Is a G-Sync monitor the holy grail?

Looking for a new monitor its beginning to become really frustrating.

I currently own a 10years+ 60hz Viewsonic, best monitor I ever owned and it stood the test of time.
Now with my newest rig I am looking to get a new monitor and setting my old on the side as work screen.
My choice of size is 24" as I am fine with my current which is a 23", but from corner to corner it says 21 1/4" when I measure it.
I sit so close to my monitor that I would find anything larger to be too big.

My rig has a Gigabyte 1070 GTX Gaming G1. So yes nVidia, then a G-sync monitor would be the choice right.
Well, my question is, and this is based upon several points, one being the higher price of a G-Sync monitor, other being what do I get from G-Sync that I just cannot live without.
When I have been looking for info and reviews most people seem to praise the G-Sync, but also it feels like they are focusing on it for the sake of FPS games.
While I do like a nice 3rd person action RPG and such, I do not consider myself an FPS gamer, nor a competitive gamer.


Is a G-Sync monitor the holy grail to buy and will it just be that much worth it all, or would a none G-Sync monitor be good enough?


I am looking at ASUS MG248Q, seems that little better than the VG248QE (Yes I know the VG is mod-able to G-Sync), or the more expensive PG248Q (A possible Black Friday purchase if chosen)

G-sync only matters if you cant crank out AT or ABOVE the 60hz frame rate. With a gtx 1070 on a 1080p panel, g sync is completely irrelevant I would imagine.

vanAndesen said:

While I do like a nice 3rd person action RPG and such, I do not consider myself an FPS gamer, nor a competitive gamer.

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With this post... I would sincerely recommend you get an IPS panel display. After leaving my high end 144hz benq in favor of a 1440p PLS panel, I will never, ever go back to a TN panel again.

So I got some feedback from different sources on the G-sync question and my choices of monitor is getting down to these two (Yes, I am ditching the G-Sync hype).


ASUS MG248Q
The Flicker Free amongst a few other details are my reasons for going for this one.

VS

ViewSonie XG2401
Not anything special for this except I already have that old ViewSonic so it is a brand thing I guess.


Experience/Feedback?

Gsync is not hype.
I went from a VE278H 1080 60 htz on my main display to a PG279Q 165htz 1440p panel on the same system. I7 2600K with a 980ti.

The smoothness of game play is not even comparable. I would never consider a monitor that did not have Gsync again. (Hopefully they bring Freesync up to the same standard.

You have not lived until you've played overwatch at 140FPS with 1ms of input lag. I have a Dell SD2716DG and it is spectacular. I went from an average game of 7/5 to 20/3 K/D ratio with this monitor coming from a 60Hz panel with 5ms response

Soulcatcher668 said:

Gsync is not hype.
I went from a VE278H 1080 60 htz on my main display to a PG279Q 165htz 1440p panel on the same system. I7 2600K with a 980ti.

The smoothness of game play is not even comparable. I would never consider a monitor that did not have Gsync again. (Hopefully they bring Freesync up to the same standard.

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so you went from a monitor that was 60hz and didnt have g sync, to a 165hz monitor that does have g sync. Do you not see a problem with your analogy?

That same "smoothness" can be found due to the high refresh rate, not necessarily the "g sync" aspect.

Choice between monitors

Let me try to put this into perspective.

When I read and ask around about G-sync, the majority praises it as "the holy grail", then I find that most are nVidia fanboys or are either competitive gamers or FPS gamers.
This is where I drop out, as I do not play games like BF, COD or Overwatch to mention a few.

I feel that there is some hype to G-Sync and that often the difference to a casual general gamer is not high enough to award the spending of 180USD in difference from the MG248Q to the PG248Q.
Yes, if I had that extra to spend I would consider the PG248Q a bit more, but then again; value for the money...
I very rarely go high end as the gain is rarely that impressive, from my experience.

Note that I am looking at an all around monitor, not just a heavy gaming one, and I seem to have to, again, mention one fact that people often overlook. I am not going beyond 24 inch, as I have no need for more and my setup with a 27 inch would just have me moving my head/eyes a lot more than I do now, so 24 inch is the max.

Does a G-sync monitor justify the cost for my needs. Lately the answer seem to be a solid NO, the price difference is to high and the gain in that difference is to low.
Do I not have an nVidia card. Yes I do, as at the time when I needed a new rig, it was the strongest choice for the budget I had to spend, but with all this sync stuff, I kinda wish I had been able to wait for AMD's new card.


I hope this clarifies why I call it a hype.
So lets turn back to the two monitors I am looking at.

ASUS MG248Q
The Flicker Free amongst a few other details are my reasons for going for this one.

VS

ViewSonie XG2401
Not anything special for this except I already have that old, still going strong, ViewSonic so it is a brand thing I guess.

I don't think either one really sets its self apart from the other.
Your best bet is to find a brick and mortar store that has them both in stock and compare them IRL.

What are your actual needs here? Reading your posts it does not seem like you would really benefit from a higher refresh rate.

Personally I would go with an IPS panel before a 144 hrtz panel.

What is your max budget?

Soulcatcher668 said:

I don't think either one really sets its self apart from the other.
Your best bet is to find a brick and mortar store that has them both in stock and compare them IRL.

What are your actual needs here? Reading your posts it does not seem like you would really benefit from a higher refresh rate.

Personally I would go with an IPS panel before a 144 hrtz panel.

What is your max budget?

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Sadly very few stores showcase ViewSonic, shame since it is a good brand of monitors.
Every person I have talked to says go 144hz and some say IPS too.

I just do not believe that I do enough of IPS required work, since the graphics work I do is limited to just my channel and guild.
Other than that I do writings, video editing and everyday things.
When it comes to gaming I mostly see myself playing Strategy, RPG and Action Adventures, so no really FPS heavy games there, add on to that is an MMO, which is indev and has been said to have strength requirements like ARK.

My budget would be around 350USD, note that my currency is different from the USD.
The MG248Q, which is the one I have my eyes on mostly is around 340 - 370 USD, when converted from my currency.
The PG248Q is around 510 - 540 USD, sure it has G-Sync but when shaving it all down to what I need and what I feel like I get, the price difference is just too high.
I know the PG has other features above the MG, but I just do not feel like I would cry if I did not have those features.

Black Friday is coming, but no guaranty the PG248Q will be on sale anywhere, we'll see.

I guess it comes down to what kind of games you play. G-sync is not just about the fast response but also the low input lag, as the frame gets pumped to the monitor with no delay (very little, anyways).

Do I notice the 144Hz goodness in games like Civilization? No. But for Tomb Raider, Dishonored, Fallout 4, Overwatch, Forza Horizon 3, Dirt Rally, etc... the difference is truly mind blowing.

A lot of people say things like "I'd go IPS over 144Hz". You can infact have both if you want to. Also, TN has come a long way. My new Dell S2716DG TN actually looks BETTER than the $500 IPS screen I bought back in 2010, in terms of colour, at least to my eyes.. I'm seeing subtle colour gradiations better on this monitor and it's just a more lively vibrant picture. Obviously modern IPS is better than modern TN, but even modern TN at the high end is better than average IPS from 5-10 years ago IMO.

Even my 22" LG cheapo monitor that I bought as a second screen a few months ago for just over $100 is extremely impressive, compared to the TN Samsung 22" I bought myself back in 2007. It's an order of magnitude better, and the DELL Gsync I have is an order of magnitude better once again.

Ultimately, only you can decide, as with all things, whether this adaptive sync tech is right for you, and whether you can justify the price premium of G Sync. Keep in mind that Freesync won't work with an Nvidia card, so if you by a 144Hz Freesync display, you're not getting adaptive sync unless you have an AMD GPU.

There are affordable IPS displays out there @ 60Hz which will give an impressive picture, and if that's good enough for you by all means pick one up.

I am well aware that with a Freesync I will not be able to use G-Sync.
The only reason why I decided on nVidia this time, is as mentioned, that it was the strongest choice for my budget, if AMD/ATI had been out with their new card, I may have gone with that instead.
A 1070 GTX is some upgrade from an old 570Ti...

In the end, will a stronger card and a new monitor, even in games like Skyrim, not be a large improvement over an old 570Ti on an elderly 60Hz monitor? Even without G-Sync...

Yes, of course it will be a large improvement. But G-Sync would be an even bigger improvement. In Forza Horizon 3 (beautifully optimized <not> game that it is) I go anywhere from 45 to 90 FPS. I don't even notice. That's the beauty of G-Sync.


I've also played Overwatch just to test at 144Hz with Vsync (I can sustain it) and at 140Hz with G-sync (the G-sync feature by default caps at 140FPS for my display) and the difference is night and day in terms of responsiveness of the gameplay. I can't explain to you technically why that is but the difference is there. Your nerve impulses only move through your body at like 36 feet per second. That's bad enough. You shouldn't have input lag making that worse. It's all about getting the command from your brain to your monitor as fast as possible. You already have one of the finest gaming panels on the market in that MG screen. Why not swap it for a PG and get the full monty with G-Sync? No doubt they will be cheaper on Black Friday. Why don't you just return the MG now and get a Gsync display when they're cheaper on Black Friday? You don't even need to go to a store and risk being trampled. Just order from Newegg/Bestbuy/Frys etc online.

The monitor I have was regular $849 (CDN) but I got it on Oct 29th for $699 (CDN) on sale at BestBuy.ca and that's not even a black friday sale. You might find the PG IPS display for the price of the MG.

BTW I'm risking getting mocked and ridiculed here but I have a theory about new monitors. When I get a new LCD display, be it a TV or a monitor, I always leave it on running something for 24 hours when I first get it and make sure not to let it go to sleep or turn off. Haven't had a dead pixel in the last 8 or so displays Ive bought, even ones where lots of reviews screamed bloody murder about dead and bright pixels, using my crackpot LCD break-in method. Just wanted to put it out there because either A) it works or B) I'm just superstitious and I've won the panel lottery repeatedly.

IPS panels have better viewing angle and colors, that is what I like for a all around monitor.

Theocnoob said:

You already have one of the finest gaming panels on the market in that MG screen. Why not swap it for a PG and get the full monty with G-Sync? No doubt they will be cheaper on Black Friday. Why don't you just return the MG now and get a Gsync display when they're cheaper on Black Friday? You don't even need to go to a store and risk being trampled. Just order from Newegg/Bestbuy/Frys etc online.

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I have not said that I owned the MG...
I have noted that I am considering the MG due to the price and value, over spending a ton more on the PG.
Also who is to say that when I need an upgrade in say 7-8 years time or so, all depending, that I would not go AMD/ATI over nVidia.

My current is a ViewSonic, http://www.viewsoniceurope.com/uk/products/lcd/vx2235wm.php, oh yeah its not a 23", but a 22", my mistake initially.
No dead pixel ever, and I would return any monitor which was delivered with dead pixel.

About the purchase, I prefer to buy local, which is in Scandinavia.
If I buy from say Newegg, I would be slapped with import taxes and that makes a purchase overseas not worth it.

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wingman99 said:

IPS panels have better viewing angle and colors, that is what I like for a all around monitor.

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They do, but as little color work as I do, and not playing competitive FPS games, I should be good with a new TN panel.
If I find a good monitor with IPS at the right price and with the specs I want, then sure I will go for it.

IPS Is for beautiful colour and viewing angles.
TN is for fast response time and higher refresh rate.
VA is the combination of both IPS and TN.
Chose what you want.

vanAndesen said:

I have not said that I owned the MG...
I have noted that I am considering the MG due to the price and value, over spending a ton more on the PG.
Also who is to say that when I need an upgrade in say 7-8 years time or so, all depending, that I would not go AMD/ATI over nVidia.

My current is a ViewSonic, http://www.viewsoniceurope.com/uk/products/lcd/vx2235wm.php, oh yeah its not a 23", but a 22", my mistake initially.
No dead pixel ever, and I would return any monitor which was delivered with dead pixel.

About the purchase, I prefer to buy local, which is in Scandinavia.
If I buy from say Newegg, I would be slapped with import taxes and that makes a purchase overseas not worth it.

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They do, but as little color work as I do, and not playing competitive FPS games, I should be good with a new TN panel.
If I find a good monitor with IPS at the right price and with the specs I want, then sure I will go for it.

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I find even casual activities as watching youtube videos to be superior on an IPS monitor. I'd definitely go that route with your uses.

vanAndesen said:

They do, but as little color work as I do, and not playing competitive FPS games, I should be good with a new TN panel.
If I find a good monitor with IPS at the right price and with the specs I want, then sure I will go for it.

Click to expand...

When folks view a IPS and TNT monitor together the there is a real difference with web browsing and Videos, the color is better the black is more black and white is more white, not so much difference in games, That is why I went with 60Hz IPS and PLS.

wingman99 said:

When folks view a IPS and TNT monitor together the there is a real difference with web browsing and Videos, the color is better the black is more black and white is more white, not so much difference in games, That is why I went with 60Hz IPS and PLS.

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Kaboom

My earlier monitors were two TN samsung panels side by side. Poor colour, angles, etc. Changed to a single 60hz 1440p IPS Dell u2711. Now on a BenQ 27" IPS 60hz 1440p equivalent as my Dell died. I cannot go below 1440p again and I doubt I'd ever leave IPS again either.

That said I have experienced first hand 60-144hz and the difference in even just desktop use/moving windows around is noticable. G Sync takes it a step further from there (I used to work at an online store with a showroom showcasing G Sync/fast refresh rate monitors). It definitely does make a difference.

If you are not a competitive gamer at all. Stick IPS at 60hz IMO. (perhaps the 25" dell 2560x1440...? though may be out of your price range)
If you want to experience high refresh rate, then go for it, the difference is night and day, and your 1070 could definitely use with the leg stretching.

But as a casual gamer, and daily user of my machine, IPS at 60hz (at least for now) suits me just fine. However my next monitor will absolutely be either a 100hz+ 34" ultrawide at 3440x1440 or a G Sync 144hz+ 27" 1440p IPS. Either way I will stick with IPS moving forward, even at higher refresh rates.

I have a pretty cheap and good monitor.
Model is : AOC G2460VQ6
I really like it and its a pretty good TN panel. Viewing angles are not terrible and everything is sharp, I can tell the difference between this TN panel and other IPS panel cause it is noticeable but i dont need all that colour.
The refresh rate is 75Hz it has freesync and anti-blue-light technology.
Here is a link to the screen, If you will ever need a cheap and good quality screen.

Oh and its 1080p ofcourse and its a 24Inch screen.