Which is best, 16:9 or 16:10 monitor for gaming?

dirtydog

dirtydog

dirtydog

Permabanned
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
47,396
Location
Essex
What do you prefer and why?

I have a 16:10 monitor and some of my games use a fixed ratio of 16:9 for some of their screens, so a 22" screen effectively becomes a 21" screen. Recent examples of this are BC2, NFS Hot Pursuit and Medal of Honor. (Thanks EA :() Once the actual game starts, the screen is filled - but whether the aspect ratio is correct I don't know. Obviously those games were designed with console 720p in mind.

I am aware that a 16:9 ratio allows you to see more. As I don't just use my monitor for games though, I wonder if I would miss the extra height you get from a 16:10 screen when viewing documents, web pages etc.

The other issue is that I have a 120Hz monitor now, and most of the 1080p monitors are 60Hz only unless you pay nearly £300 for 23.6" ones.


(I know this isn't the monitor forum, but I thought it would be better in here as it is specific to PC gamers)
 
24" 16.10 is what i use. Im not competitive with my games so dont really give 2 ****s
 
I'm not competitive either (in a pro sense) but I don't like having a letterbox.

Some games even force the 16:9 letterbox IN-GAME, like Chronicles of Riddick or Blacklight Tango Down.
 
May I ask what monitor model you have that is 16:10 and 100hz? (I presume 1920x1200?)

I'm on 16:10 with the above res at and I do quite well in FPS games so I'd say it follows the same rule as with any other monitor - the more pixels, the better.
 
In theory, a 16:9 display gives more of a panoramic experience for games, but for everything else you do on the PC, 16:10 is much better.
Personally, I think the benefit gained in games with 16:9 is tiny, and the benefit gained for everything else with 16:10 is significant. So I'd always go with 16:10, shame they are being phased out.
 
I play on 16:10 20.1" Dell monitor, both pc and xbox 360 play just fine. I tate the screen when I play shmups on 360 :) 16:10 gives you more screen for that :)

I want to upgrade to 24" but not sure as it's quite big compared to 20".
 
FrenchTart said:
May I ask what monitor model you have that is 16:10 and 100hz? (I presume 1920x1200?)

I'm on 16:10 with the above res at and I do quite well in FPS games so I'd say it follows the same rule as with any other monitor - the more pixels, the better.
Click to expand...

In my sig, SM2233RZ, 1680x1050. 120Hz not 100 ;)

More pixels doesn't necessarily mean you see more of the game though - 16:10 shows a fair bit less of the action than 16:9 does, funnily enough.
 
MeMeMeMe said:
In theory, a 16:9 display gives more of a panoramic experience for games, but for everything else you do on the PC, 16:10 is much better.
Personally, I think the benefit gained in games with 16:9 is tiny, and the benefit gained for everything else with 16:10 is significant. So I'd always go with 16:10, shame they are being phased out.
Click to expand...

Also films and TV look better (fill the screen more) on 16:9 don't they. So 16:9 for games and movies, 16:10 for everything else I guess. You don't seem to be able to get one size which is ideal for everything.
 
apatia77 said:
I want to upgrade to 24" but not sure as it's quite big compared to 20".
Click to expand...

Same - 22" 16:10 is pretty big already. If I went to 24" 16:9, I believe it would be the exact same vertical height more or less, and the extra two inches would be horizontal. So I wonder if I would be moving my eyes/head more than I do now.
 
I think the panel type makes more difference. I've got a Dell 2209WA with an IPS panel. I couldn't go back to a TN panel, because the colour representation and viewing angles are so poor by comparison.
 
dirtydog said:
Same - 22" 16:10 is pretty big already. If I went to 24" 16:9, I believe it would be the exact same vertical height more or less, and the extra two inches would be horizontal. So I wonder if I would be moving my eyes/head more than I do now.
Click to expand...

I'm on a 16:10 20". There's no way I'd upgrade to a 24" 16:9. I want more height and more width! The screen is already "wide" enough for me, I don't want to keep adding more width and nothing else...

Hopefully my next monitor will be 26"/27", 16x10 and 1920x1200.
 
I got the Viewsonic 120Hz 16:10 monitor, 1680*1050.

I'm sure i read an article somewhere stating that 16:10 > 16:9 for games, i have no idea why so don't shoot the messenger but i'm sure this guy provided an informed opinion as to why it was so.
 
dexterrr said:
I'm sure i read an article somewhere stating that 16:10 > 16:9 for games, i have no idea why so don't shoot the messenger but i'm sure this guy provided an informed opinion as to why it was so.
Click to expand...

Better in what sense, because 16:9 shows more than 16:10 does.

If you look at these pics you can see what I mean, taken from here:

http://www.rage3d.com/board/showpost.php?p=1336301810&postcount=24

16:10, 1280x800
iw4mp2010070212413536.jpg


16:9, 1280x720 (less pixels but shows more)
iw4mp2010070212435186.jpg
 
Using a 24" 1920x1200, 16:10 Benq FP241W here, dont mind it in games, but i use the monitor for blu ray as well, id prefer a 16:9 aspect for movie use.
 
16:9 is the more common res as its cheaper for monitor manufactures to make a 16:9 screen.

16:10 are more high end generally but because they arent going to be as popular most games will be designed for 16:9 imo
 
dirtydog said:
Better in what sense, because 16:9 shows more than 16:10 does.

If you look at these pics you can see what I mean, taken from here:
Click to expand...

As i said, I can't remember the specifics of the article, i just recall him stating 16:10 > 16:9, I don't know why, but yea i get what you mean, you can see more in the 16:9 monitor.
 
16:10 is better from a technical perspective than 16:9 assuming same advertised monitor 'size' since:

1) The screen has a bigger surface area
2) The screen has more pixels
3) Older games that can only run in 4:3 ratios will fit it better (i.e. smaller black bars at the side if doing 1:1 mapping

The only thing that 16:9 has going for it is that video will fit better and some games will give more horizontal view while preventing FOV change.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom