Complete Guide to 240Hz Monitors (120hz Vs 240hz)

What Does 240hz Refresh Rate Mean?

Refresh rate is the number that specifies how many times per second (written as hertz, or Hz) the image on the screen changes.

As movement is displayed by the difference between frames, the refresh rate essentially places a strict limit on the frame rate that’s visible. Basically, the higher number of hertz means more images per second.

A higher refresh rate reduces the amount of motion blur. On a 240Hz monitor, there should be a noticeable change in the sharpness of a moving object compared to a 120Hz monitor.

However, this isn’t always noticeable, as people can see the difference immediately while others can’t.Blurring occurs because of how the brain processes the set of individual frames that a monitor displays. The brain then blurs together the frames to create a moving picture, but some detail is lost.

 

Are 240hz monitors worth it?

240Hz monitors are worth it because of its high refresh rate, which provides a very smooth gaming experience for dedicated gamers.

Players who prioritize high FPS and are into the competitive gaming scene will find a 240Hz monitor essential, as they need every potential advantage they can get in multiplayer.

 

Advantages of a 240Hz monitor:

• High refresh rates reduce motion blur when playing at high speed.
• Increased responsiveness and fluidity.
• Less noticeable to hardly any screen tearing.
• Potential for better reaction times in competitive multiplayer games.

Before buying a 240Hz monitor, consider if your GPU can handle it. Run a benchmark test to find out.

 

How do you get 240Hz on your monitor?

Even after buying a new 240Hz monitor, the refresh rate may be set to 60Hz and needs to be manually configured to 240Hz.

 

Follow these steps to configure your monitor on Windows 10:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Display.
4. Click the Advanced Display settings link.
5. Click Display Adapter Properties.
6. Click the Monitor tab of the pop-up.
7. Under Monitor Settings, click Screen refresh rate and use the drop-down menu to select 240Hz.
8. Click Apply and then the OK button.

Alternatively, you can use the Nvidia control panel to change resolution and set your desired refresh rate.

Once the proper settings have been applied, the monitor should start using the new refresh rate.

 

240Hz monitor PC requirements

A PC that can run a 240Hz monitor has to have good CPU performance and lots of RAM to sustain steady frame rate.

These are the recommended specifications to run a 240Hz monitor:

• The processor should be at the minimum an i-5 8400, although an i-7 8700 is recommended.
• The recommended RAM should be 3000+ MHz although slightly lower will be fine as well.
• The recommended video card should be at least 1070 Ti and higher.

Make sure your motherboard is compatible with the CPU for the best system performance.

 

What GPU do you need for a 240Hz monitor?

To run a 240Hz monitor, you will need at least a 1080 GeForce card or an RTX 2080 for high resolution monitors and graphic intensive games for steady frame rates. Depending on the games played, like CS: GO, GeForce 1070 or RTX 2070 is also acceptable.

If you are playing on a monitor with a lower resolution such as 1600×900 and lower settings, an RTX2060 is good enough to sustain steady frame rates depending on your budget and games.

Most importantly, a good CPU will sustain steady 240Hz frame rates over the GPU.

 

Can HDMI support 240Hz?

HDMI 2.0 supports 1080p at 240Hz. HDMI 2.1 supports 4K at 120Hz, and even 8K at 120Hz.  HDMI is popular for its versatility, as you can find it in almost every modern TVs, monitors, and graphics cards.

On a G-Sync monitor, HDMI is limited to 60Hz. Therefore, a Display Port cable is necessary to access the full frequency while a Freesync monitor is not restricted in any way and can use both HDMI and DP.

Older cables are able to support 1080p 240Hz as well, as long as it supports single-link 4K 60Hz.

Be sure to check that your GPU supports HDMI 2.0 before purchasing.

 

Can you see difference between 120Hz and 240Hz?

The difference between 120Hz and 240Hz is noticeable, with smoother motion and increased fluidity.

 

Differences between 120Hz and 240Hz:

• A 120Hz display has a visible input lag of 8.33ms.
• A 240Hz display reduces it to 4.16ms.
• 240Hz will have lower amounts of motion blur compared to 120Hz.
• A 120Hz monitor will have better image quality and higher screen resolution.

For dedicated gamers, a 240Hz monitor is essential to reduce motion blur when playing competitive multiplayer games.

 

Can you see difference between 144Hz and 240Hz?

The difference between 144Hz and 240Hz is less noticeable compared to 60Hz to 120Hz, but 240Hz does make gaming much smoother and more fluid.

• 240Hz provides clearer motion and more responsive inputs in FPS games.
• 240Hz has less motion blur.
• 144Hz monitors can have higher screen resolution and better image quality.

For serious or professional gamers, a 240Hz monitor is essential to reduce motion blur when playing competitive multiplayer games.

 

120Hz vs 240Hz

Switching from a 120Hz monitor to a 240Hz monitor is especially noticeable when playing FPS games. Here are a few things to consider before changing monitors.

 

Pros of a 120Hz monitor:

• Better image quality and higher screen resolution.
• More budget friendly.
• Sufficient for casual gamers and light web browsing.

 

Pros of a 240Hz monitor:

• Higher refresh rates to reduce motion blurring.
• Less screen tearing.
• Lower input lag for a smoother gaming experience.

 

Cons of a 120Hz monitor:

• Lower refresh rates, more motion blur.
• More screen tearing, making it distracting in games.
• Higher input lag.

 

Cons of a 240Hz monitor:

• Less budget friendly.
• Lower screen resolution and image quality.
• Needs a powerful computer to run.

For a serious gamer, a 240Hz screen will be beneficial as it has lower motion blur and less input lag for a smoother gaming experience. Casual gamers or non-gamers will find it better to get a 120Hz screen with good display, as it is more budget friendly.

 

What cable do you use for a 240Hz Monitor?

Display Port 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 cables are necessary to be able to display 240Hz. You will most likely get a cable bundled with the monitor, which will be compatible.

Check that your GPU also has HDMI 2.0 support to display 240Hz. Older GPUs will not be able to run 240Hz, even with the appropriate cables. HDMI cables lower than 2.0 will be limited to 144Hz or lower.

 

Does Display Port 1.4 support 240Hz?

Display Port 1.2 and above support 1080p 240Hz. Check that your GPU supports Display Port 1.2, but most modern GPUs are capable.

Display Port 1.2 can output 1080p and 1440p resolutions at 144Hz, while Display Port 1.3 and 1.4 can deliver up to 4K resolution images at 144Hz. Higher rates such as 240Hz is also available, but at lower resolutions.

 

Troubleshooting a 240Hz Monitor

If you have just bought a new 240Hz monitor but are encountering problems with it, such as the monitor not running at 240Hz or if it’s very blurry in-game, follow these steps to fix it:

 

Why your Monitor doesn’t run at 240Hz:

• Check that the cable for the monitor is HDMI 2.0 and above, or Display Port 1.2 and above for 240Hz.
• Check that your GPU supports HDMI 2.0 and above, or Display Port 1.2 and above.

 

240Hz monitor has large amounts of motion blur:

• Check that the monitor is set to run at 240Hz in-game and on your system.
• Make sure you have the correct type of cable to support 240Hz, such as HDMI 2.0 and above, or Display Port 1.2 and above.
• If the amount of motion blur is too bad, replace the monitor.

 

Why does my 240Hz monitor keep flickering on and off?

A monitor set to run at 240Hz that flickers on and off during gameplay may be caused by several issues. Here are some steps to fix it:

1. Update or downgrade your drivers as necessary.
2. Disable G-Sync or Freesync
3. Check that your GPU has a sufficient power supply.
4. Get a better quality Display Port or HDMI cable.
5. Upgrade your graphics card.
6. Replace your monitor if the problem persists.

 

Why is my 240Hz monitor blurry?

A blurry 240Hz monitor could mean several things. Follow these steps to fix the issue:

1. Check that the monitor is set to 240Hz in-game and on your system.
2. Update all drivers.
3. Check that the cable used is either Display Port 1.2 and above, or HDMI 2.0 and above.
4. Make sure that the problem isn’t multiple image effect.

If the monitor is still too blurry, replace it.

 

Why does my 240Hz monitor feel laggy?

A 240Hz monitor that feels laggy could be caused by several issues. Here are some steps that could fix it:

1. Make sure the cable used is compatible with 240Hz, such as Display Port 1.2 and above, or HDMI 2.0 and above.
2. Check that your GPU also supports the above cables.
3. Enable a framerate limiter.
4. Increase input sensitivity.

 

144Hz vs 240Hz input lag

Input lag is caused by several things, such as latency and motion blur.  G-Sync can also cause input lag if not configured properly in games or when used in games that don’t need it.

144Hz monitors will have slightly more input lag compared to a 240Hz monitor, as a 240Hz display only has an input lag of 3.16ms.

Lower input lag should mean faster response time, depending on if your reflexes are fast enough to take advantage of this.

 

240Hz monitor with lower FPS

A 240Hz monitor with low frame rates during gameplay is caused by unstable and dropping frame rates. Frame rates dropping can look very choppy, making gaming less enjoyable.

 

Follow these steps to fix the issue:

1. Enable a framerate limiter.
2. Check that the game is set to run at 240Hz.
3. Lower the graphics to the lowest setting for more FPS.
4. Upgrade your GPU.

 

How do you get 240Hz in CS:GO?

If you can achieve 240Hz in other games but not CS:GO, it might be caused by some issues. Here are some steps to help fix the problem:

1. Make sure you use the correct HDMI 2.0 and above or Display Port 1.2 and above cable and that it’s plugged into the GPU and not the motherboard.
2. Check that the game isn’t FPS locked by going into your Steam library and entering launch options. Enter “-refresh 240 +fps_max 0” without the quotation marks. This will remove any FPS lock and put the game at 240Hz.

 

Can RTX 2070 run 240Hz?

RTX 2070 can run 1080p and 2K 240Hz, with games that aren’t very graphically intensive such as CS:GO and Fortnite. More demanding games would have to be set at lower or the lowest graphic settings to run 240Hz.

However, an RTX 2080 would minimize the chances of frame rates dropping and help in sustaining steady frame rates during gameplay.

A good CPU would also help in not compromising your ability to be competitive in tight situations.

 

Can a GTX 1060 run 240Hz?

A GTX 1060 should be fine running at 1080p 240Hz, up to a certain point. Older games would do fine, but more demanding games may not run or will have to be adjusted significantly to run at 240Hz.

G-Sync should help in matching the output FPS rate of the CPU and graphics card with the monitor’s refresh rate.

 

Can a GTX 1070 run 240Hz?

A GTX 1070 can run 240Hz fine, although you may encounter frame rate dropping on more taxing games. For less demanding games like Fortnite or CS:GO, frame rates should be steady at 240Hz.

A good CPU with lots of RAM will also help in hitting steady 240Hz in more graphically intense games.

 

1080p 240Hz vs 1440p 144Hz

1080p 240Hz is ideal for competitive multiplayer gamers who need the advantage of high frame rates and low amount of motion blur. To run games at steady 240Hz, a good CPU, GPU and lots of RAM is necessary.

1440p 144Hz is good for casual gamers as it has better image quality and higher resolution, which makes using the monitor for other purposes more enjoyable. 144Hz monitors are also usually cheaper than 240Hz ones.

 

240hz with ULMB Monitor

Most 240Hz monitors can only do ULMB up to 144Hz in order to keep strobe crosstalk low. 240Hz monitors that can do ULMB up to 240Hz usually suffer from strobing issues.

• 240Hz will look smoother than 140Hz with ULMB
• 144Hz with ULMB will make moving objects look sharper if you are actively tracking them with your eyes, compared to 240Hz with no ULMB.

 

Overwatch 144Hz vs 240Hz

240Hz monitor:

• Better for serious gameplay than 144Hz, especially so if you are able to take advantage of the lower input lag and high frame rates.
• A good CPU with plenty of RAM is necessary to sustain steady frame rates at 240Hz as well.
• Won’t tear when going over 144FPS.

 

144Hz monitor:

• Sufficient for the casual gamer or those on a budget.
• Decent hardware should be able to reach stable frames at 140Hz at mid to high level graphic settings.

 

How do you get 240Hz on an Alienware monitor?

If your 240Hz Alienware monitor is capped at 60hz or you can’t access 240Hz in game or on your system, follow these steps to fix it:

1. Go to NVIDIA Control Panel, click Display then Change Resolution. Select the resolution from the PC section of the list instead of TV and choose your preferred refresh rates.
2. Go to Settings, click on System and then Display. Click the Advanced Display settings link and then Display Adapter Properties. Click the Monitor tab of the pop-up and under Monitor Settings, click Screen refresh rate and use the drop-down menu to select 240Hz. Click Apply and then the OK button.
3. Check that your cable is Display Port 1.2 and above, or HDMI 2.0 and above for 240Hz.