Is It Worth It To Play Games On A 240 Hz Monitor?

Is it worthwhile to invest in a 240Hz display for gaming, and does it offer a noticeable increase over a 144Hz panel? This post will discuss refresh rates and respond to the topic above.

As soon as 144Hz displays entered the general market, the industry began pushing monitor performance even farther than the limit set by 144Hz.

Displays with 144Hz refresh rates were mainstream before anybody realized it, and 240Hz became the new target for performance-oriented gamers. However, even 240Hz monitors won’t be at the top of the food chain for long since there are already a handful of 360Hz monitors now on the market.

In any case, this piece’s primary objective is to respond to the issue posed in the title: “Is it worthwhile to invest in a 240Hz display for gaming in 2023?”

In addition to considering performance, cost, and other factors, we will examine the differences and similarities between a 144Hz and a 240Hz display.

What Exactly Is Meant by Refresh Rates?

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the subject matter, let us first briefly review the essentials. But, instead, what exactly is meant by the term “refresh rate,” and what does it signify?

The number of frames a monitor can display in one second is determined mainly by its refresh rate, which is expressed in hertz. That is to say, the most significant number of frames-per-second that the monitor can display in real-time is proportional to the monitor’s refresh rate.

While it is true that the monitor does not hinder the graphics card from producing as many frames as it is capable of, it is also true that the monitor is unable to display all of the additional structures that are rendered more than the limit that is imposed by its refresh rate.

You are undoubtedly well aware that the refresh rate of the typical display is set at 60Hz, but the majority of gaming monitors currently have 144Hz refresh rates. However, as was said before, many models are equipped with 240Hz refresh rates, and a few recently released monitors can go as high as 360Hz.

Now that we’ve covered the general benefits of displays with such fast refresh rates, let’s examine some potential drawbacks.

Monitors with 240 hertz provide several benefits.

The advantages of having a high refresh rate are, for all intents and purposes, the same as those connected with having a high framerate. This is because the refresh rate is the primary factor that defines the highest FPS a monitor can display.

Stated the following are the two most significant benefits associated with high refresh rates:

Enhanced responsiveness, a more fluid gameplay experience, and a reduction in motion blur.
The possibility of somewhat improved reaction times when participating in competitive multiplayer games
These are two highly beneficial benefits to many players, particularly those who prefer to concentrate on competitive multiplayer games, in which a fraction of a second may make all the difference. On the other hand, high refresh rates come with a few negatives, which we will discuss further in this section.

Disadvantages Of 240Hz Monitors

In the same way, as 144Hz displays have to sacrifice some features to achieve their high refresh rates, 240Hz monitors also have to give something up. So, to begin, we ought to investigate the available panel technology.

TN panels still make up a significant portion of the available 240Hz gaming monitors, even though they are not as widely used as they once were. This is because TN panels are inexpensive and offer excellent performance in terms of both response times and refresh rates.

TN, or Twisted Nematic, is a type of panel technology frequently associated with inferior color reproduction and poor viewing angles. As a result, purchasing a monitor using TN technology typically means trading aesthetics for performance.

One of the reasons behind the TN panel’s declining popularity is that IPS panels have mostly caught up and performed considerably better than they did only a few years ago. This is one of the reasons why IPS panels are becoming increasingly popular. In essence, they provide significantly better colors and viewing angles, and at the same time, they have become more inexpensive, especially in terms of 240Hz displays.

However, not all IPS panels are created equally, which means that even though there are affordable 240Hz IPS monitors available, you would still need to spend a bit more money if you intend on getting the “full set,” which is a monitor that have you fully covered on both the performance and visuals fronts. Specifically, you would need to spend more money to get a monitor that have you fully covered on both the performance and visuals fronts.

In the end, there are VA committees that attempt to reach some compromise about all of this. For example, this panel type is known to have difficulties with ghosting and high reaction times, which is why 240Hz VA monitors aren’t as popular as their IPS counterparts. However, they have better color reproduction and viewing angles than TN panels.

And then there is the issue of the actual framerates being used. Even though having higher framerate results in a gaming experience that is smoother and more responsive, as was said earlier, there are still some other aspects of this topic that need to be considered.

When the framerates are increased, it becomes increasingly difficult for the human eye to discern any differences between them.

It is straightforward to differentiate between 30 and 60 frames per second (FPS) and between 60 and 144 FPS; nevertheless, it is pretty challenging to distinguish between 144 and 240 FPS. Granted, it is a significant performance improvement; anyway, as you can see from the video just shown above, many people are unable to distinguish between the two until they directly compare a 240Hz panel and a 144Hz monitor side by side.

On top of that, there is also the issue of resolution. The majority of 240Hz displays are still 1080p, which means that if you were to get one, it would almost certainly mean that you would be losing visual quality in exchange for increased speed.

Some gamers are excellent with this and would take more frames over more pixels any day of the week, but others would not find the performance increase worth the visual fidelity awarded by 1440p or 4K. But, of course, some gamers are excellent with this and would take more frames over more pixels any day of the week.

However, quality, high-resolution 240Hz monitors do exist. Still, they are more expensive, so a 144Hz 1440p monitor or even a 60Hz 4K monitor might better fit your needs, depending on where your priorities lie. This is because 240Hz monitors have a higher refresh rate, which allows for a smoother image.

Last but not least, there’s the fact that you’d need a graphics card that’s strong enough to push such high framerates if you want to do it.

The more demanding AAA games are a different story, so trading resolution for performance there might not make all that much sense, depending on what you play and how powerful your hardware is. A triple-digit framerate is relatively easy to achieve in eSports games with even a budget or a mid-range GPU. However, this is not the case with the more demanding AAA titles.

Is It Necessary To Invest In A 240 Hertz Monitor For Gaming?

And now, with everything that has been discussed up to this point in mind, let’s come back to the initial question: is it worth the money to buy a 240Hz display, and does it give a discernible benefit when gaming?

It would be best if you began by answering the most critical question: whether or not you put performance ahead of aesthetics. There is no such thing as a flawless monitor, and a significant increase in cost would accompany any attempt to get even close to achieving such a thing.

If the fluidity of high refresh rates is more important to you than the clarity given by higher resolutions, and if your GPU can attain these high refresh rates in the games you mostly play, then investing in a 240Hz monitor can be a good investment for you.

On the other hand, we believe that a display with 144 hertz would be more suitable for most users. In particular, it would be more inexpensive if you are on a limited budget, and a 144Hz 1440p monitor would make for a nice middle-ground that would have you covered both in terms of graphics and performance. Specifically, it would be more reasonable if you were on a small budget.

But of course, each gamer needs to answer this issue for themselves, and it would be ideal if you could have some hands-on experience with a 240 Hz display before making a final decision.

Check out this purchasing guide for a rundown of the top gaming monitors currently on the market, no matter what decision you make. Regardless of the refresh rate, the resolution, or the sort of panel you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find some solid options in that section.