Which is better for gaming, TV screen or computer monitor? Console gamers play on TVs and PC gamers on monitors, but are any of these methods better for gaming? What’s the difference between a monitor and a TV? Let’s figure it out!
Not all displays are created equal. But in the gaming world, your choices aren’t limited to just computer monitors. Any gaming platform, be it a PC or a console, can use both a monitor and a TV as a screen. You can even connect a projector if you want.
Generally speaking, this question is not so easy to answer, so we will try to disassemble the main differences between TVs and monitors and their advantages and disadvantages.
We will answer all of these questions and more in this article. But first, if you’re unfamiliar with the fancy jargon, read the section below to familiarize yourself with the essential terms.
Difference Between TV Screen vs Computer Monitor
The most obvious difference between a TV and a monitor is screen size. Typically, the diagonal of monitors is 19 to 27 inches. Modern TVs start at about the same table values, but the upper limit is much higher – even above 100 inches for some models. However, the most common TV sizes are 30 to 60 inches.
Larger screen TVs can be seen better from the couch. They are also much more enjoyable to play with split-screen multiplayer games.
During the game, you want to lie back in a chair, and at normal times you want to use the TV to work on your PC. And large TVs are much cheaper than monitors with the same or smaller diagonal. However, anyone who tries to use a TV as a monitor (or vice versa) will face several problems. Next, we will try to figure out what is better for games – a display familiar to a PC gamer or a console player’s pride in the form of a “plasma”?
Most TVs boast noticeably larger screen sizes than a typical monitor, as we mentioned above. Therefore, at the same resolution (for example, the classic 1920×1080), the monitor’s pixel density will be noticeably higher. Formally, this gives a clearer picture, but it is still customary to sit in front of the “plasma” much further, which smoothes the difference.
If you are going to buy a new TV, it will most likely have a 4K screen with a resolution of 3840×2160 (models with a lower resolution are slightly cheaper today, so they no longer make much sense). As a result, the picture on the TV will not crumble into pixels in most cases. True, for a 4K screen, you will need a powerful PC or the latest generation console.
In addition to being smaller, monitors also have much higher pixel densities and refresh rates, even in the days when CRT monitors were ubiquitous. They also have much narrower viewing angles and (generally) are not as focused on color. Although there are monitors designed to “work,” not “play.”
Televisions tend to be larger and focus more on better color reproduction and viewing quality than pixel density or response speed. They also tend to be much better for wide-angle viewing thanks to display technologies geared towards classic living room furnishings.
Resolution
Resolution determines the number of pixels on the screen. The more there are, the clearer and more detailed the image will be.
Currently, the resolution of monitors is usually the following:
- 1080p, or Full HD (1920 × 1080 pixels)
- 1440p, or QHD, often referred to as 2K, although technically incorrect (2560 x 1440 pixels)
- 2160p, or UHD, better known as 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)
They fit the size mentioned above range quite well, as the 27-inch is the largest monitor that is comfortable to look at up close.
The situation with TVs, on the other hand, is somewhat different. They are available in 720p (HD Ready), 1080p (Full HD) and 2160p (4K) resolutions. Models with a resolution of 8K are already starting to appear. Still, we will not consider them since they are practically not supported by current consoles and video cards (and even regarding the next generation, there is no complete clarity yet). And the point is not only that there is nothing between FullHD and 4K, but also in size. Full HD TVs start at 32 inches, and anything smaller will almost certainly be 720p, which is outdated by today’s gaming standards.
TVs are designed to be viewed afar, from a greater distance than monitors, so using a TV instead of a monitor is almost pointless. Moreover, a larger screen size means a lower pixel density, inevitably leading to a “step” effect.
Response Time
Response time, or more accurately, pixel response time, determines how quickly a pixel can change color from black to white or from one shade of gray to another.
It is essential for gaming in terms of smooth camera movement, and too long response times result in unnecessary motion blur and potentially afterimages.
Usually, for modern monitors, a choice is available between TN matrices with a response time of 1 ms and IPS matrices with a response time of 4 ms. In the monitor, it cannot be lower due to technological limitations. Televisions, in turn, mainly use IPS matrices. In addition, their response time is higher since it is not so important for their primary function – multimedia.
Be that as it may, due to the higher response times compared to monitors, manufacturers rarely disclose them to avoid customer churn for TVs. They are usually above 10ms, but it’s impossible to tell exactly how much motion blur is in store for you. The safest option is to stick with well-known brands like Sony, Samsung, LG, Philips, etc. And if a blur bothers you, try to test your TV before buying.
Refresh Rate
Even the 120-hertz models are unreasonably expensive. And among inexpensive ones, an increased hertz ratio is achieved by accelerating the blinking of the backlight or inserting adaptive frames. In movies, with its predictable shots, this may work well, but in games with completely improvised dynamics, it is mediocre.
Input Lag
When it comes to console gaming, a TV may be the best choice since you sit further away from the screen so that the display might be more extensive. However, you need to ensure the TV has some post-processing bypass mode, commonly referred to simply as Game Mode.
This feature dramatically reduces input lag, which is necessary for smooth and responsive gameplay. We recommend that the TV has an input lag of less than 32ms, ideally less than 16ms.
Connectivity
We conclude with a look at the connection types. Perhaps, here monitors differ from TVs the most.
Usually, monitors have DisplayPort and HDMI ports for displaying images; some models still have DVI. In addition, most of them have audio inputs and outputs in the form of 3.5mm jacks. There are also models with USB ports.
In TVs, DisplayPort is not used; only HDMI is used for video transmission – usually, there are at least two such ports. They also have at least one USB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack and often have an optical audio output (TOSLINK) for hi-fi speakers and home theaters. A coaxial connector is used to connect the antenna cables. Some models have analog SCART, composite and component inputs. Finally, Smart TVs often have an Ethernet port for a wired Internet connection.
In the end, you can only take advantage of DisplayPort if you connect a PC to the monitor – it is not used in consoles and TVs, and instead, HDMI is used.
Picture Quality
For modern TVs, matrices with full-color space coverage are used. In the case of monitors, especially gaming monitors, this is an exception to the rule. Nevertheless, it is not easy to distinguish between ideal and just good color reproduction by eye. This is more relevant for, say, designers. In most cases, TVs produce a more excellent picture with additional processing. And monitors display precisely the image that the video card transmits.
Today, the HDR format and 10-bit matrices are gaining popularity. This allows you to bring the image quality closer to the boundaries of human perception. HDR dramatically expands the number of highlights and shadows, and 10-bit sensors produce over a billion colors. HDR and 10-bit support are extremely rare among monitors and among TVs – only in costly models.
Another important factor is the quality of fonts and 2D interfaces. Combined with input lag, blurry fonts and fuzzy interfaces often make using a TV for office work unpleasant. On the other hand, all the flaws of streaming videos from YouTube and even Netflix are visible on the monitor.
Conclusion!
The problems when playing on a TV are high response times and the possibility of “stepped” pictures.
As mentioned above, long response times can cause significant blur when moving the camera quickly, making fast-paced games look sickening. However, this shouldn’t be a problem for quality TVs, primarily if you’re not used to ultra-fast response times.
The “stepped” pictures on consoles always exist since they do not have the necessary graphics performance for anti-aliasing, but they are connected to large TVs. As mentioned above, this translates into lower pixel density and a more pronounced “step” effect. However, connecting a good gaming computer to the TV is not a significant problem as long as you play at a sufficient distance from the screen.
Summing up, let’s say that for use with a PC (for many games and especially for work), a monitor is still better suited due to its responsiveness. But to go through unhurried story-driven adventures with a gamepad in hand or to watch TV shows, movies, or YouTube, it is better to take a TV, since it is more tailored for the beauty of the picture and not for the speed of image output.
