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When choosing a new monitor, it’s important to take into account your graphics card. You don’t want to buy a monitor that your graphics card struggles to run, but at the same time, you do want to buy a monitor that gets the most out of your graphics card.
The Nvidia GTX 1060 is a mid-range graphics card that is capable of running most games on a 1080p or 1440p monitor and still maintain a reasonable FPS. It is possible to use a 4K monitor with the GTX 1060, but this will mean turning down settings substantially to maintain a good FPS in some AAA games. I would advise sticking with a 1080p or 1440p monitor.
This post is split into two sections. The first section covers the best monitors for competitive and fast-paced gaming with a GTX 1060. These monitors will deliver a smooth and responsive experience but the picture quality will be lacking. The second section covers the best monitors for casual and immersive gaming . These monitors won’t feel quite as smooth but will have a significantly better picture quality and color reproduction.
Table of Contents
For Competitive & Fast-paced Gaming
For competitive and fast-paced gaming, you want a monitor with a high refresh rate and quick response time. I recommend a 1080p 144hz monitor with a TN panel for a GTX 1060.
A GTX 1060 should have no problems running any game on high or ultra settings at 1080p whilst still achieving way above 60 FPS (with exceptions of course). Although the picture quality of a TN panel isn’t as good as an IPS panel, the response time is much lower. This means you can expect to see less ghosting or motion blur which is what you want for fast-paced games where there is lots of sudden movements on the screen.
Below are some benchmarks which gives you an idea of how many FPS you can expect to get with a 1080p monitor and GTX 1060 graphics card (stats can be found at Overclockers Club ):
- Fallout 4 (ultra preset): 87 fps
- Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (ultra preset): 98 fps
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (ultra preset): 45 fps
- Hitman (2016) (ultra/high settings): 71 fps
Although a GTX 1060 won’t hit the full 144 FPS in most AAA games at 1080p (on ultra settings at least), it is certainly worth getting a monitor with a high refresh rate because you will be able to get more than 60 FPS in most games. There are exceptions of course with very demanding games like The Witcher 3.
Now we’ll take a look at some of the best monitors for fast paced and competitive gaming with a GTX 1060.
Best Overall – ViewSonic XG2401
- For fast-paced and competitive gaming
- 24″ 1080p display
- 144hz refresh rate
- TN panel
- 1ms response time
Despite the fact that the XG2401 uses a TN panel, the picture quality and color reproduction is actually very good. Not on the same level as an IPS panel but better than most other monitors with a TN panel.
This, combined with the build quality, 1080p 144hz display, very quick 1ms response time and reasonable price makes the XG2401 an excellent choice for fast-paced gaming with a GTX 1060.
Best Budget – AOC G2460PF
- For fast-paced and competitive gaming
- 24″ 1080p display
- 144hz refresh rate
- TN panel
- 1ms response time
For the price, the AOC G2460PF is a good entry level monitor. It has a 1080p display, 144hz refresh rate and 1ms response time so it will perform well in fast-paced games with a GTX 1060.
The main problem with this monitor is the picture quality and color reproduction. Monitors with TN panels don’t have the best picture quality and this monitor is no exception. If you’re on a tight budget or you’re not too bothered about the picture quality, this is a good monitor. But if you’re budget can be stretched a little, I would definitely consider the ViewSonic XG2401 over this monitor.
Best 27″ 1080p – ViewSonic XG2701
- For fast-paced and competitive gaming
- 27″ 1080p display
- 144hz refresh rate
- TN panel
- 1ms response time
The ViewSonic XG2701 is the big brother of the XG2401. It’s essentially the same monitor so you can expect reasonable picture quality for a TN panel. The 1080p display, 144hz refresh rate and 1ms response time make it ideal for fast paced gaming.
The difference between this monitor and the XG2401 is of course the size. Personally, I would recommend the 24″ version for a 1080p monitor. At 27″, you will start to notice pixelation unless you sit quite far back. But if you do want a larger monitor, this is an excellent choice.
Best G-Sync – Acer Predator XB241H
- For fast-paced and competitive gaming
- 24″ 1080p display
- 144hz refresh rate
- TN panel
- G-Sync
For the smoothest experience possible, you’ll want to go with a G-Sync monitor. G-sync is Nvidia’s technology which eliminates screen tearing by synchronising your graphics card with the monitors refresh rate. It is very similar to v-sync (which doesn’t require a special monitor), but v-sync causes input lag which isn’t good for gaming.
The trade off is that the picture quality of this monitor isn’t the best. It isn’t terrible, but not on the same level as the ViewSonic XG2401.
For Casual & Immersive Gaming
For casual and immersive games you’re probably better off sacrificing a few FPS and going for a 1440p monitor with a 60hz refresh rate and IPS panel .
Preview | Product | Price | |
---|---|---|---|
Dell UltraSharp U2515H 25-Inch Screen LED-Lit Monitor, Black | $199.99 | Buy on Amazon | |
ViewSonic XG2703-GS 27 Inch 165Hz IPS 1440p G-Sync Gaming Monitor with HDMI and DisplayPort | $864.21 | Buy on Amazon |
Most AAA games should run at around 60 FPS at 1440p with a GTX 1060. You will have to turn down some settings with certain games, but the sharper image from a 1440p monitor instead of 1080p is worth it if you’re going for an immersive experience. You can also go for a 27″ monitor with a 1440p monitor whilst maintaining a good pixel density.
I would advise going with an IPS panel for slower paced games. The higher response time of an IPS monitor won’t be very noticeable, but the better picture quality and color reproduction certainly will.
Below are some benchmarks which gives you an idea of how many FPS you can expect to get with a 1440p monitor and GTX 1060 graphics card (stats can be found at Overclockers Club ):
- Fallout 4 (ultra preset): 55 fps
- Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (ultra preset): 69 fps
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (ultra preset): 36 fps
- Hitman (2016) (ultra/high settings): 53 fps
You will have to turn the settings down on some games (like The Wither 3) by quite a lot to get 60 FPS, but most games will be able to run on high or ultra settings and still get 60 FPS at 1440p.
Now we’ll take a look at some of the best monitors for casual and immersive gaming with a GTX 1060.
Best Overall – Dell UltraSharp U2715H
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- For slow-paced and immersive gaming
- 27″ 1440p display
- 60hz refresh rate
- IPS panel
The UltraSharp U2715H is the best monitor if you’re looking for amazing picture quality. The color reproduction of the IPS panel is excellent and 1440p resolution is super sharp. This makes for an excellent monitor if immersion is your top priority.
The downside is that because of the high resolution, 60hz refersh rate and high response time, it won’t feel as smooth as some monitors.
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Best Budget – Dell UltraSharp U2515H
- For slow-paced and immersive gaming
- 25″ 1440p display
- 60hz refresh rate
- IPS panel
The UltraSharp U2515H is the little brother of the U2715H. As such, you can expect a high quality picture but for a much lower price.
The trade off is that the screen size is a little smaller at 25″. To get the most out of a 1440p resolution I would recommend the 27″ U2715H, but if price is a big factor for you, this is a great option. Something to consider is that with this smaller monitor, you will get a sharper image due to the higher pixel density.
Best G-Sync – ViewSonic XG2703-GS
- For slow-paced and immersive gaming
- 27″ 1440p display
- 165hz refresh rate
- IPS panel
- G-Sync
The final monitor on our list is the ViewSonic XG2703-GS. This is what we recommend if you want a 1440p G-Sync monitor. G-sync is Nvidia’s technology which eliminates screen tearing by synchronising your graphics card with the monitors refresh rate. It is very similar to v-sync (which doesn’t require a special monitor), but v-sync causes input lag which isn’t good for gaming.
To be honest, this monitor is a little bit overkill for a GTX 1060. At 1440p you are not going to get an FPS anywhere near the 165hz refresh rate, but unfortunately there aren’t any 1440p 60hz monitor with G-Sync. If you really want a 1440p monitor with G-Sync, this is an excellent monitor, but considering the high price, I would definitely look at the other options first.
Last update on 2022-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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