CES 2025: Gaming Monitors Take Giant Leap Forward

CES 2025 showcased a plethora of innovative gaming monitors, pushing the boundaries of display technology. Key trends included the continued dominance of QD-OLED, advancements in mini-LED, escalating refresh rates and resolutions, and the rise of smart monitors.

QD-OLED's Enduring Appeal and Increased Accessibility:

QD-OLED technology remained a prominent feature, with major brands like MSI, Gigabyte, and LG showcasing their latest offerings. Many emphasized enhanced burn-in warranties and protection features. The year saw the debut of several 4K 240Hz QD-OLED monitors with DisplayPort 2.1, and MSI even unveiled a 1440p 500Hz model, the MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50. Asus's Neo Proximity Sensor, integrated into the ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM and ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDPG, automatically displays a black screen when the user is away, mitigating burn-in risk. Furthermore, prices are expected to decrease as the technology matures.

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Mini-LED: A Viable Alternative:

While less prevalent than QD-OLED, mini-LED technology, exemplified by MSI's MPG 274URDFW E16M, emerged as a potentially more affordable alternative. This model boasts 1,152 local dimming zones, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and a 4K 160Hz (or 1080p 320Hz) refresh rate. Despite some skepticism surrounding its AI-driven dual-mode functionality, mini-LED's high brightness, excellent contrast, and lack of burn-in risk make it a strong contender.

The Race to Higher Refresh Rates and Resolutions:

The convergence of improved QD-OLED and more powerful graphics cards fueled a surge in refresh rates. 4K 240Hz monitors became commonplace, alongside 1440p 500Hz models like Gigabyte's Aorus FO27Q5P (VESA TrueBlack 500 certified) and MSI's MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50. MSI also reintroduced high-refresh-rate TN panels (MSI MPG 242R X60N at 600Hz), albeit with compromises in color and viewing angles. The emergence of 5K monitors, such as Acer's Predator XB323QX (5K 144Hz with G-Sync Pulsar) and LG's UltraGear 45GX950A and 45GX990A (5120 x 2160 ultrawide with curved displays), marked a significant step forward. Asus even showcased a 6K mini-LED monitor (ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV) aimed at creators.

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Smart Monitors: Bridging the Gap Between TVs and Gaming Monitors:

Smart monitors, offering integrated streaming services, continued to gain traction. HP's OMEN 32x Smart Gaming Monitor (32-inch 4K) and LG's UltraGear 39GX90SA (ultrawide) provided compelling options. Samsung's M9 Smart Monitor, featuring 4K OLED, neural processing for upscaling, and a 165Hz refresh rate, further solidified this trend.

Conclusion:

CES 2025 highlighted a significant leap forward in gaming monitor technology. While last year saw impressive advancements, 2025 promises even greater innovation, offering consumers a wider array of high-performance displays at potentially more accessible price points.