While monitors in general range in size from 22” to over 50”, the most popular gaming monitors are in the 25” to 35” band. Resolutions have stabilized over the past six years, settling on 1920 x 1080 (full HD 1080p), 2560 x 1440 (QHD or 2K), and 3840 x 2160 (4K or UHD). There are also ultrawide versions of these resolutions. When considering screen size, you also should think of aspect ratio. “Regular” screens are 16:9, while ultrawide monitors come in 21:9 or 32:9 flavors.
In the balance of size and resolution, you should strive for a pixel density of around 100-120 pixels per inch. This will give you the clearest, sharpest image. Thus, 1080p looks best on 25” or 27” monitors, 1440p on 27” to 35”, and 4K on at least 32”. Sure, you can do 1080p on 32”, but it’ll be a little blurry. Conversely, 4K on a 25” screen will look too dense and tiny.
Broadly, 1080p 25”-27” monitors are best for gamers that want speed and response. Larger monitors provide more comfortable viewing from further away, so you don’t have to sit so close, and graphics look impressive on bigger displays. Despite advances in technology, larger panels still have lower refresh rates, slower response, and more likelihood of ghosting. Nothing terrible, but not as neat as smaller screens.
Check out the reasons 1440p works so well on a 27” monitor, and why we think your 1080p gaming will look brilliant on these monitors. Want 4K? This is what you should be aiming for, especially if you want PC and console on the same monitor.