Best Console Gaming Monitors in 2022 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4)

Like most gaming peripherals or computer parts, buying a console monitor shouldn’t be done haphazardly. There are certain factors that must be taken into consideration when purchasing any monitor, even more so when paring a display with one of the latest consoles. Doing this not only allows you to make a more informed decision, but it’ll allow you to handpick the one that best suits your specific needs.

For your convenience, we compiled all the specifications and features that you need to check and evaluate before making your final purchasing decision.

Immersive or Competitive?

One of the first things you should consider before purchasing a new console gaming monitor is; immersive or competitive? What i mean by that is, do you prioritize visual immersion or are you more concerned with the panel’s responsiveness? This is an important quality to understand, mainly because it’ll have a large impact on what specifications you actually look for in a monitor.

Below, I’ve listed some of the most important specs to consider whether you’re looking for an immersion or responsive monitor.

Immersive

• 4K screen resolution
• Wide color gamut (100%sRGB+, 85% DCI-P3+, 85% Adobe RGB+)
• 32-inch (or above) screen size
• IPS panel technology (greater color accuracy and wide color gamut)
• Fast response time
• High Dynamic Range

Competitive

• Fast refresh rate
• Fast response time
• Low input lag
• FreeSync VRR support

There are arguments for certain factors to lie within both immersive and competitive. That being said, when stripping it back to the bare essentials, I feel the above list covers everything you should be looking for when tailoring your gaming to either immersive or competitive gameplay.

Resolution

If you’re on one of the older base models of previous generations consoles, resolution matters least when it comes to gaming monitors – with 1080p being the max resolution supported by most games on PS4 or Xbox One. However, if you’re using one of the mid-generation upgrades of those consoles (Xbox One X or PS4 Pro), or next generations consoles (Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5) and want to play 4K games/watch 4K content on them, a 4K panel is definitely the best option.

If you only have a basic PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, though, there’s no point in buying a monitor above 1080p unless you plan on using it for movies and general computer use also.

Check our 1080 vs 4K gaming comparison here.

Do Consoles support ultrawide?

Ultrawide monitors are some of the most immersive on the market, offering a wide field of view that really adds to the visual experience you recieve.

Unfortunately, consoles do not natively support the 21:9 aspect ratio (ultrawide display AR). Resolutions like 2560 x 1080 and 3440 x 1440 that feature on these ultrawide monitors aren’t supported by games, with most opting for the more traditional 16:9 variant. Whether or not this will always be the case is yet to be determined, however, for now, we’ll have to  monitorsettle for 16:9 displays.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

You may have seen the HDR (High Dynamic Range) setting on your phones but what exactly does it do? It’s easier to understand if we first define Dynamic Range. In simple terms, dynamic range is the measurement of how much the brightest area of an image differs from the darkest area. High dynamic range basically adjusts the image to make it look more true-to-life by improving and adding details to dark areas. Monitors that support HDR show dark colors in a deep and clear manner. This gives competitive gamers an edge since they will be able to see dark areas better.

But keep in mind that the following are the only HDR-capable game consoles:

• Xbox One S
• Xbox One X
• Xbox Series S
• Xbox Series X
• PlayStation 4
• PlayStation 4 Pro
• PlayStation 5

Panel Type: IPS vs TN

IPS displays offer great color reproduction – far better than your usual HDTV but not quite as refined as the full HDR-10 standard. When it comes to monitors, it’s the best viewing experience you can have, especially when you take the increased viewing angles into consideration. IPS generally sacrifices some response time which may be a problem if you’re a dedicated, competitive-oriented gamer.

TN panels, on the other hand, are cheaper and have faster response times (usually 1ms compared to 5ms for most IPS panels), but are lacking in color reproduction and viewing angles, which might be relevant if you are planning on mounting your monitor or using a floor-based console gaming chair.

You can learn more about the difference between an IPS and TN panel by checking our TN vs IPS vs VA article.

Refresh Rate

Previous generation consoles only ran at a maximum of 60fps. This meant that if you’re gaming on any model of PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you’ll be playing at a maximum framerate of 60fps – regardless of which display you are playing on. The latest next-generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony (the Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5) support gaming at up to 120fps, depending on the game. If you’re using one of these systems, you are absolutely going to want to choose a monitor that supports this high refresh rate range.

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