If you enjoy gaming and want to have your own setup at home, one of the first things you would need is a gaming monitor. A gaming monitor needs to have quick refresh rate (more on that later) and great color reproduction. The good news is you can find some great options online, so if you check for something like Primecables 4K gaming monitor, it doesn’t have to be that expensive either. We would recommend that you set a budget, but for somewhere around $300, you should find a decent option. Here are some quick tips to consider when you are buying your first gaming monitor –

1. As with any monitor, higher the resolution, better will be picture quality. Full HD, with resolution of 1920 x 1080, is the basic you would need for gaming, but if you can afford a 4k monitor, nothing like it.
2. Don’t go for a big monitor when it comes to gaming. Firstly, extensive gaming, or specific games, require you to have complete focus on the monitor. If the monitor is too big, you wouldn’t find it easy to move your eyes that quick, because you have to be close to the monitor to have the controls. Go for a 27-inch gaming monitor, but if you have to choose something bigger, think no more than 32-inch models.
3. Check the refresh rate. The refresh basically refers to the number of times the screen refreshes itself per second. It will be mentioned in Hz, or Hertz. General rule of thumb is simple – bigger the number, the better. At the least, look for a monitor with 60hz refresh rate.
4. Panel technology does matter. If you are concerned about image quality, don’t think of TN panels. VA monitors are your best bet when it comes to gaming. There is also a third choice in between, called IPS panels, which are definitely better than TN monitors, but not as good as VA screens.
5. Do check the response time. The response time basically refers to the time required to move from one still image to other, and the range is somewhere between 6ms and 8ms for average monitors. For gaming in particular, you need a better response time, of at least 5ms or less, but 6ms is usually the basic.

For your first gaming monitor, don’t spend a fortune, because you are still discovering the passion and may eventually find real reasons to buy an expensive one.