1080p is the first step on the high definition ladder, but lately 1440p and 4k gaming have started rearing their beautiful faces. So, how does 1080p stack up against the higher resolutions when it comes to gaming?

Is 1080p Good For Gaming?

1080p is excellent for gaming. 1080p is one of the best qualities for gaming because it is high definition and looks great and is very easy for modern systems to run. Gaming in higher resolutions like 1440p and 4k requires very strong hardware so many computers can’t handle it, but they can handle 1080p.

1080p hits the sweet spot between looking great and being easy to run. 4k has been all the rage and people absolutely love it.

This is fair because 4k looks fantastic, however it is far from necessary for gaming. In fact, most people should avoid 4k gaming unless their computer can handle it, otherwise they may experience lag.

1440p is a good middle ground, but it’s still too strong for many computers. 1080p is just a great resolution that looks great and performs perfect on modern systems.

With all that being said, if your system can handle 1440p or 4k gaming, then it will look much better than 1080p!

Why Is 1080 Good For Gaming?

1080p is good for gaming because games are easy to run at that resolution and it is still high definition. 1080p resolution finds a nice middle ground between high performance and high quality. 4k looks much better than 1080p, but most modern systems cannot handle 4k gaming without lagging.

4k resolution literally doubles the width and height of 1080p and creates a fantastic, highly detailed picture. At the moment, you can’t really beat 4k when it comes to picture quality.

So why is 1080p better? 1080p is better because it is much more accessible. To game on 4k, you need to have a really powerful graphics card and processor so that your computer can process all of those pixels.

1080p resolution requires much less processing power, which means your computer can output more frames.

When it comes to gaming, framerate is everything so you need to avoid playing on a resolution that your computer can’t handle.

If your computer can handle 1440p or 4k resolution and still output 60-120+ frames per second, then it’s better to play at one of these higher resolutions!

Is 1080p Or 4k Better For Gaming?

1080p is better for gaming because most computers can produce higher frame rates at 1080p resolution. When gaming, it’s important to get 60+ frames per second, and many modern computers will not be able to hit that framerate while playing in 4k resolution. However, 4k is better if the computer can handle it.

Most of the time, higher resolution is going to be better if you can handle that resolution. 4k is a beast of a resolution though, so most computers aren’t going to be able to handle it.

If you have a solid GPU that can handle 4k gaming and still get those precious frames, then by all means, game in 4k.

In general, though, 1080p is going to be better for gaming because more computers can handle 1080p without lagging.

Will You Notice The Difference Between 1080p And 4k In Gaming?

You will notice the difference between 1080p and 4k when you’re gaming. 4k will look much more high definition than 1080p because 4k has 4-times as many pixels as 1080p. You will need to ensure that both your monitor and your game are compatible with 4k resolution, but if they are you will see a difference.

You will definitely notice a difference between 1080p and 4k. 4k will look much more clean and crisp than 1080p, which is already HD resolution.

With that being said, you will only notice the difference with 4k if your monitor and your game are 4k compatible.

If you turn your game settings up to 4k resolution, but are playing on a 1080p monitor, you won’t see any difference.

Another important note is how 4k will affect performance. If your system can’t handle 4k, then you will probably notice huge performance dips.

It’s very hard to run games in 4k resolution, especially modern games. So make sure that your system is strong enough before testing out 4k gaming.

Is 1080p Good For Console Gaming?

1080p is very good for console gaming because consoles will be able to output 60-120 frames per second at 1080p. The new gen consoles can hit 120 FPS in 1080p while the previous gen consoles will hit 60 FPS in 1080p. However, the new consoles can also hit 60 – 120 FPS in 4k, so 4k may be better.

1080p is perfect for console gaming because you’ll always be able to hit high frame rates in 1080p.

If you connect a monitor with 1080p resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate to your XBox Series X/S or PS5, it will look as smooth as butter.

Of course, you can always aim for a 4k monitor, but the new gen consoles can’t play every game in 4k and at 120 FPS (although it is possible with some games).

If you’re playing on an XBox One or Playstation 4, then you’ll definitely want a 1080p monitor because the older consoles can only run 4k resolution at 30 FPS.

Best 1080p Monitors

Here are the monitors I like for gaming in 1080p. These monitors are all used by streamers and hobbyist gamers and are known for their performance and reliability.

Acer Nitro VG240Y

One of the best parts about gaming in 1080p is that it is super easy to hit really high frame rates. When you’re hitting those high framerates, you need a monitor that has the refresh rate to keep up with them.

The Acer Nitro has a 144Hz refresh rate, which is the gold standard in gaming at the moment. If your computer averages over 120 FPS then this is the perfect 1080p monitor for you.

Its picture and response time is great, and it’s a quality monitor all around.

LG 27GL650F-B

LG makes really great products and this monitor is no different. It looks great, it’s durable, and it has that sweet 144 Hz refresh rate.

27 inches is a little large for 1080p gaming, in my opinion and it may not look as good as a 24 inch monitor.

However, the monitor will look far from bad and if you like bigger screens then the LG 27GL650F-B is the way to go.

SAMSUNG 27″ Odyssey G32A

Here’s another 27 inch monitor, except this time it’s by Samsung. This monitor actually hits 165 Hz, but for all practical purposes it’s 144 Hz.

I like this monitor because it’s a tank. You can tell just by looking at it that this monitor is going to last a long time.

It’s not the sleekest look, but it’s definitely functional which is why it’s one of my favorite 1080p monitors on the market.