080p it’s relatively easy to achieve with most GPUs. That’s the main question answered, but what if you’re a fan of both high resolution and high framerate. Well then go with 1440p 144hz which is absolutely stunning. You get the crispiness of 1440p along with the high refresh rate. Of course, that resolution is much more difficult to drive at a higher framerate but if your graphics power can handle it and your wallet allows it, its the best experience you can get for now.
