The best Xbox gaming monitors in 2021

Maybe you just got your first Xbox, the Xbox Series X this holiday season. Or maybe you’re still playing on one of the following Xbox One consoles. Either way, are you getting the most out of your console gaming experience by playing your games on your TV?

While accessories like dedicated consoles or external storage are always useful (especially if you play high-capacity games like Call of Duty: Warzone), one of the best updates you can make to your arsenal screen can be a type of different screen: New game screen. With the new Xbox Series X support for all three major resolutions offered by full-size gaming monitors (1080p, 1440p, and 4K), your options are plentiful. But make sure you know the pros and cons, as well as how to buy the best monitor that is suitable for the types of games you enjoy playing the most.

The right decision: Xbox decides where

First, there is the problem of the solution. As mentioned above, at the time of writing (January 2021), the Xbox One (along with variants of the Xbox One family) and the Xbox Series X are the only consoles that support three screen resolutions. Main: 1920 x 1080 pixels (Aka 1080p), 2560 x 1440 px (1440p), and 3840 x 2160 px (4K).

Here’s a quick breakdown …

Meanwhile, the Sony Playstation 5 only supports 1080p or 4K, which leaves a host of affordable high-performance gaming monitors out in the cold – the 1440p models.

In fact, 1440p is considered the sweet spot for native resolution by many competitive PC and console gamers. Since some major titles (like Fortnite) have been optimized to run at speeds of up to 120fps on Xbox consoles at 1440p or 1080p, gamers of titles like these may consider the 1440p option on the internet. Consecutive display: 4K if getting a high frame rate is your biggest concern. Speaking of higher frames per second, this is related to the following factor …

Refresh rate: why screen speed matters

Xbox supports different resolutions and refresh rates, depending on the model you have. For example, the Xbox One (and its variants) can only support a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz while rendering the console at 1080p or 1440p.

However, the Xbox Series X will support 120Hz mode at resolutions up to 4K. However, we recommend Read this article To see if any of the games you plan to play support higher upgrade modes in the first place. Support depends on the game.

Most gaming monitors are at one of the following refresh rate levels: 60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz, 200Hz, or 240Hz. If you plan to play only on your Xbox console using a monitor ( no PC games planned in the near future), we recommend choosing a model up to 144Hz or 120Hz, so you don’t have to pay for the additional images. I will never see it on screen.

Why cables (can) matter

Then a little on the cables. While all the consoles included in the Xbox One lineup only support HDMI 2.0, the latest Xbox Series X supports HDMI 2.1 to connect to your favorite TV or gaming monitor.

Our manual on the current state of HDMI 2.1 will give you a better understanding of why this distinction is important. HDMI 2.1 supports up to 120 fps at 1080p or 1440p. However, if you want to play the Xbox Series X at 120 fps in 4K, you will need to use a 4K monitor that is compliant with the HDMI 2.1 specification and supports this refresh rate. Specifically, at 4K resolution. You will also need an HDMI 2.1 compliant cable called a “high speed” HDMI cable. (More information on this in the link above).

Monitors supporting HDMI 2.1, 4K resolution, and refresh rates of 120Hz or higher were still in short supply at the time of this writing. Players Should Anticipate which high-refresh 4K models will launch anytime in 2021 and beyond to support HDMI 2.1, but it’s best to check before you buy. Acer (Predator, Nitro) and Asus (ROG Swift) showed off high-update 4K gamepads capable of HDMI 2.1 at CES 2021, which are expected to appear this year.

HDR: the icing on the cake

Lastly, let’s take a second to talk about HDR or High Dynamic Range. HDR is a feature that gives your games the best chance to shine, displaying color palettes, brightness levels, and clarity that far exceed what you see on a non-HDR monitor or TV.

This feature is more common on televisions than gaming monitors as of early 2021, but this trend is starting to shift in the other direction. As more gamers and console owners upgrade their gaming devices, the demand for gaming monitors that support HDR has grown with them.

HDR displays are rated at different levels corresponding to the maximum brightness level that you would expect from the display. Currently, you can find gaming monitors rated between HDR10 (lowest brightness) and HDR1000 in options like the Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ. Among them, you will find screens rated HDR400 and HDR600. (In the case of all these things except HDR10, the number indicates the maximum brightness of HDR.)

The level you choose should ultimately be determined by the dynamics of your content, as well as the dynamic range you want to make available to play while adjusting settings in multiplayer games. (One strategy could be, for example, to increase contrast levels to see enemies in darker scenes during a multiplayer game, which might help a higher HDR rating.)

So what device should I buy?

Are you ready to choose? We’ve included a list of some of the best gaming monitors we’ve tested here that will be coming to the Xbox in 2021. Note that many highly revamped 4K models only support DisplayPort 1.4 connections. B (that is, PC only). , if you want to get refresh rates above 60Hz, although they have normal HDMI for Xbox connected playback at 60Hz. (We’ve included them in case you want to call both a recent-model Xbox, and a high-powered PC game.) With that caveat out of the way, let’s dive down the list! (Also check out our favorite Xbox Series S and X games to buy right now.)