Is it worth getting a gaming monitor for Xbox One?

The short answer is: absolutely, yes. As an avid gamer and content creator, I highly recommend getting a gaming monitor to truly unlock the full potential of your Xbox One gaming experience.

Far superior to conventional TVs, today‘s gaming monitors offer key visual, performance and ergonomic advantages that both casual and competitive gamers will appreciate. Read on as I present detailed research and statistics explaining why you should connect your Xbox One to a specialized gaming monitor instead of a standard TV.

Significantly Enhanced Visual Performance

The most impactful benefit gaming monitors provide over regular TVs is far superior visual clarity in motion. This leads directly to a better gaming experience.

Here‘s a data comparison between popular gaming monitor specifications versus average TVs:

As you can see, gaming monitors have at least twice the refresh rate, up to 15 times faster response time, and they support advanced adaptive sync technologies that dynamically match the monitor and console/PC graphics output for super smooth visuals.

The faster refresh rates and lower response times combine to offer vastly improved motion clarity and sharpness compared to TVs – effectively eliminating motion blur even in fast moving games like racing and action adventures.

Gaming monitors also support console features such as AMD FreeSync and the new HDMI Forum VRR standard to further enhance fluidity by synchronizing the refresh rate to the Xbox One‘s graphics output. This prevents uneven frame delivery and stuttering.

The numbers speak for themselves – gaming monitors clearly outmatch standard TVs to deliver buttery smooth, crystal clear motion clarity that fully immerses you in the heart of the action without motion sickness or blur ruining your experience. Especially in competitive online multiplayer, the faster reacting display gives you an advantage over gamers playing on TVs.

According to Sony PlayStation‘s Head of Hardware Design Yasuhiro Ootori even basic 60Hz TVs can suffer up to 50ms+ of input lag – badly affecting controller response time. So the far faster speeds of gaming monitors make a very noticeable difference.

Serious Competitive Multiplayer Advantage

Expanding on the point above regarding responsiveness – gaming monitors offer a strong competitive edge over gamers playing on standard TVs.

The tremendously fast response time and refresh rates mean the action is fluid and reactive, rather than laggy and delayed like many TVs tend to be. This split second difference has game changing consequences for competitive multiplayer titles and fast paced sports/racing titles when every millisecond counts.

Gaming monitors completely minimize input lag – the delay between pressing a button and seeing the reaction on-screen. Thanks to stripped back processing and rapid pixel response, your button presses transmit almost instantly into the game.

Whereas modern TVs with all their motion smoothing, video processing and latency inducing post-processing effects can take considerably longer for button presses to translate into reactions in-game.

Analysis by popular gaming tech site DisplayNinja measured some of the fastest modern TVs still having up to 21ms of input lag – over 3 times that of top gaming monitors at 6ms.

So by using a purpose built gaming monitor with your Xbox One, you‘ll gain a strong competitive edge with vastly improved display response and fluidity giving you faster reactions compared to the majority of standard televisions.

Excellent Price-to-Performance Value

Dollar for dollar, gaming monitors provide outstanding performance and responsiveness for your Xbox gaming compared to the TV alternatives with equivalent gaming capabilities.

As a real-world cost comparison, at the time of writing a 55 inch LG C2 OLED TV capable of 4K 120Hz gaming retails for around $1300. Whereas the excellent 32 inch LG UltraGear 1440p 165Hz gaming monitor can be purchased from just $296 – less than 25% the price!

For that kind of money you‘re getting over double the frame rate performance (165 fps vs 120 fps), rapid 1ms response times, AMD FreeSync support and still an extremely crisp 1440p Quad HD resolution.

And at 32 inch the monitor sports a suitably large screen for immersive gaming. So you‘re getting stellar gaming performance for a fraction of the price versus what an equivalent gaming spec TV would cost.

Making gaming monitors a very smart way to unlock premium next-gen gaming speeds without breaking your budget. And with support for 1440p and upwards on the Xbox One X and Xbox Series consoles, monitors serve up stunningly sharp and vibrant visuals perfect for gaming.

Ideal Screens for Cross-Platform Gaming

An additional benefit offered by gaming monitors is convenience and versatility for those, like myself, who game on both Xbox and PC platforms interchangeably.

With gaming monitors you only need a single screen solution conveniently switchable between platforms. Most models include dual HDMI inputs combined with DisplayPort to easily connect both a games console and PC at the same time.

So I can be playing Xbox One X one minute, then switch over to PC gaming with a simple input button press while keeping everything connected to the same display. This helps save space versus needing separate screens and makes it simple to transition between platforms.

Many monitors also support features like KVM switches to switch peripherals between sources, picture-in-picture or split screen to show two inputs simultaneously. Plus some models are certified compatible with both AMD FreeSync (for Xbox) and Nvidia G-Sync (PC) adaptive sync technologies from a single unit. Demonstrating their credentials supporting both major gaming platforms.

Compact and Convenient

Another nice perk offered by gaming monitors is their compact, space efficient designs – making them well suited to bedrooms, dorm rooms or apartments where space is limited.

Modern TVs keep getting bigger and bigger, often too overbearing for desktop use or smaller rooms. Whereas gaming monitors are purpose-built with desktop ergonomics in mind – keeping them neatly sized between 24 to 34 inches diagonally on average.

I can personally attest setting up my 32 inch curved screen monitor on my bedroom desk provides an awesomely immersive experience right from the comfort of your workspace without dominating the entire space. And if necessary, monitors are easily wall or arm mountable to completely free up desk area when not gaming.

Most monitors aimed at gamers also account for ergonomics with adjustable stands allowing height, swivel and tilt modifications to dial-in viewing comfort. Where many entry level TV stands force you into an awkward low fixed viewing angle unsuitable for desktop usage over extended periods.

If you‘ve ever tried computing or gaming while looking "up" at a flatscreen TV, you‘ll appreciate the excellent ergonomics specifically catering to gamers offered among the monitor market.

My Top Recommended Gaming Monitors for Xbox One

If you‘ve read this far, hopefully I‘ve helped illustrate exactly why connecting your Xbox One gaming to a specialized high performance gaming monitor makes for vastly superior experience over regular living room TVs.

For your convenience, here are my current top recommendations showcasing some of the best gaming monitors offering excellent Xbox One performance without breaking the bank:

Best 1080p Gaming Monitor – AOC 24G2

• 1080p resolution (Full HD)
• Rapid 1ms response time
• 144Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync
• Extremely affordable under $200

Best 1440p Monitor – Gigabyte M27Q

• 1440p resolution with vibrant color
• Super fast 170Hz refresh rate
• FreeSync and G-Sync compatible
• Under $300 represents amazing value

Best 4K Gaming Monitor – ASUS TUF Gaming 28" 4K

• Gorgeous 3,840 x 2,160 4K visuals
• Smooth 144Hz refresh rate
• Nvidia G-Sync support
• Under $500 price point

Best Ultrawide Monitor – Acer Nitro XV340CK

• Immersive 3440 x 1440 resolution
• 144Hz refresh rate with FreeSync
• Curved ultrawide design increases immersion
• Under $500 delivers outstanding performance

Conclusion

So there you have it. Hopefully this article has successfully shown that yes, investing in a good gaming monitor is extremely worthwhile for upgrading your Xbox One gaming experience – providing tangible competitive advantages and jaw-dropping visual improvements over conventional living room TVs.

Whether you‘re playing cinematic single player Xbox One X enhanced games or competitive Call of Duty online, a high refresh rate, low response time gaming monitor unlocks buttery smooth performance and immersion simply not possible on affordable TVs.

And with options catering to all budgets, resolutions and designs – from compact Full HD screens under $200 right up to extravagant curved ultrawides – there‘s a tailor-made Xbox One gaming monitor to suit virtually any requirements while elevating your gameplay to the next level.

Let me know your biggest takeaway down in the comments! I‘m keen to hear your thoughts and may create further content if there‘s enough interest around Xbox One gaming monitors. So sound off with your opinions below. Otherwise, if you found this useful, remember to like and share so we can enlighten more misguided TV gamers! Game on.