As a pro gamer, you must be wondering if it’s worth upgrading your monitor to a 240Hz refresh rate from 144 Hz. Well, while you must have experienced vivid changes and variations after switching from 60Hz to 144Hz, getting a smooth and superfluid frame transition, we’ll discuss what you can expect from a 240 Hz monitor and if it’s worth your money.
So, before we move on to the debate of 144Hz vs 240Hz, let’s quickly go through the basics.
Refresh rate
Refresh rate determines the number of times the monitor would refresh the image on the screen with every passing second. The unit for the refresh rate is Hz, and if you get the 144Hz monitor, then it would refresh the images 144 times per second.
That’s why gamers prefer a higher refresh rate as it quickly updates the scenery, allowing them to enjoy a more engaging and immersive gaming experience with responsive and smooth transitions. Refresh rate is one of the critical factors in performing well during an intense gaming session.
Max/native refresh rate vs overclocking
With a 144Hz or 240Hz monitor, you can do nothing to increase the refresh rate which means that these are the highest possible rates they can operate at under any circumstances. But there are particular monitors which have a higher max refresh rate than their native clockrate. For instance, if you have a 60Hz 1080p monitor, it has three maximal possible modes - 120Hz at 1080p, 144Hz at 1440p, and 165Hz at 4KUHD resolution. If your monitor is not capable of handling heavy games smoothly in the required resolutions listed above, then chances are it will be to run them at least on a lower resolution and a higher refresh rate.
In general, it can be said that there is no guarantee for running smoothly at the max refresh rate. However, the native max refresh rate should allow you to play games after reducing settings as you don’t have to rely on overclocking for your performance boost.
Frames per second (FPS)
Frames per second determine the number of frames your monitor can display in a second. The more FPS, the more smoothly a game would run on your PC. Now, whether you should move on to 240Hz depends on how much your GPU and other PC specs are able to output the FPS on the screen in a second.
For example, a 144 Hz monitor plus 144Fps from the GPU would create favorable gaming conditions for you, making your experience super enthralling. But if you already can’t get 144 FPS, shifting to 240 Hz would be a downside because such latest technology won’t be compatible with your PC system and graphics card.
But the question is, how many FPS you need? If you can get more than 240 FPS in a game, then the extra fps will be utilized by your monitor and reduce tearing and boosting motion. However, if there are less than that number of frames available to be displayed onscreen every second, then your monitor won’t increase motion fluidity or boost up response times.
Conclusively we can say that if you want to make things smoother for yourself while playing games to enjoy a better frame rate transition at a faster pace without compromising on resolution or graphics settings, opting for a higher refresh rate is always recommended.
The differences between 144Hz vs 240Hz
You must have noticed the immense changes, upgrading to 144Hz from a 60Hz monitor like the quick enhancement in the performance and fluid gaming experience. However, when it comes to pinpointing differences between the 144Hz and 240Hz monitors, it will be a bit challenging to trace the improvements as the upgrades in the 240Hz might not be very noticeable.
Although, the 240Hz monitor is definitely a better choice for a professional gamer, given the fact that a higher refresh rate automatically improves the gaming performance and enhances the playing experience with quality.
144Hz vs 240Hz: Which one is better?
Let’s see what 144 Hz and 240 Hz monitors offer you and whether the difference is worth your money.
144 Hz Monitor
144Hz monitors offer you a decent refresh rate for playing games smoothly, achieving high responsiveness and reaction time. You can upgrade to 240Hz if you have the hardware that can handle the FPS and a high refresh rate.
But if your PC is old and doesn’t offer a higher FPS, then you would be wasting all your money. You should give in to the idea of sticking with 144Hz because it still provides you with high-quality performance, also giving you many options regarding affordability.
Features:
- Low response times
- High refresh rate and fluidity
Benefits:
- Touch screen capability and overclocking abilities
- Fluid performance with HD screen
Drawbacks:
- Higher power consumption
Who is it for?
If you are looking for better quality performance, high responsiveness with stunning fluidity in games, then this might be the right option to upgrade to. However, if your computer specs aren’t up to the mark, then it would be wise of you to stay away from such an upgrade.
240 Hz Monitor
Upgrading to a 240 Hz monitor would give you an edge over the players with slower refresh rate monitors. You should consider your budget as well because 240 Hz monitors could be pretty expensive and do not include any additional benefits that come in 144 Hz monitors.
With 240 Hz, you can play competitive games with an advantage but, make sure that your hardware is capable enough to support it. After taking care of such measures, you can surely invest in a 240 Hz monitor without a doubt.
Features:
- Touch screen capability and overclocking abilities
- Fluid performance with HD screen
Benefits:
- The upgraded refresh rate for ultra-smooth gaming performance
Drawbacks:
- Power-hungry and expensive hardware upgrade to support it
Who is it for?
Players who are looking for a competitive edge in the field of professional gaming. It will help them get the required high FPS to enjoy their game without skipping or tearing. Also, they can make use of screen overclocking abilities without compromising on a resolution during times of heavy action scenes to give it an edge over others.
Final Thoughts
If you are a professional gamer that owns high-tech PC equipment and is ready to move on to the newest upgrade, then a 240 Hz monitor is for you. But, if you are a casual gamer, or let’s suppose someone who cannot afford upgrading hardware, let alone buy a 240 Hz monitor, go for a 144 Hz monitor. This is because even with a 144 Hz monitor, you won’t have to compromise over the performance.
Both 144Hz and 240Hz monitors provide you with the same benefits, just that one is an upgrade over the other. However, make sure to check your hardware before upgrading because some higher refresh rate monitors might not be compatible with all computer setups.