Best IPS monitor in 2024 – our top picks for gaming

We take a look at the best IPS monitors for gaming

Table of Contents Table of Contents

If you are looking for the best IPS gaming monitor to add to your arsenal, then you have landed on the right page. 

Now, before we dive into the buying guide and look at some of the top products, let’s quickly understand what an IPS monitor is. ‘IPS’ stands for ‘In-Plane Switching,’ which is a special LCD technology that offers good color accuracy and wide viewing angles. Usually, the IPS monitors are used for photo editing, graphics work, and even gaming.

Considering the rapid development in technology with each passing week, you no longer have to put up with slow response times and sluggish refresh rates while reaping the benefits of IPS panel technology.

If you have a look at the available options, you will find high refresh rate gaming monitors that come with IPS panels, making them suitable for gamers. You will also come across IPS monitors targeted toward creators that have a wider color gamut and high color accuracy… but this is another story for another day. 

With that being said, our team has researched and shortlisted some of the best IPS monitors for gaming. Plus, we are always looking for new products to add to our list to keep it updated – so check back for more. 

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Best IPS monitor 2024: in-depth reviews

Despite their benefits, IPS monitors still showcase a few flaws – one being price, though they are much more affordable than they once were. Many still land firmly at the high end of the price spectrum, and it’s easy to see why. Having said that, our team of experts has considered all use cases and price points when hand-selecting the following monitors, ensuring that no matter what the scenario, there should be an IPS monitor that suits your exact needs.

Best high refresh rate IPS monitor: Acer Predator XB273U

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Acer Predator XB273U

Refresh Rate

165Hz

Response time

1ms GTG

Screen size

27″

Resolution

2560 x 1440

How We Review

Hands-on Review

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Pros

• 27-inch QHD display
• 360Hz refresh rate
• 0.4ms response time

Cons

• HDMI 2.0

If you want an IPS monitor that has a high refresh rate for gaming, then you should check out this Acer Predator model.

The Acer Predator monitor sports a 27-inch screen, which is suitable for most games – it gives sufficient immersion for casual games as well as precision for fast-paced games. Much like other monitors on this list, this Acer monitor also has an IPS panel, which should give you great viewing angles.

Further, the monitor has a 1440p resolution, which should deliver crisp, clear picture quality on a 27-inch screen. Further, the monitor offers a DCI-P3 color gamut, so you can expect a wider spectrum of colors and good color reproduction.

One of the main highlights here is definitely the refresh rate. The Acer monitor gives you a 360Hz refresh rate to work with, which is quite high and can be used for competitive games. To add to this, the monitor also has a really low response time of 0.4ms, which should deliver cleaner motions.

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How we choose

Whether we’re reviewing new monitors or the best GPU on the market, choosing the right hardware can always be a tricky task.

It requires hours of product research, performance benchmarking, and reviewing user feedback to get anywhere close to a definitive conclusion on what to recommend.

If you aren’t tech-savvy and struggle to put the time aside to go through the above requirements, you may end up purchasing a GPU that isn’t right for you.

Fear not, though, friends! Here at WePC, we like to take the stress of research away, and transform the whole process into an easy-to-follow, complete buyers guide. That’s right, our team of PC enthusiasts has done all the hard work for you!

How we test

Testing the products we recommend is a huge part of the overall selection process in our best of guides. It’s a way to make sure what we recommend is, without a doubt, the best option in its specific category.

To be sure a product is “the best,” it must show excellent performance in our tests and display better qualities and features than the competition it faces.

Most of the products we recommend here at WePC have gone through a strict testing process that involves everything from price and performance to build quality, efficiency, and aesthetics. Each product is pushed to the limit to see how it performs under intense stress to make sure it warrants our coveted top spot.

Doing this enables us to provide you with the most accurate review of how the product performs and, ultimately, whether it’s worth your hard-earned cash.

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How to pick the best IPS monitor

There are always things to consider when it comes to purchasing new hardware. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to upgrade your headset or buy a high-end gaming PC; understanding the main factors that affect the performance and price of that product is essential.

Below, we’ve outlined the main areas of an IPS monitor that affect your user experience. The following will give you the knowledge needed to ensure your next IPS monitor purchase is right for your specific needs.

Before we get into the buying guide, let us quickly compare the IPS, VA, and TN panels.

IPS vs TN vs VA

At the base of every great (and not-so-great) monitor lies a panel. There are three main panel types used within today’s monitors, and they all come offering an array of pros and cons. For example, TN (twisted nematic) panels are deemed best for competitive gaming as they provide rapid response and smooth gameplay. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the IPS (in-plane switching) panel. These are more expensive as they offer much more realistic color recreation, better picture quality, and longevity. In between IPS and TN panels, you have VA (vertical alignment), which is the “best of both worlds” panel.

Below is a simple table that should help you understand the differences between the panels:

Even though IPS has historically suffered from lower refresh rates and slower response times on average, this is becoming less of an issue. However, you can expect to pay a premium if you want to enjoy these aspects on an IPS monitor compared to a VA or TN.

With the basics out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the specs that you should be checking.

Screen resolution

Screen resolution is the third part of the three-piece jigsaw that makes up the most important specs for a gaming monitor. Screen resolution is a measure of how many physical pixels your monitor can actually display at any one time.

For example, a 1080p monitor (1920 x 1080) will offer up to 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 vertically. When you compare that with a WQHD panel that offers 2560 pixels by 1440 pixels, you can start to understand why bigger resolutions offer crisper picture quality. Be aware, though, that getting a better gaming experience isn’t as simple as jumping from 1080p to 1440p. You must consider the additional stress put on your PC.

The resolution of a game can be one of the most demanding factors, if not the most demanding when it comes to graphical performance. Making the jump from 1080p-1440p can literally see huge drops in FPS. Make sure your PC is equipped for the next step up – if you don’t, you might end up forking out for a monitor that you won’t be able to utilize.

Screen size

An important distinction to make is between the screen resolution and the actual screen size. When it comes to IPS displays, there is not really a preference for screen size. It mostly relies on what you’ll be using it for and your own personal preference for screen size. If you’re going to be doing a lot of editing work, we recommend a larger screen size, such as 27″, especially if you’re going to jump up to a resolution like 1440p.

The same goes for 4K, but you may even want to consider something like 32-inch here. For competitive gaming, the 24-inch monitors are a popular choice for players sticking to the familiarity of 1080p, but we think 27-inch is a good sweet spot for users who will be using the monitor for both work and gaming.

Refresh rate

One of the most important factors when looking to purchase a gaming monitor is the refresh rate. This is a measurement of how often the screen can refresh. Generally speaking, if you want a gaming monitor for competitive FPS games, you should be looking to purchase a monitor with at least a 144Hz refresh rate. High refresh rates are much more commonplace now, even for IPS displays. You can expect to see displays hitting the 165Hz, 240Hz, or even 360Hz in the top-end.

That being said if you game more casually and like to play other formats aside from FPS, we recommend 75Hz and above. This will still provide a smooth gaming experience (as long as you can achieve at least that in FPS) and will probably save you a few bucks as well.

There are a bunch of other refresh rate options to choose from, so let’s see which are best suited to certain scenarios.

• 60Hz is ideal if you plan to use your monitor for;
  • Everyday usage – emails, google, etc
  • Office work
  • Creative workflows
  • Old school gaming that isn’t fast-paced
• 144Hz is ideal if you plan to use your monitor for;
  • Fast-paced FPS titles in particular – CS:GO, PUBG, COD
• 240Hz is ideal if you plan to use your monitor for;
  • Competitive esports
  • Playing games on a high-end gaming rig that can produce 240FPS in numerous titles

This should give you a better understanding of what refresh rate best suits your specific requirements. Having said that, please keep in mind that the refresh rate does have an impact on the price of the monitor.

Response time

Response time is another major factor when it comes to purchasing a gaming monitor. Like refresh rate, response time plays a key role in how smooth your gaming experience is.

Response time is a way of measuring how fast the pixels in your panel can change color, usually using the GTG transition (Grey-to-Grey). It’s measured in milliseconds and ranges anywhere from 1ms-5ms in most modern displays. Recently, though, we’ve seen some super low input lag displays dropping below 1ms.

Response time is particularly important when playing fast-paced games due to the rapid change in color that can create image ghosting if the monitor you’re using isn’t up to the test

For a gaming monitor, you need to be looking for a display that offers at least 4ms. For more competitive titles like CS:GO, we would recommend 1ms.

Connectivity

Realistically, you want to pay attention to connectivity with any kind of monitor – not just IPS panels. However, if you’re going to be doing plenty of editing or gaming on your IPS display, then connectivity may be an important factor in your decision. Plenty of monitors these days offer additional ports via a USB hub, some opting for USB-C port(s). This is perfect if you want to hook up a number of devices – whether just to charge your phone or a device to transfer files or simply use the monitor as an additional display for your laptop or tablet.

Aside from the benefits of a USB hub, you also need to consider the actual ports for connecting your display. HDMI and DisplayPort remain popular choices for monitors, and this standard should be the same for your graphics card – but it doesn’t hurt to make sure.

Viewing angle

One benefit of IPS monitors is their solid, wide viewing angles. Of course, limited viewing angles can be combatted by better ergonomics, such as a swivel design or tilt, but IPS can give you the best of both aspects. Viewing angle becomes important if you’re using multiple displays that won’t sit dead-center on your desk or perhaps want to switch over to an ultrawide monitor. A wider viewing angle allows for you to set up better ergonomics and is ideal for viewing media even when not directly sat in front of the screen.

FreeSync and G-Sync

AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync are far from new. They’ve been supporting modern monitors for close to a decade now and have been pretty revolutionary as far as gaming monitors are concerned. FreeSync and/or G-Sync compatibility is a must these days when looking for a gaming monitor, but luckily, it is commonplace.

Both FreeSync and G-Sync offer the same screen tear-reduction technology known as adaptive sync. This is when your monitor’s refresh rate and the FPS your PC is producing are matched (by the software) to create the ultimate smooth experience.

With that in mind, however, be aware that to utilize FreeSync and G-Sync, your PC must be able to output equal or higher frames per second than your monitor’s refresh rate. If it doesn’t, you won’t relish the full rewards that the adaptive sync technology can provide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are IPS monitors good for gaming?

IPS monitors are some of the best on the market when it comes to gaming. Gone are the days when you had to sacrifice core specifications and performance. The latest arrivals offer the highest refresh rates and lowest response times, making them a great choice for gamers.

Are IPS panels good for editing?

IPS monitors are the best in the business when it comes to your editing needs. They showcase the highest levels of color recreation, making them a perfect choice for professionals.

Final word

If you want the absolute best IPS monitor for your setup, then we think that the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279QM gaming monitor is a good fit. The monitor offers a 27-inch IPS display, which should deliver wide viewing angles and good color reproduction. Plus, it is a QHD monitor, so you can expect a high picture quality. For gaming, the monitor offers a 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and G-Sync support, which should give you a good gaming experience.