For so long as I’ve owned a gaming PC or console, I’ve spent hours sitting in entrance of what can solely be described as a collection of subpar screens. From the tiny 19-inch TV that I purchased with my Xbox 360, to the 21.5-inch LG monitor that accompanied my first PC construct, I’ve usually skimped on my show in favor of {hardware} elsewhere. A follow I’m certain you’ll agree is asinine.
After all, what’s the purpose in spending hundreds of {dollars} on a gaming PC, or lots of on a console, solely to spend your life bashing up in opposition to a 60Hz refresh fee and display screen tearing? So, earlier this month, I satisfied my Wife to let me purchase a $1,300 OLED gaming monitor on a spur-of-the-moment foundation. I managed to discover a deal so good that it took loads much less cajoling than I believed it could — I’m based mostly within the UK, and managed to snipe one by means of the Samsung Employee Discount portal for simply £764, an enormous saving that really made the 32-inch mannequin I purchased cheaper than its smaller 27-inch counterpart. So what did I purchase? And how has it modified my life?
I knew switching to OLED can be a reasonably colossal shift, however I wasn’t actually prepared for simply how a lot switching to the tech would elevate my gaming (and productiveness) expertise. After only a few days with my shiny new OLED monitor, right here’s what I’ve realized.
Everybody hertz, generally
I used to be largely excited for the lighting tech OLED supplies, these inky, deep blacks and glorious contrasts. They haven’t dissatisfied, for certain, however I used to be really extra shocked by my big enhance in refresh fee, which has been probably the most noteworthy upgrades to this point. Even simply working Windows 11 in 240Hz after a lifetime at 60Hz has been an astonishing improvement, and has actually taken some adjustment. It never occurred to me that Windows 11 in 60Hz was janky or sluggish until I realized just how fast and smooth it could be a 240Hz. It reminds me of the first Pro Display XDR iPhone I bought; the jump from 60Hz to 120Hz is seismic, and you can never really go back. Gaming, too, of course, is noticeably better, and I’m finally seeing the 4K 120Hz glory of my Xbox Series X and my RTX 3070 for the very first time.
Dynamic picture quality
As noted, the switch to OLED lighting has been an enormous breath of fresh air, I’m seeing colors and contrasts in games, movies, and work that I’ve never seen before. You don’t really realize how not black your average LCD or even mini-LED display is until you see the true black performance of OLED. Even menus like the Xbox home screen are a delight to look at, wallpapers and games pop like never before.
I’m obsessed with burn-in
OLED tech has been around for a while, and burn-in controls are better than ever, but the prospect of the limited lifespan of an OLED panel is probably the thing that put me off making the leap for so long. The idea that some OS artifact or fixed element could be permanently branded on my extremely expensive display was a real turn-off. Now I’ve bitten the bullet, I’m obsessed with protecting my display against burnout. After about 10 minutes, I hid all my Windows desktop icons, enabled auto-hide on the Task Bar, and have stopped using Windows in full screen. Now, my windows are constantly moving and shifting. Am I enormously overreacting? Almost certainly, but it keeps me on my toes, and I’ve rediscovered my great love of finding excellent 4K desktop wallpapers, adding to my collection of images that my PC now cycles through to ensure regular pixel turnover.
Just the beginning
My OLED journey hasn’t been seamless, I snapped a screw inside the VESA mount on day one so I’m scared to mount it on my monitor arm, and the auto source detection that turns the monitor on or switches input modes when it detects a new device is definitely a little quirky, but overall, I’m in love.
In 20 years of buying and using PC hardware, this one monitor purchase is the single most important and significant upgrade I’ve ever made to any setup. More than switching my GPU from a 560 Ti to a 970, or from that 970 to a 3070, or even from switching from 1080p to my first 4K monitor. My OLED display is a revelation, and with a high refresh rate in two, any of the best gaming monitors out there could offer a transformative upgrade for the discerning gamer.