In the world of gaming monitors, we choose the best monitor with higher refresh rates to have the best experience in games. If we buy a gaming monitor, we will be provided a different range of monitors with varying refresh rates, like 60Hz, 75Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, and 360Hz. It’s upon us and our requirement to choose one per our choice regarding refresh rates, resolutions, price, pixels, and panels.
Talking about 240Hz and 360Hz monitors, if you are unsure which monitor is best for your gaming experience? Then, After an in-depth discussion about both refresh rates in terms of pricing, gaming, and additional features, you will be more confident about the monitor selection according to your need.
The central aspect: “Refresh Rate,” is the main reason for better performance. The more the refresh rate is, the smoother the gaming experience is. Now the first confusion popping into your mind will be, “What is refresh rate and how does it affect our performance?” Is it essential to know how different refresh rates work?
So let’s move forward to get valid reasons for each question.
What is the Refresh Rate?
The number of times a monitor refreshes its screen in one second is the monitor’s Refresh Rate. The refresh rate is produced by a monitor, not with any graphics card or processor.
- In theory, the screen will provide a more smooth experience for a user when the refresh rate increases. It means the more a monitor refreshes the screen, the more we get stable, softer, apparent, and flickering-free images on the net.
- The refresh rate of your monitor is measured in Hz, which is short for Hertz. A refresh rate of 60 means that the monitor will display 60 images in a second. Therefore, when one second has passed, you will see 60 individual images displayed in succession, creating the illusion of a moving picture.
- It is a common practice to refer to a monitor with the highest frame rate and resolution; for instance, “1080 at 240Hz” indicates that a monitor with these specs can draw 240 images per second at a maximum resolution of 1080 pixels.
- A higher refresh rate monitor is essential for competitive gamers, who rely on smooth gameplay to succeed.
Advantages of Higher Refresh Rate
Higher refresh rates provide a lot of benefits to users, especially gamers. Here we will discuss briefly how a higher refresh rate leads to better performance.
- The more the Refresh rate is, the more it prevents our eye from being damaged. We can easily read and understand through a clear and smooth screen. A higher refresh rate provides a smoother display for viewing and processing, affecting our eye health.
- Higher refresh rates offer less input lag which leads gamers to react quickly. In this way, their performance and experience get better.
- Higher refresh rates give more images per second, reducing motion blur by a smoother display. It makes a massive difference in the gaming experience and video quality.
- A monitor with a high refresh rate will provide low latency. This is when your computer gets lower intervals in frames, getting a quieter time to process input.
- A higher refresh rate reduces lag during FPS games in which you need fast and quick actions to play the game.
240Hz Refresh Rate Monitor
A 240hz monitor will update its screen 240 times in a second, 240 frames per second. These monitors are quickly gaining popularity among competitive gamers.
They are available in both 1440p and 1080 resolutions.
To get these displays, you will need a graphics card with middle to a high level of performance, depending on the resolution of the system. A monitor with a 240hz refresh rate refreshes the image after 4.17 milliseconds.
These are only recommended when you have a computer with higher specs that can run games at high FPS(frame per second).
360Hz Refresh Rate Monitor
A monitor with a refresh rate of 360Hz will update its screen 360 times in a second, which is 360 frames per second. 360Hz monitors are the latest and best gaming monitors in the market nowadays. Compared to 240hz monitors, they are much quicker and give you high response time but cost a lot more than 240hz monitors.
The latest 360hz monitors are the most expensive gaming monitors on the market. The highest resolution a 360hz monitor can support is 1080p. They can display frames every 2.8 seconds.
240hz vs 360hz: Short Analysis
The technical difference we came across between both refresh rates is the number of times they refresh their screens and provide smoother, flickering-free screens resulting in a more responsive game experience. A 240hz monitor refreshes its screen 240 times in one second, whereas a 360hz monitor updates its screen 360 times in a second.
Additionally, it is not only the refresh rate you should consider while choosing a monitor. Other aspects that can change your gaming experience should be considered, which are
- Pixel response time speed
- Variable refresh rate technology
- Panel type
- Screen size and resolutions
We will discuss the differences between 240hz and 360hz monitors in terms of prices, requirements, gaming comparison, and additional features. But before this, let’s consider “why we need a higher refresh rate monitor?”.
Need For a Higher Refresh Rate Monitor?
When talking about high refresh rate monitors, the difference for an average user is not muchly noticeable as for a competitive gamer. For gamers, these slight differences play a constitutive role in winning competitive games.
Higher refresh rate panels are becoming standard for computer monitors, laptops, tablets and cell phones. With any product, each refresh rate has advantages for users depending on their screen use.
A 240hz monitor is worth it for gamers whose PC can consistently play at or above 144 FPS(frame per second). Their games play even smoother after shifting to a 240hz monitor. After upgrading to a 360hz monitor, a typical user can not notice much difference from a gamer who makes each second count during his game.
A higher refresh rate plays a significant role in providing a smoother, flicker-free screen and lower input lag to gamers for enjoying and winning competitive games. The more the refresh rate is, the more the display will be smooth and precise.
A 360hz monitor will work best for gaming, working, and watching movies. Gamers experience a higher moving rate which enhances their performance.
Which one is better: 240hz or 360hz
The difference between both refresh rates is quite visible whether you are a regular user, a dedicated or a casual gamer. Therefore it is not as game-changing as going to 144hz from 60hz, but it is noticeable. Every action is even smoother, from a mouse click to the gaming action.
While working or playing on a 360hz monitor, you will notice many improvements compared to a 240hz monitor. If you upgrade your computer, graphics card, and monitor, you are still limited to 240hz until the monitor does it by itself.
The main differences between both refresh rates are explained below:
Frame Rate (240hz vs 360hz)
The frame rate measures the total number of frames your GPU can provide to display on the screen in one second. The frame rate is measured in fps(frame per second). But the refresh rate and frame rate are not the same.
Refresh rate tells the number of times a screen changes images, whereas Frame rate is the number of frames produced in one second.
Concerning 240hz and 360hz, the differences are as follows.
A 240hz monitor handles 240 images per second, whereas a 360hz monitor handles 360 images per second.
More refresh rate means more frame rates, so in this way, a 360hz monitor has the best performance than a 240hz monitor.
Price Difference (240hz vs 360hz)
Price rates of different monitors’ refresh rate vary as it increases. The more the refresh rate increases, the more the price goes up.
As higher refresh rates give a smooth gaming experience with lower input lag, they cost a lot more than lower refresh rates. A 360hz monitor costs more than a monitor with a 240hz refresh rate.
240hz displays can still be expensive, but they are more common nowadays and affordable.
However, a 360hz monitor on the side can boast 1440p resolution too, and there is no chance that these displays will get cheaper.
A 240hz monitor is the best choice for a typical user or gamer to enjoy a gaming experience on a mid-range budget.
Visual Differences (240hz vs 360hz)
There is a notable difference between the smoothness of a 360hz display and a 240hz display, but “if the difference is essential or optional?”
If we talk about casual competitive gamers, most of them will go for a 240hz monitor or one of any 144hz best monitors. In this way, they save money by investing in low refresh rate monitors per their needs.
On the other hand, a competitive gamer will invest in a higher refresh rate monitor because each millisecond leads to winning or losing a game.
Monitor Requirements (240hz vs. 360hz)
Here are some requirements that you will need for both 240hz and 360hz monitors.
For 240hz gaming, you will need at least 1080 GeForce cards or an RTX 2080.
For 360hz gaming, anything higher than RTX 3070 will allow for 360hz at 1080p.
360hz requires a lot more firepower, especially at 1440p. Also, getting a powerful graphics card is expensive as it is more complicated.
Buying a monitor with a preferred resolution is also very important. The highest resolution a 360hz display can support is 1080p, and a 240hz monitor supports a resolution up to 2k.
After Analysis, Which is the Best Option? | 240hz or 360hz Monitor
240hz monitors can be our choice over 360hz monitors for many reasons. Many people have them because of their lower prices, and they are also a brilliant choice for typical and pro gamers.
If we talk about the best for gaming, the answer will obviously be “360hz”. This is like a number game; you don’t need a technical degree to get the highest number which is 360hz.
Choosing one refresh rate entirely depends on you. Which games do you play? And what do you want to get from your gaming experience? A few people who have experienced new 360hz monitors haven’t reported much difference between 240hz and 360hz monitors.
So as a typical gamer and a custom user, it is best practice to invest in a 240hz monitor. Still, you can’t go wrong with a higher refresh rate monitor if you are a competitive gamer who loves fast and responsive equipment. However, one thing you will need to ensure is that your PC can handle it.
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