Monthly Archives: May 2017

If you are a gamer – whether casual or serious, usually when considering how to be the best you look at first at hardware.

The first item normally considered is obvious – you need a high end graphics card to be able to fully utilize fast paced games, first person shooter or sport games. Successful gaming is about fast response to what you see – to do this by just having a good graphics card is not sufficient.

The way we see things visually is prime, then it is how we interpret the situation and then how fast we can react. You need to be able to see the action clearly, without any blurring of the screen, screen tearing or flickering.

This is why the specialized gaming monitor becomes a must.

Things to look out for: Panel size, Resolution and refresh rates. Additionally knowing what the descriptive terms used by retailers to describe their products also mean, also helps if you are new to gaming!

REMEMBER EVERYBODY has to start somewhere – knowing the terms and starting from the basics is the best way to go!

Here a few tips:-

Panel size

- The major opinion here is that as far as serious gaming is concerned the bigger panel/screen is the best. If you are a serious gamer and have the room a 27” screen will offer the opportunity to stretch further than Full High Definition (FHD) – which normally will give you a maximum resolution of 1,920 X 1,080.

- If you are checking these out you will find that these are described as Wide, Quad High Definition (WQHD) and they will have maximum resolutions of 2,560 X 1,440 pixels. You will need a powerful graphics card (GPU) to get the best out of this type of display.

- B. it does not always follow that if the resolution is high that you will always need a powerful GPU, it is possible to downscale the gaming resolution and use the higher resolution for other things.

Refresh Rates

This is pretty simple to understand – as it just refers to the time (per second) that it will take to refresh the whole screen image….this will be measured in Hertz (Hz). The majority of LCD monitors normally have a 60 Hz refresh rate. This is fine for general use and casual gaming however for more fast paced gaming it may mean that your images become blurred or there may be screen tearing. A refresh rate of at least 120 Hz will eliminate this.

For the casual or first time gamer – i.e.  Someone who may be using the computer for general work too, a standard 23.6 Wide TN LED monitor is ideal.

e.g. AOC E247OSWHE 23.6 Wide TN LED Monitor

N.B. Remember age is no limit when it comes to gaming. The BBC has reported that computer games are growing in popularity with older people as it is a good way to be able to keep mentally active!

Consequently if you are new to gaming do check out a few things first before purchasing. Just because the recommendations are for big screens this does not automatically mean that you need one when first starting out. The bigger the screen, the more functions it will have, and therefore the more expensive it will be. There are plenty of budget buys out there and a good retailer will have the experience to know which buy may be best for you. Customer service, albeit online chat or speaking personally to a member of the staff is important to help you make the correct choice.

Everybody knows what a mouse pad/mat is and arguably everyone has their own preferences about them….some not using them at all.

However it is now considered that the right gaming mouse mat/pad could possibly be one of the key factors to significantly improve your gameplay.

The basic consensus for using a mouse pad whether gaming or not is that:

1. It will prolong the base of the mouse, lessening wear on the feet.
2. It increases accuracy as it improves sensors.

The definite agreement is that it is the surface your mouse works on which is the prime concern – the better it is, the better your mouse will respond. No normal surface is frictionless or has a consistent surface no matter how highly polished or whatever it is. Depending on the variants of friction on the surface you use, this may cause your mouse to work at different speeds. This is NOT what you need in a fast paced game situation!

TIPS to help make the decision:

• Accuracy and speed are very important for gaming. A good mouse pad will have even friction all over its surface.
• Comfort is important for long periods of gaming – a soft mouse pad where your wrist can rest is an asset.
• If you use a highly sensitive gaming mouse, and possibly may have paid a lot for it, you may need a gaming pad as otherwise on a normal surface; the sensitivity of the mouse will just jump around when it is moved slowly.
• Size matters! Gaming mouse pads are generally bigger than standard ‘normal’ ones – this is very useful for those of use who run the mouse off the pad edges at critical moments!!
• Price is not a guarantee of quality – buy from a reliable retailer!
• Lots of choice available – be aware of the differences in surfaces. A smooth surface on the pad allows fast movement but a rougher surface will give higher precision.

Eg. Thunder X3 TMP30 mouse pad. This is a gaming mouse pad which has been specifically designed for precision for tracking quality for the optical and the laser mouse. This anti slip mat will give gamers precise minute movements just when it is needed.

It is noted that now optical and laser sensor mice have developed to be good at tracing on a variety of surfaces, it seems also having a good mouse pad can make quite a big difference in any competitive gaming with your PC.
Back to the tip of purchasing your mouse pad from a reliable supplier of gaming PC’s and accessories – this is worthwhile, especially if you have purchased other matching accessories from the same source. They can give advice on all their products, they will have a sound customer service contact point and you can safely rely on their help.

Looking for a new computer monitor…TN LED..LCD ?

Which one for me?

Just in case you are not totally familiar with the jargon here is some basic info which may help:

We all know that computer monitors are a display device with circuitry and a power supply. Some are flat panelled LED display, some are a thin film transistor LCD, then there are TN LED…but the question is what does this mean and what is best for me?

LCD display – (Liquid Crystal Display)- this is the standard display screen for desk top computers and the familiar label we see advertised on new televisions.

LED display (Light Emitting Diode) – this is a flat screen flat panelled computer monitor or a television. We are all now familiar with this term. However what it refers to is the fact that the display has backlighting which can be placed either behind the screen or around its edges – usually meaning this is a thinner unit.

LED is not only cheaper but uses less power, last longer and more important is instantly on.

TN display – actually means a ‘twisted nematic’ (TN) liquid crystal display (LCD). This consists of a substance called nematic liquid which is restrained between two polarizes plates of glass. The main advantage of TN panels is that they have a fast response time but this comes with a sacrifice. The disadvantage is that the colour distorts when viewing the screen from different or wider angles.

Verdict:

For normal desk top use, go for just an LED monitor – it will have a clear display from every angle you need to view it from. LED’s are efficient as they use less power and have good colour accuracy.

For game play you definitely should go for a TN LED monitor. You will get a much faster response time and the colour distortion will not be noticeable. They are ideally suited to fast paced gaming, the ones that require quick reactions. TN LED is brighter and you will get an all round smoother experience.

Advice:

Buy from a technology specialist. Most of us will need some expert advice and good customer support; established companies will provide good quality products too.