When buying a new monitor for the PC, the same question almost always arises: is a larger and simpler monitor better, or a smaller one but with better features? In this article we are going to try to shed a little light on this topic so that you can know which monitor to buy in terms of its size .
Of course in the end the choice will be limited both by the budget you have and by the space on the table. As much as you want a 32-inch screen, if your desktop is small and does not fit, there is no point in considering it.
But if you have a budget already defined and the space on the desk controlled, surely you hesitate between buying a larger monitor or a smaller one but with better features. Which monitor should you buy between these two options?
Advantages of buying a larger monitor
The first advantage of having a larger monitor is obviously a larger viewing area . But be careful, because this can become a disadvantage depending on the distance at which you place the monitor from where you are sitting, since if the screen is too large it will force you to turn your neck to see the ends of the screen, and this is something you should avoid especially if you spend many hours in front of the screen as it will end up giving you neck pain.
Of course, the advantage of having a larger monitor comes if you place it at a greater distance from where you sit, since you will see everything better, even at the expense of having a lower resolution because precisely this disadvantage is mitigated when you sit further away. monitor (basically you don’t notice the resolution as much as if you feel closer).
More immersive gaming experience
With the arrival of ultra-wide ones, many users are starting to buy gaming monitors with a 21: 9 aspect ratio . The rise of simulators has meant that this type of panel is used a lot because we can have a peripheral view very similar to what we have in real life.
We are seeing how 29 and 34 inch monitors offer everything we see in smaller monitors, we even see curved panels with more curvature that almost hug the user.
Best viewed in movies
Logically, the more we go up in inches, the more resolution we will see in the panels. Going back to ultra-wide monitors, their aspect ratio allows us to eliminate horizontal black bands , which we find interesting when it comes to consuming multimedia content.
In addition, manufacturers include specifications that we do not see on smaller monitors because they assume that most of us will not watch movies on our 24-inch monitor. Among these specifications, we find the famous HDR , a technology that we will take advantage of in films that take advantage of such certification.
Advantages of buying a smaller monitor
If you decide to opt for a smaller monitor, it is possible that the price difference allows you to opt for one with better features than a large one would have, such as higher resolution, better refresh rate or a faster response time .
All these are characteristics that you will notice in the user experience, but again you have to take into account the distance at which you sit from the monitor , since if you sit far away, you will see everything smaller and (especially if has a higher resolution) you may even find it difficult to read texts.
Another thing that you should keep in mind if you intend to purchase a smaller but better monitor is the power of your PC. Higher resolution and higher refresh rates imply more work for the graphics card in games, and if it is not powerful enough it will force you to relax the graphics settings, worsening the user experience, or even the FPS rate could drop by up to a level that makes the game unplayable at that resolution, causing stuttering, tearing, and so on.
So which monitor should you buy?
You must then enter to assess what rents you the most, but always taking into account the two factors that we consider most determining: the distance at which you are going to sit from the monitor, and the graphics card of your computer. Our recommendation in this regard is the following:
- Distance less than 30 cm: maximum 17 inches.
- Distance between 40 and 50 cm: between 19 and 21 inches.
- Distance between 50 and 60 cm: between 21 and 24 inches.
- 60-70cm distance: 22-27 inches, maximum 29 inches UltraWide.
- Distance 70-80 cm: 24-32 inches, maximum 34 inches UltraWide.
- Distance between 90 and 100 cm: between 27 and 35 inches.
- Distance over 1 meter: 32 inches and up.
In addition to this, you must take into account the power of your graphics card: is it ready to be able to move games to the resolution of the monitor? Will the user experience be good?
Once all these unknowns have been cleared, no one will have to tell you if a large screen or a small one is better, because the option to choose will come alone.
