I'm choosing between two 1440p gaming monitors, and the 240Hz version costs about $100 more. I mostly play AAA games casually rather than competitive shooters. My system has a Ryzen 9 9950X3D, RTX 5080, and 64GB of RAM, so performance probably won't be a major limitation. For normal gaming, would I actually notice the jump from 165Hz to 240Hz, or would I mainly be paying for a larger number on the specifications sheet? I'm willing to spend the extra money if the improvement is meaningful, but I'm also considering whether panel quality, OLED, or Mini-LED would make a bigger difference.
5 Answers
Some people can clearly tell the difference, while others barely notice it once they’re above roughly 144Hz. If you mainly play slower-paced games and don’t regularly exceed 165 FPS, the improvement will probably feel subtle. I’d only choose the 240Hz model if its overall image quality is at least as good or if you want the extra headroom for competitive games and lighter titles.
For a casual AAA gaming setup, I’d prioritize an excellent 1440p OLED over simply moving from 165Hz to 240Hz. OLED gives you a much more obvious upgrade through near-instant response times, deep blacks, and strong HDR. Many 1440p OLED monitors happen to run at 240Hz anyway, so that would give you both benefits without treating the refresh-rate number as the deciding factor.
Your hardware can reach 240 FPS in some games, especially with reduced settings, lighter titles, or frame generation. In those situations, 240Hz can look noticeably smoother. However, newer AAA games often won’t run at a true 240 FPS at 1440p without compromises, so it shouldn’t be the main reason to upgrade unless you specifically want very high frame rates.
For AAA gaming, I probably wouldn’t pay the extra $100 solely for the refresh-rate increase. The difference between 165Hz and 240Hz is real, mostly through smoother motion and slightly lower input latency, but it’s much less dramatic than moving up from 60Hz. You also need to consistently reach well above 165 FPS to take full advantage of 240Hz.
Check the actual panels before deciding. A well-tuned 165Hz monitor with better contrast, response times, HDR, or motion handling can easily be preferable to a mediocre 240Hz model. If the 240Hz option is OLED or Mini-LED while the cheaper one is a basic LCD, then the extra money may be worthwhile—but because of the panel quality, not just the refresh rate.
Exactly. A good 165Hz display can look and feel better than a poorly implemented 240Hz monitor, so compare brightness, contrast, response times, HDR, and reviews rather than relying on the headline refresh rate.