Are there any VA monitors suitable for gaming?

Ocean Breeze · 8 Oct 2015 at 17:36

I want a monitor with good blacks that is fast enough for gaming, currently undecided with regards to 1080p or 1440p.

I can't stand back light bleed, IPS glow and blacks that look grey.

Thanks

DrBombcrater · 8 Oct 2015 at 18:09

I think it's more a question of what current VA monitors would not be suitable for gaming - only those rare models with no RTC would struggle with games, but that's true of IPS as well.

My main screen is BL3200PT, which is absolutely fine for gaming and an all round excellent monitor.

Rofflay · 9 Oct 2015 at 01:53

Acer Z35 is coming with 2560x1080 but IMO as i said before and will maintain the Eizo FG2421 is the pick of the bunch once calibrated. If you look at the reviews done in my link the contrast you asked for is x5 that of other monitors and i can vouch for those inky blacks and the 240hz motion is superb. A single 980ti will drive most games as well at 120fps no problems and my secret joy is to use it with older games like GTA IV or Dead Space 2 with 4K/120hz... Breathtaking thanks to DSR.

I can't stand back light bleed, IPS glow and blacks that look grey.

No longer a thorn in my ass, I managed to get a good panel.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/eizo_fg2421.htm

Baddass · 9 Oct 2015 at 09:45

Eizo FG2421 is a logical choice with 120Hz refresh rate support natively and an additional blur reduction mode. There's also the BenQ XR3501 which is 35" 2560 x 1080ultra wide with 144Hz refresh rate. There's no G-sync or FreeSync on either of those two models though

the Acer Z35 is coming towards end of the year, early next year as well as said. that has G-sync and also overclocked refresh rate to 200Hz: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/news_archive/34.htm#acer_z35

bimbleuk · 9 Oct 2015 at 10:14

That will depend on your preferences.

For example I'm using a Korean 40" UHD monitor (AMH 399U) for more casual gaming, not twitch FPS. So long as I keep the settings sensible and maintain a 60 FPS minimum then it's super smooth in Witcher 3, GTA-V etc.

Then it's great to kick back a bit and watch films on the inky black VA panel. It's a good all rounder but I'm still waiting for the new Acers monitors to arrive before I settle on a display.

Rofflay · 9 Oct 2015 at 17:46

bimbleuk said:
That will depend on your preferences.

For example I'm using a Korean 40" UHD monitor (AMH 399U) for more casual gaming, not twitch FPS. So long as I keep the settings sensible and maintain a 60 FPS minimum then it's super smooth in Witcher 3, GTA-V etc.

Then it's great to kick back a bit and watch films on the inky black VA panel. It's a good all rounder but I'm still waiting for the new Acers monitors to arrive before I settle on a display.

Well i think i personally did my eyes damage this way. Since moving to 120hz VA nearly all of my complaints about eye fatigue or blurryness is going away. I just cannot reccomend 60hz to someone for gaming, Especially for prolonged periods of thier day to day life. Granted my 60hz panel was an older dell but 60fps is till 60fps.

120+ will save your eyes from working harder in shooters. If you get the chance to try, Do it.

Amatsubu · 11 Oct 2015 at 00:42

DrBombcrater said:
I think it's more a question of what current VA monitors would not be suitable for gaming - only those rare models with no RTC would struggle with games, but that's true of IPS as well.

My main screen is BL3200PT, which is absolutely fine for gaming and an all round excellent monitor.

Seconded , the BenQ is badass. Wouldn't change it for anything else ATM. Except for maybe the BL3201;p

Orangey · 11 Oct 2015 at 02:36

I don't get it, first IPS tech leaps ahead with 1440p 120hz then VA coming with 200hz etc.

Hate to put on the tinfoil hat again but it sure looks like the VA patent holders responding to IPS patent holders trying to R&D spend their way into market hegemony.

Legend · 11 Oct 2015 at 11:43

There is apparently a 100Hz 21:9 1440p VA panel on the horizon from Samsung, which could be interesting. No word on whether that will have Freesync/G-Sync though.

P.B · 11 Oct 2015 at 14:12

The above sounds good if gsync

bimbleuk · 11 Oct 2015 at 14:18

Rofflay said:
Well i think i personally did my eyes damage this way. Since moving to 120hz VA nearly all of my complaints about eye fatigue or blurryness is going away. I just cannot reccomend 60hz to someone for gaming, Especially for prolonged periods of thier day to day life. Granted my 60hz panel was an older dell but 60fps is till 60fps.

120+ will save your eyes from working harder in shooters. If you get the chance to try, Do it.

That may be related to PWM backlight? There are now versions of my panel with DC backlighting so no PWM flicker if you're susceptible to it.

I never saw DLP colour wheel flicker either when rocking projectors.

Everyone's different and for example one of my colleagues can't perceive depth info from his eyes! His brain only sees one eyes worth of info. He obviously copes though.

bimbleuk · 11 Oct 2015 at 14:19

Legend said:
There is apparently a 100Hz 21:9 1440p VA panel on the horizon from Samsung, which could be interesting. No word on whether that will have Freesync/G-Sync though.

That would be my personal choice after having a decent VA panel for a while. I may not go for the Acer/Asus 21:9 IPS displays when they eventually come out if there more solid info.

Legend · 11 Oct 2015 at 14:42

P.B said:
The above sounds good if gsync

bimbleuk said:
That would be my personal choice after having a decent VA panel for a while. I may not go for the Acer/Asus 21:9 IPS displays when they eventually come out if there more solid info.

Definitely... word is scarce on this so far though. There's only been a couple of references to it on panel sites and forums, nothing overtly official from Samsung and certainly no release date. We'll just have to wait and see. The current Samsung S34E790C seems to have been the best received of all the ultra-wides to date, and as long as the others continue to use the same crappy IPS panel from LG, that isn't likely to change... so if Samsung can produce a G-Sync capable 1440p 21:9 VA panel... could be a winner! Heck, if they even could push Freesync up to 100Hz I'd switch to the red team for this!

Wucked · 11 Oct 2015 at 16:01

I've been tempted by Samsung's S34E790C for a while now, especially after reading about all the problems with IPS panels. An updated version of this with a higher refresh rate would be great.

bimbleuk · 12 Oct 2015 at 12:38

Wucked said:
I've been tempted by Samsung's S34E790C for a while now, especially after reading about all the problems with IPS panels. An updated version of this with a higher refresh rate would be great.

Damn it I hadn't actually properly looked at that panel and now I'm back to square one waiting for some sort of confirmation on a display that may be months away. I can't really see myself buying the Acer/Asus 21:9 IPS based displays now! I would have if the stock had turned up last week.

I have a 10 year old 50" Plasma TV downstairs and you'd have to pry it from my cold dead fingers now

Maybe OLED can be the spiritual replacement for plasma.

Raviolay · 14 Oct 2015 at 06:34

I have a Foris FG2421 sitting doing nothing as I have a new fanged BenQ XL2730Z. If I had access to the Members Market I would be happy to give it a new home. Alas I do not, & TBH 1080p don't cut it anymore, so I can't with a clear conscience say it's a great buy.

bimbleuk · 14 Oct 2015 at 07:00

Raviolay said:
I have a Foris FG2421 sitting doing nothing as I have a new fanged BenQ XL2730Z. If I had access to the Members Market I would be happy to give it a new home. Alas I do not, & TBH 1080p don't cut it anymore, so I can't with a clear conscience say it's a great buy.

I'd love to have a play with one of those as they almost seem like a monitor that would gain cult status because Eizo did something a little different especially being based on a VA panel.

Raviolay · 14 Oct 2015 at 08:49

bimbleuk said:
I'd love to have a play with one of those as they almost seem like a monitor that would gain cult status because Eizo did something a little different especially being based on a VA panel.

The colours and the blacks are really good, I have to say the major gripe with it is deep colour trailing even with the strobing enabled. That and now I have jumped up in screen and pixel density I could never go back to it.

Rofflay · 16 Oct 2015 at 05:23

If the game has enough MSAA, The 1080p is fine and i never see deep color trailing thankfully. If not use DSR you might go elsewhere and bump up the res, But what is the point when it blurs without thier 240hz mode?

You render pixels that you never see once motion is involved. I would never sell my Eizo at the minute for that reason. But it sitting idle is a damm crime!!

Arcane · 16 Oct 2015 at 11:22

My main problem with the Eizo was the lack of detail within the dark areas, the shadows especially, it really annoyed me.